The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-03 00:00:00

BROMLEY.

(Before Viscount Sydney, Chairman ; the Rev. Sir C.
Farnaby, Bart. ; E. R. Adams, Esq: ; Captain
Bahrens ; the Rev. T. Scott ; P. Dyke, Esq. ;
Chapman, Esq. ; G. Jackson, Esq., &c., &c.)
This was a special session for the purpose of renew-
ing the licenses of the victuallers carrying on business
within the district, and in consequence of some mat-
ters that have created a good deal of interest in the
neighbourhood, there was an unusually full attendance
of magistrates.
The licenses of the other victuallers having been
renewed without any opposition, Mr. Martin, the
landlord of the "80-peep," at Chelsfield, applied for
a renewal of his license.

Mr. DYKE said that, before his brother magistrates
granted the application, he must beg leave to lay
before them some circumstances that had come within
his knowledge, and which he thought they ought to
be acquainted with. He had reason to believe that
this house was the resort of the most desperate cha-
racters, and he knew that one man had lived there for
several months with a prostitute, who had no means
of living but by plunder, and who was eventually
transported for deer-stealing. That man had since
stated that, if he had offered him any opposition (the
deer were stolen from the park of Sir P. H. Dyke,
the worthy magistrate's father), he would have shot
him dead, and it was his intention to do so. He did
not wish to rely upon this circumstance alone, but he
felt it to be his duty to mention it, and the police,
who had also made inquiries respecting the applicant's
house, would be able to put the bench in possession
of further facts respecting it.
Serjeant Leverick, of the R division, said, that in
consequence of instructions he received, he made some
inquires respecting the "80-Peep." He first disco-
vered that a woman, to whom the landlord had given
a good character, with a view to get her into service,
had been charged with setting fire to her master's
house. Upon his going to the house on a Sunday
morning during Divine service, he found twelve or
fourteen persons, gipseys, men and women, almost all
of whom were in a state of intoxication, and some
were lying dead drunk under the hedge. One man
seized his horse by the bridle, and he had great diffi•
culty in getting away from him. The place was a
regular rookery, and appeared to be the resort of the
most desperate characters.
Lord SYDNEY asked the applicant what answer he
had to give to the statements relative to the manner in
which his house had been conducted ?

The applicant said he could not deny that the per-
son referred to by Mr. Dyke was a verydesperate cha-
racter, but the fact was, that he took possession of his
shed, and he did not dare to get rid of him, for he
threatened him, that if he attempted to do it, he would
poison his water, or set the house on fire, and he was
actually afraid to attempt to remove him.
Lord SYDNEY said it was his duty, when he knew
he had such a desperate fellow about him, to have ap-
plied to the magistrates, if he really desired to get
rid of him.

Some other statements were then given, tending to
show that the house kept by the applicant was a place
of resort for the most desperate and abandoned cha-
racters.

The CHAIRMAN said he believed the " 80-Peep"
was not within the metropolitan police district.
Inspector M‘Gill said it was not.
Sergeant Leverick said that when he went to make
the inquiries on the Sunday morning he referred to,
he asked some questions of the constable of the parish,
and he told him he would find plenty of people at the
house.

Mr. ADAMS—Why did he not interfere, and do his
duty ?
Mr. DYKE said he believed he told the constable he
was afraid to do so.

His LORDSHIP then, after a brief consultation with
his colleagues, said that the bench were unanimously
of opinion that it was their duty to refuse to renew the
license, as it was clear that the house was the resort
of desperate and abandoned characters, and a nuisance
to the neighbourhood.