Star.
London, England, 1824-11-12 00:00:00

GUILDHALL._

• Yesterday, a salesman, tmed Williams Mamma charged with
cruelty to cattle.—Charles Wheeler appared as easselderant.
Mr. Humphries, the prisoner's sollikorA said, holm the case was
'ilone Into, he should contend that dui liqudetrese_ soutin sot hdlict a
penalty. inasmuch as the prisoner dal lint aortas kg** lam Wen.
Mr. Ninths's Act did not empower ilkain be take pine* into
custody, unless by Warrant and inform**
But, said Winder, I am not proasedfat ender Mr. Nartin'a;
Act, but under the 21* of George the Sowed, commonly plind the
" Smithfield Act."
Well, said Mr. Humphries, I also contend, that under
be could not be a competent witness, as the penalty
•awarded to him. +
Alderman HEINIATt said, that according to this, Mr. Oil: .
Act was a very bungling one, as, if a man could nok hie taknis
custody unless by a summons or warrant the object :would be
mat defeated in consequence of the difficulty aiming it'his Dam*
He asked Wheeler if he had any other whimsies to thk heti?
Wheeler said no.
Mi. Humphiles—Theil he cannot be atoned as a wits**. •• "
The Aanzsuent—Ontainly not.
Wheeler then said that be would el.* up theireisaill to
Humphries or any other person, and surely then. the Aide
would admit him ai a competent withers. •
Mr. Humphries said no ; tilt Mid not be, the Magistrate denial
award the penalty as directed by due Mt, end that at once ma*
him an incompetent witness. • ...
The ALDEILUAN took the City Solicitor's opinion on the subject.
The City SoliCitUr was of opinion that a person could dot be
taken into custody under Mr. Martin's *Act, bn the' vie* bf the tif.•
fence, and Wheeler could not be a Ecinspetint wittles• under the
Smithfield Act.

The Alderman then cones led the point to Mr. Humphries.
Wheeler then applied for a summons against the prisoner, and his
information was taken for that purpose.
The sinimoni was granted, and tbi pltioner discharged.
' EON-STREET.
Tostsas k'ezt, a very decently dressed man, wasbrought ttp frdm
St. dement's watth-house, charged with attempting to break bpestl
the Mite of )fr. Edward Hart, in Wych-street, during the night of
Nedtleiday, with intent to commit a felony.
&ion niter midnight, a watchman going about his beat in Wych
dirat;:hila the prisoner at the door of Mr. Hart's house, in a stoop-
ing *Attire, with his hand applied to the door, as if endeavouring
to unlock it. The watchman seeing that be was a stout fellow sod
nsight-probably overpower him if be attempted to take him
walked on to another watchman, aid they returned together. The
prisoner was still at 'his work, but seeing the two watchmen ap-
proach, he turned from the door and reeled about as if he was
drunk. The watchmen took him into custody, and found upon him
fouralffecin-keys and other housebreaking implements.
The prisoner said he found the implements, and did not kaiser
the use of them any more than a child.
He was committed to take his trial foe the misdemeanours
lIATTON-GARDEN.
Yesterday, I. Watts was brought up for re-examination, charged
with robbing his employers, Messrs. Johnstone and Urookes, lamp-
manufacturers, No. 59. New-street-square; Fetter-Lute. Mr.
Johnstone now intimated to the Magistrates, a desire on his part
(should it meet their approbation) to let the prosecution drop;
nothing of magnitude had since appeared against the prisoner, and
perhaps the imprisonment he had suffered, together with a serious
admonition, might have a more salutary effect, even than the
severer pet:aides due to the offence. In making this proposition,
Mr. Johnstone said he felt more for the innocent wife and children
of the culprit, than be did for himself, who was bound to him (Mr.
,Johnstone) both by ties ef gratitude as well as honesty, for the
many pecuniary obligations previously cooferred on hip.
The Sitting Magistrate observed, that though he could not help
admiring the humane feeling which dictated Mr. Johnstone's aban-
donment of the prosecution in this case, yet; generally speaking, he
was averse to the principle of this half-way justice; offences of
this nature were toe frequently perpetrated to be overlooked for
individual regards, however well intended. But, as Mr. Johnstone
obterved, that the present critical ettuadonin which the prisoner's
dishonesty had placed him, may be slaking lesson to him and his
fellow-workmen, be might now be discharged ; yet be would do
well to look to his suture condoct-4 second offence could not meet
with such lenity.
QUEEN-SQUARE.
Yesterday, Ames Read, John Reynolds, and Jena Emery, thatbree
persons in custody, charged with stealing lead front the powder ma-
gazine at Chelsea College,wrre brought up for further ezaininatios.
J. Bicknell, Esq. Solicitor for Greenwich and Chelsea .Colleges,
attended on behalf of the Admiralty, and submitted to the Magis.
irate (Mr. Warn), that from the evidence adduced on the former
eiinination, of finding the prisoner Read on the top of the build-

Inge, endeavouring to sereen himself by lyinn ll.it on the
of Reynolds and two others being seen outside the wail, there wa
so doubt of the prisoners' guilt.
turning previous to Read's being dl,.tity of lead had been ripped or
covet:sr:teed that
thopr on the
enlises, a q
cut, ready for removal, which bad been removed by the forerun
attached to the Hospital, the following afternoon, weighing about
1,500 pounds.
Mr. Bicknell considered a case had been made out again,t
the prisoners.
The Magistrate said, the prisoners had been remanded, in ex.
pectation that further evidence would be brought forward againet
them. Ile should not copecite himiielf justified in committing an
the prisoners, who had a right to a fair and impartial investigatioz.
He would, however, remand them to a future day.
" • '
MA It LBOROU 1143TRIDIT.
Bess Bern, the pugilist, made his appearante at this Ogee 'neer.
day, he having been apprehended on a wArrant by Valentine, The
officer, for cruelly beating a watchman of St. Janees'sparish, 0,,m4
Samuel Burridge. The Magistrate ordered him to find bail to am:
swer the charge at the Sessions.—As Ben retired from the office
a summons was served upon bins for keeping his house opal at a
seasonable hours.

LAM BRt/I-S MUT.
Several persons, who were in the employment .of Mews. Chz:
ling and Young, ship-builders, in Limehouse, were charged wire
combining together to leave their work, and with inducing other
to follow their example. It was stated, that since the rTeal of the
Combination Laws, several of the men empl6yea by ship-Witless
bad manifested a disposition to strike for an advance in wages, and
several of the Akers of this establishthent wefe called out to p:5.
serve order. The defendants were all chirged with exciting °titer,
to leave their employ, and even hooting at the men who disregardei
their advice.
Sir Mintz. WILLIAMS told them, that although the Conthissf,,,,
Laws were repealed, the Act of the 4th of the present King gave
the Magistrate power to commit them for three months. ,
Mr. Young, one of their employers, said, the men earned from
ss. to 10s. per day; and although he was obliged to engage other. th
their absence, be was not desirous they shoUld be severely ronisha
They were then held to bail.

P. Chambers and Elka Mr. P. Mullett,
upholsterer, of South-place, Finsbury square, Were re-examined,
charged with robbing that Gentleman of variona articles ; as, were
W. Pearson' a broker in Old-street Road, and Mary his wife, whit
purchasingthe same with a guilty knowledge; when a most ini-
quitous scene was disclosed, inculpating all the prisoners, by Seri.
yen, the fellow who a few days since gave evidence in the rubbery
of Mr. Sadgrove, by that Gentleman's servants; in both which rob-
berieshe was himself deeply implicated ; at the conclusion of which
Chambers, with Pearson and his wife, were committed for trial,
and Eliza Lloyd, the cook, was remanded, in expectation of fur.
ther evidence against her.

POLICE REPORTING.

....-miGIN..-•

A few' (hip ago, Sir Richard Birnie, Chief Magistrate
of Police, and perhaps the most experienced man is the
commission of the peace in this metropolis, in the
course of a conversation at the office in Bow-street,
with a County Magistrate (Mr. Beckett), upon the sub-
ject of police reports, expressed himself in neatly the
following words am a strong friend to police re-
', ports when they are fairly and properl y given. I knnw
that they do an infinite deal of good : I know that their
publication often leads to communications of the
greatest importance, which would never otherwise he
obtained: I know that many a dangerous criminal has
been brought to justice, who, but for the publication of
his case, which has brought forth evidence that could
not previously be obtained even by the greatest exer-
tions, would have been again let loose to follow his
course of depredation upon the public: I know also,
that many unfortunate beings, who were driven by the
pinching hand of poverty to the commission of theft,
have, in consequence of the mention of their cases,
re-
ceived the donations of the benevolent, and have been
rescued from want and misery, and enabled to provide
for themselves perhaps for the remainder of their days.
In fact, I conceive, that upon general grounds, the news-
papers do great public good by publishing such re-
ports, so long as the task of furnishing them is intrusted
to men of integrity and competent ability."
It will be recollected, that a short time ago, a man,
under very su.picious circumstances, was brought up
to Hatton-garden Police-office, charged by Mr. Dar-
ling, livery-stable-keeper, in St. John-street, on suspi-
cion of being concerned in stealing two horses, and two
new bridles and saddles. Two men came to his pre-
nifses.at the early hour of five in the morning, and re.
(Witted adthission, and that the horses should be m-
iserly attended to. The extremely exhausted state of
tht animals convinced him that they were over-ridden,
Ad accordingly he went to Read, the chief officer of
.Hattotnar den, wha immediately repaired to the spot.
itc ' companied by his-son, and succeeded in securing one
ofthe men. In consequence of the publication of the
viistornstance in the priblic prints, giving some descrip-
' dap of the horses, a letter was received yesterday morn-
ing at the above office, from a Gentleman in the court-
try, expressing his conviction that the stolen property
was his, and that it was his intention to attend in tl.e
Course of a week, to prosecute in the case.

In some cf the Papers it was stated, that the men
,who stood in armour at the Civic Feast were gieatiy
'fatigued and exhausted by the weight. This we are
authorised to say was not the fact. The Lord Maps,
aware that the labour would be diminished by being
divided, directed that two sets of men should alter-
nately case themselves. This was done, for the first
time, and the men underwent no inconvenience.
Wednesday night, about n o'clock,a fire 'woke not
at Mr. MITCHELL'S, linen-draper, in Oaford'street (it is
supposed from the bursting of the gas), which entirely
destroyed the premises. Mr. M. who was insured, saved
only his cash box and books., _