The Sun.
London, England, 1837-09-21 00:00:00

CRIMINAL COURT.-WEDNESDAY

OLD COURT.
George Evans, aged 19, was indicted for a burglary in
the dwelling-house of Joseph Edwards, and stealing therein
221. in moneys, a knife, &c.
The prisoner had about eight months ago lived as ser-
vant with the prosecutor, a druggist, residing at No. 25,
Upper Marylebone-street. At seven o'clock the prose-
cutor was informed by his shopboy that the house had
been robbed, and it was afterwards discovered that the
doors of the back shop and parlour had been forced, and
221. in money taken away from the escretoire in the par-
lour and the till in the shop. The bolts of the back
house door opening to a yard had been forced back by
some instrument. The previous evening all the fastenings
of the several doors were secured. _ .

George Collier, a policeman, in consequence of instruc-
tions from the prosecutor, went on board the Isabella Sarah
brig, lying off the Tower, and from thence traced the pri-
soner to Wolverhampton, when he found him in a lodg-
ing-house there. Witness told him the nature of his
visit, when the prisoner admitted that he had committed
the burglary charged against him—that he was sorry
for it—that it was his first offence, and that the money
stolen was in a bag at his brother's, who lived in
Wolverhampton. The prisoner also confessed to the man-
ner in which he had effected the robbery. He got into the
rear of premises some doors from the prosecutor's house,
and, after scrambling over sundry garden walls, came to a
very high one, from which he dropped and fell, and from the
severe fall he got he thought he was killed. He, however,
recovered quickly, and with a rope to which a hook was
affixed, scaled the prosecutor's garden wall, and obtained
access to the back premises. He then, with a screwdriver,
pushed back the door bolts, and effected an entrance into
the house. He then opened the back door, so as to afford
him an opportunity of retreating if the inmates of the house
became alarmed. He then took the sum of money men-
tioned from the till and escrutoire. The prisoner made the
confession without any threat or persuasion, and seemed
quite penitent, saying that it was his intention to have re-
turned the money. In Wolverhampton and in London he
wrote two letters, in which he admitted the robbery, and
supplicated the forgiveness of the prosecutor, solemnly de-
claring that it was his first offence. In a letter to the pro-
secutor he states he had intended to have traded with 151.
of the money stolen, and that he intended at the end of the
year to pay back the money, with 121. interest, being at the
rate of 501. per cent., as well as 1/. for the escrutoire lock,
10s. for the till lock, and ss. each for the two door locks.—
This very extraordinary epistle concluded with these words:
—" I consider I am indebted to you 241. ss. 6id., together
with 121. interest."
Mr. Justice PATTISON having summed up, the jury re-
turned a verdict of Guilty, but recommended the prisoner
to mercy, on the ground of the offence charged against
him bring the first.
The JUDGE told the prisoner that sentence of death
would be recorded against him, but that his life would not
be forfeited. He could not, however, say to what length
. of time the prisoner would be transported.