The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-31 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.

A butcher, named Tay/or, who sometimes retails meat
at the stalls of Mr. Sadler, a wholesale butcher, in New-
gate street, was summoned before Mr. Alderman Challis
for vending a leg of pork, unlit for human food, on the
23d inst.

Henry Gatfield, of George street, :Cambridge-heath,
stated that he and his wife came to Newgate market to
buy their Christmas dinner, hopiag to fare. better than if
they purchased nearer home. At Mr. Sadler's stall they
found what appeared to be a very suitabde joint, a leg of
pork, weighing 161 b., for which they paid 7s. 6d. A
good blazing fire was made up on Christmas.day, and
big as it was, the leg was expected to be thoroughly
roasted in four hours. At the end of two hours the
family were astonished that there was no savoury fumes
about the premises, such as might be expected from the
action of a good fire on a nice leg of pork, and it was
examined and found to be as soft and raw as if it had not
been placed at the fire at all. It was curious, and in the
next two hours it was looked at pretty often, but still
presented the same uncooked, be-devilled appearance.
At the appointed dinner hour it was taken up and
strictly examined. The meat had become redder, oddly
red, but it was evidently still raw. A stronger fire was
made up and it was put down again, and at the end of
six hours it was in the same state of rawness as at the
end of four hours or two hours. It was clear the leg
would not roast, and that something else must be sub-
stituted for the Christmas dinner. When he called early
next morning on the salesman, he gave him the name of
defendant as the person who had the use of the stall at
the time. He produced the joint, which had an un-
sightly appearance and a tough skin.
Mr. Alderman CHALLIS said this story put him in
mind of the nursery rhyme, " fire, fire, won't burn pig."
What alas the reason tne meat would not roast ? The
complainant said he was unable to tell the cause. He
could only speak to the fact.
It was surmised that it was the leg of a very old boar
pig, fattened up for sale, and that he had died of smother-
ing, and without having the blood drained out of him,
upon some railway.

Mr. Alderman CHALLIS asked if he could show that the
animal must have been infected with some disease ?
The complainant said he could not.
The def. ndant said he could prove by the clerk of ihe
market, and another butcher, to whom he showed a part
of the pig, on receiving the summons, that it was not
diseased.

Mr. Alderman CHALLIS asked him to look at the meat,
and say if it was good.
The butcher replied, he could not say.
Mr. Alderman CHALLIS reminded the complainant
that he had been accustomed to buy meat, and if
there was nothing in the appearance of the meat when
fresh cut up to excite suspicion, might not the butcher
be also deceived ? If be ordered the butcher to repay
the whole money, he must help him to recover it from
some oth( r party, and he did not know where the pro-
cess would stop. They had both erred in judgment
while buying, and should, perhaps, divide the loss.
Both parties agreed to this, and the matter was settled.
A.B. remitted 21. for the poor-box.
LAMBETH.

Thomas Smith, William David Eales, and Ann Jones,
alias Smith, who have been in custody for some days
past, on a charge of being concerned in the robbery at
the house of Mr. Hamblin, an aged and infirm gentleman,
3, Crayford-road, Coldblow-lane, Camberwell, were
brought before Mr. Henry for further examination.
The first witness called was Mr. Thomas Phillips,
who gave his address at the Hall of Commerce,
Threadneedle-street. He deposed that he had seen the
prisoner Smith before, and was perfectly confident of
his identity. When requested by Mr. Henry to state
the circumstances under which he had before seen
Smith, Mr. Phillips said, that on the afternoon of Sun-
day, the 14th instant, he went to visit his sister, Mrs.
Hamblin, whose husband has been a long time bed-
ridden, at her house in Crayford-road, Camberwell.
At about eight o'clock in the evening, while sitting at the
bed-side of his brother-in-law, his sister, Mrs. Hamblin,
came in in a great state of agitation, and beckoned to him
to follow her to the next room. He did so, and Mrs. Ham-
blin then informed him that there was a strange man in
the house, and showed him a letter which he had given
her. His sister then commenced reading the letter to him
in a low tone of voice, lest her husband should hear it; for,
from, the state he was then in, the slightest excitement
must have producs,d his death. After hearing the con-
tents of the letter, witness went into the passage, where
he saw the prisoner Smith, and, addressing him, said,
" Pray, what is your business here ?" and while so ad-
dressing him, he saw that he had a dirk in his hand.
The prisoner replied, " I have come for the money in
the house, and if I don't have it in a few minutes I'll
call in my men who are outside, and the house will be
plundered." On finishing the sentence, he drew from his
left hand coat-pocket a horse pistol, and proceeding towards
the hall-door, partially opened it and gave a whistle
wh 11 a second man, armed as he was himself, with a
pistol and dagger, came in. There was some communi-
cation between them, when the second man stood up in
a corner shaded from the light, that he, witness, shoutd
not see his face, so as to be able to identify him again.
He had, however, a perfect view of the features of
Smith, and had recognisesi in them at the time a partial
likeness to two friends of his own, with whom he had
done business, and this circumstance had so strongly
impressed his mind with the whole of the prisoners'
countenance, that he could have no difficulty, even at a
remote period, of speaking with perfect certainty to his
identity, and was confident he was the man. The pri-
soner Smith spoke to him and said, " If you'll let me
have 101. I'll leave the house, and take my men away,"
and at this time Mr. H. Phillips thought the second wan