The Express.
London, England, 1849-07-25 00:00:00

POLICE.-YESTERDAY.

WORSHIP STREET.
CRAWS or SWINDLINO.—John Wright, otherwise Jo-
seph Hume, Mary Wright, his wife, who was believed to
have occasionally adopted the name of Madame Loraine,
and a young woman named Charlotte Richards, who had
acted as their servant, were placed at the bar before Mr. Ham-
mitt, charged with having obtained, under false pretences,
a quantity of household farniture from Mr. John Comfort,
en upholsterer in Wells-row. Upper-street, Lawton.
The prosecutor Mated that on the morning of Friday list,
the female prisoner Wright entered his warehouse and
purchased a piece of oil-cloth, which was forwarded accord-
ing to her directions to the residence of her husband,
Laburausn-cottage, Honney-road. Oa the following day
the male prisoner called and paid for the article, at the
same time orderieg him to send a 100 table and an easy
chair for the inspection of his lady, and stating that their
purchase would be subject to her approbation. Witness
himself accompanied his porter to the house with the
goods in question, and deli d them at the
door to the prisoner Richards with an intimation
that their price was 61. each, and that he would return on
Monday morning and: take them:back if they were not ap-
proved of. On calling again, however, at the time specified,
he found the place shut up and deserted, and was informed
by some of the neighbours that the prisoners had removed
the whole of their goods, end absconded aerie o'clock that
morning. He succeeded with some difficulty in methane
that the prisoners had established themselves in a large pri-
vate house in the Grove, at Hackney, to which he repaired
on the preceding evening, and, after knocking repeatedly et
the door, the prisoner Richards presented herself at the par-
lour window, and demanded his business. On telling her
his name, and that he bad called respecting the furniture
her master had obtained from him, the prisoner disclaimed
ell knowledge of the transaction, and on reminding her that ,
the articles had been left at Laburnum.cottage, she replied
that she had n heard of such a place. The prisoner then
abruptly closed the window and retired into the house, and
witness at once hastened to the nearest station end gave in-
formation to the police.
Spinks, N 276, stated that in consequence of a communi-
cation made to him by the last witness, he secreted himself
within sight of the premises and closely watched the house
until four o'clock that morning, when the male prisoner
came out with a bulky package, and cautiously glancing
about to see that he was not observed, beckoned to some one
Inside, and the two women immediately emerged, each of
whom also had • large bundle under her arm, and after
carefully locking the door, they proceeded rapidly towards
the rcad, but were intercepted by the witness and another
officer. On asking the male prisoner if his name was not
Joseph Hume, he replied in the affirmative, and witness had
since ascertained that he bad hired the house under that
cognomen. Upon reaching the station-house the different
Ibundles were searched, and found to contain • large assort-
atent of new and costly female wearing apparel, a dozen
silver spoons marked with the initials ".H. P. A.," and " J.
H. R.," and numerous rings, brooches, and other articles of
jewellery. A number of pawnbrokers' duplicates were also
found upon them, and about 40 bills and invoices relating
to goods they bad obtained from tradesmen in all
parts of the metropolis. They next proceeded to
the house, and there found a large number cf boxes filled
with linen, sheets, blankets, shawls, and gown.pieoes, all
entirely new, and several of the letter not even made up,
and a quantity of valuable furniture, amongst which the
prosecutor pointed out his own property, the whole of which
was secured and deposited in the station-house. The officer
also produced a packet of private documents, amongst
'which wee a confidential epistle addressed to the male pri-
soner, apprising him that an old gentlemen would call upon
him to ascertain the character and position of the writer,
and indicating the terms necessary to be used upon the
occasion.
When asked if he wished to say anything, the male pri-
soner carelessly replied that the whole of the present charge
resolved itself into a mere matter of debt and credit, and
that ell the articles referred to by the officer were his own
property. The women made no observation.
It having been intimated by Inspector Coward that be had
reason to believe that numerous other charges would be
established against the prisoners if the particulars of their
apprehension obtained publicity, the magistrate ordered
the whole of them to be remanded for a week, to afford
time for their production.
e,
she