Police.
The Times, 1824-04-23T00:00:00

AIAsSromt-uousE.-The IsORi MIAYOR stated yesterday, that he bhad receivea communications complaining of various obstructions and annoyances that were experienced by tradesmen in the city, from the want of proper attention in the oflicers, in enforcing the re- gulations of the StreetActL His Lordship said, be was convinced of the injury done to the trade of the citY by the obstructions in the thoroughfares, and he ivas determined to act with vigour for the re- imoval. He directed that all the street-keepers and officers, whose duty it was to patrol the streets, should attend before him to receive instructions. He had been applied to by persons whom he believeil to be informers, to sanction their procecdings against the offenders; but he would give no such sanction. All he would say was, that he would inflict the penalty directedby the law, against every person who might be proved to have offendel against the regulations of the Street Act. BoW-stREET.-Yesterday a young man of respectableappear. ance, named Santuel Gardiner, was brought before the maguittrates, charged with committing an assault and battery upon William Rockshall. The case vras delayed for a considerable time by the non-arrival of Mr. liarmer, whom thc complainant had thought it necessary to employ to conduct the prosecution. Rockshall, a little old man, in a fustian jacket and hobnailed half-boots, swore that he was one of a large party of " sporting nmen," who on Good Friday last, mjet at Chalk Parm, to enjoy the diversion of pigeon shooting. In the midst of the sports, the de- fendant came up to him with his mouth bleeding, and seiz- ing him by thc collar, said, "You d-d old rascal, you have shot mne'' The witness dcnie1d it, and showed him his gun, which was still charged. The defendant, upon this, ran to another mna, whom he also collared and accused of having shet hins; but it was stoutly denied by the other. lWrhile they were disputing, the witness weentup to the defendant, and merely tappping him on the shoulder, assured him he had got hold of the wrong man, upon which the latter turned about and knocked him down. He got up, and the defendlant not only knocked hinm down azain, but kicked him; and then, in his own defence, he certainlv did use his gun, and knocked the defendant down. Sir R- BIRNIE.-*Vell, surelv that was sufficient retaliation with. | out punishing him also " according to law," as the phrase is. Rockshall.-No, no, Sir; he comnmitted the first assault, and there. fore I have the law on my side. Sir R. Bsrtrr E.-Perhaps you also know enough of the law to be aware that it is necessary to hear both sides. What have you to sav. Mr. Gardiner ? The defendanE stated that lie was one of the shooting varty, and while in the act of discharging his own piece, he receiv'ed part of the contents ofsonie other in hii mouth. He immediately perceived that the complainant, or a young man who stood next to him, nmust, from the position in which thev weie placed, have been the assail. ant, and he accused Rockshaif, but was instantly satisfied at seeing his piece still loaded. He then seized the young man, and accused him, and he denied that lie had fired hispiece at all; buton examin. ng it, he found the pan and muzzle still smoking. WVhile he was still talking and thieatening to take himbeforea magistrate, Rock. shall came behin.4, and with the but-end of his gun struck him a blow on the head, whichi brought him to the ground in a senseless state,andbroke the gun in twwo pieces. Drummond, the patrol, produced the gun, which was broken asunder at the lock. Mir. HALLS examined the gun, which is a verv stout one, and obsetved that either that roust bc very de'cective, o'r lMr. Gardiner's head particularly strong. Mr.Gardiner said that nothing but the breaking ofthegun prevent. ed the blow from being fatal. A witness corroborated the defendant's statement, and said that the blow felled him as though he had k;een shot through the head. Sir R. BinNrg said he had seldom met with a more impuient attempt than this to turn the proper course of justice. The defend. ant had been shot in the mouth, and very naturally seized upon the person who, in his judgment, was the offelnder; andI for doing so, the complainant had almost fractured his skull, and nowl had the face to proceed against him by law for an asault. lr appeared, in the course of fuirther inquirr, that the person who actuAlly shot Mr. Uardiner, %nd wbom thelatter seized, was Rock- shall's son. The result was, that theoriginal warrnt was discharged, and Mfr. Gardiner being sworn as a witness, Rockshall was ordered to givc notice of bail for the assault. He in the mean time itas locked up. Sir R. BIhsNrE strongly censured the practice of assembling to- gether for such sports as pigeon-shooting on a Good Friday_a day held sacred by the law of the land, and said he had a huge mind to have the whole parttindicted. UxioY-nALL...A respectable elderly: woman, who gave her namie Janie Butcher, was charged under the following singular cir- cunistance :-_Itappearedthat oii the previous niglit the prisoner came to the shop of AIr. Brand, a brash-maker, is Blackman. street, and requested to look out a variety of articles in their line, consisting of reticule baskets, fire-screens, brushes, egg-cups, &c.; 18L worth of which she selected, and desired that thev might be im. mediately packed up in an earthen-ware crate, with directions to be sent to theFeversham hoy,and forwarded by thevessel to that neigh. bourihood, where tshe said she rented a large farm. She was then about to leave the shop, without hinting at payrment for the arti- cles, when Alr. Brand, sen., expressed a wish for immediate set. tlement, or references as to her respectability. The defendant seemed surprised, and said, " Oh, Sir, oca need not be afraid of | your money ! send te things, an. I will c311 in the mnorning and settle the account writh You." Shecthen retired hastily froadtle 8hop but was perceived by Alr. Brand's son, who kept his eya upon her, io take up a reticulaebasket from the coanter, with which lsae withdrev. The young man followed quickly after, and observed ler walk into the shop of Mlr. Jacobs. a fishmonger. at a short dis. tance. He watched fer some time, and saw Mir. Jacobs busity en. gaged in bkinning soles, while his wife was preparing cod.fish and oysters. He then walked into the shop, and requested to speak a word to the fishmonger, who begged not to be interrupted, as that lady (pointing to the prisolleri was giving a large order, and she must he attended to. Mr. Brand, however, mentioned what had occurred at his fatlher's shop; and upon Air. JacobY demtanding the mtoney for the fish, which amounted to 11. 16s., the defendant re- plied, that sbe could not pay him then; and added, that if the order was sent to her sister's house close by, he would have his money. ir. Jacobs immediately sent for a constable, and gave her into custody. AMr. ALLEN, desired her to give souse explanation of this extraor- dinary conduct. The defendant..-What the young man has stated is correct so far as concerns the order which 1 gave at his father's- shop, but with respect to carying off the basket in a clan,estine manner I deny it. It was one of the articles induAdel in my order, and i conceived there was no impropriety ir. taking witlh Ine. the article which I in. tended to pay for. Nr. ALLEN asked her if she was now willing to pay Alr. Jacobs for the damage he had sustained in preparing the solss, &c., for her. The.detendant said, that she had no money at present about her, but would make all right if she was permitted to go and borrow it. The fishmonger stated, that the amount of his damge in skinning soles, crirmping4cod, and opening oysters for the defendant, was 14s. He added, that while he was engaged in preparing. the order forthie defendant, she asked him:to send out for a pint of porter, desiring him to put it dewn to the bil.- The 2D1agiskate said, unless the defendant paia the 14s. to the fishn.onger, sbe should certainly be sent to tbe Ulouse of {Correetiqn. Th2e defendant here sequested psper, pens and ink, wvhich she tas, sssplied.ith, and seat off xtletter tot tradesman, wbo came for. itaT4ai? thse darpage, qud Xiw defendaist spenitittedto leave t*e cffiec, aftes hoving iesoted tbltukale4lshe h1ad t.ktiioff Mr'. Bsa's eolltteT. Po'ICR.