The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-30 00:00:00

THE POLICE COUBTS•

(THIS DAY.)

MANSION-HOUSE.
OFFICI ROBBIE&
Henry Hopkins, John Swayne, and Mary Ann While
were charged before Mr. Aldermarinnis, the two males
with being in the house, No. 30, Lime-etreet, with intent
to commit felony, and the female with aiding and assisting
in the commission of an attempted folony.
The prisoners were watched by Police-constable Obee,
an active and intelligent officer of the City force, and the
men were followed to several offices in the City, while the
female kept watch outside. After visiting several offices
in Feochurch-street, Philpot-lane, and James-street,
Obee traced them to 30, Lime-street, and on the second
floor found Hopkins and Swayne attempting to force the
door of the offices of a ship-broker. The female prisoner was
waiting outside with a small black bag, and she also was
taken into custody.
The male prisoners, when called upon, said that they
were going about to different offices to obtain employment,
but several previous convictions were proved against them
by Chief Warder Agar from the City Prison, Holloway, and
in these eases the conviction was for stealing coats and
other articles from City offices. The female prisoner was
not known to the police.
Mr. Alderman Finnic convicted the male prisoners as
rogues and vagabonds, and sentenced them to three
months' imprisonment with hard labour in the House of
Correction. The female prisoner was discharged.

BOW-STREET.
SINGULAR LON'S RIP IfISCHINF.
Alfred Hamlet, who said he was a plumber, residing at
172 Angel-court, Strand, was charged before Mr. Flowers
with being drunk and wilfully damaging hackney carriages
Nos. 609 and 157 at Tottenham-court-road.
George Bous, cab driver, deposed that at half-past 8 on
Saturday evening my attention was called to the prisoner,
who was standing over the forewheel of my cab (609).
On his leaving, I discovered seven or eight scratches on
the panels. I did not see him actually scratch it, but I
think he did it with his hand. I saw a constable, and
gave him into custody.
William Byford, cab driver of the second cab, said that he
was on his rank when another driver pointed the prisoner
out to him. He went down and saw twelve large scratches
all along the panels of his cab. A constable came up, and
first witness gave the prisoner into custody.
Prisoner—lt must have been done in the Hyde-park
riot.
Another driver said that about half-past 8 on Saturday
he saw the prisoner come out of a public house and go up
to the cabs and begin scratching, but he could not see
what it was done with. Prisoner went away, witness saw
the scratches, and then followed the prisoner and brought
him back. He said he did not do It,
Police-constable 33 E said that he took the prisoner into
custody, and that he denied all knowledge of the charge.
William Wyatt, proprietor of cab 809, said that the
damage done was over 10s., although he would be willing
to take that sum. Prisoner had told him previoualy he
would pay 10s. if he had it.
Henry Garman, proprietor of cab 157, said that the
scratch was very deep, and he might be able to varnish it
' over, but the damage would be U. It looked as if it had
been done with a penknife or a pieoe of taboos.° pipe.
The prisoner had nothing to say, and Mr. Flowers fined
' him Is. in each case, and the damages, in all 325., or 14
days' imprisonment.

WORSHIP-STREET.
♦ RAILWAY "LADY TH117."

A young womanffully dressed in new black silk, fashion.
able bonnet, and thick fall or veil, was charged under the
name of Mrs. Esther Puddieotabe, residing at 2, Phoinix-
street, Crown-stmt, Soho, with being trammed in at-
tempting to steal from the pocket of Mrs. Priscilla Reeve,
while on the premises of the Great Eastern Railway.
Prosecutrix stated that she had a short time previously
left her home in Clarendon-street, Clarendon-square,
Somers-town, for the purpose of proceeding, per train, to
Norfolk, that she bad scarcely entered the railway ter-
minus in Shoreditch before she was suddenly and violently
pushed into a corner, that on contriving to extricate her-
self from that position she felt a band in the pocket of
her dress and at the same instant actually saw that it
was the prisoner's, who appeared to be bustling past her
in the company of another lady. She (Mrs. Reeve)
could not make any mistake as to the fact, despite the
prisoner's appearance, and challenged her with the
attempt to pick her pocket—an indignant denial was
given, and then the second lady interfered, tried
to get between them, at the same time remarking, " It's
all nonsense ; you might as well say my hand was there."
Prisoner during this got a few steps away. She (Mrs.
Reeve) endeavoured to follow, but the " second lady"
seised her shawl, and evidently sought to detain her in
talk until, finding it useless, she mysteriously disappeared,
add had not been seen since. Prisoner was afterwards
taken into custody. The pocket in which she had placed
her hand then contained only a few halfpence. The purse
was in an under dress. Not anything was stolen.
Mr. Henry Kent, superintendent of police on the line of
railway mentioned, deposed to having met the prisoner
leaving the station in such haste as to instantly induce
suspicion of her purpose there. He consequently stopped
her, upon which she said, "Let me go, I'll make it all
right." The prcreentrix and others then came up and
stated what bad occurred.
Mr. Abbott contended that it was reasonable to pregame
that the prisoner's hand might accidentally have slipped
into the pocket while she was paring. The pocket was
almost in front of the dress.
Mr. Ellison intimated his intention to send the prisoner
for triaL
Mr. Kent and Benda, the gaoler, said a conviction
could be proved against her.
Mrs. Reeve expressed her inability to attend and prose-
cute , whereupon
Mr. Abbot observed that the prisoner would, if the
charge was dealt with by the magistrate, plead guilty.
This was done and a sentence of six months' hard labour
was the result.
[After Mrs. Reeve left the court a man who had been
present up to the moment prisoner was ordered for trial
and who than retired, accosted her and need threats of
intended violence if she dared to offer further evidence.
Mr. Kent apprised the magistrate of this, and directions
were given to bring the fellow back, but he was not to be
found.]