The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-06 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)

THE CAT'S-MEAT MAN.—" Please yer Worship this tongue
was a lyin' on my shop board," said a tall bony man, step-
ping into the witness-box.
" Stop, stop," said Mr. HALL, the sitting magistrate, " what
charge is this ?"
The answer to this inquiry was that a little boy, whose
head appeared just above the bar, had been charged with
stealing _a sheep's tongue.
Mr. HALL (to-the prosecutor)—Well, now, first of all what
are you? Prosecutor—l'm a butcher by perfession, but I
deals rather in ships' (sheep) lights and bull's liver.
The Clerk—What's the use of being above your business
—why not tell the magistrate that you are a cat's-meat man
at once ? Prosecutor—Well, so I is.
Mr. HALL—WeII, now go on with your complaint.
Prosecutor—Well this boy, which is the wust o' all, comes
up and bolts with the tongue, which was a lyin' on my shop
board between two more. _ _ _

Mr. HALL—Did you see him run away with the tongue?
Prosecutor—Oh, no yer Wership, which the little girl comes
up wot lives next door, and says, says she, while the other
was standin round the winder, there goes the boy with his
tongue in his pocket—(Great laughter)—•so I cuts arter him
and takes him, but I found as how he hadn't got my tongue
in his pocket, but howsomever as he vos the one wot took it,
I brings him to the station-house, but I could'nt find my
tongue.
Mr. HALL—You only took the boy then because the little
girl told you?
"Prosecutor—Oh, no. I knows he took it, cos his; always a
pitchin dead cats on to the shop board.
Mr. HALL—That does not prove that he took the tongue.
Cat's-meat man's wife (in the body of the Court)—He
missed the tongue which was lyin at the time.
Mr. HALL—WeII, it seems there is no charge against the
prisoner, so he must be discharged.
The prosecutor (with a look of dismay)—But the dead cats,
yer Wership
Mr. HALL--Oh, if he does that again bring him to me and
I will punish him.—The prisoner was then discharged.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
(THIS DAY.)
John Shore, a lad, and Philip Stradling, a young man who
has been at sea for several years, were charged with having
in their possession, under suspicious circumstances, a 10/.
Bank of England note. It appeared that the prisoners were
paupers, in the workhouse of St. George, Hanover-square.
The former prisoner was committed from this Court to West.
minster Bridewell for 14 days to hard labour, for behaving
in a riotous and disorderly manner in the workhouse, and he
only came out of prison on Friday last. On the following
day he was re-admitted into tnem,..t. On Sunday both the
prisoners had the usual leave to go out after dinner-time,
and in about three hours afterwards Shore brought Strad-
ling back to the workhouse in a wheelbarrow insensibly
drunk. Shortly after this the master of the house was
informed that the prisoners had a quantity of gold
and silver money in their possession, and on search-
ing them, sovereigns and silver to the amount of 91. 4s.
were found. Shore then stated that on Saturday last, as he
was wandering along Oxford-street, he picked up the note in
question, but thought it was only a flash note. On it being
shown to Stradling, he said he would get it changed if 21.
were given to him for his trouble. This was agreed to, and
about 2'clock on Sunday afternoon, change for the note was
obtained at a public house in the neighbourhood by Strad-
ling, who was known to the landlord, representing that it
had been sent to him by his sister, to refit him out for sea.
They then commenced drinking, and in a very short time
had expended 16s. _ _

They were discharged, and the note ordered to be adver
Used.

MARYLEBONE.-(THIS DAY.)
Robert Henry Attwood, a very respectably dressed lad, was
placed at the bar, charged with the gentlemanly amusement
of ringing bells and creating a disturbance.
Police constable 209 S stated that the prisoner was busily
engaged this morning, about one o'clock, ringing the bells in
Clarendon-place, Edgware-road. When he saw the witness,
he said to a companion who was with him, but who did not
join in the amusement, that " here was a policeman," and upon
his being taken into custody he offered a considerable sum of
money if he would be permitted to go away. Witness, how-
ever, refused the bribe, and landed him in the station-house.

➢lr. RAwLuisas—You seem to enjoy your position amaz-
ingly, Sir—pray, what are you ? Prisoner—l was secretary
to an Irish gentleman.

Mr. ItAwi.xxsox—Has the Irish gentleman dispensed with
your valuable services now? Prisoner—Yes, I now reside
with my mother.
Mr. IlawfmcsoN—You are fined forty shillings, Sir, and I
hope you may find the amusement too expensive for daily
practice.
Prisoner—Well, I think you are too hard.
The prisoner's further remonstrances were cut short by
Mitchell, the gaoler, very politely handing him out of Court.

CLERKENWELL.-(THIS DAY.)
A ruffian, named 3.P.Dermott, who has just come out of the
House of Correction, where he has been for the last month,
was charged with assaults of a very brutal character on the
police-constables of the E division.
The prisoner was drunk and creating a disturbance in
Coram-street on the previous night at a late hour. E 35 at-
tempted to remove him, but he kicked him on the legs so as
to cause him great pain. He sprang his rattle, and another
officer came up, and him too the fellow kicked and cuffed
unmercifully.
Mr. COMBS asked him if he liked to be in prison ?
M'Dermott replied in the negative, but could assign no other
reason for his savage conduct except that he was drunk.
Mr. COMBS, who did not seem to consider drunkenness any
palliation of the offence, sent him back to the House of Cor:.
rection for another month.

UNION HALL.-(THIS DAY.)
Jeremiah 31' Carthy was charged with wilfully damaging a
table belonging to the Grand Masonic Lodge of England.
The table, which was described to be 300 years old, was
produced; it vras of a circular shape and very neatly inlaid
with different kinds of wood.

Thomas Murray stated that on Saturday evening at eight
o'clock, he was carrying the table on his shoulder in High-
street, when the defendant who was behind came up, and
striking it with all his force knocked it off, and falling on the
pavement it sustained very much damage. The defendant
was not sober, and accompanied the blow with a vulgar ex-
pression. _ . . _

- The defendant said that he ran against the table acci-
dentally, as he had a " drop in" at the time.
Mr. TaAILL said the defendant was liable to pay the
damage, besides a fine for being drunk, and that if he did
not do the former he should be committed to gaol.
After a good deal of quibbling, the defendant endeavour-
ing to lessen the estimate of the damage, he consented to pay
it, and was discharged.
Mary Easton, servant to Mr. Fennell, grocer, of Ber-
mondsey, was charged with stealing a cash-box containing
201. in sovereigns and silver, besides 1791. in cheques.
It appeared that the prisoner had taken an opportunity of
getting possession of the cash-box on the preceding day
about two o'clock, with which she absconded and went to
Chelsea. When she got there, she gave the cash-box to an
old fruit woman to try and open, •but not succeeding in the
effort, the latter person took it to a beer shop keeper on the
spot, who, suspecting it was stolen, detained it and gave in-
formation at the station house. This led to the detection of
the robbery, and the prisoner being taken into custody, she
was forthwith lodged in the station house. She said nothing
in her defence, and was committed for trial.