The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-13 00:00:00

Extraordinary Case of Horsestealing,

Oa Saturday morning, shortly after 11 o'clock,
a ma❑ was seen to enter the town of _Bishop Stort-
ford on horseback, whose movements attracted the
attention of the police, and whiie they were thus
engaged one of the Cambridgeshire constabu-,
lary came in by the morning train, and gave in-
formation that two men had been brutally ill-
treated at Sixn,ile-bottom, near Newmarket, the
assailant knocking one off a horse he was mounted
upon, then jumping on the animal's back and riding
off, at the same time threatening to murder them if
they followed him. Mr. Inspector Ryder, suspect-
ing the offender was the man that he had been
watching, at once went to the George Hotel, and
in the stables he found the man giving instructions
to the ostler, when he informed him that he should
apprehend him on the charge of stealing the horse,
and also with the intent to murder. The fellow as-
sumed a cons€quential air, and threatened to ruin
the inspector if he did, although he admitted that
he had that morning come from Newmarket ; but
when Mr. Ryder intimated his intention of execut-
ing his duty the ruffian resisted with such deter-
mined violence as to make it necessary to
handcuff him, and in this manner he was con-
veyed through the town to the police station.
When there he gave his name as William Beau-
mont Hotham, of 9, Alfred-place, Bedford-square,
London, and described himself as a gentleman. The
further circumstances of the offence have thus been
furnished to our reporter :—Early on Saturday
morning two grooms in the employ of Mr. Cassidy,
of the Sun and Whalebone Hotel, Harlow, named
Marshall and Dedman, left Newmarket, the one in
charge of five horses, and the other of a horse and
fly. Marshall, who was in charge of the latter,
states that when he arrived at Sixmile-bottom he
overtook tha prisoner, who requested that he would
give him a ride, bat which he (Marshall) declined
to do, when the fellow, he says, jumped up on the
fly, and, after proceeding a short distance, struck
him a most violent blow on the face, following
it instantaneously with another under the ear.
He called out to his companion—Dedman—for
assistance, who, at the time, was only about 50
yards off with the horses. The prisoner no
sooner saw Dedman stop than he jumped off from
the fly and advanced rapidly towards him, and
with a silver-mounted oak walking-stick, struck
him also a violent blow on the head, and also with
his clinched hand, causing him to fall off the horse
which he was riding. The ruffian then sprang on
to the animal's back, and, with a horrible exclama-
tion, threatened to murder either of them if he dared

to follow him, then galloping away at a most furi-
ous pace. Both men say that for a time they were
somewhat paralyzed with fear, but that when they
came to themselves they proceeded to Wilbraham,
and gave information to the police of the occurrence,
who rapidly followed after the prisoner as far as
Newport, where they took the rail; and Mr. Super-
intendent Fiood, of the Essex constabulary, followed
up the road track on to Bishop Stortford. It was
in this town, as we have previously stated, that the
prisoner was apprehended, and where he was at
once taken before the Rev. Vander Meulen, one of
the Herts magistrates, who, after hearing some

formal evidence, remanded the prisoner until Mon-
day (this day). In consequence of the outrageous
conduct of the prisoner while under examination,
the police were compelled to handcuff him and place

the leg-irons on. It further appears that the fellow
attempted at Newport to borrow from the landlord
of the Rose and Crown Inn £5 on a cheque pur-
porting to be drawn by " W. J. Baker " on the Lon-
don and Westminster Bank for £lOO, and which is
supposed to be a forged document. This was found
on his person when he was apprehended, and like•
wise a betting-book, a beautiful gold ring with a
fine cut cornelian stone, and a summons issued on
the 9th of April from the Newmarket, County Court,
for the recovery of £9 55., by Mary Clark and Co.,

of that town, against - Hotham, for goods sup-
plied in October, 1862. From this fact, and race-
cards in his pocket, the prisoner is no doubt one of
the race meeting pests. He is apparently about 40
years of age, dark complexion, and rather good-
looking, ilk height about sft, 10in,, and altogether a
well-proportioned strong-built fellow.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

N i,.,-

NORWICH-SATURDAY.

There was an increased supply of wheat to-day, and the
prices of last week were fully supported, wii h a firm trade.
Few samples of barley offering, at former priees.
White wheat. 458 to 46- 1 Red wheat 41s to 450
Malting barley ...38s to 40s 1 Chevalier barley 36:. to 37s
Distilling d 0..... 33s to 35s 1 Oats. 24, to 288
Flour, 32s 6d to 33s Od per sack from the miller.