The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-14 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Maria Matthews, the young
woman who was charged yesterday with robbing a lady
of the name of Sutton of her porte-monnaie in the shop of
Messrs. Steele and Co., of Houndsditch, and who was
remanded till to-day for the purpose of enabling the
officers to make inquiries respecting her previous char-
acter, was again brought before Sir R. W. Carden for
further examination.
Mr. Lewis said he appeared on the part of the pri-
soner, who he believed was chrrged with being in a shop
with the intention of committing a felony, and although
there might be a case of strong suspicion against her,
yet upon the face of the statements made by the different
witnesses there was nothing to show either that she
touched the port-monnaie, or ever had possession of it.
Before a person could be sent for trial for the alleged
-ffence possession of the property ought to be shown.
Mr. Goodman—One of the officers has made inquiries,
perhaps he had better state the result of them at once,

.
Sir W. Carden—Certainly.
Mr. Lewis—l would rather you should deal with the
case as it stands before the officer makes any statement.
Sir R. W. Carden—l cannot do that. I remanded
the case yesterday in order that every inquiry might be
made respecting the prisoner's previous character.
W. Smith, constable 656—1 have made inquiries and
find that the prisoner was in custody in June last for
stealing money, and was sentenced to three months' im-
prisonment.
Sir R. W. Carden—Under these circumstances, of
coarse we must go on with the evidence.
Mr. Lewis—Was
that a
summary conviction ?
Smith—Yes ; at Guildhall.
J. L. Steele, assistant to Messrs. Steele and Co., of 22,
Houndsditch, said2---On Tuesday last, the prisoner came
into our warehouse and asked to look at a trifling article,
which she said she wished to purchase. On my conducting
her to an upper room and showing her some articles of the
description she asked for, she said she saw nothing that
would suit her. She descended to the ground floor, and
after waiting some little time left. In consequence of
what was told me by a lady', after the prisoner left, my
suspicions were excited respecting her. On Wednesday
last I was at the counter when she was brought back to
the shop by an assistant named Meophain, and I dis-
tinctly perceived that she was the same person that bad
been in the shop the previous day, and whom I attende 1.
The prosecute-ix on missing her purse examined the floor,
and so did I, and the porte-monnaie was not there. After
the prisoner had protested her innocence the porte-mon-
naie was found at the dog's feet, the prisoner pointing it
out. Previous to that I raw a movement of her right
hand, and Raw Mrs. Sutton p:ck the poi te-mennaie up.
Mr. Lewis then addressed the bench, contending that
although there were grounds of suspicion against the
prisoner, yet that the evidence was not sufficiently strong
to warrant a conviction. _ _

Sir R. W. Carden—The prosecutrix swears that her
porte-monnaie was safe tipat the time of fiver entering Vie
shop, and that in the shop, immediately after the prisoner
left her side, she missed it. Several witnesses have fur-
ther stated that it was impossible far the port-monnai3
to have been put on the floor before the prisoner was
brought back. fs the father of the young woman in court
The father stood forwatd. .

Carden—You were asked some questions
by me yesterday relative to the character of your (laugh,
ter, and you stated you believed her to be an honest in.
dustrions girl, and tha,:: you had never heerd anything
againA her. You said that she was always in bed by
nine o'clock, and you gave her the highest character.
The Father—l did so, sir.
Sir R. W. Carien—Do you mean now, to represent
that you did not then know that a short, time ago she
was summarily convicted at Guildhall CJ.irt, and sen
tenced to three mouths' imprisonment ?
The Father—Yes ; I was not in London at the time.
I was then in Birmingham, where I had been staying
17 months., and did not know of the circumstance till
her mother told me of it last night.

Sir R. W. Carden—l am very glad I asked you the
question, because I am satisfied jou did not know of it.
Your daughter has had a good home, is able to main-
tain herself, and you say that she and her sisters earn
71. a week on an average at parasol making.
The Father—Yes, sir; and I have property of my own.
Sir R. W. Carden—lt is entirely owing to the want
of judgment on the part of the two officers that I cannot
send this case to the Central Criminal Court ; they did
not use due discretion or common observation when
they were called into the shop, for they turned their
backs upon the prisoner, and allowed her to throw the
porte-naonnaie on the floor at some distance from when.e
she was standing.
Lee, the officer, said he had not his back to the pri-
soner ; he was standing sideways.
Sir R. W. Carden—Under these circumstances I must
deal with the case summarily. _

Mr. Lewis—l hope you will pass as lenient a sentence
upon the prisoner as you can under the circumstanqis of
the case. Her father will remove her from London as
soon as she is released from prison.
Sir R. W. Carden—l shall make her sentence a 3
severe as I can, not only as a duty to her father, but as
a duty to the public. I sentence her to three months'
imprisonment with hard labour, for being in the shop
for an unlawful purpose.

GIIILDHALL.—CharIes Briclgeman, a young man
in the service of the Rev. Mr. Burgess, of 10, Cadogan-
place, Chelsea, was again brought up on the charge of
uttering pa forged cheque for 5981. 104.
On the former examination it was shown that the pri-
soner presented at Messrs. Gosling and Sharpe's a letter
purporting to be signed by Mr. Burgess, requesting
cash for a cheque for 5981. 10g. That cheque was
forged in the name of Dr. Cradock, of Brazenose Col-
lege, and it was shown that it bore the appearance
of having been copied from a genuine cheque for a
small amount, which had been lying on Mr. Bur-
gess's library-table some days previous, the prisoner
having had access to it during that time. The addi-
tional evidence adduced yesterday proved that in a
pantry used by the prisoner a writing-case had been
found since the last hearing, and in it were discovered a
plebe of paper written upon in the same coloured ink as
the letter, as though the writer had been practising the
formation of some of the letters, and two pieces of brown
sealing-wax corresponding with the same on the letter.
There were also two pieces of blank paper of the same
description -and sizeof the letter, and a blue receipt stamp
with some initials across it in pencil.
Mr. Burgess gave the prisoner a very excellent charac-
ter, and said he always placed the greatest confidence in
The prisoner was committed for trial.

WESTMINSTER.---Mr. Arnold was occupied a con-
siderable time in investigating a charge preferred by Eli
Phippen, a police constable of the F division, against a
respectable-looking young man named Trigg, whom he
accused of assaulting him in the execution of his duty.
According to the constable's statement, the defendant
and another man were fighting in Cremorne•gardens,
and on the complainant's interfering defendant struck
him a violent blow on the eye.
In answer to the charge the defendant stated that he
called upon the policeman to take a man who had as-
saulted him into custody. Instead of doing so the corn-
p'ainant struck and kicked him.
The complainant, in cross-examination, positively
swore that he was not under the influence of liquor, and
had not been drinking in the Nell Gwynne public-house.
B )th these statements, however, were clearly disproved ;
an I it was further shown that the constable had got into
another disturbance on the same evenin, and had taken
a man to the station in connection with that affair,
against whom the inspector refused to record any charge,
because, among other reasons, the complainant was nog
sober.

Mr. Arnold immediately dismissed the charge against
Trigg, remarking that great injustice would have been
done him had he been convicted on the testimony of the
policeman, whose conduct was most disgraceful.
Mr. Smith, for Trigg, gave notice that the policeman
would be prosecuted for assaulting his client, who was
still bleeding from the lungs owing to the policeman's
violence.

•.a.........4
MARLBOROUGH-STY T.—Count Selterr-Thop'
g
who is stated to be a nephew of General Rudi er in
command of one of the Russian divisions in the Crimea,'
and who has on two previous occasions fi,guted at this
court on the charge of fraud, was brought before Mr.
Hardwick, charged with obtaining two dressing-cases,
value 461., from Messrs. Hannaford and Hallstaff, dres-
sing-case makers, 223, Regent-street, by false and frau.
dulent pretences.
Mr. Levien defended the prisoner.
Mr. T. C. Hannaford said—About a month since the
prisoner came to me, and said he came from the Prus-
sian embassy, to inquire who were the first miniature
painters in this country, as a family of distinction were
c ming over, which would require their services. He
then left, and I got him all the information I could, and
sent him the note produced to the embassy. On Tues-
day last he again came to ourplace
much obliged for the information, and said he was
and wished to look at
some dressing-cases. After seeing a great many he. said
he would bring a lady he was about to marry, residing
il,n l'engham. lace, to see them. After some hesitation
_....heietdrthatztught it would be unnecessary to bring the lady,
aot_ht thought he could • upon one and take i.:, to
was paZceo, as it was her birthday. The dressing-ca_se
being sait"itlP and p'et into a carriage at the door:, un
have it
wv, for his name and address be said, You
bassy." ZlniVeic7, sent the note, at the Prussian gim-
me a card on villige requested to write his name he gave
Thop." About
had bee
was engraved "Le Comte Scherr-
said the case had teeehqurs afterwards he came again and
be would take a. cheap.q:r° much admired that he thou,ht
he wished it fora presenctttie which he had seen, and said
embassy ; that case was .11" some one at the Turkish
Put in the carriage, and he
directed the man to drives°
square. The value of the fast tos I\TWoh'iclll, 13j'eY'abnadstone-
:32/., and the value of the seeondc"
would pay for them on the 15tb, Was 111• rie said be
to come or send for the money. Jape, and we were
Cross-examined by Mr. Levien—l 2 1,
believing him to be what he represenelvea -,rn
to the Prussian embassy. He never said wnicattqb;bsl"g
ton was there. I don't recollect how I addressed-3 pOit•
note. I swear I did not address it to the prisoner, the
etre of the Prussian ambassador. To the best' of the
belief, it was addressed, " Count Thop,
-, - v aril
ton-houT
DeY
terrace." It was my impression that he was connected
with the embassy, or I should not have trusted him.
James White—l am under butler to Count Yon
Bernstorff, the Prussian Anihas.ador, 9, Carlton-house-
gardens. SI am acquainted with every one belonging to
the embassy. The prisoner is not in the slightest degree
connected with the embassy. Thcre have been several
letters addressed to the prisoner, and left for him at the
' emb"-3sY, but by whose permision I don't know. I
, have given soma of tl.ose letters to the prisoi:er myself.
Cross-examined by
4:
-aP fir, Levien—The letters were
(d.

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