The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-04-29
City Intelligence.

"A COTTON SPECULATION IN THE ToMDs.-For some
months past the merchants and c~onsignees of the cotton
planters on the Mississippi have been p~lundered Of cot
ton, by the bale, while il was on its way down the river
to New Orleans and Mobile, and although every plan has
been resorted to to detect these who'll sale thieves yet
success has rarely attended their exertions. Ia the early
part of this week a man named John r. Hicks, who had
been formerly employ ed in the capacity Of s,ew ard. &c
on board Of our canal and tow boats in this State arrived
in this city on board of the ship Edwina from Mobile, and
offered Jour bales Of cotton that he had shipped with him
for sale at various places, for the small sum Of $40 each.
His appearance, and the low price at which he offered
the cotton, induced suspicion, and Justice Ma.sell Sc.
lected that %vigilsnt officer A. NJ, C. Smith, to keep an eye
on him. Yesterday morning Smith ascertained his
whereabouts, and as luck would have 1t, soon afterw ards,
a letter was placed In the hands Of Justice Matsell from
F. Swan s. Co., Of Mobile, addressed to Messrs. T.. d.
Hurlbut & Co their correspondents of this city, stating
that four bales Of cotton had been stolen from on board
ofone of the steamboats, plying on the Mississippi by a
man who had shipped with them and himself on board Of
the Ed wilma for this port. Hicks was arrested and as the
marks on the bales ofcotton offered by him corresponded
with the description in the letter, he was fully com
mitted to prison to W al. the action Of the public authori.
ties.
The Lrors OF THE Toxs, Col. Edwards, the forgsr,
is in fine spirits, takes his meals from the victualling
house. corner of Centre and Leonard streets, daily and
feeds like an ostrich on the plains Of Zahara. Colt, the
murderer, Is laboring under a severe attack Of sore
throat and mfuenzs. He appears dull and downcast-
The other small fry, such ss somes, ote Allen, &c, dole
the time away with squirting tobacco juice and other
similar amusements.
LAWYERS OFFICES TO Lrr-Fiity stands for Police
lawyers. inclu ling space for clerk room in the rear, arc
now ready to let by the day, week, or month, including
Sundays, in the ves,ibule and on the steps Of the Egypt
ian Tombs. Apply to those lawyers on the premises
who have secured their standing places for the season.
Rent, very low, and standing boots found gratis.
Nor A CASprDArE-The statementm made in some of the
papers that Assistant. Alderman shaler, Of the Sixth
Ward, ia a candidate for the Office OF Police Justice, in the
place .of Robert Taylor, Esq, IS untrue. There are
some dozen in the field, but he 10 not one OF them.
The appointment will be made @. the meeting in join
ballot on Wednesday next.
WITNESSES IN PRrsor.-The proper authorities are
earnestly called upon to appropriate some few Of the
rooms in the upper part OF the Lower Police office, az
pl,ces wherein TO con6ne witnesses who are unable to
obtain security from their appearance at Court, and con.
seoueutly are incarcerated in the narrow and close cells
of the city prison. There are eight large rooms in the
upper part Of the Tombs, now entirely unoccupied, that
could be used for this purpose with very little expense.
The practice Of condning unrnly apprentice boys ,refrac-
tory children, and innocent Witnesses among thieves, I
robbers, and cspocke,s, is discrcditabl. TO our city,
and should be remediei without delay.
JACK HATFIELD !, rHK Tomss.-This pickpock et, wh(
IL will be remembered, was arrested, last fall, at thu
Union Race Course, by Lieutenant barley was" pulled
yesterday, by officers Low, Bowyer, and stephens
the Exchange, where he had stationed himself amol
the crowd about, the time the letter bags of the orr
Western were closing in search Of what be could