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

(Before Mr Commiseioner Kerr.)

Richard Wybourgh, 32, labourer, and Catherine Cronin,
32, spinster. were indicted for feloniously assaulting, toge-
ther with another person, Edward John Saca,ett, and steal-
ing from him a gold chain, a pin, and half a sovereign in
money.
Mr Kemp prosecuted, and Mr Daly defended 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 five, and Wybourgh to ten years' penal servitude.
Henry Paatnan, 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 direr•
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, stated 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 he 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 covt:rea 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 stooped 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 Williams, 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 b© 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 beat, 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 Iting.street, Soho. While passing down
that street he saw the prisoner standing at ono of the doors
with a jug or 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 ptosecutor, 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 55, but if the prosectitor Would pay that sum he
would let him go without any further proceedings. Prose-
cutor said he had no money, when Dempsey sett3d him by
the throat, and held him Very tightly. Prosecutor said,
"Don't hurt me, and I will give you what money I have."
He they took out his purse, when Dempsey snatched it
from hun, and told him he must have more ; and afterwards
the prosecutor took out his snuff box containing 19. sov-
ereigns, and delivered it up. They afterwards took his watch,
spectacles, and other property, after which Dempsey wrote
a paper, which ha asked the prosecutor to sign, but he
Could not, he Was so nervous. Ultimately he directed an
envelops 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 repudiated the whole concern, and refused to
pay the £2O.
The prosecutor was then called, and gave hid evidence in
a very simple manner, seeming 1e 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 whole proceedings. In cross-examination by the different
counsel, which created considerable amusement in the court, I
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the prosecutor admitted that during the time that he was
thAtfht After oausskeedhotowbeentaliluotwoeda
publichouse with Dempsey and had something to drink.
Never called out, as ha was irightened, nor told any one in
the publicbeuse. Was at the house five hours altogether,
Bade the prisoners good night when he left theta.
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 sentencA, Dempsey and Beechow to 10 years'
penal servitude, Broughton to 7 years' penal servitude, and
Seymour to 13 month' impri.sonravnt.