The Sun.
London, England, 1838-10-05 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.-7-(THIS DAY.)

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE or It,,BBERY.—A female named
Cane, and a person who stated himself to be her brother-in-
law, were brought up under the following extraordinary cir-
cumstances:—

It appeared that the female is the wife of a person at pre-
sent in the service of Mr. Posuall, the Middlesex Magistrate,
and that she was given into custody by the other prisoner, who
was detained by the officer, in oider that he might be prepared
to substantiate the charge before the Magistrate. The brother-
in•law had given her in charge at the request of the husband.
Sir P. LAURIL said it was a most unusual thing for a hus-
band to charge the wife with robbery, and his brother to give
her in charge.
Mr. Pownall said that about three weeks ago the female
prisoner broke two panes of glass in his window, and forced
herself through some iron railings into his pantry, wi-.ere she
threw every thing into confusion, and took away her husband's
watch, and some other articles. She was given in charge, but
liberated on promising not to annoy him again. He wished to
base the case taken to Brentf-rd, where he should have no
difficulty in prosing that she was the person who entered his
house last week and took awry several articles, and damaged
some property belonging to the servants.
Sir P. LAURIE inquired how long the husband of the pri-
soner had been in the service of Mr, Pown.lll.
Mr. Pownall replied about six months, and that he came to
him with a very good character.
Mrs. Cane entered into a long statement of domestic
grievances, and accused her husband of having deprive iii r
of he: only child, and also of having disposA of the whole of
her property, and asserted that he was now connected with
another woman, to whom he had taken the child.
Mr. Pownall did not wish to be mix d up with these do-
naei,tic altercations.

Sir P. LAURIE said his object was to show Mr. Pownall the
character of his servant:.
The wife stated that during the absence of Mr. Pownall her
husband had sent cucumbers and other articles to the house of
the won an to whom she had alluded, and that he had also
niade free with the wine.

Mr. Ponn4ll s3id he could contradict that most positively,
because he never entrusted his servant with the keys of his
cellar.

The wife sail her husband had keys of his own, and that
she ~ad a letter from her husband telling her how to g,q into
the house. 'I he letter was at the house where she slept, but
she declined saying where that was, as it trpght lead to the
discovery of the ch..d, which she had again obtained posses.
sion of.

Mr. Pownall wished for a search warrant, in order to ascer-
tain whether any of the nii,sing articles wtra on h, r pre-

mi~ys.

Sir P. LAURIE inquired what proof there was that the 'fe-
male bad 1,e,.n in the house. H< rhould not be justified in
coratniftng the woman unless there was proof th :t she had
done something improper.
Mr. Pownall said he would not have brought the husband
into the matter, if he could have avoided it ; hut his prom ses
had been brelt n iroo in such an extraordinary way, ill he
was sati,fi,fd regular thief had been there. Several of the
servants' aprons were cut to pieces, and the whole kitchen
appeared as if some deranged person had been there. In
account book kept by the cook there were some words written,
which the husband et once id, otified as the hand-writing of his
wife, and from her having frequently been in the habit of re-
peating them. The words were,
" The older I get,
The better I groe."
All the leaves on which an)thiq; else was written had been
torn out. He thought he was justified in asking for a search
warrant.

Sir P. LAURIE said this certainly was like the act of a de-
ranged person. Her;-, however, was a woman chargpd with
felony. It api.:eared that she went more to tease her huJnial
than to steal.

Policenian 30 of the T division stated that the female pri-
soner a short time since went to her father's house, and broke
openla bux and robed

. .
Sir P. LAURIE said he had no power to grant a search war-
rant for the couoty, and the information before him was such
that he could not commit the woman. The ease at present
was a remarkably weak one. He confessed, but for the high
character of Mr. Pownall he should have dismissed it at once.
He should send her to Brentford.
The wife here declared that her husband had been confined
three months at Clerkenwell for &stilling.
Sir P. LAURIE—Were you ever there? The husband—l
think I need not answer the question.
Sir PETER LAURIE—Were you there for any crime what-
ever? The husband--Never.
Sii• P. LAURIE--WEEE you ever in Cold Bath-fields? The
Husband—I was.
Sir PETER LAURIE (to the f male)---You are discharged.
Mr. Pownall told the husband that he should not sleep in
the house to-night, and ordered him immediately to fetch
away his clothes.
The greatest excitement prevailed in the Court during the
proceedings,
and the husband with some difficulty made his
escape.
'1 be prisoners were both discharged.
It was ,tated by one of the officers, that the brother- in. law
had been in prison also, but of this no proof was offered.