The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-29 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Nov. 28.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET. Wolf Lyons was
charged with having in his possession a quantity of pro-
perty belonging to Messrs. Dolan and Co., the army
contractors, of St. Martin's-lane.
On the application of the police, Mr. Bingham re-
manded the further hearing of the charge to Wednesday
next.

WESTMINSTER.—Thomas Parker was finally exa-
mined, charged with robbing Eliza Weston of her purse,
containing lls. 6d., and of a pack of cards.

•
The prosecutrix, at half-past 9 o'clock on the evening
of the 20th inst., was turning into St. John-street,
Smith-square, when she observed the prisoner rush has-
tily by her, and look about him. He then accosted her,
and, after inquiring the name of the street, made a grasp
at her purse and a pack of cards which she was carrying
in her hand. She turned round to avoid him, when he
snatched the purse and cards and ran off with them.
She followed him into Smith-square, where he was joined
by a companion, to whom he gave something, and they
then separated. A gentleman pursued the prisoner until
he was stopped by a policeman.
The accused, who admitted that he was the person
who spoke to the prosecutrix in St. John-street, was
committed for trial.

Sarah Allen was brought up for re-examination,
charged on suspicion of throwing her children into the
Thames at Chelsea.

Inspector Drake having intimated that he bad no
further evidence to offer,
Mr. Arnold observed that this was a most difficult
and embarrassing case. The only charge before him
against the prisoner was that of endeavouring to drown
two of her children by throwing them into the water,
but he could not blind his eyes to the fact that behind
this a much more serious charge resulting from the
death of the third ; but in the absence of a public pro-
secutor, there was noboiy to bring it forward. He did
not impute any neglect cr blame to the police, especially
after the decision to which the coroner's jury had come.
He felt it necessary that the case before him should re-
ceive further investigation at another court, and it was
therefore his intention to commit the prisoner to take her
trial for the felonious intent. He therefore remanded
her until Saturday, in order that the depositions might
be prepared, and would extend her recognisances until
that day.

THAMES.—Mr. Yardley has received 10e. from
" G." for the poor-box, with a request that it should be
acknowledged in the Times.

LAMBETH.—Mr. Ferguson, the chief clerk to the
Mendicity Society, again waited on the Hon. G. C. Nor-
ton in reference to the inquiries he has been making, by
desire of the Marquis of Westminster, respecting the
largo amount of subscriptions, upwards of 2001., received
by Mr. Roper, on account of an alleged distressed and
blind sempstress named Rowban, though no such person
is found to le in existence, and therefore the possibility
is that the benevolent subscribers have been grossly im-
posed on.
Mr. Ferguson reminded his worship that when last be-
fore him he had said that he should then refrain from
stating anything further on the subject, as a full state-
ment of the amount of funds received on account of the
Needlewomen's Society, as well as that of the fund col-
lected for the Blind Sempstress, would be published on
Thursday, the 22d inst., but this, like all Mr. Roper's
promises, was net realised, and on making inquiries the
excuse was that the printer had disappointed him. He
(Mr. Ferguson) had repeatedly called at the Needle-
women's Society's office without being able to see Roper,
and finding that he lodged at No. 21, Charles-street,
Middlesex Hospital, be went there and inquired for him,
and the persons living in the lower part of the house—
though they did not deny tha, he lodged there—denied
that he was within at the time ; but, on going along the
passage towards the back parlour—which he understood
was occupied as a sleeping room by him and a youth,
who lived or rather slept there with him—he met Roper
just as he came out of the room.
Mr. Norton—Wl-ere did you say that was !
Mr. Ferguson—No. 21, Charles-street, Middlesex Hos-
pital, your worship, at a milk-shop.
Mr. Norton What ! Away from his wife and the
Needlewomen's Society-housel

Mr. Ferguson—Yes, your worship. I understand
that Roper and the youth, his companion, have occupied
this room, and have been sleeping there together for
some time past.

Mr. Notion—Well, that is somewhat singular, but go
on with your statement, Mr. Ferguson.
Mr. Ferguson—Well, sir, on seeing him, as I stated,
by mere accident, he showed and read to me a written
statement, which he said was a portion of the statement
he was getting printed, but instead of its meeting a single
point of the charges I allege against Mr. Roper it is a
more tissue of scurrilous abuse of myself for making the
statements I have made at this court. He said, how-
ever, that the remaining portion of his "statement"
should contain an account of all the moneys received on
account of the " blind sempstress," with her "affirma-
tions," as he called them, of what she received o❑ ac-
count. He admits, however, that her name is not
" Rowhan," and that the reason for not giving her real
name was that, if he did so, she had many friends who
would become troublesome to her.
Mr. Norton—What ! friends become troublesome to
a blind womsn ? I should think ho must give a much
better reason than that to the subscribers and the public
before they are satisfied. What could be easier than to
produce the person at once, if the case is an honest,
straightforward one, or if indeed there is such a person
in existence Has he even told where she lives or can
be found ?

Mr. Ferguson—He has not, sir. On the contrary,
he now denies, in the most positive manner, that he at
any time said she resided at Portsmouth, though I have
four gentlemen who will, with myself, testify upon oath
that he has said so over and over again ; but the fact is,
as I have before stated, that the " blind sempstress "
story, from the beginning, was a mere sham, and some
attempt will be now tried to palm some blind person off
as the subject of the tale of misery by which the sub-
scriptions were atained.

Mr. Norton—l should think that a dangerous experi
men t.

Mr. Fergusen—Having learnt to-day from the printer
that the "explanation " was finished and given up to Ro-
per, I sent one of the Mendicity officers to 75, Newman-
street, and he will tell your worship what he has done.
Major, the officer alluded to, here stood forward, and
said that that day, by Mr. Ferguson's directions, he
went to the Needlewomen's Society office, 75, Newman-
street, and seeing the matron asked for one of the printed
reports. The matron replied that the reports werein-
tended for the subscribers alone, and that she had parti-
cular directions not to let any of the Mendicity officers
have one.
Mr. Norton—Did you observe any reports
Major—l saw something resembling reports folded up
and directed.
Mr. Norton—Well, as this is the case, Mr. Ferguson,
it is only charitable to hope that this M. r. Roper may be
able to give some satisfactory explanation of the matter,
and if be do not, you will then know what to do in bring-
ing him to an account. If I recollect right, Roper bad
resigned the office of secretary to the Needlewomen's
Society, and gave up the books, and I feel assured that
no person acquainted u ith his former conduct would pay
him any further subscriptions.
Mr. Ferguson--Finding that he must be dismissed,
and net with a character, Roper resigned his situation,
and at a meeting at which Mr. Alderman Farebrother
presided his resignation was accepted, the books taken
out of his hands, and the society dissolved ; but he
managed by some means to get possession of the lease
of the house and started it afresh. Since I have been here
last, I find that the whole of the fund standing in the
name of the Needlewomen's Society, 1471., has been
drawn out of Drummo-id's Bank, and therefore I sup-
pose there will soon be an ead to that.

Mr. Norton—Are you aware who the parties are who
are acting with Roper in that society ?
Mr. Ferguson—l can only find out one, who is a
stranger to all the parties connected with it except