The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-22 00:00:00

SAMBO SUTTON'S CRIM. CON.
CASE.

At the Cambridge Assizes on Friday, an action was
brought by the well-known " Sambo Sutton," a ci-devant
prize-fighter, against Mr.-Samuel Preston, a brickmaker
in that town, for criminal conversation with his wife.
There was a second count, charging the defendant with
having unlawfully and wrongfully harboured and de-
tained plaintiff's wife, and kept her away from her hus-
band.

Mr. GUNNING stated the facts of the case as he pro-
posed to prove them in evidence. His client, he said,
was Mr. Thomas Sutton, who complained of one of the
most serious injuries which one man could inflict upon
another. Mr. Sutton was a wine-merchant, residing
in London ; in former years he was connected with
the prize-ring, and was well known in the sporting
world. His age was about 27, and that of his wife
about 23. The defendant was a man between forty
and fifty years of age, residing in Barnwell, and
having a wife and family • he was a brickmaker
and builder. His Learned iriend, Mr. Sergeant Byles
did not intend in the defence to contend that the plain •
tiff was not entitled to a verdict ; but he intended to
rely upon his powers of sarcasm and ridicule. His
Learned Friend, he was sure, would fail, for whatever
the station in life of the plaintiff, he was entitled to
equal justice. It was not for a man who had com-
mitted this grievous act against his neighbour to in-
struct counsel to answer an action by throwing ridi-
cule on the person whom he had injured. In 1840,
the plaintiff, being then about 23 years old, married
Isaliella Pearce, some few years younger than himself,
who was a shopwoman in Burlington Arcade, London,
and a person of unblemished character. After hi 3
marriage the plaintiff intended to quit his calling of
prize-fighter, but he found a difficulty in meeting with
any other occupation. At length, in an unhappy mo-
ment for his wife, he came to Cambridge in 1842, where
he gave lessons in the art of self-defence, taking
up his abode with his wife, at the Black Bear.—
(Laughter.) There the plaintiff and his wife lived
happily together. The plaintiff had occasionally to go
to London ; during his absence his wife boarded with
the landlady, and he seldom returned without bring-
ing her a present of some sort. This was the state of
things when the defendant became acquainted with
the parties, professing great friendship for the plain-
tiff, and offering to assist him in getting into some
business. Towards the end of May, 1843, plaintiff
went to London, and during his absence his wife wa3 '
missed from the Black Bear, early one morning. She
was not seen for some time, but there could be no
doubt whatever that she had been off somewhere in the
company of the defendant. After a month or so de-
fendant returned to Cambridge and took a house at Ches-
terton, where he should be able to prove the act of
adultery complained of.
T. B. Turner, teacher of dancing, 26, Sutton-street,
Lambeth—l have known plaintiff eight years ; and was
present at his marriage at St. Martin's Church, in 1840.
Since that I have often visited them ; they, lived to-
gether on the most happy terms ; nothing could be more
affectionate and fond.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant BYLES—Plaintiff
is called " Sambo;" he is rather black and woolly. He
fights great battles, and is the most respectable
amongst them. When I first knew him he was a
pugilist ; I never heard of his exercising his profession
on his wife ; he may have beaten men, but not
ladies. They kept a cigar shop in Drury-lane when
first married ; and afterwards lived in a " first floor
private," near Soho-square. After that they went to
Clerkenwell, and lived private in a parlour ; plaintiff
used to sing at concert rooms; his wife did nothing be-
yond making him little things ; she was a very handy
woman.—(Laughter.) I know nothing about Cam-
bridge except what he has told me. He came to Cam-
bridge in October, 1841 : sometimes he was at Oxford
and other places : he left his wife in London, and some-
times brought her with him to Cambridge. He left
her at the Black Bear, in Cambridge, but he was never
away long together from her. I never heard that she
had complained of his beating her, or that she com-
plained of him for another reason. She lived at a stock
and glove shop in Burlington Arcade.
Mr. BYLES—Do you profess the Polka ?—(Laughter.)
Witness—Certainly I do. She came to tea with him at
a lodging near Leicester-square.
Mr. BYLES—Do you remember his buying some flesh-
coloured gloves for her ? Witness—What colour ?
Mr. BYLES—FIesh-coloured—l know the term is
rather doubtful in this case.—(Laughter.) Witness—
He bought gloves, I don't know what colour.
Mr. BYLES—Was the courtship short ? Witness—
Eight or nine months.
By the JUDGE—Her mother was dead some time be-
fore her marriage.
Re-examined—She was an assistant in the shop. I
knew her there for some time before her marriage.
Plaintiff is now what you term a vocalist and wine-mer-
chant.—(Laughter.) He has been in the wine trade
about a fortnight.
Mary Laxton, landlady of the Black Bear, Cambridge
--I remember plaintiff and wife coming about October,
1841. They had a bed-room, and sat with me and my
family in the bar. I have a niece living with me. They
used to leave at the end of every term at first, but in
May, 1842, they came to live here altogether. I never
saw anything but happiness between them. She quitted
my house on the 29th of May, 1843. I missed her early
in the morning Her husband was absent. Defendant
used to come and sit in my bar for hours. He saw plain-
tiff and his wife there. After Mrs. Sutton left defendant
did not come as usual.

Hannah White, niece of the last witness—l lived at
at the Black Bear, and knew the plaintiff anti his wife.
They lived happily together, and were kind and affec-
tionate to each other. About a month after Mrs. Sutton
left the house, Mr. Preston said he had been to Scotland
with her. He came into the bar and spoke of it of his
own accord. He said he had been to Scotland with her,
and had called to see a young friend there, Miss Gray,
who was a beautiful creature. —(Laughter.)
Cross-examined—l never saw the black beating his
wife. I have seen him going to strike her, but he
stopped. I have got vinegar and brandy for her. She
drank the brandy—(Laughter)—but not the vinegar—
she bathed her forehead with it—she was faint. We put
no brown paper on with the vinegar. She was faint be-
cause she had had a dispute with her husband. I also
applied some vinegar to her arm. I never said I had
seen her so knocked about that she could not feed her-
self. She is a good-looking person, and used to dance
most weeks.
John Chapman—l own some houses at Chesterton.
Preston hired one between Midsummer and Michaelmas,
1843, at 71. a-year ;he said it was for a person of a rather
delicate constitution, out of the low part of Huntingdon-
shire, who had some little property of her own to sup-
port her. He brought a female to live in it, a goodish-
looking person, about twenty-four or twenty-five. I never
heard him say whq it was.
W. H. Meedle, jeweller, Hyde Park-street, Bayswater
—I know plaintiff and his wife, and saw them married.
I came to Cambridge last January, and ealleg on Mr.
Preston, by direction of the plaintiff, at his house at
Barnwell. I said " I believe you are living wi:h, or
L:.Dincr, Sutton's wife ?" He said he didn't know any-
thin.' about it. I asked him if he chose to give her up,
and he sac: no. I afterwards went to a house at Ches-
terton, on the ::une day. I watched the house, and saw
Mrs. Sutton at the :7
inclow. She appeared to be living
there. I saw two persons
through the blind in the bed-
room, and afterwards there was
_no light,
Mr. Sergeant BYLES submitted tit;": there was no case
for the jury.
His LORDSHIP thought there was not much eviderioe,
but it was a question for the jury.
Mr. Sergeant BYLES then addressed the jury for the
defendant. Who were the parties in this action ? The
plaintiff's wife was a shopwoman in Burlington Arcade,
a great thoroughfare, where a great many shops were
kept by a great many pretty women. Black Sambo
entered Burlington Arcade one fine afternoon, like
other distinguished people at the \Vest-end, Mr.
Dyce Sombre, for instance ; walked backwards and
forwards, and was struck by the charms of Isa-
bella.—(Laughter,) An invitation to tea followed,
and then there was a wedding. Who gave the lady
away ? The Professor of the " Polka."—(Laughter.)
There was no accounting for tastes. Now, the plaintiff
was black and woolly, yet if he treated his wife well
she might no doubt feel affection for him. But what
was to be thought of a husband, black and woolly as he
was—(Renewed laughter)—and who therefore ought to
have been peculiarly careful about his wife, leaving her
in a place like Cambridge, totally unprotected ? What
was to be thought of a man who took his wife to the
Black Bear—a most appropriate name truly—(Laugh-
ter)—and left her there for months together, allowing
her to dance every week with young men frequenting
the house ? He contended at some length that there
was no evidence to prove the charge of a criminal inter-
course, and called on the jury in conclusion to give a
verdict for the defendant.

The Learned JUDGE Eummed up, and after a short
consultation, the jury returned a verdict for the de-
fendant.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(SATURDAY.)
MANSION-HOUSE.

A very bulky, rosy-cheeked, big-bellied fellow, of the
name of Clarke, c'Ets charged by Mr. Dixon, eating--
house-keeper, of No. 156, Upper Thames-street, under
the following circumstances :
Mr. Dixon stated that the prisoner, who had been a
few times a customer, called one day, and after dinner
said he wished to speak with him. When they went
into a private room, the prisoner said he did not fancy
his present lodging, and he would, if they could agree,
reckove with his son to witness's house to board and
lodge there comfortably. They soon came to an un-
derstanding, 2nd the prisoner informed hint that he had
a consignment of gt;nds to the amount of 92.1. in a vessel
which lay at one of the W*Yarfs, The prisoner then pro-
duced an invoice, and having stead that lie wanted
money to pay7the freight, prevailed upon. *itapss to ad-
vance him upon that representation the sum of 21. lk)s. It
was soon palpable that the whole business was gross
humbug and imposition.
Sir Jofis KEY—Have you made inquiry about it e
goods at the wharf ? Witness—l have, and they say
they know nothing at all of the man or the goods,
Sir JOSIN KEY—Well, prisoner, what have you to say
in answer to this? Prisoner—Well, I have to say I was
roight. I did not make i 29 misrepresentation.

Witness—You said you were a respectable man ?
Prisoner-oy, oy, so I be, very respectabl..
Sir JOAN KEY—Perhaps if you try at the wharf you
will find these wood ? Prisoner—No, I don't s'pose they
be there yet; but they're on the way, they're on the way.
—(Laughter.) 'Pend upon it lam the man I said.
Witness—There are three of them concerned in this
plan of swindling; one of them this fellow passed upon
me as his servant. After I gave the prisoner the 21. 10s.
he came to me drunk to try me again, and then I knew
I was done. Prisoner—No, no ; lam respectable. I'll
prove I am the right thing.
A man here stepped forward and said, please your
Lordship, I am a publican, and keep the Fox and Goose,
and this man came to me along with his son, and they
lived upon me three weeks without paying a farthing fur
lodging or the boy's board.
Prisoner—Well, well ! But I paid for what I had my-
self, and that's something these bad times.
Sir J. KEY (to the complainant)—Do you believe you
can produce evidence confirmatory of your statement ?
Complainant—l do.
Sir J. KEY—Then I shall remand the prisoner to give
you an opportunity.
Complainant—l have no doubt that a great many more
persons will appear against him.
Prisoner—Your Lordship will let me go and change
my dress ?
Sir J. KEY—You must go to the Compter directly.
Prisoner—Let us go ; do, my Lord, I shan't stay long?
Sir J. KEY—No, you may send for your clothes,
the officer can't wait upon you to your lodgings.
Remanded.

GUILDHALL.
Mr. Richard Howe, the landlord of the Star and
Garter public-house, Old Bailey, appeared at this Court.
in answer to a charge preferred by a man named
Pritchard, who follows no other occupation than that of
a common informer, under the Tippling Act, for illegally
detaining a hat and handkerchief as a pledge.
On the case being called on, Pritchard addressed the
Magistrates, and stated that he thought it would be
better for him to state the whole of the case to their
Worships before he proceeded to call evidence.
Alderman CHALLIS observed that, perhaps, would be
the better course, when Pritchard again spoke out, and
begged that Mr. Teague, the Chief Clerk, would pre-
viously refer to the Act of Parliament, at the same time
handing in a dilapidated piece of paper, which, after a
deal of unfolding, and placing together, proved to be
the Tippling Act. He then went on to state the case
after a fashion, and had not far proceeded before he
made a sudden stop, and after a short pause said
that, no doubt, now, if he called his witnesses,
it would be more agreeable to the Alderman. He had
fifty of them in the neighbourhood of the Court, and he
could say fearlessly to the Magistrates that not one of
them had been " ear-wigged." He should, however, only
call his principal witness, a man named Jones, as the
facts were so clear, and he had no wish to occupy a
greater space of time than was requisite.
Alderman CHALLIS—Do so as speedily as you like.
Jones, a dissipated looking fellow, here got into the
witness box, and declared that on Thursday evening he,
with a friend, went into the defendant's house, and called
for a quartern of rum, which was supplied, he throwing
down 2d. on the counter, and his friend 3d., as payment,
which was taken up by the barmaid. His companion,
after taking a glass of the spirit, went out into the
street, and on him drinking the remainder, the defendant
came into the bar and demanded the payment of the rum.
He informed him that it had already been paid, but he
insisted that it had not, and on witness attempting to
leave, the defendant suddenly seized his hat and hand
kerchief therein, and stated that he should retain those
articles until redeemed by the price of the quartern of
rum. He then went out to speak to his friend about the
dilemma in which he was in, When he accidentally met
Pritchard, who knowing him as a friend also, made him
acquainted with the occurrence. Pritchard then went
into the house and asked the defendant whether he in-
tended to keep the hat and handkerchief as a pledge,
and the answer was " most certainly." He was confi-
dent that sd. for the rum was paid, as he had only 2d.
when he entered, and he told them after the occurrence,
if more than one halfpenny was found in his pockets, he
would make the defendant a present of ss.
Mr. Alderman CHALLIS—WeII, Mr. Howe, what an-
swer have you to make to this man's charge ?—Defend-
ant—Why, sir, that a very gross fraud is attempted to
be imposed upon me. Finding that the man was about
to leave without paying the rum, I admit seizing his hat
in order to defray my charge. As for them talking about
paying my barmaid the sd. it is false, and she is in at-
tendance to disprove the statement.
The barmaid was accordingly called, and swore that
she had not received the price of the rum.
Alderman CHALLIS, after consulting with his brother
Alderman, said that there was no proof of illegal pawn-
ing, and he should dismiss the case ; and he did not
know but what he should have acted in the same manner
as the defendant had done, if he had been placed in a
similar situation.

Pritchar4l—Very well, sir ; but I trust the clerk has
taken a full note of the evidence, as the case certainly
cannot end here.

Alderman CHALLIS—No doubt, sir; Mr. Teague does
not require any of your interference.
Pritchard—Well, gentlemen, I should like to know for
what reason you dismiss the case ?
Alderman CHALLIS—We do not sit here to have our
judgments questioned in an open court by such persons
as you, and I must request you to leave.
The officers did their duty, and ejected them into the
Guildhall yard, to the no small gratification of those
assembled.

CITY POLICE COMMITTEE.
Mrs. Langridge, of the Sun and Punch-bowl public-
house, in Long-lane, Smithfield, attended with Mr
Wolfe, the solicitor, before Mr. Alderman Hughes
Hughes, and Sir Jobn Pirie, to answer a charge laid by
the police for harbouring and permitting prostitutes to
assemble in the said house between the hours of-two and
-three in the morning of Monday last. The evidence
given by the police confirmed the facts laid in the infor-
mation.

In answer to Mr. Wolfe, they stated that Mrs. Lang-
ridge, when told who the characters were, directed them
to leave the house, and she said she did not know who
they were from any other females.
Mr. Wolfe addressed the bench, and endeavoured to
substantiate his statement by calling witnesses, when
Mr. Alderman Hnghes stopped the case. He said the
case had been clearly proved, and they should inflict on
the defendant a penalty of 2L for the offence, and or-
dered the clerk to return the conviction to the Quarter
Sessions against the renewal of the license.
Mr. Wolfe protested against the conviction as unjust,
and begged permission that the defendant's witnesses
might be heard, for they would clearly prove Mrs
Langridge's innocence of having offended against the
law.

Marh Samuel, a costermonger, was brought up for
selling- fruit in the street, with a false llb. weight, defi-
cient 4oz. of the proper standard. The weight was pro-
duced; it had the bottom cut completely out.
'The COURT inflicted a penalty of 2L and in default of
payment the defendant was committed to seven days'
imprisonment. _

Several small shopkeepers stated the greatest injury
was inflicted on them by such characters as the defen-
dant, who swarmed the streets of London during the
fruit season, and professed to sell a pound of fruit at a
sum it was impossible to purchase it for at the markets.
It was well known that the weights which they hawk
about with them were false ; in fact, in most instances,
they were upwards of a third short, yet they were al-
lowed to remain selling their barrow's-load of cherries
opposite a shopkeeper's door, who, try all he could, was
unable to sell even a basket in a day, because he gave
just 'weight.
Mr. Alderman HUGUES said it was certainly a great
hardship, but with the vigilance of the officers he had no
doubt but that their system of fraud would speedily be
checked.

Here Mr. Knott introduced " one of the class," who
had just been liberated from Bridewell after seven days'
imprisonment. He had been convicted last Saturday
for telling cherries in the street with a false weighing-
machine, an ounce draft in favour of himself, caused by
four farthings stuck into the beam of the machine with
copper wax. lie now applied for the machine, which,
after a promise that he would not offend again, was re-
gored to him. The effect of the imprisonment was too
apparent on his features. Refusing to conform with the
regulations of the prison, out of the seven days' im-
prisonment, he had passed three in solitary confinement.

not have been accidental, owing to the great precautions
used. On the other hand, the prisoner said the worth
he used were " may your ship be set on fire," and he
brought witnesses to show that he was in the neigh-
bourhool of the London Hospital from 6 till past 11
o'clock on the Friday.
Mr. BRODERIP, in dismissing the case, said it was one
of those in which care should be taken to avoid the post
hoc, ergo propter hoc fallacy. There was no evidence to
connect the prisoner with the fire, and he must be dis-
charged.

"' TilE SITN,-LONDON; YFONMAY-*MOItNING, JULY 20, 1844.

PRICES OF SHARES

IN CANALS, RAILWAYS, BANKS, ASSURANCE
AND OTHER COMPANIES' STOCK

LONDON, FRIDAY, JULY 19.

Dividend
_ Per

Ai:num.

per cent.
41.