The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-19 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

GUILDHALL.

TRANSPORTATION OF AN INNOCENT DIAN.

It will be remembered that in October last a burglary
was committed on the premises of Mesers.Whittaker when
plate and money to the value of about 20W. or 3901. was
stolcn. John Cooper, a porter, who had been in MINIM.
Whittaker's employ for 1.3 years,and had always borne agood
character, was suspected, and the eirennistaues were so
strong against him that he was tried, found guilty, and
subsequently transported for 10 years. In the early part
of the present year • man, named Thomas Taylor, and
another, were cliazged with committing • burglary on the
premises of Mr. Wilkinson, of Watling-street, when silk
goods were taken away to the vela, of 200 J They were
convicted at the Old Bailey, aad sentenced to 10 years'
transportation, and from a statement made by Taylor sub-
sequent to his conviction, • young man named Powell
was sought for, and learning that the polios
knew all about the matter gave himself up to
the officers. Yesterday Powell was examined at
Guildhall, when the following statement, made by Taylor
to Mr. Cops, the Governor of Newgate, was read :—" At
six o'clock on Sunday morning, I, Thomas Taylor, went
with two others, Charles Wiz, 38 years, and Joseph Powell,
20 years, and broke open Whittaker's place by getting over
the chevaux-de-friese at the back part of the warehouse,
and from thence to • lead flat on which were two skylights,
where we raised the window and forced the shutters, which
were fastened by a cross-bar. We had tools, and forced
every drawer we came to, till at last we found the key of the
safe, and that key unlocked the safe, and there we found
• box of plate directed to some one as if going into the
country. Ws were in the building from six in the morning
until half-past ten. The opening of the C.ules took • great
deal of time. We Ipened them by a jemmy. We took
nothing but a key from the drawer, which key unlocked one
of the iron safes. We found there a clerk's book Contain-
ing some halves of U. notes. We took the box away. Two
of us were in the house and one outside. I carried
the box away. I was the man that was teen
at the doer. The box was carried away in a
blue bag found there. The blue bag and the box were, I
believe, burnt together. We saw • will la the safe, and
some bills of exchange, which we did not remove. The
seven half M. notes which we took were burnt. The plata
was sold to a man in Petticoat-lane, that goes by the name
of" Big Mike." He gave M. in gold for the plate. The
warehouseman, John Cooper, is totally unknown to me. I
never saw him to my knowledge. He had no share what-
ever in the robbery. I was led to commit this robbery by
noticing • man ring a bell and then go away, as if the
place were left, a fortnight before this occurred. Powell
said, "Oh, I know this place very well, as my father-in-
law has worked here fur many years." Powell was the
person who showed us over the premises, and took us to
all the desks."

Atter hearing this statement the magistrate received other
evidence, throwing light on more than one large robbery in
Landon. Much anxiety is felt on Cooper's account by the
parties to his prosecution.
MANSION-HOUSE.
• • • -- _

Frederick Veistan, a Dutchman, aged 33 years, who had
the appearance of a seaman, was brought before the Lord
Mayor charged with having plundered a public-house.
I The prisoner went into the King's Head Tavern, in
Great Tower-street, on Wednesday night, at ten o'clock,
for the purpose of taking a bed, and retired to it without
much delay, as was supposed. The ,potman, however,
upon going up stairs to his place of repose, found the room
is a state of confusion, and immediately informed his
master that he suspected all was not correct with their new
lodger. Care was taken to fasten the street-door and other
outlets in such a manner and to take such other measures
as would p may departure from the premises without
the knowledge of the proprietor, and about half-put five
o'clock in the morning the potman heard footsteps, and
opening the door of his room law the prisoner with

a light in his hand returning up stairs, after
having in vain endeavoured to let himself out.
The fellow was burdened with n Dutch clock,
and a quantity of clothes, which he bad taken from three
di6•rent apartments. Upon being asked what caused his
early rising, he said, " Me want to go out to go beard ship."
It appeared that amongst the articles of dress which the pri-
soner hsu removed, and with %Lich he was ready to bolt,
were a shawl and mantle belonging to the barmaid, into
whose room he must have gone before she retired to rest.
The weights of the Dutch clock had been cut off by the
prisoner, who had shown his judgment in the selection of
valuable articles, and who, it is calculated, has been in the
habit of paying visits of the kind to the owners of houses
of public resort.
In the hope that others should be able to identify the
prisoner as a thief, the Lord Mayor remanded the prisoner
till Tuesday.