The Express.
London, England, 1852-12-09 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION HOUSE.

Joists Driscoll was charged with having hurglariously
entered and robbed the dwelling•hous• of Mr. James Blake,
of No. 21, Aldgate Highs street, tobacconist.
Mr. Blake said—My premises were broken open early on
Saturday morning the 27th of last month. I was in bed,
and was awaked at nearly halipast two o'clock by the ser-
vant. I found, upon going down shin, that the till had
been robbed of If. Bs.—the money which had been left in it ;
and that 20 or 30 bundles of segar., which had been about
i the shop, bad been removed, and bundled into a bog clam
Ito the back part of the premises. I saw a hat on the leads
of the house, and sant my servant to fetch it in. The bat
was bent in at the crown, as if against the sash of a window
in the hurry to get out. (A hat was here produced.) This
is the identical hat. The back windows were not, I believe,
fastened at the time.

Sergeant Jackson (II division of the Metropolitan rolice)
said—l know the prisoner, and was present when, on the
15th of last month, ho was taken into custody by another
constable fee breaking into a house. A hat was then found,
which was supposed to be his ; but it was afterwards
thought not to be his. When he was token into custody
he had a hat on, which after looking at, I marked inside in
& peculiar manner. The hat now produced is that hat
which I so marked. The mark was, the moment I saw and
examined the hat, identified by me.
Ward (City detective officer) said—l received notice that
the burglary had been committed, wad I went to esamiee
Mr. Blake's premises, in company with /Innis, the officer.
We found that there were violent marks of entrance, and
last nigh', having received a description of the prisoner, I
apprehended him in Whitechapel, in a court, into which he
had ran to avoid me.

Mary_ Ann Colborn, of Crown-place, Aldgate Iligh.street,
mid—Not being well I was awake at half-past 2 o'clock on
the morning alluded to, and I heard a whispering under
my window, which is opposite to the prosecutor's house.
One voice raid "All right—all safe." I looked down and
saw two men, one of whom was the prisoner. Soon after-
wards I saw a third men, who was dressed in a light coat,
and who helped up the prisoner to the back part of Mr.
Blake's house on the leads. I then saw the prisoner try
the window, which opened easily, and enter the house. I
threw open my window end called the police, and the pri-
soner came out through the window, and in scrambling out
in a hurry knocked his hat off on the leads. Be then got
down and ran away. Afterwards I drew Mr. Blake's atten-
tion to the hat upon the leads.
The prisoner—My lord, she said when she saw me this
morning that she did not think I was the man, but alter
she was talked to by the officers, who know how to talk to
people, she had no doubt at all upon the question.
The witness —The moment I saw the prisoner I said to
Mr. Bloke, "That's the man." The prisoner at the same
time shook his head at me.

It was stated by two officers that the prisoner had bten
twice convicted of felony.
Alderman Wire having in the usual manner asked whe-
ther the prisoner wished to say anything,
Driscoll said—All I have to say is that the hat produced
never belonged to me. Ile then carelessly shoved the hat
upon his head and said, " You see it dou't. '
Alderman Wire—l think it fits you very well.
Driscoll—Why, these police can make any hat fit a man.
(Laughter.)
The prisoner was then committed for trial.
GUILDHALL.

Two young needlewomen applied to the alderman for
advice in the following matter. They said that they had
visited the shop of M . Samuel and James Wm. Benson,
jewellers, of Ludgate bill, and purchased a couple of mirh
chains, which were represented to them as being gold.
They paid 11. le. each for the chains, but on having them
subsequently tested they found the articles were made of
some base metal, and consequently were not worth halt a
mown. They returned to the shop and complained, when
they were told that if they liked to pay 301. more, they
could have " a very much better article " in exchange for
what they had bought. They objected to pay any more
money, and now applied to this court.
Alderman Copeland said that unfortunately there was too
much imposition practised by means of the electro-type pro-
ms' in the present day, but many persons might protect
themselves if they would only be careful to ascertain if the
usual mark of "18" or "21" and a " leopard's head " dis-
tinguishing pure gold from counterfeit, were properly
stamped on all articles so purchased.
Two summonses were then granted against Messrs.
Benson.