The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-22 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.
On Saturday John Wheatley was charged with steal-
ing two silver spoons and two silver forks, the property
of Mr.l Evans, the proprietor of the well-known hotel at
Covent-garden. It appeared that the prisoner had been
in the ;service of the prosecutor for about .three months,
arid dtiring.that time some of the plate was missing, and
suspicion felling on the prisoner, he was given into cus-
tody, and his lodAiugs being searched, the two silver
spoons, and forks were found there, but the marks on
them had been partially erased. The prisoner was re-
manded.

There have been several robberies of plate recently at
the Bedford and other hotels in the neighbourhood of
Covent-garden, and which it is supposed have been
effected by waiters.

CLERKEN WELL.
EXTRAORDINARY CASE.— William Willoks, a genteel-
looking young man, was placed at the bar before Mr.
Greenwood, charged with burglary under very remark-
able circumstances.'
On the night of the 22d of November last, the pre-
mises of Messrs. Walker, surgeons, ef St. John's-street,
and ofithose adjoining, occupied, by Mrs. Neil, a rain-
maker,: were broken into, and plundered of considerable
property. A few days afterwards a man named North
was apprehended on suspicion of being concerned in the
depredation, and on his examination at this Court it
appeared that the ground of suspicion against him
was an admission made by him to a pot companion,
that he had been concerned in the robbery, and that
watch, which had been stolen, had been offered for sale
for 5/. He underwent three examinations, and at
each he asserted his innocence, observing, in ex-
planation, that what he had said was merely by
way of, joke, and eventually the charge was withdrawn.
When, , however, he was taken into custody, five pieces
of counterfeit coin were found in his possession, for
which offence he was committed to Newgate for trial.
From the day of the robbery up to the present time the
neighbourhood of Clerkenwell and Islington have been
kept in much excitement and nightly terror, in the belief
that there was an organised band of burglars in one of
those districts, in consequence of the very ingenious and
daring robberies that were effected ou Messrs. Walker
and Mrs. Neil, thief or thieves having taken from the
drawing-room of one of the gentlemen, while he was
asleep, a gold watch, and from the chamber of the latter
a cash-box, which was opened by force on the premises,
and emptied of its contents, amounting to between 9/.
and 101. and then thrust through the window of the
counting-house. Happily, however, the mystery sur-
rounding the case was this day cleared up, and the fol-
lowing evidence was given against the prisoner :
Police-constable Moss, 199, of the G division, stated
that at a quarter-past four o'clock on that same morning he
saw him coming out of Mitre-cottrt, St. John's-street,
which leads to the back of the prosecutor's premises. He
questioned him, and finding his answers very unsatis-
factory, he searched him, and found a screw-driver,
some congreves, a candle, three door-keys, and two
bunches of keys, which induced him to take the accused
into custody. Having ascertained the prisoner's address,
the constable proceeded thither, and called up the pro-
prietor of the house, who at once admitted that the pri-
soner was his lodger, but protested that he was then in
bed. An explanation followed, and, on the landlord en-
tering the prisoner's bed-room, he perceived he was mis-
taken. A search was then made of the prisoner's boxes,
wherein was discovered the duplicate of a gold watch

belonging to one of the Messrs. Walker, and also a
btinch of keys' their property.
The watch waft produced by a pawnbroker, with
whom it was pledged for SL, on the day after the robbery.
Mr. Walker identified it as well as the keys.
The foreman of Mrs. Neil identified the screw-driver
that was in the possession of the aceused when appre-
hended.
Prisoner—ls Mrs. Neil here ? The foreman said she
was not.
Mr. GREENWOOD (to the prisoner)—You may say
what you please, but it is my duty to tell you that what-
ever you say will be taken down, and neay be used in
evidence against you.
Prisoner (mournfully)—l own that I broke into the
places. I was walking about in distress, without a penny
in my pocket, and a thought struck me that I must get
some money by some means. I was then by the court,
and I went up and got over a shed, and seeing a window
open I entered the house. It was Mr. Walker's and I
took from there the property he lost. I could not go
back in the same mariner I came, and I then went further
on, and dropped from a wall into Mrs. Neil's yard, and
I broke in and took the cash-box, that is all."
Mr. GREENWOOD—You asked if Mrs. Neil was here.
If you wish her to be brought forward she shall be.
Prisoner—My object was to question her respecting
the cash- box. It has been said that a sum of money was
in it, but I declare that it (lid not contain one farthing.
Mr. GitErssiwoon remanded him until Wednesday next.

ribirb 32 I Won

SUN OFFICE. &ven o' Clod:

ROLLS' COUItT.-(THIS -13411",)
The Court was oecupkd during the greeter portion
oc: ,lay in hotrir.tr, unopposed petit
which poisessed any public int,rcst.

Ex PARTE COTD‘N.

This was a petition, in which the petitioners, Messrs.
Cotton, solicitors, of No. 4, Lothhury, applied to the
Court under the following circumstances appearel
that the petitioners had had a conference with Mr.
Tinney, a barrister of the Court, and tendered the de-
fendant, Mr. Lewis (Mr. Tinney's clerk), a ten-pound
note, desiring him to deduct 21. 75., which gave 2/. 2s.
for the counsel, and ss. for the defendant, but that the
defendant retained V. 9s. 6d., alleging that ho was en-
titled to 7s. 6d.

Mr. J. COTTON (one of the petitioners) said that he had
been induced to appear in person before his Lordship,
in consequence of not hiiving been able to procure the
assistance:of counsel, who had refused to act under the
circumstances. He further stated that the petition was
presented to the Court from a convetion that the con-
duct of the defendant was opposed to the views of the
Court, as laid down by the answer given by Lord Cut-
tenham in his Lordship's reply to a question from
the incorporated body of solicitors in 1841, to the
effect that they considered five shillings was a
sufficient fee to the clerk. He had applied to
Mr. Tinney, who bad refused to interfere in the matter,
and he then summoned the defendant before the Court
of Requests for the recovery of the money, when the
Learned Barrister, who presided in that Court, stated
that the case was without his jurisdiction, and he sub-
sequently brought him up to Bow-street, when the Ma-
gistrate expressed himself to the same effect. Linder
these circumstances, he conceived the only alternative
left him was to appeal to the Court. Before concluding,
he deemed it just to the defendant to state that the de-
fendant had offered to return what was alleged to be an
overcharge, which they (the petitioners) would not ac-
cent, and that he he had filed an offidavit.
The MAGTRR of the Rom.s expressed his wish to see
the affidavit. _ _ _

Mr. COTTON read the affidavit, which stated that the
charge the defendant had made was what was usually
given in these cases, and contained three letters from six
most eminent solicitors, stating that his charge was only
what had been usually given.
Mr. TURNER appeared for the defendant, and con-
tended that the case as without the jurisdiction of the
Court, that there was no order of the Court on the sub-
ject, and that the defendant was justified in making the
charge he did in conformity with the practice on such
occasions, laying great stress on the offer that had been
made by his client to return what the petitioner alleged
to be an overcharge, as well as a remuneration for the
trouble to which he had been put, and concluded by
calling on his Lordship to dismiss the petition with costs.
Mr. COTTON replied at some length.
Ilis LORDSHIP said that this was a very important
case for the profession, and before making any decision
he would consult with the other Judges, and with re-
ference to the opinion that had been expressed by the
Lord Chancellor and himself (Lord Langdale) then, it
was four years before any answer had been given to the
question that had been put to them by the body alluded
to, from the difficulty that existed in recognising any
fees to lawyers' clerks at all. If he acted upon his im-
pression of the merits of the case, he should make an
order in conformity with the petitioner's application, but
he did not feel justified in adopting that course. He
would consult his Learned Brethren, as he had already
stated, and wished to have the affidavits handed in.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF COM-
MON COUNCIL-(THIS DAY.)

(Continued from oar Afternoon Edition.)
CRIPPLEGATE
A 'Wardmote was held this day, till a late hour, at the
School-rooms, Philip-laue, for the purpose of returning
representatives to the Court of Common Council.
After the eight members, who had filled the office,
had been severally proposed,
Mr. HtereifeNsom (the father of the ward) rose to pro-
pose Mr. Bennoch, of Wood-street. He (Mr. H.) had been
an inhabitant of that ward for fifty years, and he had great
pleasure in proposing his adopted son, Mr. Bennoch, for
Common Councilman. He would make up for any de-
ficiency under which he might labour in addressing the
wardmote, and for his own part he was very sure that
if returned by the electors he would be found a faithful
representative.
Mr. Idiocies seconded the proposition, and in a few
but pithy expressions inculcated upon the ward the im-
portance of sending at the present juncture, into the
Common Council only thorough-going free-traders, to
the exclusion of those who might be inclined to curry
faveur with those in power, and at the same time feed
the poor on mangel wursel and curry powder.
A show of hands was then taken, and one of the pre-
ceding Common Councillors (Mr. Barnard) was de-
clared by the chairman to be excluded.
Mr. BARNARD demanded a poll.
'The gentlemen whose names had commanded the show
of hands then addressed the meeting seriutim. Mr.
Hoole, Mr. Smith, Mr. Brown, Mr. Lart, Mr. Cash, and
Mr. Brass, were known to he Liberals, and spoke in fa-
vour of an immediate abolition of the corn-laws and
other measures of concession. Mr. Lee Wilsen's address
was of a Conservative character.
Mr. BENNOCU then came forward, and said that, not
having had the pleasure of representing them in the
Court of Common Council, and therefore unable to claim
for himeelf any servitude to which he could refer as a
warrant of his future coeduct, or as in part expressive
of his principles, he should be obliged to trouble them
with a few remarks illustrative of the
course ha
should adopt, and the line he should advocate,
if fortunate enough to be returned as one of
the councillors from that ward. Personalities
in cases of this kind he abhorred, and be would therefore
avoid them as far as he consistently could with the duty
he had to perform; and, therefore, if questiening the
principles of any one net of his own opinion, he hoped
they would attribute his observations to public duty, and
not to any private animosity.—(Hear, hear.) The first
measure to which he would allude was that most
obnoxious and iniquitous one—the present corn-
laws—(Hear)—of which he had endeavoured to give
them a specimen of his opinions in a short address he
had published to the electors in the ward. lie would
add but a few facts to the statements in
,that address,
and he thought the meeting would deem them of suf-
ficient importance to justify his troubling it with them.
He held, then, in the first instance, that it was most pre-
sumptuous and unrighteous that man by his laws should
presume to stop the bounty of the Creator, by standing
between him and his creature, interfering with the bounty,
of the one and the benefit to the other. He referred
more particularly to what had occurred in America—the
result of these cruel laws. There, in the state of Ohio,
not more than some three or four years ago, the crops of
corn upon the ground had been literally consumed.
Why ? Because there was no market for the produce ;
while at the same time in other parts of the same
state the inhabitants were suffering severely from
the want of crops.—(Hear, hear.) They, in Britain,
would have taken that corn in exchange for their own
manufactures, but these laws stood in the way. The
state of Ohio contained 25,000,000 of acres, and of this
number of acres 20,000,000 was capable of growing
wheat. This was nearly one-third more than the entire
surface of England, including its rivers, its rocks, feel
its barren mountains.—(!fear, hear.) Now, how much
better, he would ask, would it not have been if they had
exchanged with a population, evidently intended
by nature for an agricultural population, the, produce
to which their eountry was peculiarly adapted,
giving
them in return the manufactures which their pcttharly
fortunate position had enabled them to cultivate with
such industry and success. How much better, he re-
peated, would it have been for both countries, if this
country had encouraged America to pursue her agri-
cultural capabilities, inseeel of driving- her labourers
to the manufacture of steckings and nightcaps, which
they could get from England at one-teeth of the cost.
Labour, they were all aware was wealth, and could any-
thing be so highly absurd as that the Legislature should
compel the poor and famishing worlonau 10 give his
labour for twelve hours per day for two shillings werih
of corn, when, by adopting another principle, he might '
get for the labour of six hours an equal amount of
food. If the real interests of the labouring classes
were consulted, they should give to other countries
that which they produced most cheaply, receiving from
those countries in return those articles in which they
most excelled.—(Hear.) But, perhaps, some of tho: e
opposed to those opinions did not calculate the immense
increase in the population of the United Kingdom. It
was, on all hands, admitted that the present growth of
the country, taking the average of every year,
was barely sufficient to supply the wants of the
population. The increase, by the stati,tical re-
ports, were proved to be at least one thouusand per
day, or above 360,000 a year, so that in some twelve
years the population would have increased four or five
millions. Thus, then, they saw the working of the
obnoxious corrolaws. If they were to be supported, what
would become of the multitudes added every year to the
population ?—(Hear, hear.) There was no more cern than
at the present time sufficed to satisfy the country, and
yet an obstruction was placed in the way of the repeal !
of a law which prevented the additional increase of

mouths to be fed. It was absolutely monstrous that any
one could ba found to defend ttietn. w,5.,0n0
question to which he had referred in his address, and
that was the question of national education. It uas a
question which involved the happiness, the morality,
and the comfort of every man in this great
empire. The speaker then proceeded to ar-
gue in the most eloquent manner, that neglect was
attributable to the Corporation of London, in that they
had not long before curtailed some of their shows and
dinners of some of their unfair proportions, and with the
fund annually saved, some 5,000/. or 10,0001., founded
schools, that it might be said over the world that, how-
ever ignorant the extremities of the country might be,
London, the soul—the centre—could boast that at all its
inhabitants could at least read.—(Hear, hear.) He then
advocated the introductionof railway communication into
the City, and he particularly referred to the expression
(,f the candidate that " this was not the place to intro-
duce controversial subjects."
Mr. LEE WILSON—I never said so.

Mr. BENNOCII said that he had the words in
writing, and here they were. He said, " this
is not the place to introduce controversional sub-
jects." The Hon. Gentleman might not have meant
that, but what then did he mean ? If he (Mr. B.) were
honoured so far as to be sent to the Court of Common Coun-
cil he would go there determined to wage war with whatever
bigotry, or prejudice, or despotism he might find in that
small high place.—(Hear.) It was new to him to suppose
that in that deliberative assembly a gentleman should
hare only to announce, as if he had been an oracle, " listen
to me, hearken to the voice of wisdom and be edified,"
and that he would be obeyed—that the assembly would
arise with loud acclaim and confirm the oracle. The
thing was absurd. The speaker concluded by assuring the
electors that they should find him in the Council bear-
ing and forbearing, but always ready to defend the rights
of the ward, and the country against any and ev,?ry
Dttml: upon either.---(Hear, hear.)
-,t:ofl then proceeded, and at the closing ',cur t'ns
'ay tilQ .embers were

Hoole
Smith
Brown
Lasts

LIBERALS.
. 27 Bennoch
. 26 Cash
. 26 brass
. 25 Barnard . .

CONSE

Lee Wilson
The poll will not finally