The Sun.
London, England, 1837-10-31 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Yesterday William Pratt, a medical student, the son of
a gentleman of fortune, living at Peckham Rye, was
brought before Mr. WEDGWOOD, charged with stealing a
tin box, containing leases, title deeds, and other papers of
importance, the property of his father.
When the night charges were disposed of, and the ease
of William Pratt was called on, Mr. Pratt, sen., took-his
station in the place appropriated for witnesses in giving
their evidence, but, on looking towards the bar, inside which
his son stood, his feelings became so 'overpowered that he
burst into tears, ejaculating, " Oh, my son, you have com-
pelled me to do that from which my heart shrinks, but I
must, for the sake of my family, go on with this pro-
secution."
During this painful scene the prisoner stood at the bar,
and treated it all with the most perfect indifference, seem-
ing to pay more attention to the arrangement of his hair
and dress than to any feelingwhich the situation in which
he was placed was calculated to excite.
Mr. WEDGwooD, seeing that the father was unable to
proceed in the affair, inquired whether his evidence could.
not be dispensed with, and upon this a witness was called.
forward, who stated that her name was Mary Ann Crisp,
and that she was cook in the service of Mr. Pratt, sen.
That on Sunday morning, while her master was going to
Church, the prisoner, who rang the parlour bell, on her
going there addressed her, saying, " Cook, there is but
one thing that will keep me from distress, and that is
taking possession of the tin box belonging to my father,
and which contains valuable documents." Witness, in
reply said, " Take everything in the house but that, as it
contains papers, the loss of which might bring ruin on all
the family." Ile then said that nothing else would do for
him but the tin box ; that he would give his word and ho-
nour that he would not open the box or destroy a paper,
until his father met him on the following day ; that he
should take the box and its contents to his brother's re-
sidence, in Bond-street ; and that. on Monday morning he
would meet his father, and that he would tell hint that
he should not have the box and papers until he gave
him 1,200/, that he wanted. On these conditions, that he.
would not open the box, the witness said that she consented
to la the prisoner carry off the box ; and he then went out
to get a horse and chaise to take the box away, and that
while he was gone she told the groom that Mr. William
was going to take his father's leaSes. away. The groom,
upon this information being communicated to him, imme-
diately went for a policeman, and the prisoner, who by this
time had the tin box and its contents in the chaise at the
door, was taken into custody.
Mr. WEDGWOOD asked the prisoner what he had to say
in answer to the alleged charge? The prisoner complained
of ill-treatment on the part of his father ; that he had been
turned out of his house pennyless : and that -it was owing
to such conduct towards him that he resolved on taking the
leases and titledeeds. He added that he had previously
to'.d his father that he would take the box and its contents ;
and, to prove it, he requested that a letter to that effect
should be shown to the magistrate, to convince him of the
fact, and prove that it was not his wish to act in a clandes-
tine manner. •
The clerk having taken the depositions, he was about to
read over the evidence, when Mr. Pratt stood forward, and,
addressing the Magistrate, said that it was a fearful situa-
tion for a father to be placed in, but that if his son could be
punished without being sent for trial, he (the father) would
prefer it..
Mr. WEDGWOOD, in answer to it, must either discharge
the accused, or commit him for trial.
.The father then said that he found that he could not ap-
pear against his son, and requested that he might be dis-
charged. This having been done, the father afterwards
asked what he was to do if his son repeated the attempt or
annoyed him.
Mr. WEDGWOOD said that he could have a peace-warrant
against the young man if he found it necessary.