The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-07 00:00:00

SURREY SESSION.s'—SA T UID r.

EXTENSIVE ROBBERY BY SERVANTS.
John Matthews, aged 14, and Henry Eglington, aged 23, were
charged upon sixteen indictments, for robbing their employer, Mr.
Matthews, of Blackfriars-road, of an immense quantity of hoots
and shoes, to the amount of upwards of 2,000!. William Jones
and Frederick Stannard, two fashionably dressed young men, were
indicted as receivers of the property.
Mr. HuTcaorscof (with whom was Mr. PRATT) stated the
case for the prosecution. The prosecutor was a respectable shoe-
maker and salesman, in Blackfriara-road. He was the uncle of the
first prisoner, and it was with considerable reluctance that he was
compelled to prosecute his relative. About five years sinceJ. Mat-
thews' father died, and a short time after the prisoner was taken into
the prosecutor's house; his mother and her family were also pro-
vided for, and the nephew was placed in the shop to learn the busi-
ness. Eglington had been Mr. Matthews' shopman upwards of ten
years, when his business becoming rather dull, he was discharged
but in consequence of his extreme distress, he was again employed
by the prosecutor. Jones had been a minor performer at the Co-
burg Theatre. Stannard had been in the same capacity, and he
was sorry to say that he believed Matthews' connexion with them
had induced him to commit the offence for which he was placed at
the bar. On the 27th of November, the prisoners Jones and Stan.
nand came to the door of the prosecutor's shop, and whistled. John
Matthews sent his brother, a very young lad, to the prisoners in
Albion-street. Jones told him he must go to Jack, and tell him
he must give him a pair of Wellingtons. The boy went back to his
brother, and communicated to him Jones's desire ; but Matthews
said he should rot have the boots, and the boy returned to Jones
and Stannard, and told them his brother would not send the boots.
Jones and Stannard promised to give its exchange a waistcoat and
the duplicate of a coat.. Matthews, however, said he would not
give the boots, and Jones and Stannard again came to the shop door
and whistled, and Eglington went out and spoke to them. When
be returned to Matthews, he told them he would give the waist-
coat and duplicate of the coat for the boots, when the boy was again
sent to Jones and Stannard with the two pair of hoots, and received
an old waistcoat ai,d the duplicate of a cost, The prisoners must
have been aware that the boots they received were stolen. The
quantity that had been taken from the prosecutor's shop sou very
considerable. The shoes and boots were bung op along the shelves,
and eve:y means had been taken to prevent detection by removing the
rails to greater distances. The facts, the Learned Gentlemen said,
would be proved by the boy : he vas very young, and could not be
supposed to have derived any benefit from the theft : he had, in
fact, been made a tool of by his brother and the prisoners.
Wm. Geo. Matthews, the boy, was then placed in the box, and
corroborated the statement of Mr. Hutchinson.
Mr. COWLEY and Mr. TaESSIOEII said sufficient evidence had
not been adduced to establish a case of felony against the prisoners.
ft appeared from the evidence that Jones and Stannard had re.
ceived the boots from the nephew ; hut they contended that there
was not sufficient evidence to prove a felonious receiving, and that
it was not an uncommon occurrence for one apprentice to lend a
pair of boots to another.
The CounT at once decided against the objection.
Mr. TmEsslav* insisted upon being heard, and although he en-
tertained the highest respect for the gentlemen on the bench, he
could not avoid observing. that they had not so much experience in
criminal law as the opinions he quoted. The Bench finally over-
ruled the objection, and the Learned Gentleman stated another ob-
jection respecting the prosecutor's name, but there he also failed.
Theprisoren said nothing in their defence, except Eglington,
who said the prosecutor always used an additional dame to that
stated in the indictment. He received a good character.
The Jury found the prisoners Gritty.
The prisoners, and a young man named John Henry, very
fashionably dressed, and wearing mustachios, were next arraigned
for a similar offence.

_ .........
The evidence was, that on the 7th or Bth of November Henry
went to the prosecutor's shop; some conversation took place be-
tween him and the prisoner klatthews, when the prosecutor entered
the shop. Henry then observed, " Oh, I called for those boots
I ordered ;" but looking round he said, " Bless me, this is not the
shop, it must be lower down the street." Shortly after his dc.
immure he came again to the shop and whistled. Matthews' brother
was sent round to him in Bennett-street, and he told the boy that
he bad some rockets for his_ brother, but must have something in
return. Soma shoes were then sent out by the boy to Henry,
oho told the boy he had a great many rockets, and that he had only
to come to Mrs. Stannard's house, tap at the window, and he should
have plenty, provided something was given in exchange. Some
were real rockets, while other
-things intended to represent them
were a piece of Wood rolled in sealed paper.
The pr seeutor in this case was then called, when several ques.
dons were put to him with a clew of discrediting his testimony. He
said he fully believed in a future state of retribution ; he..sru a
married man, but never turned his wire out of doors; he had kept
a house for a Mrs. Pewee, but he did not think it necessary to
answer such qUestiOns, as he was not to be tried for cries. con.: he
frequented the theauts at one time, as he bad beeo in the musical
profession ; his shop was then left in the care of his shopman, in
whom ho placed the greatest conflder,ce ; he had repeatedly sent him
for orders, and aft he did not wish the boys to be slaves, be had sent
them to the theatre, in order that they might be edified, and ob-
tain a proper pronunciation of the language. There were lessons
kr youth in some plays—in George Barnwell, for instance, and
upon seeing those plays represented, they might be improved.
The prisoners were all found Guilty.
The prisoners Matthews, Jones, and Starnard were next ar-
raigned on another indictment ; when it appeared that Jones and
Stannard went to Mr. Sak's' a hatter, in Bermondsey, and sent
his boy with a note and • cloth to Matthews. Matthews packed
up several pairs of shoes, and sent them back to Jones and Stan_
card, who then sent the boy out to pledge them at different pawn-
broker, and he returned with the money to Jones andStannatd.
One of Stannard's witnesses gave hint a good character, and said
ha had hem clerk to a merchant in Cornhill. Ile had known
him 20 years, and was acquainted with his father, who was an
officer to the army. The prisoners were all found Ouilty.—Jones
said, in reference to the contemplated judgment of the Court,
tiset he trusted all doubts upon the evidence would be tarn into
etnrsideration, and that punishment would be mitigated on account
of his wife and two'iufant children, who were dependent on him
for support.
The. CIT.IttIiAN, Ina very Impressive address, sentenced Eg-
lingten and Henry to seven years transportation ; and Matthews,
Jones, and Stanmusi to fourteen years' transportation.
The tri d occupied from ten o'clock in the morning until five
in the afternoon, and excited the greatest interest in • crowded
Court.

EADvEaTrarattwr.j—R. Ackermsnn, of No. 101,
Sii,ind, has the honour to inform the Nobility and Oer.try residing
at the West-end of the Town, that he his established his Son, at
No. lyl, Regentstreet, between Conduit and New Burlington-
simet, in the same line of business as is carried on in the Strand,
six—prints, books, colours, drawing materials, and fancy articles,
Wane he solicits a continuation cf their favours.

EADVEZTISLIIIENT•]--A MIS Ca[[.—ln the English
Ceildevice of yesterday • mistake was unconsciously nude ut the 1
Leading Article. " Wednesday next" was mimed as the day of
ballot at the East India House, oo the Marquis of flutings'
Question : it is Friday, the lath inst. There was an Adristise-
"ant to that effect in the Paper, szi; yet t 1:: error WAS committed
a the Leading Article.

THE BRITISH PRESS.

POLICE.

GUILDHALL.
Saturday John Ptarson, an elderly man, rather decently aniseed,
was brought up in custody, charged by Mr. Waterhouse, of the
Swan with Two Necks, to Lod-looe (under the Vagrant Act of
Jest Session). with being on his readies with intent to commit a

felony.
Mr. Lee, the solicitor, attended foe the rosecution, and Mr.
Humphreys for the prisoner.
Mr. Joseph Waterhouse, jun., stated, that between six and
seven o'clock on Friday evening he saw the prisoner on his father's
premises; he had a grad coat on his arm; he went into both
offices, and near several of the coaches which were receiving parcels
for the country. Witness asked him his business and address. He
acid he was there to see the coaches go off, and gave his name and
address, John Brooks, n, Ale/tut-street, Cis .rued. Witness
told him he knew his name was Pearson, and then sent for an
officer, and gave him into custody. Witness had seen the prisoner
in the office about a fortnight before, when the parcels were
sending out to the coaches. He appeared to have pencil and paper
in his hand, and to be entering the descriptions of the several parcels
as they were called out by the clerks.
John Geary Burgess, jun. stated, that be was in Mr. Water-
house's employment about six months. It was his business to see
the coaches loaded previous to their departure. Ile corroborated
the first witness respecting the prisoner's being on the premises the
night before; said he had seen him there when the coaches were
preparing to go off, thirty or forty times In the course of the last six
months.
John Geary Burgess, sen. stated that he knew the prisoner
four or five years. About that time he was indicted for robbery of
the Dover coach, but witness believed the bill was not fetind—cer-
taint, the prisoner was not found guilty. Witness had kept com-
pany and drank with him since.
Harrison, the 31arshalman, stated that he knew the prisoner
about fifteen years; he had him in custody at the Mansion House
about four yeses ago, on a charge of stealing gold ban from a
coach ;he was not committed for trial. Witness had seen him
often since, sometimes in a chaise, with his wife, at other times in
bad company. Witness considered him a suspicious character
down to the present hour, and had gone to Mr. Waterhouse's to
wait for him ; and had he come, witness would have searched him
at least. _ _

Mr. HUMPHREYS addressed the Alderman for the defendant,
who he stated wua freeholder of Itliddlesex and a householder in
Islington, and against whom no bill of indictment bad ever been
found ; be had merely been accused, as the most innocent man in
the community might.
Mr. Alderman Vex•nr-Es said. it appeared to him, from the
whole of the evidence, that the prisoner was on the prosecutor's
premises for the purpose of committing a felony. It was no an-
swer to the charge to say that he was a man of property—the
persona by whom the late robberies of coach parcels had been com-
mitted might wail be men of property. He considered it his duty
to sentence the prisoner to the full measure of the punishment
allowed by the Act, which was three months' imprisonment in the
House of Correction, and to be kept tn hard labour.
BIT. HUMPHRIES gave notice of appeal to the Quarter Ses-
sions.

FROM SATURDAY NIGHT'S' GAZETTE.
Crome-Olice, March 5, 1825.
NIEMEIR RETURNED TO SERVE IN TRIG PRESENT PAR-
LIANENT.
Borough of Bract:ley—James Bradshaw, Est a Captain in his
Majesty's Navy, in the room of Henry VI rottealey, Esq. de.
teased.

Whitehall, Feb. 28. 1825.
The King has been pleased to nominate the Rev. George Chand-
ler, Doctor of Civil Lawa, to the District Church in Stafford-strect.
in the pariah of St. Mary-la-bonne, in the county of Middlesex and
diocese of London. ,

War.O.ffice, March 1, 18.25.
MEMORANDUM.
His Majesty has been pleased to approve of the 24th Foot being
permitted to bear on its colours and appointments, in addition to
any other badges or devices which may have heretofore been granted
to the regiment, the word " Peninsula," in commemoration of the
distinguished conduct of the late 2d battalion in the Peninsula,
under-Field-Marshid the Duke of IVellington, from April, 1809,
to July, 1814.