The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-30 00:00:00

A DESPERATE BURGLAR.

Yesterday, at the Thames Police Court, Joseph Fran-
cisco, sometimes called Roderick, was charged with com-
mitting numerous burglaries and robberies.

The prisoner was stated t be a native of one of the Cape
de Verd Islands, aged 22. Although he can speak English,
he pretended at first that he did not. On being informed
that a Spanish interpreter should be provided, he exclaimed
" All right." On the second examination, and again
yesterday, Mr. Clough acted as Spanish interpreter. The
prisoner, however, interrupted the witnesses, and called
out "that it was not true " and "all wrong" when
any statement particularly affected him. In the early
part of last year the prisoner was committed f,r trial for
burglary. He entered several houses in Mill-lane, Lime-
house, in the night time, and six or sever bed rooms where
people were sleeping. He stole numerous articles of very
trifling value, and left untouched property worth a good
deal more, which he might have carried away. This cir-
cumstance, and his singular behaviour on the trial at the
Old Bailey Sessions, successfully imposed on the judge and
jury, who considered he was not in his right senses, and
not only acquitted him, but entered into a subscription for
his relief. In May last the prisoner made his appearance
for several nights in the houses, yards, and gardens of
Queen-street, Stepney. Mr. Woolrych convicted the pri-
soner summarily, and sentenced him to three months im-
prisonment and hard labour. When he came out of pri-
son he associated with a gang of desperate burglars, and
formed an intimacy with a German woman, an omnibus
thief, with whom he lived up to the time of his apprehen-
sion. Twenty charges of burglary were now brought
against him. _ _

Mr. Samuel Read, of No. 7, Scouter-street, Poplar,stated
that on the night of Thursday, the 15th inst., at 11 o'clock,
he fastened and secured his doors and windows in the usual
manner. On the following morning between 4 and 5, he
was aroused by his wife. He sprang from his bed, and
called out " Give me my pistols." He opened the street
door, but saw no one. He went out into the backyard,and
there saw two men on the wall of the garden. They dropped
into another yard and made their escape. He afterwards
discovered that the frame and shutter of the back window
had been forced open, and an entrance effected. A writing-
desk had been removed from the parlour into the kitchen
and forced open, and a silver watch and a gold stud taken
away.
" '

George Blake, a boiler maker, dwelling with his family
in Read's house, said his room was also entered, and various
articles of dress stolen. The money was in a box, which
the burglars broke open.
Wm. South, of No. 4, Naval-row, at the back of Read's
house, said he found a pair of boots and a coat in his
garden behind his dwelling at daylight on the morning
of the 15th. There was a silver watch, latch-key, knife,
and portmonnaie in the pocket- of the coat. He delivered
the whole of the things to the police.
Police-sergeant Simpson, No. 21 K, who had charge of
the case, said the boots were part of the proceeds of a bur-
glary in the Mile-end-I oad. 'I he prisoner was supposed
when the alarm was given to have dropped them in his
flight.

Chadwick, a police-constable, said that he had managed
to trace the prisoner by a directed envelope found in the
coat referred to.

Sophia Elizabeth Mayor, of South Shields, stated that
she was now staying at No. 103, Lucas-street, Commercial-
road, and that three weeks ago she was in company with
Mrs. Ellen Scott and met with the prisoner. He said he
was a Roman Catholic, and wished to see some of the Ro-
man. Catholic churches in this country. She wrote upon
the envelope new produced "Mrs. George Mayor, No. 103,
Commercial-road, London, E.," and said if he called upon
her she would take him over some of the Catholic churches
in London.