The National Register.
London, England, 1816-08-05 00:00:00

POLICE.

MANSION-HOUSE

Saturday Charles Lucas, a notorious experimentalist, was induced
to add another to his numerous attendances at this office, under a
charge of pickily; a gentleman's pocket, on Friday last.
The officers who apprehended the prisoner deposed, that Inning no-
ticed hint, in company with other suspected persons, following a
young gentleman along Fleet-street at the time stated, they disposed
themselves to watch the movements of the gang. The prisoner was
observed to skirt his quarry, but mistaking the pozlect, after u short
time he renewed his inquiry, when one of the officers seeing him in
possession of the gentleman's pocket-book, and concealing it in his
bosom, immediately collared the prisoner, whereupon a violent scuffle
ensmsl, during which the prisoner took an opportunity of flinging the
pocket-book with its undiminished contents into a pimp-shed near
femple Bar. A young sailor passing at the moment gave prompt
assistance, and stxured the pocket-book, which was afterwards lodged
at the office.

Mr. Maillan, the gentleman who was pludered, deposed, that the
book now exhibited belonged to hint, and that the contents were his
property, being £ll2 in notes besides memorandums and papers be-
longing to his employer, who is a merchant. lle distinctly identified
the property.
The evidence of the young sailor corroborated the former testimony,
and the prisoner was fully committed.
BOW-sTRFF.T.
Monday J. Norris, a master tailor, of Kingston, charged on stiml
don of being concerned in robbing the warehouse of Messrs. 'Loyd and
Brockbank, wholesale drapers in Ilueklersbury, was committed for fur-
ther examination.

THE CONSPlitacr.—Wednesday, B. Johnson, late a City Officer,
was charged with having incited one W. Baxter to commit a robbery
in the house of Mr. Snowsill, in Gray's-inn-lane, for which he was
tried on the 19th of September, 1814, and sentenced to death. The
only evidence on the trial was that of Johnson, and Bray (another City
°theta). On the trial Johnson said, " The prisoner went on the 31st
of July to the house of the prosecutor; I saw him; he came our, and
said, that the old woman and her daughter were out, but the old man
was within. Ile waited a quarter of an hour, and seeing the old man
go out, . Now,' said he, • here goes.' I saw the pri•oner open the
door and enter the house. I then went to the door, and met him com-
ing out; he said,' My things (meaning the keys) won't fit, but I must
have it.' He went in again, and I saw from the opposite side of the
way the curtain drawn. In about ten minutes the prisoner came out;
I apprehended him and took him to a publichionse, and found upon
him, 161. in silver, three pocket-books, &c." The life of Baxter was
saved on condition of transportation; and the solemn manner in which
lie avows that Johnson planned the whole, corroborated by other cir-
cungtantial evidence, has induced Mr. Nares to endeavour to sift the
matter to the bottom. There were seven or eight witnesses examined
on Wednesday on the subject. The landlord, who at the time of the
robbery kept the Guy Earl of Warwick, in Gray's-inn-lane, deposed,
that on the 31st of July, Ilsl4, between two and three o'clock, a man
came into his house end had a.pint of beer; he then went out, and
Johnson and another man came in a short time afterwards. Johnson
had a handkerchief with him; they had a great deal of silver, which
they counted. Johnson went out, and left his man in possession of the
prisoner, and in a quarter of an hour brought in another, who he said
was an Officer.—Mr. Nares, .6 That contradicts every word Bray has
said."—Witness remembered that the other officer had a good many
half guinea; and 7s. pieces in a handkerchief. Johnseut took them
from trim, and they went away with the prisoner and the other officer.
Johnson (to witness) Did I not leave property with you or vo to
wife?"—Witness„ " Not to my knowletlxe, or her's."--John,on,
.6 Was there not another man tame into your house with inn?"—
' Witness, 66 I believe there was."—Johnson .6 You will find, you.
I Worship, that if all the witnesses are extunined, and their evidence
compared, it will turn out precisely the sante as I gave upon the trial."
—Hatton, the watch-house keeper, deposed, that Baxter was brought
to the wat.::: .house about duce o'clock on the 3utli or 31st of July; he

AUGUST G.

never saw BaNter until he was troupe to the watch-house.—Johnson.
" You have sworn directly to th,.! contrary."
A great number of witneetes were afterwards examined, and their
depositions taken at length; the result was, that Johnson was onkred
back to the House of ('orrection. and Mr. Nares went to the Sweaty
ot' Stan to lay the whole of the depositions before hint.
It l to be hoped the conspirators, whose nefarious proceed.
ings are before the piddle, will feel tit' convicted) the severity
of justice in the same manner as the wretches who were guilty
of like offeuces in 175.5-S. They were all indicted, tried, and
convicted for the wittul murder of one of their victims, who
had been executed for a robbery wit% which they had charged
him. On the trial a question arose, whether the fart proved
against the e ' • Is amounted to murder by any law then ex-
isting, which question was reserved for argument before the
Judges. The indictment against them was for aiding, hiring,
and counselling one of their gang to rob, with the person exe-
cuted (who knew nothing of the whole transaction), another
of their sillainous associates; bat because it did nut appear
that they did inawdiatsty, and in person apply to both the two
men, the verdict was brought in special. The Judges took
some time to consider the case; and in Feb. Intl. the mis-
creants, Macdaniel, Kerry, Salmon. and Egan, received the
following sentence, viz. " That they should stand in the pillory,
two at a time, to be imprisoned 'seven years in Newgate, to
tied security of I,oJal. each for their good behaviour for seven
years, and to pay each a heavy fine, and be imorisuned until
such seem ity and tine were complied with." On the Nth of
March following, they accordingly were placed in the pillory
in Smithfield. and were very much pelted, and Egan received
a severe wound which proved mortal, and he died soon after.
The others were misreably bruised, but reeei -ell no norther
injury, except being co. eyed with all the filth and nastiness
that could be collected. These wretches had carried mi this
nefarious system upwards of sixteen year., and some of then'
had raised a great deal of money.

Tuesday W. Elliott. a master bricklayer, of Ilanimersmith, was re-
examined, charged with attempting to violate the person of Mary Ann
Ritd, under five years of age. Mary Cure stated, that on the P.ith
ult. she observed the child running from its parents' house, in which
the prisoner had been at work, in great agitation; she ran to her
mother, and told her that the man in the white jacket, trowsers, and
cap. had ill-treated her. Witness (with the mother) examined her
per.lo,l, when what the child h A stated was confirmed by the appear-
ance of her garrneats. W. D. Bird, father of the child, depmed that
he expostuland with the prison, r, who replied, that he only kissed the
child, accounted for the appearances on her garments, by saying he
had begin sizing some parches on the walls, and that some sprinkles
must have fallen on her. Witness accordingly went to the room in
which the prisoner had been at wotk, hut could net observe any sized
patches on it. The prosecutor said, Mat a Al:. Pitt, in the ithseree of
the prisoner, had repeatedly applied to him to make un the matter,
and asked him if some money and a gond supper would make .t up.
Mr. l'itt said, in answer, that he did not offer money he orly issked
if they would not take 2!. Mr. Birnic said, he dams know what
construction to put imon words; but it appeared to him that money
could not have been offered with any other intention.
At the examination on Menday, tome mystery was attached to the
case, in consequence of Mr. Hanson. the Magistrate, who resides in
that part of the country, destroying his warrant after he had issued it
against Elliott.
. . . .

-The worthy NTE.gistrate now attel. led before Mr. Birnie, and ex.
plained his motives for cancelling the warrant after he had ivsued it, to
arise from the most delicate and honourable motives; having had a
dispute with Elliott, he deemed the charge improper to be brought
before him. and therefore sent all the parues to the above office.
Under all the circunistaneca, Cie Magistrate thought it right to hold
Elliott to bail.

W. Reardcn was fully committed for stealing no dollars, the pro-
perty of Col. Jarvis, of the 57th regiment.

A young man, late a clerk in the banking-house of Messrs. Roharts,
Curtis, and Co. in Lombard-street. underwent a long examination.
charged with feloniously stealing a large sum of mosey trom the hank..
The coin deficient has already been aNcertained to amount to upward.
of tgoOL which, it is suppoud, lie had taken at different times. Several
notes have been traced into his possessi,m, which have been identified
by marks of the out-door clerks, put on them when they take them
front persons they collect from. (hi the deficiencies in the accounts
being discovered, and an empiry taking place.. suspicion fell upon the
prisoner, which induced hi:n to ab.cond. On the following day he
was traced to a house in the New-road, where he was cohabiting with
a fein'tle. When the officer had taken him into custody he found him
very ill, and having no doubt that he had taken poison, a Medical
Gentleman was sent for, and on him arrival he administered a portion of
medicine, which had the desired eff:ct of bringing a large portion of
lainlanuin off his stomach, just in tune to save his life. On his being
brought to the office, there were evident symptoms of his having taken
poison. from his head and face being considerably swelled. The
female with whom he cohabited was brought to the office, and ex-
amined as to the course of life he punned, the sums of money that be
brought home and expended upon her; but she, as might be expected.
was very reluctant to say any thing that would criminate the prisoner.
The prisoner was comniitted for further examination.