Northern Times. — 1857-09-12 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THE SPY SYSTEM-POLICE IN PLAIN CLOTHES.  It will be remembere I that last week the decision of Mr. Jeffry in the Police Court in the publicans' cams was, that he dismissed all complaints brouglit against publicans where the pr,lice were dressed in pla'n clothes. Yesterday the question wis again raised by Mr. Cobb, as the followitg report gill show : William Ledsom, beerhouse keeper, of Naylor-street, was charged with Sunday trading Mz. Cobb, for the defence, showed that there was a "wo dug match " in the house, and Bolton, 702; one of the complainants, said he was in plain clothes. Mr. Cobb put it to the bench whether, after that admissien by the policeman, and the decision of Mr. Jeffery last week on that point. they would not at ~nce dismi.s the case. Mr. Bolton and Mr. T. D. Anderson were the presiding magistrates, and the latter said as the question had been put he would • PAct AECIRPIO; ast Inc faktt. JR. ?L ha men in plain eloV-es on Sunday mornings, but it was considered very objectionable, and that magistrate condemned it, and it was abandoned for a tine. In consequence of that some publicans who were not respectable managed to evade the law. A representation of that was made to the magistrates, and under that representation they issued the order again, and it was sanctioned by Mr. Rushton, and the police who went out in plain clothes on Sunday mornings, were only carrying out that order of the magistrates. If one class of officers {the detective.•) were allowed to use private clothes for the purpose of detecting a certain class of offenders against the law, why not allow another class of officers to do the same in respect to another class -of offenders? Respectable publicans would not object to it, as it woull protect them from unfair dealing on the part of others who wished to evade the law. He had observed in the papers a state neat to the effect that the order had been made by the Watch Committee, bat that wss a mistake, as the Watch Committee had nothing whatever to do with it. The Watch Committee was a different body from the magistrates, and thsir duty was to carry ruc the objects of the magistrates which they had always been most attentive in performing. Mr. Cobb said no doubt Mr Jeffrey bad as good reasons for having dismissed the charges last week, as his worship had given that day for sustaining charges made by police. men in coloured clothes.  Mr. Anderson said, Mr. Jeffrey, at the time he made the deci4ion, was not aware of the facts, or h ,w the case stocd, or perhaps he would not have decided as he had 'one. He had spoken to that gentleman, and he believed he was of a different opinion now. There was a class of men selected for the duty—men who would properly discharg it. If a policeman, in the discharge of that duty, miconducttcl himself, he was liable to very severe punishment.  Mr. Bolton said, some persons keeping /3.11131 k-houses might objec-. to the ssstera for the purpise of evading the law, but all the respectable publicans did nct object to it. Mr. Anderson said it might b an objectionable system, but if the policeman misconducted himself he was liable to aeve-e punishment. No matter in what coat a policeman was dre-sed, if his evidence was corroborated the court would credit him.  The matter then ended, and the defendant was fined ss.  fADELF.TNE SMITTI'S CASs—A CANADIAN Scuir.s..—A correspondent of the Toronto Globe says : —"The number of culdmns of reports and rditories consecrated to this case by the press of our three chief cities, is second only to the great Burden case. lam quite at a loss to know vilay the American press should go so far as GLlsglw for a murder case «hen they have so many all ov,r the eJun.ry, vcirying is kind from bl idgeoa murders, pistol murders, dagger murders to arsenic mu-Jeri. To import murders from Glasgow into this city is like carrying coals to New. cas 1 ."