The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-21 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—John Collins, the young
fellow who was a short time ago convicted of robbing
the late Mr. Cottingham, the magistrate at this Court,
of his pocket handkerchief, was brought before Mr.
Secker for final examination, charged with committing
the following daring highway robbery :
Catherine Steel, the wife of a mechanic, residing in
George-street, Blackfritrs-road, said that on Monday
last, the 13th instant, between eleven and twelve
o'clock in the forenoon, she was passing along Gravel-
lane, when she felt some person's hand in her pocket.
She instantly turned round, and caught hold of the
prisoner, as he was drawing his hand from her pocket,
when 23. dropped from him. She held the prisoner
tightly, and called out for assistance, but he struggled
violently to get away, and finding that she persisted in
keeping her hold, he struck her a heavy blow on the
face, which nearly stunned her. Before any person
came to her assistance he got away. Before he
robbed her she was certain she had 7s. in her pocket,
and when she recovered she discovered that all was
gone. She then gave information to the police, which
caused him to be apprehended.
Sarah Strutton, the wife of a shopkeeper, 16,
Gravel-lane, said that at the time in question she was
standing in her shop, when she saw the prosecutrix
struggling with the prisoner. She instantly went
into the street, when she perceived him strike her
violently on the face and run away.
Benjamin Homer, police-constable 169 M, said that
from information he received from the prosecutrix he
apprehended the prisoner on Friday night' in Union-
street, Gravel-lane. He denied being concerned in
the robbery.
In defence the prisoner said that on the day of the
robbery he was at the Lambeth Police-court from
eleven until one in the afternoon. He could not
therefore be the party who committed the robbery.
The prosecutrix and her witness were recalled, and
distinctly swore the prisoner was the thief.
Mr. SECKER inquired whether he was known ?I
The constable said that he had been discharged
only a few days for robbing the late Mr. Cottingham,
in the Waterloo-road, when he was convicted at the
Lambeth police-court, and sentenced to two months'
hard labour in Brixton House of Correction.

Mr. SECKER, said that he should have thought the
mild sentence passed on him on the last occasion
would have been a lesson to him. He had hardly
finished his term of punishment before he returned
to his old tricks, and that with violence in the open
day. He should, under these circumstances, commit
him for trial.

DESPERATE ATTACK ON A POLICEMAN BY AN
OLD THIRF.—John Atkins, a powerful looking man,
who is connected with a desperate gang of thieves in-
festing the Borough, was charged with the following
desperate attack on Coombs, police-constable 94 L.
The officer said that the prisoner had been several
times charged with felonies at the various police-
courts in the metropolis, and had generally escaped
with summary punishment, owing to the absence of
the parties robbed, as he generally prowled the streets
with several of his companions, who managed to
keep them away. On the 15th of June last witness
attended at Bow-street to identify him, when the ma-
gistrate committed him for two months. On the
previous night, a little after twelve, witness was on
duty near the Surrey Theatre, when the prisoner
came up to him and put his fist in his face, at the
same time exclaiming, " I will have your -- lire
this night for giving me two months and other-
wise identifying me." He then ran into the Coal-
hole public house, next the theatre, awl in a few
minutes came out with some of his compa-
nions, and pointed him out to them as the
"Peeler who had given him two months." He then
rushed at witness with a handkerchief in his hand, at
one end of which was tied a large stone, and aimed a
desperatalow at his head. Complainant fortunately
warded off the blow with his right arm, and seized
hold of the handkerchief, when
,they had a severe

struggle for several minutes; another constable hap-
pened to come up at the time, and secured him. He
had no doubt that had the blow struck him on the
head it would have killed him, as it was aimed with
great violence. He was, howevdr, much injured in the
struggle.
Prisoner here exclaimed that Coombs had an
feeling against him, and was always pointing him out.
He denied ever having the handkerchief or stone in his
possession. . _ _

Watmough, 105 L, said, he saw the prisoner aim
the blow at the complainant's head with the sling, and
afterwards seize him by the throat. He consenuently
ran to his assistance and prevented the prisoner from
committing further injury. Witness here produced
the handkerchief, which had a large stone weighing
half a pound fastened at the end of it. It was really a
formidable weapon.
Prisoner again asserted that it was all false, and got
up,to ruin him. He was endeavouring to obtain a
situation, but the police would not let him alone.
Mr. SaCKER said he could put no faith in his asser-
.

tions, as the constables had both given similar evi-
dence, and the assault was of a desperate character.
Such a case ought to be sent to the sessions for trial,
but as there was considerable trouble and expense in
such a proceeding he should deal with him in a sum-
mary manner. He accordingly held him to bail for
six months, and in default thereof committed him to
prison for that period.

MORTALITY IN THE WANDS-
WORTH-ROAD.
Yesterday the adjourned inquest on the body of
the Rev. Thomas Harrison, aged sixty-one, who
died of cholera, and a report of the first day's pro-
ceedings at which inquest appeared in The Sun of
Tuesday last, was held at the William IV., Wands-
worth-road. It will be remembered that no less than
twenty-three persons had died of cholera in Albion-
terrace, together with the whole of the deceased's
family and establishment, save one servant, who is
now doing well.
Mr. Willings, of Heath-street, Hampstead, sur-
geon, said, he was first called to see the deceased on
Thursday week, at the Jack Straw Castle, Hampstead.
He complained of nausea and pain in the stomach, and
stated that several of his family had died of cholera,
and he had removed to get out of the way, for he
would never live there again. Witness ordered some
medicine, but in the morning was sent for again.
The deceased had then cramps and was in a state of
collapse, the pulse scarcely perceptible, and the ex-
tremities cold; there was also a profuse cold perspi-
ration. He adopted the hydropathic system, and had
him placed in a wet sheet, with seven or eight cover-
ings of blankets. In less than half an hour re-action
took place, and instead of being cold he complained
of great perspiration. After remaining in this state
for two hours diarrhoea came on, and then followed
all the other symptoms of Asiatic cholera he had ever
witnessed, and he died at two o'clock.
In answer to the jury the witness said that his
belief was that the deceased's whole system was im-
pregnated with cholera, and he was labouring under
heavy grief at the loss he had sustained in his family.
At the time witness first saw him he was making his
will, and was perfectly sensible and. composed. He
was dictating to Mr. Maxwell what to write.
The CORONER.—Did he attribute the illness to
any particular cause ?—The witness said he stated
that in his belief it arose from bad drainage and
impure water.
Mrs. Houghton, the nurse, who had been called
in at Albion-terrace on Tuesday week, when the
cook and nurse died, said that Mr. Harrison, the
decased, desired they would drink no more of the
water. It had been bad ever since the storm on the
26th of last month. The cook said she thought it
was the water that had caused the illness. There
was also a great smell from the drains, especially in
the front kitchen.
Mr. Maxwell, who had lived in the adjoining house,
and said he was an attorney, deposed that on Tuesday
week he went in to see the Rev. Mr. Harrison, and
then he told him Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. Edwards
were dying. He stayed with him all night, and on
the Wednesday morning deceased asked if he would
go with him to some place, for he would not stay
there. A fly was procured, and at six o'clock they
went to Jack Straw's Castle at Hampstead. He was
there taken ill (as given in Mr. Willing's evidence),
and requested witness to write his will, which he did.
To the jury—He had left witness a legacy of 1001.
Dr. Milroy, who is an inspector under the Board
of Health, had sent a report to the coroner of his ex-
amination of those houses, to which his attention had
been specially called, and which has in substance
already appeared. It referred particularly to the ex-
halation from the drains and their proximity to the
tanks for the supply of water, and that after the late
storm, from some deficient drainage or overflowing
of the sewer, the contents, or a part, had been taken
into the tanks.
Mr. Grant, the assistant-surveyor to the Commis-
sioners of Sewers for the district, was examined at
great length, and produced samples of the water he
had found in the tanks, which were frightful to
look at; and he said, that in some of them there
were seven or eight inches of sediment. Other
water was also shown, which was perfectly clear.
He considered that from some overflowing of the
sewer or the bad drainage the soil had got into the
well from which the houses are supplied. He had
no reason to think the water itself was bad, but that
it had been contaminated.
Dr. Milroy's report stated, that in the first house
where the epidemic commenced the cellar was swarm-
ing with filth and maggots, amounting altogether to
some cartloads.
After a very long deliberation, the jury returned a
special verdict to the following effect :—" That the
deceased died of Asiatic cholera, and that the disease
broke out only in one place where the drainage was
very defective ; also that a large quantity of filth was
allowed to accumulate at one or more of the houses ;
also that the tanks and the water in them were im-
pure from their close proximity to the cesspools; and
the jury could not separate without expressing a hope
that the owners of the property would take immediate
and effective means, by improved drainage and a
different supply of water, to prevent for the future,
as tar as human means can go, the recurrence of so
terrible a calamity."