The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-29 00:00:00

man (pointing to Mr. Smith) whom I never saw be-
fore, and he told me to go to the lady, and when I
had been, I gave him a sovereign of the money, and

he let me keep the rest.
Mr. BOND (to Mr. Smith) —You hear what she says.
Mr. Smith, who looked very much surprised, ex-
claimed, " I never saw the girl in my life before."
Mr. BoND remanded the prisoner until Thursday.
THAMES POLICE.

Yesterday, John Featherstone, a tall, portly, and
well-dressed man, aged 32, was brought before Mr.
Ballantine, charged, on a peace warrant, with pre-
senting a pistol at Mrs. Elizabeth 'Wall, the landlady
of the Britannia Tavern, in the New-road, St.

George's-in-the-East, and threatening her life. There
was another charge against the prisoner of obtaining
10s. by fa!se pretences from Thos. Wilson, a broker,
of No. 7, Wilson-street, Drury-lane ; but, owing to
the absence of the prosecutor, who was acting as a
special constable in the City, the case was adjourned
till to-morrow.

Mrs. Wall, who was much agitated, said the pri-
soner came to lodge in her house in May last, and she
understood him to be a seaman who had been paid off
from a man-of-war, and he represented that he was
entitled to considerable wages, and also held a prize
ticket for 3001. After staying in her house some
time, he began to pay very great attention to her, and
proposed himself as a suitor ; but, having ascertained
that he was a mere adventurer, and that he had ex-
pended all his prize money and wages with the excep-
tion of a few pounds, she refused to encourage his
addresses, and frequently requested him to leave her
house. He refused to do so, and continued in the
house until the early part of September, and
contracted a debt of 141. for board and lodging. He
then began to assume all the importance of a master,
and attempted to control her actions. On the 6th
of September she was about to leave home on busi-
ness, and the prisoner, who appeared to be jealous of
her, insisted on knowing where she was going to,
and on her refusing to satisfy him, and directing him
to leave the house, he abused her most shamefully,
and took up a carving knife, and threatened to
murder her. His conduct was so violent that she
gave him into custody, and he was ordered by the
magistrate to find bail to keep the peace. After he
had been in prison five days he procured bail, which
she believed to be hired, and was liberated. He
immediately returned to her house, and commenced
annoying her again, said he was master, and dealt in
the most scandalous insinuations against her reputa-
tion. One night he refused to leave her house till she
gave him a sovereign, for which he handed her his
t. 0. U. On the following day he molested her
again, and remained in front of her bar, abusing her,
and vilifying her character to the customers until he
was again taken into custody and held to nail, himself
in 801. and two sureties of 401. each, and in default,
he was committed till the sessions ; when Messrs.
Wire and Child, her solicitors, exhibited articles of the
peace against him, and he was ordered by the Chair-
man to enter into sureties to keep the peace towards
her for twelve months. He remained in prison till
the last Tuesday, when he found bail, and was dis
charged. On the afternoon of the same day he again
came to the house and created a disturbance, and
threatened her life, and he repeated the same conduct
on Wednesday and Thursday, and collected a mob
about the house, interrupted her business, and alarmed
her family and servants. On Friday night he sud-
denly presented himself in front of the bar, swore
loudly at her, and drew a pistol from his pocket,
which he presented at her. She was so alarmed that
,he fainted, and before she recovered the prisoner
rushed out of the house, and made his escape. In the
middle of the night stones were thrown against her
bedroom window and on opening it she saw the pri-
-oner below, and he demanded admittance. She
ealled for the police, and he ran- away. She had no
doubt the prisoner meditated serious mischief against
tier, because she had refused to marry him, and if she
.vas not effectually:protected she must close her house
and be ruined.
Blake, 137 K, said he took the prisoner into cus-
tody on Saturday night on another charge, and he
made two attempts to strangle himself in the station-
house, and his neckerchief, garters, and braces were
taken away from him.
The prisoner, with great assurance, said that Mrs.
Wall had once encouraged his addresses, and that he
went to her house on Tuesday night last, to ascertain
If his cousin in Warwickshire had forwarded a letter
to him. He then made vehement assertions that he
never had a pistol, and stated that he met Mrs. Wall
at the Court on Saturday, and she wanted to speak to
him, and because he refused to converse with her, she
followed him about the streets for three hours. They
ultimately walked and talked for a long time.
Mrs. Wall clasped her hands, sobbed loudly, and
declared that there was not a word of truth in what
the prisoner said. After she obtained the warrant,
the prisoner followed her from the Court and abused
her till she reached her home.
Mr. BALLANTINE said the prisoner was a most
worthless fellow, and had no business in Mrs. Wall's
house at all. He had already twice bound over the
prisoner to keep the peace towards the widow, who
he believed, was a most respectable woman of good
reputation, and he would not allow her or her chil-
dren to be annoyed and made uncomfortable. He
should once more compel the defendant to enter into
sureties to keep the peace towards Mrs. Wall and
her family, himself in 80/., and two sureties of 401.
each until the sessions, when Mrs. Wall could exhibit
articles of the peace. It was really monstrous that
Mrs. Wall should be kept in a state of continual
alarm.

Mrs. Wall--Oh I can't afford to go to the sessions,
Sir. It cost me 71. last time.
Mr. BALLANTINE—YOU must do it if you sell your
bed from under you. You ought not to be put to
the expense of 75., and the bail entered into before
me and at the sessions has become forfeited.
Mrs. Wall said the prisoner procured " bought
bail," and they gave false addresses.
The officer Blake said the sureties were straw bail.
Mr. BALLANTINE knew, from his long experience
as a magistrate, that in ninety-nine cases out of a
hundred, false and artificial bail was given. The
Chairman of the sessions must be made acquainted
with the fraud.
Mrs. Wall said she had received a lawyer's letter,
demanding 1501. which the prisoner alleged was due
to him, and she was most shamefully persecuted.
Mr. BALLANTINE said the magistracy and police
would go as far as the law allowe in protecting the
widow, and after a strong condemnation of the pri-
soner's unfeeling and brutal conduct, once more con-
signed him to Clerken well Prison in default of bail.