The Sun. — 1846-01-31 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUS.E. Mr. Webster Flocktor., of Bermondsey, was summoned before the Lord Mayor, by Henry Kirby, a free waterman, under the 24th section of the rules and bye-laws for the regulation of the watermen and lightermen of the river Thames, which enacts that no freeman shall lay or cause tobelaid any boat,wherry, barge, lighter, or craft before any of the public stairs, or any plying place or eauseway, so as to obstruct, hinder, or prevent the due and orderly passing of any boat, wherry, barge, lighter, or craft, under a penalty not exceeding 205., nor less than ss.  The case arose out of the contest between the Corporation and the Watermen's Steam-boat Company. The complainant stated that on Sunday last, between nine laynidn gt e an 'cl l oong otchke, chae sawuselv aay bargeayp w a urist-hw'h' W. r,which Flockton" e uponit, (and he had been a waterman for a great number of years) always believed to be the property of the Corporation of London. The Loan Mayon—Does it obstruct the navigation of the river P The complainant—Certainly it does; and it lies there still. The LORD MAYOR Have you ascertained who placed it there? The Complainant—No, my Lord; but the byelaw says if the offender should not be known, the owner of the barge or boat which constituted the obstruction shall pay the penalty. Mr, Flockton said, he wished the complainant to prove satisfactorily that he was a free waterman, and he also wished to be informed how it happened that Mr. Kirby anstained any damage by the position of the barge at the staira. The complainant said, that although he had not owned a wherry for eight years, his claim to the character was unquestionable, The Lauri MAyon said, it mattered nothing whether the complaint was made by a waterman or any other person, as the Act determined that anybody who saw the obstruction might give evidence on the subject. Mr. flocliton said, he did not entertain any idea of getting clear of the matter by making objections of a frivolous nature. He then contended that the barge was not in an improper position at the wharf, that it was not calculated to oh§truct the navigation of the river, and that he Certainly had a right to place and keep it there, The complainant said, tb a truth was the barge was so cloposited in order to bp 113 cie a pier for the Watermen's Steam-packet Company, for the landing and embarkation of the public. Mr. Flockton—This complaint has no reference whatever to personal injury ; it arises entirely from a rival company, which is allowed the use of the Blackfriars-bridge pier, from which the Watermen's Steam-boat Company is excluded. ISTQW, the object of establishing a pier at Paul's-wharf is to do away with the conflict about Blackfriars-bridge pier, and remedy the inconvenience occasioned by the exclusion. The complainant said the free passage was obstructed, and the poor watermen who plied at the stairs had serious ground for complaint against such impediments, which were calculated to aggravate the general distrea arising from the application of steam on the Thames. _ _ _  independence, and the woman was consequently sent back to him, since which time she had been under no other control than that which he was now and then enabled to exercise over her. _ .  The woman, during and subsequent to this statement, indulged in a variety of wild exclamations, declaring that Macey harboured witches, sorcerers, and evil-doers in his house, had murdered all her relations, and had set his own premises on fire because, like all wicked people, he liked to be in flames. She said also that he had plenty of money to build them up again. _ _