Star.
London, England, 1825-02-03 00:00:00

POLICE'Y

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M A NSION.HOUSE.
A ballad-singer was brought before the Loan MATO% yesterday,
charged with having assaulted another of the profession, while they
were both pursuing their respective callings.
The defendant (a man about thirty years of age) had within a
few days got possession of a song in which the deeds of the Drury-
lane Hero are recorded, and he never failed to gather about him a
crowd of both sexes in the streets, to the annoyance of the huny
part of the public. He was engaged in singing the font of which
the following was the beautiful burthen :
" For the world may be damn'd, as we're only let to see
Our gallant Kean of Drury-lane, so bright and tight is he."
The effect of the poem upon the minds of the auditors was height-
ened by the appearance of the bard, who carried a paper lantern
with a candle in it before him, and cut two or three by no means
delicate capers at the conclusion of each verse. He was not, how-
ever, to have the field to himself ; a rival appeared, and soon di-
vided the attention of the tasteful people, and his song was even in
a more sublime strain than the defendant's.
The defendant's jealousy was violently excited, and he emptied
the vials of his wrath upon his opponent. The officers of justice
were obliged to interfere, and they introduced him to a place where
he had the opportunity of amusing that respectable and political
body of men—the nightly watch.—The other poor son of Apollo
was unable to attend; for after the removal of his rival he met
wish more dangerous competitors: be got into a row, for he was
rather of the " fancy," and had a leg broken.
The defendant cried bitterly; he was, be said, a respectable man,
although he was in that line, and got his living by his twice in the
streets. The only offence he bad committed was, that of having
refired to move when he was desired to do so : but he vowed, that
if the Loan MAYOR would forgive him, he would follow his pro-
fession with as little noise as possible, and never strike no3ody.
The Loan MAYOR consented to diseharge the defendant upon this
assurance ; he advised him to change his moral profession for some
other which had no taint upon it.

A man named West, a driver of one of the Blackwall stages
was charged with having furiously driven over a poor man, who is
not expected to survive the injury he has sustained. It appeared
that about wine o'clock, on Tuesday evening, the defendant lashed
his horses, which were going at a rapid rate, in order to outstrip a
competitor. Roth of the drivers appeared to be quite careless of
the consequences of their rivalry, which soon proved to be most
dangerous. The pole of the defendant's coach struck a poor old
man, who instantly fell senseless to the ground, from which he was
raised, covered with blood, and apparently without life. He was
taken to the watch house, where it was ascertained by a surgeon
that several of his hones were broken.
The surgeon's certificate stated, that the patient, whose name was
Coe, was in a dangerous state. The defendant said he was driving
at the usual temperate rate, and that there was no attempt made by
him to pass the other coachman.
The Loren MAYOR committed him to prison until the fats of the
man is known.

GUILDHALL.
Gorge William Fountain. a master chimney-sweep, residing in
Robin I mood-court, Shoe-lane, was charged with ill-treating his ap•
prentice, John Brown, about ten years old, very diminutive in sta-
aure, and apparently weakly. It appeared that the boy was sent
nut eariy on the n'orning of Wednesday se'nnight with the pri-
soner's foleman,Williams ; the fellow hurried along, and finding the
boy could not keep pace with him, be took him back to his master,
who, feeling inceoied, lifted the boy up by his ears and dashed him
down on the floor. This he repeated once or twice; and the boy
ran home to his mother with his ears bleeding and his mouth swol-
len. The boy was examined by the Alderman, and found to be
bruised in various parts of his body; he had also been kicked by
Fountain's wife. Four•taiu denied having touched the boy's ears at
all, and said he had not been long enough at the business for his skin
to become hardened. The mother, who prompted the boy to make
' the complaint, had some time previously sold the boy for £5 to a
former master, bot that person not having paid his instalments, she
get the indentures cancelled l.y preferring a charge of ill-treatment.
He was they sold to him (Fountain) for £2. 15s. and she at the
same time told him she could have got £5 for the boy, from a sweep

at Hackney.
The mother admitted having received 4.55. for him, and provided
the Indentures were now careened, she did not intend again to sell
him, but avail herself of Mt. Percival's (the banker) assistance, who
would place him in a school. The boy, lit answer to the Alder-
man's interrogatories, said be never went to church, nor had any
idea of religion. Ile slept on a bed, and was Well fed, but was some-
times rolled in the soot, beat with a broomstick, and often received
blows from WilHants, both at home and in the streets.
Sir CUARLIS FLOW Ell—Good Goo! how shocking a recital have
we heard this day ! Are we in a civilized country? ern children be
bought and sold with impunity at so much per head?
Mr. Brassroan (the Chief-Clerk)— A similar purchase was ex-
posed at another police dice only a day or two ago.
Sir CHARLES I:tomtit—Why, in the present state of society here
such bargains stem to equal in enormity the African slave trade.—
As to the boy, he has been brooglit up like a I lattentot, neither in
the fear of the Devil nor the AI.IGHTY. You, woman, you who
have liven so hat doted as to sell your own child to a sweep, you are
a disgrace to the name of Englishwoman, and to the set to which
you bi ;ong ; and you shall never have the opportunity of bartering
him away again. Let the boy be taken care of in the Compter,
until the presence of another Magi-trate can be obtained to cancel
the indenture, and until I hare seen Mr. Percival, and arranged
how he shall be disposed of. That the boy has been ill-treated lam
gone satisfied, and nat only by Fountain himself, hut by his wife
and the foreman, and I shall therefore direct all three to be prose-
cuted by the City Solicitor.
The parties were then ordered to find bail, and the City Solicitor
called in, and instructed to proceed.
BO W-STREET.

Yesterday, Mr. PRINDEACIAST, the Barrister, accompanied by
two or three persons connected with a Dissenters Meeting-house
in some court in the Strand, applied to Sir iticuaan BIRNIX to issue
a summons for the appearance of Mr. aeries Pitt, of Adam-street,
Adriphi, to answer to a complaint which he was prepared to sub-
stantiate against him, for unlawfully disturbing a congregation as-
sembled for the purpose of Divine Service. The disturbance com-
plained of was, that on a Sabbath-day, when a congregation bad
assembled at the Meeting-house in question, and one of the per-
sons who yesterday attended with Mr. Prendergast, was addressing
the rest from the pulpit, Mr. l'itt suddenly rose in the body of the
place, and exclaimed," Call ye that preaching? A pretty fellow,
truly, you are to preach and attempt to instruct your fellow-men
in the sacred truths of religion! you, who do not know the com-
monest rules of your own language, and are equally ignorant of the
subject upon which you presume to bold forth ! Come down, poor
man, and let me ascend the rostrum!" The consequence of this
interruption Was that the discourse was stopped, and finally the con-
gregation broke up in confusion, without finishing the service.
Sir It. 'haste asked if this was not the same occurrence upon
which he had been before applied to, and which was afterwards,
upon his referring the parties to the Sessions, brought before that
tribunal and disposed of?—Mr Prendergast replied affirmatively.
Sir R. BlllllllC—Then how can I be expected to interfere in a
case that has been disposed of at the Sessions?
Mr. PRENDURGAST said the case was disposed of at the Sessions
without going to a Jury, the Chairman stating, that the person
charged ought to have been previously taken before a Justice of
Peace, and held to bail to appear at the Sessions ; and that not having
been done, Mr. Pitt was not legally within the cognisance of the
Court. His (Mr.Prendergast's) application now was, that this pre-
liminary step, declared by the Chairman to be indispensable, might
be taken, in order to bring Mr. Pitt before the next Court of
Quarter Sessions.
Sir R. BIIINIZ asked if the person who was preaching on the oc-
casion in question was present?
A man, having the appearance of a decent mechanic, stepped
forward, awl said he was the person interrupted by Mr. Pitt.
Sir R. MANIC asked him if he had taken the oaths prescribed by
the 19th of Geo. 111. and obtained a license to preach.?
The man said he had not; he only officiated occasionally.
Mr. PRIINDIRGAST said he had never been required to du so. He
was ready to take the oaths at that moment.
Sit R. Brame—l. believe he is liable to a per.alty of 210, for
preaching without a license.
Mr. PAINDZIGAST said, that by the latest Act of Parliament, a
person preaching without a license was exempted-from the penalties
awarded by the 19th of George 111. upon his being willing to take
the oaths prescribed when• required to do so. This person was
ready to take them at that moment.
Sir R. Biarrm—l shall not require him to do so. He was not a
licensed preacher at the time spoken of. I shall not grant a sue
MARY-LA-BONNE.

A respectable Licensed Victualler wv on Tuesday summoned
to this Office by Johnson, for an infraction of the licensing regula-
tions, by suffering tippling in his house on Sunday, the 16th Jan.
It appeared that between the time of four end half.past of the
evening of the day mentioned, Byers succeeded in getting into the
`house, and found some persons tippling.
The defendant admitted the accusation, but he declared that he