Thomas Lavender was brought before the Marlborough Street Ma- gistrates
on Saturday, on a charge of being connected with a gambling- house in Pickering Court, near Bury Street. It was at this house that the lady who entered it in the dress of a man (as mentioned in last week's Spectator) was swindled out of 1,500/. The officer who made the application last week for the warrant for the prisoner's apprehens sion, and who stated his name to be Campbell Lunn, again appeared to give evidence ; and stated positively that he had seen the prisoner acting as dealer and banker at the house in question. The character of this witness, however, would not bear inspection. The prisoner said in his defence- " That individual (pointing to Mr. Lunn) a short time ago accosted me, and told me he expected in a very short time to receive the sum of 10,000/. ; of which 5,0001. he meant to sink in a life annuity, and with the other 5,000/. he purposed to go to Lisbon and set up a gambling-bank, which I was to have the management of, provided I chose to accompany him. The proceedings which he has now taken against me and others are for the purpose of getting money from us. He has repeatedly done the same thing. He gat a sum of money from Mr. Jones to compromise an indictment. From myself also he received a sum of money to stop proceedings he had commenced against me. From the proprietors of No. 40, Pall Mall, he received a large sum of money, for stopping proceedings against thorn; and had it not been for Mr. Lunn, I - declare solemnly that I should not have been in England at this moment." Mr. Dyer—" Even if we admit these charges against the informant to be well-grounded, yet it will not affect your case, as you are charged with being concerned in keeping a gambling-house in Pickering Court." Mr. Lunn—" What the prisoner has stated is entirely false, I never received sums of money either from him or from any other person."
Prisoner— What ! do you mean to say I did not pay you a sum of money to stop proceedings against me. ?" Mr. Lunn—" You never did."
Prisoner—" Why, I can bring ten witnesses to it."
Mr. Lunn—" I have no doubt you could find a hundred."
Prisoner—" Don't you recollect what occured after you came out of Kingston gaol, where you were confined for bigamy ?" Mr. Chambers (to Mr. Lunn)—" Now, Sir, on your oath, have you ever received money from the defendant?"
Mr. Lunn— On my oath, I never have."
Prisoner—" Your Worship, on my honour and God, he has. Why, I have got his receipt to prove it."
Mr. Conant then examined the witness.
Mr. Conant—" Pray, Sir, give me leave to ask you a few questions. When you saw me the other day on the subject of the present proceeding, you gave me the name of Campbell only ; and you said you was an officer in the Army, and lived at No. 8, Castle Street. You wished me to write down your name and address myself."
Mr. Lunn—" That was because I had not my spectacles with me. I assure you I gave you the name of Campbell Lunn."
Mr. Conant—" I certainly did not hear the latter name then. However, you now state that you are not in the army, and give your address at No. 15, Cook's Row ; there appears a great deal of inconsistency in these statements."
Mr. Lunn." I have lodgings at both places. I told Mr. Chambers that the latter address was the correct one, when I saw him on a former day." Mr. Conant—" What commission did you hold in the Array?' Mr. Lunn—" I was a Lieutenata, in the 43d Light Infantry. '
Mr. Conant—" On a former occasion you said you were Major Campbell Lunn ?"
Mr. Lunn—" I held the rank of Major in the Portuguese service." Prisoner—" You never was in the Portuguese service." Mr. Lunn—" I can produce my commission." Mr. Conant—" I have no hesitation in saying that I do not think it safe to proceed against the individual at the bar on the present information."
The prisoner, who said he had been employed on the Continent during the war, in the Commissariat Department, was ordered to find security to appear and take his trial, as the Parish-officers of St. James's undertook to prosecute him.
Richard Battersby was held to bail yesterday, at the Marylebone Office, to take his trial on a charge of indecent assault upon a girl twelve years old. The prisoner described himself as a member of the United Service Club, and late a captain in the 15th Regiment of Foot.
John Metcalf was committed to prison for fourteen days, from the Union Hall Office on Tuesday, for carrying 'a large placard, on which were written some doggrel lines, stating that be had been fifteen years a sailor; and that, while aliens with dogs and monkeys were allowed to beg, he was not suffered to express his forlorn situation : " A wretch like me nutst not his state express Of wanting labour, with a bit of chalk. Shameful perversion I now grown old amid poor,
That Policemen, at their capricious will, May drag me hence to pass a month or more, In durance vile upon the treading-mill."
Underneath this effusion, were the words—" A free born Englishman the admiration of the world, and the envy of surrounding nations." A. great crowd was collected round him, while he harangued, and ex- hilsited himself as a sample of the "envy of surrounding nations." lie had been a Captain's clerk, and for some time past had led a va- peat life.