Star.
London, England, 1816-09-02 00:00:00

PC BLIC SOUSES

Are public hoses licensed at Bow.street ?—The
houses within the parish in which that office is sites-
ted, but not by the Magistrates in the office only, but
such others as may be within the district:
Have you Any principle upon which those licenses
are granted, by which you guard against their falling
into improper hands ?—With the estremest care, and
. sonsetimes approaching to injustice, as it respects the
interests of the proprietor Of the house.
Do you limit yourselves at all as to number, taking
special care that there should not be a greater num-
ber in any given street than are absolutely necessary
_lt is difficult in respect of the property to suppress
a house, excepting tW very &vinous mismanage-
ment; but it is a leading object with us, never to in-
crease their number; a public house has never, I
believe, tar years, been added in that district.
Is not the Strand within the district of Bow-street ?
—Not for the licensing.
In what district is that The liberty of the Duchy'
of Lancaster principally ; some part in the parish of
St. Martin, and some in the Savoy.
Is Bedford-street within your district I—lt is.
Are there not three new gin-shops set up in that
neighbourhood, one formerly the Wheauheaf chop-
house, the corner of a court, one down an alley in the
,Adelphi, and the Cock sad Bode public house
think they must be old licensed houses; I am certain
that no new license can have been greeted and Conti.
aped at Bow-street to a house so employed.
What it the nature of the security you demand, or
the examinatinn as to the character of the party, be-
.before you license a public-house I—The Act of
Parliament has described the certificate for that

purrse.
lo which you scrupulously attend 3—No license
was ever granted without that certificate.
Or renewed t.Not the certificate every year, bat
every year a recognisance, with two sureties, is re-
quisite s the certificate is.of the clergyman and over-
seers, or three substantial inhabitants.
Which certificate is constantly demanded as a
matter of course;--It is always brought as a matter
course;of the petition. cannot be seen without it ; it
is a part.of the Act of Parliament.
Have there not been repeated complaints of out-
rages having occurred, and riot, and the most profli-
gate scenes of debauchery and vice, in the Rose
pfiblie-bouse, in Rosv-street, Covent/garden. near
Long-acre ?—I have given orders to all the officers
in Dow•street to be particularly watchful of that
•
loose, within this fortnight.
Was not that house verbally presented by the Ma-
gistrates of Clerkenwell last year ?...That house, I
think, was denied its license last year but one, on the
.fisat day of the licensing.
Do you recollect why it was granted afterwards,
The keeper of the house was changed, and a re.
potable 1111/11 brought in.
Does it not occur-to you. that there is no fraud so
easy to be practised, and that in point of fact thetwis
none so uniformly' practised, as where it complaint is
laid against a house, that there should be a nominal
abandonment of it by the tenant; and have you not
heard that the phrase that issued is, that “ the stone
walls carry no sin;" and that if the tenant is change
ed, the license is renewed, and the old practigal
before complained of, still continue ?—The term ill
entirely new to me ; but if a house gets completely
reformed, and there is an expectation of the house
getting completely reformed, and the keeper of it is
emoved, in tenderness to the property the license is
frequently continued.
AM there not at this present moment, in the ins.
mpfilit4Aimeicc 1 die Police Office, many houses

lime the we"
_owl lowest_ description of people
assemble, wSiellare the common receptacle of thieves
in the day time. and of thieves and prostitutes at
night, which are kept open the Whole night lint, end
which must of course be known to every tanner or
patrols at Bow-street l—Wbeneier a house so con-
ducted has been presented, to me, I have uniformly,
as far as my own influence went, endeavoured to
suppress its I do not now merely speak of the district
of Covent-garden, which is a very confined one.
Have you arty doubt that at this present moment.
if Bow-street officers did their duty, a great pro-
portion of those small public boars Of gin-shops.
from the thieves that are harboured there, and the
crimes that ate daily and nightly con:inkiest. ought
to be shut up ?—I always desire notice to be given
me of any house so conducted, and I exert my utmost
endeavour to have it completely suppressed.
Do yoi not believe that there ire at this moment
a great number of houses, such as the question de-
scribes, within your district,?--There are pobikr.
houses not very regularly conducted; but whenever',
they can be btotight within the correction of the
whenever they come to the knowledge of the Magi!
stratas, such prosecution is directed. •
Do you not know that there have been houses,
licensed for years, that have had for years al worst
passible character ?—Certainly not within my koow-
ledge.
Will you take upon yourself to say, that for the
last two years there has not been any house licensed
at Bow-street which has a character such as has been
before given to it ?--Ronnd, about Covent-garden
market, where persons arrive at very early hours in
the morning orate hours at night, for theobjeets ot
the market, hOtISOS are opened which perhaps may be
abused to licentious purposes; but at the time of
licensing, we always reprove or correct, or supper
them, so as in our expectation to MOO! reform.
You have stated, that the.Clergynsan of the parish
always signs the certificate of his knowledge of the
good character and condnct of the person claiming
the license 1--The Clergyman or three inhabitants;
that applies to the character of the person petitioning
for a license to open a new house.
Is it not Within the cognizance of the police ? and
if it is within their cognisance, bow do you account
for the neglect that there are public.houses within
the immediate vicinity of Bow.street, in which the
most abandoned women and thieves, as well as boys
who are in the training of those thieves, assemble,
and nightly sally forth from those resorts to commit
their depredations ?—There are three grounds upon
which public-houses are later in the neighbourhood ,
of Covent-garden than any where else: one reason
is, the market, which is a nightly resort; another.
the public theatres, which are open at late hours.;
the third, the watering houses of hackney coachmen,
which the theatres bring in great numbers from every
part of the town : into those houses persons of the
description named in the question naturally intrude
themselves : but the Magistrates ate daily in the
habit of checkin4 and reproving the keepers of them;
and at the licensing time; unless they have 11115011 to
expect a reformation. the houses themselves would be
suppressed.
. Have you, in point of fact, the last licensing day,
taken away-any number of licenses for the 'misbeha-
viour of the persons holding those houses or have
you in fact had them punished in any way. practi-
cally putting your threats into execution ?—I have
sat in Bow-street foe licensing only two years s I am
not quite in the recollection of bow many but Ism
sure some houses have been suppressed, and others
entirely reformed; for I recollect now a house that
was turned into an inn, that was before a gin-shop
and a house of ill-fame
.: I remember that the Rose
public-house was stopped at one time, though I can-
not recollect the circumstances, more than above

stated.
Are there not two houses, the one in Drury•lase
and the other in Wild-street, which have been over
and over again reported to the Bow-street office as
being the resort of thieves ?-I do not recollect the
case; but I am persuaded there are houses in Drury-
lane which are open to complaint every hour of the
day and eight, and the difficulty of correcting them
is very great; people are put in by the proprietors of
the estate, who, it may be hoped, will conduct them-
selves with propriety but the places now named are
in the County. not in the City of Westminster.
Are there many public-homes in London in the
hands of the brewers I—The brewers and distillers,
either as security for the money advanced to the
nant upon his coming in, or for the liquor they en•
trust him with, and perhaps sometimes to obtain al
preference in the custom, get possession of the leases,'
and those are vary numerous : the worst conducted
houses are often the most valuable, on. account of the

greater consumption.
Do you conceive the stopping the licensing of
houses which are the common receptacle of thievy
and vagabonds would promote the well being of so.
' ciety so entirely think so, that, having beenect.,
ing more than 30 years as .a Magistrate in this County.
I have unilonnly endsavottred to suppress houses of
such resort.
Can you state to the Cosistitteo any change or al.
tOritioll in the law, is that aspect. which you think
advisable '—Every petsoo jib° behaves well while he
is there has so much right to go into a publiabouil
for his refreshments, that lidow of no legislatiye.
provision that could reach the evil of the bad essoss.-
dons that may arise, till they break into rio!.. •
Do you not- thirsk that if regular information was
laid before the Magisesas‘ of such and such heeds
being the resort al thieves and people of these
description, son* sande of proceeding night be
Out to put a stop to those avils. and to the
bilge of persons otherwise than the law preecelbsiti
.45 such houses are kept op= at late bona,
tioded with riots or disturbances. theirAti'i.
would reach there, aod they WO at the
brought under thO4OffeCtiOo Of ;the Magistrate..
You must be aware that there might be a kusiaill
of many months. daring the whole of whieh seen*,
of riot and licestkittssess 'Might go co iti those psblic.
houses, and there iibuld this be no remedy against
them till the licensing days do yea det.think that 1
sew plan might be devised by which those scenes et
riot and lianuousneu might be stopped during that
period I—These is a clause in the licensing Act of
Parliament. '26 Geo. 11. which says, that if any
haw is conducted so as to Waive a forfeiture of the
..Muse, a Magistrate may adjudge that, and return
iissoord nit to Or mg Se k** what" girprarais

•

with a Jog may cotry that forfeitttro Into tfect,And
the licensed person is rendered incapable of keeping
a public.bouse for three years from that time.
'Noce you have been in Bow-street, have you ever
known that law put in execution i—Not in Bow.
street; but I have often threatened it, and heretofore
.ptit it in execution
Are you aware that there are certain public-houses
within your district which are not frequented by re.
spectable persons, but by thieves and prostitutes ?
Respectable persons are not those only for whom
public-houset are provided : people may be reduced
to their last penny, who may want refreshment ; they
Sp open for the poor more than the rich, and labori-
!us persons more than any othdr description.
Are there not houses which are solely opened for
thieves and prostitutes, in which they live; not that
skay*.go there for the purpose of occasional refresh.
went, but in which they pass.their time—There is
;;;u a district is this Countywhere the Magistrates
would not immediately suppress such a house.
Then you take upon yourself to say, that there is
,no home within your district subject to such objet.
Ton ?--The moment they came to the knowledge of
the Magistrates they would be suppressed.
Could they exist with a hundred patrole, without
coming to the knowledge of the Magistrates I—lf
they came to the knowledge of the Magistrates, the
law would be put into force immediately; or at the
vneral licensing time they would be suppressed.
Do yOu believe that they exist, and young* know
of them I—lf they.existed in a shape amenable to the
'laws, I think I shOuld know of them ; and I am sure
I should suppress them as far as the law enabled me.
Then, to the best of your klowledge, they do not
exist amenable to the laws 1--1 think houses calcula-
ted for the succour of the poor, or the laborious part
of the community, will, necessarily, almost, fall into
abuses.
. Do you not knew that there are some called
a clash houses," solely used by thieves and prosti.
totes ?--1 do not know that there are; and if I did,
I would, as far as the law enables me, Immediately
arites them.
not an established known fact in the Police
Office, that there ant houses, such as have been de-
scribed, which are frequented by thieves, and people
of the worst description; and to which resort the
police officers go just as regularly si a Gentleman
goes to his preserve, in his manor, to find game i—lf
I say the officers look to those places, it implies that
those places exist; but I believe they do not exist
upon system : I think the Magistrates, I am sure I
*myself would, by every contrivance find out evidence
that should justify the Magistrates in their suppres-
sion of such houses; and I believe the Magistrates
are extremely desirous of discovering an opportunity
to do It at all times. I would go any lengths to ob-
tain the evidence. I seed police officers to every
licensing meeting, to give evidence against houses
that have come to my knowledge as encouraging a
resort of thieves. There is no feeling in Bow-street
to nurse such pleats, either in the Magistrates or
!Pm
Do not the Police Officers frequent those houses,
knowing them to be the assemblage of thieves ?
They go into them, to seek for thieves whom they
know are likely to associate at a particular place. A
man discharged at the Old Bailey, yesterday; for a
robbery, would go the same night to the place where
he was last taken into custody : probably to see his
laid associates, and to receive their congratulations, or
paths's, if he is distressed, for a little money; or he
will go there to be treated by his friends; and, I fear
more commonly in furtherance of his former crimes.

Matmuow Hournt.—/fresstreag and Ginn, the two
pickpockets apprehended by the LORD MAYOR on
Thursday night, were brought up for a second esa-
mipation, but in consequence of the absence of ano:
ther Magistrate, and it being necessary that his Lord-
ship himself should give evidence, the prisoners were
again remanded.

, J. liutchitu was committed
for trial, charged by Mr. Waithman, jun. with pick.
ing his pocket of a silk handkerchief, in Fleet-street.
bow srasarr.—Saturday Charlotte Grecs and David
Mors were re-examined, the former being charged
with having stolen a ISO note, and a silver watch,
from a Mr. Newbnit, and the latter with having re-
ceived the same, knowing them to have been stolen.
They were tally committed.
Bend O'Brita and May his wife, were committed
for Uttering base coin.
Quali.eauwas. —ldevard Broad, a hackney coach-
man, was brought up to answer a charge by Colonel
Robert Steel. The Colonel said, that on going to
hire the defendant's coach, the waterman said it was
be (the Coloaen who took a coach to Hyde Park
, Corner and back on Thursday night, and would not
pay any more.tban a shilling, and advised the coach-
man not to go with him. The defendant was driving
Off the stand, when he remonstrated with him, and
stopped the horses. The defendant directly struck
him, and used the most blackguard and abusive lan-
guage poi.sible. He was held to b.il to answer the
complaint at the ensuing Sessions.
HATTON 'GARDZN. —Saturday William Gibbs, a
young fellow about 18 years of age,, was charged
with robbing a black man, who sells matches about
the tows. On Friday the poor man was counting
the predate of the day in a field near the New-road,
Mishit amounted to four shillings and two-pence,
when the prisons* and three others forced the money
froarhirs, and ran away. The prisoner was taken in
coosaqsence of the black's description of his person.
He was fully committed.
'IUNOON HALL--Saturday a respectable young man
named Alp* was brought before Mr. Sat.t.ox, by
GoEsad Iran, charged with violently assaulting and
besting' Mary Moss, a young woman who lives an.
Tent at the King's Arms public-house, in Bennett.
street, Blackfriart. He denied having any knowledge
of the transaction, and said he should be able to prove!
be was in bed by . mina o'clock 90 the evening in
ciseation.
..114ILSONOVOWITRINC—Jfary Scott was brought
before the Sitting Magistrate, by the officers belong-
lig to the parish of Si. Gil:Wu-the-Fields ,charged
wall most wanton and inhuman treatment to her in-
fast, step child, a little girl about four years of age,
by violently beating her, and for burning her in the
nostrils, and on the neck, face, Ingather parts of the
body, with: lamp or candle, in a most shocking and
brutal manner The prisoner was committed to the
, HOWLOL Coneeion foe WO 41 she swains loosiolis..,