Star.
London, England, 1829-07-07 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-MOUSE.
A young man, named Samuel Goddard, was charged with having
robbed a Gentleman named Mott of his watch and seals, value 101.
It appeared that the complainant was passing along Cheapside,
near the Queen's Head Tavern, at ten o'clock on Saturday, and
the prisoner rushed up against him with great violence, snatched
his watch, and ran off with amazing speed. The complainant fol-
lowed, crying " Step thief ;" and as be gained upon the prisoner, a
man, whom he believed to be an accomplice, tripped up his heels.
The chace was, however, kept up, and the prisoner was appre-
hended. The watch was picked up in a court which the prisoner
passed in his flight.—Committed for trial.
Yesterday a case came on before the Loan Mayo', which in
some degree illustrates the errors of the present police system, and
shows the necessity for a radical reform in many of the details.
A man panted Weller was charged under the following cir-
cumstances:
Mr. Britton. a Gentleman who resides at Clapham, stated, that
on Monday last, in the afternoon, as he was passing along Grace-
church-street towards London-bridge, he observed the defendant
driving two fine spirited horses in a cart in the same direction.
Defendant drove up, to all appearance intentionally, against a
stage-coach at the moment a Gentleman was stepping in, and it
was a miracle that serious mischief was not committed. Defen-
dant drove on, quite careless as to the consequences, until hr
reached Fish-street-hill, where he drove, evidently in the same
spirit, against another coach, and broke the splinter bar. Witness,
seeing that the public incurred great danger from the wanton con-
duct of the defendant, called to some officers who were at band,
and directed a constable to take him into custody, stating at the
same time that he should attend next day to complain, and giving
the constable his card. Upon appearing at the Mansion-house
next day, however, he learnt that the man who bad acted so offen-
sivelf was not in custody. As he considered that the officer who
took upon himself the power of discharging the prisoner from
custody, bad, by so doing. usurped the power of the Magistrate,
Mr. Britton considered himself bound to have the affair properly
investigated. He had heard from the officer whom he had given
the directions to, that there were five others of the police aiding
and assisting in the apprehension of the accused, who, notwith-
standing, contrived to get away.
The bridge.keeper (one of the officers concerned) said, that the
man bad been safely deposited in the watch-house by another
oMcer, whilst he (the bridge•keeper) went after the horse and cart,
for the purpose of taking care of them. lie did not consider the
defendant to be in his charge at all. When he took hold of the
horses, be noticed the brother-in-law of the master of the defen-
dant, whom be knew, and he delivered the horses and cart to that
Gentleman. The defendant, however. contrived to get out of the
watch-house, but how he managed to do so nobody could tell.
The Loan Mania said, that this was a most bungling way of
doing business. The person charged could pot, amongst so many
officers, be kept in safe custody, and the cart and horses, instead
of being sent to the green-yard, were given up at the discretion of
the officers.

The bridge-keeper said, be thought the other city officers ought
to be responsible for the escape of the defendant.
The other City o&cers thought that the ward officer was re-
sponsible. Every one of them did all be could to shove the bu-
siness off his own shoulders upon those of the bridge-keeper or the
ward officer, who, in their turn, endeavoured to prove that they
had performed their duty to the uttermost. In fact, if the state-
ment of all of them were to be credited, it was as much their
duty to keep the defendant in safe custody, as it was the Lord
Mayor's.
The LORD Raves said that this was one of the cases which re-
jected much disgrace upon the police. For the sake of the public
it was most necessary that persons charged with offences should
not have the option of walking off at their pleasure.
The Bridge-keeper said he had known the defendant ilia or
seven years, and believed him to be a very civil unoffending person
when 'ober. No suspicion was entertained that he would run
away on the occasion of the charge, and how he got away was the
wonder.

The Loan Mayoa asked the defendant whether he had any ob-
jection to mention how he contrived to get out of the hands of so
many officers, and through the bars of the watch-boos.?
Weller said that he had been taken hold of because a bit of an
accident, what he couldn't help, came across bim. He was in
doubt whether he would let them take him or not, and if be hadn't
seen his master's brother-in-law, who would take care of the
horses, he'd be d—d if be would he let a dozen on 'em lock him
up in that ere vatch.us--(Laughter).
The Loan Maros—But, being in the watch-house, bow did you
contrive to disappear?
Defendant-11y, your Worship, you see yen I was alone I looked
about, and I sees a vindor at the top of the vatch.us, and so I goes
up, and as it vu open, I puts out my head, aid my body followed
arta. Now, says Ito myself, if I leaps into that 'ere road, where
the people walks, these here bakers will see me again, but if I
leaps into that 'ere river, vy your Lordship they wouldn't see none
eme—(A laugh).
The Loao ?delve—And so you leaped in the water?
Defendant—No, your Lordship, I leaped into the mud; and if
they had seen me arterards, they wouldn't ha known me, because
your Worship I w'ant clean by no mean,—(Laughter).
The LORD Mayes thought that the watchbouse appeared to be
just worthy of those who superintended it, and who had not the
sense to secure a prisoner even when under lock and key. His
Lordship having ascertained that the defendant was drunk when
he drove so outrageously through the streets, fined him Ss. the only
penalty his Lordship could inflict, as the person whose coach had
been injured was not hs attendance to make a charge, which would
subject the fellow to a more severe punishment.
Mr. Britton submitted that the conduct of the (dicers deserved
strong animadversion. It appeared to him that the power of the
Magistrate was frequently usurped by persons of this kind.
The Loan Mayo. thanked Mr. Britton for the great trouble be
bad taken to follow up this matter for the sake of the public. The
attention of the police should be much sharpened. If, indeed, things
of the kind described were to be repeated, it would be better to get
rid of the police as an useless expense.
It is necessary to observe that the officers complained of are an
steady and active men, and have never been complained of before.
The fact is, the system is so excessively loose, and the officers have
so many capricious and ignorant directors, that it is no wonder there
should be frequent mistakes as to the nature of the duties as well
as the extent of the powers.