The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-19 00:00:00

UNION HALL.

lironwAy Wriiiri,—"a young man, named
IVillinm IVillry, was brought to this office in custody, before
the Sitting 31sgis:rate, B. J. Citanagets, Esq., charged with as-
saulting 31r. Bradley, and taking from his person a gold chain and
seals. _

The complainant stated that on Monday morning, about two
o'clock, as he was rerarning from Battersea, on passing near the
watergate entrance of Vauxhall gardens, the prisoner, accompanied
by two other men, the latter of whom made their escape, ran
against him, the prisoner in front and his two associates in the rear.
Immediately on which the former struck him a violent blow on the
face, and made a snatch at his watch chain. In the tug, however,
the chain broke off close to the wa.cb, and the prisoner, together
with the other two fellows, ran off, followed by .Mr. Bradley, who in
the pursuit kept the prisoner in sight, and distinctly observed him
throw the chain and seals up into the air as he ran along. Mr.
Bradley continued the pursuit, and having a gun in his hand,
which he had used on the occasion of a pigeon match, called to the
prisoner that he would certainly shoot him if he did not stop. The
threat of shooting had the effect of intimidating the prisoner, who
immediately slackened his pace. and he was secured by one of the
watchmen outside the gardens. The latter part of the complainant's
evidence was corroborated
_ry the watchman, and the prisoner was
Fully committed to the assittbi row holding et Guildford.
A man named Intkeling, well known to the police, was placed
at the bar, on a charge of breaking into the dwelling house of Mr.
Smith, a currier Ahli leather dresser, of Ikrmondsey, and stealing
therefrom a quantity of leather. The offence was committed up-
wards of a year and a half ago, ever since which period the prisoner
has been out of the way.
Mr. Smith's foreman stated the circumstances of the robbery,
and the finding of' the stolen property. Be said, that in the month
of January, 1825, his employer's house was broken into, and
robbtel of a quantity of skins of leather, specimens of which were
now produced. The robbers, it appeared, had a cart and horse Mr
the purrose of conveyilyg away the. property ; but, by some miff.
chance on their part, the vehiele broke down in flemiondsey-street,
and the noise occasioned by the accident soon collected a crowd of
persons, who were anxious to lend their essisrance. Some watch-
men also happening to come up at the time, the persons in the
cast were oh-erved to leave the spot altogether, and abandon the
cart and leather to their fate. Suspicion was excited in consequence,
particularly as it happened to be oti a Sundiy, and cart, leather,
and all, were taken off to the Green-yard. Soon afterwards it was
ascertained that Mr. Smith's house had been broken into, and that
gentleman Identified the leather as his property.. Subsequent to
the robbery a claimant came toward for the cart and horse, who
stated his name to be Josephs, and described the names and per-
sons of the individuals who had hired them frosts him on the occa-
sion above.staied, declaring that he had no corception his cart and
horse were to be employed as it turned out they were. Josephs
particularly described Wakeling as one of the men, and in conse-
quence, Joseph Snow, the constable of Newington, rt very active
man, has been on the lock out Tor him. Front Snow's account
it appeared that Wakeling had completely abandoned hit old
haunts ever since the above robbery. However, a day or two ago.
as Snow was walking along the Strand, he saw NVakeling, who
was metamorphosed in point of personal appearance, being at the
time dressed in a very fashionable manner, with a splendid gold
chain and seals appending from his watch. The Constable, how-
ever, instantly knew him, and haying informed him that he was
" wanted" at Union-hall about some leather, and that he must
come, the prisoner turned on him as quick as lightning, and struck
him a tremendous blow on the temple. Snow, however, held him
fast, and was certainly dreadfully maltreated before he managed to
get hint into the watch-house, which he ultimately succeeded in
accomplishing.
The witnesses, of whom there were a great number, established
the case against the prisoner to the Magistrate's satisfaction, and he
was fully committed for trial.
Previous to the prisoner being taken from the bar, he made
string efforts to have the chain and seals delivered up to him, de-
clarit.g that they were his own property, but he could not be in.
duced to eescribe from whom or where he had purchased them. On
this account the Magistrate directed Snow to keep them
in his possession, in the event of an owner coming forward to claim
them, as it was almost preposterous to suppose that a man of the
prisoner's habits could have'borne by them in an honest manlier--
The chain is a curb one, of French manufacture, and worth at least
seventeen guineas; the seals are also handsome, consisting of two
• I cornelian and one amethyst in chased gold.
in