Star.
London, England, 1826-11-08 00:00:00

LAM BETH-STREET.

Yesterday Mr. Barber, proprietor of several stages plying to and
from Black wail, appeared to po less than seven different inforraa-
done, lodged against him by Byers.
Previous to being entered on, Mr. HARDWICK said, that since the
former day a communication had been received from Mr. Sykes, of
the Stamp Office, with which was transmitted the opinions of th 4
Law Officers of the Crown, that the clause of the old Act, under
which the proceedings were instituted, was as yet unrerealed by ail
subsequent enactment.
It appeared that the Act bad in part been complied with, thougli
not in its precise form, the name, kc. being on the top instead of this
aide pannels.
Mr. HARDWICK theti read the worthy Mr. Byers a lecture on the
precious office of a public informer from Lord Coke's opinion of
such vermin in his days; but as the Act was imperative, he wat
under the disagreeable necessity of infotcing the fine in two eases,
but mitigated it to the lowest penalty of a. each, when the leader
'me►cies of the weedy informer were excited. and he gave up the
other charges, and on the same terms, against Mr. Lambert, another
coach proprietor.

Several proprietors of coffee-shops were convicte.l at
Mary-la-bonne Police office, on Monday, on the infor-
mation of Johnson, for keeping irregular hours.
The sudden change of the weather in the Metropolis
has been very remarkable. During the whole of Mon-
day heavy rain fell; but a frost succeeded it during the
night, which has been so intense, that the confectioners
were actually filling their ice-houses yesterday.
A dog, the property of Mr. G. C. Chambre, George's-
quay, Cork, died last week, at the very advanced age of
twenty-six years. He was of the Russian terrier breed.
Duman, Noy. 3.—lt appeared, at the adjourned meet-
ing of the St. Patrick Assurance Company, that the Di-
rectors cannot be reduced from 21 to 13, without ob-
taining a new deed. Four Directors are to be elected,
in place of a like number resigned.
One of those desperate gangs of smugglers that infest
the Kent and Sussex coast, tumultuously assembled near
the tide mills at Bishopstone, a few miles from 'Lewes,
on Friday night, where they obstructed the quarter.
master of the Coast Blockade, struck him a violent blow
on the bead, and otherwise grossly assaulted him, by
which he had one of the fingers of his right hand broken.
At Union-hall, yesterday, Thomas Taylor, the 'driver
of a Clapham stage, and William Stevens, coachman of
one of the Camberwell coaches, were fined 101. each,
for furiously driving in High-street, Borough, on Sun-
day night, the 29th ult. It appeared that the defend-
ants and another man, not in custody, drove along the
High-street in the most rapid manner, and it would
have been impossible to have taken their numbers, if
the coaches had not come in contact. The defendants
gave notice of appeal.
Sac att.EGa.—At Preston Qa atter Sessions, 'Joseph
Lees, surgeon, and Robert Pilling, labourer, both of P 4.
diham, were charged with having feloniously and sacri.
legiously stolen out of the parish church the &wit and
cassock of the Minister, the Rev. S. J. C. Adamsim, and
two surplices and a bible, the property of the pari-hion•
ers ; and also with having defaced the register book of
baptisms, marriages, and burials. It appeared from the
evidence, that Lees and Pilling were drinking at a pub-
lic house in Padihans on the night of the 4th of Sept.
that, about two o'clock the following morning, after
being seen in the churchyard with three or four men
who had the church books in their hands, Leer passed
through the streets with a surplice on huzzaing. In the
morning the register books, prayer-book and bible were
found in the churchyard, all mutilated, the leaves hay-
ing been torn in various directions. The velvet crimson
cloth on the communion table was also mach cut, and
the cupboard which contained the gowns opened. It
was stated that whilst at the public house Lees damned
the Minister and Vestry men—declared that he would
make Heaven frown over both Parson and Church be•
fore morning, and pulled out of his pocket a knife, with
which he said be would do execution. NOevidence was
adduced to implicate Pilling in the serious affair; but
witnesses were called to prove an alibi. Lees, on being
asked if he had anything to offer in his defence, re-
plied in the negative; but a whites.; was also examined
on.his behalf to prove an alibi. The CHAIRMAN then
addressed the Jury : he pointed out the law of the case,
as it applied to the charges is the indictment, and
dwelt at considerable length on that of the defence
which related to the attempted proof of alibi, observing
that it would be almost miraculous if in boil cases the
circumstances by which the alibi was intended to be
proved, should have occurred, as stated by the witnes-
ses. The law had fixed the penalty of transport.4l n
for fourteen years upon persons guilty of ma tilating the
registers belonging to any Church or parochial Chapel,
and he doubted whether the Court had the power to
mitigate the sentence. The Jury retired, and were in
consultation nearly half an hour. On their return they
delivered a verdict of Guilty against L es, and nut
iGuilty against Palling. Sentence of transportation for
fourteen years was accordingly pronounced upon Lees,
and Pilling was discharged. The trial lasted five hours,
during which time the Court was mach crowded.