The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-23 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

LAMENTABLE PERSEVERANCE IN VlCE.—Alice Fitz-
gerald and Emily Bunting, two wholesome-looking girls,
about 15 years of age, were charged with unlawfully hav-
ing property in their possession, supposed to have been
stolen.
Richard Randall, a police-constable, said that at half-
past eight last evening he was in the Fulham-road, when
he saw the prisoners together, and knowing them,
watched them. They went into a great many trades-
men's shops of different descriptions, and at length were
finally hastening away when he stopped them, and found
two boxes of figs under Fitzgerald's shawl.
Mr. Arnold—What is known of Fitzgerald
Constable—She was here only a fortnight ago, charged
with stealing some stockings, and on that occasion her
sister, who is a highly respectable young woman, came
forward and promised to take her into the same employ-
ment as herself, and to keep her out of bad company ; but
she did not succeed in doing so, for the very first night after
her discharge from hero she was out in the streets in com-
pany with two notorious thieves.
Mr. Arnold—Had she been in custody before the time you
mention ?
Witness—Yes ; she had been tried and convicted at the
Sessions, and after that she was sent to a reformatory, but
that was no good. They had tried to reclaim her before,
but it was useless.
Mr. Arnold—She was sent to a reformatory you say ?

Witness—Yes, your worship.
Mr. Arnold—How did she get out?
Witnes.s—She was sent for three years, but was there
only a very short time. She told them she was over age,
and in consequence of that they told her that she might go,
and she did.
Mr. Arnold—What is her age ?
Witness—We cannot ascertain. Sometimes she is said
to be 13, and at others 16 years of age.
Mr. Arnold—She ought not to have been told that she
might leave the reformatory—it was very improper and
irregular, and demands an inquiry if it really is as stated.
Mr. Arnold—What is known of Bunting ?
Witness—She is a common associate of thieves.
Fitzgerald, in defence, said—The figs were lying on the
pavement, and were very tempting, and as we did not know
they belonged to anybody, I took them up.
Bunting—She told me she had got them.
Bunting's mother stood forward and said her daughter
had fallen into bad company, and stood a good chance of
being ruined.
Mr. Arnold was of the same opinion, and said he thought
he would deliver her up to her mother.

Bunting—l won't go home any more, if you please.
Mr. Arnold—Won't you?
Bunting—No.
Mr. Arnold—Then you are committed for 10 days to
prison. Fitzgerald will find bail for her good behaviour for
six months.
Committed.in default.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
STEALING WINE AT THOIIAB'S HOTEL.—William
Miller, a porter,was charged with stealing wine at Thomas's
Hotel, Charles-street, St. James's, the property of Mr.
Chas. Thomas, under the following circumstances :
It appears that the prisoner was employed by Mr.
Thomas, in the cellar, to wash some bottles, yesterday. In
consequence of information given him by a boy in his em-
ploy, Mr. Thomas went into the cellar in the afternoon
and found the prisoner in a state of intoxication, he having
knocked the necks off two bottles of wine, of the value of
155., and managed to consume a bottle and a half of the
wine. On accusing the prisoner he became very insolent,
said the wine was his own, and threatened to knock Mr.
Thomas's head off, He was then given into custody.
Prisoner said he was at work, and certainly did have a
drop of wine, and it was generally allowed.
Mr. Tyrwhitt—What, to break the bottles? I shall
commit you for 7 days, with hard labour.
SEASONABLE BENEVOLENCE.—Duriag the pastiew days
several sums of money have been received for the poor-
box of this court—amongst others the usual annual dona-
tions from the Merchant Taylors, the Goldsmiths, and the
Mercers Companies. A large nnmber of poor persons,
many of them aged, and several of them with families,
havo been assisted; no one receiving anything till proper
inquiries have been made (under the direction of the chief
clerk, Mr. Leadley), by the warrant offfeers of the court,
O'Shaughnessy, Trower, and Hubbersty, to ascertain
whether the persons applying are really deserving.

THAMES.
A MOST UNGRATEFUL THIEF.---A coloured lad, who
gave the name of John Freeman, was brought before Mr.
Woolrych charged with stealing 81bs of beef, 2 shirts, a pair
of drawers, and other property, from the schooner Eliza-
beth, in the Regent's Canal Dock.
Mr. William Wales, mate of the Elizabeth, said the pri-
soner came on board on Monday morning last in a destitute
condition, and said he was starving, and in want of a berth.
Some questions were put to him, and as it appeared he had
been a sailor he was provided with food and clothing, and
treatei in the most hospitable manner. When the captain
came on board in the evening he allowed the boy to remain
on the ship and signed the articles of agreement to proceed
on her intended voyage. In the night time the prisoner
helped himself to the beef, shirts, draweA, and other pro-
perty, and went on shore in the ship's boat.
Alfred Nicholl, a police constable, No. 496 A, said he
found the prisoner in the Ratcliff Cross Refuge last night,
and on taxing him with the robbery, he admitted it, and
said he had disposed of the beef and one of the shirts to a
man on Tower. hill. One of the shirts and the drawers were
found upon him.
Mr. Woolrych—Where are they ?
Witness—Here, sir ; I made him take them off.
The prisoner, on being asked if he had any account to
give of himself, said that he was a native of St. Helena, and
that he had made a voyage in an American ship to Ham-
burg, where he was discharged. He fell into distress, and
was sent to London by the British Consul as a distressed
British subject.
Mr. Woolrych—And you were treated with kindness.
warmed, and fed on board the Elizabeth by very kind-
hearted people, and the captain agreed to take you to sea
with him. You are a most ungrateful fellow, and have
wade a very bad return.for the kindness shown you. I
sentence you to one month's fraprisonment and hard labour.

TEIR NEW LIVERPOOL WATERWORKS.—On Mon
day afternoon, as some men Were employed in
working at the foundation of one of the pillars which sup-
ported a number of arches constructed for the purpose of
some important portions of the new Liverpool
rear the junction of Dudley-lane with the
carryibg
the pi:?nr suddenly gave way, carrying with
r fall they severely—indeed,
it is feared, fatally--injured a nuroNr of the workmen, who
Were carried to the Royal Infirmary. .172uce of the sufferers
1i
tV flueltonf. Waterworks,te d'
arches.
are said to be In a Yeti dangerous state.
r!URIOUs
SNAPPING OF A TELEGRAPH WINE.—
ACCIDENT.—Yesterday morning, about nine o'clu'rk4 the
telegraph wires 81:alining the Thames from Cannon-ro to
Messrs. Maudsley's factory snapped, falling across the
hats of the away the fore cabin
and knocking off the
f
passengers. Luckily the vessel was eazed on
dfusnclnceol!oaveCrittuirzneningsttehaemhere,aveyarrsyeiantsg,
nearing
the pigs, or the damage might have been most
serious.
PAT " WORRING THE TELEGRAPH."—S3id an
Irishman to a telegraph operator :—,. Do you ever
charge anybody for the address in a message?" ,4 No,"
replied the operator. " Aud do
ye charge for
name, air ?" said the customer. .. No, sir. 44 4, Wsigning his
ell, thin,
will ye please send this; I jist -vant me brother to know
I'm here—bearing the following-" To John a`Flinn--
at New York—(signed)--Patrick M`Flinn." The mes-
sage was sent as a tribute to Pat's shrewdness.