The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-13 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

AN UNLUCKY Amitssiox.—George Hobbs, a porter in
the employment of Mr. Taylor, warehouseman, Pimlico,
was charged with stealing some cigars and a tobacco pouch.
Stephen Barnham, manager to Mr. Taylor, said that his
men were employed last evening in removing some goods
from 71, Denbigh-street, Pimlico, to the depository. Mr.
Robinson, the owner of the property, having complained
that a number of cigars had been stolen, and that he knew,
by a piece of string which was around them, that one of
the porters had stolen them, witness examined the men's
coats, which were lying on the ground while they were em-
ployed in the removal of the furniture, and found the cigars
in one of them. He then replaced the coats, and calling the
men, told each to put on his own, and prisoner took the
coat which had had the cigars in its pocket, and was sub-
sequently given into custody.
Mr. Paynter—What did he say to the cigars being found
in his pocket?
Witness—He denied all knowledge of them; he said he
he did not know how they came there.

Mr. Paynter—How long had the Coats been lying where
they were ?
Witness—They had been there the greater part of the
day.

Mr. Paynter—There were several persons going in and
out employed in removing the furniture besides the ser-
vants of the house. Anybody had access to the coats.
man leniently punished.
The cashier at Mr. Tayler's said he had known the pri-
soner from childhood, and he bore a very excellent cha-
tr.
earc ter.
forward,lSlr Taylorhut
ie
hh
ea
dd feltthe i t his duty to bring the mat-
Mr. Paynter—l cannot punish him at all yet ; there is
nothing whatever proved against him.
A collar and telescope also found in his coat pocket
were produced and identified by Mr. Robinson.
A policeman said that prisoner denied the charge last
night, but on his way to the station this morning ad-
mitted he took the cigars.

Mr. Paynter said that was enough, and committed him
for three months.

The Capture of the Ariel by the Alabama.

The following is the purser's statement of the
circumstances attending the above capture :

"On the 7th inst., at 1.30 p.m., when rounding
Cape Maysi, the eastern point of Cuba, we saw a
vessel about four miles to the westward, close under

the high land of Cuba, barque rigged, and under
canvas. As there was nothing in her appearance
indicating her to be a steamer, her smoke pipe
being down, no suspicions were aroused till in a
short time we saw she had furled her sails, raised
her smoke stack, and was rapidly nearing us under
steam, the American flag flying at her peak. Such
was her speed—in comparison to ours—that in half
an hour she had come up within half a mile of us,
when she fired a lee gun, hauled down the Ameri-
can ensign, and ran up the rebel flag. No attention
was paid to the summons, and the Ariel was pushed
to her utmost speed. She then sailed across our
wake, took a position on our port quarter,about 400
yards distant, and fired two guns almost simulta-
neously, one shot passing over the hurricane deck,
between the walking beam and smoke stack, and
the other hitting the foremast and cutting it half
away.
"A body of United States marines, consisting of
126 men, passengers on board the Ariel, had been
drawn up and armed ; but the officers in command
deemed it worse than folly to resist, as we could
plainly see they were training a broadside to bear
on us, and the boarding officer on coming aboard at
once assured the passengers that none should be
molested, and that all baggage and private property
should be respected. He then demanded the keys
to the special locker, together with all the ship's
papers and letters, and informed the captain he must
be in readiness to go on board the Alabama with
him, where he was detained as a hostage until the
next day. The money in the ship, amounting to
5,500 dols, was taken off, and the prize crew, 20 in
number, all well armed, put on board. The engine
room was taken in charge by two engineers from
the Alabama. The officers and marines on board
the Ariel were paroled, and their arms taken as
well as some belonging to the ship.
" Both vessels lay off the cape during the night,
and part of the next day. On the afternoon of the
9th our sails were thrown overboard, and the steam
valve taken away, in order to prevent our escape,
should they give chase to any other vessel, as they
were expecting to capture the Champion also, and
had been lying in wait several days at this point
for that purpose. The same night our valve was
returned, and the intention of landing us at St.
Domingo changed to Kingston, Jamaica. Both
vessels were then headed for that place, and on the
9th inst., at nine p.m., we arrived off Point Morant,
about 40 miles from Kingston. Near this point
the Alabama gave chase and boarded a vessel, from
which some information was received, which in.
duced Capt. Semmes to again change his mind, and
take heavy bonds for the ship and cargo, permitting
us to resume our voyage. The reason given was,
that this vessel had reported yellow fever raging in
Kingston, and he would not subject our passengers
to its ravages ; but we were afterwards informed at
Morant that no yellow fever had prevailed there
for some time.

the conduct of the officers and crew of the Ala-
bama in charge of this ship was extremely cour-
teous. They were in regular communication with
the United States, both by letters and papers, and
were fully cognisant of our days of sailing, and that
no cruisers were in these waters to intercept them.
For this reason the specie to come by the Ariel was
left at Aspinwall, as Captain Jones did not think it
prudent to bring it. The Alabama detained the
Ariel until the 10th inst., when she allowed her to
proceed to Aspinwall, upon her giving a bond in the
sum of 228,000 dole. as a rensom.,,

HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT.—A motion was made
yesterday afternoon in the Court of Queen's Bench
in the me of Silleen v. Holloway, to enter a verdict for the
defendant in a cause which had been tried last term for the
recovery of £5OO for procuring the defendant the privilege
of selling his ointment in France and her colonies. The
Lord Chief Justice granted a rule to show cause, but toad
Mr. Bovill, who made the application, not to be too san-
Ono about its boiiaq absolute.