The Sun.
London, England, 1827-07-27 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.—Yesterday George Mason, who
owns a cottage and a small piece of land immediately ad-
joining Target Cottage; the property of the Baron de Be-
Fenger, at Kentish-town, was summoned by the latter for
threatening his life with a loaded fowling-piece.
From the statement of the Baron it appeared, that being
engaged in the prosecution of various scientific discoveries,
he had taken a cottage at Kentish-town with a view of for-
warding his studies, to which place he had removed his
family. He had, however, the misfortune of having in the
person of the defendant, a most troublesome and unaccom-
modating neighbour. It happened that he (the Baron)
owned a good many ducks, and these ducks were in the
habit of resorting to a large pond upon his grounds, from
which pond there ran a ditch (a branch of the ancient
Fleet ditch), and into this ditch the ducks would some-
times waddle for pastime, and from thence ascend the hank
at the opposite side, and ramble through the defendant's
garden. Now there was no disputing that this was
not a trespass, and the ducks were liable to be im-
pounded for the sane ; but the defendant thought proper
to adopt a More vindictive course, and according as the
Web-footed intruders entered tLe premises, he shot them
without any ceremony. This conduct the defendant in-
to the size and
sagiseteodfotnhepunrsncuoinnsgeloaunsdoftweintdheorust, adzulyckri4egadtrdakes,
and duck-
lings were maimed and killed without the slightest mercy.
Threats and remonstrances were equally in vain. The gun
of the defendant kept up an almost incessant fire, until at
last 27 ducks, including some of the tender age of nine
days, fell victims to its remorseless aim. It was not, how-
ever, so much the loss of the ducks that the Baron coMplained
of, as the danger to which he and his family were exposed
from the random shooting of the defendant. His (the Baron's)
children were constantly running about the grounds, and
they were not unfrequently at play at the other side of the
ditch, at the very moment when the shot from the defend-
ant's
gun rattled against the adjoining hedge.
" Well, Mr. Mason," said Mr. HA LT,S, " what have
you to say to the serious charge preferred against you ?"
" I have got this to say," said the defendant, " that I
had a right to shoot these here ducks, because they were
eating up my cabbages, and destroying my young plants.
I have been terribly annoyed, t your Worship, both by the
ducks and the`Baron's children, who are constantly tramp-
ing down my garden."
".The children never go near your garden," said the
Baron, "except now and then that they climb over the
wall to pick up the dead ducks ; hut you generally take
care, Mr. Mason, to save them that trouble."
yr. Harts, after observing that' the defendant's con-
duct had shown him, to be a man whose temper rendered
him unfit to be trusted with firearms, directed him to find
good bail t o keep the peace towards the Baron and the rest
of the King's subjects.
• A dirty-looking man, without a coat, and.the remainder
of whose garments did not appear ;o he worth a shilling,

was lutinmoned by the driver of a hackney-c6ieh for re-
fusing to pay him an additional sixpence. The appearanCe
of the defendant as a party complained against in such a
cause excited some surprise ; and as it appeared that the
coachman was justified in making the demand, Mr. llAt.t.s
could not but express his astonishment at the folly of a man
with-a dirty
,shirt, and without a coat, enjoying the luxury
of a drive, and then subjecting himself to he pulled up for
sixpence, at the hazard of being saddled with the expences,
in the event of the coachman's proving his case, which they
generally took care to do.
' " I merely wished to try the question of distance," said
the defendant, quite coolly, 4, and as I find the coachman
was right, I of course must pay."
" Eleven shillings," said Mr. Sedley, the clerk, "in-
cluding the disputed sixpence."
"Only see," said the Magistrate, " what your folly has
brought you to."
" Why, it's rather a dear ride to be sure," said the man,
" bat I wished to try the question." So saying, he drew
a handful of money froM a greasy pocket, paid the amount
with the greatest good humour, and seemed quite reconciled
to his loss, having had the satisfaction of " trying the

question.'*

HATTON-GARDEN.— William Taylor, a youth
about 15 years of age, was charged with stealing a hearth-
rug, the property of Mr. Cowen, of Southampton-street.
Waddington, the officer, stated thift as he was passing
by Southampton-street, on Saturday last, about half-past
twelve o'clock, be saw the prisoner going quickly alonc,
with a rug under his arm. Witness looked at him with
earnestness, and the prisoner observing witness, hastily
threw off his shoes and ran away, taking with him the rug,
which, however, he dropped in Slade's passage, leading to
Goswell-street. Witness followed him, but before he
came up to him, the prisoner was stopped by a street-
keeper. Waddington took the rug and the prisoner, and
soon after ascertained that the rug had been stolen front
Mr. Cowen's shop. Prisoner asked witness to let him off.
Mrs. Cowen identified the rug as being the property of
her husband. It had been exposed for sale in the chop at
57, Southampton-street. She saw the rug in the shop on
Saturday morning, 'at half-past eleven, and missed it in
about an hour after.
Taylor denied having stolen the rug, and laid that be.
found it in the street rolled up.
The uncle of the boy said that every thing had been
done for Taylor to no purpose. He had been put into
several situations, but would not remain many of them.
Mr. Lama told Taylor to make the Jury believe, if he
could, that he found the rag in the street.—Coistsnittes,.
Wm. 4ohn Kingman was charged with assaulting Mrs.
Armstrong, his landlady.
Mrs. Armstrong stated that the defendant lodged in her
house, and was removing his furniture which she endea-
voured to prevent. A scuffle ensued, and he struck her.
Witnesses were called who proved the assault.
Mr. LAixo ordered Kingman to find bail.
Kirby, the officer, here complained that Charles De
Roche, one of Kingaman's friends, collected a mob about
him at the corner of Hatton-garden and Hatton-wan, and
they shouted after him, and attempted to impede hint in the
execution of his duty.
Mr. LAING orilTed De Roche to be placed at the bar.
Kirby was sworn to the truth of his complaint.
Mr. LAING asked De Roche what he bad to say to the
charge.
De Roche said he had been in the neighbouring public-
house with hie friend and several others, including the officer
and Mrs. Armstrong, and all of them left the public-house
at the same time on their way to this office. There were
a number of people together, but he denied that they were
collected as a mob, or did any act to impede the officer in
the discharge of his duty.
Mr. LAING-If you don't make an apology to the
officer, you shall find bail, Sir.
De Roche—l have net been guilty of any thing, Sir, for
which I ought to apologise.
.Mr. LA rwc—You have collected a mob about this office,
Sir, and unless you make an apology to him you must find
bail.

De Roche, after a few hens and haws, consented to apo-
logise, considering it wiser to do so than to have to go the
trouble and expence of procuring bail, and after that to go
to the Sessions. —He was then discharged.

INIARYLEBONE.—Mr. Tomlins, of the Bed Lion
public-hotise, Harrow-road, appeared with his solicitor,
'Mr. Harmer, to answer two informations exhibited against
him by Paddington parish, for keeping his house open till
unlawful hours on the nights of Friday and Saturday, the
13th and 14th instant.

. _
Before entering upon the charge, some conversation took
place between the solicitors for-the pariah and the defend-
ant, relative to there being two informations. Mr. liar,
mer declared that he only can prepared to speak to one=
namely, that on the Saturday evening, and conceived there
must have been some mistake as to the dates ; it was found,
however, on explanation, that the parish had lodged two,
as stated. To the second, he said, in consequence of not
receiving instructions, he must be obliged to acknowledge
be bad no defence.
Daniel Boyd, a watchman, swore, that being on duty on
Friday, the Igth, and having received directions from the
serjeant of the watch for that purpose, he kept a particular
look-out on the defendant's premises. There were lights
in the long-room, and he heard singing, and as late as a
quarter past one he saw ten men come out of the house.
The serjeant of the watch, Thomas Lockwood, bore tes-
timony to the truth of his statement. He set him to
watch, as he had said ; and to make sure of the fact of
there being persons in the house, he himself came and lis-
tened, and at the hour mentioned, not only heard singing,
but could plainly distinguish the drawing of corks.
It turned it out, as to this particular evening, that there
had been a shoemaker's club held at the house, and the
singing and drawing of corks happened in consequence of
their keeping their jollity up until rather too late an hour.
There being no defence to this charge, Mr. Tomlins was
fined 40s.
The second information charged the defendant with a
repetition of the like offence, on the night of the following
day (Saturday), and early on the Sunday morning ; one
both which he was stated to halve entertained company in
his house from the hours of 11 until two o'clock.
The evidence was the same watchman, Boyd.—At eight
minutes past one, on the Sunday morning, he deposed he
saw two men come out of the defendant's house; and at
half-past one as many as thirty. He admitted that there
•were no persons let in--they were only let out.
Mr. Harmer explained the business. There was, he
said, a Mr. Purdy, a gunmaker, a most respectable trades-
man, who had given his men a dinner at the defendant's
house. It was an annual one, a sort of bean feast. Men
on those occasions would stay a little longer than usual.
He had not kept his house open to admit a promiscuous
company, but merely for their aceommodation.
Mr. GRIFFITH, who sat with Mr: Hosnws, hinted
that a party dining at three o'clock, which he understood
they did, might have enjoyed themselves, and yet broke up
before one o'clock. Ten hours, he said, was a long time
to sit drinking.
Mr. Harmer.--They were not drinking, Sir, all that
time, I presume. There is a bowling-green and 'skittle-
grounds ; and some would, no doubt, take a little walk,
and then return back to tea, or smoke their pipes. I have
a witness here (Mr. Purdy's foreman was put forward)
who, I believe, can prove that Mr. Tomlins endeavoured
to clear the house of company as early as possible.
Mr. Pnrdy's foreman said, that long before the hour
charged, Mr. Tondins requested the company would
depart, and that the singing was stopt in consequence.—
He got rid of them as soon afterwards as he possibly could.
The Magistrates consulted together, and taking the cir-
cumstances into consideration, that it was a dinner party,
and that the house was closed to other company, directed
that the defendant should pay the 4xpences only.
A person, who described himself as the parish-broker of
Kilburn, applied to the Magistrates for advice under the
following circumstances : —He was 'employed in the course
of his duty to distrain on the
_goods of a carpenter, for non-
, payment of parish rates, and having made his seizure of a
water-butt, washing-tubs, scaffolding, and other articles of
a similar descrip°tion, which were in the yard (for he had been
prevented from entering the house) put an old man into pos-
session, with an inventory, and quitted the premises. He
had not left long, when the man's wife, finding the person in
possession to be only a poor old tottering infirm creature,
laid violent hands on the property, and forcibly removed it
into the house. The old man told her she was doing
wrong, and warned her of the consequences, but she dared
him to follow the goods, and ultimately got them all into
the house, from whence her husband afterwlrds bad them
conveyed away. The broker stated that the goods should
have been condemned to-day, the five days' expiring to-
morrow, and that lie was likely himself to be subjected to
the loss of them, unless something could be done for him
in the case.
Mr. GRIFFITH said there did not appear to have been
any breach of the peace committed, or assault on the per-
son of the old man in possession, and therefore lie could
not take cognizance of the charge; the woman had not
taken the goods off the premises, in the first instance, but
only removed them from the yard into the house, and he
had no evidence to show that they had been taken out of
the house afterwards. He must apply for redress to the
Yestry of Kilburia;who' could take the proper steps in the
business.
UNION-HALL.—Three young men, named Glynn,
Ladd, And Zak the eons of respectable individual, were

brought before the sitting Magistrate, R. J. Craamaras,
Esq., charged, under the Wilful Damage Act, with destroy-
ing some furniture, and defacing the premises, of Mrs.
Bloomfield, in Lambeth.
The complainant stated, that a female, named Robinson,
had apartments in her house, to which the defendants had
constant access. The complainant, a few evenings ago,
discovered, on her return home, that in her absence, her
lodger had absconded ; and on entering the rooms which
' she occupied, the table was found broken to pieces, the
chairs were knocked about, and the walls and ceiling were
plastered with rotten eggs, which it appeared were purchased
for the express purpose of mutilating the apartments, and
rendering them unfit for the habitation of any respectable
persons. The complainant, knowing the defendants to have
committed the offence, procured warrants against them,
and had them taken into custody. Mrs. Bloomfield
estimated the damage she sustained at 51., and had pre-
viously consented to accept a compensation to that amount
from the defendants ; but they refused to give her any re-
dress, and she was therefore compelled to seek the present
mode.
The Magistrate inflicted a penalty of Si. and costs on
the defendants under the above Act ; and having been
asked whether they were prepared to pay it between them,
the answer was in the negative.
MAGISTRATE.--'Then I shall commit you all to Brixton.
None of the friends of the defendants came forward in
their behalf, as it appeared, in consequence of their irre-
gularities and dissipation, they inflicted much pain in the
minds of their respective relatives.
When the hour arrived for the departure of the defend-
ants to Brixton, along with the other persons destined for
that place, the former showed a disposition to resist enter.
ing the vehicle used for the purpose of conveying offenders.
They were, however, ultimately placed •in the cart, and
driven off to their new abode.