The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-07 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 7, 1853.

THE POLICE CO VETS.

I[LNSION.HOI7BIC.

Fredrick Smaiih;;SliOnifitiei; the Lord Mayor
charged with robbery.
D. V. Coultas**, assistant to Mr. Hall, draper, of 29, fit.
Joho-street, ChirkeaweU, said between 6 and 6 o'clock last
evening the prisoner came to my employer's shop and pro-
duced to me a piece of black silk esstathiag 24 yards, he
said that piece of goods was bought at our shop about nine
months ago, and the party wished to have it ezthanged for
a fancy silk. I hestitated a sheet time but eventually ex-
changed it for 18 yards of a haw alb. I did so by the di-
rection of Mr. Hall, who gave diretWese that the prisoner
should be watched. On the return et the mom who was
sent to watch him I went to 42, Alfred -stmt. Islthgten. I
did not go into the house, and this morningT took the piece
of black silk into the City, and made certain inquiries
which induced me to call on Mr. Watson, of Watling
-
street, to whom I showed the pier* of silk. I then saw the I
prisoner in the warehouse, and recognised him as the per
son who had brought the silk, and pointed him out to one of
the partners as the party who had brought it. He was
then brought into the counting-house, and I said do you
recollect bringing this piece of silk to me last evening. He
I said no, sad be added that he went straight home from the
warehouse. When the silk was brought by him he said
that2s. 9d. per yard was paid for it.
Kr. J. Watson, of the firm of Watson, Jones, and Gib-
bon, of Watling-street, warehousemen, said—The pri-
soner has been in our employ about a year and a half. He
had nothing to do with our silk doparfasse. The piece of
silk produced is, I have no doubt, my peeperty. It bears
my initials in pencil. I know it by the general separems.
The emboss" lodges at 42, Alfred-street. Isliseliss. He
could have had aeons te the silk depressing. Tim of the
bunches of domes predirsd her me mike as them.
A porter at Meows. Weems sod 01.'" estahlberesst said
—He saw the primmer leave the modems' with imitable
under his mat, whisk he pressed with his arm soder his
side ; es there were se psis et tie iordpaiss whisk 'mid
be pressed or he fild.ls the "Medd lower
presest, al seep lea of bin ins ationoisell by die
witeem.

Ems, 469, said the prisoaer„ when the charge wu read
over to him, dented that he knew anything of the silk or of
Mr. Contuse ; sad he also denied tkat be had been at St.
Johu.street on the night in question. Witness afterwards
bound in the prisoner's lodgings some artificial flowers and
fruit. _ _ _

The Lord Mayor—The primate must go for trial to the
Central Criminal Court.
GUILDHALL.
Lew& Afyon, who wan remanded from last week, was
brought up oa the charge of being found is the unlawful
possessioa of a gold watch, mad other valuable property,
wt of the predate of a robbery reunify committed at
Leighton Simard, when property, Ming of plate,
watcher, and jewellery, to the amount of from 8001. to
1,0001. was earned away.
Mr. Solostree applied that the cheque and the note
taken from prisoner, and which he offered to prove had
come into his possemiat in the way of business, might be
given up to the prisoner to support his wife mad
and provide the means for his defines.
Aldermaa Copeland said it did not appear that the pri-
soner lacked the mesas for privatise his defence, or Mr.
Solomon. would not bath attended for Lim ; and taking
into considerstioa the fact, that upwards of 800/.'s worth
of property had been stoles, and NOM of it found in the
erisot.er's possession icaseediataly afterwards, he did not
think he should be doing his duty if he ordered the officer
to give up any of the property. He could not therefore
interfere.
The prisoner was then remanded.

Just before Mr. Corns lett the bench on Monday evening
a cabriolet, containing a gentleman, two ladles, and a
policeman, drove up to the door of the court, and ow
•lishting they were instantly introduced into the presence
of Mr. Come in a state of evident excitement.
The "gentleman" was perfectly intoaicated, with his
coat torn, as it he had been in a struggle, and his name and
address appeared on the police sheet as " Roiert Francis
Webb, gentleman, of Clarence-street, Islington." The
young lathes were his wife and her mister, who had received
emeralrie
um. Sarah Webb, the mite, Madame meat et
gape*, maws% sneered is the vitiate bee, with let

arm bound up and suffering much pain. Having been
sworn, she said that the prisoner was her husband, and he
had been in the habit of ill-treating her. She had prose•
cited him twice before at Worship-street Police Court for
multi' upon her. On Monday afternoon he returned to
his residen under the influence of liquor, and commenced
a quarrel with her and her sister, on which occasion he
seized a red-hot poker, with which he attacked them, and
threatened that he would kill them. Ho struck her en the
arm with the weapon, sad her arm was nearly broken.
She was so mach injured, that she was under medical ae-
' Meaner.
_ _

Mr. Cowie—Pry, what is the prisoner ?
Mrs. Webb—He is • potholes as far as property roes ;
he is a man of fortune. They went in fear of their lives
through his threats and ill-treatment.
Mr. Currie said from the difference in their appearance,
he at first thought that perhaps, the prisoner was her
father. He (Mr. Conic) conceived that he was not then
sober. He should remand him until the next day.
YesterdAy he was again brought up for examination.
Mr. Pelham, solicitor to the ladies, addressing the bench,
said, under all the cireumatenem, 'chivvies the position in life
of the parties, the prisoner being a gentleman of consider-
able wealth, be would suggest that the cue should be
adjourned for a week. Mrs. Webb had put up with
the prisoner's ill wage for a length of time pact ; they
had been married some
imtan, and bad five children, and
in the interim of the ad °orpent they would make out a
deed of separation. Hohoped Mr. Conic would accede to
this proposal.
Mr. Conic said he would consent to adjourn the ease
under the hope that some amicable arrangements might be
arrived at. He then ordered Mr. Day (prisoner's collector)
to put in his bail in 5001., and the prisoner 2601., to appear
at the court in a week.