The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-01-10 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

Yesterday • boy of shabby appearance, about fifteen years of
age, named William Bally, was brought before Sir Richard
Bitnie, from St. Clement's watchhouse, where he had been given
in charge by lilt. Frederick Albert Winsor, of No. 4, Upper
Stamford-street Blackman, for assaulting hi tttt antendeavouring
by menaces and threats to extort money from him.
Ale Winsor, who was attended by his Solicitor and several re-
spectable gentlemen, his friend*, demised that he belonged to the
Gag 'Light and Coke Company (he did not state which), and
. lived at No. 4, Upper Stamford-street. On Saturday night, about
a quarter Delete twelve o'clock, he was on his way home from the
' Strand, and had got part of the way down Wellington-street, lead-
big to Waterloo-bridge, when he recollected that he wished to con.
stilt a friend who resided in the Temple Tweeting an alteration in
an advertisement which had been left for insertion at the Observer
newspaper office. lie turned back, and had reached within a few
yards of the Strand when he felt something pressing against him
behind, as if an attempt was being made to pick his pocket. He
turned round and saw the prisoner close to his heels, and asked him
what he wanted. " Don't you know me ?" said the prisoner; to
trhich the witness replied in the negative, and the prisoner fluid—
"Oh ! you don't know me, don't you ? Lou. won't know me,
I suppose, but I know you." The witness walked on along the
Strand, the prisoner atillclosely following him until he came to Nor-
folk-street, down which he turned from the Stood, intending to
make his way through the courts to the Temple. Still the prisoner
was close after him; and when he got into one of the courts leading
to Essex-street, he turned about, and asked the prisoner why he
followed him ? and said if he did Rot instantly go about his busi-
ness he would give him in charge to the watch. "Oh 1" said the
prisoner, `• if yuu come to that. I shall give you in charge the what
you have done to me, unless you give me something." The wit-
ness
felt dreadfully agitated at the insinuation thus conveyed ; lie
had a large sum of money about him; he saw no watchman near,
and he scarcely knew what to do. It wonted to him at that mo-
ment that it was likely to be tots late to have the alteration made in
the advertisement, and if so it would be useless to consult his
friend, and he therefore determined to go to the Observer office,
thinking he could there obtain the information he wanted, and per-
haps get rid of the prisoner at the same time. He went again back
to the Strand, anti found the Observer office with some little difli-
celty, not being aware of the alteration by which that and the
Morning C'/trouble office were run into one. He entered the office,
leaving the prisoner, who had still pertinaciously followetl him,
standing at the door. He inquired, learned that he was too late for
the alteration, and came out, and' finding the prisoner still there, I
he gave him in charge, and caused him to be taken to the watch- 1
house. The witness had sever in his life seen the prisoner until
that night.
He produced a copy of the advertisement of which he had
spoken.
The prisoner being asked by Sit R. BIaNtE what he had to
offer in artswerts the charge, said he had been to the Adelpht
Theatre on Saturday night, and on his return along the Strand, on
his way home, he was accosted by the prosecutor, who took him
down one of the weal leading to the Thames, and asked him if
he would go over ‘4'aterloo or Blackfriane-bridge with lam, lle
replied that he did not want to go over either, as he was going
home; and the prosecutor then said, that if he would accompany
him he would give him plenty of money, and proceeded to use
' language which he should be ashamed to repeat.
Sir R. BIRNIF. said he was unwilling to have his own ears or
those of others shocked by the repetition of filthy expressions, but
in a ease of this kind it was necessary to be minute and particular
in every part of the inquiry, and he therefore wished to hear from
the prisoner the precise words which he imputed to the prose-
I coot. _ .

The prisoner then repeated some expressions of a revolting kind,
and proceeded to describe liberties which he said the prosecutor had
taken with his person.
The prosecutor, in a strongly indignant tone and manner, said—
" I think it necessary only to declare, that all this i■ totally,
wickedly false. I move in a highly respectable sphere of life, and
here are many friends about me who have known me from my in-
fancy, and who can bear testimony that my character for moral
rectitude, for decency, Ltd strict iropriet►, has always stood above
the reach of suspicion: added to this, lam married to a lovely and
amiable woman, and am the father of three children."
Sir K. Bt totit: said he was bound to believe the statement made
on oath by the prosecutor, and the prisoner must go for trial.
The watchman. who took the prisoner to the watchhouse, but
who had not ben called as a witness, stepped forward and said,
that he saw the boy 'Waling by the door of the Observer take, and
alien the prosecutor came out he (the prisoner) said. " here,
watchman, I give this gentleman in charge:" " And I," said the
prosecutor, " give hits in charge also." The winteas said, that as
Oat was the case, they had ►etter both go to the watchhouse to-
gether, and they did hO.
Sk Blll.lhir having looked at We watchbouse book, and put
a question or two to the constable of the night. said there was one
circumstance which struck him as telling very strongly in Mr.
favour, namely, that he had entered his right r•ame and
address !tithe ehrrge.bocik, and was suffered to go about his busi.
' nem. If he had been ebnaelaus of wrong, nothing could have been
more easy than for him to hare entered the name of John Drown,.

Thomas Jones, or any other equally common, and thus have
escaped a public examination. lie, however, had chosen to come
boldly forward to prosecute.
The prisoner, it appeared by the evidence, had only demandvd
" something :" he had mode no mention of money. a distinct
de-
mand for which the Chief Magistrate seemed to think nmet he
made, in cider to sustain an intionlent for assaulting with ',rent
to rob. The proseeuter was told, however, that u spocial count
might be introduced into the incictment, charging that offence.
A number of the Memoirs of Harriette Wil•on, with a culnared
frontispiece, was found upon the primmer, which he told Sir R.
Ilirnie he picked up in the watehhouse. Sir R. Birnie said he
did dot believe him, and iodignintly threw the hook into the fire,
observing, that the posses.inn of such a work by the ptisoner was,
lie thought, a fact by nn means favourable to him.
The father of the prisormr, a poor labourer, who has the care of
one at the parish tire engMes of St. Clements, Was present, and
said he did not Imps; that hit son had ever been cancerned in any
thing of the kind now alleged against him, nor was he at all aware
that he had ever got into Lad company.
The prisoner was then locked up until he could find sureties.
Ile was bailed in the course of the day.