The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-31 00:00:00

QUEEN-SQUARE.

- _
A young man of colour, whose attenuated figure
and threadbare garments indicated the extremes of
disease and poverty, applied to the magistrates for
relief.
Applicant, who had evidently received a liberal
education, was, he said, a native of Demerara, and
came to this country at a very early period. On the W
death of his father, who was connected with the 'Pest
India trade, applicant, who was educated for the me-
dical profession, was obliged to relinquish it on account
of pecuniary difficulties, and the prejudices he had to
contend against as a person of colour. In consequence
of long-continued ill health, which had now assumed
an asthmatic form, he had been reduced to very great
distress, and, with a wife and child to support, was
compelled, by dire necessity, to make the present ap-
plication.
Mr. BOND inquired how long his father had been
dead ? Applicant replied ten or eleven years.
Mr. BOND asked his means of support since that
period ? Applicant replied that he had carried on
business as a chemist at Liverpool for about eighteen
months, but was unsuccessful. He had visited other
parts of the country, and had exerted himself to the
utmost to obtain a living, but had been most unfortu-
nate, and his slender resources having become ex-
hausted, he had supported himself by the sale of a
few engravings, until having parted with all he pos-
sessed, he was left in the most lamentable state of
destitution.

Mr. BOND asked whether he had any relations in
Br)gland ? Applicant replied that he had not.
Mr. BOND iiiquired whether there was any person

to whom he could refer him, who could confirm his
acclunt ?

Mr. Taylor, the second clerk, observed, that he
could speak to the truth of a portion of his account.
lie had been made acquainted with the circumstances
connected with a part of his painful history by a
friend who had gone to school with the applicant,
arid had at times afford 4 h in some temporary relief.
Applicant said he had been engaged for a short
time by Dr. Sutro, of Beaufort-buildings. He had
been transcribing a German work from that gentle-
man's dictation.

Mr. BOND observed that the assistance that could
be afforded him from the poor-box would be but tri-
fling, and inquired how he intended to employ himself
for the future ? Applicant replied that he hardly
knew. He was competent to any work in an office,
but in his present deplorable state it was not likely
that he should succeed in obtaining any employment.
Had he the means of procuring a stock of engrav-
ings, he might manage to procure a subsistence as he
had done before.

Mr. BOND commiserated the unfortunate man's
condition, and gave him a trifle to relieve his present
necessities, at the same time desiring him to repeat
his visit in a day or two.
In the course of the afternoon inquiries were made
at his humble abode in. Westminster, where it was as-
certained that he had resided for a long period of time,
was a very honest, sober, well-conducted person, but
was afflicted, and in such distress that he and his
family had not had food for many hours previous to
his application at this Court.

LAIIIBETH-STREE7'.
SEIZURE OF SMUGGLED TOBACCO, &c.—Mr. J.
B. Thomas, a tobacco and snuff manufacturer, of No.
115, Rateliff Highway, appeared Lefore Mr. Henry,
to answer to two informations charging him with
having on his premises 173ilbs. of smuggled tobacco,
which had been found by the Customs' officers on the
sth and 7th instant.

C. A. Davis and other officers of Customs deposed
to having found the tobacco seized upon the two days
beforementioned. They also deposed to having found
seven empty canvass wrappers, such as are used for
smuggling, and contained, when full, 501bs. of tobacco.
The defendant said he knew nothing whatever
about the bags produced, which he said had been
found in the lumber room.
The officers and the gentlemen who attended from
the office of the Solicitor of Customs particularly
directed Mr. Henry's attention to the appearance of
the canvass wrappers, and observed that by their
newness and the glossy appearance which they bore
it was perfectly evident they had been recently used
and emptied, an opinion in which his Worship per-
fectly coincided.
Mr. Thomas, in defence, said that, in the first
place, the house in which he resided and carried on
business had been upwards of half a century in his
family, and that such was the competition in his
business at present, and the means resorted to by
smuggling and adulteration, that goods were sold at
much less•than they could be fairly manufactured for,
and he should throw himself entirely upon the consi-
deration of the Court.

Mr. HENRY—Then what you mean to say is, that
you cannot carry on and live by your business with-
out smuggling.
Mr. Thomas—Why, Sir, I did not say that ex-
actly; but I have said that there is so much smug-
gling and adulteration in the trade that there is no
getting a living in a regular way. The competition
I assure you, Sir, so great, that goods are sold
at much less than they can be manufactured for.
Mr. HENRY—Your defence is, I must say, a most
extraordinary one. A thief charged before me at that
bar might as well say that robberies were carried on
to a very. considerable extent, and that he could not
live without robbing also. The charge of the tobacco
found being smuggled is not at all disproved ; and 1
have very little doubt, also, that these canvass bags
found upon your premises contained 501bs. each at
tobacco, so that you have had the benefit of and profit
on 1701bs. of tobacco. I, therefore, see no reason why
you should not be convicted in the full penalty.
The defendant was then convicted in the penalty on
both informations of 1681. 18s. 6d., or to be impri-
soned until such sum was paid.
The defendant asked for time to pay the penalty,
upon which

Mr. HENRY observed that he was frequently
called on and obliged to send sailors and other per-
sons to prison in default of such penalties, and 1-e
could make no distinction in the present case.
The defendant was then taken in charge by Cook,
the gaoler, to be detained until the money, which he
had sent for, arrived.

The law requires that proceedings for the five cwt.
of adulterated stuff should be taken before the Com-
missioners of Excise, which will be immediately done,
and the defendant upon this will be liable to a penalty
of 6001., if fully proved against him.