The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-29 00:00:00

A GENTLEMANLY SWINDLER.

About two months ago, a person of genteel exte-
rior, nearly six feet high, and about fifty years of
age, arrived at an hotel in this city from Monmouth-
shire, in a fly. On his arrival he alighted and walked
into the hotel, and requested the landlord to pay the
hire of the fly, and the usual fees to the driver ; this
was, unsuspectingly, complied with, and the gentle-
man took up his quarters with mine host, staying
there nearly a fortnight. In the meantime
he conversed with the landlord about taking
a house in the neighbourhood, suitable to
his apparent condition in life ; at length he
resolved upon engaging lodgings in the city,
on the plea of economy, until the difficulty
of obtaining a house pleasing to the taste of
a lady-like woman who was with him, and whom he
represented as his wife, about 40 years of age, with
Scotch accent, together with a little boy, between seven
.
and eight years, could be accomplished. Subsequently
to taking these lodgings he took a house at 'ortson,
and commenced gardening operations, preparatory, as
he represented, to going there io reside. During his
stay in Hereford he outrodeeectsevery day, and con-
ductedl lis
real himself im self
character, all
ddo,f,
severalfortune.however, re s
the tradesman whom he had la\‘ti'lisnfaatarormrnia.ivsnee
him for the money, and an early' day was' fixed pressed
for
payment. The day previous to that fixed, he
hired a gig and ordered it to be sent a little way out
of town at an appointed hour, under pre-
tence of going a short distance for a ride.
In order to get away his luggage, a carpet bag (pre-
viously obtained on trust of a tradesman in the
city), the lodging-house keeper's attention was
diverted to something at the back of the house,
whilst the bag was given to a person waiting outside
to convey it to the gig. Off they started to
Bromyard, and on their arrival he got a man to
take the gig back to Hereford, telling him the
person of whom he had hired it would pay him
for his trouble. The unsuspecting man paid the
gates on his return, and when he arrived at
Hereford, found the owner of the gig, not hav-
ing been paid himself, of course would not pay the
poor man, and he had to walk back minus his dis-
bursements for the tolls. From Bromyard he went
to Worcester, and from Worcester to Birmingham or
London. He victimised the Hereford people to the
extent of about 1001., having paid for one month's
lodging only.—Abridged from the Hereford Times.

THE ROYAL ACADEMY EXHIBITION, FOR 1844.
We understand that a leading article, on the present
year's Exhibition of the loyal Academy, by one of the
most distinguished critics of the day, will appear in the
June Number of Colburn's New Monthly Magazine.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.

GLOBE.—A general impression seems to pervade
the public mind, and especially that portion of the
community most conversant with the administra-
tion of the justice of the country, that the
time has arrived for the abolition of Grand Juries.
The Grand Jury of the last session of the
Central Criminal Court made a presentment to this
effect on appearing in Court at the termination
of their duties, for the purpose of being formally dis-
charged. With the opinion thus communicated,
the presiding Judge expressed his concurrence. The
Grand Jury of Surrey made a similar representation
this morning, on appearing in Court with their last
bills. The views expressed by the latter body were
expressed in the following terms :
"It is the opinion of the Grand Jury, in the present
improved mode of administering the justice of the coun-
try, that the institution of a Grand Jury, though at the
time of its introduction of great value, is now not only
unnecessary, but actu illy injurious to the public

interests. -
" First : Because the careful investigation of the cases
by the committing magistrates, assisted by professional
men, who (where the cases are heavy) appear on the
part of the prosecution, and for the defence of the pri-
soner, has already sifted the evidence ; thus rendering
another intermediate inquiry wholly unnecessary.
" Secondly : The opportunity afforded by the inter-
vention of a Grand Jury between committal and trial
for tampering with the witnesses, often causes the
evidence given before the Grand Jury to differ from
that given by the witnesses before the magistrates. It
is thus frequently changed both in its terms and ten-
dency. The bill is, consequently, ignored through a
deficiency of evidence ; the operation of the law is
obstructed ; and the guilty party escapes by means of
the very institution which is designed to aid in the
administration of justice.
" Thirdly: The province of the Grand Jury is often
abused. Bills are preferred, and accusations made, the
grounds of which have not undergone previous investi-
gation by magistrates. Such proceedings are often
prompted by an expectation of extorting money from the
parties accused, or to subject them to expense and annoy-
ance for the purposes of revenge.
" For these reasons the Grand Jury consider their
functions as no longer beneficial; that they are often in-
jurious, and might be safely dispensed with."
The Chairman of the bench expressed, in strong
terms, an opinion, that the change alluded to is
worthy the consideration both of the Legislature and
the Government ; especially as similar views had
been recently expressed by other grand juries.
The institution of a public prosecutor—to whom,
or to his deputies, the evidence in each case should be
submitted previously to trial, and by whom the pro-
ceedings should be instituted and the prosecution car-
ried on—would be a salutary substitute for the Grand
Jury. The classes out of which the Grand Juries
are now taken might be most beneficially associated
with their fellow-citizens from whom the Petit Juries
are selected. Thus the intellectual elements of the
latter would be improved, and the public administra-
tion of justice in the Criminal Courts of the country
raised in character and improved in efficiency.
STANDARD.—The buildings designed for a col-
lege for the cultivation of " modern languages and
literature" have just been completed at Oxford, and a
prospectus of the plan and design of the proposed in-
stitution has been issued. We have not been so
fortunate as to see a copy of this prospectus,
which is made the subject of unfriendly cri-
ticism by the Times ; but we think that in the cri-
tique itself of our conte:nporary we find proof
that our contemporary is unjust. The principal
ground of the Times' complaint is, that " A rule is
laid down entirely prohibiting all entrance upon the
subject of religion in the academical study of these
[the modern] languages. Religion appears to be
considered—upon that easy liberal theory which has
severed the connection between religion and know-
ledge in all other branches—to have nothing to do
with modern literature ; and accordingly an ex-
press rule is inserted, involving very clearly this
principle." Now surely there is here a very un-
fair inference drawn from a rule which plainly
understood, appears to be unexceptionable. The
" College of Modern Languages and Literature" is
not a substitute for, but an auxiliary to, the estab-
lished system of University education, of which it will
not be 'disputed that it is properly careful of the reli-
gious instruction of the young men subjected to it.
There is not, we are happy to say, one college
or hall in Oxford in which a sound Scriptural
education, in the pure doctrines of the Church
.of England, is not a principal, we may with
gratification say, the principal object of instruc-
tion in the undergraduate course. At Oxford,
therefore, no merely auxiliary instruction can be
charged with effecting, that divorce between learn-
ing and religion which the Times seems to appre-
hend.. The young men will go to the Col-
lege of Modern Languages and Literature in-
structed, and (as far as human teaching
can confirm them) confirmed Protestant Christians,
to learn, it may be the French, German, Italian,
Spanish, modern Greek, or whatever other modern
language may be there taught, and which they may
wish to learn, just as they might go to a school of
riding or fencing, or swimming or music, not to
receive religious instruction, or to learn to slight
religion, but to acquire an accomplishment with
which properly doctrinal religion has no con-
cern. Every Christian, no doubt, feels the force
of the apostolic injunction, that " whatever we do,
all must be done to the . glory of the Creator"—
but this contemplates encLs, not details, and
the best men daily do a hundred things with
which they would deem it a fearful irreverence to
associate a direct allusion to the truths of religion.
Now to us it appears, that between the philology of
modern 'languages and religious truth there is no ne-
cessary connexion, any more than there is between
religious truth and riding the great horse, driving,
swimming, or fiddling. There is, therefore, no impro-
priety in excluding reheious discussion from a strict
course of philological study, which, let it be constantly
remembered, is pursued concurrently with a separate
course of careful religious study, and in subordina-
tion to it. The Times, indeed, seems to feel that the
merely philological course of study proposed in the
College of "Modern Languages and Literature" will
not support its censure ; and therefore, by an artifice,
which we cannot help regarding as an unworthy one,
tries to enlarge the sphere of study at tha new
college ,to the whole field of letters. " The
whole field of modern literature, it must he
.observed, is a pretty wide ground entirely to
disconnect with religion in this way; and the
misfortune is, too, that it does not stop with itself,
but drags other departments into the same scrape."
Tis is a poor fallacy. The College for the Cultiva-
tion of Modern Languages and Literature, plainly
intends no more than such cultivation as is already
bestowed upon classical literature ; from which latter
cultivation it will, we presume, be admitted, religious
discussion is and ought to be excluded, for though
our contemporary may not understand the
distinction, our Universities have always sepa-
rated religious and profane literature as anxiously
in their study, as they have been careful to unite
.them in the student. It is indeed the unhappy com-
bination of these two naturally distinct, and in value
immeasurably unequal objects of study, in one and the
same pursuit, which in early times paganised Christi-
anity into Romanisrn. May we not fear that the Platoni-
cism male fashionable by the late eccentric Mr. Cole-
ridge, and mixed with religion by his followers, is
exercising through the Tractarians a like injurious in-
fluence upon Protestantism ? They surely are mistaken
who think that the sun of truth can be assisted by
such dim tapers as even the brightest lights of human
genius. Who would illustrate the Pentateuch by
Herodotus and Lucretius, the Psalter by Pindar and
Horace, and the Prophets and the New Testament
by Plato and Cicero? As witnesses to historical
facts, the writers of Greece and Rome are use-
ful helps to religious education, but to allow them
to mix as teachers-to make their dogmata the
topics of "religious discussion," were a grievous sin.
The case of classical education,. then, clearly
proves the possibility, and ,in particular instances the
necessity, of separating many branches of study from
sinintermixture with " religious discussion ;" and the
onl-
JgUesticn that can arise is, whether "modern lan-
uages, and literature" ought not to be so separated?
}or ourselves we have no doubt upon the point. IVe
know of no Single book in any modern language which
could properly be made the textbook ofreligious instruc-
tion formeinbers of the United:Church of England and
Ireland. There are many eXcellent theological books
in the French language, from De Mornai to D'Au-
bigne, with which we, perhaps, might not quarrel, but
we should be sloW to recommend them to an Oxford
college. As to the other languageS of' continental
Europe, they are, as respects theology, a perfect blank
to the English Protestant, except the crazy literature
of Germany, which, with its rationalism on one side,
and its platoniiism on the other, and its cold-hearted
infidelity, the foundation of both, is worse than a
blank—it is a labyrinth of traps and pitfalls. There
is, therefore, an utter want of books in the modern
languages to supply
topics of religious discussion ;
and if books were forthcoming, where are the
teachers ? The use of a college of modern lan-
gtiages is to teach men, not merely to read modern
languages, but to write those languages and to speak
them. •

• •
ATTEMPTED INCENDIARISM AT KESGIt4.VE •
terday (Monday), about four o'clock hi the
• afternbon, intelli-
gence of dfire at Kesgrave Heath; the '
property of B. N.
S.havre, Esc, of Kesgrave. Hall, reached Ipswich, and
diately. the Suffolk Fire-office and the Amicable Fire-Office en-
, gineewere dispatched towards the spot. Before. the engines
bad proceeded far, however, the conductors were informed that
' • the fire was subdued. The fire, it appears, was :confined
•to smnewhius, which there is the clearest evidence to show
were set on fire in the open day by an incendiary. Harriett
-1.=.8(1,0f Martlesham, passing at the time, heard awhistle,.
looping toward the Heath, saw the incendiary stoop to-
- ward the wiling and apply something to them. After which
afire
arose; and on her giving the alarm, the man, not a
labourer, but she describes him one of gentlemanly appear-
ance, ran past her. There is every proability.o tN9ffepder
being itetected.-L/pswicti Express.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, May 28.
(Sittings in Banco.)
BARROW AND ANOTHER r. ARNAND.
The plaintiffs in this case are merchants in Liverpool, and
the defendant is the collector of Customs in that port. The
plaintiffs had imported a cargo of corn into Liverpool by the
ship David and John, from Spain. The new corn-law, which
received the Royal assent on Friday, 29th April preceding,
repealed the corn-law of 9 Geo. IV., and at the same time
enacted that the duties to be levied on corn should be based
upon the averages to be returned on each Thursday.
The John and David arrived in Liverpool during the five
days between the 29th April and the first Thursday after the
passing of the Act, when the plaintiffs contended the
ports were open, and no duties could be levied. The de-
fendant, however, contended that the corn was liable to duty,
refused to suffer it to be landed, except in bond, where it re-
mained for two months, and was then released on payment
of duty. The plaintiffs brought this action to recover
damages for loss sustained by this detention of the corn by
the collector of Customs at Liverpool. As there was no dis-
pute as to the facts of the case, a special verdict had been
taken, subject to the opinion of this Court, as to the construc-
tion to be put upon the Act of Parliament.
The COURT, having heard Mr. Erie for the plaintiff, and
the Solicitor-General for the defendant, took time to consider
their judgment.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)
MANSION-HOUSE. _ _

William Cloug- le, master of the brig Bolden, of Shields,
was summoned to answer the complaint of John Whit-
ing, fur having unlawfully detained him a month longer
than necessary for the discharge of the cargo of that
brig in the port of London. The question which came
on a few days ago, before Sir Peter Laurie, as to un-
reasonable delay. excited a great deal of interest,
particularly as the Lord Mayor had expressed much in-
dignation at the unpardonable treatment of the poor
families of the crews of the colliers, resulting from the
prodigiously long detention of the vessels in the port of
London.
Alderman Humphery was at the time sitting with the
Lord Mayor, in consequence of some serious cases of
smuggling for adjudication, on which the presence of
two magistrates was necessary.
The complainant stated that he had signed articles of
agreement to work the vessel from Hartlepool to Lon-
don and back, at 4/. the voyage ; but he had no notion
when he signed that he would be detained beyond the
three market days allowed by the Act of Parliament ;
but twenty market days had elapsed since the arrival of
the brig, and no money had been distributed amongst
the crew, and therefore their wives and children were in
a state of destitution, and, in some instances, they must
be obliged to appeal to the cold humanity of the unions.
The LORD MAYOR—On what day did the vessel arrive
in the port of London ? Complainant—Upon the 13th
of April.
The LORD MAYOR—Why, Captain Clough, has not
the cargo been sold?
The defendant said it had been sold on Friday. It
was not, he believed, in his power to oblige the factor,
to whom it was consigned, to sell. The inconvenience
experienced by the delay of vessels pressed heavily upon
the captain, as well as upon the men, but blame did not
attach to the former any more than to the latter.
The complainant (backed by several other men in
similar circumstances) said it happened that the captains
took good care of themselves, for they had a claim of so
much per ton upon the owners for any delay which took
place beyond the three first market days, while the men
were compelled to wait until the factors chose to sell the
coals, without receiving the smallest remuneration.
The LORD MAYOR—As I read the Act of Parliament,
the men must not be detained beyond a reasonable time.
Now seven weeks I consider to be must unreasonable.
If the poor men who are complaining of this oppressive
curse supposed that such detention were contemplated,
they would not have engaged to work the vessel. They
were morally, and in my opinion legally, entitled to
extra pay for this delay, which interferes so lamentably
with their ability to support their families. The captains,
by holding over the cargoes, enhance the price of coal to
the public, and according to the arguments used by the
defendant they may delay in the port of London for six
months, and avravate beyond endurance the suffering
of the crew with impunity. The conduct of the de
fondant in this case, and the agreement drawn up by
him, are not in accordance with the spirit of the Act of
Parliament.
Alderman HUMPHERY—The public are sufferers by
such conduct to the amount of seven or eight shillings
per ton more than they ought to be charged, a matter
which it would be strange to overlook when such a noise
is made about the duty of fourpence a ton upon the
article. My advice to the defendant is that he pay his
crew for a vova,ge and a-half at any rate.
The complainant said he would be satisfied with
that arrangement. Since the vessel had come into port
another vessel had made two voyages.
Here one of the crew said that a vessel from Hartlepool
had been ordered not to be cleared of its cargo until the
coals should be sold at twenty-five shillings per ton, and
that vessel had been in the port of London upwards of
six weeks, and might, under such circumstances, be de-
layed a good deal longer.
The Loan MAYOR then asked the defendant whether
he was prepared to agree to the proposition to pay the
man for a voyage and a half. If not, the law should
certainly be put in force against him. The men were
entitled by Act of Parliament to all reasonab'e informa-
tion, as to the duration of the ship's delay. The object
appeared to be to exclude the public and the crews of
those vessels from the advantages of the voyages ,- and
the offence was the greater, as the Thames was crowded
beyond all example with shipping.
Alderman HUMPHERY—By holding back these cargoes,
the additional penalty inflicted upon the public is to the
extent of 40,0001. a-year.
The LORD MAYOR—I shall require an answer from
the defendant on Wednesday, as to his intentions with
respect to remuneration to these poor men, whose fami-
lies must now be undergoing severe privations.
The complainant and the crews of the several vessels
most gratefully acknowledged the benevolent inter-
ference of the Lord Mayor, who evidently considered
that the owner, the factor, and the captain, were all
actively concerned in hindering the sale of coals, for the
purpose of enhancing their price, and thus abridging the
comforts of those who were daily undergoing some pri-
vation or other. _ _ _

Johan Eivart, the mate of the ship Alexander, from
Rostock, was charged with having been on board that
vessel, with the knowledge that she had stowed away
amongst her cargo a large quantity of tobacco, made up
into parcels, each of which weighed one pound. Two of
the crew had been committed, a few days before, upon a
similar charge. The mate was not brought up with the
convicted defendants, because of the inconvenience likely
to arise from capturing an officer so prominently engaged
in the vessel.

Captain Schrceder, the commander of the vessel, stated
that he knew nothing whatever of the tobacco.
In the course of the investigation it was stated by Mr.
Davis, one of the Revenue officers, that two-thirds of the
tobacco used in the metropolis were smuggled, and that
the tobacco on board the Alexander was found amongst a
quantity of rags, in which there happened to be extreme
heat, and which would, if the detection had not been
made, in all probability have ignited and consumed
the ship.
The LORD Mairog suggested the propriety of, in all
cases, making the captain responsible. if instead of the
infliction of a penalty, the captain was sent to prison fur
a few months, smuggling would not flourish as was now
the case.

Captain Schroeder said the mate had gone three
voyages with his vessel, and he had reason to be well
satisfied with him and never suspected him, and could
not at that moment suppose him capable of winking at
such a shabby exhibition.
It was stated that some of the steam-vessels had been
fined forty times for conveying smuggled goods, and that
20,000 pounds weight of tobacco had been lately cleared
out 'of the Custom-house in Dutch cheeses.
The LORD MAYOR and Alderman HUMPEERY then
declared the defendant to be guilty, and fined him 1001.
Mr. Cutler, one of the officers of the Watermen's
Company, applied to the Lord Mayor for a summons
for John Williamson, the father of the boy who took on
board his boat the children who were lost in the Thames.

The LORD MAYOR said he was glad to find that the
Company was about to adopt a proper course.
Mr. Cutler said his object was to have the father made
answerable fur having allowed his son to work his skiff
on the 19th instant, on account of which three children
were drowned, without having taken out a license from
the Waterman's Company. He also applied for a sum-
mons for George Scott, who was his apprentice, calling
upon him to answer for having taken eight passengers
on board his skiff, the skiff being licensed to carry no
more than six passengers.
The LORD MAYOR said that, by a little vigilance, the
serious evil of crowding boats would bc effectually re-
medied.

Mr. Cutler observed that on Sunday last the Thames
was so crowded with vessels that the navigation was in
a great measure blocked up, and the steamers, with great
difficulty made any progress at all.
His LORDSHIP issued the summonses in both cases,
and appointed that the defendants should be directed to
attend on Friday next.
Captain Rowland, the Harbour Master, waited upon
the Lord Mayor, as Conservator of the River Thames,
and reported to his Lordship, that in the month of April,
as he was employed in raising a wreck about a mile and
a helf below Tilbury. he observed, on the 25th of
that month, a ship with a signal of distress flying,
towed down by a steamer; and believing that something
was amiss, he manned his boat, ana proceeded to the
vessel, which proved to be the John Woodall ; that he
ascertained that the master was absent, and that the ship
was on fire, and, after due examination, directed that she
should be scuttled as the only means of extinguishing
the fire. That after the vessel had been sunk in shal-
low water, near the bank, he succeeded in raising her
by means of two steam-tugs ; and that if such course
had not been followed the vessel would have been de-
stroyed. Captain Rowland stated to his Lordship that
the navigation was thus cleared of what, if at once blown
up would, in all probability, have been a very dangerous
impediment.

l'he LORD MAYOR expressed his gratification at the
skill and success of Captain Row laud's experiment, and
said he infinitely preferred the plan of raising wrecks to
that of blowing them, as the latter mode was not only
calculated to obstruct the navigation, but to do much
mischief to the nets of the fishermen, who supported their
families by the use of their nets.

CllLvaEsßchKarEgNed
W withELL the
Pa trid Carrollfollowing savage
assault upon Thomas Prince, a coach-maker, residing in
Turnmill-street :
The prosecutor appeared in Court with his head
bound up ; he seemed - to be faint from loss of blood,
and declared be was suffering great pain. It appeared
from the evidence that, on the previous night, the pro-
gecutor and his father, being perfectly sober, were
paising through Clarke's-buildings, Gray's Inn-road,
'*hed they saw tliqpris-4ei lieWiig 4 imuan, iilia WAS

screaming violently. The prosecutor, actuated by
motives of humanity, interfered, and begged of the
prisoner to desist; but the prisoner immediately knocked
him down. He then ran into his house, which was hard
by, and rushed out, in company with another man,
armed with iron bars. Before the prosecutor recovered
from the former blow, the prisoner, raising the bar,
inflicted a deep and extensive wound on his head. The
blow rendered him senseless, and he bled profusely from
the wound. Connor, having been disarmed of the bar,
seized a broom-stick, with which he struck the prostrate
and insensible man on the arms and sides, until he was
bruised all over, and his left arm powerless. Police-
constable 144 G came up some time after, and, with
much difficulty, secured the prisoner. The prosecutor
was removed to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where the
wound, which is an inch and a half long, was dressed.
Mr. BROUGHTON remanded the prisoner until the re
suit of the injuries the prosecutor received should be as-
certained, as in the event of erysipelas occurring, the
wound in the head might prove fatal.
Thomas Bresnahan was charged with stealing a large
quantity of lead, the property of the Commissioners of
Woods and Forests.

In order to complete the new line of communication
between Oxford-street and llolborn, the Commissioners
of Woods and Forests have purchased several houses in
George's-street, Bloomsbury. On the roof of one of
these houses the prisoner was seen ripping off the lead
between 9 and 10 on the previous night.' The police
hastened to the place—one of them, 140 E, got upon the
roof, whilst the others were posted in the street below.
As soon as the prisoner saw the constable on the roof,
he immediately " gave chase;" the constable followed; at
length the prisoner dipped into the roof, the con-
stable popped in after him ; the prisoner ran along
the space between the roof and the ceiling,
followed closely by his pursuer. At length the consta-
ble was alarmed by a crash, and on advancing a little
perceived that the ceiling having given way, Bresnahan
had partly fallen through, and having been caught be.,
tween the joists in falling, remained, like Mahomet's
coffin, suspended in space. The painful position of the
prisoner was much aggravated by the endeavours of his
friends in the room below to pull him down, whilst the
constable strove to keep him where he was. At length
the police came up stairs, and the prisoner was secured.
About a hundred-weight of lead was found piled on the
roof, which had been recently cut from the gutter.
The prisoner was remanded.
William Hogg was charged with the following mis-
chievous conduct.

The prisoner was standing by the window of Mr.
Foxwell, a linen draper, residing at 26, Judd-street, at
three o'clock on the previous day. The shopman de-
sired him to leave, but he struck him on the face, and
then thrust his hand through a large pane of plate glass
value V. 55., and damaged artificial flowers and ribbons
on the inside to the value of 31. more.

In default of paying the amount of damage done, the
prisoner was committed to the House of Correction for
two months.

Laurence Summers, a smith, was charged with having been
drunk and breaking five panes of glass, at the Cart and
Horse public-house, the property of Mr. R. Higgins, the
landlord.
It appeared from the evidence, that on the previous day, at
three o'clock the prisoner entered the house of the complain-
ant and called for drink, which, being in liquor, they refused
to serve him with. A woman was making a noise at the bar ;
the landlord attempted to put her out ; the prisoner inter-
fered, and was himself put out. He then went on the oppo-
site side of the way, and flung six brickbats at the window,
five of which broke as many panes of glass.
Police-constable 189 G partly corroborated the above tes-
timony, and said the Cart and Horse, which is in Turnmill-
abreet, was a quiet and respectable house.
Mr. BROUGHTON fined the prisoner 155., or a month's im-
prisonment in the House of Correction.
MARYLEBONE.

A girl named Reynolds, alias Ellen Fitzpatrick, was
placed before Mr. Rawlinson on the following charge:—
Francis Cole Himbert, of the Hyde Park Hotel, said
that the prisoner had entered his service about six weeks
ago, representing that she was Ellen Fitzpatrick. She
referred him to Mrs. Dymond, of 22, Frith-street, Soho-
square, for a character. Ile went there, and that lady
told him that she had had a girl named Ellen Fitzpa-
trick, and could vouch for her honesty and sobriety. He
upon these representations, and believing the prisoner
to be the Ellen Fitzpatrick to whom Mrs. Dymond re-
ferred, took liar into his service. He had reason to be-
lieve that the prisoner, from the time she had entered
his house, had committed robberies upon the different
ladies upon whom she -waited. Unfortunately, however,
he was not in a condition to prove either of those, but he
had written to some of the aggrieved parties, and they
had given instructions to their solicitors. What those
instructions were he was not prepared to say. He wished
therefore, merely to go into the question of the false
character, and he would, therefore, call Dr. Dymond to
prove that the prisoner had never been in his service.
Dr. Dymond, 22, Frith-street, said that the prisoner
was known to the real Ellen Fitzpatrick, but that her
name was Reynolds, and she had never been a domestic
in his house.
The prisoner made a rambling defence, after which the
worthy Magistrate said that she bad not even the
excuse of a girl who, getting into work by means of a
false character, was determined to make a good one by
honesty, diligence, and sobriety. She, on the contrary,
had from the house that she had been admitted to, Mr.
Himbert'S, pillaged all who came near her, and he, there-
fore, felt it his duty to inflict the highest penalty the
Act would allow, which was to pay 201., with 10s. costs,
or go for three months' to the House of Correction.
Mr, Himbert said that there were wages due to her
to the amount of 11. 11s. 6d., and her box of clothes yet
remained in his house.

The prisoner directed that her sister, who was in Court,
should receive them.

John Thomas, a very gentleman in appearance, was placed
before Mr. Rawlinson, on a charge of having committed an
indecent assault upon the person of William Smith, who de-
scribed himself as a valet, residing at 19, Titchfield-street,
Portland-place.
The circumstances of the case prove that there are yet
scoundrels who, undeterred by the fate of the notorious
Stringer, levy contributions upon the timorous, by threats of
preferring charges of.an unnatural character against them.
Mr. RAWLINSON inquired the gentleman's address, but he
stated that he could not, while resting under the odium of
such a charge, think of giving it.
The prosecutor was not in attendance, and it had been
ascertained that he had given a false address at the station-
house.

James Joy, a park-constable, said, that on the evening be-
fore he had been told by the man Smith to take the prisoner
into custody for the offence as stated in the police, sheet.
Prisoner—Did I not also tell you to take him also into
custody? Witness—Yes, you did.
Mr. RAWLINSON-Why don't you tell all the truth, Sir?
Let me know all that passed. Witness—Yes, Sir. Then the
prisoner said several times at the station-house he would give
the man in charge.
Wm. Wall, inspector of the park-constables, said that he
also heard the prisoner give the other man in charge, which
was not taken. He had been to the address given by the
prosecutor, and had ascertained that he did not live there.
The prisoner said—l am quite innocent of this charge. I
was walking in the inner circle of the Regent's Park, and the
man Smith came up and entered into conversation with me.
After talking of one thing and another, he said at last,
" What will you give me ?" I replied, "What do you mean ?
are you miserable ?" He rejoined, " I am ; and if you will
not give me something, I will charge you with having tried
to commit an unnatural offence." I refused him money, and
he then called the constable and gave me into custody.
Mr. RAWLINSON said that he could not, for a moment,
think of detaining him, and he was therefore discharged.
The gentleman expressed his determination of tracing out
the miscreant, and bringing him to punishment.
WORSHIP-STREET.

Monday a man named Thomas Patterson, and Eliza-
beth Patterson, his wife, were placed at the bar before
Mr. Bingham, on the following charge of robbery and
attempted murder, upon a young man named George
Allen, a linen-glazer, residing in Monkwell-street, Fore-
street, Cripplegate.
The prosecutor, whose face was a mass of cuts and
contusions, and in other parts of his person bore mani-
fest evidences of severe ill-treatment, stated that as he
was passing through Aldersgate-street, at eleven o'clock
on the night of Sunday, the 19th inst., he was accosted
by a young woman, with whom he ultimately went to
numerous houses, and lastly- to a very wretched one,
where he was attacked, robbed, and then wounded. The
whole proceedings were of the lowest and fiercest cha-
racter. At last the prosecutor made a violent struggle,
and succeeded in breaking away and running into Ar-
thur-street, where he met a policeman, and while telling
him of the ferocious attack that had been made upon
him, the two prisoners passed the end of the street, and
were immediately pointed out by the prosecutor as two
of the persons implicated.
Henry Turpin, an officer, who searched the prisoners'
house, deposed to finding the outer case of the watch
and the prosecutor's money-bag there, and to the floor
of the roam being in several places dyed with coagulated
blood.—Both prisoners were fully committed to New-
gate for trial.
Brown and Smith (officers) stated in the course of the
examination that the female prisoner had belonged to a
desperate gang, which had been routed out by the parish
authorities from Granby-street, Waterloo-road, where
they had located themselves, and afterwards distributed
themselves in other parts of the metropolis. The male
prisoner was stated to be very respectably connected,
but had been discarded by his relatives in consequence
of his marriage with the other prisoner.
QUEEN-SQUARE.

An old man, apparently 60 iears of age, named Digby, a
tailor, carrying on business at No. 3, Queen-street, Chelsea,
was placed at the bar, before Mr. Bond, charged with dis-
gusting conduct towards a little girl,
,the daughter of Mr.
Fox, a painter and decorator.
Mr. Fox, the defendant, who is a married man, and the fa-
ther of two young children, rented apartments in his house,
3, Queen-street, and carries on a lucrative trade. From in-
formation which he received from his wife respecting the de-
fendant's conduct towards his child, who is between seven
and eight years of age, he was given into cuetody.
Ann Fox, a pretty intelligent little girl, was then -brought
into Court, and having been questioned by Mr. Bond, re-
specting truth and falsehood, of the nature of-which she ap-
peared to be aware, she was sworn. From her evidence,
which is of course unfit for publication, it appeared that, the
defendant was in the habit of presenting her with sweet-
meats, and had repeatedly taken the most indecent liberties
with her. After the lapse of some time she told her'rnother.
Miss Mary Moy, a young woman about eighteen' years of
age, deposed to hearing some conversation between the de-
fendant and the child, who innocently asked him if such
conduct was not wicked. She saw the defendant and the
child in the water-closet together. - ,
The defendant, in answer to the charge, entered into a
rambling statement respecting the sweetmeats, and denied
that he took any liberties of an improper nature with the
child. •

Mr. BOND asked the prosecutor if he was desirous of send-
ing the case to the Sessions, as the punishment which the
law gave him power to inflict upon the defendant was not
commensurate to the offence with which he wits`charged

Mr. Fox said he would leave the case in his hands to deal
with it as he thought proper.
Mr. BOND repeated that he thought the case ought to go
to the Sessions.

UNION-HALL.
stealing
Wm. Brown, a diminutive bgy,4 wu4 *tett witl; -=
coals out of a barge on the Thames.

In the course of the examination it was ita.7ed that the
quantity of coals stolen from barges on the rive~, gangs of
Juvenile thieves, was incalculable. In the Jt instance
the prisoner was seen between three and fo_-.1. ~'clock that
morning to walk out into the river nearly up liis middle
in mud and water, and ascend a barge and c.irriance filling
a bag, which he had slung over his shouk.er, with coals.
When he had finished his task he waded bac::: again and was
taken into custody.
Mr. TRAIL!, said there was little doubt such boys as the
prisoner were encouraged by their parents in acts of dis-
honesty, and that they were compelled to go cut and rob, or
be punished.
The prisoner, however, having refused to tell where his
parents lived, and being known as a very incorrigible young
thief, he was committed for six months. _ _

Thomas Weblin, a well-dressed man, was charged with
wilfully breaking a pane of plate-glass in the window of the
Horse and Groom, in the Westminster-road.

It appeared that, on the preceding day, the defendant had
been down enjoying the sports of Greenwich fair, and, on his
return, he called at the Horse and Groom, and got into a
squabble with some women who were at the bar. The land-
lord, anxious to preserve regularity in his house, requested
the defendant to quit the place. He, however, refused, and
using very improper language, challenged to fight the landlord,
who not being at all inclined to enter into a pugilistic encounter
with him, at length succeeded in the expulsion of so rough a
customer. The moment the defendant got outside he picked
up a large stone and dashed it at the window, demolishing a
large plate pane of glass. He afterwards attempted to escape,
but was secured. _

The defendant denied the charge, but evidence having
been adduced of the fact, he was adjudged to pay the damage,
and in default was locked up.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
EDINBURGH, SATURDAY, MAY 25.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES IN ENGLAND.
Mr. CUMMING, of London, said that since last year
a most important change had taken place in the de-
signation of the Presbyterian Synod in England.
They had agreed to exchange that portion of their
title "in connexion with the Church of Scotland,"
and immediately agreed to receive a deputation from
a body who were known by the title of the "Free
Church:' This had taken place immediately after the
late secession, and the result was that the Synod,
which was recognised as in communion with the
Church of Scotland, had ceased to exist in any way
whatever. It had been said, that the declaration in
favour of the Free Church had been come to unani-
mously, but the true cause of unanimity was because
many of the ministers of the Church of Scotland in Eng-
land were so dissatisfied with the statements made in the
Synod, that they studiously, and by concert, absented
themselves from its meeting. It was not, therefore,
right to suppose that all the ministers who had been
in connexion with the Church of Scotland had alien-
ated from that connexion, or lost their affection for it.
On the contrary, some of the best and ablest minis-
ters in England not only maintained the connexion
unimpaired, but had become more attached to the
Church than they had been before.—(Hear, hear.)
He rejoiced that that attachment had become
stronger, and that he had it in his power to say, that
many who had separated in consequence cf the ex-
citement, were now rapidly returning within its pale.
There was one church within the Presbytery of Lon-
don which could not contain the nurnhe: that had
returned, and who were sick to the heart of the at-
tempts made against it.—(Hear, hear.) All that he
wished to ask of the Assembly we, that the
tie which knit the ministers in England to the Esta-
blishment should be as broad and palpable to the eyes
of the public as it could with consistency be made.
The reasons for this were extremely cogent, for state-
ments were circulated in England to -1:e effect that
the churches there were disowned—thst :Ise Church
of Scotland had nothing to do with All that
was necessary, then, was simply that t*-,3y should be
recognised—that the Assembly saw in thsm a useful
outpost of the National Church.—(Hear, hear). He
could make statements to the house which would
prove that some ministers in England had rendered no
unimportant services to the interests of the Church.
It was reported throughout London, that all religion
had evaporated from the Established Church of Scot-
land—that scarcely an evangelical minister was to be
found within its pale--and that those who remained
were absolutely Socinian in their principles. When aps
plication was made to the Presbytery of London for infor-
mation on the state of the Church, they gave a true
statement of the facts of the case. The Presbytery
in London had divided itself into two parties—one
half of whom, whose trustees were less specific as to
their connection with the Church of Scotland, re-
mained attached to it, while the other parties, whose
trust-deeds stated distinctly that they should be in
connection with the Established Church, had alien-
ated itself from it. He believed that, as soon as
those had light to see their duty, there would be
seven or eight, instead of only three churches in con-
nection with the Church. In Liverpool there were
two churches—one retained its connection with the
Establishment, and he believed the other would very
soon be the same.— (Hear, hear.) Several ministers in
England were anxious that something should be done
to rally the scattered forces throughout that country,
and he had received letters showing how desirous
they were that the Assembly should adopt some
measure which would mark the line of demarcation
of such as were ministers of the Church of Scotland.
Many in England were anxious to combine the status
of being connected with the Church of Scotland,
while they courted all the popularity of the secession
—they having never formally renounced their con-
nection with the Establishment. He would suggest
that in these circumstances the Assembly would be
pleased to request the scattered ministers of the
Church in England to form themselves into presby-
teries, and that those presbyteries should form them-
selves into a synod—composed exclusively of the
licentiates of the Church, and allow the synod to
send a deputation to the Assembly ; or perhaps it
would be still more advantageous that a small committee
of the Assembly were appointed to confer with the
ministers in England as to the way in which their
relation to the Church of Scotland should be recog-
nised.—(Hear, hear.) The connexion with England
was of great importance to the Church, for many
persons
—perhapscame
but
afew
t o the
to spend a few years
and if there was no
Church connected with the Establishment, they
would go either to the Episcopalian Church, and
thus be in danger of forsaking the Chsrsh of their
fathers, or they would join those who wire hostile to
it, and then return home to exert themselves to its
prejudice. But if the Church kept up i:s connexion
in London, there would be every erospect of
those who visited that city being sent home
better Christians and better men. The connexion
with English churches was also valu:':le and use-
ful in regard to the schemes of the Chum:.: The Epis-
copalian Churches entertained much sve-esethy with
the Church of Scotland, there being a ses neral con-
viction that its position was the right r-H. true one,
and that it ought to have their sympathy seal co-ope-
ration.—(Hear.) He had conversed wig s several of
the most celebrated ministers of the I7sniscopalian
Church on the subject—a minister who had sent ten
guineas to the five schemes which he (Mr. C.) be-
lieved he would annually contribute.—(Hear.) He
repeated his earnest request that the Assembly should
give some distinct expression, indicating the tie which
subsisted between it and the Churches in England.
Dr. BROWN, of Greenock, said, that in every word
which bad been so well expressed by his Rev. Friend
he most cordially concurred. He would simply add
that there was a very crying reason why a committee
should be appointed as requested by Mr. Cumming,
and that was that from representations made to him
from Liverpool and London, it was absolutely neces-
sary that some deliverance should be given by the
Assembly, in order that those places of worship which
formerly were in connection with the Church, but
which now had separated from it, should be reclaimed
by judicial procedure—that, in short a plea in, equity
might be entered.
Dr. Cools said it was certainly of great importance
to the Church to be on a most intimate footing with
the Presbyterians in England attached to it. He
knew there were many zealously attached, and who,
by the communications they had sent, showed an
anxious desire to know in what relation they really
stood to the Establishment of getting its support, so
that they might manage their churches, and carry on
the different offices in a manner consistent with its
views. The church at Liverpool had given a striking
evidence of its attachment to the Establishment, by
expressing its great anxiety for guidance in this respect.
After a few observations from Dr. Muir and Prin-
cipal Macfarlan,
Mr. PRINGLE, M.P., expressed his cordial satisfac-
tion at the readiness with which the Assembly were
to accede to the request of Mr. Cumming, and the
Committee was appointed ; and after some proceed-
ings of no interest in the evening sederunt, the As-
sembly adjourned till Monday.

FREE uti u Itl/11--OA.TURDAY.
Mr. BRIDGES brought up the subject of the im-
provement of the church psalmody, and enforced the
necessity of taking up the matter with more hearty
energy than it had been in time past. He noticed
the great attention paid.to this part of Christian wor-
ship in the early part of the Church's history, in con-
trast with the comparative indifference with which it
was generally regarded in modern congregations. He
hoped the subject would be taken up by the Educa-
tional Committee of the Church, for it was there that
it should be seriously considered that the musical qua-
lifications of their schoolmasters might be more gene-
rally enforced. He proposed a sub-committee under
the Educational Committee to take the subject into
consideration.
Mr. MACFARLANE, of Renfrew, said, that if they
had music of a simpler kind as a sort of lesson book
for their congregations, and could interest them to
take an united interest in their improvement in
psahnody, he had no doubt that mucn good would
result.—lt was agreed to appoint a commi!tee.
OVERTURE ON UNIVERSITY Tr STS.
Mr. Sheriff SPEIRS said, it %IS use':7-: for him to
go minutely into the history of the csts, as the
subject had been so amply discussed c•—where. It
was well known that, until lately t aad been
virtually abolished in all the Universities or Scotland;

and that their revival at the present time was not for the
purpose of embarrassing those persons who would then
have been particularly obnoxious to the Senatus, but
to deny the honour to.those who, for conscience sake,
had become members of the Free Church of Scotland
—(Applause.) All the professors in the Universities
who had become adherents to the Free Church of
Scotland, had at one time subscribed these very tests
which were now so much spoken of; and they ought
to be considered, in all fairness, as yet adhering to
them in spirit and in substance—(Applause.) A
great clamour had been raised about the subject out
of doors; and they knew the result of the application
to the House of Commons. The attempt for
their abolition, in the form of an application to
Parliament, had failed ; but it had failed in such a
way as to leave no doubt that the country at large
would soon set this matter to rights, and that in a
short time they would cease to suffer from those tests
which bore so heavy upon those professors who did
not happen to be members of a Church Establish-
ment.—(Applause.) The Assembly, at the present
time, was unable to do anything in the matter; but
he trusted that by the next Assembly they would be
better prepared to act upon the subject. They might
remit the overture.to a committee, with instructions
upon the subject generally, and directions to watch
specially over the interests of the members of the
Free Church, who were professors in the Universities.
Dr. CANDLISH said he entertained no alarm what-
ever for the result of the present agitation. Since the
disruption from the Establishment, the Free Church
had been the means of extending the cause of true
religion generally, and stirring up a spirit of Chris-
tian brotherhood in many evangelical denominations ;
and might it not reasonably expect, that by the bring-
ing forward the question of university tests, a large
accession would be made to the cause of education,
both moral and religioul Even should the matter
swell out into popular excitement should Mr.
Mule's excellent proposal not be carried out—good,
great good, he had no doubt, would be attendant on
the result.

The subject was, accordingly, remitted to a com-
mittee.

DEPUTATION TO THE UNITED ASSOCIATE SYNOD.

Dr. CANDLISH said that, in the absence of Dr.
Welsh, he had merely to report verbally, as a member
of that deputation, that, notwithstanding the allow-
ance to be made for the difference between themselves
and the body which they visited, upon the subject of
Church Establishments, they had been received kindly
and cordially, and were deeply impressed with the
friendship shown them. There could be no sur-
render of our principles in thus cement-
ing that friendly intercourse between the two
bodies. The Free Church had got good from
them ; and they, in their own peculiar circumstances,
might derive much benefit from their connection with
it. He trusted that they would always be ready to
welcome every denomination of evangelical Christians
—that they might draw tighter and tighter the bonds
of Christian unity—so that our branch of the Pres-
byterian Church might be found to be animated by
one soul and one spirit.
Mr. HENDERSON, of Glasgow, also testified to the
brotherly reception the deputation had met with,
The Assembly then adjourned until half-past ten
o'clock on Monday.