The Sun. — 1842-07-20 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL.  John Dale, the mendicant with a wooden leg, who used to sweep a crossing at Cornhill, was brought before Sir Chapman Marshall, charged with the misdemeanor of attempting to commit suicide, by jumping from Blackfriars-bridge into the Thames.  Magnier, the City police constable on duty on the bridge, stared that the prisoner jmnped from the centre arch, at four o'clock in the afternoon, and he was cart led down by the tido as far as Paul's-wharf, where he was picked up. The leap was 70 to tiO feet.  The marshalman said he knew the prisoner, and had heard a good deal about him. His distress was owing to his misconduct. He obtained a good living by sweeping the crossing, but he ran away:to Ireland, threw his family on the parish, and lost his sweeping ground. His son, who supplied his place, had received as much as five shillings in a day. Sir CHAIPMAN MARSHALL asked the prisoner how he lost his leg?—The prisoner replied he lost it at Quebec five years ago.  -Sir CHAPMAN MARSH ALL said, if he hail any knowledge of the Lord Mayor he need not have resorted to suicide on account of his distress. He had some suspicion that the liberality of the public to parsons who had made similar attempts might have prompted this ; and if he were satisfied of that he should follow the example of Sir Peter Laurie in committing him for trial for the offence. As, however, he might have been impelled by distress of mind alone, he should not adopt that course. The family would receive proper attention if they applied for admission to the poor-house of the union in which they resided. He discharged the prisoner with an admonition, and directed the officer to take him to St. Giles's Union. (.71,ERKEN I VE  Mr. Thomas St. George Lyster, a gentleman, residing at 39, Adelaide-place, St. Pancras, appeared on a warrant to answer a c!.arge of assault preferred against him by William Attwood, conductor:of the-Paddington omnibus, 4,663, badge 865. The parties were before Mr. Greenwood on Saturday, when Mr. Lyster charged the conducter with having used abusive language, upon which the latter was convicted and fined 13s. The present charge arose out of the same transaction. Complainant said that. on Wednesday last he took up Mr. Lyster at Argyle-street, King's-cross, and on arriving at the Blue-coat Boy, Islington, where they stopped, he (complain. ant) opened the door to let out two passengers. When these had alighted he closed the door, but in less than a minut- af.er, the defendant opened the door and jumped out of the omnibus in a violent passion, stating his de:erminztion not to go any further with witr.ess. The dcfendant then proceeded towards another omnibus, but witness followed him and demanded his fare, the only answer to which was a violent blow in the face, accompanied by the use of several opprobrious epithets. Mr. Lyster, in answer to the charge, said that the conduct of the driver anti conductor of the omnibus from the time be took his seat in it until they arrived at the Blue-coat Boy was so scandalous that he felt himself bound to remonstrate with the complainant very sharpy, in which remonstrance he was joined by the other passengers. The driver had been racing nearly the whole of the way with another omnibus. A lady had nearly been 'seriously hurt by the sudden jerking of the vehicle before she could take her seat, whilst other ladies were so much terrified and alarmed by the furious speed at which they were being driven, that they left the vehicle on the first opportunity. He (Mr. Lyster) determined-also to leave the, omnibus at the first stopping-place, and accordingly he got out at the Blue-coat Boy; but he positively denied having struck the conductor. That person having impudently laid hold of his (defendant's) collar, he merely raised his hand to disengage himself from the grasp of the fellow. Mr. Matthews, a builder, who happened to be passing at the time, and said he saw the whole of the occurrence, positively declared that. the complainant seized Mr. Lyster by the coatcollar, and as positively denied that that gentleman struck the complainant.. .  Mr. Cost az said the evidence was certainly most perplexingly contradictory. The witnesses on each side were equally positive, and moreover were equally disinterested parties. He hid no doubt that the conduct of the omnibus people had been outrageously bad, and he (Mr. Combs) himself was almost daily a witness of the abominable and dangerous nuisance of omnibus racing, particularly along the New -road. Under the circumstances he should merely fine Mr. Lyster Is. and costs.