The Express.
London, England, 1862-04-23 00:00:00

SINGULAR CASE OF BURGLARY IN BELFAST.

On Monday morning, a young man named James
M'llwaine, seventeen years of age, was arrested, and
with having broken into the premises of Mr. Georgechagld-
lips, bookseller, Bridge-street. The case Is most unac-
countable in many ways. The young man was • boarder in
one of the principal seminaries in the town, and is very re-
spectably connected, his father being an extensive farmer in
the county Down. The cause which led to the commission
of the crime with which he is charged is at present a com-
plete mystery, as previously he had shown no disposition
towards such • course of life. He bad been iu the
habit, it appears, for some time back of attending Mr.
Phillips's shop, and has been seen on several occasions to
peruse broke at the counter for perhaps an
hour at • time. On Saturday he was in the
shop for • considerable period reading, and as there is no
public library attached to the shop, his particular business
there was not clearly understood, although he was not
ordered to leave, or his business then inquired into. How-
ever, he was not observed to leave, and it is supposed
he secreted himself somewhere about the premises, and
remained there hidden until after the shop was closed, when
he commenced operations by " blinding" the chinks in the
witidow"butter. so that the parties passing along the street
might no observe the light, and that he might not be
detected. Sheets of brown paper were pasted over the
interior of the windows, and the letter-box, which is merely
a small opening in the door, won covered with a double
paper wrapper. He must have been on the premises, it is
supposed, for at least twelve hours. It is evident that he
endeavoured to mope by the shop front, and failed in
making his exit by that mode. On Mooday morning, about
11 o'clock, a woman servant in one of the neighbouring
houses observed a wan at one of the windows at the rear
of Mr. Phillips' shop, and she gave information to the
mutable of the beat, who at once had the premises
searched, and ild'llwaine was found concealed in the coal-
cellar. He had in his possession upwards of 6/., several
packs of playing cards, and a number of gold ring" On
examining the premises it was found that all the drawers
in the shop had been rummaged, and that in one of the
drawers a number of bank cheques were left untouched,
probably as the burglar supposed he could not make use
of them ; and in another drawer some packages of coppers
were also left behind, as they would be too heavy to take
away, or not worth the trouble of carrying off. On Satur-
day nigkt Mr. Phillips took from one of the drawers which
had been broken open 1501., and it is supposed that the ac-
cused, on his visit to the shop on Saturday, saw this money,
and that the object of his second visit was to secure it.
All the draw were opened in a most scientific manner,
quite in aometianse With the doings of trained hands to the
basieess. The whets affair has created considerable inte-
rest in the town, taking into oonsideratioe the position of
the yang twee, tke respeetability of his family, and the un-
likelihood thet a penes of education would adopt itch a
mode of life.

Gentlemen who require good and fashionable
Dress can depend on the best tnaterials and latest style at
Hamilton and Kimpton's, 105, :Wand, opposite Exeter Hall.—
Advartisement.l