Star.
London, England, 1831-01-21 00:00:00

POLICE REPORTS.

OUILIMALU—Mr. Chalmers, of Thames-street, the promoter of the
Petition of the mechanics of London for the extension of mercy to the
men convicted by the Special Commissions, again waited upon Sir P.
LAURIE, yesterday. Ile said he had just been to the Mansion.house,
for the purpore of seeing the Lord Mayor. Being told that the Lord
Mayor had come to Guildhall, he had followed him ; but not having
met with him, he hoped Sir Peter would allow him to observe, that it
appeared, from the report of his Lordship's speech, that all the Alder.
men, except Sir P. Laurie. had concurred in his views. He had that
morning presented to Lord Melbourne the Petition agreed to at the Ro-
tunda meeting, and he had adverted to the interference of the Lord
Mayor. What Lord Melbourne said upon his Lordship's conduct, it
would be improper to repeat.
Sir PATS& LAURIE observed that, with regard to what the Lord
Mayor had stated, he would repeat, hat he was not aware that the
Magistrates of the City had been consulted on prohibiting the meeting
before the proclamation was issued. He had sent his nephew, a young
barrister, to his lordship, to inquire whether the report in the new..

papers was accurate.
A young gentleman then stepped forward, and said he had just had an
interview with the laird Mayor in his private room. He shewed his
lordship the Times, and asked him if that contained an authentic account
of what he said in the jiistice.room the day before ? His lordship instead of
answering the question directly, asked him who he was. He replied
that he came from Sir Peter Laurie; and his Lordship then said, that
if Sir Peter Laurie would in person ask him the question, he would
answer it. He (Sir P.'s nephew) rejoined that it was extraordinary his
Lordship should feel any hesitation in stating in private, whether he
bad used certain expressions in public ; but the Lord Mayor persisted
in refusing to answer the question.
Sir PETRI LAURIE said he had never experienced any difficulty in
denying or acknowledging expressions attributed to him by the news.
papers ; and as the Lord Mayor had not avowed those in question, he
must in charity conclude they were not his. He avoided speaking of
his Lordship's public character, and he had never spoken of his private
we, ger should he then.
After some further observations, Mr. C. retired.
Bow-srnzer.—James Smith, a middle-aged man, was brought up
before Sir R. BIRWIR and Mr. Illinseittra., on a bastardy warrant,
charged by the parish officers of the parish of St. Martin in the Fields.
with being the father of an illegitimate child, of which Rachael Taylor
was sometime since delivered.
Rachael Taylor, a female apparently about 30 years of age, stated
that she had been a widow about two years at the period of the tran-
saction, and that the defendant, and no one else, was the father of the
child.
Sir It BIRDIII observed that the woman was old enough to have
known better. The mischief was however done, and there was an end
of the matter.
The defendant said that, it would be useless for him to attempt to
controvert the statement of the complainant, and he should conse-
quently submit with the best grace he collie!. He. however. had awife
and tour children. and only 255. a week, wherefore he hoped the sum
would be as low as possible.
Sir IL SINN le observed, that a man who had a wife and four chil.
dren, had five substantial reasons for abstaining from such pranks.
After some further observations, the magistrates ordered the defend-
ant to pay a maintenance of 2s. 61 a week.
Five young girls, the eldest of whom did not appear to be more than
twelve years oh age,were brought before Sir R :CHAIM BIRNIE, charged
with being drunk and disorderly in K ig-street, Covent.garden, the
preceding evening. Sr R. BIRNIZ said. he could hardly believe
they were ptostitutes, prom their tender age. The policeman assured
Sir Richard that they were, and that the mother of one of them, who
was present, followed her, and received the wages of her daughter's
prostitution.
Tie magistrates, who appe-ared shoc`ied at the depravity of the par.
ties, ordered the girls to be imprisoned :Or toutteen days in the house
of correction
LitsmErn.trsawr..—lresterday Matthew Chubb, a seafaring man,
was charged with stealing various articles of wearing apparel, belonging
to the crew on board the brig Betsey, of Bridport, at present lying in
the River, off Downs's Wharf, St. Katharine's. On the evening before,
the prisoner went on board the lnig, and being in a state of great desti-
tution, the men on board prepared a substantial dinner for him, and it
was their determination, after keeping him until the following morning,
to procure a vessel to take him back to the place of his nativity, Brid.
KrAfter he had eaten a hearty meal, two of the crew went on shore,
im purpose of getting some porter to treat him with, leaving a third
man with the prisoner on bowl the vessel. During their temporary ab.
sence the prisoner found an opportunity of packing up the greater part
of the wearing apparel of the seamen on board, and decamped with
them. He. however, was closely pursued, and taken into custody with
thecrty on him.
Magistrate, after reprobating in strong though just terms the gross
ingratitude of the prisoner, was about to commit him for trial ; but being
informed that the attendance of the prosecutors at the trial would be at-
tended with incalculable inconvenience to them, he took the Mt sum-
madly, and committed the prisoner for three months to the House of
Correction.
Tuames Poescg.—lereterfah Leary, a labourer, residing in
the parish of Bromley, St. Leonard, applied for an order to corn.
pel the overseers to relieve him and his family, consisting of
his wife and child. The overseer had allowed ithe family 2s. weekly,
but that was not sufficient, land be wanted more, or for the parish to
provide for them in the workhouse. On Monday they had received a
shilling, and on Tuesday another. Mr. BALLANTINZ issued an order
upon the overseer to allow this man, his wife, and child, seven shillings
weekly, or to admit them into the workhouse.
Woasureirrazzir.—Mr. Dixon, one of the tezrlntendants of the
New Police, on Wednesday evening, at eight o'cl entered the office,
accompanied by Inspector Pil‘Namus, of the 0 division, to communicate
to the sitting Magistrate, Mr. Banner; a discovery that two of their
officers had that morning made in Paradise-street, St. Luke's.
Police constable 167, O. division, stated that, while on duty in Para.
dise4street that morning, at four o'clock, he perceived the door of the
house No. 15, on the jar; and finding no person within, be took posses.
sion. and despatched another officer to the station to inform his inspector,
who in a short time arrived.
Inspector 111‘Namus stated, that on entering the house he was sato.
nished, from the appearance of the dwelling, to find it crammed full
of rich furniture, particularly a piano be noticed of a costly description,
all of which must have cost sonic hundreds of pounds. On searching
more minutely he found a trunk which, on opening, contained a quan-
tity of obscene prints and French books o:' the same tendency, which
he brought away ; as also a number of impressions of keys, evidently
for the purpose of housebreaking. (The inspector here handed to the
Magistratesthe articles stated ; the impressions appeared to be in clay,
and yet very perfect.) Having left the house in the care of the officers,
be returned again at seven o'clock, and found a well-deemed female and
• fashionable looking young man, who were disputing the right of the
officers remaining there, the former declaring the house and property as
her own. Witness, however, thought proper to take them into custody.
Mr. (to the female prisoner, who gave her name Jane
Jones)—is the furniture in this house yours ?—Yes.
Mr. BzwarsTr.—Ara these infamous prints and books also yours ?
—Prisoner (impudently).—Not exactly mine, because the trunk they
were In belonged to a former lodger I bad at another house, and the im-
pressions you have before you were also his.
Mr. BRIIIIRST....AVOIMIR! had you been a man, I should hays
committed you to the house of correction for three months, for having
in your possession these impressions of keys. No doubt they were ob-
tained for a burglarious intent, and therefore I 'ha detain you until
you Produce good bail. The man is discharged.
The latter, presuming upon his genteel appearance, importuned the
Magistrate most earnestly to hear what he had to say in extenuation of
the conduct of the prisoner.
The worthy Magistrate advised him to say nothing, and ordered the
officers to make in the mean time every inquiry relative to the property
in question.
The officers, who have still possession of the keys, said they would do
their utmost to bring the parties to justice, as they were convinced that
the property had been stolen. The prisoner herself was a loose character
known for years as the reputed keeper of a house of infamous descrip-
tion ; and as to the gentleman who had been dischaeg.d, he was him-
self the proprietor of a bagnio in Soho.
The female prisoner was subsequently liberated, upon putting in bail
for her appearance hereafter.

The 2d inst. Mr. H. 111'11wen, surgeon, and late house surgeon to the
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary—At Linlithgow, the 7th inst.
Mr. A. Haled, tanner, in the' 4th year of his age. It is likely he ass
amongst the last veterans of the battle of Minden, fought in 1760, when
he served in the 21st Regiment, or Scottish Fusileas, and had a narrow
escape, his knapsack being carried off by a eanDon.shot—At Edinburgh.
Henry Mackenzie, Esq. so well known as the author of " The Man of
Feeling," and many other productions. Mr. Mackenzie had been con-
fined almost to his room for a considerable time past by the general
decay attending old age, And expired, we understand, oo the evening a
Friday last. Dir. Mackenzie was in his 86th year, having been born It
1745. His eldest son is Lord Mackenzie, at present an eminent Judi
in the Courts of Session and Justiciary.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW.
H. H. 0 N.
Morning 7 551 Afternoon

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