The Express.
London, England, 1849-10-23 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

SOUTHWARK.

PICKING POCKNIK-L-iWlacis,niimed Barry and Sulli-
van, were charged with picking pockets in the Borough.
Haat, a police-officer of the M division, said that, owing
to the numerous robberies lately committed by a daring
gang of young thieves at the terminus of the Brighton and
Dover Railway, he was stationed there for the purpose of
detecting them. On the evening of Saturday Ise, after
the Brighton train came in, and the passengers were
leaving the station, witness saw Barry attempt to pick
several gentlemen's pockets, while his companion " covered"
him. He watched them for some time, and ally de-
tected them in the act of stealing a silk handkerchief from a
gentleman, when he took them into custody. The gentle-
man who had bean robbed could not attend, as he had ball-
ades of importance to transact at Liverpool
Mr. Seeker asked if they were known.
The constable replied, that both of them were companions
of thieves, and Barry had been before in custody.
Mr. Seeker said that if the gentleman had come forward
he should have sent them for trial. He should, however,
take care they did not carry on their depredations for
some time, but commit them to the Heine of Correction
for two months each.
ROBBEIIIINS IN CorreaKol/8118.—John Birkenhard was
charged with stealing sheets and counterpanes from several
' coffee-house keepers on the south side of the river.
Mrs. Elizabeth West staled that she keeps the Surrey
Coffee-house, in Blackfriars-road, and that on Friday the'
prisoner celled there and inquired if he could be accommo-
dated with a bed. The answer being in the affirmative, he
then said that aa it was early in the evening he intended to
visit some place of amusement, and inquired the hour at
which the house dosed. Being informed that the waiter
should lit up for him until 12 o'clock, he then expressed a
wish to see his bedroom, and at the same time to wash
his hands. He was accordingly shown up stain and left in
the room, and when he descended he added that he was
then going to the theatre, and should return before the house
was clotted. He then walked out, when the complainant,
having some suspicion that all was not right, owing to his
hurried manner, went up stairs, and discovered that one of
the sheets off the bed was gone. Suspecting that he could
not be far off, she hastened alter him, but not seeing anything
of him and on her return back, she accidentally called in at
Robins's coffee-house, in the same neighbourhood, in order
to put the landlord on his guard in the event of such a cats
tomer visiting his house. The moment, however, she entered
she beheld the prisoner quietly sitting in one of the boxes
taking coffee, and upon seeing her he rose from his seat to
leave the place, ant she prevented him, and having called a
polic,man, she gave him into custody. The article stolen
from her house was here produced, and she identified it as
her property.
Policeman Hunt, 81 H, stated that on the evening in ques-
tion he was called upon to take the pri.oner into custody fur
stealing a sheet, a charge which he deaied. When told that
he must submit to a search, he remonstrated against such a
proceeding, asserting that he win a respectable man. Find-
ing, however, that but little credit was given to hie assertions,
he quietly submitted to the examination, and when his coat
and waistcoat were taken off the complainant's sheet was
found wrapped about his body. The policeman added that
on further search he found 80 duplicates relating to counter-
panes and sheets in one of his pockets.
Several other persons were in attendance who preferred
similar charges, and the prisoner was committed for trial.

e.W.
R.W.
N.W.
N.L.
N.L.
S.E
W.
N.W.
&W.

s.w.

ii,ir.

Streng
Gentle