The Sun.
London, England, 1830-09-11 00:00:00

UNION-HALL

Yesterday a man named Thomas, of respectable
appearance, was brought before Mr. SIVABEY,
charged on suspicion of having stolen a plated coffee-
pot. The circumstances attending the apprehension
of the accused person are of rather a singular kind.
From the evidence it appeared, that a few days
ago the house of a Mr. Copling, in Loughborough-
place, Camberwell, was entered by one of those
thieves called " sneaks," about twelve o'clock at
noon ; the fellow having taken advantage of the
servant's absence, darted down the area steps and
into the kitchen, from whence he succeeded in
making his escape with a quantity of silver table
and tea-spoons, together with a plated coffee-pot.
In a few days after the robbery the accused was
given into custody by a young man, a groom, who
charged him with having sold the stolen coffee-pot
at the shop of a silversmith in the Westminster-road,
a very few hours subsequent to the time at which
the robbery was supposed to have taken place.
The prisoner, in reply to the charge, said that on
the day in question, as he was proceeding to Cam-
berweil, it came on to rain, and that he stood up
for shelter in the doorway of an unfinished house in
Loughborough-place. While there a youth, having
the appearance of a servant, came to the place, and
the rain increasing, they stepped a few paces back
into the building, and in a corner beneath the parlour
rafters, observed what they supposed at first to be a
silver coffee-pot, but which afterwards turned out to
be a plated one. The moment the discovery was
made the young man called out " halves," and he
(prisoner) acquiesced, and it was arranged that as
they did not know who the article belonged to, it
should be disposed of for the benefit of both. Ulti-
mately, however, the strange young man agreed to
take 6d. for his share of the spoil, and the coffee-
por was then sold by him (the prisoner) for 2s. to a
silversmith, at the foot of Westminster-bridge. The
accused declared that he had accurately disclosed
the manner in which he had become possessed of
the article which he was charged with stealing, and
the young man who was present when the coffee-pot
was found was now in attendance to verify that
fact. The prisoner then, in order to let the Magistrate
know who and what he was, said that he had once
been in affluent circumstances, but that owing to
some litigious relatives, his property was thrown
into Chancery, and he was now principally indebted
to a brother for his maintenance until his affairs were
settled. To co►►ffrm his account of the finding of
the coffee-pot, the accused then called a decent-
looking lad, groom to a gentleman at Camberwell,
and he gave precisely a similar account of the affair,
with respect to the discovery of the article in the
unfinished building, at the time he sought shelter
from the rain.

The silversmith, to whom the article was sold,
said, that he had a knowledge of the prisoner in his
prosperous days, and that he purchased several ar-
ticles of plate from thut individual when he was bet-
ter off in the world.

The prisoner trusted, that after the explanation
then given of the matter, he might be discharged.
The Magistrate said, that he should not feel he
would be doing his public duty if he did not remand
the prisoner until more satisfactory evidence was
adduced of his having no participation in the rob-
bery. As yet a good deal of mystery prevailed
about the case, and, in order to clear that, if pos-
sible, a future day should be appointed for that pur-
pose.
The prisoner was accordingly remanded.
THAMES-POLICE.

TIIE MUTINY ON BOARD THE INGLIS EAST IN-
DIAIIAN.—Yest erday morning seven seamen, belong-
ing to the Inglis East Indiaman, Captain Dudman,
Commander, were taken out of the Vansittart and
Charles Grant, Hon. Company's ships, which ar-
rived in the river on Thursday night. They are
charged with being concerned in the mutiny on
board the Inglis on the Gth June last, and have been
in confinement and heavily ironed since the Ist July
last, a period of 72 days. They were conveyed in
the Thames-police galleys by Beechy, Galloway,
and Shields, surveyors of that establishment, to the
office, where they were released from their irons,
and placed in the lock-up rooms. 'I he names of
those brought home in the Vansittart are John Har-
rison, John Murray, George Wells, and Morris
.21f Cannon. Three were taken from the Charles
Grant—viz., John Steel, Samuel Cole, and John
Carter. They are all fine able-bodied seamen, and
expressed great joy at being released from their
heavy irons and long confinement on board. Soon
after they were brought to the office, Mr. Flower, of
Furni vat's-inn, their solicitor, made an application
to Captain RICIIBELL, the Magistrate, to have the
investigation of the case postponed for a few days, in
order that Counsel might be retained on behalf of
the men, to conduct their defence.

Captain RICIIIIELL said he could give no answer
to the application until the arrival of the witnesses,
none of whom were in attendance, to prefer any
charges against the prisoners.
Mc. Thomas Moody, one of the principal officers
of the Thames-police, was despatched to request the
attendance of the witnesses ; but the only one he
could meet with was Captain Dudman, the Com-
mander, who refused to come forward without a
summons from the Magistrate. Moody informed
the Captain that the seven men were in custody at
the office, and were the same who had been charged
by him with mutiny at St. Helena, and inquired
what was to be done with them ? Captain Dudman
replied, " Oh, - it, do what you like with
them," and the officer departed. Moody informed
the Magistrate of the result of his application to
Captain Dudman, and the Bench waited until eight
o'clock in the evening, when Mr. Evans, the chief
officer, was directed to make inquiries outside the
office if any witnesses against the prisoners were in
attendance, but no one answered.

The prisoners were then placed at the bar, and
Captain RICIIRELL again asked if any person was
present to prefer any charge against them, but no
one answered.

Moody, the officer, was then sworn, and stated
the result of his application to Captain lludman, the
commander of the Inglis.
Captain IttcnnELL—Did he refuse to attend ?
Ile did, your Worship, and said, " I shall not come
unless I ant summoned ;" and on being told the pri-

soners were locked up, said " Oh, -- it, do what
you like with them."
Mr. Evans, the chief officer .of the Thames Po-
lice, stated that he had seen Mr. John Lawson, sur-
geon of the Inglis, who also refused to attend.
Mr. Flower, of Furnival's-inn, the solicitor for
the prisoners, made some remarks on the extraordi-
nary conduct of Captain Dudman, who had caused
the unfortunate men at the bar to be sent home in
irons, under close confinement, and now refused to
come forward. He submitted that the prisoners
were fairly entitled to their immediate discharge.
They had been in confinement upwards of two
months, and were ready to meet any accusation
which might be preferred : but as no one appeared
against them, they ought to be instantly liberated.
Captain RICHBELL addressed the prisoners, and
said he had carefully looked over the depositions
transmitted from St. Helena, and found that the
charge against them did not amount to any thing
more serious than what was preferred against the
three sailors who were committed for trial for a mis-
demeanour on Wednesday. As Captain Dudman
did not appear—
Here the worthy Magistrate was interrupted by an
exclamation from the sailors, who called out—" He
know's he's in the wrong, your Honour; he's
ashamed to come forward ; we have been flogged
most unmercifully."

Captain RICIII3ELL—I have nothing to do with
your alleged grievances. Had the charge against you
been one of a serious nature, I should have coin-
' pelled the attendance of the witnesses; but as Capt.
Dudman does not appear, I shall discharge you, and
you are now free.
The prisoners could scarcely refrain from acts
of extravagance on their unexpected liberation.
After making a nautical bow to the Magistrate,
they danced and capered, and rushed into the
street, where the crew of the Inglis, and a great
number of other sailors assembled, received them
with three cheers. The other persons present joined
in the huzzas, and the seven men were taken to the
Black Boy Tavern, opposite the office, where they
wereliberally supplied with refreshments, and treated
in the most hospitable manner. A dense mass of
people were collected in front of the office, which
was crowded to excess, and the proceedings ap-
peared to excite great interest.
A Committee, consisting of some of the petty
officers and seamen of the Inglis, at the head of
whom is Mr. William George Hewett, the boat-
swain's mate of that ship, has been formed for the
purpose of taking the necessary measures to defend
the men who were committed from the Thames
Police-office on Wednesday. The crews of the
China fleet intend to raise a subscription on behalf
of the three prisoners. The ship's company of the
General Kyd East Indiaman sent in their subscrip-
tions to Mr. Hewett yesterday. Mr. Hewett has
already employed a respectable solicitor in Mincing-
lane, to commence an action against Capt. Dudman,
for flogging him on the voyage homewards.