The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-29 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW STREET. William Bishop, a private in the
first battalion of Grenadier Guards, accompanied by his
sergeant, attended before Mr. Hall, to state the parti-
culars of the following lamentable occurrence :
Bishop said that he was walking backwards and for-
wards on Waterloo-bridge, between twelve and one
o'clock on Saturday night, in company with a prostitute
who went by the name of Elizabeth Gordon' and lived
in Catherine-street, Strand ; and that having left her for
a minute, for a private purpose, she suddenly raised her-
self to the parapet of the bridge, and leaped into the
river. He heard the splash occasioned by her fall into
the water, and, on looking over, he heard her voice ex-
claiming " Bill." She always called him by that name.
He had known her on and off for several years ; but he
had not had any quarrel with her that night.
The sergeant stated that Bishop made a similar state-
ment at the barracks in the morning, but it was thought
very extraordinary that he did not raise any alarm at
the time, nor tell the police or toll-keepers what had
happened. It appeared that he went to the house where
the woman lodged and gave information of the occur-
rence to the landlady or some person living there.
Under these circumstances witness had been directed by commanding officer to take Bishop before a magis-
trate, to state his own version of the story.
Mr. Hall—Was he sober when he returned to the
barracks ?

The sergeant—Yes, quite sober.
Bishop—l had been drinking all the evening, but I
knew what I was about. I was not drunk.
Mr. Hall—You say you had not had any words with
her. Was anything. said in conversation which might
induce you to think that she contemplated suicide.
Bishop--No, sir.

The sergeant said that inquiry had been made at the
girl's lodgings, but nothing had been seen or heard of her
since Saturday.
Mr. Hall directed the sergeant to communicate with
the police upon the subject, as, if the body should be
found, Bishop would be required to give evidence at the
coroner's inquest.
In the course of the afternoon Inspector Wilkinson re-
ceived information at the Bow-street station that the
body of a young woman, answering the description given
of Elizabeth Gordon, had been taken out of the river at
Wandsworth.

GITILDHALL.—Wm. Nettle, a cabinet-maker, was
charged before Alderman Sir R. W. Carden with com-
mitting a series of indecent assaults upon a little girl
under 12 years of age.
Margaret M`Kay said she lived at 39, Bridgwater-
gardens, and was twelve years old on the 9th of last
February. A short time before Christmas she met with
the prisoner in a "penny gaff" in Golden-lane, and when
the performance terminated he took her to Smithfield.
On the way thither he took her into a'public-house, and
gave her a glass of gin, and after committing the offence
complained of he gave her sixpence, and appointed to
meet her again at the "gaff" on the following evening.
The second time she saw him he gave her sixpence, and
on the third occasion he took her again to Smithfield.
Her next meeting with him resulted in his taking her to
a house of ill-fame near Smithfield, and after passing
some time in bed together he gave her 41d., and parted
from her. The last time she saw him was about three
weeks or a month ago, when he took her from the
penny theatre to a bookseller's shop at the corner of a
court, where he gained admittance at the front door by
ringing a bell, and let her in at the back, so that the boy
might not see her at all. She passed the night with
him by the side of the books in the shop, and did not go
home to her mother's house until the morning. The
prisoner gave her a shilling on that occasion, which she
spent in cakes and sweetmeats. The prisoner appointed
to meet her again, but she did not see him after that.
The Secretary to the "Society for the Protection of
Young Females," who was in attendance during the
proceedings, here stated that he was watching the case
on behalf of that society, and it was a most unfortunate
fact that by far the greater portion of young females ap-
plying for admission to the Society's Asylum owed their
fall entirely to these penny theatrical establishments.
The case had only just come under his notice, but if it
was remanded he would take steps to prosecute the
inquiry further.

Air R. W. Carden said he was glad there was some
one to take up the prosecution in such a case. The evi-
dence was quite clear as regarded the first transaction,
but he was afraid that the complainant was a wicked
little girl, and although she had no doubt told some
truth, she had evidently endeavoured to excuse her own
bad conduct by a great deal of falsehood. The mother
was greatly to blame for allowing a child to frequent
such a den of iniquity, and it was not to be wondered at
if children became degraded when they had parents so
utterly regardless of their welfare.

The Alderman then asked the officer on duty in that
neighourhood why he bad not reported this penny thea-
tre to his superiors ?—The officer said because his supe-
riors were already aware of its existence.
Sir. R. W. Carden wished to know why the police
authorities had taken no steps to abolish such a hot-bed
of vice and pest to society.
The acting-inspector said he had attended the theatre
on several occasions, but saw nothing beyond singing
and dancing to enable him to interfere ; but with the
evidence given by the money-taker in this case, the police
would now have power to act.
The prisoner was admitted to bail, and remanded till
Friday next.