The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EvENING: DECEMBER 5, 1855.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—HERTFORD, DEC. 4.
(Before Mr. Justice Crompton.)
Sarah Baker, alias White, 47, Anne Williams, alias
White, 26 (her daughter), John Williams, alias Good-
enough, 23, described as a hawker, and Thomas King,
25, labourer, were charged with a burglary in the
dwelling-house of Edward Webb, and stealing some
money, several articles of jewellery, and a quantity of
wearing apparel, his property. The two women were also
indicted for feloniously receiving the property.
Mr. T. Chambers and Mr. O'Brien conducted the pro-
secution ; Mr. Charnock defended Goodenough ; the
other prisoners were undefended.
The prisoners are believed to be connected with a gang
of London thieves, who are in the habit of travelling
about the country committing offences of this descrip-
tion in all directions. Another woman, named Catherine
Hawkins, was included in the indictment, but she was
admitted as witness for the Crown.
The prisoner King pleaded guilty.
It appeared that the prosecutor of the indictment was
the landlord of the Red Lion Inn, at Hatfield, and that
on the night of the 18th of August last, the premises
were broken open, and the till was emptied of its con-
tent-, and a quantity of jewellery belonging to a lady
named Silvester, and also several dresses and a good deal
of wearing apparel, stolen.
Catherine Hawkins was then examined. She said—l
was indicted with the prisoners, and charged with being
concerned in this robbery. lam 19 years of age, and
prior to the 18th of Aug. I was living with my mother in
Evangelist-court, Broadway, Blackfriars. I know the
prisoners Sarah Baker, Anne Williams, and Goodenough.
I also know the man King who has pleaded guilty. King
and Goodenough came to London about the 15th of
August, and I remember Baker asking me if I could
read the country papers. I told them I could read,
and Mrs. Baker then pressed me to accompany
her daughter, and King and Goodenough, into the
country for a day or two. I did not know what they
wanted me for, but I agreed to go, and we all started
together on the morning of the 17th of August. We
walked to Barnet, and stopped there that night, and the
next day we proceeded to a place called Walham-green,
on the road to Hatfield, where a sister of the prisoner
Anne Williams resided. After Anne Williams had seen
her sister, she and Goodenough told me and King to go
to the Two Brewers public-house, at Hatfield, and en-
gage a bed. We accordingly went on to Hatfield, and
between 8 and 9 o'clock at night I saw Anne Williams
and Goodenough again. We could not get a lodging at
the Two Brewers, but we obtained one in the town, and
King and Goodenough said they were going away,
but before they went, the former prisoner asked Anne
Williams to give him his basket, as he said he was of no
use without his " things." She gave him the basket
and the things that were in it, and Goodenough and
King went away, saying that they were going to Lon-
don. I and Anne Williams remained in Hatfield all that
night, and the next morning when we got up, Williams
asked me if I would go with her and meet them, and I
agreed to do so. When we had got a short distance
along the road, I saw King standing outside a park-gate,
and Goodenough, who was inside, opened tho gate, and
we all went into the park. A man was coining along in
a cart, and we all stooped down and concealed ourselves
till he had passed. We then went on into the park, and
King produced two large bundles, and Anne Williams
opened them. King and Goodenough then gave me
and Anne Williams some money, and told us to go to
Hatfield and fetch some food for them, and we did so,
and returned to the park ; and after they had eaten the
food, tho bundles were brought out again and opened.
They contained black silk and satin dresses, a quau-
tity, of wearing apparel, some silver forks, a leather
dressing-case, a quantity of brooches and rings, and a
pair of bracelets. We remained in the park the whole
of the day picking the marks out of the linen, and as
soon as it got dark the bundles were packed up again,
and Anne Williams went behind a tree and put on a clean
pair of stays and a petticoat that were among the arti-
cles that were in the bundles. Goodenough and King
then told us that they were going to London with some
portion of the things, and the remainder was packed up
and left in the charge of Anne Williams, and she after-
wards gave me a black silk dress and a shawl. Gore!.
enough and King then went up to London by the train,
and I and Anne Williams proceeded to Barnet, where
we remained till the Wednesday following, when Good-
' enough and King rejoined us. We all went from Bar-
net to Watford, and from thence to Colnbrook, where I
first heard that the police had been making inquiries re-
specting our proceedings. I told Anne Williams that
I did not like to hear inquiries made about us by the
police, and she told mo not to be frightened ; and she
also said that if I told the truth she would be the death
of me. After this she took the basket in which King
kept his things into a field and bid them, and she told
me that she and her husband, meaning Goodenough,
were in the habit of buying goods, and if they should
turn out to be stolen, the police would say that they had
stolen them ; and she said that she knew the Colnbrook
police very well, and that they would swear to any-
thing. (A laugh )
Cross-examined—l are a single woman. lam quite
innocent of knowing that I was in such bad company.
King and I slept together on the Friday night, the 17th.
The night before that I did not sleep with him because
I was at home with my mother. I only know King
from his coming backwards and forwards to Mrs. Ba-
ker's. I told all I knew about the matter the moment
I was taken into custody, and my evidence was taken
down by a gentleman after I was committed to Hert-
ford gaol. I was not told that I should be let off if I
gave evidence, and Ido not now expect to be let off. If
I had known there had been anything wrong at the
time I should not have assisted to pick the marks out of
the linen.
A great many witnesses were examined with a view
to confirm the evidence of the witness Hawkins, and it
also appeared that when the prisoners King and Wil-
liams were apprehended by Thomas and Adams, two
superintendents of the Bucks police, a considerable quan-
tity of the stolen property was found in the possession
of Williams. Upon King there was likewise a chisel,
which corresponded in size to some marks upon a door
that had been forced open in the Red Lieu. The pri-
soner Goodenough, it appeared, was taken into custody
for another burglary in Surrey and committed to take
his trial, and he appeared on the present occasion under
a writ of habeas. It wa-i proved that a considerable
portion of the stolen property was sent up to London,
and that it was pledged by the prisoner Baker, and in
her house other portions of the stolen property were also
discovered.
Mr. Charnock addressed the jury at some length on
behalf of the prisoner Goodenough, and he contended
that there was not sufficient confirmation of the evidence
of the accomplice to justify them in finding a verdict of
guilty against hire.
Mr. Justice Crompton hat in; summed up, the jury,
after a short deliberation, found all the prisoners guilty
—the man Goodenough of the offence of burglary, and
the woman of receiving.the property, knowing it to have
been stolen. Two previous convictions for felony were
proved against Goodenough.
The prisoners were then called for judgment, and
Goodenough was sentenced to be transported for 15
years, and the others to six years' penal servitude.
When the sentence was pronounced the prisoner Good-
enough, who had conducted himself with great effron-
tery during the proceedings, exclaimed that he was in•
nocent, and that the case had been got up by Beddel-
comb, the inspector of the Surrey police, because he had
told him that he should like to have his neck stretched
for him. As he was leaving the dock he shook his fist
at that officer, and in a most threatening tone said, " I
only wish I may live to come back for your sake."
They were then all removed.
Benjamin Butcher, 20, and Charles Wormsley, 20, two
miserable-looking creatures, described as tramper,
pleaded guilty to two indictments charging them with
wofilifivaltliyiiiilensene.atrttzineedg fire to a stack of clover hay and a stack
that when prjiusodifeerasawiedrebbeetsoarwe tbhye mtileffisdtreaptoessittihoenys
admitted having committed the two offences imputed to
them, and gave as a reason that they had beerefused
relief by the Union, and also stated that they intended
to have set fire to more property if they had not been
taken into custody. Their offence was a very shocking
one, for they must be well aware that destroying pro-
perty in this manner could not do them any good, and
that that was not the way to obtain relief. He then
sentenced both prisoners to six years' penal servitude.

OXFORD AND SOUTIIWALES CIRCUIT.
twocrhurix,yD.fo
ASwould be discharged ilehde t
hp
ar its on er
night—anbeing
for the night—she
informed that AtBhEa shetor
offer being made to her to remain
said she would remain until morning,at any
rate, afford an opportunity for her to be Thisawppiirjehended
on a charge of perjury with respect to the cases at Bir-
mingham and Chester.
The determination of Alice to become a guest of the
Government proved an unfortunate error, and such an
one as, considering her former exploits, could least have
been expected would have been committed by no annon,_
plished an impostor. Mr. Stephens, the superintendent
of the Birmingham police force, on his return from Staf-
ford last night, produced a warrant from a borough ma-
gistrate, charging her with having falsely accused a
man named James Mucklow, in the Police court of
Birmingham, of the robbery of her clothes and 71. in
cash. It will be recollected that the charge was dis-
missed, and the next appearance of Alice was at
Wolverhampton. Yesterday morning Mr. Stephens pre-
medal to Stafford, and before she quitted the gaol,
took her into his special keeping. She did not appear
in the slightest degree disconcerted, and without com-
plaint accompanied the officer to Birmingham. On at,
riving at the railway station in the latter town, Alice
recognised Mr. Cooper, one of the principal witnesses
against her on the charge upon which she was committed
from. Wolverhampton, and very politely inquired after
Is health, as well as that of the rev. gentleman whom
still
e stated had, a few weeks ago, presented her with 41.,
of which she was robbed at Wolverhampton. She was
cuopn
fvoery ed
examinationto h ethis
(v
n ..ANledd
ooru- selsreaeyt,) and
morning.w llb e brought

IDLAND AND CHESTER CIRCUIT.
CHESTER, DEC. 4.
(Before Mr. Justice Cresswell.)
SERIOUS DEFALCATIONS OF A RECEIVER OF INLAND

111tVENUE.
John, Mock, a middle-aged man, and possessing a
highly respectable appearance, was placed at the bar,
charged with having fraudulently applied to his own
purposes a sum of upwards of 5,000/., the property of
the Crown. •
The prisoner, who is a handsome, good•looking per-
, son, was gentlemanly attired in black, and throughout
the trial he displayed extraordinary coolness and self-
possession. During the progress of the case he paid the