MARYLEBONE-OFFICE. - Yesterday two men, named  Alexander Gray, senior and junior, were charged by Mr. Keaton of Cochrane-terrace, near the Edgware-road, with defacing a newly-built wall, surrounding his premises, by chalking it all over with the words "Warren's Liquid Blacking," in startlingly large capitals.

    Mr. Keaton said that he had applied in the first instance at Warren's blacking warehouse, in the Strand, where, however, he was laughed at.

 

Times, March 17, 1831

THAMES -William Simpson Lawson, the agent of :a tea company, and dwelling in Stepney-square, High-street, Stepney, appeared, for the secoud time, before Mr. PARTRIDGE, to answer a summons which charged him with causing William Jones, John Smith, and Joseph Thompson to deface walls.

    The complainant in this case is Mr. Webb, manager of the advertising establishment of Mr. Thomas Smith of No. 3, Tavistock.street, Covent-garden, who rents the railway arches between the city and Blackwall for posting bills and other advertising purposes. The defendant, Mr. Mr. Lawson has figured at this court several times. Ha was fined about three weeks since for aiding and abetting a man named Isaac Thomas in defacing a wall in Diggons-street, on the Clare-hall estate, Stepney. Thomas was detected painting on a wall these words "Use the London Tea Company's famous pure teas." When he was brought before Mr. Paget he said he was employed by Lawson, and the magistrate said the principals in wall defacing ought to be summoned and punished, and not the poor and ignorant creaturen they employed to commit offences. Lawson was accordingly summoned. He pleaded guilty to the employment of Thomas, and was fined 20s. and costs, and the magistrate severely condemned the practice of disfiguring public and private walls with litnewash and plaster by tradesmen and companies. A few days afterwards Mr. Lawson was again fined in this court for cruelty to a horse he had sent out in a very unfit state to be worked. On the morning of the 3d of the present month a police-constable named Jesse Button, No. 359 K, saw two men and a boy disfiguring an arch at the Stepney railway-station with the words "Use the London Ten Company's famous pure teas." The constable took them all into custody and.seized their brushes and paint, a composition of lime, water and glue. The three prisoners said they were employed by Mr. Lawson, who was summoned, and the three prisoners were discharged on their promise to be forthcoming. Mr. Webb explained that Mr. Thomas Smith, his principal, rented the arches from the city to Blackwall for legitimate advertising and posting of bills, and that Mr. Lawson had no authority to use the arches for any purpose. Mr. Smith paid a rental of over 500l. at year for the arches, and he had been put to great expense in washing out and cleaning off the lime and plaster  announcements which disfigurett the walls.

   Mr. PARTRIDGE.—Who is Griffiths ?

   Mr. Webb.--I am sure I don't know.

   Mr. PARTRIDGE.—Whoever he is, he defaces the walls to a very great extent.

   Mr. Lawson, in defence, said he never employed Jones, Smith, and Thompson ; he knew nothing of them whatever.

   He did employ Thomas, for whose act he had already suffered.

   Button, the police-constable, said. he had a warrant for the apprehension of Jones, Smith, and Thompson. He could not find them ; they had given fictitious addresses. The police had received express instructions to take into custody all persons defasing walls.

    Mr. PARTRIDGE said be had no doubt that Lawson had employed the three persons whom he now disclaimed. The persons charged gave Mr. Lawson's name and address , and said he employed them. The defendant had already been fined for a similar offence. He should adjourn the case till Thursday fortnight. Mr. Lawson must enter into recognizances to appear again.

 

Times, June 24, 1864