The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-18 00:00:00

TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 18, 1849.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
GUILDHALL.
Yesterday William St. Leger, who refused his
address, but who belongs to that class of persons
called "duffers," and is well known, was charged with
stealing four pieces of cloth, value 21. 10s., from
Messrs. Pullen and Co., of 59, Aldermanbury, under
the following circumstances :
Robert Packman, 133, said, in consequence of in-
formation I received on Friday evening last, from a
porter in the employ of Mr. Pullen, of 59, Alder-
manbury, I went there in company with Bull, 127,
on Saturday morning, about six o'clock, and secreted
myself in the warehouse, Bull also being likewise
hid. About five minutes to eight o'clock the prisoner
came into the warehouse when the porter was sweep-
ing it. The prisoner said " Good morning" to the
porter, and added, " You have have got a fine stock
of cloth here," and walked down among the piles of
cloth, when he continued, "and very good cloths
they are too." He put his hand on a piece and said
to the porter, " Can't you let me have a piece this
morning ?" The porter said "No, I am afiai],"
knOwing that I and Bull were concealed. The
prisons r said " It's all right ; have you got any broad
cloths ?" and the porter again replied in the negative.
The prisoner then picked out a piece of cloth, brought
it close to where I was, and laid it on the
counter, saying to the porter, " Can't you let
me have two yards and a half of this ?" The
latter said, "No, I'd rather not; I am afraid it will
be missed ;" upon which St. Leger replied, " You
fool, it wit be all right ; they won't know it."
The porter then said, " I have got some trouser
pieces here," and the prisoner asked if they were cut
off. The porter replied that they were, and the
prisoner asked to look at them. They were brought
from another part of the warehouse, and the prisoner,
having looked at them, laid them on the counter, at
the same time saying," Haven't you any better stuff
than this ? this is poor stuff;" to which the
porter replied, "No, I have not." After this the
prisoner asked for the yard measure, saying that he
would take two and a half yarns of that, which he
accordingly cut off, and then asked if there was any
more, to which the porter replied that be could not
have any more, as he was frightened. St. Leger then
replied, "If you'll show me, I'll tell you which is
right, and they won't miss it." The porter declined,
but let him have a piece of paper and some string at
the prisoner's request, and he tied the cloth that had
been cut off and three pieces of trousering. The
porter said, "I hope this will not get where my master
will see." The prisoner made use of a bad expression,
and said, "Do you think I am a fool ?" He then
asked the porter for two sheets of paper to put the
pieces in, and went away. In about seven or eight
minutes he returned, and took the cloth away, saying
to the porter, "I shall see you at the Weavers' Arms
at twelve o'clock." I then got from my hiding-place,
went out, and saw him in custody of Bull in Alder-
manbury, with the property in his possession.
Ishmael Edwards was then sworn, and said, I am
a porter to Mr. Pullen and know the prisoner. More
than twelve months ago the prisoner met me in Shore-
ditch, and asked me to take beer with him, which I
did, he having been in the warehouse before. The
prisoner asked me if I could get any goods for him,
and I told him I was rather afraid, and he said all
other porters did so. I left him and went home and
told my master. A few mornings after I saw him in
Fore-street, He asked me to buy some gold chains
and a watch, and several things in that way, and I
told him I did not want them. Since then he met
me and asked how I cut the cloths, whether in lengths
or not, and on my saying " Yes," the prisoner said
" That's the dodge," and that I ought to make 51
every week. I told him I did not know how to cut
or make them up, and he replied "I'll do that. I'll
make them up and make it all right."
The ALDERMAN asked the witness if he told his
master all these circumstance ? Edwards said tha
he did.

Mr. Pullen observed that it was in consequence of
this information that the trap was laid for the pri-
soner, for the purpose, if possible, of stopping such a
system of inveigling servants to rob their employers.
Edwards, in continuation, said—During the last
week the prisoner met me several times and asked me
whether I coul not get him any cloth, and by the
direction of my master I made the appointment for
him to be there on Saturday morning, and what the
officer stated is correct.

The ALDERMAN—And the prisoner cut off the 2
yards ? Edwards—He did.
The prisoner, in the first instance, wished to
impeach the porter's honesty by cross-examining, to
show that he had made numerous purchases from him,
but Edwards denied that be ever let him have any-
thing in his life. Ultimately a solicitor attended for
the prisoner, but by his advice St. Leger reserved
his defence, and he was fully committed to Newgate
for trial.

BOW-STREET.
Thomas Erskine Grant, a respectably attired
middle-aged man, was placed at the bar before Mr.
Jardine charged with indecency.
Richard Wood, a lighterman, of 21, George-street,
Adelphi, deposed to having seen the prisoner with
two little girls under twelve years of age in the dark
arches of the Adelphi, on Sunday afternoon, about
four o'clock. His conduct excited the suspicions of
witness, who watched him for half an hour and up
wards. The children accompanied him to a recess
leading to the terrace, and accessible by folding doors,
through which he distinctly saw the prisoner with
his back against the wall, beckoning to the children.
The witness described the state of the prisoner's dress
at the time, and other particulars,
Cross-examined by Mr. Hope, a solicitor—l am a
candidate for the office of beadle in the district. That
circumstance has not influenced me to bring the pre-
sent charge. I bare done so as a duty I owe to
the public.
The evidence of Wood was partly confirmed by
a porter at the Adelphi Pier and a policeman, both
of whom he had called to witness the prisoner's
conduct.
Mary Ann Rolling; a child about twelve years old,
stated that she was out walking with her younger
sister on Sunday afternoon, when the prisoner met
them in Salisbury-street, Strand, and purchased some
walnuts, giving a halfpenny worth to each. He fol-
lowed them to the arches, and there bought some
apples for them. He remained with them some time,
and when they went up the terrace steps he followed
them and exposed himself, beckoning them to go to
him, which they refused to do.
The sister, a little girl seven years of age, also
described the condition of the prisoner's dress, and
confirmed her sister's statement generally.
The eldest girl had an infant in her arms at the
time.

Mr. Hope, addressing his Worship in answer to
the charge, stated that he was the personal friend
rather than the professional adviser of Mr. Grants
who was a gentleman highly respected and well
known in the neighbourhood, and hitherto without
an imputation upon his meral character. His kind-
ness and general attachment to children (having none
of his own) were proverbial among his friends. He
was married to a young and amiable wife, to whom
he was affectionately attached, and whom he had only
left for a few moments on Sunday afternoon to take
a short walk before dinner—circumstances which
were all inconsistent with the supposition that such
an offence was ever intended by him. His only ob-
ject in entering the recess was one of an ordinary
kind, and be did not even know the children had gone
there.

The prisoner also addressed the Court, stating that
he suffered from a complaint which made his visit to
the recess imperative. In giving the children walnuts
and apples he had merely done that which he was
accustomed to do very frequently when he met chil-
dren in the streets. The inspector of police then
present would bear him out in this statement, as he
had often given his (the inspector's) children pence
for a si▪
milar purpose.
Inspector Page stated that his family lived opposite
a public•
-house occasionally used by the prisoner, and
he believed the prisoner had given his children pence
sometimes when they were at play in front of the
house. He knew nothing more about him.
Several resPsetable witnesses gave the prisoner a
good character for kind, humane, and strictly moral
conduct, believing him to be incapable of the crime
imputed to him. They stated that he had lodged at
I, SAlisbury-street, for two or three years.
Mr. JARDINE was quite sensible of the painful
nature of the charge, and still more sn because he
believed it had been satisfactorily proved. There
was no reason to Attribute improper motives to Wood,

She replied that when she discovered the prisoner
was a married man, and taxed him with it, he pro-
duced the paper in question, as he said, to satisfy her
that their marriage was legal, and he at the same
time told her that it was signed by his first wife.
The paper was as follows :
" This paper certifies that Stephen Deer sold his
lawful wife for five shillings for the term of his na•
tural life, and all parties agrees to the following
words:—' To pay five shillings and one shilling to
drink health'."

Several signatures were appended to this precious
document, and among them one purporting to be
that of the prisoner's first wife.

The RECORDER, in passing sentence, said it was a
great aggravation of the offence that had been com-
mitted by the prisoner that ha had induced his wife
to be a party to such a profligate and disgraceful
proceeding as the alleged sale, and to induce her to
believe that the solemn contract which they had origi-
nally entered into could be broken by any such act.
Under any circumstances it was a great public offence
for a man to go through the ceremony of marriage
with another woman while his wife was living; and
in this case, as he before stated, the act had been
aggravated by the profligate conduct of the prisoner
with reference to the alleged sale of his wife. He
then ordered the prisoner to be kept to hard labour for
one year.

TVESTAVINSTER.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY. .Tames Summers, a butcher,
living in Stockbridge-terrace, Pimlico, was finally
examined and committed on the charge of stealing
1611. from the dwelling house of Mr. Richard James,
of Victoria•road, Pimlico, cheesemonger. The par-
ticulars of this impudent robbery have already been
detailed in the police columns of The Sun.
CLE lUCEN IVE L L.
Yesterday, Alr. Robert Long, of No. 28, Charles.
street, Hatton-garden, was placed at the bar before
Mr. Combe, charged by John Flanigen, aged 15, of
Pheasant's court, Gray's Inn-lane, with having vio-
lently assaulted him.
The boy, whose mouth was severely mutilated, said
that on Sunday last he was passing through Charles-
street, Hatton-garden, where there was a crowd of
persons. The prisoner rushed at him with a large
drover's stick, and struck him with it a violent blow
upon the mouth, which cut him severely. The pri-
soner also kicked him.
Mr. COMBE—Did you give him any provocation ?
The witness said he did not.
The officer who took the prisoner into custody said
that during the whole of Sunday and for some days
past the neighbourhood of Charles-street and its vici-
nity were in a state of riot and confusion, in conse-
quence of a warfare which was carried on by two
factions of Irish boys and lads connected with Saffron,-
hill and Gray's Inn-lane. They met together armed
with bludgeons and other weapons, and fought despe-
rately against each other, and injuries were inflicted
on both sides, but their activity eluded the police.
The prisoner, in his defence, said that himst If and
family had been annoyed most egregiously by the
vialent conduct of the parties alluded to, and his
children had been violently attacked and injured. On
Sunday last upwards of one hundred of the lowest
description of boys assembled in Charles street with
sticks such as are used by drovers. They commencing
fighting and making a great noise, and hearing that
his children, who were playing near his house, were
hurt in the crowd, and feeling indignant, he left the
house, and seeing the prosecutor acting violently he
took the stick from him, and rushing into the crowd
he certainly did strike in every direction, but he was
not aware of having struck the prosecutor.
Mr. COMBE—Then you don't know whether you
struck him or not ? You did not know or care who
you struck ? Prisoner—That is true, but the nuisance
was disgraceful. They broke my windows, shutters,
and doors by throwing stones ; there are large holes
through the street-door in consequence of their ex-
treme violence.
Mr. COMBE asked the prosecutor whether he had
the stick, or did he use any violence ? He said he
had no stick, and he did nothing to offend.
Tee constable said he was connected with the
Gray's Inn-lane gang or faction, and was one of the
most desperate, and he had seen him with a stick like
the one produced.
COMBE reprimanded the boy, and said he had
brought it all upon himself by his own misconduct.
Lie cautioned him as to his future conduct, discharged
Mr. Long, and directed the attention of the police to
the future proceedings of such young ruffians.
Mr. Long thanked his Worship and left the court.
" WHICHEVER NAME YOU PLEASE."— William
Grindley, alias JVilliam Grice, alias William
Edwards, who represented himself as being the son
of Captain Grindley, of the 43d Light Infantry, was
charged by Mr. Isaac Jacobson, jeweller, of Oxford-
street, with stealing a valuable dressing-case.
The particulars of the case have been already
detailed in the newspapers. The prisoner, on being
placed at the bar, blubbered like a child, as at his
former examination

Some further additional evidence being taken,
Mr. COMBE asked the prisoner if he had ever gone
by the name of Grice ? Prisoner—Never ! oh, never !
Mr. COMBE—I have got the certificate of your
baptism here. You were christened William Grice.
You gave your name William Grindley and William
Edwards. Which name will you go by ? Prisoner—
I don't care which; any name you like.
Mr. COMAE—It is immaterial. Your father's
name was John Grice.

Prisoner—l know nothing of that. My father
always told me my name was Grindley.
The depositions having been fully taken and read
over, the prisoner was committed to Newgate for trial,
and the witnesses bound over to prosecute.
He was taken from the bar crying, and conduct-
ing himself in a wild and distracted manner, which
was evidently assumed, and he was conveyed to
Ne wgate.

CHARITY.
- The following letter was yesterday
handed to our reporter :

" Sept. 16, 1848.
" Sir,—On this day of heart'.-giving all persons who
are absent from London on pleasure, ought to send a
trifle to their diseased fellow-creatures who cannot afford
to obtain fresh air. Allow me to send a trifle to you to
dispose of as you think best ; and, to save trouble, an
acknowledgment in the newspapers will suffice.
" Yours, &c.

" BOWEN MAY, Herne Bay."
The letter contained a draft for one guinea on
Messrs. Dixon, bankers.
L-4111BETH.

Yesterday a young woman, named Jane Murray,
was brought before the sitting magistrate, Mr. Elliott,
charged with attempting self-destruction.
It appeared from the evidence of police-constable
Fraser, 87 L, that on Friday evening last he was
called into a public-house in the Westminster-road,
and the prisoner was pointed out to him as suffering
under the effects of poison. He saw that such was
the case, and forthwith procured medical aid; an eme-
tic was administered to the prisoner by the assistant
of Mr. Dodd, a surgeon, and the result was the re-
moval from the stomach of the prisoner of a large
quantity of oxalic acid. The prisoner admitted that
she had taken the poison owing to the troubles she
had suffered. She was removed to the workhouse in
a very weak state, and thence she had now been
brought before the Court.
When called upon now to say what answer she had
to give to the charge, the prisoner said that when she
took the poison she did not know what she was about.
A young man with whom she had kept company for
two years had left her and had married another. He
met her on Friday, and after giving her something to
drink had communicated the fact to her, and she, on
parting with him, had purchased the oxalic acid,
which she had obtained under the pretence that she
required it to clean a straw bonnet. She added that
she should not have taken the poison if she had been
in her right senses at the time.
The magistrate ordered her to be remanded for a
week, and to be taken care of in the infirmary of the
prison.

- On Saturday last the magistrates of this court re-
ceived the following note, with its enclosure, for the
use of the poor-box.

" Fleetwood, 17th September, 1849.
" Sir,—Now is the time when, more than ever, it is
our duty to assist the wants of the poor to the best of
our means. Cholera seems to be raging most in your
district, and enclosed I beg to hand you half a 51. note,
the other half of which shall be sent when I see an
acknowledgment in the newspapers of the first half, No.
36,039, having been received by you. The money to bo
distributed among the neces.itous poor.
.6 I am, sir, yours respectfully,
" To the Presiding Magistrate at the
Lambeth Police Court."
Our reporter was requested also to acknowledge
the receipt of the following contributions for the same
purpose :—From "W. I. E.," Great Malvern half a
sovereign ; from "A.P. B ," 205.; from "E. II.,"
the first half of a 51 note; from "F,
a 51. note ;
from " if. E. W.," the second half of a 51. note, with
103. in postage stamps; from "Mr. L.," and from
A. R,." the remaining halves of two 51. notes ; from
" G.," a sovereign ; and from Haverfordwest, a
sovereign.

" S. P. Q

SOUTHWARK.
CHARGE OF BlGAMY.—Yesterday, a well•dressed
young man, named John Chilcott Purnell, formerly
employed as managing clerk in the post•ofiice at
Reading, brought before Mr. Seeker, charged

even if his statements had not been so abundantly
confirmed by other witnesses, two of whom he had
called to the spot to watch the prisoner also—a course
which men wishing to extort money by preferring
such charges were not very likely to adopt. Taking
this view of the case, he felt bound to inflict the se-
verest penalty in his power—namely, three months'
imprisonment, with hard labour.
MARYLEBONE.
Henry Livermore and George Gilpin were brought
up in custody, on the charge of having been con-
cerned in stealing an hydrometer, value four guineas,
the property of Mr. John Earles Lawford of the
Castle Tavern, Kentish-town.
A great deal of evidence was gone into, and the
inquiry occupied the attention of the Court upwards
of an hour.
Gilpin was dismissed, and Livermore remanded till
Monday next.
Mr. Thomas Ashton Cockayne, master of a gram-
mar shoot at Brompton, and who was liberated upon
hail on Monday, the 10th inst., was re examined be-
fore the sitting magistrate, Mr. Broughton, on the
charge of having committed an indecent assault upon
police •constable Angell, 255 S.
Mr. Steele attended as solicitor for the defendant,
fur whom he acted upon the first inquiry, and he
cross examined the complainant at some length with
regard to his conduct while living at Melksham,
which, according to a letter received by him from
the magistrate's clerk there, was of anything but a
favourable nature.
The investigation lasted nearly two hours, and the
magistrate, at length, came to the conclusion that he
was bound to send the case for the consideration of
a jury.
The accused, who denied the truth of the allega-
tion made by the officer as to the grossly-indecent
assault upon which he had been brought up, was
bailed, as in the first inst,nce, by highly respectable
friends, in the sum of 2001. each, in addition to his
own recognisance in 3001. for his being forthcoming
to take his trial.

with intermarrying with Mary Elizabeth Lucas, his
former wife being then and now alive.
Mr. Joseph Goldsmith Lucas, a respectable farmer,
at Ticehurst, near Reading was called by Mr. Binns,
who was retained for the prosecution. Witness
stated that the prisoner introduced himself into the
family while living at Reading, and, from the re-
spectable situation which he held and his plausible
statements about his property, he was allowed to pay
his attentions to his sister. Knowing that she had
considerable property besides money in the funds,
from letters which he intercepted, he induced her to
leave home clandestinely and dispose-of her property,
and on the 12th of July last he married her in the
name of James Richardson, at Christchurch, Black-
friars road. Having obtained all her property from
her, he deserted her, and witness ascertained that he
had another wife living at Bristol.
Mr. SECaEa asked whether he was possessed of
proof of the first marriage ? Mr. Binns replied that
he had the certificates of both the marriages. The
second one was found on the prisoner when taken
into custody. He asked for a remand for the purpose
of obtaining further evidence.
Mr. SECKER asked when he expected to get further
evidence, as he could not remand him for more than
eight days. He (Mr. Binns) must, however, give him
some proof that the prisoner was the man before he
could acquiesce in his demand.

Mr. Binns said he could prove it by the prisoner's
admission, A letter was found upon him to that
effect, which he could produce, but he would rather
not make public the whole of the contents at present,
as the ends of justice might be defeated.
Mr. SECKEIL said that if he wanted the prisoner to
be detained he must produce some grounds. Ile had
better read some portion of the letter which related to
the marriage.

Mr. Binns then read the following passage from the
letter :—" I was determined to marry her (Miss
Lucas), which I did in the name of Richardson, at
Christ Church, Blackfrisrs-road." The letter was
signed "John Chilcott Purnell."

Alfred Aylett, 51 M, said he took the letter from
the prisoner. He acknowledged it to be in his hand-
writing, and that he had married a second wife. He
found on the prisoner a number of pawnbrokers'
duplicates relative to female wearing apparel, and some
documents belonging to his second wife
Mr. Edwin, the chief clerk, asked the prisoner
whether he had anything to say why he should not be
remanded ?--=.-Prisoner replied that he had nothing to
say at present. He should reserve his defence until a
future day.
Mr. SECKER said he should remand him for a
week, which would give the officer an opportunity of
proceeding to Bristol to obtain evidence of the first
marriage.
He was accordingly remanded for a week.
THAMES.
ALLEGED EXTENSIVE SYSTEM OF ROBBERY.—Yes-
terday Joseph Hadley Riddell, a well-dressed man,
about 34 years of age, late confidential manager of
the extensive chemical and white lead works of Messrs.
Pontifex and Co., of Mill-wall, Poplar, was charged
with embezzling and stealing property to a large
amount belonging to his employers.
The charges were more of a general than of a
definite nature, and extended over a considerable
period. The prisoner had been in the employ of
Messrs. Pontifex for seven years, first at a salary of
500/. per annum, which, in consequence of the busi-
ness not turning out so profitable as was anticipated,
was afterwards reduced to 2501. It was alleged that
the prisoner. had long systematically defrauded his
employers by appropriating their materials, and em-
ploying their workmen in private business. No case
was made out at present against the prisoner to war-
rant his committal, but he was remanded for a week,
Mr. Yardley expressing his willingness to accept bail.

NAVAL IN I'ELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, SEPT. 17.—The Hecate steam-sloop,
816 tons, 240. horse power, was put in special com-
mission this morning by electric orders from the
Admiralty, to carry dispatches to the Cape of Good
Hope. She was brought alongside the dockyard
jetty this morning by the steam reserve department,
and officers and men from the Excellent having been
draughted for her, she commenced provisioning and
storing at once, and is by this time nearly ready to
sail. Her dispatches are expected down by the mail
train this evening, and she will sail to-morrow.
The Terrible steam-frigate, Captain Ramsay,
arrived this morning from Malta and Gibraltar. She
brought a few invalids from the Mediterranean
squadron, but no news. She is coming into this har-
bour to coal, and will then proceed to Woolwich to
be paid off.
The Arrogant steam-frigate, Captain Fitzroy,
returned to Spithead last night at seven o'clock, to
await sailing orders.
The Birkenhead iron troop-steamer was taken out
by the steam reserve department to day, and trial
made of her working at the measured mile in Stokes
Bay.
__

The Black Eagle steam yacht, Mr. L. B. Cook,
Master Commanding, arrived here this morning from
Cork.

Wind, N. by E.; fresh breezes, and fine weather.
PLYMOUTH, SEPT. 15.—Her Majesty's frigate
Dwdalus, Captain Wellesley, was towed from la-
n-maze into the Sound on Monday. Her crew were
paid wages on Thursday, and she sailed to-day with
mails and dispatches for South America.
Her Majesty's steam vessel. Dragon, from Ports-
mouth, arrived this morning, and sailed again for the
Mediterranean.
Her Majesty's steam-vessel Cormorant came in to-
day from Portsmouth. After coaling she will sail
to-morrow for South America.
Her Majesty's brig Scout, Captain Shepherd; from
Portsmouth, hove in sight to the eastward this morn-
ing under royals, and with studding sails alow and
aloft, having the wind from south east. She will go
up. harbour on Sunday, and be paid off next week.
Her Majesty's steam-vessel Htcla went alongside
the coal depot to day, preparatory to her sailing for
the Coast of Africa.
Her Majesty's steam vessel Salamander arrived
from Pembroke on Wednesday.
In consequence of an arrangement between the
civil and clerical functionaries yesterday was ap-
pointed a day for a public fast here ; and the dock-
yard, victualling yard, and other Government
establishments were closed. All the churches and
chapels of the three towns of Plymouth, Devon-
port, and Stonehouse were thrown open, and ser-
mons were preached in the market place. Perhaps
there never was a day in this locality when so
many persons paid regard and attended in such
large numbers to their religious duties as on this
occasion.

WOOLWICH, SEPT. 17.—The Firebrand, the Styx,
and the Archer steam-vessels have been ordered to
be brought forward at this port for commission,
and riggers have commenced to-day to put up the
rigging of the Firebrand, that vessel being in an ad-
vanced state.