The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-09 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

DIANSION-110USE.

A well-dressed young woman, named Celia Smith, was
brought before Alderman Solomon, upon the charge of
baring assaulted and robbed a gentleman on the Queen's
highway. The case attracted a crowd.
Junes Hull, • potboy at a public house in Heundaditch,
said—Lest night as I was leaving my place at a little after
12 o'clock, to go home, I saw the prisoner strike a gentleman
is the stomach and knock him down. She then put her
hand is his side pocket, and took out his pocket-book,
He tried to get up, and I went and helped him, along with
another person, and the poll 'amen then came and she
threw the pocket-book into the road. Ths policeman
picked up the pocket-book and took the prisoner into cus-
tody. Whilst the officer held her she said to the gentleman
who had been drinking,—" Here I robbed_ you?" to which
the gentleman replied—" Ido not know." At the same
time some money dropped from her, which the policeman
picked up.
Cross-saarnined by the prisoner—There wee another
woman percent who had nothing at all to do with the buil.
neu, but the prisoner wished to ha it upon her.
Mr. A. D. Ellis was neat called, and the moment he ap-
peared in the witness hot, the prisoner said, in an appeal-
ing tone to the alderman, " Oh, my lord this fellow's
a Jew." (Laughter.) The witness said, as I was passing
ro thugh Houndeditch at 10 minutes put 12, I saw a man
fall upon hie back in the street. I crossed over to pick him
up. The prisoner had her hands in his pocket and was
taking out different things, audit the same time entreating
him to get up ;." for," said she ".if the *Gem= some
here sad end you drink you will be thud 61." I thought
from her manner, and what she said, that she was his
wife, and I was going to leave them, when the policeman
came up, and the prisoner then flung a pocket-
book, which she bad taken from the gentleman,
into the road, and let some money she had
in her hand fall to the ground. I helped the
gentleman to pick up the money. When the officer took
her into custody she saw another woman who had not
interfered at all, and immediately accused her of having
robbed the gentleman, and made an effort to seize her.
Alderman &lemons—Did you see the prisoner take the
pocket book from his pocket?
Witness—Most distinctly.
Aldermen Salonsons—Did you see her strike him ?
Witness—No.

S. Obis, 619—At five minutes Lefore 12 I saw the pri-
soner and the prosecutor in Church-passage, Bishopegate-
street. The gentleman WO9 lying on the ground. The pri-
soner said, " He has been drinking, and I can't get him
home. He is very obstinate." We then lifted him up,
and I asked him whether he could walk ?" " Oh. yes,"
said the prisoner, be can walk if ho likes. We have
been to the Bank, and he has put in 1001. there
to-day." I said, "Do you know him then?" She
replied, " Yes, he married my sister ;" and she
then said to him, "Will you go home to Jane or
will you go to •he station-house?" He said that he would
go home. "Oh,' said she, " Jane will be in a dreadful
way when you get home," (Laughter.) I told him I'd
take him to the station-house if be would not walk home,
and she then took hold of him and said, come along. I
thought then that she was his sister-in-law. I fol-
lowed on, but stopped a little to put an end to a slight dis-
turbance, and I then went into Houndaditch, where I saw
the prisoner and two or three others. I observed her throw
the pocket-book into the road. I took it up, and bearing
the boy who has given evidence say that she bad stolen it,
I took her into custody. She then asked the gentleman
whether she had robbed him, to which he replied
that he did not know. I said to her, " I
thought you said you knew him, and that he
had married your Ulster." " No," said she, " but
I know him by eight." (Laughter.) We picked up
3a. 6ii. in silver. While I was taking her to the station-
house she continueu to scream out "Murder," and that the
Jew had committed a robbery upon her. At the station-
house a half sovereign dropped from her, and 3s. iota. was
found in her pocket.
Mr. E. Howell, the prosecutor, was then called. He
said—The prisoner is ► stranger to me. I had been making
free with liquor, and was in Houndsditch at about 12 o'clock
last night. I met the prisoner first iu Biehopsgate street,
but do not recollect where I walked with her. I had a
pocket-book, and a half sovereign, and five or sin shillings
in my pocket. A bag in which I kept the money was left
in my pocket, bat the money was taken. I also lost a
handkerchief. I recollect falling in lioundeditch. The
prisoner gave me a violent blow or push in the pit of the
stomach, and I fell and cut my head open. I lost nearly
three half pints of blood, and was in a very weak state
from the loss. I did not speak to any other woman to my
knowledge.
The prisoner—l am perfectly innoclnt, my lord. The
robbery was committed by another woman. When I met
him first, tnere was a stout woman with him, and he came
alter me, and said he wanted to avoid her. We west into
several public houses, when I drank pale brandy, and he
drank beer. We went along till we came to Houodsditcb,
and he tumbled about frequently. At last I observed a
woman and two men, and the woman knocked him down
and took the pocket-book from him. I then saw the
policeman approach, and I snatched the pocket-book from
the woman's hand, and tried to take hold of her, and
offered the pocket-book to the policeman, who refused to
take it, and I then chucked it into the road. I tried to
prevent the gentleman from being robbed, and ha never
charged me at all with the robbery, and I called out
" Murder," because they told me they would murder me.
The prisoner was then committed for trial.