The Sun.
London, England, 1827-04-12 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.—A curious case was brought
forward in the Justice-room, yesterday, before Sir Peter

Mr. Hudson, a freeman of the city, and the writer of a'
great number of comic songs, stated to the Alderman that
he had an application to snake upon what he was informed
was capable of being remedied, in some measure, by a law
of local operation in the city of London, but of very ancient
date, and seldom acted upon. He was the author of 500 or
600 comic songs, many of which, whatever might be their
merit, had been received by the public with some degree of
approbation. Of those songs he was in the habit of making
sale, in the first instance, to dramatic performers, and after-
wards to publishers; and the profit he derived from a great ,
number of them was considerable, until a sort of piracy
was established, which he did not know how to combat
with until he heard that he could be assisted by the city
authorities. The moment Mr. Clamenti, or any other
high musical publisher, sent forth one of the songs to the
town, a number of the "two-penny halfpenny " publishers
advertised it at a fourth of the price set down by
the holder of the copyright. This example was 101-
lowed by a still lower order of publishers, who were
in the habit of uniting interests with ballad singer.,
and the song was bawled about the streets in a string
with many others until the public were quite disgusted with
it.—(A laugh.)—He knew that there was an effectual way
of putting an end to this practice if the pirate happened to
he respectable, but unfortunately the expellee to which
an unhappy author would be subject by a proceeding in
equity, or in any of the Courts of Law, was so great, that
except the defendant happened to be worth powder and
shot, destruction must be the consequence. Under
those circumstances, Mr. Hudson requested that, at all
events, something might be done to prevent the disho-
nourable sort of publication alluded to, as those who were
in the habit of dealing with him felt considerable hesita-
tion at the idea of purchasing when they were sure of a
comparison with some musical beggar.—(Laughter.)
Sir PETER LAURIE said that nothing could give him
greater pleasure than the power of protecting the applicant,
whom he knew to be a man of great merit. Ho considered
that a song was literary property as well as a poem,
although the latter description of writing was not, he be-
lieved, sung about the streets since the days of Homer.—
(A laugh.)--If there existed any Act by which service
could he rendered to a man of genius under such circum-
stances, he should certainly resort to it for the benefit of
such a person.
Mr. HOBLER said, he apprehended that there was no
law to prevent the vocal retailing of songs. In the Act
for the punishment of rogues and vagabonds, minstrels were
not mentioned as coming under that denomination. Par-
liament seemed to have a special regard for minstrels, and
gave them great privileges. A Member even declared in
the House of Commons one night that Punch must be pro-
tected.--(Laughter. )

Mr. Hudson said, that it was too hard that an author's
brains should be at the command of any publisher whose
circumstances placed him beneath the reach of the law, and
who was on the look-out for every thing that was conv_rti-
ble into pence, however injurious to the proprietor.
Mr. Hobler advised that a civil proceeding should be
adopted. If one crow were shot, all the other crows would
fly to other quarters.
Mr. Hudson said the remedy was as bad as the disease.
The protection of Chancery would cost him 301. He wall
knew the desperate evils of a court of equity or justice.
Sir PITER Latium said that there could not be a better
judge, if an opinion were to be farmed from the applicant's
song, called " Law," which was bawled about the town
from morning till night. " I think, Mr. Hudson," said
Sir Prrne. LAURIE, " you had better follow your own ad-
vice, and have nothing to 'do with the law, for those who
live best by it will certainly revenge themselves upon yon."
Mr. Hudson assured Sir Peter, that the injury he sus-
tained was moat serious. A Mr. Duncombe had pirated
the very song just mentioned, for which Mr. Clementi had
paid him (Mr. Hudson) 15 guineas, and as the profits of
the purchaser were, of course, greatly diminished, any
future effort of the muse (if muse it can be called) must
fall in proportion. (A laugh.)
Sir PETER Lanais.-I have heard a great number of
your songs at public dinners, by Charles Taylor and Fitz-
william, and I ani only surprised that you do not offer your
services to one of the theati-,, particularly as you can get
them up, I understand, at the shortest possible notice.

An actor who accompanied Mr. Hudson, stated, that
since an American manager had established himself, some •
thing might be expected, as Mr. Price was endeavouring
to cure the stage of its literary abominations, although he
came over without any knowledge of the taste of the town.
The manager, however, would not be likely to purchase
songs, although he might have no objection to pirate them,
as he actually had done with respect to some of the appli-
cant's " infinite variety."
Sir Prrxa told Mr. Hudson that he would consult the
City Solicitor upon the subject of the ancient law alluded

to, and that if there existed any power in the city of
London to remedy the evil, that power should certainly be
exercised.
G IJILD HAL L. —Mazy Ann Jones, a well-dressed
female, was chargsrl before Mr. Alderman VENABLES
yesterday with. having attempted to commit suicide.
It appeared, that about ten o'clock on Tuesday night the
prisoner was observed to run swiftly along the pavement of
Chatham-place, and down the steps, at the north end of
Blackfriars-bridge. Davies, the watchman, bad been cau-
tioned that unhappy females are continually attempting to
drown themselves at that spot, and followed quickly after
the prisoner, who stumbled, and fell on coming to the plat-
form, half way down. He seized her, and she struggled to
get away, exclaiming, " Oh, let me go,and I shall be cold in
a few minutes ;" but he brought her back, and conveyed
her to Bridewell Lodge, where Mr. Osborne, the superin-
tendent, and a gentleman, who had assisted the watchman,
questioned her as to her friends, and the cause Of her
despondency. She stated that she is the daughter of a re-
spectable
dissenting minister in Wzdes, that she was cohabit-
ing with a young law student in Lyon's Inn ; that ;she had
two children, the youngest two years old, by her husband,
who was an assistant to a druggist near Westminster-bridge;
that her husband had deserted her, and enlisted in the East
India Company's service, which compelled her to throw
herself altogether upon her present supporter; and that the
cause of her grief was the parting from her children that
day, who had been taken from her by her husband's brother,
under an arrangement by which they had 8,0001. secured
to them, a Member of Parliament being one of the trustees.
She seemed to have a strong feeling of the disgrace attach-
ing to her present connexion, and was anxious to put an
end to it, and obtain some menial situation where shewould
be employed with children.'
Mr. Alderman VENABLES-What is the name of the
gentleman in Lyon's-Inn ?
Mr. Osborne said the prisoner was anxious that it should
he concealed. He was extremely kind to her, and she was
therefore solicitous that he should sustain no injury through
her.

The ALDERMAN-Yes, no doubt, but you see the result
of his kindness. If he is spared the disgrace of disclosure,
I hope he will not be the less sensible of the great injury
such associations inflict upon society, and upon the female ;
and above all, what he would have had to answer for if
this unhappy woman had effected her purpose. The Alder-
man then endeavoured to infuse into the prisoner's -mind a
proper view of the crime she had nearly committed, im-
pressing upon her that there are few situations so desperate
that while life "ontinues a hope of amendment may not be
cherished; and as regards futurity, in what an awful state
she would have been, if she had not been prevented from
rushing into eternity unprepared.
She seemed awakened to a right view of the matter, and
nearly fainted ; and when she recovered a little, fervently
declared she would never make such an attempt again.
The Alderman asked her where she would go if he dis-
charged her?
She replied, she had a good home, and would be kindly
received, bet she would prefer going to some instit
where sLe might exchange her finery for apparel suitable
to a servant girl, and remain until she could obtain some
comfortable situation in a family.
Arr. Osborne mentioned a sort of penitentiary at West-
minster, where common prostitutes were never received ;
but only such victims of frailty as the prisoner were at-
tempted to be reclaimed. It was conducted, he said, with
the greatest privacy and care.
The Alderman said that in the city there was a society
of ladies, who endeavoured to restore females of a more re-
spectable class than the objects of the Guardian Society,
and the same secrecy in the management of them was ob-
served as in Westminster. He recommended an applica-
tion to Mrs. Hick of Cheapeide.
The manner of disposing of the prisoner was being fur-
ther. discusssed, when she intimated she should like to take
a farewell of her protector. The Alderman thollght this
wish sprung from a latent disinclination to being separated
from- him, and satisfied she would not repeat the attempt
upon her life, directed Mr. Osborne to permit the desired
interview, and if the parties were reconciled, to discharge
her ;if not, to bring her up again on Saturday. The re-
sult of the interview was, that the parties walked joyfully
away from Bridevrell arm-in-arm.
BOW-STREET.—Yesterday, James Nightingale, the
man svlio has undergone several examinations at this oflicts,
on suspicion of being connected in stealing the Italian mail
bag from. the Dover mail-coach, was brought up and fully
committed for trial at the next assizes for the county of Kent.
James Simphines, a letter-carrier in the service of the
General Post-office, and who has for many years been
known at this office as a person bringing the "early de-
-11.e," of letters to. the egtabliahmant, was brought up,
charged with stealing a letter containing a M. Bank of
England note, and a 1/. note of the Oxford Bank, the pro-
perty of a lady named Herbert, residing in Jesus' College-
lane, Oxford.

It appeared in evidence, that on the Bth of January last
Mrs. Herbert, having an account with a Mr. Thompson,
a broker, in Charles-street, Long-acre, remitted by the
post a Bank of England note for 51., No. 16,901, and an
Oxford 1/. note, No. 15,2t32. The notes were inclosed in a
letter, and put into the post-office at Oxford, by Mrs. Her-
beefs son. Mr. Thompson never received the letter. The
prisoner was discharged on the 20th Jan. for misconduct,
and when the loss of the letter in question was discovered,
he was taken into custody, and Ruthven, the officer, found
upon his person the Oxford I/. note, No. 15,282. The
prisoner, when asked how he came by the note, said he had
received it from a coachman.
Re offered no defence, and was remanded for a week, to
give time for the production of evidence, which it was said
would go to fix other charges against the prisoner.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—A woman named E.
Fitzgerald was yesterday examified at this office, before
Mr. Dyer, the Magistrate, on a charge of fraudulently ob-
taining dead bodies from the workhouses of different
parishes, by clainling them as those of her relatives.
It was stated, that on one occasion lately, she claimed,
and got possession, of the body of a respectable man, who
was found drowned in the basin in Hyde park, and on
which an inquest was held at the workhouse of St. George's
parish, Hanover-square. This afterwards turned out to
he the body of a gentleman from Bristol, named Morris,
whose friends, on hearing of his death, came to London to
receive his remains for interment, but were shocked and
deeply distressed to learn that the body had already been
given up to a total stranger, who no doubt obtained it for
the purpose of sale at some dissecting room.
The prisoner was remanded, and a letter addressed to be
written to Mr. Morris's friends at Bristol, to apprize them
of her being in custody.
MARYLEBONE-OFFICE.— William Hudson, a de-
cent-looking man, whose face was covered, with bruises,
was charged by Lord Crofton with having assaulted his
Lordship, at half-past ten o'clock on Tuesday night, in
Seymour place.
Lord Crofton stated, that himself and other gentlemen,
one of whom was his companion at the office, Mr. Charles
Sansom,came upfromWindsor ie a carriage ouTuesday night,
and alighted at the house of a friend, No. 15, George-street,
Euston-square, with whom they intended to sup. As they
left the carriage, a party of men who were coming out of a
public-house opposite, hooted at them, and said, " Come
over, and we will fight you." "As soon as we had cross-
ed the street," said his Lordship, " one man shook his fist
in Mr. San.som's face, another knocked me down, and
others cried, " D—n him, keep him down, kill him." His
Lordship farther stated, that as soon as he recovered his
legs, he followed and gave charge of the prisoner, who was
the man that assaulted him.

The prisoner said, in answer to the charge, that as he
was coming out of the Feathers public-house on Tuesday
night, between 10 and 11 o'clock, with a pint of porter in
his hand to carry home, he saw a party of gentlemen in
the street, who were very riotous, and said they had been
to a fight. " I did not interfere with them, your 'Worship,"
said Hudson, " but they knocked me about, and when I
ran away, that gentleman (Lord Crofton) knocked me
down, and sent me to the watchhouse."

Mr. Rawtxxsos (to Lord Crofton)—Had you been to
a fight?
Lord Crofton—We had not, and what the man says is
nntrue; Mr. Sansom was with mo, and he can say the
same.

After the oath had been administered to Mr. Sansom,
Mr. RArruNsoll said, he would, in the first place, aak
him a very plain question, for no other purpose than to as-
certain the merits of the case. " Were you ail quite sober?"
Mr. Sannom, thought there Was one exception, but that
was neither Lord Crofton nor himself.

Mr. RA WLINSOX—Did either of your party speak across
the street to the men at the public-house door ?
Mr. Sansom.--I believe Mr. Chichester said something,
but I do not know what.

Mr. BAWLlNsoli—One thing is quite clear-ifyou had
not accepted the invitation to fight, but had proceeded to
sup with your friend, this would not have happened.
It appeared by the evidence of two watchmen that
Hudson gave his Lordship in charge first ; and when Mr.
Rawlinson asked " Why did you not take the first charge?"
no satisfactory answer was given.
Mr. Ravvuzisox—l think these gentlemen and his Lord-
ship have acted indiscreetly. If such invihtions are to be
accepted, it is only for a body of thieves to say to a party
of gentlemen, " Come over here and fight us," and they
more to blame than the mu at the bar; I shall therefore
may rob with impunity. I think his Lordship is rather