The Sun.
London, England, 1826-05-25 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOlNE.—Yesterday, a watchman, named Free-
man, was charged with having committed an outrageous assault
upon a gentleman.
Two gentlemen in passing along Cornhill, on Tuesday night, at
half-past ten o'clock, saw two little girls in the most deplor-
able state, sitting on' the steps of a ball-door. The gentlemen
crossed the street, gave alms to the deitituto children, and asked
a watchman, who stood near them, something about their condi-
tion. The watchman, instead of- answering, replied in a rough
tone, that they (the complainants) had better walk on, and that
he did not care anything about the children. " You might,
at least," said one of the gentlemen, ' have given a civil reply."
--This admonition prOduced loud menaces from the watch
man, and then the defendant; who was keeping a stagger-
ing watch at the other side of the street, sallied over, seized the
person who was so presumptuous as to reply to a person in such
authority, and told hith that he should lie in the watch-house until
Monday next. Some other gentlemen, who were passing at the
time, immediately interfered, by expressing in gentle terms their
disapprobation of the conduct of the man in authority, where-
upon the defendant struck one of them in a most violent manner.
Three or four of the gentlemen were knocked about without
mercy by some watchmen, who came to assist the defendant, but
the gentlemen took care . that the principal assailant should not
escape.
Freeman assured Alderman Lucas, who sat for the Lord Mayor,
that the gentlemen were the first assailants, but the evidence to
the contrary was overpowering. Some of the inhabitants of
Cornhill said that they had discharged the defendant. The gat-
tlenien declared that the public were subject to so much insolence
from this class of men, that an example upon this occasion would
hi of great service.
Alderman Lucas said the defendant should, in the first place,
pay the sum of ss. for being drunk; and, in the next, find bail to
answer for the assault.

A relation of the watchman came forward, and declared that
the latter had 'received a severe wound on the head in battle, which
caused almost madness when he took liquor. Tuesday night was
the annual carnival meetingof the watchmen, when many of them,
like their betters on similar occasions, had departed from the
s?vere rules set down for them, and the defendant was amongst the
most unfortunate in thilt respect.
The complainants, on hearing this, refused to proceed against
the defendant.

Aldernian Lucas then fined the defendant,, and exprea_sed a
hope that when tli Gentlemen of the Lantern intended to sup
together again, notice would be sent to the inhabitants to keep
within doors, and to the Lord Mayor to provide substitutes during
the time of enjoyment.

MAnnsortocou-STREET.—A pretty-looking young girl, named
Agnes Overii, who described herself as one of the forlorn.of the
sex, was charged with a street robbery. The person robbed—
for complainant we can scarcely all him—was a black man named
Francis, a musician in the band of the Grenadier Guards. It ap-
peared by ,the evidence of the watchman, for Francis would make
no statement, that on Saturday night last Francis was passing
through the Regent's Quadrant, about nine o'clock, when the
prisoner suddenly ceme up to him and made a snatch at the seals
of his watch, which the effected in tearing away from the riband,
and would have got the watch away had it not been twisted in the
fob. She ran off, and was pursued by the man, who.never lost
sight of her until she was stopped by the watchman, but on being
searched, the seals were not found upon her, but she was, how-
ever, lodged in the watch-house, when Francis said be would give
15s. to any person who would find the seals for him. The watch-
man, ou going back to where he had stopped the prisoner, found
the seals on the groutid near the spot.
The Magistrate (Mr. CoNAuT), cn hearing this statement of a,
daringlighway robbery, desired the 'black man' (Francis) to be
sworn ; .but when the latter understood that the consequence of
his doing so would be to send the girl to prison, lie positively
refused to he sworn, saying that he would rather lose the seals
altogether than :have any injury done to the poor girl ; and it was
only with the utmost difficulty, and not until the, magistrate had
threatened to send him to prison, that he at length most relnct.:
.antly consented to be sworn, nor would the dread of a prison have
induced him, had not he feared an absence from his regiment.
Being sworn, IVould not deny, although he would scarcely
affiim the woe ' an'e statement.
There could now Awne doubt as to the committal of the pri-
soner ; hut a queotidrinfou as to whethei,it should be for the
highway robbery, or,.for''petty larceny. .t. his distinction poor
Francis did not exactly. undesstantl ; hut auf4lid catch an idea that
the value of the seals would; as stated by him, make some differ-
ence. The seals were produced, and appeared to be worth about
thirty ~I.,usylaeraFeanciewfts asked
sill that they were of no value whatever.

" That einnotle," Said Mr: Cortiorr, " even by your own
acknowledgment of what the watchmen eys, that you offered I3e.
riward for their recovery.'
" Oh; indeed, Sir," said Francis, " they are not worth a
farthing; and the reason I offered the reward for Aim was, that
one of them was given to me as a keepsake a long time ago by tat
poor mother, who is dead."

" But," said Mr. Coxsaa, "any one, to look at them, must
goo that they art) of some Nalue; you must say what they are
worth, be it ever so little."

Frautis took it into his head, that as the lowntste cf the
estimate ,was a conaidsration, half-a-crown must away lave
the girl; and he accordingly assured the magistrate that that
sum wus the utmost value of the seals. A hint was thrown out
by some bddy that half-a-crown would not produce the lightest
description ofprosecution, upon which poor Francis, in an agony
of despair, knocked his hand upon the bench and exclaimed "Did
I say half-a-crown? I. meant half a shilling; they are only worth
6d., not a farthing more." He next caught up an observaticrif
made by somebody, that 10d. was the general value set upon ar-
ticles in prosecution for petty larceny, when ho instantly declared
that the preCise value of the seals was 1041., and to this he firmly
adhered, thinking that by it the girl would get off altogether; but
when he still found that she was to go 'to prison, he again offered
to give up the seals entirely, rather than she should be punished
on his account. The Magistrate, of course, would .not listen to
any such thing, and the evidence was taken doiin. Francis
now started a point of law, as the poor felloy thought, in the
girl's favour—namely, that as the *vale were not found in her
possession, she ought not to be punished. This point was,
however, overruled, and Francis was asked if he had'any,.,doutt
about the prisoner being the person who snatched the
He replied that he bad not any doubt the night before, hut he had
some doubts now; " for," said be, " people change so in a night
that it is impossiLle to be eartain of them." All the ingenuity
and unaffected humanity of 'the poor black man would not do,
and Miss Agnes Ovary, who smirked and laughed during the
whole scene at the bar, was finally committed fur trial, and
poor. Francis, with a tear starting in his eye, was compelled
to sign his depositions, and was only consoled by the asiurouse
that the girl's punishment would not be heavy.

MARYLEBONE-OFFICE.--fessemina Mor;r:i sulichad the
intsrference of the Magistrates respecting her illegitimate child.
She stated that Major Johnson, of Wimrole•street, wad its fa-
ther; her mother had supported the child for IS months, at
her own intpence; but keing unable to hear the charge any
longer, she had applied to the parish of St. blerylebour. She
understood the Major had paid a considerahlt sum to the latish,
but all she had received of the parish was three shillings a wick fur
two weeks.

Mr. Thnrp, the parish officer, admitted that the parish had
received 4sol. of the father, but said Le Lally Lehi the rink of a
Lieutenant.

The mother of the girle--" He le a 'Major, please your
Worehip."
Mr. newt:mime —The parish officers have sided very
illegally anti very unjustly in this business ; rye have reason to
believe the father of this child is a gentleman of property there is
nothing shown to the contrary. Do you mean to say, Mr. Thorp,
that Se. a week is a sufficient allowance? Ifs journeyman brick-
layer has a bastard child, you make out an order of affiliation, you
bring Ithu here, and we compel him to pay 2s. 6d. or He. a week
towards its maintenance. In this instance you take 501. which
you have no right to take. You make a good bargain for the
pariah, but you forget to make a bargain for the girl. You take
care of yourselves, and you withhold that
.urotectiosi from the
child which the law provider for it.
Mr. Theep,......When Mr. Johosou paid the 501. ha seid ke had
made considerable advances to the girl—cu, much as Su
Mother and Daughter.--No such thing.
R,weierson (to the girl).—Has the Major given you
any, thing towards the support of the child ?
jeaamine.—Not a halfpenny : he has never done soy thing.for
me einoe ho knew I was pregnant.
motbee,—He was not the man to do it ; he behaved very
mean.
Mr. Ra.weresore.—You mutt have an order of affiation.—
Whyis daspeiess in the army to be kept in the back groUnd? It
appears he has made no allowance to the girl : if anyething *as
given to her, it was for the purpose of seducing bar.
Mr. Thorp.— What it to be done respecting the mom y which
has been received? It will 411 be upended -before the is
relieved &mei the child.
Mr. 114wInfsoN.—What has been done ought to be va.:-
you are bound to raae a>7 otdot of affiliation, au tit moths- of

the girl has a civil remedy againAt the father of the child, for th
expence of supporting it for the 18 months.
William Edmund Poulden, Esq., summoned the driver of tbi
hackney-coach, No. 643, for an overcharge.
Mr. Poulden deposed, that on his return from Covent-garde!
Theatre on Friday night beween 10 and 11 o'clock, he took tb
above coach at the Piazza, and proceeded to his residence, No. 9
York-crescent, Portland-place; he then paid 2a. for the fare, at
also Is., which the coachman demanded as back carriage.
The coachman, in defence of his charge, said York-crescent
bt
never been paved : it is gravel.
Mr. Itawmsox.—Macadamized, you mean; in fact, it i$
continuation of the same kind of pavement which the read ye
came altogether consists of. I know there is a doubt on the ►utt
ject, therefore I do rot want to convict you; you mast t,tuil
the shilling, and pay the coats.