The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-19 00:00:00

(Before Mr Commissioner Kerr.)

Richard Wybourgh, 32, labourer, and Catherine Cronin,
32, spinster. were indicted for feloniously assaulting, toge-
ther with another person, Edward John Sackett, and steal-
ing from him a gold chain, a pin, and half a sovereign in
money.
Mr Kemp prosecuted, and Mr Daly &fended Wybourgh.
The female prisoner was undefended.
The prosecutor in this case is a young man, and on the
day in question, the 29th July, he had been to a boat race
in the vicinity of Horselydown. After the boat race he went
with two friends to different public-houses, and remained
drinking with them till 1 o'clock, when he wended his way
home alone. While passing along Tooley-street he was
accosted by the prisoner Cronin, with whom he got into
conversation, and while talking to her the man Wybourgh
and another came up, and while the latter threw his arm
about his neck the male prisoner robbed him.
The jury found the prisoners Guilty, and having been
both convicted before, the Commissioner sentenced them—
Cronin to fiv,, and Wybourgh to ten years' penal servitude.
Henry Paxman, 39, victualler, was indicted for stealing a
phaeton, value £2O, the property of William Glover.
Mr Platt prosecuted ; Mr M. Williams defended.
The learned judge stopped the case, and under his direc-
tion the jury returned a verdict of acquittal.
Dennis Ryan was indicted for feloniously and maliciously
causing grievous bodily harm, to his wife, Julia Ryan,
Mr Collins prosecuted.
The prisoner, who had observed a most stubborn mein
since his incarceration, on being called upon to plead re-
fused to open his mouth either one way or the other. Mr
Jonas, governor of Newgate, was called, and stated that the

prisoner could speak if he chose, but he had pursued this
kind of conduct several times since he had been in New-
gate. A surgeon was likewise sworn, and he, having pre
viously seen the prisoner, etatJd it as his opinion that he
was quite sane and capable of the powers of speech.
On the question being put to the jury, " Whether the
prisoner was mute through the visitation of God, or whether
he stood mute of malice ?"

The jury replied that they considered ho stood mute of
malice.
The Commissioner then ordered a plea of not guilty to
be entered.

The facts of the case were of a very brutal character. The
prosecutrix was the wife of the prisoner, and resided at the
time of the assault at No. 30, Old Pie-street, Westminster.
On the 9th of July, about 9 o'clock in the morning, the
lodgers heard a dreadful noise, and the prosecutrix ran into
the room, her face coverea with blood. The prisoner rushed
in immediately afterwards armed with a ginger beer bottle,
with which he struck her several more violent blows on the
head. The poor creature was so frightened that she ran
under the bed, but the prisoner bteoped down and struck
her several farther blows with the chamber, which he broke
to pieces, and had not the lodgers interfered there would
certainly have been murder committed.
The jury found the prisoner guilty of unlawfully wound-
ing.

Sentence deferred.
Thomas Beehow, 28, musician, Margaret Broughton, 41,
Susan Seymour, 19, spinster, and Henry Dempsey, 23, em-
bosser, were indicted for a robbery with violence upon
John Smith, and stealing from him a watch and the sum of
£2l ss.
Mr Cooper and Mr Wood prosecuted ; the prisoners were
defended by Mr Daly, Mr Montagu Wiliiams, and Mr
Thompson.

In opening the case to the jury, Mr Cooper said this was
a most extraordinary case of robbery, the prosecutor, who
was undoubtedly a weak-minded and timid man, having
submitted himself like a lamb to be the victim of the pri-
soners. It appeared that on the 10th of August the prose-
cutor, who was barman at a public-house in Kennington-
lane, received a holiday from his employers, and resolving
to enjoy himself, and attired in his best, he, put the sum of
£2l into his pocket and started in search of pleasure. After
sojourning at different places and traversing various portions
of the town, he found himself about 5 o'clock in the evening
in the vicinity of King-street, Soho. While passing down
that street he saw the prisoner standing at one of the doors
with a jug cf beer in her hand. She invited him inside, and
he accordingly accompanied her into the parlour. In a few
minutes Dempsey came in and swore at pt osecutor, saying
he was with his wife, and declaring he would make him
pay for it, While the discussion was going on, the other
prisoners came in,
and Beehow said that Dempsey owed
him £2 ss, but if the prosecutor would pay that sum he
would let him go without any further proceedings, ?roe°.
cutor said he had no money, when Dempsey seized him by
the throat, and held him very tightly. Prosecutor said,
" Don't hurt me, and I will give you what money I hare."
He then took out hie
purse, when Dempsey snatched it
from him, and told him he must have more; and afterwards
the prosecutor took out his snuff box containing 19 sove-
reigns, and delivered it up. They afterwards took his watch,
spectacles, and other property, after which Dempsey wrote
a paper, which he asked the prosecutor to sign, but he
could not, he was so nervous. Ultimately he directed an
envelope addressed to his employer at Vauxhall, enclosing
a paper asking him to pay the bearers £2O. Dempsey and
Beehow then lett, and left the prosecutor in the room with
the two women, and they kept him there until the men re-
turned about an hour after. They had been to the publican,
but he had repudiAtcd the whole concern, and refused to
pay the £2O.
wphriocche created
(i
The prosecutor was then called, and gave his evidence in
a very simple manner, seeming to think that it was to his
credit that he had allowed himself to be gulled. In his own
words, he knew he had submitted like a lamb throughout
the
counsel, whole
the prosecute • clonnecirodesrs;bexleaamminuasteimonenbtyitnhtehdeiffceoruernt
t:
r admitted that during the time that he was
left alone with the
`:.omen ho had not asked to be allowed
to go away. A
pub
After getting out of the house he went into a
N lichour,e with Dempsey and had something to drink.
ever called out, as he was irightened, nor told any one in
thr •
' Molichouse. Was at the house five hours altogether.
-151,,de the prisoners good night when he left them.
Several witnesses were then examined, after which the
court was addressed by the different counsel for the defence.
The jury found the whole of the prisoners guility.
An officer proved that both Benchow and Broughton had
been previously convicted, Dempsey had also had 6 months'
imprisonment for assaulting the prisoner with whom he was
living at the present time.
They were sentenced, Demprey and Beeclio w to 10 years'
penal servitude, Broughton to 7 years' penal servitude, and
Seymour to 18 months' imprisonment.