The Sun. — 1840-10-19 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.  MANSION-HO USE. A gentleman who stated that he was solicitor to the overseers of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, appeared before Alderman Hooper, who sat during the temporary ab• sense of the Lord Mayor, for the purpose of making some observations upon a representation made by Mr. Smart, the vestry-clerk of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, relative to the alleged misconduct of the overseers of the former parish to the unfortunate suicide named Abbot, as reported in the newspapers on Friday last. The ALDERMAN asked whether Mr. Smart was present ? The solicitor replied in the negative. He baa an intimation to that gentleman that it sent 7-as his intention to appear at the Mansion-hn extraordinary naturo :se in consequence of the gentleman ~ or the representation made by that , on a subject on which the public mind .. as extremely sensitive, but no notice was taken of the message. Mr. Hobler informed the Alderman that Mr. Smart had applied for an order of removal for the widow and children of the unfortunate man alluded to, from the parish of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, in which they had in which AO claim, to that of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields,  they had a settlement, and that upon that occasion the disposition of the Overseers of the latter parish to render assistance was called in question, an imputation which it seemed was not at all relished.  The Solicitor to the Overseers of St. Martin's parish said that his clients were quite astonished at seeing themselves involved in a matter with which they had nothing whatever to do. It was ascertained, also, upon inquiry, that the statements made by the Vestry Clerk of St. Botolph's Bishopsgate were quite erroneous, to describe them in the most delicate manner. The Overseers of St. Martin's had, in the first place, no business to interfere with relief to the poor. That de. partment of the parochial jurisdiction was in the hands of the Guardians, and therefore to charge the Overseers with neglect or want of feeling in this matter was wholly unjustifiable. But the Relieving Officer of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields was present to confirm, on oath, if required, the contradiction to all the leading assertions in the statement and letter of the accuser. The family, instead of having been, as was asserted, merely helped with a few loav©s of bread, had, in fact, received oitt-of-door pecuniary relief as long as the unfortunate man required it, until he declined, with grateful thanks to the Relieving Officer, to receive any more, alleging that he was in employment, and able to support his wife and children.  Mr. Hobler said it was certainly extraordinary that a man who had such assistance to resort to, should throw himself out at a window to avoid the misery of seeing his family in the workhouse.  The Solicitor to the Overseers of St. Martin's-inthe-Fields said, that even in the least important particulars, the statement was erroneous. It was not true that the man was a mechanic, and, as to the observation that he was a person of an unpauperised mind, the inaccuracy of that description might be presumed from the fact that he had, at several periods, received parochial relief since his marriage, thus betraying a strong propensity to the very habit which he was said to have spurned. Alderman HOOPER said that it would be better, perhaps, for the Solicitor to the Overseers to meet Mr. Smart on the subject before the Lord Mayor. The Solicitor said that Mr. Smart had not paid those he accused that compliment, notwithstanding which he had been informed of the intention to deny the truth of the charge, but was not in attendance to support his allegations.  Alderman