The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-18 00:00:00

KEY, MAYOR.

ACOMMON COUNCIL holden in the
Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London,
on THURSDAY, the 17th day of November, 1831,
Resolved—That the thanks of this Court he presented
to the Right lion. Sir John Key, Bart., Lord Mayor of
this City, for the dignity, fidelity, and indefatigable zeal
with which he hss discharged the arduous and important
duties of that high office during the past year.
For the readiness with which he has convened Courts
of Common Council, and for the ability and strict impar-
tiality with which he has presided over their deliberations.
For the judgment, firmness, and humanity which he has
evinced in the performance of his Magisterial duties, and
for his vigilant superintendence of the Police, by which the
tranquillity of this City has been effectually maintained.
For his munificent support of the various Charitable
Institutions which distinguish this Metropolis, and for his
generous co-operation with a benevolent public in relieving
the distress of the poor of Ireland.
For the splendid hospitality which he has so signally
displayed.
For the urbanity of manners and easiness of access for
which he has been so uniformly distinguished, and the de-
votion be has ever manifested in the support of the rights
and interests of his Fellow-Citizens.

WOODTHORPE.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREBT.

The following extraordinary charge of felony,pre-
ferred against a most respectable individual, occupied
a considerable portion of the time set apart for public
business at this office on Wednesday.
Mr. James Green, connected with the house of
PeHatt and Green, the extensive glass-manufacturer-
in St. Paul's church-yard, was charged by a fashion-
ably-dressed and rather well-looking voting woman.
who stated her name to be Rebecca Hodson, with
having stolen a gold watch, her property.
The prosecutrix was a single woman, and ahou,
two years ago she lived in the house of Mrs. Cohen,
at No. 1, Portland-road, Portland-place. Some
time in the month of May, 1829, she was in the pit
of Drury-lane Theatre, where she saw the prisoner,
who came and sat beside her. He entered into con-
versation with her. As soon as the performances
were over, he followed her out, and requested to sec
her home. She declined the offer at first, but finally
consented, and the prisoner wished to call a coach,
but she objected, and they walked together to her
lodgings, where they arrived about one o'clock in
the morning. She then told the prisoner that she
could not allow him to remain all night, as she ex-
pected her friend, a gentleman who had been in the
habit of visiting her at that time. He, however,
prevailed upon her to allow him to remain, and then
called for a bottle of wine, which was supplied by
the landlady of the house, and for which the pri-
soner paid ss. She then went down stairs for a
short time, and on her return she found the prisoner
in bed. She then took her gold watch from her
side, which she had received as a present three day.
before, and asked the prisoner to wind it up for her,
as she did not wish to wind it herself, fearing she
should break it. After the prisonei had wound up
the watch she placed it in a top drawer, and having
locked the drawer, she deposited the key in a small
drawer on her toilet table, and went to bed to the
prisoner. She got up at nine o'clock on the follow-
ing morning, and saw that it was that hour by her
watch, which she placed as before, leaving the key
in the same little drawer where she had placed it on
going,: to bed. She then went to the kitchen and
had breakfast, and returning to the bed-room, she
askee the prisoner to get up. He replied, " that he
did not want to get up yet," anti added, " that he
seldom got up before ten or eleven o'clock." She
then went into the drawing-room and read a book,
and on her return to the bed-room, she found the
door closed. She knocked, and the prisoner said,
" Do not come in, I am washing myself;" but
almost immediately after he came out, and pi:icing a
sovereign and a half on the table, apologized for the
smallness of the present, and told her he should call
again next Sunday. She saw that the prisoner's
hand shook a little as he placed the money on the
table; and she also observed a piece of black riband •
hanging from his pocket, but did not suspect any
thing wrong at the time. The moment that the pri-
soner went away, she ran into her bed-room, and
opening the drawer (the key of which was in the
same place she left it), she missed her watch, and,
on looking through the window, she saw the pri-
soner walking hastily away through the front gar-
den. She immediately ran down stairs, exclaiming
that her watch was stolen. She caused an inetant
pursuit to be made after the prisoner, but never saw
him again until about a fortnight ago, when site wai
seated with a female friend in a box at Drury-lane
Theatre, and saw the prisoner enter the adjoining
box. She immediately said to her friend, " That's
the man who stole my watch," and was so far over-
come by her feelings that she fainted. The prisoner
left the box, and shortly after she left the theatre,
,ccompanied by her friend and went home. Last
tight she went alone to the pit of Covent-garden
Theatre, and saw the prisoner there; she imme-
diately went up to him and said, " Do you not know
ine ?" be replied that he did nut. She then asked
aim to step oir,ide with her, and the prisoner suite
\V hat do you want ?" and accompanied her to the
pit passage. She then said, " Show me your
•vaten ?" he did so, but it was not her's. She told
Om she was determined not to leave him, anti finally
;ave him in charge to a police constable, who took
.lun to the station, where she charged him with

having stolen her watch, which she valued at thir-
teen guineas.
Eliza Wilgrave lived at No. 35, Gower-place,
Euston-square. She was sitting in a box at Drury-
lane Theatre with the prosecutrix, about a fortnight
ego, when the prisoner entered the adjoining box,
and the prosecutrix immediately said " That is the
man who stole my watch." The prisoner fixed his
eyes upon them, and then withdrew to another box,
but still kept looking at them. The prosecutrix was
taken very ill, and fainted. They then left the theatre.
John Miles, a police con:tahle. was on duty in the
pit passage at Covent-garden Theatre on the pre-
vious night, and saw the prosecutrix, Rebecca Hod-
son, there. She was speaking to the prisoner,
whom slay accused of stealing her watch. She in-
sisted that witness should take him into custody,
and after explaining to her the serious nature of the
charge, he requested the prisoner to go with him to
the station, and took care that the prosecutrix should
also go there to make good her charge. The pri-
soner denied the charge, and expressed his willing-
ness to go wherever he (witness) chose to take him.
The prisoner never saw the prosecutrix in his life
before. The fact was, that she had m;staken him
for some other person, who had most likely acted in
the way she had described. He was perfectly as-
tounded at the charge, and his astonishment was
still greater on hearing the circumstantial manner in
which the prosecutrix bad deposed to the alleged
facts.

Mr. MlNsllum, felt great pain in having a charge
of this kind preferred before him, against a person
who filled so respectable a situation in society. The
whole of the case turned upon the identity of the
prisoner; and, although he had questioned the pro-
secutrix several times before, he would again ask
her, on her solemn oath, was the prisoner the person
who accomnanied her home on the occasion referred
to, and carried off her watch in the way she had
described ?—The prosecutrix, after looking at the
prisoner, declared that he was the very man ; and
added, that she could not be mistaken, either in his
person or countenance. She should be very sorry
to prefer so serious a charge against any individual,
unless she was quite positive that she was right.
Mr. INluxsunt, asked her if she had taken any
steps towards recovering the watch ?—The prose-
eutrix employed a woman, at ss. a day, for a week,
to go round to the pawnbrokers, and endeavour to
discover if the w.ltch had been pledged. She went
herself to the shop of Mr. Newby, at the corner of
Broad-court, Drury-lane, a few days after her loss,
and was told there that a watch, answering the de-
scription of the one which had been stolen from her,
kvas offered to be pawned there for 11/., by a man
who completely answered the description of the pri-
soner. The pawnbroker, however, would not ad-
vance so much money on the watch, and the person
who brought it went away.
Mr Missuum.direcred an officer to go directly
to the pawnbroker's, and bring forward the party to
whom the watch had been offered in pawn, to see if
lie could identify the prisoner. It appeared, how-
ever, that the young man who was supposed to have
acted in the transaction had died about a year ago.
Mr. Sweet, of the firm of Sweet and Carr, soli•
eitora, in Basinghall-street, having been sent for by
•he prisoner, arrived at the office, and expressed the
,2reatest surprise on seeing him in custody on a
charge of felony. Having heard the evidence read
I over, he requested that he might be allowed to put
4 few questions to the prosecutrix in the absence of
Mr. Clarkson, the barrister, who had been sent for.

Mr. MiNsmuu, was quite anxious that the pri-
soner should have every assistance, and told Mr.
Sweet to question the prosecutrix in any way he
wished.

Mr. Sweet then proceeded to cross-examine tire
nrosecutrix, who, in answer to his questions, said
that she had always gone by the name of Rebecca
Hodson, that her father's name was Parker, and
hat she came from Boston, in Lincolnshire. Her
f her was a small farmer, and still resided in a little
(.oga:re near that place. She left her father's house
with a gentleman, whose name she bore. That
person brought her to Southampton, and sub-
sequently took her to the white house in Soho-
quare. She subsequently became acquainted with
Sir John Mildmay, arid lived under his protection
for some time. On her fir-t coming to town she
lived in William-street, Hampstead-road, and then
she went to the house of Mrs. Cohen, No. 1, Port-
n 91a,prIsirtot-ad, P
streeto,rct lahr:ir-
rlioptletaec-stc,!end subsequently
Charlotte-street,
v,lichvash et No.
ro
pre..
-ent residence. The watch which was the subject
,if the present inquiry was made a present to her by
Se-John Mildmsy, while she was living with him
et Southamr on ; and during the time she resided at
Portland-road, Sir John used occasionally to visit her.
At this stage of the inquiry Mr. Clarkson arrived,
arid the evidence having been briefly detailed to him,
Mr. ithestwee observed, that although he by
no means gave implicit credit to evidence which
rested solely upon identity, yet the prosecutrix had
sworn so positively to the person of Mr. Green,
that as a magis'rate he was bound to act upon her
oath. The oily question therefore would be as to
whether or not he could admit the prisoner to bail
under the act of Sir Robert Peel, which gave that
power to magistrates in Cases of felony, in which the
evidence brought forward on the part of the ac-
cused did not afford a strong presumption in the
minds of the magistrates as to the guilt of the party
charged.
_Mr. Clarkson submitted that the evidence afforded
no such strong presumption, but on the contrary,
although the fact had certainly been positively sworn
to, as well as the identity of Mr. Green, the pro-
babilities were all in favour of his client, who was a
young man of unblemished honour, highly re-
spectable connexions, and in a situation of life
which placed him far above the temptation of a
paltry theft, When the Magistrates remembered
that of all human evidence that of identity was the
most fallacious, lie was quite sure that lie would
construe the Act of Parliament in its most liberal
sense, and give Mr. Green the benefit which was in-
tended for persons under similar circumstances.
Lord Moyreoen and the Rev. Mr. LANDON, who
who assisted Mr. Minshull on the Bench, were of
opinion that the case was one which came within
the provisions of Sir Robert Peel's Act, and Mr.
MINSIIULL having coincided in their view, admitted
Mr. Green to bail, himself in 1,0001., and two
sureties in the sums of 5001. each.
Mr. Sweet immediately offered himself as one of
the sureties, observing that he was so convinced of
Mr. Green's innocence, that he would willingly be-
come his bail for ten times the amount, and a gentle-
man of the firm of Pellatt and Green came forward
with a like willingness, and was accepted as the
other surety.
Mr. Breen then left the office with his friends,
and the prosecutrix and witnesses received the usual
forma! notices to attend the next sessions of the
peace for the county of Middlesex, and then and
there prefer a bill, and give evidence against the pri-
soner for the felony with which he stands charged.

LAMBETH-STREET.
On Wednesday evening Lea brought before Mr.
NORTON three females,who are in the habit of attend-
ing lag-fair, and who stated the following import-
ant particulars relative to the murder of Mrs. W :d-b,
and
and a female, who passed as his stand corn-
piirperration of which Edward Cook
etodr
mrtt
to take their trial at the ensuing sessions,
Old atik the
y. One of the female,,, who gave bet
name as Mary Sabel!, said that about nine or ten
weeks ago a female, who went by the name 01

Cook, and who was at present in custody, came to
her stall in Rag-fair, and offered for sale a pair of
grey knitted worsted stockings and two caps, which
she purchased from her. The stockings were of a
peculiar kind, and were darned at the heels with
white worsted; and one of the caps was a musi
one, with a narrew lace edging, and was of a pre-
cisely similar pattern and kind as the one produced.
In a few days afterwards Mrs. Cook called on her
again, and showed her a plum-colour,•d figured pet,i.
coat, a linen shift with a patch on, and some white
cotton thread, tapes, and stay-laces, the latter of
which were rolled up in a piece of blue piper, which
she wanted her to buy, but she declined doing so,
and recommended her to the two females present,
who were likely to do so. Mrs. Cook, when offer-
ing these things, appeared cautious in showing them,
and said that the did not wish everybody to see
them, or that persons should know that she dig-
posed of such things. On the morning on which
Mrs. Cook was apprehended, she offered her for sale
the pocket now produced, and a child's cap, but she
refused to purchase them.
Anne Chennell said, that on the Friday morning
on which Mrs. Cook was apprehended, she bought
from her the pocket now produced, which she sub-
sequently disposed of, a boy's shirt, and a child's
cap. She had also seen her offer for sale the articles
described by the last witness.
Mary Hayes also saw Mrs. Cook offer the articles
for sale at different times. The pocket produced
she could positively swear to as being the one di-.-
posed of by Mrs. Cook, from an iron-mould on one
of its corners.

Lea said that the pocket produced he bad a short
time before received from Mr. Elder, a gentleman
belonging to the Ordnance Department in the
Tower, whose servant had purchased it some time
since from Mrs. Chennell, in Rag-fair, Elsemarv-lane.
Mary Buton, the grand-daughter of Mrs. Walsh,
identified the pocket produced as one which she
had herself made for her grandmother, and which
she was in the habit of wearing. She also said that
the petticoat, stockings, and shift described by the
preceding witness, as being offered for sale by Mrs.
Cook, were precisely the same as those worn by her
grandmother at the time she was missed. She
further stated thut the old lady always had a quan-
tity of cotton thread, laces, and tapes, which she
carried about for sale, and which she kept folded in
a piece of blue paper.
Mr. NORTON asked Mrs. Sabell if she was aware
who the person was to whom she had sold the
stockings which she had purchased from Mrs. Cook;
and she replied in the negative.
Mr. NORTON remarked, that the evidence of these
witnesses would be very important in the ca,e, and
riliiested that they would attend, when the
prisoners would be brought up, in order that the
testimony which they had to give might be taken
in their presence.
Lea communicated to Mr. Norton that, accord-
ing to his directions, he had the body of the female,
Catherine Walsh, who had died in the London
Hospital, exhumed, and though it had been interred
‘ince the 24th of September, the features were suf-
ficiently distinct to be sworn to as being the person
who had been sent there from the Ijoxton work-
hou,e, but both the grand-daughters of Caroline
Walsh (the female who is stated to have been
Burkett) denied all knowledge of her, and say that
she bore not the slightest resemblance to their re-
lative.