The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-04 00:00:00

CLERKEIVWELL.

A person waited on the Magistrate, requesting his advice
under these circumstances :--
It appeared, from his statement, that there is a house in
Great James-street, Bedford-row, in which five or six persons
live, who are " victimising " all the tradesmen in the neigh
bourhood, by acting in unison, and presenting to the
tradesmen so many strange faces, they were enabled
to obtain goods to six times the amount that a single
person could do. When the bill was presented for payment
at the house, the tradesman was informed that he had made
the bill out in the wrong name. Mr. J. had not ordered
them, it must have been Mr. B. ; when Mr. B. was appealed
to it was Mr. C., and so on ; but it ended in the tradesman
losing his goods, and time into the bargain.
Mr. GREENWOOD said he could do nothing.
Applicant asked if the parties could not be indicted for a
conspiracy ?
Mr. GREENWOOD said he could not yet say what might be
the consequence of such conduct, and recommended appli-
cant to inform the police at the station of the district in which
the house in question is situate.
The Magistrate was occupied up to six o'clock on the pre-
vious evening in investigating a case in which Police-ser-
geant Archer, 8 G, was charged with using defamatory lan-
guage towards John Strange, and thereby violating his duty.
The case was sent before the Magistrate by the Commissioners
of Police.
Mr. Duncombe, of Gray's Inn, appeared for the prosecu-
tion • and Mr. Wakeling, of St. John's-square, for the defence.
The Court was crowded with police, and with the friends
of the prosecutor.
Mr. Duncombe said this was a very important case, inas-
much as it would test the stretch of a policeman's authority,
and whether or no he was licensed to assail unoffending per-
sons, however humble their station in life might be. It was
hard enough upon licensed victuallers to be obliged to open
their houses at all times for police inspectors; but it was
harder still, and what he thought the law never could sanc-
tion, if police-officers, taking advantage of the extraordinary
power with which their office invested them, were permitted
to walk into the parlour of a respectable publican, and there
insult his customers and grossly defame one of them. The
power the police possessed of thus entering public-houses
should at least be exercised with discretion, otherwise it
would become an intolerable nuisance, and would not be sub-
mitted to by any one in this free state.
Evidence was then adduced to prove the alleged improper
language.
Mr. Wakeling contended that Archer had done no more
than his duty in apprising the landlord of what probably he
had not been previously aware.
Ultimately the complaint was dismissed.
QUEEN-SQUARE.
Martha Browning, a young woman, apparently about 25
years of age, was charged with the wilful murder of Eliza-
beth Mundell, an aged female, with whom she resided.
The case is one of a most extraordinary and mysterious
diameter, and before proceeding to detail the evidence ad-
duced, it may be as well, in order to render the case more
intelligible to the reader, briefly to advert to the circum-
stances which led to the prisoner's apprehension ; a course
the more necessary from the fact, that in consequence of the
insensible state of the accused during the examination, a
portion only of the evidence was given before the Magis-
trate. The supposed victim of the prisoner's violence was
found dead by her daughter on Monday morning, and on
the evening of that day a coroner's' jury sat upon the body,
and returned a verdict "that the deceased had committed
suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity." Since
that period some circumstances of a very suspicious nature
have transpired, tending to criminate the accused as the
murderer of the deceased female; and on her being found
on Tuesday afternoon in possession of a sham bank
note, which it was obvious she had considered
genuine, as she had attempted to get change for it, she was
closely interrogated by the husband of deceased's daughter,
who at once recognised it as corresponding with one of two
which the ill-fated woman had been seen to have in her pos-
session the day before her death, and a desire on the part of
the prisoner to possess which, supposing them to be genuine
bank-notes, it was inferred might have induced her to put a
period to the existence cf their possessor. The accused's
replies were anything but satisfactory, and she endeavoured
to effect her escape from the house, but was detained. The '
husband of the deceased's daughter insisted upon her ac-
companying him to the station, and before their arrival
there she became much agitated, and said, " I did it, I did
it ; have mercy upon ine." Mr. Partridge, the inspector on
duty at the Gardiner's-lane station, whither the prisoner had
been most unwillingly taken, having made himself ac-
quainted with the particulars, as well as the brief space of
time would permit, immediately sent for the whole of the
witnesses whose evidence bore upon the matter, and brought
the accused to this Court.
The prisoner, who had the appearance of a hearty young
woman, was lifted into the dock in an apparently senseless
state, immediately after which she fell into a succession of
strong fits, between which she gave way to paroxysms of
apparently despair and tore her hair. Everything, however,
which humanity could suggest, was done to prevent her in-
juring herself.

Ann Gage, of 11, Rochester-street, Rochester .row, sworn—
I have known the prisoner for about six months, and she has
lodged with my mother for the last six weeks, at No. 1, Pro-
vidence-row, Brewers'-green. On Monday morning, at
about eight o'clock, the prisoner came to me at my resi-
dence, and said my mother was very ill. She said that she
had fallen into a fit at about seven that morning, and had
screamed out, " Murder, whet are you at ? what are von
at ?" She wished me to come round and see my mother,
which 1 immediately did. Whilst I was dressing myself I
asked her whether the person in the next room had come
into her when she screamed " murder ?" when she replied,
" No ;" that the door was locked, and she was holding my
mother's hands and washing her face at the time. I went
with prisoner as soon as I had dressed myself, and on
entering my mother's room I looked in the bed, but the
was not there, and I was turning to come out of the room
when I found her lying on her back on a box, with her head
towards the door and there was a cord about as thick as my
finger twice round her neck, the knot being tied on the right
side.

Mr. Born—Was it what is termed a slip or running knot?
Witness—lt was not a slip knot. It was, however, made in
a particular way that I cannot describe.
Did you examine the cord ?—I did.
Was it tied tight ?—Very. •
Examination continued:-Mx mother appeared quite dead.
I immediately called out for assistance.
Mr. BOND—Was the prisoner hi the room at this time ?
No_, she was not. I was there alone.
How was prisoner engaged during this time ?—She was
running about the house, calling for assistance.
Witness continued—Prisoner and some others came into
the room, and prisoner then rubbed my mother on the
stomach. _ _

Mr. BOND—Did she make any observation ?—She did not
speak,
- -

After other evidence,

Mr. BOND said, I have heard quite enough to justify a
remand. I will not trouble you (to witness) any further at
present.
It was then arranged that prisoner should be brought up
for re-examination on Monday afternoon.

The accused was then conveyed to Tethill-fields Bride-
well in a cab.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

William Edwards, alias Warner, alias Morris, was brought
before Mr. Maltby for final examination, charged with
having obtained from Earl Howe, by false pretences, the
sum of 1/.

A few days ago the prisoner left the following petition at
his Lordship's residence in South Audley-street
" Parish of Penn, County of Bucks, to wit.
" The bearer, Mr. J. W: Warner, has carried on the busi-
ness of a draper and grocer in this parish, where, on the 2d
of last month, whilst himself and family were attending
Divine service, some evil disposed persons, as yet unknown,
feloniously entered his shop and dwelling-house, and there-
from stole and carried away goods, money, and other valu-
ables to the amount of 130/. and upwards.
" We, the undersigned, having a knowledge of his mis-
fortune, do feel justified in recommending his case to the
generous p'ublic, by whose contributions he may be enabled
to resume his former business, and enable him to support
his wife and family in his usual respectable industrious
avocations.

" Given under our hands this 7th November, 1845.'?
This document purported to contain an account of sums
subscribed by Lords Grenville, Thomond and Orkney, and
Boston ; Sir W. Clayton, Sir Giffin Wilson, Lady Grenville,
Rev. T. Knollys, the Hon. W. Fitzsimons, and others. As
soon as the signatures were known to be spurious, the docu-
ment was forwarded to the Mendicity Society for inves-
tigation, and precaution was taken to have a police-constable
in waiting when the defendant called for an answer. The
prisoner called on Tuesday last, and on stating his name to
be Warner, a sovereign was handed to him, and he was then
given into the custody of police-sergeant Whall.
Horsford, from the Mendicity Society's office, proved that
the man for some years had been known as a begging-letter-
writer. The society were in possession of fraudulent peti-
tions sent to the Earl of Burlington, the Earl of Arundel
and Surrey, and Colonel Powell. The prisoner had also been
in custody before for an offence similar to that now charged
against him.

—Mr. Meurnir said he was quite satisfied from the evidence
that the prisoner was a person who made it a practice to go
about endeavouring to obtain money by false and fraudulent
pretences, and therefore he should send him for the full term
of three months to the House of Correction.

Joseph Ventine, a native of Wallachia, was placed at
the bar charged with having conducted himself in a dis.
orderly manner at the residence of the Turkish Ambassador,
Bryanston-square. •
It appeared that the prisoner in March last obtained a pas:-
port, and that he yesterday applied fur another, which was
ultimately given to him ; he required assistance in money
also, and as the Consul-General thought fit to refuse his le-
quest, he became very insolent and caused a crowd to assmble
round the door; a constable was called, and he was then
given into custody.
The prisoner, after being given to understand that he
must not repeat the annoyance complained of, was dis-
charged.