The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-10-08 00:00:00

POLICE.

MANSION-HOI:4III..—STAGE COAClllM—Yesterday the
Justice-room was crowded, the decision upon this sob-
jell, the evidence upon which appeared in our paper
last week, being appointed to take place. The cam-
): taint was made by the WO/coy coach proprietors,
and stated that they bad snstaioed great inmry in coo-
affluence of the practice upoo the part of the stage
roach proprietors of Idling up and settinz down pas-
sengers at shorter distances than those they were le-
;:.:1:y appointed to run.
Ct..tr4t. Hearndet., owner of the Kentish-town stage,
No. 3.647, was the person summoned to answer the
eon pl-int, which was ;aid for a violation of the act on
the 9th of September last.

Sfr. Paine attended to conduct the prosecution for
the hackney coach proprietors. Mr. Adolphus and
Andrews attended as counsel for the proprietors
et the stage coaches ; and Mr. Sykes, of the Stamp-
off.co stage coach department, as solicitor.
Mr. lictro shortly stated the cage for the prosecu-
tion, which be said was brought under the act of the
let of G .o. I. for the regulation of hackney coaches,
in which it was enacted, that no person should pre-
sume to stand or ply for hire within the bills of mar-
taiity. with any hackney coach or other velticie.with-
out being duly licensed by the commissioners of the
hackney coaches, under a penalty of 51. The charge
against tbs defendant was, that he had presumed to
ply for hire wi.hout being licensed. and a convimion
was relied spon, as the abovmmentioced act had nut
been repealed.
The evidecee of two hackney coach owners, who
deposed to the shove stated effect, and that the de-
fendant had plyed rear the Bank for hire, to go to
Camden or Kentish 'sown, and by plying, obtained,
seven passengers, was then read over. The defence,
in which it was plea ed that the defendant had a li.
cense to carry passenger, from the foot of Highgate-
bill to the Bank, and that for that privilege he paid
to the commissioners 2s. 6J. each journey, a tax et
I 01. per annum wheel duty, and a tax of 2/. 51. for
each coachman, besides the license duty.
After hearing counsel, the LORD MAYOR consulted
with Mr. nobler. the chief clerk, and the City Soli-
citor, after which he announced that he considered the
ps ectice of the defendant legal; the section of the act
cited having been repealed by subsequent acts. The
decision of course cot.firms the right of the short
stages to ply for passengers.
Cuit.nom.L.—The sweepiege of goldsmiths and
jeicellers' workshups, containieg small particles of vs.
dons valuable metals, it is the 'tractile to collect to-
gether and melt the metallic contents into what is
technically called a skillet, which differs firm what is
called an ingot only in shape. This is subseqiently
sold to the refines, who estimate its value by the as.
say. Some of the most respectable refiners have lately
discovered that the contents of the skillets have, i•
1 'entente', turned out to be of considerably less
valise than bad appeared by the assay. The trick
practised formed the subject of a case which occurred
yesterday at this office, before Sir CHARLES Phowea,
the sitting Magistrate.
A young man, of respectable appearance. who gave
Lis name Eaton, and on whose behalf a soli-
citor attended, was charged by Mr. Brown, of stir

i 17121 of Brown and Brind, refiners, No. 30, Wood-
street, Cheapside, for an attempted fraud.
The prisoner, he stated, had frequently b►ougltt
them metal for sale. On the 28th of S,ptember he
cattle as usual with a skillet for them to make what
is termed a parting aseay of it to know its value. This
was gene rehy done by tilting off a small piece from
one of the censers. from the assay of which the whole
maws was valued. It happened, however, in this in-
:lance that the piece for the assay was cat ont of one
cf the sides, and contained so trifling a portion of va•
luable me..'. as not to be worth more than 20d. an
IVh..n the prisoner called to know the result,
he expressed mach surprise at the small value sat upon
the contents of the skillet, and said that he under-
stood it to be worth at least 255. an ounce. This
led to a more minute in►pection of the skillet, which
ass found to be made up for the express purp..se ofl
fraud and deception. The interior of the mass was of
Mile or no value; it was g Ily coated with metal
somewhat more valuable, and at the corners, from
whence the part to be assayed was expected to be
taken. pirct s containing particles of gold was neatly,
soldered on, and had ►he assay been made from one
et thene corr.trt, the whole skillet would have been
v. ;th-d at gas. as ounce.

Messrs. Brown mud Co. bad been deceived in this
s% ay several times before, and they believed it metal
porcir.ss-d from the prisoner. They had, however, no
pet of this to produce; and unfortunately, in the pre-
,Pet instance, the fraud was not completed, as no
•Ner had bcen paid to Eaton.
Mr. IletP., jun. of Long•acre, produced part of a
sitaitar skillet, which bad been purchased at their
hense from the prisoner, and for which he bad re-
Lei red the estimated value. The money had, how-
erer, been paid, rot by him, but by his brother, who
was at presort a great distance from town.
As this transaction took place in the county, the
Xsiermac, even had the evidence been present, eobld
rot have taken cognizance of it. The ptisoner was
t!.erefore discharg,ed, with a recommendation from the
A hicrman that he should be taken directly before a
magietrate of the county. 'Phis it was at first pro-
posed to do. but as the necessary evidence against
bias in Mr. Bette's case could not be coovenientty pro
cured for some weeks, he was ultimately permitted to
at large. The officers, however, say they know
where to find him, and he will therefore yet probably
not escape punishment.
quirgar SQUARB.—LitidgCt W..7:4/1 was charged with
pawning several articles, the properly of
j.i OW/. Henry Deacon, Esq. of Wiiopule-streer.
It appeared that the family of Mr. Deacon went into
the country about two months ago, and a few days after-
wards the servant, who was left in charge of his house,
pave the prisoner, who was generally employed by Mr.
llereon as a charwoman, a pair of tine linen sheets, a
set of n bite bed furniture, and a brown Holland sheet to
wash, ii.esiring her to get them thane as soon as possible.
About dire.: weeks afterwards the prisoner's sister called
at the house, and said, that the prisoner had sent her to
request, that if any more things were to he washed, she
would let her havethem then, us she was making a large
wash, and would get them up and bring them house al.
together. The servant accordingly gave her then a new
pair of linen sheets, just made np, and a table cloth, and
~col.ling her fur nor having returned the others, desired
they might ail be got featly as soon as possible. —About

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'fortnight 3f13 she sent to the prisoner, desiring that the
things might be sent home, as the family were (Idly ex-
pected in town; and an answer was retutrited. that they
should be sent the moment they were really. The family
at length came home, and the things not haying been
returned, the nt informed her master of the whole
affair. As soon as he heard what hail happenod. Mr.
Deacon, accompanied by a servant, went to the pri-
soner'iplace of residence at 4, Stratton Ground, and
spoke to her on the subject, when she immediately gave
him the duplicates of the things which she had pledged,
each article separately on different dart, at intervals of
four or fire days, in her own name, at M . Graham
and Stock's, pawnbrokers, in Strutton Gruen&
Air. Deacon said that he had employed the prisoner
for I years occasionally as a char.w ..... aa. and haul
recommended her to several families in which she had
been employed in a similar capacity, and tip to that mo-
ment he entertained the highest opinion of her integrity,
for she had been at his and wher houses ashen articles of
plate aid other valuable property had lain ahout, io her
n ay, and in no instance had she been known to steal or
make array with any thing. %Viten he went to her lodgings,
he found her and her family in a state of the greatest
distress and misery, and he was convinced that bat for
the facility afforded to persons in her situation by the
carelessness if not criminality of the pawahroltert, of
raising money, the poor creature would not have been
drawn into the commission of a dishonest act. It
was in coder to direct the attention of the Magistrates
to the conduct of the pawnbrokers, and if possible to
punish thew, that he haul brought ads business forward.
Peter Vernon" ahopman to hi . Graham and
Stocks, produced the articles before•meationed, which
were identified by Mr. Deacon and his servant. The
pair of sheets which haul been used, and the table cloth
were marked with Mr. Deacon's name at full length in
permanent ink. The shopman haying been sworn, called
over the particulars of each article, and identified the
prisoner as the person who pledged it. He believed he
took them all in himself.
The Magistrate asked him if he was not ashamed of
himself for having taken in such articles from a person
of the prisoner's condition. He said the prisoner had
I been in the habit of pawning things at the shop so long,
and he had been in the shop not more than four or five
months, that be had no suspicion of her.
Magistrate.—The things are pawned in the name of
Mary Glynn, ansl the things are marked with the name
of " J. H. Deacon."
Shopman.—l omitted to look at that corner; but I
will be more careful for the future.
Magistrate.—That will not excuse your negligence
in this instance.

Shopman.— I did not take in the sheets, I believe.
Magistrate.—You have, on your oath, spoken to
the prisoner as being the person who pawned each sr
paste article; and Ton have moreover told us that you
took them all in. 'I he first article pledged is marked
with Mr. Deacon's name, and it was your duty on see-
ing that, to have caused the woman to be detained and
inquiry to be made ; she would then have been checked
in her outset in crime; but the facility afforded her by
your negligence in that instance, has led this poor crea-
ture, in her distress, to a repetition of the crime.
The prisoner said her husband was a bricklayer's la-
bourer, and for some time past be had little or no work
to do ; she herself also had earned very little; .he bad
three children to maintain, and one they had lately bu-
ried ; and the distress in which they were placed led her
to pawn these things.
She had io her possession twenty or thirty more du-
plicates of articles pledged at the same shop, many for
sum, as low as 3d. or 4d. There were for her own, her
husband's, and her children's wearing apparel.
She we. convicted in the penalty of 395. for the value
of the articles, and 211 s. for unlawfully paining them,
and committed to Totbill-fields prison for uric intend;
until the same be paid.
I'hssbopman was then desired to request the attend.,
lance of his employers, sod ins abort time Ma. Stooks
appeared, and being told to examine the articles, was af-
terwards asked, what he bad to say for the taking of
these things io pledge, (roman& a person as the pri-
soner Wynn, who was well known to him ? He said he
supposed it was done in the hurry of business.
ie Magistrate said, that was no excuse for not hav-
ing examined the articles ; and then read the clause of
the Act 39 and 40 Oro. 111. cap. 99, sect. IL ; which en-
acts, that if any person or persons shall knowingly take
in as pledge or pawn any goods or materials iutruated to
any person to manufacture or make up, or any linen or
appirel intrusted to any person to wash, iron, mend, &c.
and shall be convicted thereof on the oath of lone credi-
ble witness, or the confession of the party or parties, be-
fore one or more Justices of the Peace, every such person
shall forfeit double the sum given or lent on the same,
for the use of the poor of the p..risb where such offence
shall he committed. It is also enacted that the things
so taken in pawn should be given up to the owner..
Mr. Stocks was therefore ordered to forfeit the sum of
sixteen shillings for the pair of marked sheets, which
hail been pledged for ds. each, and to give up the whole
of the articles to Mr. Deacon, which be instantly coin-
plied with.
Maeusonouee-sraear.--Yesterday a miserable-look-
ing being, named Pig/etre was brought np by his wife,
who charged him with committing a very gross assault
upon her.
She stated that the defendant was of such a remark-
ably indolent disposition that be could not be prevailed
upon even to work or do any thing for his wife and fa-
wily; he conti cagily went to a puhlie-liouse, and scarcely
ever wee lie sober. She, by very great exertion, had
succeeded in saving a kind of competence, and allowed
him something oat of it for his support, bnt the return
lie made for her kindness was a severe beating when and
wherever he could meet with her. Only the last week
she bad sent him a complete suit of clothee. but in a day
or two after he was seen as ragged and filthy as ever;
and on Sunday, having as usual attempted to assault
and ill treat her, she was advised to give him in charge,
as she no longer could bear with such ill treatment.
The defendant suede some kind of complaint against
his wife: but was ordered to find good bail to keep the
peace towards her. Ile was committed in default of the
required sureties.

M ART-LE•BONNE Orricir...-Yesterday nom*: Berrev,
an elderly matt, was brought up for re-examination,
charged with obtaining a quantity of plate and other
goods under false pretenees,in a very singular manner.
The case was investigated before J. RAWLINSON, Esq.,
the sitting Magistrate, and the office was crowded by
respectable persons, as the prisoner was said to be a
',waiter of a gang of swindlers who have made a very
profitable harvest by, in an extraordinary manner.
levying contributions upon housekeepers, and every
description of tradesmen.
The prisoner was apprehended on Thursday last,
by Morris the officer, and then underwent an examina-
tion, but was remanded in order to produce other
charges against him.

Front the evidence adduced no that examination
and yesterday, it appeared the prisoner on.l'ae sth of
October, 1821, look a splendidly furnished lak.use at
the rate of 1901. per annum, and obtained possession
of it on giving a reference to another of the gang (Is
we supposed), who gave Lim the highest character ;
he then applied to the house of Messrs. Wheel, gi
ward-street, Partinan•square, general dealer, and eh
itaiord from them, on Lice, plate, bed and table linen-