The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-08 00:00:00

CHARGE OFFELONY.

A considerable sensation was produced in Coventry on
Wednesday, in consequence of the apprehension of an
individual on a charge of felony, who has for some years
past moved in a respectable sphere in life; and who is
generally supposed to be possessed of property which might
have enabled him to maintain that position in society in.
dependently. But the ways of some men are inexplicable,
and their conduct not to be accounted for by any process of
reasoning.
The person to whom we refer is William Dowling, a
well-known manufacturer and dealer in ribbons, who was
yesterday committed for trial at the next Assizes on a
charge of having stolen five pieces of ribbon from the
warehouse of Mr. Francis Hart, ribbon manufacturer,
with whom for a long time past he had been on close terms
of intimacy, both in the way of friendship and trade. On
Wednesday last, however, about ten in the morning, Dow-
ling having entered Mr. Hart's warehouse in Hay lane, as
had been his habitual custom, either in a way of gossip or
for purposes of business, Mr. Hart having previously
conceived that he bad of late some reason to
suspect the honour and integrity of these frequent
calls, took means to watch his visitor's movements,
and soon detected, him in fingering the goods in a drawer
in a manner which at once confirmed his suspicions. Mr.
Hart was not in a condition to seizo him at once, but took
:•omc precautionary steps for capturing him before he got
off the premises. In consequence, however, of another
person coming into the warehouse and entering on some
business question, Mr. Hart's attention was drawn off, and
in the meantime Dowling quickly left the warehouse, and
had got too far before Mr. Hart saw him, to make it prudent
for him to pursue him. About twelve o'clock Dowling
paid another visit, and repeated his manoeuvres at a drawer
of ribbons, the number of pieces in which Mr. Hart bad
taken care to have counted.
Having accomplished his purpose, and that under the ob-
servation of Mr. Hart, Dowling remarked that it was get-
ting towards dinner-time, and he must get home, and with
lilt he left the warehouse, followed immediately by Mr.
Hart, who overtook him a few yards from the door, charged
him with the robbery, collared him and threw him down,
and afterwards dragged him into Mr. Keen's silk-ware-
house opposite. A policeman was then sent for, who
searched him and found the ribbons in his pocket, the num-
ber and quality of which corresponded with the deficiency
in the drawer, which had been counted. Dowling was forth--
with taken to the Station-house, and remained there till
twelve o'clock yesterday, when he was brought before the
Magistrates, and a lengthened examination took place, in
the course of' which the above facts were disclosed, in the
presence of a crowded Court, and terminated as before stated,
in the committal of the prisoner for trial at the Assizes...—
Coventry Herald.

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A VICTIMIZER.—On Wednesday a respectable
looking man, between fifty and sixty- years of age, who
calls himself Thomas Colvin Cooke, was brought before
Mr. Alderman Lainson, at Guildhall, charged with being
'h
a common cheat. The prisoner, it appeared, is ono ol
ld ell those fellows who have meat and drink in eating-hous
'

and public-houses, without money to pay the reckoning.
He had been in custody a few days before. On this occa•
sion the landlord, with whom he had incurred a debt of
6s. 9d., said the publicans were being almost daily vic-
timized by such persons as the prisoner, and as they were
guilty not of a mere imposition on a single person, but of
cheating many persons, he thought it would be hard if they
were not indictable as common cheat•, like minors going
about and getting credit as persons of full age, and then
setting up their non-age. The Magistrate said the pri-
soner seemed to have an uncontrollable desire 0 teed
sumptuously, but he hoped by confining him for a few days
on bread and water, to bring his appetite roust! to a Whole-
some condition. He should remand him till Monday to
see what further charges would be preferred againsthim.-- I
Remanded.