The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-26 00:00:00

4 WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.

At Worship street Police court, London, on Monday,
John Browning, alias Marlow, was charged, under
pecnlier circumstances, with having stolen a quantity of
silver plate, the property of Mr. Thomas Wilkinson, a
wharfinger, residing in Portland place, Lower Clapton.
The prosecutor stated that, on the morning of Sunday, the
Ist instant, he was informed by his servant that a parson
was waiting to see him in the hall, and on proceeding
there he found the prisoner, who respectfully apologised
for the interview, which he could only justify by inform-
ing him that he had been entirely without food for
two days. The prisoner then proceeded to state that in
the year 1846, tie had been taken into custody upon an
unfounded charge of uttering a forged cheque, for which
he was tried and convicted at the Old Bailey, and
sentenced to ten years' transportation. After five years
of penal servitude, he was at length liberated with a
ticket of leave, and since his return to this country he
bad managed to obtain various situations, from each of
which he was ignominously dismissed, on its becoming
known that he was a discharged convict. He felt so
much sympathy for the forlorn condition of the man th it
handed him a shilling, on receiving which the prisoner
invoked the blessings of Heaven upon his head, and was
turning away, apparently overpowered with emotion,
when witness called him back, and told him that it' be
called again in a fortnight he would probably furnish him
permanent employment. lie saw no more of the pri:ioner
until the previous afternoon, when one of his servants
hastily entered the drawing room, with the startling
information that there was a thief in the house,
who was then engaged in plundering the plate.
On proceeding to the pantry at the end of the hall, he
observe] the prisoner, who was in the act of withdrawing
his hand from a shelf, on which there was a quantity of
loose plate, and he instantly sent for a policeman, and
gave him into custody. Margaret Thomas, the prosecu_
tor's housemaid, stated that in consequence of a commu-
nication from one of her fellow servants that she had
admitted a man into the hall who wished to see her
master, she hastened down from the nursery, and while
passing the pantry, at the top of the kitchen stairs, she
saw the prisoner inside. The instant she made her
appearance, the prisoner rapidly drew out from his
side pocket a number of silver forks and spoons, which
witness had deposited iu the plate basket, a short
time before. He stealthily placed them upon a shelf
behind him. Witness at once charged him with the
robbery, which he strenuously denied, but she lost no
time in apprising her master of what she had witnessed,
and the prisoner was detained until the arrival of a
policeman. A police sergeant in attendance stated that
the prisoner was a rather accomplished person, as he was
perfectly conversant with five languages, but that he had
been convicted of felony on more than one previous
occaeion. The prisoner expressed his intention to reserve
his defence, and was committed to Newgate for trial.

THE NEW Aer om Rene Honsa DUTY.—The act to
amend the act of last session for repealing and
re-imposing, tinder new regulation!, the duty on race
horse, has been printed. The duty imposed is to be paid to
the Receiver of Race Horse Duty, previously to the starting
of a race horse, for which printed receipts are to be given.
tb.e receiver is to be paid one shilling in the pound, and for
neglect of duty to forfeit a sum of £.50.