The Sun.
London, England, 1827-04-11 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.—On Monday, Mr. Hobler, jun.
the solicitor, applied on the'part of Mr. Stevens, Eta exten-
sive poulterer in Leadenliall-market, for a summons, calling
upon Mr. Ilobden, of Lime-street-passage, near the mar-
ket, to answer for having bought a pheasant. The infor-
mation stated, that Mr. Stevens, who was himself the in-
former, had in hie possession unlawfully on the 6th of
April, one pheasant, and that on the same day Mr. Hob-
den, the defendant, did, in Lombard-street, buy of him the
pheasant, contrary to the form of the statute, by which act
of buying, the penalty of 51. was incurred.
_ _ . .

. . .
Mr. Hobden appeared yesterday to plead, and at once
admitted tha't he was guilty.
Some of the absurdities in the act called Mr. Bankes's
act, were exhibited. upon this occasion, which was one of
rather a singular nature. By the 58th Geo. 111. cap. 715,
sec. I, it is enacted, that if any person qualified or not qua-
lified to kill game, shall buy a hare, pheasant, partridge,
Scc., every such person being convicted before one or more
justices of the peace, shall, for every such offence, forfeit
_ _

discovery of such person or persons as shall buy or sell any
hare, &e., it is enacted, that auy person who shall buy,
sell, or offer to sell, or have unlawfully in his possession,
any hare, &c., and shall make discovery of any person that
bath, within six months, bought or sold any such game,
so as that any one shall be convicted of any such offence, by
virtue of this or any other statute, such discoverer shall be
discharged from all pains, forfeitures and penalties to which
he may be, and shall have become, liable, before and at the
time of making such discovery, and shall receive the same
benefit as any other informer shall be entitled to, by virtue
of this act, provided that nothing shall be held to discharge
such discoverer from any pains, forfeitusee, or penalties, in
respect whereof a prosecution shall be actually pending, or
a conviction or judgment had against him at the time of
making the discovery. Half of the penalty upon convic-
tion goes to the informer, and half to the poor of the parish.
Thus it is evident that a poulterer may, after a game
season, obtain absolution for all his crimes against this Act
of Parliament, by painting out any one of his customers
who may have, within six calendar months, bought of him
any game. The law has given to the poulterer the power
to exonerate himself from penalties, and getting out of the
clutches of the common informer, and he can, of course,
easily make restitution to the gentleman against whom the
information is laid, in ways which were pretty well under-
stood. It will be observed, that by the first clause of the
Act it is enacted, that if any person shall buy a hare or
other game, and be convicted, he shall forfeit 51., but that
net one word is said about selling game or having it in his
possession. The seller is thus discharged from all pains and
penalties. All the principal poulterers will, it is probable,
proceed upon the power of exemption afforded by this Act,
for the purpose of indemnifying theinselves against the con-
sequence of having game in their possession, as the in-
formers are taking advantage of the unsettled state in
which the subject at present stands before Parliament, hav-
ing commenced prosecutions in some cases, and threatened
them in others, for penalties to a serious amount.

The defendant, upon being convicted, mLrely said that
he thought it strange that he could not buy a pheasant
without incurring a penalty of twenty times its value.

The LORD 111;vos. said, that this case certainly exhi-
bited the great absurdity of the Game Laws. He regretted
that he was under the necessity of convicting the defendant.
He had no alternative. Sitting as a Magistrate, he could
not do otherwise than administer the law.

Mr. Hobler said, that the inconsistencies in the Act
were mentioned before a Committee in the House of Com-
mons two or three years ago. when the Committee were
told that the poulterers would escape all penalties, at
which they laughed. However, upon being informed in
what manner the pretended object of the Act might be de-
feated, they achnostledged the justice of the observation,
and Lord Milton soon after moved for a repeal of the Act,
which, notwithstanding, was still allowed to exist.

Mr. Stevens said, that he had, before the Committee,
declared that there had now been passed a more despi-
cable Act of Parliament than that on which they were en-
gaged. A Minister, upon hearing this, rose, and said
he was astonished at such boldness and insolence as the con-
demnation that had been just uttered. This tone of cen-
sure, however, was soon dropped upon hearing the expla-
nation, which was allowed to justify the reproach he had
dared to pass upon the nonsensical Act.
The Loan 51AI-on—There is not a doubt that gentle-
men are every day offending against the game laws.
The defendant paid the 5/.

Poachers are reported to supply the poulterers. This is
only true to a limited extent. The game is chid), supplied
by the nobility and gentry to the poulterer, avid a regular
debtor and creditor account is kept. A nobleman or geb-
tleman sends his game to his fishmonger, who sends it to
the poulterer, and between the two latter there is kept a
regular debtor and creditor account. A similar arrange-
ment takes place between the fishmonger and the noble-
man, who places to many head of game against so many
dishes of fish.

GUILDHALL.— George Honpitr;es was brought up
for final examination yesterday before Sir PETER LAURIE,
upon suspicion of stealing IS/., the property of Bertram
Loadsman, the owner of a Readily, coach. A point of law
was involved in this case on which some difference of
opinion has existed, namely, whether a person is guilty of
felony, who having blind an article which some other person
has lost, converts it to his own use. Coke lays it down
(3 Inst. c. 47.,) that if a person " bath the possession of a
thing once Nwfully, though he hath the anintumfitrandi
afterwards, and carrieth it away, it is no larceny." On.
the contrary, Chief Justice Gibbs held, that " it is the duty
of every man who finds the property of another to use all
diligence to discover the owner, for to conceal the property
is to steal it."
Evidence was now tendered that the primer had spoken,

of the finding of the pocket-book at first in such a way that
no one doubted he had illetrnopey safe.
James Standon keeps a public-house in Piccadilly, ad-
joining the Running Horse-yard, where the prisoner's
horses are put up. About eight o'clock on Friday evening
the prisoner came in and threw down the printed bill
offering 51. for the recovery of a pocket-book lost that day.
Witness observed, that it was a good reward, and he did
not doubt that whoever had found it, would take it back.
The prisoner pulled out a pocket-Look, on which witness
said, " What ! have you found it ? What notes are they ?"
He said two of Si. and one of 101.—[The notes actually
lost were two Bank of England Si. and four country notes,
one for Si. and three for /.]—Witness said, " take my
advice, carry them home, and get the reward." The pri-
soner said, speaking of the reward, " That won't fetch it."
Prisoner.—So help me, —! I never spoke such a thing.
_ _

Mr. Standon.—l swear you did. I am sure I would
much rather have appeared for, than against you, but I
must speak the truth.
The prisoner was reminded, that when he was taken
into custody on Saturday night, he said he saw the pocket-
book fall from the coach, and he called out to give notice.
He now strongly denied having used such an expression,
but his own master, the officer, and the prosecutor, swore
that he did.

Sir PETIR. said he felt the difficulty of applying the law
to this case.

Mr. Beresford, the chief clerk had no doubt an indict-
ment for stealing would lie, if the prisouer fraudently con-
verted the money to his own use after he knew to whom it
belonged.
Mr. Or.nualf, the Common Councilman, thought there
was room for a doubt. A finder did not obtain possession
of property unlawfully, and it would be hard to say it was
felony to make use of any thing that is lawfully in our pos-
session.

The City Solicitor was then called in, who, without any
reasoning, said tho circumstances warranted a commit-
ment for stealing, and the prisoner was committed accord-
ingly.

Sarah Haley, a middle-aged woman, was charged with
a series of cruel assaults upon Mary Brown, a child nine
years old, the daughter of a man with whom she cohabits.
The little girl seemed to be almost in a state of idiotcy, and
greatly emaciated. Carlisle, a city officer, brought the
circumstances to the knowledge of the overseers of Crip-
pleg,ate, who caused the prisoner to be apprehended.
It was stated that formerly the child used to be sent out
to beg; but one night it was absent, being detained by
some wretch, who gave it 4d. to pass the night with him,
and the father and prisoner spent 16s. in getting drunk for
joy, in the belief that the girl was lost. Since Christinas
she had been kept in doors, and was strapped by the father
and beaten by the prisoner nearly every morning, to the
great annoyance of the neighbours. The child was be-
lieved to be kept generally shut up in a little dark cup-
board. She seemed unable to answer the MagiC:rate'e
questions from mental infirmity.

Mr. Alderman ANSLEY strongly expressed his indigna-
tion and disgust, and committed the prisoner to the ses-
sions. The father has absconded. The child was sent to
the workhouse.

LENT ASSIZES.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.-TAUNTON, APRIL 9.

CIVIL SIDE.

BROOKES V. PICKWICK AND OTHERS.

Mr. Sergeant WILDE, with whom was Mr. MANNING,
stated that this action was brought by Dr. Brookes, the re-
spectable Rector of Norton, near Chipping Sodbury, to re-
cover from the defendants, proprietors of the Regulator
coach, running between Bath and Exeter, the sum of 2001.
the value of a trunk and its contents, consisting of linen
and jewellery, which had been lost or stolen through the
negligence of the defendant's servants.
The Jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff, leaving the
amount of damages to be settled by arbitration.

MONMOUTH, APRIL 9.
CROWN sIDF.

Sarah Jones, spinster, aged 26, was indicted for the
wilful murder of her new-born female child, at Bassalleg,
in last October.

Mary Jones, her mother, was also indicted for aiding
end assisting. The Grand Jury bad ignored the bill against
Thomas Jones and John Flwk.

Mr. RUSSELL.-Gentlemen,-The two prisoners, with
Thomas Jones, the elder prisoner's husband, lived in a cot-
tage at 13assalleg, near Sir Charles Morgan's seat. The
appearance of the younger prisoner had attracted the notice
of several of her neighbours, who communicated to her
their suspicions that she was in the family way, but they
met with a constant denial. 0111,Monday,delivered 23d of October,
it ,
a
female child. Nothing was heard of it for several days
until it was found by Peter Potter, a gamekeeper of Sir
Charles Morgan, wrapped up in a piece of sacking in one
of Sir Charles's outhouses, about half a mile from the cot-
tage. It came there by a man of the name of Flook. Potter
understanding from Flook that it was a still-born child, took
it to Jones's house, where he found the mother and daughter.
Potter said, " Why don't you bury it like a Christian, and
not like a dog ?" The mother said she knew nothing about
it ; the other prisoner was silent. Potter, however, left it
there, and in the course of the evening the child was placed
in a box and carried by the father and brother of the younger
prisoner to the church-yard, and there they buried it. On
the Sunday, however, the circumstances got to the ears of
the Coroner, who thought it a fit subject for investigation,
and a jury was summoned ; the box was taken up, and the
infant produced; and I believe I must state to you, that the
'child was murdered. Where no violence appears, there is
always considerable doubt whether the child was horn alive,
but I am informed there was a wound on the throat of this
child, and that the blood had actually emptied itself from
the heart. You will inquire, and it is a very painful in-
quiry, whether either of the prisoners committed the vio-
lence, or were assisting in it.

Ann Jones examined by Mr. TALFOURD, through an
interpreter.—l am a servant at a public-house in Bassalleg,
next door to the cottage where the two prisoners live.
Befoie last October I observed an alteration in the size of
Sarah Jones. I thought she was with child, and told her
so; she denied it; she was very large before the 23d, and
small afterwards; she told me she had the dropsy; I went
to see her on Tuesday, 24th October; she was in bed ; I
saw nothing particular in the room, but there was a bad
smell ; I did not say what I thought was the cause. On
Wednesday, between 10 and 11 in the morning, I saw her
again ; she was then as thin as I am now.

Mr. CARRINGTON objected to the witness detailing what.
the prisoner said.
Examination continued—Before this conversation, the
prisoner constantly denied to me that she had had a child.
Sarah Jones—l live at Pye-corner, next door but one
from the prisoner's house; I told her several times I thought
she was pregnant ; she said no, but complained she was
,not well ; sometimes when I charged her with it she was
silent. I have often seen Hook in her company. She was
taken ill on the Monday ; I saw her in the morning of
that day in the chair by the fire ; I asked her if she was
not well ; she said she was not. She looked very pale ;
she always looks pale ; she went into the next room, but
not pp stairs. I heard no one groan. I went again at
three o'clock ; she was then up stairs, in the room where
she usually slept, lying in bed, with a handkerchief on her
head ; but I do, not know whether she had her clothes on
or not ; I asked her Low she did ; she said she was much
better, she was very easy ; I saw her again at seven o'clock,
in bed ; she said she was very easy. I saw her again every
day afterwards, but could not observe her size, she kept
her clothes so. After much pressing, the witness said :
I said to her one morning, between nine and ten, before
the inquest was taken, " How could you do such a thing
as this with your child." She said, "No one knew any-
thing about it ; it came still into the world ; her father
and mother did not know anything about it, nor any one
else but herself and him." I asked who she meant by
" him ?" She said "John Flook." I said, " Oh, the
villain." Every time I went into the house the mother
was there.

Cross-examined—Dr. Meredith had attended the pri-
soner several times. I did not know that a child was born.

Peter Potter, gamekeeper of Sir Charles Morgan—On
Saturday, the 28th October, at ten in the morning, I found
a bundle tied up in a pocket-handkerchief in the cart of
the cart-house ; I untied the handkerchief, and in it was a
piece of sacking sewed up on three sides with long stitches.
I undid part of it, and saw the flesh of an infant; I think
it was the side; I saw two streaks of blood on it ; I tied
it up, put it in the same place, and went to Flook, a
labourer under me in Sir Charles Morgan's employ, awl
brought him to the cart ; he took the parcel. and we went
together to the prisoner's house, and found the father and
the two prisoners in the room down stairs. Flook laid it
down on a chair, and I said to the mother,
'c Do take it,
and let it be buried like a Christian, and not like a dog."
She took up the parcel, hut seemed not to know what I
meant. I said, t 4 Take it out, And you'll know what I
mean." She felt it round before opening it, and said,
raising her hands, 4, I never knew nothing of it before."...._
I said, 4, If you did not, your daughter did, and she ought
to he ashamed of herself." The parcel was left where
Flook laid it down. The stitches in the sacking bag were
half an leach long, and it was close to the body.
Jehoida Brewer, surgeon> of Newport...—l attended the in-
quest on Monday, and examined the child. It appeared
to have been dead four or Ave dam A found two cut* in

its throat; one about three inches ix length and an inch in
depth. The jugular vein and carotid artery were nearly
divided. The wounds were quite sufficient to produce
death. The child had come to maturity. I opened it ; the
lungs were perfectly inflated and of a florid red ; the heart
was completely exhausted of blood ; the vessels were empty.
From these appearances I think the child was born alive.
I examined the prisoner, and think she had been lately de-
livered.

Margaret Kenvin.— This witness was extremely agitated
and reluctant in giving her evidence, but her solemn manner
and tone made a deep impression. She was examined in
English, but her conversation with the prisoner had been
in Welsh. On Monday, 80th October, between 10 and
11, I saw Sarah Jones. I said, " you have done for your-
self. You do say nobody do know of this but yourself."
She answered me " Nobody do know indeed." I said,
" Who cut it's throat ?" She said " I did do it myself." I
said " Did you cut your own child's throat ?" She answered
me " Yes." That was all she said. Oue Blanch Harris
was present. _ _ .

Edmund Rees, tbo. constable, took charge of the prisoner.
Made her no promise or threat. I said, " How did such
an unhappy job as this happen with you ?" She said,
" The child was born dead." I told the same to Mr.
Brewer. She stopped a moment and then said, "It was
him, he, the villain, that deceived me, and persuaded me
not to let any body know of it, and to keep it secret. No
good will ever come to him." I knew the prisoner before.
She always passed as a single woman.
The prisoners in their defence said they were innocent,
and called a witness to character.

The Jury retired for half au hour, and then brought in
a verdict of Guilty against Sarah Jones, and acquitted
Mary Jones.
Mr. Sergeant BOSANQUET, after the usual forms, passed
sentence upon Sarah Jones. This is an awful scene and
an awful lesson to all who have brought young women into
the same situation as you were brought into, but more aw-
ful to the individual to whom your destruction is owing.
He will have to answer it to his God, but whether here he
will he answerable I cannot say. It remains for me to
pronounce the awful but just sentence of the law. His
Lordship then passed the sentence of death, to be carried
into execution on Wednesday.
The prisoner, during her whole trial and sentence, and
afterward, as we observed her in the dock, was serious,
calm, and shed no tears. The elder prisoner was in tears.