The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-30 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.—Charles Mitchell, a militiaman,
was charged with highway robbery.
A young man named Thomas Bennett, in the employ
of Messrs. Daukes and Rodick, bottled beer agents,
Exeter-street, had spent the evening in company with a
young woman at a temperance ball, from which they
were returning through High-street, St. Giles's, at
about one o'clock in the morning (Wednesday). They
saw a group of men near the railings of St. Giles's
Church, and crossed the road to avoid them. The men
followed, and one of them (the prisoner) seized Bennett
by the throat, forced him back on the pavement, rifled
his pockets, and snatched at his watch chain, which
broke at the swivel. The others assisted in the attack,
and the prosecutor was severely knocked about; but
the screams of his companion brought a policeman to
the spot before they could secure his watch, and the men
ran off in different directions. The constable (F 73),
suspecting that one of them had gone into Dudley-court,
proceeded to the spot, where he found the prisoner
almost out of breath from the exertion of running. He
was immediately identified by the prosecutor as the man
who had throttled him ; and Hannah Reardon% his com-
panion, corroborated the statement.
Mr. Henry inquired if the prisoner was known to the
police ?

- The gaoler stated that the prisoner was brought before
Mr. Hall a few weeks since, in company with another
man, charged with being drunk and assaulting several
people in Holborn. They were both in the militia uni-
form, and the prisoner was committed in default of pay-
ing the fine inflicted.

The prosecutor expressed a wish not to proceed with
the case, because he could not get leave of absence from his
business ; and the inspector informed his worship that
the foreman of Messrs. Daukes and Rodick, who was
present, had threatened to dismiss him from his situation
if he absented himself for the purpose.
Mr. Henry, after remarking that this was very extra-
ordinary conduct, requested the foreman to explain it.
The foreman said that several of the hands were already
absent from sickness and other causes, and if the prose-
cutor was to be kicking his heels for three or four days
at the sessions upon this business, he (the foreman) would
not undertake to say that his place would not be filled
up by another hand. He wished the case to be disposed
of summarily.

Mr. Henry said he had no power to deal adequately
with such charges as this, except by sending the case for
trial. Highway robberies in the streets of London were
getting very common now, and soon it would be unsafe
to walk them after dark, if some exertions were not
made to detect the offenders. It was a very small sacri-
fice for a respectable tradesman to make in the public
service, and it would be extremely unjust to visit the
prosecutor with dismissal from his situation for one day's
absence, and probably no more, to attend the sessions.
What had happened to him (the prosecutor) might hap-
pen to his employers at any time ; and if the employers
were consulted, he 'could not think that they would be
so selfish as to sanction the threat of their foreman, who
had shown a very bad spirit in the matter.
The constable said it was with great difficulty that he
had prevailed on the foreman to allow Bennett to attend
before his worship that day.
Mr. Henry desired the officer to communicate his sen-
timents upon the subject to the principal of the firm,
who, it appeared, was not at present in town.
The prisoner, on being asked if he had anything to
say to the charge, said, "You have got it all your own
way, so do as you like."
He was then committed for trial.

Daniel Mahony, James O'Carroll, and Catherine Sul-
livan, each of whom occupied a room at 4, Lincoln-
court, were charged by Inspector Reason and Sergeant
Hunt, with neglecting the regulations enforced by the
act for the improvement of common lodging-houses.
It was shown in evidence that the defendants had
neglected to provide the requisite partitions between the
beds occupied by men, women, and children, and that
the whole of the house was in a very filthy condition.
The landlord was chiefly responsible for this, because,
owing to the unapproachable state of the water-closet at
the bottom of the house, the lodgers had habitually re-
sorted to the front cellar, the stench arising from which
was truly horrible.

Mr. Henry said he should not dispose of this case
-Without seeing the landlord.
His worship then issued a summons for the attendance
of the latter, and adjourned the inquiry to a future day.
Four similar charges were preferred against the occu-
piers of rooms in Orange-court, but as the defendants
promised to put up partitions forthwith, and to comply
with the other regulations of the act, Mr. Henry sus-
pended his decision for a fortnight.
Our reporter was requested to acknowledge the receipt
of 101. from the Mercers' Company, for the poor-box of
the court.

GUILDHALL.—Mr. Alderman Copeland having
signified his intention to deliver his decision in the case
against Mr. Grafton, a watchmaker and jeweller, of
Fleet-street, all the parties attended according to the
notice.

Mr. Lewis appeared for Mr. Grafton.
Mr. Alderman Copeland said this case had received
his most serious consideration ; and, after looking
through the evidence, he had come to the
conclusion that Mr. Alexander had been greatly
imposed upon in the matter ; but as that gentle-
man could not speak with certainty as to the date of
his purchasing the "gold" chain ; and as he (the alder-
man) at all times objected to sendinc, cases before a jury,
where there was no probability of obtaining a convic-
tion, he had come to the determination of dismissing the
summons. He had, however, no hesitation in saying it
was a case of gross fraud, and it would be his endeavour,
from his position in the Court, of the Goldsmith's Com-
pany, to put that body in motion to communicate with
the Government on the subject, for he had been per-
fectly inundated with similar complaints since this ques-
tion was first mooted ; and he hoped the day would not
be far distant when measures would be taken to sup-
press the system of trickery altogether. Under the cir-
cumstances the summons was dismissed ; but he wished
it to be distinctly understood that it was dismissed only
on the ground of Mr. Alexander's uncertainty as to the
date of the transaction.

MARLBOROITGII-STREET.—Thomas Munro, an
Irishman, was charged with stabbing his wife with a
table-knife.

Ellen Munro said she lived at No. 55, High-street,
St. Giles's. The prisoner was her husband, and for a
long time had been in the habit of ill-using her. Last
night her husband began grumbling with her son, and
to prevent mischief she got out of bed to try to pacify
him. Her son ran out of the room, and her husband
then turned his rage upon her, saying he would put her
out of the way. He then seized a knife which was on
the table, and came at her with it. She put up her arm
to ward off the stab, and she received a severe wound
on the arm. Her cries for assistance brought back her
son, and further Injury was prevented. She had been
to a surgeon's to have the wound dressed.;
John Munro, the son, said his father picked a quarrel
with him last night, and took up a knife to stab him.
He ran out of the room, but hearing screams he went
back and met his mother on the stairs bleeding from a
long wound which she had received on the arm.

The prisoner, who is a man of very violent disposition,
and well known at this court, laid the blame on his son,
and denied any premeditated intention to wound his
wife.

The prisoner was sent for trial.
From "E. C.," 51. ; and from "T. T. T.," Si. ; has
been received for the poor-box.

WORSHIP-STREET.—Mary Anne Spearman, a
masculine-looking woman, who was well known to the
police, was placed at the bar before Mr. D'Eyncourt,
charged with having assaulted, with intent to rob, a
gentleman named Cobin, residing at Cambridge-terrace,
Hackney.
The prosecutor stated that on the previous night he
had just alighted from an omnibus in the immediate
neighbourhood of his residence, when he was suddenly
intercepted by the prisoner, who caught hold of his arm
and attempted to intrude herself upon his company. He
declined to have any conversation with her, and endea-
voured to release himself from her grasp, but she still
pestered bhp with her importunities, and continued
clinging to him with snob pertinacity, that he found
it necessary to give her a smart cut with his cane to com-
pel her to relinguish her hold. Witness then pro-
ceeded on his way, but was almost immediately overtaken
by the prisoner, who clasped him tightly round the
waist so as to pinion his arms, and seizing hold 9f his
guard chain, made a strenuous effort to force his watch
out of his pocket. He struggled violently to disengage
himself from her, but sbe held him with such tenacity
that he was completely powerless, and she was in act of
securing her booty when his cries for assistance attracted
the notice of a policeman, who hastened up and took her
into custody.
Police-constable K 61 corroborated the latter portion
of the prosecutor's evidence, and stated that he had
known the prisoner about the streets for the last five
years, during the whole of which time she had been the
constant associate of thieves and the worst characters of
the district. _

On being called upon for her defence, the prisoner
stoutly protested her innocence, and impudently insinu-
ated that the charge had been trumped up by the prose-
cutor, because she refused to submit to his familiarities.
Mr. D'Eyncourt considered that the case had been
clearly established, and ordered the prisoner to be com-
mitted for two months to the House of Correction.

SOUTHWARK.— Henry Newberry was brought from
on board a vessel bound to South Australia, charged
with stealing a watch, the property of James Taylor.
The prisoner had come up from Berwick-upon-Tweed,
for the purpose of taking a passage out to South Aus-
tralia, where he had a relative who had realised a fortune
at the diggings, and had sent for him to share his good
fortune. While the prisoner was waiting for the sailing
of the ship that was to convey him to the gold regions,
he took an opportunity of purloining a watch belonging
to a man with whom he lodged at Bermondsey, and,
having pledged it, then burnt the ticket. He then em-
barked on board the vessel which was to have sailed the
previous day, but the fact of his having stolen the watch
and pawned it having come to the knowledge of the
police, he was taken into custody.
The prisoner was remanded for the pi oduction of the
watch by the pawnbroker.
Mr. Combe announced the receipt of 101. from the
Mercers' Company, 51. from "W. H. C.," and the
second half of a 101. note from "M. H. C." for the poor-
box.

THAMES.—Antonio de Roslia, a Portuguese seaman,
lodging at No. 32, Wellclose-square, was brought before
Mr. Yardley, charged with cutting and wounding Julia
Ann White, a woman of the town, of No. 7, Crown-

court, Whitechapel ; and also stabbing Rae Brinkhorn,
a labourer, of No. 102, Pennington-street, Ratcliff-
high way.

The first complainant, White, said she was going home
with a sailor on Friday night, about nine o'clock, and
met the prisoner on the steps of her door. He was
having his boots blackened. She asked him to step aside
and let her pass in, which he refused to do, She made
an attempt to get into her dwelling, and he took a knife
from his pocket and said he would go into the house
with her. She would not allow him to do so, and he
then made use of some expression and threw the knife at
her. It struck her arm and nearly eut it off. She had
a struggle with him, and he then drove the knife into
her left arm and inflicted a severe wound. A girl came
to her assistance, took possession of the knife, and shut
the door, when the prisoner ran away.
Police-sergeant Macintoilh, H. produced a long knife,
With a sharp-pointed blade, dagger shaped, and pointed
to stains of blood near the point. He received it from
the last witness, who said it was the one with which she
was wounded. The knife had perforated both arms.
Rae Brinkhorn said he knew nothing of the occur-
rence of Friday night ; but on Christmas night he went
into the Cock and Neptune public-house, in Neptune-
street, Wellclose-square, to obtain his supper beer, and
was quietly seated on a form when a disturbance took
place among some foreign seamen, in which he took no
part, and the prisoner seized him, threw him with great
violence on a table, and after kicking him in a most
savage manner about the body, particularly on the ribs,
stabbed him on the face. He bled copiously from the
wound, and had been put to great inconvenience and
pain.

- Mr. Yardley—Had you ever seen the man before ?
Brinkhorn—Never, sir. He rushed upon me and pulled
me off my seat in an instant.

Mr. Yardley—Was there any row or quarrel going on
at the time ? Brinkhorn—None whatever, sir. I have
been under medical care ever since I received the kicks
and the wound.

Macintosh said a tremendous row took place among
the foreigners after the man Brinkhorn had been stabbed
in the manner he had described.

The prisoner, in broken English, denied that he had
stabbed either of the parties who had given evidence
against him.

Mr. Yardley remanded him.
The magistrate acknowledged the receipt of 101. from
the Mercers' Company (their annual donation), and 21.
from "E.L.," for the poor-box.

HAMMERSMITH.—Robert Caunt, a tall, powerful
young man, about thirty years of age, described as a
carpenter, living at No. 33, The Terrace, Kensington,
was placed in the dock, before Mr. Beadon, on the
charge of committing a ruffianly assault upon Mrs. Ann
Deller, the landlady of the Duke of Cumberland public-
house, in High-street, Kensington, without any provo-
cation.

The case was fully proved.
Mr. Beadon said the prisoKter was a perfect ruffian,
and he was very sorry that he had not the power to or-
der him to hard labour for his unmanly conduct. He
hoped the law would be altered in a short time, and that
he should have the power of ordering hard labour in
cases of brutal and savage assaults. He fined the pri-
soner the full penalty of 51., or two months' imprison-
ment.
The prisoner was locked up in default.