The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-08 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

AN EXTENSIVE ROBBERY PREVENTED.—This morning
two men, one named Robert Ford, and the other John.
Barrill, were placed at the bar charged with attempted
housebreaking.

From the evidence of Keziah Fenn, the wife of a police
constable in the F division, it appeared that this morning
about two o'clock she was disturbed by hearing a water-
pail fall in the back-yard of the house, No. 6, Middle-
row, at present unoccupied and in custody of her hus-
band. She jumped up, and on looking out of the win-
dow she saw two men attempting to enter the premises
by cutting out a square of glass in the back parlour
window. She immediately raised the alarm by shouting
for the police, ar,d calling out "Thieves, thieves," and
immediately she saw one of the men run to a rope that
had been fastened by them at the other side of the wall,
by which he escaped. As quickly as possible she ran to
the front door and admitted the police, but, on their
going to the place in which she had seen the men it was
found they had both decamped.
Mr. Henry—Was the yard an enclosed one ?

Witness—Yes, your worship. The wall around it
WAS upwards of eight feet in height, and the house ad.
joining was occupied by a jeweller and silversmith.

Police-constable 70 F, said, about two o'clock he en-
tered the house, No. 4, Middle row, haying been in-
formed by the last witness that two men were attempt-
ing to obtain admission. On proceeding to the yard he
found the men had succeeded in escaping by means of a
rope which he found hanging over the wall. He also
found a knife near the back parlour window, bat could
not succeed in capturing the burglars.
Mr. White, hair-worker, residing at No. 4, Middle
row, stated, that early this morning he was awoke by his
wife, who told him that she thought she heard a noise
as if some persons had effected an entrance into the
house. He, however, did not get up, but between six
and seven the other persons in the house having arisen,
he, in company with one of them, searched the house,
and in a celler under the stairs he discov, red the prisoner
Ford. The prisoner had " curled himself up " into a
small compass or he could not have hidden himself where
he did. Upon being taken from his hiding-plan, he
never made the slightest observation as to what his ob-
ject was for so concealing himself. A police-officer was
sent for, and he was given into custody.

Police-sergeant 10 F said that about half-past eight
this morning, he proceeded to the house No. 4, Middle-
row, and on making a thorough search he discovers 1
the other prisoner, Burrill, up the kitchen chimney. He
was sitting on one of the side projections in the flue,
and, as he imagined, in safe" concealment, but his feet
being visible, he caught hold of them and pulled him
down. On the police making a further search in the
vicinity of the premises, a gimlet was found in the area
of No. 6, and on the leads of No. s—a silversmith's—a
centre-bit and crowbar were found.

The Inspector said, from information he had received.
he believed the prisoner Burrill was the person refe, red
to by a man who was at the bar of this court, and re-
manded on Thursday last, charged with being in posses.
sion of a coat which f armed part of some property that
had been stolen from a house in the vicinity of the court
a month ago. Barra!, he had been given to understand,
was the " Fair Charley " that the min said had given
him the coat.

Mr. Henry—We will have the whole three men here
this day week ; and upon being asked what they bad to
say in defence to the present charge, both prisoners de-
clined making any statement.

The magistrate then ordered the prisoners to befre-
manded, and gave directions that the man accused of
stealing the coat should be placed before him at the same