The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-10-15 00:00:00

POLICE.

MANSION•ROUSZ.—THE EXETER COACO ROBIRRY.--Tbt
horse-dealer who was charged on suspicion of having
uttered a number of the Birmingham Bank stolen notes,
knowing them to have been stolen, undenvent a final
examination before the LORD MAYOR ELECT.
The prosecutors bad no evidence to adduce on this
occasion beyond that already stated.
The LORD MAYOR ELUTE in taking a view of the evi-
dence adduced, said, the account given by the prisoner of
the manner be became possessed of the notes, namely, that
he took them at Croydon fair, without marking on them
or knowing the names of the persons from whom he took
them, was highly improbable, particularly as they were
not the notes of that place, and as it was well known to be
unusual to take large country notes of a distant place
from strangers., It was also a suspicious circumstance,
that the notes were sent to be changed at Watford, a place
Where it was not likely they would be known ; and
all the circumstances together formed a case of
strong suspicion against the prisoner. His Lordship,
however, was of opinion, that there was not sufficient
evidence to commit theprisoner.
The prisoner denied that any suspicion whatever ought
to attach to him, as he had been secure in his own opinion
from the fair way in which he took the notes, and paid
them sway at a place where he was kaown openly and
confidently. He bad made no concealment and had ac-
knowledged them. As to the manner in which he bad
taken them, it was well known that country notes were
constantly paid at fairs without the possibility of knowing
the person
.who paid them. The prisoner then declared
he was not satisfied that the notes lb question really had
been stolen. The statement that they bad. might be all a
hoax on the part of the bankers When be, a housekeeper,
presented a note which lie bad taken in the regular course
of business, and which were not forgeries, if the banker
chose to say they were part of those stolen from the inn-
yard, what guarantee had be (the complainant) for the
fact beyond the banker's mere word ? And was it not
possible that it might be a mere excuse to avoid paying
them? If some of the notes were offered to him that day
in business, notwithstanding all that had been said, he
should take them. He complained that he should have
been so long deprived of his liberty on such a ease.
The LORD MAYOR ELECT said, if the prisoner would act
so incautiously as to take country notes from persons of
whom he knew nothing,and took no care to know, he must
put up with such inconveniences. Circumstances might.how.
I ever, yet turn up, which would render it necessary to take
the prisoner in custody again. His Lordship thee die-
charged thearisoner.
The prisoner said he should be always found to meet any
• charge that might be preferred against him.
A young man was brought before the Loan MAYOR on a
I charge of having assaulted a young girl in the streets. The
• prosecutrix had refused some familiarity which he offored
to her, snit he, in consequence, struck her; she now said the
defendant had offered a sufficient apology. and she
• was unwilling to prosecute; but she said that she bad
herself been imprisoned. The night constable, who took
• the charge, said he did not know but that the name and
address giverr by the complainant was &talons, and,
therefore, to secure her attendance, he had locked her up
for the night, which was 'the course he adopted in such
cases.

The Loan MAYOR expressed his astonishment and indig-
nation at the statement. " What! if a female was insulted
in the streets by a fellow, and gave him into Custody, was
she also to he imprisoned for a night, because the night
constablo might not know her? Yet this might happen to
the wife or daughter of the most respectable inh4bitant
but ever. to the poorest it was a gross violation of the liberty
of the subject, which could not be eudurPd." •
The night constable said it wn not more than what he had
done throughout his constableship, and he had done it -upon
the. instructions he received from the Deputy of the {Yard',
(Cornhill.)
The Loan MATOR immediately sent for the Deputy, who
attended, and stated that the night constable had grossly
mistaken his instructions, which were, not to liberate
" defendants," and not complainants, without good bail.
Upon an assurance that the practice should not continue,
his Lordship allowed the case to pass with a reprimand
to the sight constable.
HATTON•OARDIM.—StIspiCiOn being entertained that the
burial ground' for the poor belonging to the parish of St.
James, Clerkenwell, had recently been disturbed by some
' rude-violators of the sanctuary of the grave,Mr.Jobn Scott's
the churchwarden, appointed a watch, the report,of whom
confirmed his suspicions; and he accordingly, last Monday
night, resolved on watching himself. The result was the
apprehension of three persons, who were yesterday morn-
ing brought to this'office. They gave their names William
Thomas, Thomas Kelly, and John Shearing, alias Shear.

MGM ,
From the depositions it appeared that two bodies were,
on the day preceding, interred in one grave. A arum one'
o'clock on the following wonting, the parties on watch.
heard dis:inctly a noise as if proceeding from the striking
of a.spade against a pion.. They immediately determined
on enteringlthe ground and securing whoever they foundthere;
awl to prevent any possible escape, parties were stationed to
watch at the corner of the ground. The party, on entetiag
the ground,. found, on attempting to open the lock of
the gate, something within resist the key, and which after
ward a they found to be a skeleton key left by the body!.
stealers is the key bole.. In consequence, before they could
enter, a delay and noise was made. so that on their getting
within the ground, they saw the men running towards the
lower part of the ground, and immediately after betted &
sound as if of some heavy body dropping into a qaantity of
water. This sound was repeated thrice, and was discovered
to proceed from the dropping of the prisoners into the
Fleet-ditch, which rims along at the boundary of that part
of the burial ground. On their attempting to get out of
the ditch, they were secured by some of the party on watch
outside.
I'4e-4e:too, as soon as day break, searched the burial
ground, where he found two coffins on the surface of the
earth, one of which was empty. 'f he contents of the
empty coffin were found close by, concealed within a sack..
Mr. Sergeant Stiraaar considered the evidence sufficiently
conclusive to warrant him in committing the prisoners. •
Mr. F. B. Singleton and Mr. John Singleton were
brought op by Read, jun., under a warrant of assault. .1
Mr. Mason, shopman to Mr. Post, ironmonger, at Isling-
ton, stated, that they had been induced to give credit on
the plansible.story told by the elder Mr. Singleton, bat
%bleb account, for reasons that bail subsequently occurred
to them, they felt anxious to obtain. Repeated calls had
been made, but no money being forthcoming, Mr Mason
at last declared he would stay till he was paid. This being
inconvenient to Mr. Singleton, he, with the aid of hit
son, forcibly ejected his troublesome creditor from his
premiers.
Mr. Sergeant Sem.oar, after a patient hearing of the
ease, declared, that Mr. Singleton was perfectly justified,
alit did not appear that he had used more force than was
necessary to ellect the turning of Mr. Mason out of his
house.
• -WIEN SQUARlL—Yestetday Mr...lames Shirley, residing.
in Eaton Street. Pimlico, was charged pith obstructing
'he sentry at Buckingham Gate on Monddy evening, in
tient dutv4 whilst upon the King's guard.
Serjeant Parquet, of the Ist battalion First Regiment of
Otenadier Boards, stated that he was on duty at the
'Nerd:diorite; BUCliinkham Gate, when he saw the prisoner
coming towards the paling,- St. James's Park; and, not-
withstanding the sentry at 'Buckingham House told him he
could not go that way, he was coming over the pales, till
the sentry ran from his post to stop him; and he (the
serjeant) went to the assistance of the soldier, and gassed
the prisonet to be taken into custody. . •