The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-31 00:00:00

THE FAIR AT CHALK FARM.

A few years ago the itinerary caterers for the public
amusements, conceiving that Greenwich was too far re-
moved from the metropolis to allow the inhabitants of
North London to partake in its festivities at this time of
the year, conceived the idea of establishing a rendezvous
at Chalk Farm. The project was put into execution,
and at that time a few paltry swings, one or two merry-
go-rounds, a stand or two of gilded gingerbread, and two
or three stalls of children's toys, were the only induce-
ments tovisit the spot. Every half year new attractions
were added to the place, and as the attractions increased
the number of visitors increased with them, till now the
fair extends over a large space of ground; all the-usual
attendants on a regular fair are there ; everything which
can tend to attract the idlers is put into requisition, and
the numbers that attend prove the estimation in which
it is held. The fair for this Easter commenced here on
Monday, and the number of visitors was very great. We
should think during the course of the day there were
'Certainly not less than from 10,000 to 15,000 persons
present. Amongst the principal attractions were a
grand show called " Richardson's," under the manage-
ment of Nelson Lee and Co. here were Motleys
in their party-coloured dresses, silicons, as they
are termed, with their jackets, piubefores, and
straw caps ; here were emperors, kings, knights
of the cross, counts, and parsons, queens, princesses,
and ladies of a nondescript appearance. The kings and
knights marched up and down as theatrical kings and
knights will do, the queens and princesses tripped along, as
queens and princesses seldom do. The band strikes up,
and kings, queens, knights and counts, princesses, mot-
leys and silicons, join in one incongruous dance, hands
across, turn round, up and down, chassez and re-chassez.
In another corner of the fair stands the show of "Clarke
from Astley's." Hero beautiful maidens and beautiful
horses, mingled in the festive dance. On other shows
gongs were sounded with a mighty noise, guns discharged,
large drums were beaten, trumpets clanged forth in
mighty discord, hoarse voices bawled through hoarser
trumpets. " Now then, just going to show ; walk up
ladies and gentlemen, only 3d. to the gallery." Such
were the noises which prevailed, and with this brief out-
line, we leave our readers to judge of the confusion which
reigned, and which we have so imperfectly described.
Here also were dancing booths, and wild beasts, gilded
gingerbread, and wizards from north, east, west, and
south, halfpenny peep-shows and penny roundabouts ;
high-flyers and steady-goers. Here were beef-stakes
and onions all hot, twopence a lot ; sausage
rolls, fried fish; beef, mutton, and kidney pies ;
baked taters, and every delicacy of the sea-
son, all hot, nice and hot.. A little further off were
frisky donkeys gaily caparisoned with white saddle-
cloths and red rosettes, who walked very slowly from
their standing place ; but who when their heads were
turned towards home, went along at such a glorious
gallop as to delight and astonish the gallant little riders.
We have not half described the fair, yet we feel that we
have, already taken up too much space with a recital.
The company was not very select, but every one seemed
happy and joyous—care seemed at least banished for
that day. A scene like this is one of the best arguments
which could be urged against existing distress, because
here all seem merry ; yet this is an enjoyment which
the haughty aristocrat would tear from the hands of the
humble artisan, and deprive him of that source of amuse-
ment which, in his mind, compensates in a great degree
for months of labour, toil, and oppression.

CAPTAIN MANDY.—We have much pleasure in
announcing that Sir Henry Wheatley has received her
Majesty's commands to forward to Captain Manby " the
gold Coronation medal, begging his acceptance thereof
as a small mark of the sense her Majesty entertains of
the utility of his inventions in the preservation of lives
from shipwreck."
SINGULAR OCCURRENCE.—In a certain town lives
a lady, somewhere about forty years of,age, and pos-
sessed of nearly twenty thousand pounds. She is of
what the ladies call an " easyful temper," and not
remarkable for possessing shrewdness in proportion to
her wealth. A youn.,, Hibernian, having heard, doubt-
less, of her riches, laid siege to her: heart. Whether he
succeeded in making any impression on it, we have not
been able to ascertain. One report respecting the affair
affirms, that not only did he succeed, but that it ac-
tually surrendered to the impetuosity of his attack ;
that the lady actually accompanied him to church ;
but that, ruing before the ceremony was performed,
she gave him the slip, and returned home, resolved.
still .to lead a life of " single blessedness." Be this
true, or be it false, the young gentleman was not to
be thus summarily? dismissed. He renewed his suit,
with an increased determination to gain the hand
of his adored by " hook or by crook." All his ad-
vances were, however, repulsed, and despair, for a
moment, took possession of his soul. But love laughs
not only at locksmiths, but at difficulties the most appal-
ing. The Lothario, after a consultation with certain of
his friends, prepared to obtain by stratagem what he had
failed to achieve by open assault,—possession, to wit, of
the fair ladv's purse—we beg pardon, person, we meant
to write. in pursuance of the plot concocted with his
friends, and in the execution of which they were to as-
sist, she was invited, under the pretext that she was to
receive some money which wasnwing to her, to a certain
house. In an evil hour, she fell into the trap. She was
surrounded by her lover and his friends, who, when in
the house, invited her to take some refreshment. A glass
of brandy was given to her; she drank it, and shortly af-
terwards, from the effect of something which had, it is
supposed, been put into the liquor, became insensible.
Next morning early, before she had recovered, she was
hurried off, accompanied by the woman of the house, by
the Railway, to Lancaster, and thence to Gretna Green.
Here, on the following morning, she was, as the parties
alledge,married to her persevering and determined suitor
The lady herself declares, that she has no recollection of
what took place at Gretna Green, the effects of the mix-
ture suppposed to have been administered to her, the
first night, having all the time, been potent in stu-
pifying her and impairing her memory. When she re-
covered the full possession of her senses, she insisted on
immediately returning home, and home she retured.
This is the story current respecting the most extraordi-
nary affair. Doubtless, her husband and his friends are
ready to prove that every step which was taken was
taken with the lady's full consent ; that, in short, the
ardent woer won her by the legitimate arts of love, and
not, as Othello was charged with having won Desde-
inona, "by spells and medicines.,' The affair is, we hear,
likely to give some occupation to the gentlemen of the
:long robe.—Liverpool

ROYAL WEST INDIA MAIL
STEAM-PACKET COMPANY.

The Isis, being the twelfth of the fourteen vessels in-
tended to run between this country and the West Indies,
as well as down the coast of America, left the river on
Tuesday, on her way to Southampton' with the mails of
the Ist April, and to convey Lord Elgin, the new
Governor of Jamaica,-to that island. This ship, built
by Messrs. Pitchers, measures 1,300 tons, with a length
of 213 feet between the perpendiculars, and is fitted
with two engines by Messrs. Miller, avenhill, and
Co., of the aggregate power, equal to 430 horses ; which
are so contrived as not to consume more than'one ton of
coals per hour. rreViously to her departure, these had
never been put in motion, but during the whole way to
Sea Reach performed admirably, making 10 t 0.12 strokes
per minute, tend propelling the vessel, drawing upwards of
18 feet water, at an average speed of something above ter;
miles per hour, with a metier scarcel perceptible, in
fact, even in the engine-room itself. '1 he splendour and
comfort of the fittings up do not appear to be in the lcutt
inferior to any. of those previously despatched, and the
greatest attention has been paid to gourd against acci•
dent, and to provide for the security of tho4c on board,
should any occur, The boilers are four in numbers
two being sufficient to work the engines, thus providing
a reserve in case repairs should be requisite ; she him
six boats, two built upon the plan of Captain Smith,
forming covers to the paddle-boxes, and roomy enough
to carry the whole of the crew and passengers. Itl
addition, to guard against fire, force pumps are erected,
by which copious streams of water can be directed to
any part. Two more vessels will be shortly dispatched,
which will complete the number contemplated to be at
present placed on the station.

CORONER'S INQuEsT.—Tuesday ninht an inquest was
held before Mr. Payne in St. Bartholomew's Hospital, on
the body of Thomas Marchant, aged 43, whose death
took place under the followinn. circumstances :—From
the evidence it appeared that the deceased, on Saturday,
the 12th ult., between eleven and twelve o'clock at night,
was at the Three Brewers public-house kept by Mr.
Tullett, in the Lower-road, Islington, in a state of liquors
and wanting to fight. Mr. Tullett said, "If you want to
fight, fight me." A person named Ramshaw came out of
the parlour and took the challenge, saying to deceased,
"111 give you the first slap in the face fora pot of beer, and
fight you afterwards." The deceased immediately struck
Itamshaw, and a fight ensued. Three rounds were foutrint
in front of the bar, when Mr. Tullett came and took il,ede_
ceased out ; he resisted, and a struggle took place in
the street ; both fell, deceased's right leg being broken
by the -fall. He was taken to a surgeon's, and from
thence removed to the hospital. Mr. H. M. Draper,
house-surgeon, said deceased was suffering from a simple
fracture of the right leg ; everything was done for him ;
he died on Sunday. The cause of death was suffixation,
unconnected with the injury to the leg. On the above
morning he ate a hearty breakfast, and immediately ex-
pired. On a postmortem examination, he found particles
of an egg, and about three drachms of tea which he had
taken, in the lungs, thereby stopping respiration. The
Coroner having remarked on the singular termination
to the inquiry, the Jury returned a verdict of " Acci-
dental death from suffocation."

THE QUEEN DOWAGER.—Her Majesty the Queen
Dowager, although convalescent, on her return to Marl-
borough House from Sudbury Hall, found it necessary,
from the delicate state of the lungs, to observe the greatest
caution with regard to the atmosphere which she
breathed, and with a view to live in as equable a tem-
perature as it was possible to preserve, her Majesty has
constantly kept her chamber. We are glad to learn,
however, that her Majesty has been so much benefited
by the unusually fine weather of Ithe last few days, that
she was enabled to take advantage of the genial warmth
of yesterday to come down stairs, and in the evening
dined out of her chamber for the first time since the
severe pulmonary attack 'with which she was visited in
November last.

FALMOUTH, MONDAL—We have had an arrival of
a merchant brig off port from Rio de Janeiro, -with
dates ten days subsequent to those by the last packet.
There had been no change of the dull state of trade
then reported. Rear-Admiral King was about to re-
turn to England ; the President, from round the Horn,
was daily expected at Rio ; the Spider had arrived from
Portsmouth after a quick voyage ; the Magnet, with
the mails, had not got down; the empire, with the
exception of Rio Grande, was in a state of quietude.
Exchange for business by this vessel done at :281 on
England.

On Wednesday last a fishing-boat entered the har-
bour with the bodies of nine fishermen, drowned off
Hyde, belonging to the brat No. 52, which was wrecked
there • one man only escaping by swimming on shore.
It is pleasing to state the fishermen speak in the highest
terms of the humanity, and attention, and sympathy, re-
ceived from the English, who paid every respect to
the dead, and closed their remains in decent coffins.
Among them were a father and his two sons. It was a
melancholy sight to see the remains, followed by the sor-
rowing families, who are left in misery and want, and
deprived of their sole aid for support, going to their las
esting-plac ‘.—Boulogne Gazette of Monday.
t

SUDDEN DEATH IN TILE OFFICE OF THE BIBLE
SOCIETY.—On Tuesday afternoon, about five o'clock, a
melancholy instance of the uncertainty of Kaman life oc-
curred in the office of the Bible Society, Earl-street,
Blackfriars. An elderly gentleman of the name of Morris,
who has been many years in the service of the society in
the Secretary's office was sitting at his desk, when he
suddenly fell forward and expired. He was in his 73d Year.

A CHILD THROWN INTO THE SEX BY ITS MOTHER.
—The Amsterdam papers of Wednesday mention the
following affecting incident :—A deplorable event took
place on board the steamer the Beurs Van Amsterdam
on its voyage from Hamburg to Amsterdam, of which we
have the following particulars from good authority.
Among the passengers was a lady a native of Coblentz,
with a boy about ten years old, and another very young
child. She was married to a person of the North of
Germany, who had gono some years ago to try his for-
tunes in North America, and about two years ago had
invited her to follow him, This she did, but was so it

treated by. her husband that she was obliged to return
to her friends in Europe. She had reached Hamburg
and resolved to go by way of Holland to countries on
the Rhine. The treatment she had suffered had made a
deep impression on the mind of the unhappy lady, the
traces of which, however, were not perceptible except on
a close observation, but all on a sudden they manifested
themselves in a fearful manner ; in a fit of desperation
she threw the youngest child into the sea, and attempted
to plunge in after it. The people on board hastened to
give assistance too late to save the child, but in time to
hold back the mother, who was immediately taken into
the cabin, and all possible assistance given her. But her
understanding was gone. Here she arrived with her
son, and was put on board a steamer belonging to the
Rhine and Yssel Company, where she was placed under
the care of proper persons, apart from the other pas-
sengers, to be conveyed to her native town.
Tim GLOVE TRADE.—At a meeting of the glove
trade, held in Aldermanbury on Tuesday, to resist Sir R.
Peel's measure for the reduction of the duty on French
gloves, it was stated that immense mischief had fallen on
the trade since the similar reduction in 1825. In that
year there were in Worcester 125 manufacturers, by
whom 1,600 men were employed, and 25,000 women and
children, who manufactured annually 625,000 dozen of
gloves, the wages for which amounted to 250,000/. In
the present year there were only thirty manufacturers,
who do not make 100 dozen pair of gloves a week each,
and who, instead of paying 250,0001. a-year pay, allow-
ing for that quantity through the year, only 62,400/.
LINCOLN, Mauctt 29.—A large meeting of the
farmers in this neighbourhood was held to-day (Tues-
day), at the City Arms Inn, to arrange for a County
Meeting, to oppose Sir R. Peel's budget. Monday week
is the day appointed, and from the bitter feeling which
exists among the agriculturists of this country a very
large meeting may be looked for. Mr. Christopher,
M.l'., Mr. Handley, late M.P. for South Lincoln, Mr.
Chaplin, and several others of the gentry, were present.
ABDUCTION.—The Liverpool Magistrates were en-
gaged for many hours yesterday in the investigation of a
transaction which has given rise to much gossip in Lan-
cashire, namely, the abduction of a lady of forty years of
age, whom certain parties, by means of wine and various
devices, carried off to Gretna-green, and had her mar-
ried to one of them, according to her evidence, against
her consent. The names of the parties are John Orr
M.Gill, John Osborne Quick, Thomas Wormand Roger-
son, Richard Jones, Margaret Jones, and Jane Clayton.
The above prisoners were placed at the bar. Th; charge
was„that the parties had taken Miss Ann Crelin, a lady
who was reputed to possess a very large property (ac-
cording to rumours which have been rife, not less than
40,0001., 50,0001., or 60,0001.), away to Gretna-green,
where she had, against her consent, and while under the
influence of some potion which had been administered to
her, been married to the prisoner, John Orr It
appeared, howeyer, from the lady's own account, that she
had Rot 5,0001. After a lengthened inquiry the prisoners
were remanded till next day.
Last week, at the Court of Assize of the Saone-et-
Loire, a man named Laborier was tried for the murder
and robbery of the widowiDucrot, who kept a wine-shop at
Macon. The crime was committed in December last, and
the prisoner was arrested in Geneva the following month.
This man, whose character was of the worst description,
confessed his crime immediately. Ho said that having but
two sous left, and not knowing where to find a sleeping-
place, he knocked at the door of the widow Ducrot's house,
in the hope of persuading her to let him in. She spoke to
him from the window, and then came down to open the
door. It was, he said, at the moment the door was opening
that the idea of the murder and robbery came across his
mind. He struck her a violent blow with his fist on the head
which stunned her, and then tied a rope round her neck and
strangled her, He immediately ransacked the drawers of
the table, and took away about 600 f., together with a gold
chain and ring, which his victim wore at the time. On
the trial, the great point of interest arose respecting the
truth of the prisoner's statement, that the crime was un-
premeditated. Several circumstances—such as his de-
claring the day before that he was to receive money in a
day or two—his having a rope with him when he struck
the woman down—and the evidence of. a medical man,
that the blow on the head was not given with the hand—
seemed to prove that Laborier was nit telling the whole
truth. The jury, however, gave in a verdict of attenuat-
ing circumstances, and he was condemned to bard labour
at the hulks for life.
A remarkable individual died on the 4th instant at
Lons-le-Saulnier. This was aM.C. T. born in
Paris, and one of the wealthiest butchers in the Faubourg
St. Antoine. He was better known by the name of
Chariot, which he in some measure immortalised. He
tpoaps s eodf
ai n
pike ur
tthoew nf
heador theof.
thbueteunhefrorwtunhottetearrPirined coeisisthdee
Lamballe. He came to settle a few, years afterwards at
Lons-le-Saulnier, where his name was not known, and
where he continued to follow the profeiniOn Of Et butchtt
until his death.—Sentinclle ds Jura.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS,

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.

GLOBE.--The attorneys and solicitors are begin-
ning to raise their voices against the injury about to
be inflicted upon them by the proposed income tax ;
and though it is -not likely that when lawyers com-
plain they will excite much sympathy in the minds
of the public at large, they are certainly as much
entitled to be heard as any other portion of the
community. That there are plenty of roguish
practitioners who, if fifty : per cent. were taken
from their incomes, would'lstill enjoy much more
than they deserve, is, very likely perfectly true ;
but as a demand necessarily regulates a supply,
there can be no doubt that professional rascality is
called into existence, to a great extent, by the dis-
honesty of clients ; and the pettifogger would starve
if there-were not knavish employers to make the food
he lives upon. We, however, have nothing to do
with the prejudices against attorneys, and our business
is to consider the argument urged in' their behalf by
the Incorporated Law Society—a body comprising
none but the most respectable members of a class
which.certainly contains within it, us much honour
and integrity as belongs to any other body of men,
though, : like every profession, it is one into
which " vile things sometimes intrude themselves.
The Law Society has presented, a petition to the
House of Commons, calling attention to the fact that
the average income of the attorneys and solicitors is
already taxed to the-amount of six per cent. ; for the
stamps on articles of clerkship and admissions to prac-
tice amount to nearly three per cent., while the certi-
ficate duty, which is payable every year, exceeds three
per cent. on the annual income of the profession. If
such is the pressure upon the gross earnings of the
attorneys, and solicitors, while it falls almost unfelt on
the wealthier memhers of the profession, how heavily
must it press on the pocket of the young practitioner,
who, with an income of only one hundred a-year--or
indeed if his expenditure should even exceed his re-
ceipts—must still, if he seeks a livelihood at all, pay
twelve pounds per annum for the privilege of doing so.
When the Government places a tax upon one class
which (taking into consideration the fair remuneration
to which industry and skill are entitled) professions
in general are not considered able to bear, it is
certainly forcing the one that is thus specially
burdened to get from the people the sum demanded
by the Government. The attorneys are told they
must submit to an impost such as no other body
of men are subjected to ; and thus, like the Jews
in some countries, who, when unjustly taxed by the
State, were tempted to get unfairly from others what
was oppressively take,n from themselves, there are
ninny low practitioners of loose and wavering prin-
ciple, who revenge the injustice done to them
in the special infliction of an onerous charge, by
visiting the pockets of the public as heavily as possible.
Whether it would be convenient to release attorneys
from the charges to which they are now subjected, is a
question we are not disposed at present to discuss ; but
it is obvious that they ought to stir themselves most
strenuously against the proposed income tax. If it
should pass, a solicitor whose earnings area little under
two hundred a year will have to pay ten per cent. in
the shape of a direct tax upon his income. We do
not think that the Law Society acts so judiciously in
asking for a release from the existing burdens upon
the profession, as it would do in exerting itself to
prevent the imposition of further grievances. The
latter is always the easier course, and is at the pre-
sent moment the only one that is at all likely to suc-
ceed ; for the feeling of the public is strongly in
favour of every possible opposition to the obnoxious
income tax, and the exertions of the legal profession
may hereafter be gratefully remembered at a time
when the financial state of the country may allow of
its release from the impost it at present labours under.
STANDARD.—One danger is near, is approach-
ing in augmented force, is even present—the danger of
a deficient revenue, accompanied by the declared
limits of the productiveness; of indii ect taxation.
This was the touchstone which determined Mr. Pitt
in 1798, and it is the touchstone which has properly
determined Sir Robert Peel. Mr. Pitt saw that with-
out aggravating the sufferings of the people almost
-beyond endurance, he could not increase the burden
of indirect taxation. Sir Robert Peel sees the
same—sees, more, for he sees the failure of an
attempt to raise revenue from an increase of
indirect taxes. We wish we could say that the
condition of the mass of the people is better in 1842
than it was in 1798, but the failure of which we speak
would, unhappily, contradict any such assertion. The
country is enormously richer, but the people are, we
lament to say, not richer ' • the inequality in the distri-
bution of wealth has prodigiously increased, and this
inequality it is which peremptorily commands an im-
proved system of taxation. Indirect taxes as they affect
necessaries, and those comforts which habit has ren-
dered necessaries, proceed upon the hypothesis that
as consumption is equally distributed, per capita, so
wealth must make some approach to a like equal dis-
tribution ; and in proportion as a people recede from
such an equal distribution, so much more unjust be-
come all taxes upon necessaries and comforts, until, at
last, injustice is lost in folly, and the taxes become
unproductive through the misery of the people. But
they are plainly not far from becoming unproductive,
when we find them incapable of increase. But, again,
it will be asked, is there really no difference between
the circumstances of 1798 and the circumstances of
1842 ? None, certainly, as respects the necessity of
providing for a deficit in the public revenue—none, as
regards the necessity of providing against dangers,
possible in any case, certain if not guarded against—
none as to the fact f our having reached the limits of
indirect taxation. In all these particulars the cir-
cumstances of the two eras are precisely parallel. But
there is a difference in the amount, though not in the
kind of our difficulty ; and admitting that this dif-
ference is favourable to our time, we ask, in turn, is
there no difference between an income tax of ten per
cent. superadded to enormous indirect taxation, and
an income tax of three per cent., accompanied by a
remission of taxes upon many of the necessaries of life ?
COURIER.—The attempts to get up an agitation
against the income tax have hitherto proved the
most signal failures. The Morning Chronicle and
the Morning Advertiser endeavour daily to make a
show of some demonstration of the kind having
taken place, by continually printing a large head-
line " Income Tax," and parading underneath
the meetings that have taken place against it.
These meetings, however, seldom exceed two, some-
times only one, and instead of being meetings of
great bodies of men, they are held in vestry-
rooms, and are attended by a few tradesmen
and dealers, who either are, or wish to ap-
pear to be, opulent enough to come within
the operation of the proposed income tax. Under
the formidable head in this day's Chronicle the
return of meetings is nil, and the space is filled
with letters from correspondents, and+ extracts from
country papers, in which the writers and radical
editors express their opinions that the country is
greatly indignantv and alarmed, and that whole coun-
ties are "up against the tax ; but certainly the peo-
ple never exhibited alarm and indignation in so quiet
and silent a manner on any previous occasion.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, March 30.
IN RE THOMAS WAKEMAN.

This day being appointed for the choice of assignees
under the fiat against the bankrupt, who carried on busi-
ness as an engineer and general machine-maker, a
number of creditors were in attendance to prove debts in
order to be entitled to vote in the choice.
The case had been already several times before the
Court, and it appeared that the amount of debts and lia-
bilities appearing in hiaschedule was about 4,7001., while
r.o certain statement could be made as yet with respect
to the sum, which was likely to become available to the
creditors, but it was surmised that the dividend would
scarcely amount to Is. in the pound. The cause of bank-
luptcy was said to be a speculation which he entered
upon with respect to a patent for railway locomotives,
and which patent had already brought the inventor to
insolvency.
After an uninteresting and lengthened discussion,
Messrs. John Wilson Thwaites, and Seeley were ap7
pointed assignees.
WESTMINSTER SESSIONS.

(Before Serjeant ADAMS and a Bench of Magistrates.)
These Sessions commenced yesterdky,-before Mr.
Serjeant Adams and a Bench of Magistrates. The Giand
Jury having been addressed by theaLearned Chairman
on the nature of their duties, retired to their room, and
shortly afterwards returned into'Court with several bills.
PICKING POCKETS.—John sinith and Thomas Keefe
were indicted for picking poCkets. The prisoners, who
were both very young, pleaded not guilty. It ap-
peared that a policeman had seen the prisoners in
Leicester-square, prowling about, and saw one of them
draw a handkerchief from the pocket of a person
passing, and hand it to the other. The policeman im-
m ''diately took them into custody with the handkerchief
in their possession.
Mr. I'AvNE addressed the Jury for the prisoner Sthith.
• The Jury found them both Guilty, and the Court sen-
tenced Keefe, who had previously been convicted of fe-
lony, to ten years transportation, and Smith to 6 months
imprisonment.
FOWL STEALING.—George .4//en, Richard Brooker,
Thomas Lillywall, and Charles Bailey, were convicted of
stealing le tame live fowls, the property of Thos. Jeffry.
Allen and Brooker, who were old offenders, were each
sentenced to six months imprisonment with hard labour,
six weeks of the time to be passed in solitary confine-
ment; and the other two to three months imprisonment
each, three weeks of the time to be passed in solitary con-
finement.
SHAMEFUL CONDUCT OF A POLICE WITNESS.—
Edward Neal was indicted for stealing a pair of boots
value 2s. the property of W. Field. The prosecutor keeps
a marine-store shop Great Peter-street, Westminster
On the day of the robbery the ,
prosecutor's
r, sNtyife missed
Shese
h
•
a pair of boots from the window, and on
saw the prisoner fitting on the hootsonth the strniet out
collared him. lie extricated himself from her, and was
• 3
immediately stopped by the policeman, B , who took
him to the
The station -house.
prisoner, nhis defence, df said that he was a stoker

1 ~ ~~-

in th e employ of the Westminster Steam Packet Company;
that he had been employed by a gentlemen to take a
parcel from the Golden Cross, Charing Cress, to Vaux-
hall, for which he had been paid one shilling ; that on
his return through Peter-street, a boy offered him the
boots and asked a shilling for them, but that ultimately
he purchased them of the boy for sixpence; that he was in
the act of fitting them on when the prosecutrix made her
appearance, and the boy who had retained possession of one
pf the boots ran off with that and the prisoner's sixpence.
There were various circumstances which seemed to cor-
roborate this account. The prosecutrix, on looking out
had seen a boy standing by the prisoner with one of
the boots in his hand, and on her approach the boy had
decamped, taking the boot with him.
The CHAIRMAN—Did the prisoner give the same ac-
count at the station-house ?

Policeman 39—He gave a very ficlious account, your
Worship.

The .CHAmtarr—What did he say ? Policeman—
He said he had been a stoker.
The CHAIRMAN—I dont mean that; did he give the
same account about purchasing the boots ? Policeman
—He gave a fictious, your worship.
The CHAIRMAN—Did he say he had purchased the
boots of a boy for sixpence ?—(Prisoner—l did.) Po-
liceman—He said he had bought them for sixpence.
A Juryman—What was found on him when he was
searched ? Policeman—Two keys and a knife ; that
was all.

Prisoner—And six pennyworth of halfpence, which
the boy had given me change.
The CHAIRMAN—Was there. sixpenny worth of half-
pence found on him ? Policeman—There were a few
halfpence ; I do not know how many.
Prisoner—There was sixpennyworth, and they were
returned to me by the inspector.
The Jury found the prisoner Not Guilty, the Chair-
man having expressed his opinion that the prisoner's ac-
count was correct.

To the surprise of every one present the Court al'
lowed the policeman his expenses.

WESTMINSTER SESSIONS.
DISGUSTING CASE.

Ann Fisher, an interesting looking young woman, was
indicted for stealing two blankets and a quilt, value 16s.
the property of Luke Redgate.
Luke Redgate kept a lodging house'; prisoner occu-
pied an unfurnished apartment in his house ; a young
man named Dawson occupied furnished apartments. In
consequence of certain information he had received from
Dawson, he went into the prisoner's apartment on the
24th of March, and gave her into custody on the charge
of stealing these articles. She gave up certain dupli-
cates at the station-house for the articles in question.
The pwnbroker however, did not recognise her as the
person who had pledged the articles. In answer to ques-
tions from

Mr. BALLANTYNE, who defended the prisoner, the
witness Redgate stated that the prisoner and Dawson
cohabited together, and that until she had been seduced
by Dawson, there never had been a more honest person
than the prisoner. The prosecutor had missed his
blankets on going into Dawson's room, and then Dawson
had given him the information. Dawson had also in-
dicted the prisoner for pawning some of his property.
Edward Dawson was then called, and deposed that the
property produced belonged to Redgate, and had covered
his (Dawson's) bed, and it had been pledged on the 9th
of March.

The CHAIRMAN—Where did you sleep from the 9th
of March to the 24th ? Dawson—At Mr. Redgate's.
The CHAIRMAN—What covering had you on your
bed ? Dawson (hesitatingly)—l had some covering.
The CHAIRMAN—What counterpane had you ? Daw-
sen—lt was like this, a white one.

,
The CHAIRMAN—W hose counterpane was it 7—The
witness Dawson remained silent.

The CHAIRMAN—Was it not the property of the
young woman at the bar ? The witness Dawson—lt
was. (This answer created a buzz of general indignation
in the court.)

The CHAIRMAN—There never was a greater mistake,
Mr. Dawson, than in permitting you to stand there to
give evidence. You and the prisoner ought to change
places. She has evidently been made the victim to
screen you. You ought to have been placed at the bar,
and that young a oman should have been called as a wit-
ness against you. Indeed I hope it will be so still. I
hope that some Magistrate will be found who will commit
you for this robbery, on the evidence of that young wo-
man. Go out of this Court, sir, disgraced in every pos-
sible way.
The Jury immediately found the prisoner Not Guilty.
She was again indicted for stealing a coat and other
articles, the property of Edward Dawson. The coat in
question had been pledged as far back as January last,
and the prisoner and the prosecutor had cohabited toge-
ther up to the month of March.
_ _

The Jury interrupted the case to deliver their verdict
of Not Guilty ; and as the witness Dawson was leaving
the Court,

The CHAIRMAN said to him, " I sincerely hope that
you will be prosecuted, and that the young woman will
be made Queen's evidence against you."

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.

A young man named Robert Fairfax, was charged
with having committed a robbery in the house of a gen-
tleman named Osborne, and with having struck a lad,
who detected and pursued him, with a hammer on the
forehead.

The nephew of Mr. Osborne having heard a noise on
the landing place, went to see what was the matter, and
observed the prisoner endeavouring to hide himself.
The prisoner, who was a stranger to every one in the
house, upon being asked what business he had there,
muttered something about a lady, and was secured by
the witness (a lad seventeen years of age), who suspected
that the fellow had property about him belonging to the
home. The prisoner, finding that his departure was
likely to be impeded, struck the young gentleman with
a large hammer on the forehead, and covered him with
blood, but as the latter was extremely resolute and
spirited, the chase was followed up, and the prisoner
was caught by a policeman, who found several silk
handkerchiefs and other property, which were owned by
the prosecutor. upon his person.
The prisoner, upon being charged with having used
so murderous a weapon as the large hammer produced,
solemnly protested that he had no notion of doing the
witness any serious injury with it, All he wished was
to get away, as he knew that, as appearances were so
much against him, he should stand no chance at the
Old Bailey.
The policeman produced a chisel, which had been
found in one of the rooms of the house into which the
prisoner had entered, and from which the property had
been stolen by him. The door of one room had, he said,
been evidently opened with the chisel.
The prisoner—Not at all ; I never used the chisel.
There was no occasion.

The LORD MAYOR—What do you mean by saying
there was no oecasion ? I suppose you job on without
using it ? Prisoner—Certainly, my Lord, I did. I
opened the door of the work-room with a key which I
found in the other. I used no violence at all.

The LORD MAYOR—WeII, you make a very candid ad-
mission, at any rate ? Prisoner—l don't like people to
tell lies. Now here is a regular lie. I never used the
chisel, but I certainly went in and took the thing, and as
for the young gentleman, I never meant to hurt, though
he happened in the scrimmage to get an unlucky knock.
The LORD MAYOR—We shall, I trust, get rid of you
for ever.—Committed for trial.
GUILDHALL.

ROBBING BAKERS' SHOPS.—Four stout able-bodied
young men, named Williams, Boulditch, Knight, and
Crompton, were charged before Sir Peter Laurie with
entering the shop of Mr. Negas, No. 57, Whitecross-
street, and taking by force a quartern loaf.
The prosecutor and his assistant stated that the pri-
soner, William Knight, walked into the shop, which was
within a short distance of the Refuge for the Destitute,
in Playhouse-yard, and was constantly surrounded by
miserable creatures like them, when they said they were
fainting with hunger, and unless some were given them
they should take it by force. Upon being refused they
seized upon a loaf, which they took out and divided it
with the other prisoners. A constable was sent for,
and upon his arrival, in a few minutes, they were given
into his charge, not having shown the slightest inclina-
tion to escape, although they could have readily done so
before he came. •

The prisoners did not deny having taken the bread,
but said actual famine compelled them, as they had not
tasted food for two days. They came severally from
Chester, Gloucester, Somerset, and Yorkshire to look
for work in London, but could get none, and the only re-
source, therefore, iat was open to save them from the
worst of all deaths, that of starvation, was to commit
some crime for which they should be sent to gaol.
The prosecutor requested the case might be dealt with
summarily,
.as he had no wish to act severely towards
the unfortunate starving beings.
Sir P. LAURIE said he felt bound to commit them for
trial, although he wished he could adopt some other
means with cases like the present, where sheer distress
was the inducing cause of crime ; but he had not the
power as a Magistrate to pass them to their parishes, and
he must protect the property of the honest and industri-
ous tradesman.

Mr. Alderman Lticss (who came into Court during
the hearing of the case) said it was truly melancholy
-the destitution and misery that at present pervaded the
metropolis. There were thousands of lads like the pri-
soners, who ran miles after equestrians, and were over-
joyed at the chance of getting a penny or twopence for
the chance of holding a horse.
The prisoners were then fully committed for trial, and
the parties bound over to prosecute.