The Sun.
London, England, 1806-03-13 00:00:00

CRIMINAL SIDE.

HERTFORD, MARCH L—William Clarke and
Robert Ray, two very young men of decent appear-,
anee, were indiEted for burglariously breaking and
entering the dwelling-house of George Sheriff, at St.
Alban's, and stealing therein 20 yards of lace, 200
yards of cotton,-and a variety of other articles,' of the
value of 3001.

The Prisoners, as will be seen in the following
detail of the evidence, were. convicted entirely on
circumstances, as none of the property was ever
found on, or traced to them,, nor was there any proof
of their having been on the premises.
George Sheriff, the Prosecutor, stated, that he kept
a haberdasher's sllop at St. Alban's. On the 4th of
06tober last he retired to bed with his family, be.-
tween eleven and twelve o'clock. He saw the doors
and windows- fast; but, about six 'o'clock in the

morning, h *ag alarmed *llll an aceount that his
house had been robbed. On examination, he found
that a gratings which lighted into the cellar, had been
forced up, frame and all, and after the thieves liad
thus entered,the house, they .had, with 'a turn-s Crew,
taken bff. the boxes of the bolts and locks, and thus
got into the shop, which they nearly stripped. He
had never heard any thing more of the articles
stolen.

• Hester Paste deposed, that her .-husband. was in.
partnership with a man of the name of
.Graves, as
'a livery-stable keeper, at Battle-bridge. She- iecol-
leaed, that, early in 06tober last, she let a horse
and chaise-cart to the Prisoner Clarke, who, when
he hired it, said his name was Thomas Humphries.
The horse was a dark horse, and the cart was a
dark green. He said he wanted it to go to Croydon
Fair. He went out about ten o'clock in the morn-
ing, but lie did not return till six the next morning.
Paste, the husband of the last Witness, stated,
that 'William Clarke brought the -horse and cart
home the morning after he had hired, it, at about
half-past six. The Witness told him he must pay
for another day's hire, as he had kept it so long.
This he readily agreed to, saying, -that they had
been delayed by a wheel coming off, the consequence
of which was, that his companion bad broken his
arm • but as he was to pay for that day, he said he
Should.come and have a ride in the afternoon. This
the Witness agreed to, and they parted. . .

After several other witnesses were examined, the
Jury found the Prisoners both .Guilty.
Thomas Copland was indided 'for 'ravishing- Ann
Baker.

The Prosecutrix, aged 18, stated, that she went
to the Pri:4oner's house on the) 2th Sept. to buy some
bread, which he sold. He asked her to walk in the
garden and pick some plumbs; which she did. He
went with her, and after they had picked some plumbs
he threw her down on the grass and ravished her.
On cross-examination, she " said, she did not tell
any body of it, nor should she, if somebody else bad
not first told her mother.

- The Learned Judge immediately diree-ied the'Jury.
to Acquit the Prisoner.
John Lawrence was indi&ed for a highway•rob-.
bery, and taking from John Lincoln two ii. notes, a
2]. note, a half-guinea and some 'silver. . •
The Prosecutor,, Lincoln, stated, that he was a
farmer's servant, and was returning froM town,
where he had sold a load of hay for his master. .It
was about two o'clock in the morning, as he passed
over Hodde-sdon Common, he was stopped by two
men, one of whom came into the cart to him, and
rifled his pockets. - He attempted to run away, but
the other knocked him down and cut his head. He
was positive to the. person of the Prisoner, whose
nose was remarkably fiat, as though 'beaten in, and
he saw his face distinaly.
Edward Parker, the
_master of the last witness,
stated, that froin the description Lincoln gave of the
persons and dress of the two men who robbed him,
he, the next morning, went in pursuit of them ; and
finding the Prisoner-and another, who,answered the
description, at he Spread Eagle, at Ware, he caused
them to be apprehended. The Prosecutor immedi-
ately -recognized- the Prisoner.
For the Prisoner, it was proved by several witt.
nesses, that he was a bargeman, .and servant to. a.
Mr. Wallis, at -Ware ; that at the time of the rob-
bery, he was coming from London with •a barge,'
and slept on board, that night, at Waltham Abbey.
Young Wallis was with him, and was awoke at five
o'clock by a barge passing; at that time .the Prisoner
was asleep. The people in the other barge were
also called to prove they saw him.
The Learned Judge •observed to the Jury„ that
there was no doubt of the robbery ; but this was one
of those cases' which sometimes happened, that oi!e
person so much resembled another, as to be mistaken
for him, and advised the Jury to acquit -the Prisoner.
Verdict—Not
The other cases in the Calendar were for petty.
thefts, &c. •