The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-19 00:00:00

LAMBETH.

John Anderson, alias Ferguson, James Sinclair,
and Daniel Fitzgerald, who have been in custody for
some time on suspicion of being the perpetrators of
several desperate highway robberies committed in
different parts of the metropolis, were placed at the
bar before Mr. Norton for final examination.

The time, as well as the mode in which these des-
perate robberies have been committed, so favoured
their perpetrators that it is very much feared the
guilty ruffians will never be brought to justice. It
will be recollected that Mr. Hall, a barrister, whose
chambers are in Old-square, Lincoln's Inn, and his
residence in Tavistock-square, stated that the person
who grasped him by the throat from behind on the
night of the 13th of the last month, instantly drew his
head back, and the next instant he received several
severe blows on his head and temples from a life-
preserver, or some such instrument, and all the time
his head was in such a position that it was impossible
he could see those about him. He thought, however,
that he got a glance at a person in woman's attire.
The robbery on this gentleman took place about ten
o'clock, in Lincoln's Inn-fields, and nearly in front
of Surgeons' Hall, and such was the savage violence
of the thieves that they tore away and carried off
with his pocket a considerable portion of his trousers.
Si serious also were the injuries which they inflicted
that Mr. Hall is still suffering from their effects.
The attack upon Mr. Davis, in Cromer-street,
Brunswick-square, was so sudden and unexpected, and
the violence so great, that that gentleman in his evi-
dence stated that if the men by whom he had been
attacked had even been before him, he could not iden-
tify one of them.
Mr. Conden, a young gentleman who had been
robbed in a similar manner in Wheeler's-fields, Ken-
nington-common, was unable from the same cause to
identify any person ; but that the robbery of this
young gentleman and that of Mr. Hall had been com-
mitted by the same parties there cannot be the slightest
possible doubt. The instrument used in striking
them on the head and temples left an impression of
six points in the circle and one in the centre, and the
marks on each were precisely the same, and therefore
must have been caused by the same weapon.
Sergeant Hardwick, 7 D, who has had the case
in hand, informed the magistrate that he was not
prepared with any further evidence against the pri-
soners Sinclair and Anderson, but had a charge to
prefer against Fitzgerald of being a returned convict,
and coming home seven years before his proper time.
From inquiries he (Hardwick) had made, he dis-
covered that in the year 1844 the prisoner Anderson
had been tried, in the name of John Ferguson, at the
Central Criminal Court, for felony, and sentenced to
ten years' transportation. He was sent out to Gib-
raltar, but, in consequence of his good conduct, re-
ceived a free pardon in the month of August, 1847.
The prisoner Fitzgerald had been tried in the same
year and also sentenced to ten years' transportation,
but he effected his escape from Gibraltar three years
after, and succeeded in getting home. Of the prisoner
Sinclair he could learn nothing whatever.
Sinclair said that since his apprehension officers
from the dockyards, the prisons, and the police had
been to see him, and not one of them could identify
him, or say anything prejudicial to his character.
Mr. NORTON asked him if he wished to give any
explanation why he had represented at the lodging-
house in Short's-gardens that he was a pensioner, and
in the receipt of ls. 11d. a day ; why also he had
told one of the inmates that he had been transported,
and wanted the same person to commit a felony ?
These questions he might answer or not, as he
pleased.
The prisoner would not deny :that he had repre-
sented himself to be a pensioner, but said the other
part of the witness's statement was incorrect.
Mr. NORTON remarked that the case was one of
considerable suspicion, for it appeared that on the
morning before one of these murderous robberies had
been committed both Sinclair and Anderson were
without money, and obliged to borrow a sixpence;
yet on the night of the robbery the former was found
with 1/. 12-e 103-d , and the latter with 17s.
Anderson said that on that day he received 3/. from
his brother, and gave 1/. out of it to Sinclair, who, he
said,
was a comparative stranger to him.

Mr. NORTON said that there was another circum-
stance which added considerably to the suspicion in
this case, and that was, though three of these despe-
rate robberies took place within eight days, not one,
he understood, had been attempted since their appre-
hension. However strong the suspicion, the evi-
dence was not such as would warrant their commitment
for trial, or offered the slightest chance of a conviction.
The prisoners Sinclair and Anderson were
then discharged, with a caution as to their future
conduct; and Fitzgerald was committed for trial for
returning from transportation before his proper time.