Star.
London, England, 1829-12-16 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

M A NSIOk- H OUSE.
A young woman, of interesting appearance, accompanied by
another female, who had a floe infant in her arms. attended at the
Justice-room to complain against the officers of St. Stephan's, Cole.
man-street, for having refused to continue the customary allowance
towards the maintenance of her child.
The girl bad been seduced, and the father of the child had given
security, which was satisfactory to the officers, for its support, being
well able to bear the expense. He bad, however, lately taken it
into his head to endeavour to remove the child from the female
who bad the care of it, and to place it under the superintendence of
his own mother. To this arrangement the complainant had every
possible objection. The child was in perkct health, and the cons.
pisinane had facilities of watching over it which she could not have
if the father's objects were acceded to. She was in service, and
would contribute all she could towards its maintenance herself.—
The officers, however, saw no objection to the change, and the
consequence was the pay stood still.
The parialt-officers said it was their duty to take care that the
parish should escape the burden of maintaining an illegitimate child.
They did not see that the child ran any hazard of ill-treatment from
the grandmother and father, and thought that the request might as
well be complied with, and they suggested to the Lord Mayor the
propriety of conceding it.
The Loin MATOS asked the complainant why she objected to the
proposal? The young woman said she apprehended that her infant
would not be kindly treated, and her reason for thinking so was
that the grandmother had declared that she (complainant) had tui
bush eta to employ a wet-nurse for the child when she went out to
service, and that but for that, the little devil would have been dead,
or a " dead un," now.
It was stated that the child's nurse acted towards it with all the
affection of a mother, and had by her most singular assiduities re-
stored it from a most deplorable state to the condition in which it
now appeared. The parish officers did not deny the statement.
The Loan Maros—Then why remove it from one who has acted
with so much humanity and affection? It appears also that the
poor mother contributes every thing in her power from her scanty
earnings towards its support : besides, were I even disposed to com-
ply with the request, the law itself, with a humanity which parish
officers do not always emulate, forbids a child from being separated
•from its mother before the age of seven years, and this child is but
two years old. I have neither the power nor the inclination to in-
terfere in this case. The child could not be better off than it now
is, and you must enforce the regular payment towards its support
from the father. _ _ _

GUILDHALL
. Joseph Jima, a fireman, Wes. White, a lighterman, and John rye,
a shoemaker, attended before Mr. Alderman THOMPSON yesterday,
to account for being found in possession of the corpse of a female,
between 70 and 80 years of age.
Lock, a watchman of St. Anne's, Blackfriars, deposed, that as be
was passing through Water-lane, about half-past eleven o'clock the
preceding night, he saw three men on the opposite side of the
street, and Jones called out to him, " Come here, Lock, Pee got
a dead man." Ile replied, " You don't mean to say that you have
got a man in that basket?" the basket which Jones was carrying
on his head nut appearing to be more than two feet long. Jones
said it was so, and witness told hint he must go to the watch.
house to explain all about it.
Alderman THOMPSON—Did he tell you how he came by it?
Lock—Yes, be said be found it on the causeway at the bottom
of the steps of Mackfriars-bridge.
Alderman—Were there any clothes on the body?
Lock—No; and the face looks disfigured.
Jones, looking about him earnestly, hoped no imputation was
about to be thrown on his character.
The Alderman told him to be quiet ; and proceeded to read the
certificate of Mr. Houghton, a surgeon, who resides in Earl-street.
" This is to certify that I have examined the body of a female at
the workhouse of the pariah of St. Anne, Blackfriars, and from an
extensive injury (fracture) of the skull, with evidence of matter
having formed, resulting from inflammation consequent upon the
injury, I am of opinion that the said injury was received during
life ' • but whether by accident or wilfully, nu evidence has been
offered. From the state of decomposition of the body, probably it
may have been dead above a fortnight. It may have been listened ;
I cannot say positively."
Alderman—Well, Japes, what have you to say to this?
Jones—Good Good a.merey, what can I say?--(A laugh.)
Alderman—You can say where you found the body? Jones—
Oh, yes! I found it at the bottom of the stairs, where the Lord
Mayor and Worshipful Aldermen embark.
Alderman—How did you find it? Jones—With the left leg
sticking out of the basket. I asked these young men to poke it in,
but they bad no more "pluck" than I had. I had been at twenty
great fires, and behaved like a man, but I bad not courage to touch
the leg in the dark. (loud laughter) When I got the basket up to
the gas-light, I did put it in, and then carried the basket on my
head till I met the watchman.
Alderman —What were you doing down the steps at that hour ?
Jones—Going to-bcd.
Alderman—What lin the river ! I do not understand you.—
For what purpose were you going down the steps at that hour ?
Jones—Going to bed. (Laughter.)
Alderman—ln some vessel or craft on the river?
Jones—No. (A laugh.)
Alderman—Then where do you lodge?
Jones—That's hard to.--(llere be paused. and leering round at
his companions, continued :) D—n my eyes ! you've got me into a
pretty mesa. (A laugh, as it was pretty evident he was joking.)
Alderman—Don't behave in that way Isere, Sir. What led you
to go to that spot at that unseasonable hour?
The witness explained that he and his companions went down for
a purpose which it is not necessary to particularise, and that they
discovered the basket at the water's edge, but dry.
Pye and White gave a similar account, and said they had been
drinking together at the Three Castles. on St. Andrew's-hill, for
three hours previously to going to the Bridge.
The Annaastarr, after talking the matter over with the clerks,
said there was no ground for detaining thve men, and the inquiry
as to the death of the female would be taken up by the Coro-
ner's jury.
Jones—l shall be knocked to hell by the old women of Black-
friars, if they supposel am a body-snatcher. I hope your Wor-
ship thinks there is no imputation on my character—(laughter.)
Alderman—There is none. You will attend the inquest to state
all you know.—The case was thus dismissed.
BO W-STRE ET.
Among the charges at this office yesterday was the follow hog
violent assault on a new policeman :
A man named Jeremiah Eerroirwhilst attempting on Monday
night to rob the cellars of the Crown and Thistle public house, its
Chandos-street, was perceived by police-officer Wood, who im-
mediately went up to take him into custody ; the ruffian taking
advantage of his being unarmed, instantly seised a bottle of
wine, and struck him in a barbarous manner on the head, and
then tried to escape, but was taken into custody by another
officer. The poor man was taken up in a senseless state, and
the wounds were so severe that his life was at first despaired of ;
however, from the surgeon's certificate, hopes are entertained of
his recovery. He was considered by Mr. Thomas, the Superin-
tendent, as one of the most efficient men of Ids division, and it was
las intention to have recommended him to the Commissioners for
roma:Wm—The examination was postponed all Thursday, in or-
der to ascertain the state of Wood, and the prisoner remains in
custody.

WOES H I P-STREET.
'Pillion Steer, who keeps a hair-dresser's shop in Sun-street, w.ts
yesterday charged with having attempted to murder his wife. It
was stated that the wife was suspended by a hook, and her husband
pulled her lags, until by their weight and the struggles of the woman
the book came out of the wall. Being questioned upon this point,
eke admitted, but with extreme reluctance, he did pull bet :
die was excessively agitated when questioned on the subject.—The
prisoner was remanded.