The National Register. — London, England, 1820-12-24 00:00:00

414 Volta. 110 W-STREET. On Thorsdav Nll.l4siderickACctiin, the well-known lecturer on practical chemist's, was brought to the ollice by l'ashop and Nicholls, the officers from his his house in Compton -street, Soho, where lie has re sided for about 30 yea's, charge , ' with fobbing the Royal Institution, in A Ittemark-street, to w hien the prisoner was a subscriber, and had been so for a number of years. Ile underwent an examination berme R. Birnie, the sitting magistrate, front which it appeared that the valuable library of the Royal Institution had been considerably deteriorated for some years past, on account oa' the books has tug been mutilated by some }serum who had torn out poi tof their leaves. 'I lift dis graceful practice is supposed to have been carried on fur some years before it was discevered. At first, when one bootie and then anoth r was pointed Out as lateens:et, it was conjectured to base been by accalettt; but at length it was discovered that books, accidentally found to be uu perfect, had been complettiy perfect but a very short unie before. No doubt, therefore, was entertaiped or the hooks having come tato the institution in a perfect state. The discovciy of the defective books increased, particularly among scientific and rare books — so notch so, that Mr. John Steil, the assistant librarian to tot Royal Institution, made a funnel statement on the sub ject to the managers, and, at toe same, stated that no person but a subscriber could have earned on the de predations for such a length of time, as no occasional visher could have had the opportunity of committing such repeated thefts, and he at length mentioned the prisoner's twine as the gentleman whom he suspected- 2 - allegieg, as the ground of his suspicion, that the books which he had discovered to be mutilated were books that the prisoner was in the habit of reading, and that, after the prisoner had left the Instioutioiebe had eeamined the same books which he had sect" in his hand, and found leaves taken out of them. These circunishinc,s, how ever strong against the prisoner, were not, in the mind of the managers, sufficient to justify any proceedings against him, especially as he was cousidered a gentle man of rank and consequence in the scientific wot Id.— It was therefore deems d necessary that every precaution Should be taken before such au offence shoo id he charged upon a gendemati of the prisoner's respectability; and Mr. Stela was directed to watch' the conduct of the pri soner when he came to the Institution, which he ac cordingly did. The prisoner's hour of vitt:thug the In stitution were generally front a link after live o'clock the afternoon till past seven, the hours certainly best calculated fur his purposes, as theme arc fewer subscribers there at that hour than at any other. On Wednesday evening the prisoner was at the Institution as usual, between five and seven. Mr. Stern watched him very closely, and be had no doubt but that he had torn some leaves out of some buto!es which he had been reading: but, owing to a pile of books which was between theta, he could not be positive, and therefore he was afraid to inlet fere. After the prisoner had left the lastitution, Mr. Stert proceeded to examine the learks which tie had particularly noticed in the prisoner's hands, v. hen he found a p eriodical sciemilic work, called " INlieholson'a Journal, 'detective of live leaves, which he was positive had been entire List week. Ile strongly suspected mat the prisoner had taken them, and determined on taking steps against hint. lie attended, therefore, on Thursday morning, at the office, and repo:sot the wattle of tile extraordinary . and suspicious' circumstances to Mr. Birnie, the sitting magistrete; win: Issued a warrsin to search the prisoner's house, to escalate if the prissier had taken the five leaves out of Ntcholson's Journal tit 'Wedneaday evening. Mr. Siert had expected to dud them in the house, as it was supposed that Mr. Act:oak's object was to assist hint in his scientific publication, aid save him the expense of purchasing books, rite teaseis taken urn of the different books bei n g the most interest ing and important part of the works. Disbop and Ni cholls, the officers, accompanied Mr. S. to the prisuar'e house in Comptoot-sired, with the search-warrent, and found the prisoner at home. On the officers com hitthicating to hint their business, he appeared a food deal surprtsed. Mr. titer' proceeded to examine the dif ferent papers in the boos and identified a nuattier which had beea turn 'oat of the hooks belonging to the Royal I ustitution. Wilde M.. Stert was pursuing this ins esugation, one prisoner was walking up and down the room in great agitation. The officers seized the leave', zee. ident:fied by Mr. Siert as belonging to the ptoprietturs of the Royal Institutiou, and brought them and the prisomer to the (Alice, before Mr. Blum, when Nlr. Stoat :team identified sundry leaves, as COI i CSI with b ink, beloneing to the Royal luseitunion, which which had tees' mutilated. Alt the books witicii had been plundered of leaves were those %smelt the prisoner was in the habit of reading when he was a: tote Royal I lista atom. Three leaves found in his house, erwes- Lundecl with the fi rst vol ume o f W i lli e i t ' s Domestic ncyclopeedia, which Mr. Siert had no doubt belonged to me volume belonging to the Royal 111501110011 j also three leaves etiolation% from page 421 to -tteti of Cullen's Ala era Medici, which had been missed Iroiti that work beionigitig to the limititilltun. law ulti.:ers produced a hum her of other leaves, amounting, to the whole, to amour thirty small and koge, which Mr. Siert said he bad nu doubt belotiged to books in th e binary of the Instimuma prisulier, in his defenee t said, the leans leiZt:d the Glfiveri at his house, and produced before the utogisirate, baths iviiit ti he had at home. I :le al:tv lieJnir4 ;lie tvlook ul the ease, pliservtti, Mit% (ner t• - suable the books might Le waicia .1m I:att., mutiti in the prisoner ' s house had kfen Lakt tile Ira% ei ated Ignu 1111111 were 011ly Wtthie WI I. 11 they ItJu w..tArted a putid, he wwild hate cidautt tied hull fur i.ie t alue of a pouttil of waste paper; but as that was not the case, ciischat,..e:l him. AR.L.BOROUGIi STREET. A quediort eau►e be:ore the Magistrates t,tt Thursday of awn'. importance, upon the cohatruction of the Ilacl THE NATIONAL REGISTER itcy-coach Act, and although it may appear sing's lar, the question was adjourned fur a weck. It vs as : a gentleman took a coach front Palace-yard to Nlary-le-botie, New-road, and there was no dispute about the distance, beimg above two miles, which is a three-shi:liug faro, bu, the coachman insisted on ano ther shillintr, as he set down his fare a few yards off the stones, and the claim was for getting on the stones again, or to the nearest coach-stand. THE Rxscux PLoT.—The re-examination of three of the prisohers who wounded Marsden, the gaoler, took place on Friday before Messrs. Conant and Farrant, when evidence of importance to the ends of justice, not before disclosed, was adduced. The depositions of witnesses well acquainted with facts having been taken, Jones, a principal in the rescue party, was brought rp singly. Ann Maxfield stated, that she had cohabited with Jones, the convicted burglar, before his apprehension, and on the day ha was examined at this (Alice, she waited until he came out to be taken to Newgate with other accomplices. They lit ed together in Duck-lane, and the prisoner also went by the name of Ludford.--- Si:on after four o'clock the witness joined the prisoners, under the care of Marsden, and Jones, the burglar, told her that a rescue would take place on the spot where it did actually happen.—ln Cheat Russell-street the res cuers began to shew themselves, and witness obsessed that William Jones, alias Country Bill, was for ward in the attack. Several females were present, and he brandished a stick amongst divot, and said, "Women, go away;" and a lellow, not yet in custody, and two others, were also present; and witness saw Marsden attacked. Witness knew all the persons named before this, and could not be mistaken. Gilsby, the publican in the Borough, who was fetched to the °lnce by warrant, and at the request of Jones, the rescuer, to speak in his behalf, stated, that on the night of the rescue: the two Jones's came to h;s house, and also Staitley, alias Jack Jolly. Win. Jones asked for a bed for Sam Jones, with which the latter was accom modated, and in the morning of Friday, at tell o'clock, Wm. Jones went up stairs to the hed-room of his name sike and advised him to go to Kennington, as he would see something in the newspapers about the rescue and the dangerous state of Marstien. Stanley was present at the house, and in a conversation in the tap-room, it was stated,amongst the rescuers present, that he, Stanley, was picked out as a good flourer, and that it was he who made the first attack upon Marsden. There were about thirty-five in number, and they all agreed that Jack Jolly was a down right floorer. Previously to the rescue there were three places appointed for the gang to meet at, and it bring a re-examination of the burglars there was no difficulty in the arrangements The appointed places were the White Horse, Short's Gardens; the Coach and Horses, Charles -street, Drury-lane; and the Ship, at Westminster. John Bird, who was violently struck upon the head by the gmg, on their way do.%a Bell-)ard, Fleet -street, and who before identified William Jones as one of the gang, stated, that Jones had a brown coat on, which he, the witness, tore in catching hold of to prevent Idling. The coat was produced by Jefkries the officer, who took it front Jones, and it answered %sinless's description bath in the tear and colour. M alum phries, the Solicitor, who attended for Jones, submitted bail for his client; but the Ma4istrates consi dered the rescue itself a felony. Titey oleo considered that another question trose, whether the tescuers were not aceessaries after the fact of the burglary upon which We persons rescued were fully committed for trial. At uil events, the assault upon nloistlen was wove(' against some of the prisoners, and consequently they would be remanded for another week. Solicitor.—Da you commit for felony? Magistrate.—Yes, and fur the assault too. Mr. Humphries submitted a case which occurred in 79(i of Isdwell, who was shot, and where the alle A cd felony was not re?ognized by Baron Eyre.— Isdtvtll was criar i ;cd with felony in the new prison Cler k,:nwsll, and un , i:r pretence that he had a nett aunt on tier deathdred, whose property he should inherit, he p;;A•ailed on the turnkey to accompany him to I•ce bed side in Artillery-lane, nere a female, apparently sick, was in bed, but the per.ons who had the cate of the si:k 1;41y I).. c .an to find out their mistake, and in th e Isdwell was s.tot, and the parties were acquitted of warder, and afterwards indicted for a rescue. The Alagistrates here interposed, not conceiving that the case bore any analogy to the present one, as it was proved in evide.iee Uiat 'Awell ni4lit have been shot by accident. Mr. Farrant.—The case is reported in Leach's Haw kins 101. 2. Jefferies, the officer, produced the bludgeon with which Jones and Stanley had boasted of haring done the trick of rescue; and that Jones, Stanley. %Vans, and the Iwo Hoiris's were playing at dominos when taken at Colshy's. Mr. Adams corroborated other testimony as to Stanley being on the spot of rescue, armed with a bludgeon. S, Juicy and Watts were brought up, pnd the former said lie had never seen Cilsby before, nor did he know where his house was, but when asked to sign this con tradiction, he said lie never wrote, nor would he nu.ke his mark upon paper. The prisoners were remanded for another week, but the prosecutors wire bound over to prosecute. UNION HALL. In C' ence of rep:ated complaints from the re :peva! ..thitants of Saint George's Fields, a private search ant was issued front this office, on Thuisday nittl the apptelicusion of all reputen thieves, dis. ord , , la:le:kers, and prostitutes, ini A lit he found ab .ter a piesciilsed hour. About 12 o'clock the " w of the officers, aided by a strong detachment of spee,ai parish constables, the whole under the direction of toe chief clerk, set out on their mission. They lust traversed Dover where they found all the tui clit houses open, and heard music and dancing; they entered the first, and found it full of women, some of whom were full dressed, and others had only their under Garments 011 ; there were no men, or if there had been any, they had found means of escape. Having apprehended the whole of this wretched atsemldy, and lodged them in the watch horse, the constables returned and succeeded in securing another house full of similar company, with the odtlition of a number of men, whom they found carousing, and dancing on the tables, many of the k. males being absolutely but half dressed I En the whole, they apprehended sixty individuals of both sexes, who were on Friday morning placed at the bar of this office. Mr. Allen, Sitting Magistrate, assisted by Mr. Harrison, (Chairman of the Quarter Sessions) examined the de linquents must minutely, and from their various state ments, it would seem, that the Borough is the general receptacle or head (platters of all that is bad. Many of the Avomen said they lived in Pye Street, and the Al. monry, iii Westminster, but had gone to the BALL, in Dover Street ; others had been drawn there for a similar purpose, from Whiteahapel, Horseleydown, and other distant part;. Several of them were committed to the House of Col rect ion. OLD IMILEY SESSIONS. TUFFDAV, DEC. 19. The whole of the trials having yesterday been Con.. Chided, the prisoners acre this morning brought up to receive their several semen( es. The hour fixed for passing sentence was 10 o'clock ; bat the Court was delayed, for a considerable time, in consequence of the absence of an Aldo man. The Recorder and other officers were ready at the appointee! time. At length, at about 11 o'clock, Mr. Attica Mall Thomas Smith arrived, and the poisoners were brony lot into the (lock. 'flue whole number of poi soners brought up to receive sentence was 192; of these 31 received sentence of death; SP, were sentenced to transportation for life; 13 to transportation for 14 years; to ZO transportation fur 7 years ; and 70 received various minor sentences. A great number of the latter were sentenced to be publicly and privately whipped. The following are the prisoners on whom sentence of death was passed : James Anderson, Samuel Jones, end William Dunn, for burglary; James Reeves, Joseph Johnson, James Hunt, and Joseph Colvin, ter highway rubbery; Ann Gibson, for stealing in a dwelling-house; John Head and William Lawrence, fur housebreaking; George Allen, for stealing in a dwelling-house ; James Farquhar and Win. Fulham, for housebreaking ; Elizabeth Holland, for stealing in a dwelling-house; James Long and Henry Herod. for housebreaking; Joseph White, Matthew Cooper, John Samuel Chandler, and Joseph Martin, for highway robbery; Robert Parker and William Paddock, for steal ing in a dwelling-house; J. Davis, for highway robbery; Edward Burke, for stealing in a dwelling-house ; William Wall, for burglary; Thomas Monday, ter horse stealing ; Abraham llemtaingway, fur sacrilege; Catherine Mac donald, for stealing in a dwelling-house; Henry Tobin and George Mason, for highway rubbery. The case of the latter prisoner wits reserved for the opinion of the Judges, and it has been declared a capital cffence. Of the thirteen prisoners who were sentenced to 11 years' transportation, eleven had pleaded guilty to the minor offence of having forged notes in their possession. The sessions were then adjourned. .4 new mode of apprehending hieves.—ln consequence • of the alarinimiineicase of iii . rect robberies in the Bo rough, some ollicers of Union Hall made a determina tion to set amongst the thieves by some means disguised, and accordingiy a few nights ago Hall dressed himself as an old gentleman, with a powdeeed perriwig, and exhibiting a large bunch of seals, amongst which he had ingcnioufly placed a number 01 sharp fish hooks.— Ia this manner he travelled throughout the most daring part of the neighbourhood, and even met many old customers, but they would not angle, Ir:cause it seems they suspected the Tait. Hall having no doubt hut that he Was recognized, the next night sent a stranger, and he also returned unmolested. Next [right the parish coo stable went forth, attired like an exquisite of taste, and he performed his new character so well, that he was soon picked up by two nymphs, whose exploits are well known to the Police. They politely invited him home, but he assured them pon honour, he could not consent ; one,of them contrhed to pitrloiti his pocketbook, which was quite empty, and the other made an attempt at his watch ; but wired she felt the hooks, she exclaimed that th..y were betrayed. It was in vain to attempt au escape, the dandy and his assistants surrounded, and lodged them in the wadi house, from whence they were brought to the office and committed. HIGHWAY ROBBERY —Saturday evening last, be tween five and six o'clocK, as James M`Gregor, shop -111311 to a baker in Chain-alley, Bermondsey-street, was walking along along St. Thomas's Tents, (near the hos pital), three roflians suddenly tdpped up his heels, and alter giving hint several blows, ran ith his watch, and a loaf with which he was procreding to the house of one of his master's customers. lie gave au immediate alarm, and a constable who was near the spot, followed the robi:ers, and apprehended one of them, after a little resistance. On seaming hint, the constable found the watch tip his s!cevt.., which he accounted for by saying, that he had been kicky enough to pick it tip, and was only" seeking for the right owner! lle was brought before Sir John Pinithorn, at Union hall, and iden tilled as a noted otkitder ut the Kent-sueet gang. Ile was remand' d._ _ . DARING EU RGLARY.—Suneay iight last, during the abwilee 01 the family loon home, the dwellitig•house of Mr. S. Buck, chandler, No. 27, Hon:lcy-down-lane. was eiliered by means of picklock keys, and the shop and parlour wt re ransacked and plundered. The thictes !hen proceeded up stairs, and broke into a room belong ing to one of the lodgers, which they cleared of every thieitt portable, and got clear off with their booty. Alotiday evening the house of Mr. Moles, in the City road, was burglariously entered, and robbed of Bank notes to a considerable amount, besides a quantity of plate, jtwellery, &c. with which the thieves got clear off.