The Sun.
London, England, 1828-03-17 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.—On Saturday Elizabeth Mason,
a fine young woman who was in the habit, a few years ago,
of walking the saloons of the theatres, was brought before
Alderman KEY, who sat for the Lord Mayor, charged with
having threatened to shoot a gentleman named Marshall,
, and Mr. Deacon, the proprietor of the Saracen's Head Inn,
Aldgate.
The prisoner, who it appears used to walk the saloons
under the name of Lady Melville, and who strongly resem-
bles one of the ladies of that noble family', here said, that
she certainly with the greatest calmness deliberated upon
the pfopriety of shooting the two complainants, and that
she Caine to the resolution not at all prematurely or
abruptly.
Mr. Deacon stated, that from what he had heard of the
prisoner, he had every reason to apprehend the most despe-
rate violence from her. His friend, Mr. Marshall, had in
fact been in the habit of visiting her, and was now about
to he married to another lady ; and the prisoner took it
into her head, without reason, that they had planned the
marriage between them for the purpose of getting rid of her.
Alderman KEY-Well, Madam, what have you to say
to this accusation? Prisoner—What ! Why, I certainly
purchased the pistol to despatch the two fellows who have just
addressed you. That Deacon I particularly detest and aim
at, and him I certainly shall put out of the way ; for he
is an encumbrance upon the earth. As for :Marshall, I
have lived with him for six years in a conjugal way; he
now abandons me, and marries another, after having
vowed eternal fidelity; but I shall reach him wherever he
goes. I'll pink him yet.—[Her " Ladyship" then indulged
in language which might be supposed to issue, accompanied
with flames, from the mouth of a fiend.]
Alderman KEY committed the woman to gaol in, default
of bail. He advised the two gentlemen to exhibit articles
of the peace against her at the Quarter Sessions.
GUILDHALL—THE UNGALLANT VETERAN, AND HIS
YOUTHFUL SPOUSE.-Alr. David David appeared upon
summons to answer the complaint of' his wife, Mrs. Jane
David, who gave the following succinct synopsis of her
case :—" Your Worship, this old chap is my husband ;
and, though he doesn't half maintain me, he larrups me
once a week reg'lar."
Mr. David David laid down his hat to reply. " Your
Honour," said he, " I'm an old soldier, and I'll tell you no
lie. Ido towel her sometimes, but nor half so often as she
deserves it. Look at me, your Honour, and look at her.
I'm eighty-two, and she's a stout young woman of thirty-
one ; and yet she never did a day's work since I had her-..
though my whole dependence is a pension of 14s. a-week,
from the Royal Hospital at Chelsea. I went abroad with
General Howe in the year seventy-six, and I served my
country, in y oits or another, for forty-two years ; but
I never saw na lard service in all that time than I have
undergone since I gave this woman the privilege of calling
me husband—and that's only two years and a-half ago !"
The ALDERMAN reminded the old soldier that he had
taken a wife " for better or for worse ;" and however hard
he might find the matrimonial service, it was his duty not
to flinch from it until he should be regularly discharged.
" Aye, it's fine talking, your Honour," rejoined the un-
gallant veteran ; " the fact is, her redrew wags so fast and
so sharp, that mortal man can't bear it—it's a desperate
sight sharper than ever General Bonaparte's sword was."
Mrs. David never used her tongue without good cause,
and would endeavour to use it more gently in future, if
her husband would but keep his hands to himself.
Finally the old man agreed to try her once more, adding
—" There's one consolation for me yet—l hope to get into
Chelsea College soon, and there, thank God, no woman is
ever admitted."

BOW-STREET.—Mr. Gourlay, of whose long in-
carceration in the House of Correction, Spa-fields, the
public are so well aware, drove to the office en Saturday
in a coach, and upon ascertaining that Mr. Halls was the
sitting Magistrate, he immediately alighted, and, advancing
to the Bench, said, " Do I address myself to Mr. Halls ?'
Mr. HA LLS—Yes, Sir, I am that person.
Mr. Gourlay—Then I have come to demand of you,
Sir, a whip and a penknife, of which one of your officers
deprived me when I was illegally committed to the House
of Correction by you in 1825.
Mr. HALLS—I shall send for the officer who will, no
doubt, restore whatever property you say you have been
deprived of. Let an officer go directly, and tell Ellis that
he is wanted. Sit down, Sir.

, .
Mr. Gourlay sat down accordingly, and in a few moments
Taunton returned, saying that Ellis was in the country, but
was expected in town in a day or two.
Mr. HALLS (to Mr. Gourlay)—lf you will leave your
address, the articles you require shall be sent to you.
Mr. Gourlay (rising apparently in a state of extreme ex-
citement).-1 am going to Scotland almost immediately,
and probably I shall have left town before your officer re-
turns. He then paused a few moments, and added, " I
take this opportunity of telling you, Mr. Halls, that your
conduct towards me has been most infamous. Not only has
your illegal arrest and detention of my person in prison
ruined my fortune and peace of mind, but it has blasted my
reputation also."

Mr. HALLS (mildly).—l am sorry you should think so,
Sir.

Mr. Gourlay (with increased vehemence).—Think so!
I have felt it, Sir; but you shall pay dearly for it. Your
conduct, I repeat, has been most infamous. You, an ad-
ministrator of justice, nave lent yourself to the base con-
spiracy of which I have been so long the victim. You
shall hear from me, Sir; you are unfit for the chair you fill.
You are—

Mr. ITALLs.—Officers, remove that person from the
office, show him to the Clerk's office, and let him leave
his address there.

Mr. Gourlay then retired, and left a large printed card
in the hands of an officer, upon the blank side of which he
wrote as follows :—" Any thing for me may be left with
Wm, Syme, Esq., Fenchurch-buildings, Fenchurch-street."
The card, which was handsomely printed, was as follows :
" Robert Gourlay, colonial land-agent, begs leave to in-
timate, that he laid the foundation of this business, in Upper
Camula, in October, 1817, and for months enjoyed flatter-
ing prospects. Instigated by legislative councillors, he then
called for inquiry into the state of the provinces, and would
have carried that important measure, still so urgently re-
quired, had he not been destroyed, deserted, and ruined, by
those very men. Emerging now from unexampled perse-
cution, he is about to start with renewed hopes, never for
a moment having abandoned his designs : at once to esta-
blish business, and outface machinations to blast him as
insane, he purposes to make the tour of the kingdom. In
country parishes he will advise labourers to form emigration
societies; in market towns he will converse with farmers,
as to settlement abroad ; and in great towns he will de-
liver discourses on the principles of poor laws, reform and
emigration, wherein he will prove, that without altering a
single statute, changing a single institution, or interfering
with property, the whole .Aystem of the poor laws and
rates may be dispensed with in twenty years, and the
national debt may be paid off in fifty years, from ales of
colonial lands."