The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-14 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET
• THE LATE CASE OF FELONIOUS ASSAULT.—Yesterday
Frederick Pridhani, a fashionably dressed young man, al,pa-
rently about twenty years of age, but of stripling growth and
appearance, appeared on bail from Tuesday last, to undergo a
further examination on a charge of assaulting Wilhelm
Baron Osten, with intent to do him some grievous bodily injury.
The Baron was sufficiently recovered to attend ; his head
was, however, still bandaged up, and it was evident he had
suffered most severely from his wounds. 1f was allowed a
seat on the bench.
The case has excited the greatest interest amongst the
fashionable clubs at the West End ; and during the examin-
ation the following persons of distinction were present; viz.,
Lord Wenlock, Major-General Brotherton, .the Hon. H.
Lawley, John Lowther, Esq., Brotherton, Esq, Pol-
hill, Esq., Head, Esq., Sir J. Gerald, Bart., Mr. Anger-
' stein, Sir Francis Gardiner, the Hon. Mr. Cavendish, Mr.
Clegg, and Sir Singleton Cotton.
Mr. Clarkson appeared as counsel, and Mr. Hubler as soli-
citor, on the part of the prosecution. The prisoner had no
professional assistance.
Mr. Clarkson said be had the honour to appear on behalf of
a foreign Nobleman, Baron Osten, a military officer of very
high distinction, formerly belonging to the German Legion,
and afterwards of the 16th Light Dragoons, in which he was
for 26 years (the principal part of the time in India), and at
present a Lieutenant-Colonel of Husars in the Hanoverian
service, who had been so ferociously assaulted and wounded by
the young man at the bar, that his life was for a time endan-
gered, and from which he had sustained serious bodily injury.
He (the Learned Counsel), for the information of the Bench,
would briefly sta'e the facts of the case. About twenty years
ago, the Baron, while in Paris, lost a considerable sum of
money (several hundreds) at billiards to a person of the name
of Pridham ; but, from information he afterwards received, he
was induced to believe that it had not been fairly won, and that
the person named Pridham had assumed a character and sta-
tion in society he hail no right to, arid was, in fact, no gentle-
man, and he (the Baron) consequently refused to pay. He
was, however, subsequently induced to pay half the amount,
leaving a bid for the remainder in the hands of his
solicitor, which was to be paid "on Mr. Pridham pro-
ducing proofs that he was a gentleman." For twelve years no
such proofs were adduced, and payment of the bill was not
claimed ; but soon after that period application was again trade
to the Baron by Mr. Pridham far the amount of the bill, and
the former wishing to wash his hands of the transaction alto7e•
ther, and, acting by the advice of his lawyer, paid the whole
amount. Some short time since, a number of noblemen and
gentlemen were desirous of forming themselves into a billiard
club, which they accordingly did, under the title of " Pratt's
Billiard Club." Lately, a friend of the Baron chanced to men-
tion to him that a new member, of the name of Dr. Pridham,
was about to be prop:sed. The name induced inquiries on the
part of the Aaron as to who Dr. Pridham was, and hence the
discovery was made that he was the identical " Pridham"
spoken off. The consequence was that the Doctor was black-
balled, and that ultimately led to the assault complained of.
The Baron having been sworn, made the following statement :
—I live at No. 12, Dover-street, Piccadilly. Between two and
three o'clock, on Monday afternoon, the 6th inst., as I was
sitting writing in my drawing-room, my servant announced to
me that a gentleman wisnted to speak to me, and nearly at the
same instant the prisoner entered the apartment, with a stick in
his hand. He came up to me in a swaggering sort of manner,
and said " Baron Osten, I presume," at the Fame time violently
stamping his stick on the floor. I said, " Yes, Sir, that is my
name;; pray, what is yours, and what may be your
business ?' Instead of giving me a direct answer, he
ssid—" Do you recollect Dr. Pridham ?" I said—
" Yes, unfortunately I do, but you are not Dr. Pridham."
Mr. Clarkson inquired if Dr. Pridham was in the room ? if
so, he should be given into custody.
The prisoner said his father was not present.
The Baron resumed—He said, "No, tut I'm his friend,"
throwing a card en the table, and stamping his stick on the
floor again, added, "I came to ask you in his name, whether
yen traduced his character at Pratt's Billiard Ciub, or any
other place, or said that he had been a marker (a marker at a
billiard table) ?" I answered, " I don't recollect that I actually
said that he hailbeen a marker, but words to that effect were used,
which I have every reason to believe to be true ;" and I added,
"that I was not the only person who had circulated those re-
ports, naming at the time another gentleman who had com-
municated to me a report of a similar nature." He then said,
" Who have you named these reports to?" I said, " That's
immaterial. I can have no further communication with you,
and I bsg you will leave my room immediately." At the same
time I rung my bell, and on my servant coming to me, I de-
sired him to be in attendance at the door. The servant left the
room and closed the door, when the prisoner addressed me
again, saying, " Had you not a conviction that these reports
were false when you paid the money ?" I said, " No, sir,
I never entertained that conviction ; ' the moment I had said
those words, he gave me a violent blow with his stick across
the chest, calling me coward and liar. Against the wall op-
posite to me was a sofa, on which lay two Turkish sabres ;
I made a step towards them, naturally, to protect myself, but
the prisoner was too active for me, and got between me and
the sofa, and struck the a most tremendous blow on the head

with his stick, which broke and splintered the stick, and
covered me with blood. I then tried to grapple with him, and
he then struck me several more blows with the thick end of
the stick he retained in his hand. My servant then rushed
into the room, and I believe I then caught hold of the pri-
soner, and saw him strike me the last blow, but I was nearly
tainting with the loss of blood, and cannot exactly recollect
what took place afterwards.
The stick was produced by Police•constable Thomas Bush,
No. 150, of the C division, who took the prisoner into cus-
tody. It was of black ebony, and of remarkable thickness;
the thick end of it, which the prisoner retained in his baud,
formed a formidable weapon of a,sault, nearly sufficient to
knock a bullock down.

Mr. Richard Sharwood, of No. 8, New Bond-street, surgeon,
stated, that on being called to attend the Baron, he found he
had received two severe, extensive, contused, and lacerated
wounds on the lrft side of the head, dividing the integuments
down to the bone of the skull, and also a severe bruise on the
left temple ; the injuries were such as would be produced by
some blunt heavy instrument that had been used with great
violence. The Baron had lost a great quantity of blood, and
was in a very exhausted and irritated state.
By Mr. Clarkson—The blows were inflicted on the part of
the Baron's person most likely to be follswed by fatal conse-
quences. At the time, I did not apprehend a serious result,
but, from the symptoms that afterwards appeared, I had reason
to change my opinion, and it was not until late at night that I
could pronounce the Baron out of danger.
Mr. Clarkson said it was not the actual consequences that
arose from the injury inflicted, but the intention with which it
was done, and which must be judged of by the cir, umstanees,
and description of weapon used.
James Sudbury, servant to the Baron, corrotors'ed his
master's statements.

( His evidence was given in the Ma-lborough-street Police
report of The San, of Wednesday last.)
The prisoner, who throughout had c inducted himself with
much levity, frequently smiling as the witnesses described his
attacks on the Baron, on bcirg called on for his defence,
stated that he caled on the Baron to ask him whether he had
calumniated his father, and could obtain no satisfactory an-
swer. llc asked him if Sir Singleton Cotton hal told him of
the reports, but received no reply.
INIr. Clarkson—Sir Singleton Cotton is present, and you
can call him, and ask hint the question yourself.
Prisoner—No, I don't, wish to bring any other person's name
In question about such a delicate matter.
The Prisoner then went on to state, that the Baron assaulted
hint first ; and he stuck him to prevent him getting a sword,
which, had he done, he must of course have taken the triter ha
his own defence, ant should instantly have cut him down, " as
he was a most excellent swordsman ;" as it was he soundly
flogged " the fellow" until he did not choose to inflict further
castigation on h:m.
Mr. MALTBY—From the evidence I have heard I hove
made up my mind to commit you to Newgate, to take your
trial at the present sitting of the Central Criminal Court, fur a
felonious assault.

Prisoner—Very well, Sir, I mu,t bow to your decision.
He was then taken in charge by Willis, the gaoler, and
locked up.
Sir Singleton Cotton, addressing Mr. Maltby, said he ha I
purposely attended to answer any questions that might be put
to him. He openly avowed that he, for one, had circulated
the reports about ar. Pridliam, and would continue to do so.
They were true. He had been a marker at a billiard table, and
twenty years ago he served him a similar trick to that he had
the Baron.

The Baron and the other witnesses were bound over, in SO/.
each, to prosecute.

On Tiiesday last the prisoner was bailed by his father, who
gave his ad.irets at the Reform Club House.
Baron Osten is very aged, and has been in seventy engage-
ments, and never received the slightest wound.

The prisoner was tread on Saturday night last to a low hues!
in St. Giles's by policeman 5 E, a.nd taken into custody.
The mother said she did not wish to hurt the prisoner, but
she wished to save him from ruin. His father was now lying
dead in the house.
Prisonor (clasping his hands and crying)—Oh ! for God's
sake do forgive me, mother. I did not know my father was
dead when I took the property. Oh, your Worship, pray have
mercy and forgive me, and I will go to sea and retrieve my cha-
racter, and try and be a comfort to my mother. Do not let a
mother transport her own child!
The mother—Oh, do not let me transport him. Do some•
thing to save him from ruin.—(She here fell down in a fit, and
was supported from the witness box.) The mother being
enabled to speak again, begged that the prisoner might not be
prosecuted to conviction, but summarily punished.
Mr. GREENWOOD said the auditory felt the deepest com-
miseration for the unfortunate mother, and he directed that
the prisoner should be locked up, and that the officer shout
call and request the overseer frf St. Giles's parish to attend.
in order to be consulted as to the best (Nun-4 to pursue in the
case, and if possible to get him to sea.
An overseer subsequently attended, and the prisoner was
handed over to him, and taken to the workhouse.

CROYDON POLICE.
If Sharman, the master of the National Schaal at
Croydon, was charged upon a warrant before Messrs. Suther-
land and Lucas, with having cruelly beaten and ill•treated one
of the scholars, a little but named Sammons, six years old.
The father of the child being sworn, stated that he was in-
duced to bring the present charge in consequence of the cruel
tteatment his son had received at the hands of the defendant.
He then proceeded to state that on Thursday last, when his
little boy came home from school he appeared to be in very
great pain, and was unable to sit in a chair. He did not make
any complaint at the time, but on his being questioned he said
that his master had been beating him with a "pointer." His
rson was afterwards examined, and he was found to be
bruised in a most dreadful manner, and he was at this time
hardly able to sit upright.
The little boy was then brought forward, and the Magis-
trates said he was too young to be sworn ; but, in answer to
questions put to him, he said that his master beat him. The
Magistrat s then gave directions that the inspector on duty
should take the boy into another room and examine his person,
and this was accordingly done.
Thomas Eliiott, a schoolfellow of the complainant's son, was
then sworn, and he stated that the master took the boy and laid
him on a desk, and beat him with the pointer. He said that
he beat him severely, and appeared' to be in a great passion
with him at the time he was beating him.
The irspector here informed the Bench that he had examined
the boy's back and h:ps, and that there was new a bruise larger
than his hand, and he appeared to have been very severely
beaten.

Mr. SUTHERLAND asked the defendant what answer h•
had to make to the charge preferred against him?—'he
defendant replied that he had 150 boss under Vis
charge, and it was necessaay to keep strict discipline in the
'chop!. The complainant was the most tiresome little boy in
the school, and he could do nothing with him. On the day
in question he had inflicted a slight punishment upon him in
the morning, and as this did not have the desired effect he cer.
tainly did punish him more severely in the afternoon, bat he
thought at the time he did not give him more punishment than
he deserved.

Mr. SurnEer.sxn asked the defendant if he had seen the
state of the i;hild's person since the punishment ? He replied
that I.e had.

Mr. SUTHERLAND—And do you think you were justified in
inflicting such a severe punishment upon a child six years old?
Defendant—l must say Ido not think I should punish him
again so severely.

—The Maghti;.tes here both expressed their opinion that the
child appeared to have been punished in a most severe and on.
just fiab!e manner.

The defendant said he had filled the situation of master of the
school for some years, and no complaint had ever before been
made against him.
The father of the comrlainant observed, that it was rotorinus
that the defendant treated all the boys very cruelly, and a great
number of them were about to leave the school in consequence
of it.

The defendant here remarked that he was very sorry to be
compelled to say that the boy was a very bad character.
The MAGISTRATES told him it was nonsense for him to talk
of the chara,•ter of a child six years old. They considered he
had treated the little boy very cruelly, and they adjudged him
to p;y a fine of 20s. and costs. Mr. Sutherland, at the same
time,•advised the father of the child to represent the matter
and tha result to the Committee of the school, in order that
they might be aware of the fact!, and act upon them as they
might think fit.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERS.A.LL'S.—YEsrEanAr.
The Ascot settling, though small in amount, and confined to
a less numerous class than usual, was more extensive than
could have been expected in the present state of the turf ; as
far as we could be guided by appearances, it passed off tolera-
bly well. Of the Derhy settling we have little that is favour
ab!e to report. Four °f-tits prnicipal.absentees, are in eommn-
nica,ion with theircredilopt, ;and as it is the opinion of the lat-
ter, that a publication of.jleir,-. names would close the door
against. an arrangement, -w ttbOtit. answering any good purpose,
we abstain from dtimg so at „presept, A Reverend Divine is
a heavy loser, and, as yet, his,wwosala hare not been satisfac-
tory. Should they fail tw.he otherwise within a very short
period, we understand, it the intention of some of thegentle-
men to whom he,i,sirailehted,aor to.,avretecalt.she .matter in a
certain quarter.. as ,churik prefarment; Of
the.. other parties tovilom athtsion 'kw ben made, several
arei, reported- as,altijoetber imitift4l6 purse of, a
iongafternoon,3loiae half Boren be'S.weri*adeow the st. (er
4Mt Ma WOO& Cat,, which for the giti.isnee-of t. hose interested we
quote below;., it will he.ismg..,::hmtwvSi. ere oon4denee can he
setlieientlY estOrevt 10,esay'rege the safe 111111 to al en books
on the next Verby ; and even Own it is obvious that their
number and amount a iii eta anatertally lessened, and that those
who have suffered by layiurt niOre tluitt-their stake against the
favourites, and ,hOging It the .fit moment with the '' 1"h"
biers," w:11 be compelled to lieep, within campi.s. Farther,
having the benefit of .an expensive le.,son, the backers at less
odds that hive .after Wards became
,prmineut ,favouriter4 will
see the propriety of hedgiug on terms with the layers
of the original bets.

GOODWOOD cur.
5 to 1 agst Mr, Or,lp's
10 to 1 apt Duke of Orleans' Nautilus—taken
10 to 1 agst Mr. Ramsay's Middleham—taken

ST. LEGEIt.
2 to 1 agit Colonel Ancon's Attila—taken
9 to 1 agst Mr. Ram.,ay's Cabrera
6 to 6 o.► tEcott's let—u,ken

DERBY'.
()Sera to take 40 to 1 about A British Yeoman.

SERIOUS ACCIDEST.—On Saturday last, Mr. B.
Baldwin, M.P., had a very i,arfow, and we sect' add, a very
miraculous esea.,-e of his life, whilst riding a highly spirited
horse to the fete at the Horticultural Gareens. Chiswick, as,
within a mile of the place, in passing a gig, a Richmond om-
nibus bore done upon him with great velocity, and 30 closely
as to cause the step of the vehic:e to cut his right leg through
his trousers and boots, and pierce the right flank of his horse,
' which made hint rear and fall back upon the Hon. Member,
who was taken up and carried into a neighbout ing house, but
who, we are happy to say, made his appearance in the gardens
at a late hour with his right. arm in a sling, and limping in
his walk, so that we hope ro serious consequences will follow.
We understand it is probable that the noble animal will be
rendered entirely useless. Surely some law ought to be passed
to regulate these lawless drivers, who care no more about the
life of an 'individual than that of a reptile —[We copy this
graphic account from our respectable Contemporary, the
Standard, and think that these lawless drivers should be
punished for caring- " no more about the life of an individual
than that of a reptile."l
MODE OF EN UNIER.:kTING TILE UNENIPLOYED AT
PA ISLEV.—From a scrutiny which has been carrying on for
the last fortnight, it appears that the data made use of in as-
certaining the numbers on the unemployed list have been erro-
neous, and have shown the numbers on the list, considerably
higher than facts warranted. In regard to males the enume-
rators of the relief committee, who made up the lists, went on
the assumption that the depeaden.s on each amounted to 24,
whereas, in reality, they amount only to 2i ; and that the de-
Pendents on females amounted on an average of two to each,
while in reality they amount to very little more than one. The
result of the whole is, that the total number of unemployed,
stated officially in our last at 10,427, ought to have been con-
siderably under 8,000. The cumber is still formidable, but
it is so far satisfactory to find that the case is not so bad as
dependence on erroneous data made U.—Paisley Advertiser.
SINGULAR INCIDENTS.—A few days ago a series of
casualties, which we should be disposed to term whimsical, were
it not that one of them at least was attended with some degree
of danger to life, took place at Greenock. quay. A smart,
cleanly-looking servant girl, about to enter upon a " vevr
place, appeared at the quay with a large and heavy trunk, for
the puniest of going on board a steamer, which was about to
cross to the Gairloch. The trunk, while being hauled on deck.
by some means or other, got out of the hands of its custodiers,
and tumbled into the sea. This was casualty the first, and
steps were promptly taken to remedy it. The trunk was
raised out of the water, and while slowly ascending by the
steamer's side, its owner eagerly stretching out her arms to
clutch it, the lid suddenly gave way, separating from the
body, and the trunk once more tLated in the water. With
the same promptitude as before the devoted chest was
seized, and again it was in the act of being swung on board,
when, as casualty ihe third, crash went the bottom, and into the
sea tumbled, in " most admired disorder," the body
habiliments of the unfortunate set vine-' wench here
a gown and there a petticoat, here a shoe and there
a dashing Sunday shawl, with aprons, caps, stockings,
and shifts of every variety—while a large catalogue of small
ar' icli a were covered by a huge blue umbrella, which un-
furled itself in all its amplitude, as if to protect them from the
rain above, deeming them, no doubt, wet enough below.
By dint of exertions, for which the half-frantic maiden "ME
she could never be sufficiently thankful, the scattered arti-
cles of dress, including the blue umbrella aforesaid, wire
gathered up, and with the bottomless trunk, put safely on
b',ard. It was now hoped by the bystanders that forttine
had done her worst, at least for that occasion, on the ill
fated girl; but .no, a disaster more serious still was in store
for the hapless Abigail. The steamer was about to sail, and
our heroine was standing on one of the wings adjoining the
paddle-box, speaking to a friend on shore, when a sadden jerk
of the boat threw her, in imitation of her trunk, right into
the water. This most unfortunate of all the casualties which
had occurred changed the current of feeling from laughte• to
alarm, and those who had been most amused at the farmer
mishaps were now the most active in rendering assistance when
life was at stake. Providentially, the poor girl was got out
of the water more frightened and wet than seriously injured,
and here, so far as is known, did her misfortunes for this day
terminate. The circumstances, as may be supposed, caused
no small amusement on board; and those who witnessed them
will not soon forget the scenes enacted by the
ue d
carpet-i cw r oanehffawegict.t, ~
the
ee
more famed
mwehdi ealdivaelnmtuorsest equal,
—Glasgow Argus. in
" man with itoh‘f‘thi
in a London paper,' .
THE IRISH POST-OFFICE.—ch lit
wasstated paragraph,th ap-
pearedaltataelznlof.
29.0001. was due to the Irish Post-office, which was totally
irrecoverable. Having been under the impression that this
ohmmeent trouble uwbalse to workedasc ert aiinn thane realeffie ifeanc tt
s ,rawahni cnhe r ;re"thheaseve:
'for a period of upwards of fifty years ; but, taking the~
—A sum, nearly as large as that stated, is due, but it has beets
years, the irrecoverable debts are but two—one
inenga Postmaster in Connemara, amounting to 35/. 55.,
theaapgaccs past
secondnu 'ti
in Tipperary, amounting to 8/. 3s. There is always
a floating debt due by provincial Postmasters, who are fut.
onfisthheelireavcecroyutnhtrse,etinhey nntihns;ai arnatliy pay he
in
afetwdm waysarth erptrhoreerpetenet
and satisfaction.—Dublin Pest. •
Tits; UNEMPLOYED IN PERTII.—On Wednesday a
meeting of members of Council, manufacturers, and others,
for the purpose of inquiring into the present state of destitu-
tion, arising from want of employment,-now existing in Perth,
was held in the Council Chamber. Provost Sidey in the Chair.
It was stated that the number of weavers had decreased to 18
or 20, but that labourers were rapidly on theincrease, and new
numbered 150; which amount was to be increased the-nett
day by 30 carpenters, who were then to be idle, -frog the re• .
pairs on the dredging-machine being completed.
discussion a Committee was appointed to raise funds byattottZ
subscription, and provide work, and to cominence.ite:
immetittely...Pceley Adeertifff;

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