The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-08 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS.

Frederick Herbert, a stout athletic young man, and a member
of a formidable gang of thieves, whose rendezvous was in the
neighbourhood of Lock's-fields, was indicted for feloniously
stealing, on the 18th of December last, a boa, the property of
Solomon Aarons. In the course of the trial, however, it was
discovered that the boa was only part of one, and upon that
technicality the prisoner was acquitted. The prisoner was
about rejoicing on his lucky escape when it was intimated to
him that there was a second indictment against him for stealing
a pair of trousers, a circumstance which the prisoner seemed
to have entirely overlooked. On this indictment the prisoner
was again placed at the bar, when he was convicted on the
clearest evidence.
In answer to a question from the CHAIRMAN, the police-
officer stated that the prisoner had several times been in cus-
tody on a charge of felony, but had escaped conviction at the
Old Bailey. He had been an associate of thieves for years,
and was a most desperate character. When taken into cus-
tody he went very quietly until he got to a very lonely and
unfrequented part of Lock's-fields, when he made a most vio-
lent assault on the officer, and made a signal for the assistance
of the gang; but the policeman springing his rattle, his com-
panions were afraid to venture, several of them "being wanted."
Mr. Keene, the governor of the county gaol, said the pri-
soner's name appeared on the black list.
The prisoner was sentenced to seven years' transportation.
Charles Duffit was found guilty, and sentenced to three
months' hard labour at Brixton, for feloniously stealing, in the
New-cut, Lambeth, a cap, the property of Charles Paddon,
clothes salesman.
James Faun was also found guilty, and sentenced to 21 days'
solitary confinement in the county gaol, for stealing a hat, the
property of the same prosecutor.
The CHAIRMAN—Pray 'Mr. Paddon, were not these goods
exposed for sale after dark ?. Mr. Paddon—Yes, Sir.
The CHAIRMAN—At what hour ? Mr. Paddon—Near upon
twelve o'clock.
The CHAIRMAN--What! at midnight? Mr. Paddon—
Yes, Sir.
A MAGISTRATE—Which is clearly illegal, and contrary to
the Act of Parliament.
Mr. Johnson-1 think, Mr. Paddon, you had one or two
cases here last sessions? Mr. Paddon—l had, Sir.
Mr. Johnson—And, if my memory serves me right, there is
scarcely a sessions but you have a prosecution ; this practice
must be discontinued ; it is holding out a temptation to commit
crime.
Mr. Paddon—l am compelled to do it ; the competition in
trade i 3 so great; and if 1 did not, I should be forced to close
my shop. My losses by robbery are severe. It is only re-
cently I transported three men at Kingston.
A AIAGISTRATE—You are doing an illegal act, Sir, and en-
gendering crime.
The CH AIRMAN eventually told Mr. Padden, if he came to
this Court again, under similar circumstances, he should not
have his expenses. There was no occasion for any tradesman
to expose their goods but butchers.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(SATURDAY.)
MANSION-HOUSE.
A French gentleman, who resides in King William-street,
was summoned by a cab-driver, before Sir John Key, for
having refused to pay four shillings fare, after having traversed
a much greater extent of ground than he could have demanded
to be conveyed if an agreement had not been made.
The cabman stated that as the day happened to be a frosty
one, and there was no " cab life a moving," he consented to
take four shillings for driving the defendant a six shillings'
distance, and he was to put the gentleman down at the exact
spot where the hiring took place. He just did as he promised,
but the defendant refused to pay for the long jaunt, and the
summons was the consequence.
Sir JOHN KEY, having very scrupulously investigated the
charge, and ascertained that the cabman had actually taken
the defendant further than four shillings would have paid for
under the usual circumstances, said—Well, Sir, this man seems
to have performed his part of the contract—what is your objec-
tion to pay ? Defendant—You see, sare, I often go in de cabs,
and I see him vid de cab, and I ask him vot he take me for?
so he say six shilling. I say four shilling, no more, and I
walk on. Ver well, he come up again, and he open de door,
and he say jump in; and I say four shilling, and he say, yes,
yes; and I jump in.—( Laughter.)
Sir Jon N KEY—This was near your own house? De-
fendant—Yes, yes. Dis was near my own office. Ver well ;
be ride me round to de places vot I vented to go, but he stop
at public-house to drink himself and his hoes in xford-street,
though I was in a much hurry to march on.—(Laughter. )
Yell, sare, I don't tink nothing of dat, so he drive on.
Sir Joint KEY—He drove you back to King William-street?
Defendant—Yes, sare, he drive me in King William-street,
but be say he would not drive me in my own office. Vell, when
he come in de street he fling open de door, and he say, " Come,
you jump out."—( Great laughter.) So I say I won't jump
out till you take me in my office. " Aha," he say, " I won't
drive you no more." Den I say, I won't give you no more
four shilling.—(Laughter, )
Sir Joins- KEY—But it appears that he had driven you to
the spot at which you engaged him. The cabman—Jist so,
your Worship. I driv the gent to the wery place vere he hired
this here vehicle of mine ; and had'nt I a rum go to bundle
rich a big-un as him a long six shilling fare for four shillings on
such a starving day ?
Defendant—Aha, I vouldint care for forty-four shilling.
Four shilling ! no, no ; dese cabsmen be sheats—common
sheets ; and I was intend to come to de Mayor, for I often
jump in de cabs. Aha (shaking his hand at the cabman), you
sheat.—(Laughter.)
Sir Joust KEY was astonished to learn that the defendant's
office was actually within two doors of the spot at which the
cabman stopped his cab and demanded his fare. " How did it
happen, cabman," said Sir John, " that you did not drive the
gentleman a couple of yards further ?" The cabman—Please
your Worship, our agreement was, that I should drive him
back to the very spot where I shoved his body in ; and as he
wouldn't stand a farden more than four bob for that precious
yarn of a drive, how could I, in honour to myself, drive him the
eighth of an inch furder ?—( Great laughter. )
Defendant—Ah, Sara I He know I don't speak de English
much well, and so he sheet me—(Laughter)-1 am glad I have
come here, for I wish to have punish dese cabsmen.
Sir JOHN KEY—The cabman has not acted with proper
consideration, certainly ; but he has performed his contract.
You must pay him the four shillings for the fare, half-a-crown
for his loss of time, and two shillings for the serving of the
summons.
The defendant, who evidently did not care a farthing about
the money, but was shocked at the rudeness of his adversary,
then paid the amount demanded, and said he would take the
advice of Sir John Key, who told him he would never be
cheated if he invariably gave a cabman whatever he demanded,
and summoned him before a Magistrate for overcharge.
GIB Y POLICE COiVI Al ITTE E.
Mrs. Jones, a widow, proprietress of the Bull's Head public-
house, Wood-street, Cheapside, attended before Mr. Alderman
Kelly, the presiding Magistrate, to answer a charge laid against
her by the police, for having her house open, not for refresh-
metit of travellers, after the hour of twelve on Saturday night
last, whereby she incurred a heavy penalty, and endangered
the license of the premises. She pleaded not guilty. Mr. Wire,
the solicitor, appeared on her behalf.
The police-constable, No. 101, deposed that at about twenty
minutes before one o'clock on Sunday morning last he passed
the defendant's house, and found the door ajar, and on pushing it
open saw a man standing near it with a pot of beer in his hand.
He went in and found three others in front of
,the bar, and two
in a passage leading to the tap-room. There were pots on the
bar counter, but he could not, swear that they contained any-
thing. It was for having persons in her house after twelve
o'clock that he summoned the defendant.
Mr. Wire said he should clearly prove, to the Magistrate's
satisfaction, that no offence had taken place whatever, and
proceeded to question the officer.
Mr. Wire—Among those in front of the bar, and in the
passage, did you see Mrs. Jones? Witness—Yes, I believe
I did.
Mr. Wire—Was she not standing at the foot of the staircase
with a candle in her hand? Witness—Yes, she was.
Mr. Wire—Had you any conversation with her on the sub-
ject of persons being in the house at that hour of the night?
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Wire—What did she say to you? Witness—She told
me they were her own people and were going to bed.
Mr. Wire—Have you any doubt that they were otherwise?
Witness—No, I have not.
Mr. Wire—This, your Worship, is the case, Mrs. Jones ad-
mits they were there when the officer entered the house. The
house is much frequented by travellers and mercantile men
from the country, and several were sleeping there that night,
which assertion she was ready to substantiate, if requisite.
Mr. Alderman KELLY inquired of the police-constable if he
saw any beer or liquor drawn or paid for. The officer replied
in the negative,
Mr. Alderman KELLY said he did not consider the case of
that importance to call for a conviction, and therefore dismissed
the summons.
Mr. Marry, the landlord of the Rose and Crown, in the
same street, also appeared in answer to a summons charging
him with a similar offence. In this instance the same officer
laid the information. His evidence went to show that on
Sunday morning last, about twenty minutes after twelve, see-
ing a light in the shop, he listened and heard several persons
talking. He knocked at the door, but received no answer, the
lights being put out, and apparently great confusion in clear-
irg pots and glasses off the counter. He knocked again, call-
ing out, " open the door, it is the police." It was then opened,
when he entered and discovered several persons congregated
together in front of the bar. He saw three immediately leave
the house, but the remainder stoppei inside.
The defendant assured the magistrate it was not his inten-
tion to infringe the law, and would explain the e ause of their
being in his house after the proper time. A few minutes before
twelve o'clock a party called for some liquor, which he refused
to serve them with on account of the hour. This occasioned
some conversation, and they refused to go until the police en-
tered. The rest of the persons whom the police saw were
lodgers, which they knew to be the case, having seen them
some time before.
The Magistrates dismissed this summons also, but ordered
the defendant to pay the amount of costs.
C LE _UK EN W EL L.
Mary Thomas was charged with stealing 141. 105., the
money of Michael M'Laren.
The prosecutor stated that on Friday morning he landed in
the London Docks, from Corfu, having been serving as a sol-
dier there, and in other British settlements, for upwards of