The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-22 00:00:00

Mr. BALLANTYNE appeared on`,behalf of the appellant,
a point of law having been reserved by Mr. Baron Platt,
who tried the case, for the decision of this Court. There
were two counts to the indictment, one charging with
stealing, and the other with secreting, and the jury found
that the defendant having committed a mistake whilst
sorting the letters, secreted them in a water-closet, in
order to avoid the penalty which such a mistake might
subject him to. The question, therefore, was, whether
this verdict amounted to the act of stealing; and the
Learned Counsel contended that it could not,:and that it
simply amounted to an act of constructive larceny. The
property was in the honest possession of the prisoner,
and it did not appear that the secreting was with the
intention of taking the entire dominion over the pro-
perty out of the hands of the Post-office authorities.
Suppcsing, for instance, a servant were to take a book
from a library, and having injured or defaced it, were
to put it into the fire to prevent its being found out,
would it not be an unusual stretch of the law to find
him guilty of larceny?
Mr. Baron ALDERSON—There is no doubt about it
being a secreting, and I have a strong opinion that it is
a stealing also.—(Laughter.)
Mr. BALLANTYNE apprehended, however, that there
was no lucri causi in the case, because it could rot be
imputed from the term " secreting " that he intended to
destroy the properiy or to separate the possession ot it
entirely from the owner.
Lord DENMAN said the Act of Parliament applied to
persons who had dealings with Post-office letters, and
who had a most important trust reposed in them, placing
at times almost all the property ot the country in their
hands, and, therefore, they were not placed iu the posi-
tion of ordinary thieves and robbers. If a letter were
secreted for any purpose whatever, it amounted to
larceny; and it appeared to him that the indictment was
perfectly good under the statute, and that the stealing
had been satisfactorily proved.
The other Judges concurring, the conviction was af-
firmed.

QUEEN V. ALLEN.
In this case, which had been reserved by Mr. Baron
Rolfe, the Court decided that the conviction was good.

QUEEN V. HOLLOWAY.
The Court, in this case, which was reserved from the
last Liverpool Sessions, were of opinion that there was
no larceny committed by the defendant.
The conviction was, therefore, annulled.
QUEEN V. GEORGE READ.
This case was tried at the Surrey Sessions, and a ver-
dict of guilty tound against the defendant for a criminal
assault upon a child.
After hearing counsel on both sides,
The Court held that the conviction was wrong.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
BOW-STREET.
...

John Smith and Thomas Ashby, two well known mem-
bers of the " swell mob," were placed at the bar by Ser-
geant \Vicher, a detective officer, charged with com-
mitting a robbery at the shop of Mr. Jones, jeweller and
silversmith, 432, West Strand.
The prisoner Smith, being observed looking about the
Strand, was watched by the officer, who saw him join
the other, and after a short conversation they entered
the prosecutor's shop, where they remained only a few
minutes. They then proceeded up the Haymarket, and
having gone into a public-house the witness followed,
and having asked Ashby had he not lately returned from
Bristol, he replied that he had not, upon which they
were conveyed in a cab to Scotland-yard, and on Smith
was found 6s. l ld., in addition to a shilling of the reign
of the good Queen Bess, in excellent preservation, which
is supposed to have been stolen.
In Ashby's coat-pocket were found some gold pins,
and'a half-dozen of silver-bladed knives, which the pro-
secutor identified as his property, which had been stolen
from his shop.
They were ordered to be remanded, to give time for
further inquiries,
Alfred Guest and Joseph Smith, two yonng men, were
charged on their own confession with breaking open a
desk belonging to Messrs. Bradshaw and Knowles,
house-decorators and painters, of Birmingham, from
which they stole the sum of 251.
The prisoners applied at the station-house to see the
inspector on duty, when they informed him of the rob-
bery, expressing a wish to surrender themselves to
justice, adding that when they possessed themselves cf
the money they came to town, and after wandering
about for some days fell in with a few nymphs in Ship-
yard, Temple-bar, who eased them of the few pounds
they still had.
They were ordered to be remanded until Tuesday next.
ROBBERY IN THE VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT.—A
tall, dark-complexioned, middle-aged man, who refused
to give his name or address, was brought up, charged
with picking pockets in Vice-Chancellor Shadwell's
Court, Lincoln's Inn.
The prisoner was pointed out to Mr. Uxley, a law-
student, by a barrister's clerk, as having stolen his hand-
kerchief, and before he could procure a constable, seeing
him stop another clerk, with whom he spoke familiarly,
he asked about him, and was told that he bore a very
iAiffeeent character, upon which he gave him in charge,
when it was discovered that another gentleman had had
his pocket also picked.
Tne prisoner, whose name was Wimbush, and who has
been convicted at the Central Criminal Court, and sen-
synced to eighteen months' imprisonment for the rub-
bery of a casket of jewellery of the value of 1601., was
remanded nil Wednesday next.
MARLBOIWCIGH-STREE7'.

Alexander Mackenzie, son of Captain Mackenzie,
who was found in a starving state in the street by
the Mendicity Society's officers, and brought to this
et:um as a vagrant, came to thank Mr. Hardwick for
the assistaace affoi dud to him in his destitute condition.
The young man's case, it will be recollected, came before
tiiky public through the public press, and this led to an
immediate clue to his relations, who are of great respec-
tabliity. The young man's appearance was so much
changed is hardly to allow him to be again recognised.
His rags were replaced by decent clothes, and he appeared
otherwise comfortably taken care of.
Mr. HARDWICK handed the young man a 51 note and
three sovereigns, as the balance of donations from chari-
table individuals who had seen a report of his case. The
young man expressed himself deeply grateful for all that
had been done tor him.
A person from the firm of Rumford and Co., East India
agents, who accompanied the youg man into court, inti-
mated that the uncle of the young man had given such
orders respecting his nephew as would enable his em-
ployers, when the young man was sufficiently recovered,
to hod him suitable employment.
Jane Evans, an elderly woman, dressed very respec-
tably, was wrought before Mr. Hardwick, charged with
having given a false character to a servant for the pur-
pose of getting the party into the service of Alfred Bat-
son, Esq., of 20, Beellard place, Russell-square.
Mrs. Batson stated that on the 9th instant, being in
want of a servaat, a tootman, named James Cripps,
came and offered himself. The man referred to a Mrs.

Stephenson, No. 7, Duke-street, Portland place, who I
would give hire a good character. He also said if a
written character was preferred, Mrs. Stephenson, who
was then at her country residence, would send one. The
man said Mrs. Stephenson lived at Enfield Lodge, near
Reading. Witness said she would call on Mrs. Ste-
phenson, and the man then left the house, and the next
day called again to say that Mrs. Stephenson would be
in town the following day at three o'clock. Witness went
to Duke-street at the time appointed, and was intro-
duced into the parlour, where she saw the prisoner, who
passed herself of as Mrs. Stephenson. Witness inquired
about the character of Cripps, and the prisoner replied
he had lived with her more than two years; that he
was sober, steady, honest, and a thoroughly good
servant. From these representations she engaged the
man as butler. Witness had not proceeded many yards
from the house, when a person came up to her and said
she had received a false character, and that the police
were then at No. 7, Duke-street, the house she had just
lett, and that they would call on her in the evening.
Mary Coleman, servant to Mrs. Williams, No. 7,
Duke-street, identified the prisoner as the person who
had hired the parlours in her mistress's house. The
prisoner said at the time that she wanted them for two
hours a day t.) see her friends in, as she did not like to
go to an hotel.
Police-sergeant 65 E said, from information he had,
he went to No. 7, Duke. sseet, and hid himself in
the back parlour. He had not been there long
before the prisoner and another woman came into
the front parlour. The prisoner took a dress-
cap from a small box and put it on. The other
woman also put on a cap and apron. The prisoner
took some rouge and painted her face. About twenty
minutes afterwards a carriage drove up, and two ladies
got out, and were introduced to the prisoner. Witness
lieard the prisoner give Cripps an excellent character.
Nituess afterwards went to Reading, but could find no
such place as Enfield Lodge, nor was there a person
night
Regent's
tanraV Stephenson residing anywhere near Reading.
'1 au n troind-apyl ancei g, arpdartkh,atantdhehapyriinsgoner obtainedwas ata
warrant for her apprehension, he went there and took
her into custody.
The prisoner said
the lady was quite mistaken about
her identity. She had never seen the lady before, had
never given Cripps a character, nor had she ever been in
a house in Duke street.
Mr. HARDWICK said he was satisfied, from the evi-
dence, that the prisoner had given a false character to a
person, with the object of procuring him a place in the
family of Mr. Batson. The practice of giving false cha..
ratters might lead to so much evil, as persons of bad
character might thus obtain admission into respectable
families for the purpose of committing robberies, that it
strongly repressed by the power of the
law. not be too her denial,
and he should,
law. Nobody could credit
months' imprisonment,
with • im •
sonment,
therefore, fine her 201., or t
with hard labour; and if there were any other cases he
deal with them after the sentence
should be prepared to
had expired.
numerous cases of the same
The police said there were
sort to be brought forward.
EVES TMINSTE R.
THE FRIGHTFUL CASE OF DESTITUTION IN WEST-.
MitisTEß.—We feel it an act of duty to the public to state
that further subscriptions in the late frightful case of
tls stitution in York-street, Westminster, are unnecessary
and had better be withheld. It is not essential that we
should offer
er any further remarks upon the matter at pre-
sent, but some circumstances have come to light with
respect to the former proceedings and conduct of this
family which induce us to offer these observations.
The following were transmitted by Friday night's
post:—F. G., 11.; J. S., 11.; C. W. F., 1/. ;F. B. L., 10s.;
, '
N. 10 : S. G. L., Si.; H. W. P., 10s ; a 51. note
(No. 34,905); Two Brewrs, 55.; T. W., 5' s ; Lady F.,
5/. note (No. 54,831); W. U,, 55.; R. G., 31.; L. C., ss.
The latter requested an acknowledgment in the papers.
No further co if, i
ut_
ntr_ons were received at this court on
Saturday, an intimation to the above effect being made
to two or three who attended for that purpose.
sh,rtly before the closing of the court a genteel and
rather pretty looking girl, who gave her name Mary
Ann Bumpitead, was placed in the felon's dock, charged
?nth stealing a shswl, value