The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-20 00:00:00

BRENTFORD PETTY SESSIONS.

Yesterday a thick-s2t Irishman, about twenty-four years
of age, with a most ferocious countenance, named John
Ryan, was brought heavily handcuffed before Mr. Pow-
NALL, the sitting magistrate, by police sergeant Pascoe, T
19, on the following charge of attempted highway robbery
and murder :

Mr. Thomas Jackson, of Rathbone-place, OXfOrdstreet,
and Haven Green, Ealing, between six and seven o'clock
on Saturday evening, was driving in his pheaton from Eal-
ing towards London. On arriving at Acton Bottom he ob-
served the prisoner at some distance going towards town, and
from his conduct on the road his suspicions that he meant
no good were excited. When he came near him the prisoner
crossed from the off side to the near side of the road, and
when he came up to him he made a dash at his horse's head,
which, however, he missed. The prisoner then made an at-
tempt to get in at the side of the phaeton, but not succeeding
from the speed at which witness was going he tried to lay
bold of the back of the vehicle, in which he was also un-
successful. Witness then flogged his horse, which gallopped
for about three hundred yards, when, thinking he had got
away from his assailant, he slacked his pace. The prisoner,
however, who must have pursued him with the fleetness of
a deer, soon overtook him, and, jumping up behind the
phaeton, seized hold of witness by the back of his coat,
and attempted to drag him out of the vehicle. Witness
instantly pulled out a pistol, which be thrust into the pri-
soner's face, saying, " You vagabond, if you don't get down,
I'll shoot you." Witness attempted to discharge the pistol,
but no cap being on, it was unable to do so. The prisoner
did not get down, and a fearful struggle took place between
them, when witness finding the prisoner too powerful for him
to cope with, suddenly struck him a severe blow on the head
with the butt end of the pistol, which knocked him backwards
into the road. Before witness presented the pistol at the
prisoner he used the most horrid language, calling him a
and swearing that he would cut his -- throat
if lie resisted. When witness had struck the prisoner he gal-
lopped off, and after proceeding between two and three hun-
dred yards met three policemen whom be immediately ac-
quainted with the outrage. One of them instantly jumped
into the phaeton, and on driving back met the prisoner near
the spot where the outrage had been committed, who had
evidently just risen from the "(*round, and was coining to-
wards London. On reaching him they jumped out of the
phaeton and secured him, when he feigned drunkenness.
Witness had no doubt the prisoner was the Irian who
stopped him. His clothes, when he was taken, were covered
with mud.

The worthy MAGISTRATE said the evidence was conclu-
sive of his guilt. He was then fully committed for trial at
the next Sessions of the Central Criminal Court.

He was shortly afterwards removed to Newgate.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.

A black man named Thomas, who has been long infest-
ing Billingsgate-market, and for whom nothing is too hot or
too heavy, was brought before the LORD• MAYOR, charged
by Mr. Goldham, the clerk of the market, with having
stolen two pair of soles'.
Mr. Goldham stated that the prisoner was the most" out
and out" thief in the market, and had but lately been re-'
leased from the tread-mill, where he had been dancing for
a month for a robbery. The fellow was the more dange-
rous, as there was always something ludicrous connected
with his adventures, and his colour, favoured by the dark-
ness of the night, enabled him to steal with impunity, when
a white man was sure to be detected. On the occasion of
the present charge, witness had directed one of his men,
upon being told that Tom Crow, as the prisoner was called,
was amongst the boats, to chalk his back, and follow the
chalk. The prisoner was soon traced to a public-house in
Darkhouse-lane, where he was seen pulling two pair of soles
out of his breeches.
The prisoner had purchased the soles, and was just smell-
ing them to know if they were good when he was appre-
hended by the officer. He had never stolen a fish in his
life, of late years, though he had been suspected.
The LORD MAYOR—Why, I am given to understand
that you are a very wicked fellow, Mr. Crow.
Tom Crow--Wicked ! We all wicked, massa, except
Gor Amighty. '
The LORD MAYOR—You have been at the treadmill ?
Toni Crow—Yes, massa, we all ought to be at treadmill,
massa—up and down, up and down.—(Laughter.)
The LORD MAYOR—Mr. Goldham says that you are a
regular thief, and that your business at the market is merely
to steal.
Tom Crow— Ah, Massa Goldham know me well ; he's
been berry good to me, long time.
Mr. Goldham—You remember when you were caught
with half a bushel of soles about your body.
Tom Crow—Yes, massa, bUt not steal 'em, massa ; only
cooked 'em.
The LORD MAYOR—Cooked 'ern What do you mean
by " cooked 'cm," when they were found upon your person ?
Tom Crow—l run about till me was piping hot, and when
do stop me de fish was fit to be eat.—(Great laughter.)
Mr. Goldham said that the account which the prisoner
gave of himself, upon being apprehended on the occasion
alluded to, was that those to whom the soles which he had
placed next to his skin belonged were unable to pay for
cooking in the usual way, and had employed him to make
the fish fit for the table by imparting to it the warmth and
juices of his own flesh.—(Laughter.)
The LORD MAYOR—And how often has he been detected

phew, and
Complainant stated that prisoner was his ne
his father dying when he was very young, he had brought
him up, and at the age of 14 took him as an apprentice for
seven years. He was now only 19, but, having learnt the
business, fancied he could get work on his own account,
and without returning with gratitude complainant's kind-
ness, behaved in a very unruly manner, came in at all hours
of the night, and, although he found him in board, cloth-
ing, and lodging, as specified in the indentures, appropri-
ated what money he received on witness's account for his
own use. On Saturday he received 18s., which sum be
never accounted for, and the next morning, being told by
the prisoner's grandmother, whom he maintained, that the
prisoner had taken away his boxes, he went in search of
him, found him, and gave him in charge.
Mr. RAWLINSON (to the prisoner)—What have you to
say ? Prisoner—Why, I can't give him all I earn ;if I
do, whose to keep my wife there ? (pointing to a little fiery-
faced woman, double his age).
Complainant—Wife ! good God, I never knew of that.
Woman—(Advancing forward, and taking from her bo-
som a dirty piece of paper)-01), yes, I am his wife, here's
that which will prove as sich.
Mr. RAWLINSON looked at the paper, and said it was a
marriage certificate, and that the marriage took place the
previous day (Sunday) week.
Complainant—Then it is the worst day's work he ever did.
Mr. RAWLINSON—WeII, what's to be done now; it ap-
pears they are married ?
Complainant—Why, Sir, I must request you to punish
him, for his ingratitude is beyond all bounds.
The unlucky bridegroom was then sentenced to spend
the remainder of his " honeymoon," and a week in addition,
in " silent blessedness," at the House of Correction ; but
was consoled in his misfortune by his dear Mary, who vowed
constancy during his absence, telling him by no means to
" droop," but keep up his " pluck" till they met again.