The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-18 00:00:00

STATE OF THE POLICE.

Richard Parsons, aged 34, • was convicted of
stealing ten bushels of coals from a barge in "the
Regent's-canal.
In the course of the proceeding, Jones, an officer
of the Thames police, who was one of the witnesses,
stated in answer to Mr. Clarkson that the deptr-
skims were taken in the absence of the prisoners.
Mr. CLAinisoN—l Thought so, and my reason for
asking the question was, because I understood
that such was the practice in the Thames police-
office. Pray is the watehman'here who took the
prisoner into custody ? Jonet—He is not, he was
not bound over to prosecute.
Mr. CLARKSON—He ought to have been here ;
and as to the practice of examining witnesses in the
absence of prisoners, it is very infamous, and illegal

into the bargain.
J. Stevenson, another officer, stated in his exami-
nation by Mr. C. Phillips that he gave evidence
against the prisoner.
Mr. C. PHILLIPS—Of course the depositions
were taken in his presence ? Witness—No ; all the
witnesses went into the clerk's room, where the de-
positions were taken down, and they were afterwards
read over to the prisoner in the presence of the

witnesses.
Mr. Pllmurs—ls that the system in this country
of taking depositions in the absence of the .accused,
without allowing him an opportunity of asking ques-
tions of the parties who appear against him ? Wit-
ness—They are very often taken in the clerk's
room in the :absence of the prisoner, but they are
rend over to him and the witnesses in the Magi-

strates' room.

Mr. PHILLIPS—This is a pretty custom. You
really mean to swear that the depositions are taken
in the manner you have stated ? Witness—The
depositions are not taken on oath in the clerk's room.
Mr. PHILLIPS—Then I suppose they are taken
upon the honour of the witnesses. lam told this
is " hauling people over the coals at the Thames
Police-office." Was the watchman taken into the
little inquisition cell and examined in the absence
of the prisoner ? Witness—He went with the
others into the clerk's room.
Mr. PHILLIPS—And was he not let go away be-
cause he said something favourable to the prisoner ?
Witness—l did not hear him say. any thing of the
kind.

Mr. PHILLIPS—Might not the prisoner have
escaped had he attempted ? The witness hesitated
to give an answer.
Mr. Serjeant ARABIN thought the qUestion need
not be put.
The Learned Counsel said he deemed it impor-
tant, 'as the reluctance of the witness showed the
spirit by which he was actuated : he again pressed
the witness for an answer, when he acknowledged
the affirmative.
Mr. PHILLIPS—WeII, we have got an answer at
last. What a pretty specimen of police !
• Wm. Judge, foreman to the prosecutors, proved
that the prisoner was not in their employ.
Mr. PHILLIPS—Then he had nothing to do on
board the barge ? Witness—He had no other em-
ployment there but to rob it.
Mr. PHILLIPS—The spirit of that answer is evi-
dent : had the prisoner any thing to say to the
barge ? Witness—l suppose he could have no-
thing to say, because the barge could not speak to
answer him.
Mr. PHILLIPS-4S that slang, or wit ? Witness—
I don't understand slang. You asked me whether
he spoke to the barge: I suppose you expected my
answer.
- Mr. PHILLIPS—Do you mean to swear that you
understood my question so ? Witness—Yes.
Mr. PHILLIPS—Probably you can tell me, at all
events, whether he had any business With the barge ?
Witness—l don't understand how the barge could
do business with the prisoner.
Mr. PHILLIPS—I'II ask you no more questions;
I dare say you think that you will leave the Court
an accomplished wit. With regard to the system
at the police-office, I consider that a criminal informa-
tion ought to be applied for against the Magistrates,
for allowing depositions to be taken behind the pri-
soner's back. •
Mr. Seijcant ARABIN observed that a great deal
had been said about the Magistrates; but lie had
looked over all the .depositions in the case, and
without saying any: thing on that subject, he would
only observe, that the Magistrate. before whom the
deposition was taken stood high in the estimation of
the public. They were readover in the presence of
the prisoner, and if he was asked whether he had
any question to put to the witnesses, he (Mr.
Serjeant -Anthill) considered that no blame could
attach any where.

BEDFORD -COUNTY SESSIONS, JULY 15,

THE KING V. SYLVESTER BUTLER.

This case, from the singularity of its circum-
stances, and the fact of the prisoner being a person
of property, excited the greatest interest in the
neighbourhood where the scene of action lay, and

the Court was thronged with persons anxious to
hear the details.

The prisoner was indicted under one of Mr. Peel's
Acts (7 and 8 George IV., cap. 30), for that he, on
the Bth day of August, 1828, wilfully, designedly,
and feloniously did kill one sow pig, of the value of
10/., the property of one John Heckford, at tne
parish of Hockliffe, in this cotnity.
Mr. GUNNING stated the case for the Crown. The
prosecutor was a man in humble circumstances, a
publican at Hoekliffe, who was in the habit of keeping
a considerable number of pigs. The prisoner was a
person of somewhat large property, who followed no
particular trade, and who resides very near to the
dwelling of Heckford, the prosecutor. The prisoner
had a garden attached to his house, and thither the
pigs of the prosecutor were, in consequence of the
defective state of the fences. round the garden, in the
habit of straying. In'stead of appealing to the law
for the redress of any injury which the pigs might
occasion, the prisoner thought it would be a more
expeditious way of relieving himself from their intru-
sion. to get rid of them altogether. For this purpose,
he frequently applied to a person of the name of
Haunch to procure him some poison,—a request
which he, of course, refused to comply with.
Amongst the pigs which the prosecutor was possessed
of was a very valuable sow ; and in August last, this
sow was by him found dead in his stable. She was
not then cold, yet her interior was found in a shock-
ing state of mortification, and she bore evident
marks of a violent and, unnatural death. She was
opened and examined, and on the same day the pro-
secutor sold her to a pig-dealer (not for the Louden
market, bot for her fat) for 12s. Gd. She was, when
alive, worth Si. or 9/., and had at the time of her
death 11 pigs within her. Upon inquiry into the
cause of her death, it appeared that the prisoner, a
short time previously to that period, was seen by a
son-in.law of the prosecutor driving her before him in
the street ; he told that person that " he would do for
her," and on the reply, " Why, sure you dare not,"
he allsWered. " You'll see if I don't." It further