The Sun.
London, England, 1829-08-12 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

M A NS I ON-HOUSE,
Mr. Elmes, the surveyor, complained yesterday
of a very great defect in the police system, as it ap-
plied to a particular district.
He had, he said, been walking with his two
daughters near Blackfriars-bridge on the preceding
evening, between eight and nine o'clock, when a
drunken fellow shoved up against one of them. He
(Mr. Elmes) put out his hand to prevent the man
from doing any injury to the child, and by doing so
he excited the brutal resentment, not only of the
drunken aggressor, but of a host of vagabonds who
followed him, and used towards him and his family
the most revolting language. lie called aloud for
the police and the watch, but although his appeal
was loud and incessant, not a being came to his aid.
Several blows were made at him by the drunken
man, who was encouraged by the shouts of the ruf-
fians who collected about him in great numbers, and
it was with difficulty he removed 'his children from
the danger and horrible annoyance. It was in vain
he looked about for assistance, either from the po-
lice or the watchmen, not one was to be seen ; and,
upon making inquiry, he found that the watch were
not set until nine o'clock, and that the day patrol,
according to custom, ceased from the performance of
their duties at eight; so that there was an interval
of an hour between the protection of the one body
and the protection of the other. He found it the
more necessary to make this representation, as he
had observed frequently in the neighbourhood of
Bridewell (situate in Bridge-street), gangs of
thieves, and vagabonds of all descriptions were in
the habit of assembling. The laxity, from which
he and his family were very near suffering so se-
verely, gave rise, no doubt for the accumulation of
such characters, and the interference of the Chief
Magistrate in that district was new become indis-
pens:ible.
Alderman SCHOLEY said, that Sir Richard Carr
Glyn would at once prevent the repetition of such
disgraceful conduct upon being informed of what
had occurred.
Mr. Elmes stated, that he should represent the
facts to the Secretary of Bridewell, and he trusted
that now that the general system was undergoing an
important revision, Bridge-street would not be the
only neglected district. A gentleman might have
been easily robbed of his property by the crowds of
vagabonds that infested that small precinct.
In the course of some conversation between Alder-
man SCHOLEY, Mr. Hobler, and a person connected
with one of the steam-vessels which go to the Note
with parties of pleasure, it was stated that gangs of
thieves, who dressed like gentlemen, were in the
habit of becoming passengers, for the purpose of
committing robberies. On Monday last, several of
those speculators got into une of those vessels, and
commenced pretended quarrels in order to raise con-
fusion, by which they might be enabled to carry on
their depredations more successfully.
One of the Marshalmen said, that this practice
had existed a long time, and in consequence of the
crowded state of those vessels, it had become very
difficult to fix upon the party that plundered. A.
dispute was got up amongst four or five persons
who appeared to be strangers, and those who inter-
fered to prevent mischief, generally came off second
best : pockets were turned inside out, and often cut
with the greatest skill.
Alderman SCHOLEY said that the evil was a
dreadful one, and must be immediately prevented.
It was stated that the proprietors of the vessels
were most anxious for the protection of the public,
who were subject to this mode of plunder, and that
it would be necessary to have constables appointed
to attend upon every occasion on which the.steamers
were crowded.
A steward to one of the steamers bad been robbed
of seven sovereigns on Monday last.
Alderman SCHOLEY stated, that the steam-vessels
which took in and landed passengers in the city,
should of course be properly attended to, for the
protection of the public, and no doubt at the Thames
Police-office adequate measures would be adopted
;o abate the existing evil.
M A RLBORO U GH-STREET.

Yesterday a respectable-looking youth, named
George Scythe, was brought before Mr. RoE, the
sitting Magistrate, charged with a series of exten-
sive robberies, committed on his uncle, Mr. Cox, a
tailor, residing in Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury.
The prisoner had nothing to say in his defence,
and was committed for trial.
The driver of the hackney coach No. 672 appeared
upon summons to answer the complaint of a gentle-
man named Abbott, who charged him with extort-
ing more than his legal fare.
Mr. Abbott stated that he hired the defendant's
coach in Cockspur-street the night before, to convey
himself and a friend from the Union Club-house to
the Regent-circus, Oxford-street, the fare for which
was only Is., as he (Mr. Abbott) very well knew,
having frequently paid it before; but the defendant
insisted on having Is. Gd. paid to him, which sum
he (Mr. Abbott) at once paid, to avoid altercation,
and took down the number of the coach, although
the defendant did all he could to prevent his seeing it.
The defendant, on being called on foi his defence,
said that he was really ashamed to describe to the
Magistrate the shocking mariner in which Mr.
Abbott had used his coach. The gentleman, he
said, was in the very worst state of intoxication,
could neither speak nor stand, and so befouled the
coach all over, that it took a man two hours the
next day. to clean it. "In fact it was quite abomi-
nable, your worship," said coachee," to see the figure
he left my coach in, and I only charged him the
extra Gd. for it, although it cost me Is. Gd. to a man
the next morning to clean it."
Mr. Abbott assured the Magistrate that there was
not one syllable of truth from beginning to end in
what the defendant had stated, and his defence was
the grossest and most insulting tissue of falsehoods
that ever was uttered. The truth was (Mr. Abbott
said), both his friend and himself never were more
sober in their lives than they were on the occasion
in question, and as for soiling the coach, as stated,
or any thing of the kind having at all occurred,
there was not a sentence of truth in it; so that the
whole was the most impudent attempt at a defence
that was ever heard, as could be proved also by the
other gentleman who had accompanied him (Mr.
Abbott) in the coach.
Mr. Abbott then went for the gentleman, who
in a short time appeared, and entirely confirmed
Mr. Abbott's statement, that there was not one
word of truth in the defence set up by the de-
fendant.
Coachee still persisted, and said that this witness
too was so drunk, he did not know what took place.
Mr. ROE said, that bad it not been for the im-
pudent and clearly false defence which the defendant
had set up,•he should only have inflicted a very
small fine upon him for the overcharge, as he was
not insolent at the time; but as the case now stood,
he had aggravated his offence very much, and he
should therefore pa, a flue of 20s. and ss. 6d. costs,
and in default of payment should be committed for
one month to the House of Correction.
Coachee said he could not pay the fine, and was
accordingly committed forthwith.
Mr. Abbott begged that his portion of the fine
might be given to any object of charity the Magi-
strate thought fit.
QUEEN.SQUARE.

Yesterday a young man, dressed like a groom,
named Thomas Ashwell, was placed at the bar be-
fore Mr. GREGORIE, charged with feloniously ut-
tering two forged Bank of England notes for 10/.
each, well knowing the same to be forged:
The prisoner, by the advice of his solicitor, said
nothing in his defence, and was remanded.
James Ingram, a young strapping journeyman
baker, was brought up on a warrant, charged with
assaulting John Edgar, an elderly personage, verging
on threescore, by trade a clog and patten-maker, at
No. 10, Nottingham-court, Long-acre, who had
lately united himself in wedlock with one of the
frail sisterhood, a girl about 20 years of age.
The complainant detailed his matrimonial miseries
at some length, and said that his wife went off with

the baker, and he caught them at a public-house iu
Strutton-ground, Westminster : he desired his wife
to come home directly, when the baker laid hold of
him and struck him several dales,
Mr. GREGORIE —ls the bahor acquainted with
your wife ? Husband--Oh, ves, I believe you
He knew her bet;ire I married her, and she has
come here to-11.:;y to defeat the rnds of justice ; and
justice is all I t; ant, and what every respectable
man is entitled to. 1 can bear it no longer, I can
assure your Worship.
Mr. GREGORIE—Then she is an old acquaintance ?
Husband—Oh, yes, she is always going off with
him. The last time she went away, I brought her
back and forgave her the same night; but it's no
use, she is mad after him.
" Your Worship," replied the baker in his de-
fence, " does not know one-half of the story, or
you would find out what a pretty kind of a husband
Mr. Edgar is; his wife is without, and if you will
call her you will learn how she is used : with re-
gard to my striking him, it is false, I only endea-
voured to prevent him beating his wife."
Mrs. Matilda Edgar, a pretty-looking young
woman, very genteelly dressed, was called into the
office, and took her station between her husband
and her eicisbeo, and, looking with scorn on her
liege lord, said that she would speak the whole
truth. She had been an unfortunate girl, and dur-
ing the time she walked the streets, she got ac-
quainted with the defendant, by whom she had two
children; but they both died in their infancy. He
always behaved with great kindness towards her,
and did every thing in his power for her. One day
she was taking home some fresh herrings, when she
met Mr. Edgar, who began to talk to her, and said
he was very fond of fish, and he went and dined with
her. In a short time he proposed marriage, and she,
wishing to become an honest woman, consented;
but she told him previously about her connexion
with the defendant, and the two children she had
by him. He said he did not mind that, and they
were married last February at Bethnal-green church.
Husband-•--Ah ! that was the beginning of my
miseries.

" Of .my miseries," replied Mrs. Edgar : " we
had not been married two days before we quarrelled.
He is one of your Deists, and a follower of Mr. Car-
lile, of No. 52, Fleet-street; and there is another
fellow he goes after, a black preacher, of the name
of Wedderburn. He pretends to a great deal of
their religion; but no work will he do, and has made
me walk the streets to support him by my prosti-

.ution."

Mr. GREGORIE expressed some surprise at this
declaration. _ _

" I can assure you it's true," replied Mrs. Edgar.
" He ought to be ashamed, and not me in mention-
ing it. I have done so before, but now I will tell all.
He even walks on one side of the street while J
pick up gentlemen, and he waits till I come to him.
The whole of the quarrel is because I got 2/. of
gentleman the other night. I only gave him 10s.,
and he called me a . I felt hurt that the
man I was supporting should call me the name,
' and I went to the defendant to inform him how I
was used."
The witness added that she had bought him tools,
furniture, and every thing he wished for, arising out
of the money she got by prostitution, and he pro-
mised when he got them he would work for her ;
but nothing would he do, and she was determined
never to live with him again.
The complainant could not gainsay the charge,
but declared that he had pawned his best breeches
for her that morning.
Some violent recrimination here took place,which
was stopped by the Magistrate's refusing to interfere
with the matrimonial disputes, and dismissing the
charge altogether.
Mrs. Edgar and the baker left the office arm Pin-
arm, and the husband trudged sorrowfully home by
himself.

MARYLEBONE.
Mr. Richard Broster, an ironmonger, in Carbur-
ton-street, Fitzroy-square, was charged yesterday
morning, before Mr. RAWLINSON, with a breach of

the peace.
Lady Sarah Brisco (Sir Wastel Brisco's lady, of
Crofton•hall, Cumberland), complained that the
defendant came to her house, No. 164, Albany-
street, Regent's-park, on Friday morning, and re-
fused to quit it when required. He then threatened to
knock her ladyship's brains out with a large turn-
screw, and she could not get rid of him, until she
gave him into custody on Saturday night, and he
was taken to the watch-house. _ _ _

It appeared, that two years ago, Lady Brisco
ordered goods of the defendant, which amounted to
741.; she promised payment within twelve months,
but did not effect it, and after calling repeatedly at
her house, Mr. Broster went on Friday morning and
declared he would not go away till he got his money.
Her Ladyship left town. Mr. Broster gent home
at eleven o'clock at night, and came back at ten in
the morning. In the evening her Ladyship returned,
and taking up a poker, declared she would knock
out his brains; he pulled a large screw-driver from
his pocket in self-defence, and was sent to the watch-
house. Her Ladyship said, that in consequence of
circumstances lately before the public, her pecuniary
resources were very much curtailed. and that occa-
sioned the disappointment to Mr. Broster.
Mr. RAWLINSON told her Ladyship that she ought
not to have contracted a debt which she had not
means to liquidate.
" All I want," said her Ladyship, "is for Mr.
Broster to keep away from my house."
" And all he wants," replied the Magistrate, " is
his money."
Mr. RAWLINSON said the measures taken by Mr.
Broster were illegal, and he required him to give
security for his future conduct towards Lady Brisco.