Police.
The Times, 1824-10-05T00:00:00

MAITSIONf.OOUSE.-Yesterday Mr. Montagu, the city surveyor, waited upoa the LO D PsIAYOIt for his sanction to a notice for the topping uSp of the carriage-sa~y over Blackfriars-bridge. TheLonDl IAyost asked whetber the improvements could not be carried on without stopping up the carriage-way? 'Phe traffic over the bridge was considerable, and the inconvenience would, he up- prehdnded, be very extensively felt. AMr. Ilontaga said, that it appeared impossible to those who ex- annined the bridge to make the improvements sugqested by the Committee, without preventing all, carriage thorouglhtare. The in- habitantr of Chlatliam'place wotuld sustain a greater annoyance if the stoppage was not complete, andl the utmost confusion would re- stlt to the foot passengers. The LORD MIAYOR having read the notice, said, he thought that a little more caution should be used in comnmunicating intelligence of as disagreeable n ature to the public. Mr. Montagi said, the notice was the production of' the Commit- tee o,f GJeneral Purposes, to whom he should submit any alter.tion hls LFordship might think prener to s-uggest. The LoRD latoft then said he should have no objection to sign hls namHe to the folIo Wing' notice:- "2LACKrRTARS-BRIDGE.-9TOYI`AGE OF THE CARRIAGE-WAY. It having bean represented to the gight Honouralole the Lord Mayor by the General Purposes Comnmitte5, that the lowering of the acclivity of Blackfriars-bridge cannot be carried into cefect with- out a stoppage of the carriage-way, notice is hereby given, that the carriagre.ay will be, in consequence thereof, stopped from Monday next for 14 stays." It is calculated that the work of lowering theacclivity of the bridge, anj M'Adamizing, will be finished within a tortnight. In the notice submitted by the Committee, care was taken not to say a word abaut themselves, and the Lord Mayor did not relish the idea of taking tlie responsibility of causing a public obstruction wholly upon himself, without some declatration of the necessitv by the Committee who thought it ladlspensable. Alr. Montaga thein took the amended notice th the Committee of Geeneral Purposes. BOWV-sTREET.-Yesterday two bolys ot' the name of Roberft, neither of whom could be more than 13 years of age. appeared to a summons to answer the complaint of a gentleman of the name of Graham, exhibited under the highway act, for improper driving. The boyj are the gonis of a butcher of Newport market, who attended with them. It aipeared that on 'Tltuitdaylast Mly. Graham'sservant wasd ing hrs. Graham and one of het; children in a gig oar the Uxbridge- tad, when overtaking a CaTt in wYhich were the two boys and tiix sheep, he drev to the offside of the road in order to pass. He had drawn sufficientlv to the off-side to give himself room with at leastsix feettosnarebetween, whent the youngttrcrlin who was driving tlhe cart tutrned his head at the soand ofthe wheels,and seeing that M r.Grahaln1s gig was about to pass the cart, drew sguddenly in upon it, and tie vehicles coming in contact, the gig was upset. and MIrs. fraham, the child, and servant, were thrown Qtit. The boy drove off iminedi. ately, without either lhe or his brother making inqttiry as tO the da- mage done, or even whether any person was killed or hurt. Indeed, they seemed. by their manner, to think it a goad piece of fun. The shafts aritd step of the gig were broken; but,fortunattly, the lsdy and her child and serVaht received no injury. The young butchers, in their defence, accused MIr. Graham's ser. vantof runningagainst their cart, and thereby occasioning the mis- chief whichi followed. Sir R. BIRmIR told Mr. Graham, that with respect to the damage which he hatd sustained, he had no reniedy bat by an action at law. All that a i&1agistrate could do was to inflict a fine of 10s. and eosts under the Eighwdy Act. That fine and costs Were accordingly levied, and paid by the fia- rher, MSr. Grahstna declaring that he should proceed by action foi the recovery of the damage to the gig. By a provision of the Mlutiny Act, an) regimental niecessaries or military " appointments," as they are called, supplied to soldiers for their use, being sold or pawnved by any private or non.comnistioned offlcer, may be recovered by information before a magistrate, and penalties recovered from the parties purchasing or receiving any suchl srticlea tn pledge, Yesterday morning, a sergeant of the Coldstream uards presentks himself before Sic R. BsBIRwE, and said he vas desired by his commanding officer to request the opinion of the Magistrate as to whether as Waterloo medal, pledged by a soldier at a pawnbroker's shop, was recoverable under the above-mentioned statute? Sir R. BIR2fNit said the question was a nievel one, but upon the Istat hlush of it he should be inclined to answer in the negative. He could not help thinking that the medal must be considered as the private property of the soldier. The Sergeant said, the regiment considered the medals as the property of the Governmnent intll a soldier was discharged, and then they did not question that it becarTe his own private property. Sir R. BiRuNiE asked if the sergeant knew in what mnanner the medals were first pretented ? What was the form used upon their distribution ; because a great deal would, he thought, depend upon that P The Seigedfit said, he believed that the men entitled to medals were drawn up, ghd received them fromn the pay-sergeants, as they would any of their regimental appointments. Sir R. B{raIE said, that the medalas wvore certainly given to the " Waterloo-men" for their valourupon a particular occasion. NPw the old proverb had it, that " Nothing Is freer than a gift;" and he must be of opinion that the medals vrere the private property of the soldiers, and wholly independent of their regimental accoutrements. The Sergeant left the office with this answer. MARAt.oRouGH-stAkEEt. -Ycsterdayavounggentleman named Smith was brought from St. James's watchhousc before Sir G. FAnnAaT, the sittinl magistrate, charged under Lord Ellenbo- rough's Act with stabbing, with intent to (lo somne grievous bodily harn. The hature of the case, however, which was as lollows, did not turn out to be deserving of so severe a construction f- It appeared, that about ten ofclock the night before, the prisoner went into the oyster-shop of Mr. Dow)-, in the Regent's Quwadrant, and asking for some oysters, was proceedinginto the inner room from the shop, for the p.urpose of having his supper in a comfortable man- ner, but the shopman did not think it proper that he s'ould do so, and told him that he must eathisoydters in the nlhop, or not eat them at all in that house. 'The prisoner, however, insisted upon going into the room, and wsa proceeding thither. when theshopman got before him to preveit him; a scuffle ensued; two others came to the assistance of the 1hopnan4 and Air. Stnith was ejected from the house altogether; hut in the struggle at the street-door, a sword cane, which Mr. Smith carried in his hand, became secidentally drawn, and it hap- pened to prick the shopmnan slightly in the tipper part of the thigh. ft was acknowledged ott all sides, that the thing was purely acciden- tal, and Sir GEORGt FARRANT said, that there was no preteice for charging lIlr. Smith with an offence under Lord Ellenboroughu'e Act; if, however, the ahopinan persisted, Mir. Smith must find bail for the assault. The shopman said, he should persist; and Mr. Snith WaS ac- I cordingly ordered to find bail. Mfr. Smith declared, that he would sooner die a thousand deaths than send to any of his friends to bail hirn unon such a charge, or have it known that he cotild even be accused of such an atrocious act as an attempt at assassination. He would rather lose his, oatn life than attempt that of another in such a treacherous manner. They might there ore hang, dtaw, and quatter him, if they pleased; or indict him under all the acts of Parlhament that weieever passed tar the pre- servation of human life, not excepting the Black Act, but no bail would he ever send for; so they miglitat once take him off to prison. In fact, lie sald, that of the two he was himself the most ill-used, having beels deprived of his supper, flung headlong into the sireet, and then dragged offas g felon to a watch-house. Sir GEORGE FARRANT said that he had no discretion bttt to order him to find bail and Mr. Smith was accordingly locketl up. There happened to Le in the office a gentleman on other business. who knew Alr. Smith and his respectablity: this gentleman came forward and said, that perhaps the prosecutor would be content with some pecuniary conupensethon, and stiffer the affair to drop. The prosecutor said lie had no objection ; and it was arranged out- side the office that the prosecutor shuonld be paid a sovereign to heal his wound. This sum Air. Smith paid; and, with the consent of the prosecutor, the Alagistrate discharged him. The sword-cane remains for the present at the office. A respectable-looking young man, an attorney's clerk, named Jmnes Price, was brought trom St. Giles's watehhotse, charged by awatchinatl, battsed IJcnnis Cutler, with having been drank and riotous in the street the night before. Cutler stated, that he saw the prisoner in King-street, Holbor% stripped to his shirt, making a great noise, and threatening to fight any body who might come in his F way and he thought it his duty to take hi.ri to the watchhouse. I The prisoner, in reply to this statement, said, that he resided irn 1ngstseets, and just as he got near his own door, a man wantonly jostled against hln and pushed him off the-pavement, and when he I remonstrated, threaitened to knock, him down ; and fearing he would I do Eo, he rook off' his coat to defend himself, but the man walked away. While he ,was thus stripped, the watchman came be- hind hims, and struck him a tren.etdous blow across the shoul- ders with a bludgeon, which left his back in a dteadful state, as he cotuld ahow, if the Mlagistrate permitted. He might, perhaps, suave I been wrong In taking off his coat, but he certainly did nothing what- ever to the watchmnan to deserve such a wanton assault, or to be dragged off to a watch-house. Mr. Blanchard, the comedian, of Covent-garden Theatre, who witnessed the transaction, came forward and aside that he never saw sudh brutal or wanton conduct as that of the watchman; he struck the man, w1th6ut the slightest provocation, such a blow, that had it it come tpon his head iirhmisthave fractured his skull. ie had seen time man's back (Air. Blanchard asid), and it was in a dreadful state4 from the violence of the blow. The watchman said, tlhat whoever Mlr. Blarchard was, he knew nothing about the mnatter, and he supposed he was some attorney's clerk, too, for he knew his face, and hMd seen him somevrhere-he supposed at the sessions. iMr; Blanchard said, that hemight have seen hlim before, but it certainly was not in an attorney's office, nor at the session: either. Sir GEORGE VARRANT said, that ele conduct of the watchman to be most scand nd the defendant might, if he pleased, indictr l' for the assault. Mr. Blanchard said lie boyed the defendaft would, and he (Mlr. Blancliard) would it any tine gttend and give his evidence on the The defendantdeclared that he would prosecute thie watelsman at the sessions, and he was ircnsediately discharged. Alr. Levi, a pawnbroker, in London-street, Fitzroy-square. ap. peared to answer the summoons of a airs. Boston. The complainant stated, that 12 months ago slie pledged, at ir. Levi's shop, a bolster and bolster-case; that the day on which the 12 months were expired she went to the shop to pay the interest, but Mr. Levi said, that he was so very busy at the time he could not at- tend to her, but desired her to call the next day, which she pE?- mised to do; at the same time leaving the duplicate with him. The next day, however, when she did call, MVlr. Lievi denied all know- ledge of the bolster, the duplicate, or herelf, and ultimately refused to attend to her, or deliver up tbic bolster; and the whole oa this statenTent MArs. Boston, who was a respectable-looking woman, swore to. Mr. Levi, in reply, denied havjng ever Seen AIrs. Boston before in his life to hisknowledge, or having received either bolster or bolster- case, or duplicate from her at all; and what convinced him he was correct was, that there was sie such name entered in, any of his books. Sir G. FARUANT said, that however that might be, Mrs. Boston had sworn to the facts; and he saw no reason why he should snspect her a!f weaseg falsely. ilir. Levi must therefore give up the bolster. x. 'Levi sl,that at aU eVents the article was forfeited, as the 12 montlhs6 hadi explred. Sir' GEORct; FARRAe."T said, that here again t r. Levi was labouring: under a very great nistake; even the proper time specified in the act haq snot expired, because the act says, is twelve cJear 1nouths, exclusive of the days of pawn- lig;" and Miits. Boston swears that she called to pay tshe interest on the v ery, day that the twelve months, from the date of her Omket incmusijg, )n red.;;ad besides, it was rpled by Cbiet Jtstice Abbott, in a crase trled before him, that there v'ass no for_ feiture of property et all to pawvnbroker; they are only empowered. after certain fonrs and pyublic notice, by pdrnted catz.ogues &c. ti put up to auctiOn, and sell, after a certain time (a year andI a dey), for the purpose of reimbursing themselves the principal lent, and' the interest thereon; but sD far from the property Ieing forfeited to them, the pawnbrokers are -onpeUed to return to the-owner the lauce of whatevernmare the arice m2ay produce. IUr. Levi grmmbleda good deal at the decision, and left the office, promising, at thesame Lime, tomakegood the baisterto Mrs. Boston. UVXION-HALL.-A young man of'eapectable appeasance, named Benjamin Shenrff, wtibrought before I5.Sw,nAr , Bsq., charged witfh lhaving rebbed his brothern-law. Mfr. Gray stated, that the p arson at the bar was a ne^ar relittion, and was in the habit of visiting at house bsrequentTy. On Friday witness had occasion to leave ovn, and, in his absence, -itappearers that his brother-in-law called at his house, on prerenceof seeing hila cister, to whom wivtness was married. WVhen he (Air. Gray) retutrned front the country, he was ini'orued the prisoner had been there the day before, and that very soon after his departure, several articles were missed. Witness, on exanmination, ascertained that the fol- lowing things had been stolen. viz.-three silver teanspoons, a sil. ver watch, z gold ring, aud a silk ubrelh,which.property be strong- ly suspected his brother-it-law to have stolen, and in conbewquence ;cnt in quest of him, and learned that he had absconded- Witness subsequently applied for a warrant against him, and he was apre- hended. The duplicates of the articles enumerated were found in his possession, with the exception of the gold ring, which he wore on. one of his fingers when he was taken into custody. M1r. Gray nouw tolt the magistrate tihat he was not incltned to prosecute theprisorer, especially on his (complainant's) wife's account, who, since her nn- fortunmae brother's apprehension, was in a state bordering on dis- tractior, William 1E4U, jum., the constable, who took Ihim into custody, proved the finding of the duplicates of the articles abave stated in the possession of the prisener, who admitted at the timse that he had stolen them, as described by the prosectomr. MAr. Gray again repeated his disinclination to prosecute, partcst' larly as the duplicates of his property were restored. 'he Alagistrate.--Then, Air. Gray, why did you apply'for. and obtain, a warrant for his apprehension for lhaving robbed your house ? You bring a charge of felony against a relation, and you nowy say, after having him brought before me, placed at the bar as a criminal, and the facts of the alleged robbery cleared proved azainst him, that vou do not wish to prosecute. You have proceeded too far in the case; and I now feel it my duty to eomDel you to folow up the prose- cution, howevei painful it may be to the feelings of yon and your family. iUr. &tay._1 hope not, Sir. The prisoner's father isa respectable man, and it will plunge him irat the depth of distress to hear that his son is committed for a felony. The Alagistrate.-What can I dro for you Mr. Gray? 1 didn't, vhen you applied for the warrant, wish you to adopt the harsh measures you .,ave had recourse to, in order to poaisa your brother.in.ltw I but why did vou bring hinm here? The MlagSistrate then informed the prisoner, that be wrs at iiberty to say any thing with respe t to the ctiarges that had been made against himl if he pleased, but at tile saume time husmanely re- com2ended him not to state that which might operate against him at a future tme. The prisoner acquiesced vwith the Mlagistrate's advice, and was silent. He was then remanded, for the purpose of giving the pawn- broker, at whose house the articls were pledged, an opportunity of identi5ying the duplicates, as wel as the person by whrom the tlings were pawned. POLICE.