The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-14 00:00:00

IN RE MATCHETT.

811 i

Z his bankrupt was described as a lodger at the Prince of
Wales Tavern, Enfield, formerly contractor, and now out
of business. He had been arrested at the suit of Benjamin
Butler Caunt (executor of Benjamin Caunt), who had ob-
tained judgment against him whilst he was in Portugal.
There being no opposition the order for release was
granted.

RE THOS. WILCOX.

This bankrupt was described as of Packington .street,
Islington, builder, and applied for his release. Ho was
bankrupt in 1858, and had since compounded with his cre-
ditors. He now owes £6OO ; assets nil.
In the absence of opposition the order for release was
P 1 I granted.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH -STREET.

HOUSEBABAXING.—WiIIiam Syme, a young man living
at 8, Cambridge-street, Golden-square, and described as a
boot-closer, was charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with break-
ing and entering the house of Messrs. Oetzmann and
Plumb, piano-forte manufacturers, 38, Broad-street,Golden-
square, and stealing several articles belonging to different
persons.
E
Benham's-place, Hampstead, porter,
in the dw
employ
ipl Hoyar of
k,5,
Messrs. Oetzmann and Plumb, pianoforte
o
manufacturers, 38, Broad-street, said—On Saturday night
week a carpet-bag belonging to Mr. Oetzmann was on the
premises. I left the premises in company with two others,
and we were the last persons on the premises. I went en
Sunday night to take something out of the bag and found
it was gone. The next morning, hearing from one of the
workmen that he had lost some property, I suspected a
bad character was on the premises, but last Friday found
the premises had been broken into at the top of a flight of
stairs.

David Reid, in the employ of Messrs. Oetzmann and
Plumb, identified some books produced as his property.
They were safe on the premises on Saturday evening, and
gone on the following Monday morning.
Mrs. Ann Syme, wife of the prisoner's brother, said—
The prisoner brought one of the articles produced to our
place. I have seen but little of the prisoner for the past
three months. He merely left the bag to be taken care of.
Inspector Bowles, of the C division, said—l went to
Messrs. Oetzmann and Plumb's workshop on hearing of the
second robbery, and found several boxes had been broken
open apparently with a chisel. On going to the place where
the prisoner was employed, and the prisoner being called
out by his employer (Mr. John liempson) the prisoner,
without my saying a word said, " I never did such a thing
before, and will never do so
.again." I then took the pri-
soner to the station, when he said that some of the things he
had taken to a brother's, in Lamb's Conduit-street, and on
going there I saw prisoner's brother, who gave me the bag
produced and contents. At the station prisoner said, "It's
my first offence, and I got into the house by means of a
ladder in the yard." The prisoner had been duly cautioned
before he said this. He also said that being a great reader
and seeing the books in the window had induced him to com-
mit the robbery. I found on the prisoner several keys, one
of them fitting the bag. I also received from the prisoner's
master several articles belonging to different persons. On
viewing the premises I found that an entry had been gained
by the window,

Some of the articles produced having been identified by
other persons, the prisoner, who
made no defence, was com-
mitted for three months.

THAMES.
UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OP MILITARY STORES.—
Michael Pugh, who carries on the business of a grocer and
general dealer in Well-street, near the Sailors' Home, and
Bridget Pugh, his wife, were brought before Mr. Wool-
rych, charged with being in possession of military stores,
which had been stolen from the Tower of London and other
places.

Mr. Stoddart, solicitor, defended the prisoners.
It appeared from the evidence of police-sergeant Town-
send,r
awnhdwhere
r searched
stationedh oe
discovered,isn 1 t
u,
tehwhoeT u
prisoner's
roeihassnr cntahhe arab:
tsegdheheoooauf
procuredstet
hh, eeNMfiores.
attriftsotepoaoowrrlci,
uteatiwnwi
.osuptrogrrela
ut
rieectye,
blankets and one white blanket; in another room a white
blanket, two bed covers and a sheet, in the par'
lour, under the table, a white blanket, and in the
kitchen a bed-cover. The female prisoner said
that her first husband, who had been in the army 17 years,
and who accidentally shot himself in Canada, gave her the
pair of blankets when he returned from the Crimean war ;
that she bought the sheet at a shop in Petticoat-lane, and
that the white blanket found under the parlour table was
given to her by a Mrs. Clarke, whose husband was in the
3d Buffs. She also stated that the bed covers were given
to her by the quartermaster of the 19th Regiment, when it
was stationed at Portsmouth some time ago. There were
also two straps and a scrubbing brush in the kitchen, which
heup also seized. seised. Th
beds
and bedding. Hardy-place, Wellclose-square, formerly lived in the house
of the prisoners, and had seen the blankets, the sheet, the
e straps
were used by soldiers to fasten
Maria Holland, a young woman now dwelling at No. 8,
table-covers, and other things in use. She believed Mrs.
Pugh was married to her present husband last Easter.
In cross-examination by Mr. Stoddart, the witness said
differences had arisen between her parents and the prisoners,
and that she give information to the authorities that Mr.
and Mrs. Pugh were in possession of military stores.
Mr. James Pink and Mr. Joseph Plow, who are em-
ployed in the Tower of London, said the things seized
were Government property, marked with the broad arrow
and the initials W D (War Department) or B 0 (Board of
Ordnance). One blanket had been tampered with and an
attempt made to " smudge" out the Government marks.
A patch had been inserted. It was the practice when
condemned blankets and sheets were sold to tear such
blanket or sheet in four pieces. They were not sold whole.
Grey blankets were distributed for the use of soldiers on
active service. When done with they ought to be returned
to the public stores.
Other evidence was given, from which it appeared that
while the female prisoner was in the Tower in her first
husband's life. time, sheets, blankets, and other things were
missing.
Mr. Stoddart said the female prisoner's first husband had
been in the army 17 years, and gave his wife the various
articles now produced. As to military blankets people had
possession of them in all directions. A. hundredth part of
the blankets intended for the army in the Crimea never
reached their destination, and thousands of them were sold
whole after the Crimean War.
The people from the Tower said the blankets, sheets,
and bed covers now produced had been made since the
Crimean war, and that no blankets had been sold whole
since 186 C. The witnesses • valued the things produced at
13s.

The female prisoner, an Irishwoman, addressed the ma-
gistrate at considerable length, and said this was a spiteful
proceeding, and that information was given by the woman
Holland because the parents of the witness were distrained
upon for rent due to Mr. Pugh, who was quite innocent,
As to the straps, her children used them as skipping
ropes.
Mr. Woolrych said the law prohibited anyone being in
possession of Government stores, and he could not help
thinking the female prisoner knew the property now in
court had been illegally come by. He discharged the male
prisoner, but convicted his wife, and fined her £4, and 395.,
being treble the value of the articles. The penalty was paid.

THE BOMBAY MAIL.—ALEXANDRIA, Sept. 11,—
The Valetta left here with the Marseilles portion of
the above mail at noon this day. The Delta, With the
heavy portion of the mail, sailed at 4 p.m. yesterday, she
may be expected at Southampton about the 23d inst. The
Orissa brought the mail to Suez, arriving there on the oth.
The Carnatic left Calcutta on the 20th August, 64 days
from Southampton.
THE COVENTRY RIBBON TRADE.—The staple
trade of this city continues to make satisfactory progress.
Difficulty is even experienced in obtaining a sufficient num-
ber of really good hands. The prospects of the trade are
generally considered to have very much improved, and
sanguine hopes are entertained of the trade getting back to
a sound etate,-73irminghatn Test.