The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-09-25 00:00:00

POLICE.

Marmon Hausa.—Yesterday a girl named Maria Wel-
lignex, was brought before the LORD Alava'', charged with
having aPempted suicide.
• It was stated that scarcely a day passed ',Wield witness-
ing at'empts of the kind. That on Sunday morning the
.1..f-rilaut took a boat at Billingsgate, and desired to cross
Il.e wa'er. The moment the boat got into the middle of
the stream, she sprung no and plunged into the river, and
was saved with much difficulty by the waterman, to wimps
when slw was brought to shore, she declared that she woe
. determined to die, and would try it agaio.
In answer to the LORD MAYOR'S questions, she said she
was tired of her life, which for several years had been a
very miserable one. She had been atsersice in Berkshire I
was seduced, abandoned, and obliged to go upon the town.
She was taken info keeping soon but the man whose
she lived with drank hard, ran out of his property, and
turned her away, because she refused to prostitute hermit
for his support. She had no hope of gcttlog into service,
—wool., no longer be a prostitute, and could not endure to
return home.
The LORD MAYOR thought the CM worthy of Mrs. Fry's
attention. and remanded the prisoner for an investigation
of her misfortunes before that benevolent lady..
Csr Lion:Atte—A sturdy healthy young man, named Metro
Hodges, has been before the sitting Alderman, Sir. S. U.
ticaTaa, Hart. 4 both yesterday end on Tuesday, and is
:till detained in custody, under ciectrinstaners which he,
is ith no small display of talent and acuteness, complaint of
BS harsh, unjust, and illegal.
The prisoner is a Polander, in a wretched state as to
cleanliness rind attire, and with his unborn beards bege
whiskers, and shaggy head of lair, is sufficiently alarm-1
in g.
BartholomeW Scanlan, a patrol of Castle-Daynard Ward,
asured that about 11 o'clock on Monday night, he observed
two persons in the avenue leading to Paul's-wbarf, and
knowing it to be no thoroughfare, but only a way to
the river, he tient down to look after them. One of them
(the prisoner) on his approach retired into a public privy-
the other, a young man in the employ.of gentleman who
:
has premises on the wharf, told him the prisoner had been
lurking about titer, for above bag an hour, and looking
np at their warehoute in a way that led him to suspect he
was after no gond. Ile (the patrol) did not then disturb
the prisoner, linttold the young man he would look dawn
again on his return, and it he found the man still lurking
abont. lie would then take him in custody. He did return
in about hail' an hoar, and finding the prisoner there, he
took him in custody and as he refused, both to him and
to the constable at the watchhouse, to give any account
what lie wanted at the wharf, he was seat to the Compter.
Scanlan hail taken him in custody from the same spot,
order similar circumstances, the latter end of July
The prisoner, app levelly an intelligent man, and per-
fectly master of the Enklish language, which he speaks
vcraluently, though with a strong foreign accent, when
asked what answer he had to this charge, replied, with a
lonic & manner of much indignation—" What is my offence?
I have done nothing to warrant my being brought here."
Sir CLAUDIus.—You are found at an unseasonable hoar,
lurking—
Prisoner (hastily interrupting).—What do yon call
lurkins ? I nos not lurking. The place is a public way,
a,:11 I was on my own business. It is not just to say I was
!tithing. What law hive I broken that !should be stopped.
by this man?
Sir Cs sum rs.—As yon seem to know something about
the law. you shall hear what law you have broken.
Mr.. Vivre, the. Magistrate's clerk, then read the clause
from the last Vagrant Act, " that all night walkers wan-
&deg in the public streets or public highways, not giving
a satisfactory account of themselves, shall he deemed idle
and disoiderly persons; and it shall he la wfoil for any
• justice of the peace tocommit such offenders to bard labou'r
ir. the lonise of correction for one month."
Sir CLavoius.—New you hear the law, and this is not
the first time yes have been brought for this offence.
Prisoner.—That lathe worse: this is the third time that
have been brought here without haying committed any
offense.
Sir CLAVDIC3.—Every guilty man says be is inno-
cent. Your offence is, that you were found wandering
about at
Prisoner.—lVanderingl Now you cali it wandering. 1
was not wandering. What is wandering?
Sir CLAU DIVS.—The officer swears you were; and by the
law you are tube dealt with as an idle and disorderly per-
son, unless you give a good account of yourself. What are
you ? How do yon get your luring?
Prisoner.—l don't think you have a right to ask me
those questions. 1 don't choose to disclose my private
affairs.
Aftsr much more conversation of this sort, Hodges still
conterdins he had committed no offence, and therefore .at
hound to give any account of himself, the Magistrate re-
mewled him till yesterday.
On his re-appearance at the bar, Sir CLAUDIUS asked
him if ha was now willing to give any account of him-
self. -aril bow be gat his living.
Prisoner.—Yes. I say I have some resources from
which I derive a small income, and on that I maintain
myself.
CLAUDIUS..-.-TIIIS is saying nothing. What are the
stare of your resources ? Your very appearance is enongh
to alarm people at night, and shows you are not getting
roacii. i.e law will not permit persons of your appear-
arce to be lurking—
Prisoner (interrupting.)-1 was not lurking. What the
patrol calls lurking is not lurking, and it is wrong to call
it Ito-king, though my appearance is low.
r. PAINE here interposed, and endeavoured at some
length to impress upon the prisoner, that the magistrate
could have no wish to do him any disservice, but on the
contrary, and that it was the imperative duty. of the
sffieers of the. night to take up persons found in his shim-
tiro:, all ail that was required of him now was to satisfy
the •Cragistrate that he bad the means of maintaining
himself honestly. It was not from any desire of
.prying
into his affairs, but to justify the magistrate in • dis.
charging him.
F. t=uner (very sarcastically).—That is a very good speech,
Sir, t.ct somewhat too long. I deny that I have committed
any offence, and am not therefore bound to disclose my
chairs ai.d means of living.
Sir CLAUDI:S.—WeII, I have not time to argue further
with you now. You shall he brought up again toonorrow,
when you will probably find, unless you are prepares to
give a better account of yourself, that the law says you
hive committed au offence.
The prisoner again remonstrated, and was removed from
Sc bar.
Cott'-STREET.-131:RGLAIIV AND EXTENSIVE ROBBERY

Yesterday, two lads of the name of Boy. Archer and Cur.
wilts* DOnoraa. were brought up by Goodwin and another
officer, on suspicion of being concerned in breaking into
the dwelling•hoose of. Mr. Dobbin, a baker, at I,:tyton•
:tone, in Essex, and stealing Ihnk notes and other
Property: to the amount of &int. on the evening of the
13.1, instant.
ll* Officers said they had apprehended the prisoners
;.•.trit-retret Information, and had no doubt they should he
..ule to 040 eridence on a fature day ; but it *mild be ine•
lambent as itesent to state the nature of the. information
neon which they had acted. •
Archer, when asked if he lad any thing to say, Of
. I teed be knew nothing of the robbery. and could prove
hat Le nes at work in London on the night that it was
„nohi!ted.
thmoyan merely said-4 Was not that way at all at the.
• ime of the robbery.--They were both committed for re.
es iminadon.
ilarroN UanneN.—Mt. itcasj. Capper, a- barrister, who