The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-14 00:00:00

EVENING, SEPTEMBER 14, 1852.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, Sept. 13.
GAROTTE ROBBERY.— Charles Coughlan, 25, a
tall, powerful-looking man, was indicted for having
stolen a watch, the property of Charles Paul, from
his person.
mr. Payne appeared for the prisoner.
It appeared that on the evening of Sunday, the
22d of August, the prosecutor, a steam-boat engineer,
was drinking with some friends, amongst whom was,
the prisoner a father, at a public-house called the Sa-
lisbury Arms, at Limehouse. During the time they
were together the prisoner joined them and asked his
father for some money, which he refused to give, and
the prosecutor treated the prisoner to some beer.
Soon afterwards they went to another public-house
called the Cape of Good Hope, and had some more
drink ; but the prosecutor was so intoxicated while at
the Saisbury Arms that he recollected nothing that
occurred after going into the second house until the
following morning,
when he found that he had been
robbed, and that his limbs were stiff and sore. In
addition to this his tongue felt as if it had been bit-
ten, and there was a considerable degree of soreness
about his chin and throat. A carpenter named Ro-
naldson, living in Duff-street, Limehouse, was crosing
Abbott's-fields, which are distant about a quarter of a
mile from the Cape of Good Hope public-house, about 6
on the evening in question, when he saw the prosecu-
tor lying on the ground, apparently in a state of help-
less intoxication, and the prisoner kneeling by his
side. On his coming up to them the prisoner moved
away, and be then saw that the prosecutor was black
in the face, his tongue protruded, and his head was
resting on his right shoulder, and on stooping down to
ascertain what really was the matter with him, he
found that a handkerchief and a brace were twisted
as tightly as possible round his neck, and that in fact
the man was in a state of strangulation. Fearing
that he would be suffocated, Ronaldson knelt down
and endeavoured to loosen the handkerchief and brace;
but he had great difficulty in doing so, as one of his
thumbs had been injured, so he managed as well as
he could with one hand and using his teeth. Ob-
serving that the prisoner was about to go away Ro-
naldson asked him to stop a few minutes, so that they
might see what was the matter with the man, and in-
quired whether he knew him ? He answered that he
did, and when asked if he knew where he lived he said
at " Black's/II." After a moment's consideration ha
6aid, "No, its Bow-common," and then went on to
say that he Was a foreigner, and having had a quarrel
with his wife, he had come out to drown himself,'
hot had instead been drinking. Ronaldson then
expressed some doubt as to whether he knew him at I
all, and remarked that it was a strange place for a '
man to ge to drown himself ; and having by that :line
removed the handkerchief and brace from the prose-
cutor's throat, he asked the prisoner to lend him a
hand in getting him up. To that the prisoner replied
that he had already carried him far enough, and
should carry him no further, and walked away to a
fence for a particular purpose, as Ronaldson thought,
but in reality to conceal the prosecutor's watch, for
shortly afterwards it was found close to where he had
stood by a labouring man, named Waters, who handed
it to the police. He was seen to secrete the watch by
that individual and a boy ; and on his person was
found some money which appeared to have been in
the prosecutor's possession, for it was covered with
whiting—a quantity of which was contained in his
pockets. A policeman having arrived at the spot, and
heard from Ronaldson what he had observed, he went
to the prisoner and took him into custody. On the
way to the station, be said, " What have you got me
for ?" The officer replied, " I'll tell you at the sta-
tion ;" and then the prisoner said, wieh an oath,
" You are wrong, as wrong as ever you were right.
t've not got it." " Got what ?" asked the officer;
but the prisoner returned no answer. The prosecutor
remained insensible and apparently lifeless for hall an
hour afterwards.
Mr. PAYNE addressed the jury.
Mr. Wianeet was about to sum up, when
The Foreman said they were satisfied. They found
the prisoner Guilty of robbery, with violence.
A previous conviction was proved.
Mr. I,Vernam said the utmost severity would be
resorted to in all cases where this horrible system of
Thuggism was practised. The sentence was that the
prisoner be transported beyond the seas for the term
of fifteen years.
The prosecutor appealed for mercy, on account of
the prisoner's aged parents.
Mr. Wannest said he could not listen to that ap-
peal, which was creditable to the prosecutor. A man
who tried to strangle another, for the purpose of
plunder, could not be mercifully dealt with.
William Cakler, 18, pleaded guilty to having stolen
eleven pieces of calico, value 1/. 7s. 6d., the property
of Walter Rowsell. He was shown to be an old
offender, and Mr. Witham sentenced him to be trans-
ported for seven years.
SECOND COURT.—(Before Mr. TURNER.)
William Murry, 21, and Frederick Poole, 21, were
indicted for having stolen a gold watch, value 161.,
from the person of John Cottrell.
The prosecutor stated that he is a brass-founder,
residing in Renner-street, St. Luke's, and on the
evening of the 30th of August, about seven o'clock, he
alighted from an omnibus at the corner of Bath-street,
in the City-road, where a large crowd was assembled
to witness the ascent of a balloon from the Eagle
Tavern. He attempted to make his way through the
crowd, but be was immediately surrounded by several
persons, and near him he noticed the prisoner Murry.
A. minute had scarcely elapsed when he felt a pull at
his guard chain, and on casting his eyes towards his
waistcoat pocket, he saw his watch, which had been
separated from the guard, in Murry's hand, with
which he immediately escaped. With some difficulty
prosecutor at length got out of the crowd, and went
to the station-house, for the purpose of giving infor-
mation of the robbery, where he found the prisoner
Murry already in the custody of Evans, the officer.
His watch was there produced, which be at once
identified. His watch, which was worth 161., he was
sure was safe in his possession when he entered the
crowd.
Thomas Evans, police-constable, said, on the even-
ing in question he was on duty in the City-road,
where a crowd was assembled for the purpose of
watching the ascent of a balloon. He saw both the
prisoners go into the crowd, and afterwaade they
hurriedly came out of it together. Soon after he
heard that a gentleman had been robbed of his watch,
upon which he immediately followed the prisoners.
At some distance from the place he stopped Murry,
and asked him if he had got anything about him, and
he replied that he bad not, but not being satisfied he
took hold of him, and found the watch produced in
his waistcoat pocket. He was sure the other pri-
soner went into the crowd with Murry. He took
Poole into custody two days afterwards, telling him
that he was charged with another man with stealing
a watch, when he at first said he knew nothing about
it, but afterwards on his way to the station-house be
said that be hoped witness would be as light with him
as he could.
William KinnerleY gave corroborative evidence of
the two prisoners and another person surrounding the
prosecutor, and saw his watch snatched from him.
Both prisoners
denied the robbery.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty.
Evidence was then given of a former conviction
at the Old Bailey, and both the
against Murry pri-
soners were recognised as well-known thieves.
Mr. TURNER said they were evidently hardened
sentenced each of them to be transported
for and
for ten years.
alias Jeremiah 111Grath
John Rogers, a ' 40, and
Eliza Williams, 21, were indicted for having stolen
two sovereigns, theesnoneys of Woolf Pleinser, from
his person. There was a second indictment against
Rogers, for having stolen a silver watch, value 505.,
Smith, from his person.
the property of Samuel
edlar state
Woolf Pleinser, a Jew P d that he was a
traveller about the country, and sold trinkets and
other articles ; but his residence was at Bristol. On
the night of the sth inst. he met
.the female prisoner,
13 accompanied her to
and by her persuasio her lodg-
Id alfie 8. He
ings at some court in Spl went with her
•
into a room on the ground • oor , when she inernediately
locked the door. Shortly afterwards she unlocked the
door and called out, when two men entered the room,
one of them being the prisoner. Without the slightest
provocation he atruck the prosecutor a violent blow in
the face, when the female put her hand into his pocket,
gave it to
took out his purse, and the prisoner. Wit-
.
robbery, cried out "Murder M
ness, on discovering the Murder !"
the •
as lustily as he could, when prisoner Rogers
mouth.
put his hand over his m .They subsequently
into
took hold of him and threw him the Yard, and
afterwards they carried him to a cellar, where they
left him. After the lapse of some considerable time
he got out, and made his way back to the room from
which he had been so summarily ejected, but found
no person there. He thereupon raised the cry of
" Murder" and " Police," when the prisoners and
the other man came into the room, and, after beating
him, they thrust him into the street. He then in-
formed a policeman of the treatment he had received,
and the woman was taken into custody the same
night. On the day he appeared against her at the
police-office he was taken to the cell where Rogers
and five or six other persons were in custody, when
he immediately recognised him, and pointed him out
to the gaolers. He would have known
him again
amongst five hundred, and he could safely say that
he ie the same man who received the purse from Wil-
liams, and the same man who assisted in putting him
into the yard and cellar.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty against both
the prisoners.
The male prisoner was then arraigned, charged
with having stolen a silver watch, value 503, the pro-
perty of Samuel Smith, from his person.
From the evidence of the prosecutor, a printer,
residing at liingsland, it appeared that on the night
of the 21st ult. he was in Shoreditch on his way home,
when he was surrounded by several men, and they
pushed him up against the wall. The prisoner was
one of the men by whom he was surrounded, who

put his arm round prosecutor's waist, and took his
watch out of his right hand pocket. Finding the
attempt was robbery, he caught the prisoner's arm,
he having at the time the watch in his hand, and held
him by the neckcloth for a long time. Prisoner then
struck the prosecutor a violent blow, which compelled
him to loosen his hold, when he started " off like a
race-horse;" but he was followed, and at length cap-
tured, and handed over to a police-constable, but
nothing was found upon him.
John Wilkinson proved that he was passing along
Shoreditch on the night in question, and saw the
prosecutor struggling together, and while this was
going on he observed a silver watch fall from the
dress of the prisoner. He followed is pursuit, and
never lost sight of the prisoner until he was taken into
custody.
The prisoner denied all knowledge of the robbery,
and said that he had a tobacco-box in the form of a
watch, which had led to the belief that the watch was
in his possession.
The jury found him Guilty.
Mr. TURNER, sentenced him to be transported for
ten years, and ordered the other prisoner to be re-
manded until the next session for inquiries to be made.
It appeared that Sergeant Molley, 4 II division,
who apprehended Williams, has since then been way-
laid by the companions of the prisoners, and so se-
verely bitten by one of them in the hand that he is
still an inmate of St. Thomas's Hospital.

POLICE IN TELLIGENCE.
GUILDHALL.

Sambo Embo and Josh Tooferman, a couple of
Lascar seamen, were charged with obtaining money
under false pretences.
John James Roe, an alehouse keeper, of 47, Fetter-
lane, stated that the prisoners came to him on Thurs-
day last, and represented that they had left their ship
at Liverpool, and came to London by rail, by which
means they had missed the gentleman who held their
papers, and they had therefore neither money nor
luggage. He gave them ls. each to get a lodging
with, and Samba then called him aside, and, kissing
his hand in gratitude for the money, said he
had a young Scotch wife and two piccaniniea in
Australia, where he had come from, and a large house
and plenty of money. He said be had deposited a
quantity of gold dust in the Bank of England, and
that he should have plenty of money on the following
day. He also said he had letters from gentlemen in
Australia, authorising him to pay large sums of
money, with w hich he had been entrusted, in Lon-
don. To confirm the truth of this statement he
showed prosecutor a slip of paper containing the
words "Bullion-office, Bank of England." Upon
these representations he advanced them 285., and sup-
plied them with food—a fish dinner on Friday, be-
cause they were Catholics, and on Saturday they
ordered a sucking pig. Oa making inquiries prose-
cutor found that they had not left any gold at the
Bank, and so far from having arrived at Liverpool as
passengers, they came from a ship in the London
Docks, where Sambo was the ship's cook, and Josh one
of the crew of another ship.
Alderman SIDNEY—How came you to lend them
money without knowing anything of them ? Prose-
cutor--I saw a person of the name of Sergeant in
their company, and be told me that it was all right.
In addition to which Samba turned up the whites of
his eyes so imploringly that I could not doubt his
sincerity.

Alderman SIDNEY—Did you trust him, then, on
the strength of the whites of his eyes only ?--
(Laughter.) Prosecutor—No, Sir, but he shed tears
also.

Alderman SIDNEY—I have frequently examined a
man's fece well before I trusted him, but I never
placed much reliance upon the whites of any one's
e yes.— (Laughter.)
Several other witnesses were then called, and the
the prisoners were remanded for further inquiry.

I believe it to be, that of all refl,?cting mane that such
exhibitions as the one under discussion are highly in-
expedient, and any thing but creditable either to
those who for the sake of lucre make them public, or
to those who find pleasure in witnessing them. 'There
cannot but be great risk attending them without any
corresponding good resulting from them, and it is
not creditable to any party to seek either profit or
pleasure from exhibitions attended with such risk.
Numbers of persons would also feel alarm and dis-
tress of mind at hearing or reading of such perilous
risks, even though they may not witness them ; and
for that reason, also, they ought not to be counte-
nanced. But however reprehe=nsible I may consider
such proceedings, I am bound to deal with this ques-
tion upon other considerations. lam bound to deal
with it according to law, and the evidence adduced
before me; not to travel out of the facts that have
been proved, to interpret the law strictly and impar-
tially as I am best able to understand it, and to decide
whether in my opinion the defendants have committed
the offence with which they are charged. I have
come, not, I will own without reluctance, to the con-
elusion that they have not, and the summonses must
therefore be dismissed.