The Sun.
London, England, 1830-06-01 00:00:00

GUILDHALL

Yesterday John Hurley, John Nash, and John
Sheering, were brough.t before Sir P. LAURIE, on a
charge of breaking into the Steward's-office, at St.
Bartholomew's Hospital, and stealing therefrom
17/. 4s. in Bank of England notes and cash, and a
small silver French coin.

Charles Herdsfield, the marshal's man, stated that
on Thursday week last Sheering, one of the pri-
soners, came to him and communicated that a plan
had been laid to rob the Steward's-office in the
Hospital. Sheering, at his desire, went to Mr.
Wilby, the renter of the Hospital, who, in conse-
quence of the information, employed Herdsfield to
assist him. Subsequently Herdsfield and his brother,
one of the city police, had several interviews with
Sheering, and learned from him that the robbery
was fixed to be committed on Friday morning last,
and at the hour appointed (ten o'clock) the two
Herdsfields planted themselves in the counting-
house at the Hospital. They waited there a few
minutes, expecting a signal to be given when the
robbery was being committed, as they had concerted
with Sheering, but the signal was not given. How-
ever, at length Sheering came to them, and ex-
claimed, " The thing is done—follow me." They
accordingly followed him to Hurley's residence, in
Mill-yard, Rosemary-lane. On entering the room,
they found the prisoners there. Hurley was sitting
at a table, with 5/. 19s. in gold and silver lying before
him, which the officers seized, as well as the
prisoners. _ . _

Mr. Wilby deposed, that a demi-franc, which was
found among the silver at Hurley's, had been in his
possession in the morning—indeed, for several years
past; and was paid by him to Mr. Wiz, the steward.
Sir P. LAURIE asked if he had a particular reason
for giving the piece to Mr. Wiz that morning.
Mr. Wilby replied, that he had. Knowing the
robbery was to be committed, he gave Mr. Wix the
demi-franc, because he could identify it. He alto
paid Mr. Wix two .5/. notes, signed with his bro-
ther's name, numbered 38,011 and 38,012.
Mr. Wix, the steward, on Friday morning put
a canvass bag on the desk in his office, containing
one of the .5/. notes, 3/. in silver, a shilling of
George 11. and a sixpence of George 111., «hich had
been marked, and also the demi-franc. In the
drawer of the desk he placed the other 51. note, a
sovereign, two half-sovereigns, and 2s. 6d. in silver.
He locked the drawer, anti also secured the door of
the office, and went out It ten o'clock. He re-
turned in about ten minutes, when he found the
drawer and door broken open, and that the money
had been taken away.

Sir P. LAURIE determined upon admitting Sheer-
ing a witness for the Crown, when he detailed the
following particulars of a deep-laid plan to commit a
series of robberies at this Hospital.
Sheering, upon being sworn, stated, that having
been detected in exhuming a body from the grave-
yard of a chapel at Pentonville, in February last,
he was taken before the Magistrates at Hatton-
garden, and was committed to the House of Cor-
rection for three months. While there he met with
the two prisoners, who had been committed as re-
puted thieves. He was acquainted with Nash pre-
viouQly, as he used to " do a little in the same line."
Nash said he knew where a good thing was to be
done in the Hospital,—that the charity boxes were
kept closed for a year together, and might be broken
open when they got out of gaol.
The witness was liberated on the 12th of May,
and on the Saturday following he met Nash at
Smithfield, when he asked if he had thought any-
thing further about what they had talked of, adding
that a good chance might be had at the Steward's
office, as Mr. Wix received 701. or 801. every Fri-
day, which he put in a:drawer, and so well acquainted
with the office did Nash appear, that he described
the particular drawer in which the money was kept.
He said, that after Mr. Wix had received the money,
his custom was, to go round to the several wards,
and, with a bell, summon the sisters and nurses to
conic and receive their wages; and that while he
was so employed the robbery was to be effected ;
and on the following Sunday a teries of robberies
were planned, to be executed in succession, on the
Steward's office, the Renter's office, the wine-cellar,
&c. On Monday they met again, when Hurley
joined the party, and another who, however, was not
concerned in the robbery, being laid hold of anti
committed to Bridewell in the interim. The place
of meeting was appointed to be the Red Lion, Rose-
mary-lane, and at Hurley's suggestion, the time for
committing the robbery was changed from night to
the day time. Hurley, before he came, went to a
Jew's in Rosemary-lane, where he borrowed the
crow by which the desk was forced. The three
went into a public-house, where an altercation took
place relative to the respective situations they were
to take. Nash wished to act as the scout towards
Smithfield, while witness was to look out on the
Hospital side, and Hurley was to effect the robbery.
Witness wished to look out on the Smithfield side,
as he had told Herdsfield he should do so, in order
that he might give the signal agreed to. Hurley at
la“ jumped up and said," it, ni do it myself,"
and proceeded out of the house. In four or five
minutes he saw Hurley come from the office, when
he said, "Come along, I've doneit." Nash and Hur-
ley went on, witness remaining behind under pre-
tence of seeing whether any notice had been taken
of it, but in fact to inform the police of the robbery.
Hurley asserted that Sheering had called him out
of bed on Friday morning, and enticed him to join
in the robbery; also that the crov•-bar spoken of
was brought by
Sheering, and was the instrument
11 used in breaking open coffins.
Sir P. LkuRIE observed, that Sheering'a conduct
in going to Hurley's house was suspicious. How-
ever, the corroboration Sheering received from other
testimony was such as to justify him in sending the

prisoners to trial, aad he ordered them to be brouglf
up again to hear the depositions read on the follow.
ing day.

John Al' ravish was re-examined upon a charge
of embezzling 'W., which he had received in Scot-
land in the capacity of traveller to Mr. Smith, of
Newgate-street.
The prisoner was discharged.
BOW-STREET.

Last night Mr. Thomas, the superintendent of
police, being in attendance at this office, observed to
Mr. lIALLs that the number of dogs in the streets
without owners was really feightful, when the season
of the year was considered.
Mr. Thomas said that his men had destroyed two
dogs on Saturday in Spring-gardens. From the
symptoms which these animals exhibited, there was
no doubt but that they were in a rabid state. The
great danger in allowing dogs to go at large through
the streets was, that they might be bitten by others
that were mad.

Mr. HALLS regretted that there was no summary
mode of proceeding in such cases without incurring
the danger of actions at law.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Two journeymen chimney-sweepers, named Win.
Talbot and James Dale, were yesterday brought be-
fore Sir G. FARRANT, the sitting magistrate, charged,
on suspicion, with having committed a robbery at
the house of Mr. Watson Taylor, M.P., No. 9,
Grafton-street, Bond-street ; after the case had been
heard, both prisoners were discharged on their pre-
mise to attend on any future day that they might
be required.
The house-steward at Mr. Taylor's said that it
had not as yet been fully ascertained what amount
of property the ihie,res had carried off, nor could it
until Mr. Taylor's return to town, but that it was
considerable there was no doubt.