The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-07 00:00:00

from the New Prison, Cl.srken well, and again placed at
he bar before Mr. Bingham, for further examination.
It will be recollected that when the charge against
Mrs. Reid was made at this office on the 19th of last
month, that respectable female was remanded ; but sub-
sequently, on the horrors which she was likely to endure
by her obstinacy in declaring her total innocence of the
charge, (such as an incarceration of a fortnight while
the prosecutor would be in the country, or a commit-
tal to Newgate, and the very probable chance of trans-
portation,) being pictured to her by an office: belonging
to the court, she paid the thirteen sovereigns, which
amount, it was alleged, she bad stolen from the prose-
cutor. The circumstances would have rested here,
and Mrs. Reid would not only have lost her money but
her character had not the circumstances gained pub-
licity, and the result had been the bringing to light some
of the most scandalous and nefarious tricks pract'sed
upon weak females. As on the previous occasion, Mr.
Pelham, attended fur the prosecution, and Mr. Downes
fur the prisoner.
At the request of the latter gentleman Mrs. Reid
was recalled, and in reply to his questions she said that,
from the time of his making the charge against her at
the Court until lie was taken into custody, she had no
communication directly or indirectly with the prisoner.
She also said it was not true that the prisoner had
slept in her bed at her house in Bedford-street, nor did
he ever sleep there at all. Previous to her going to
live in Bedford-street she resided in Heath-street, and
Langdale-street, Commercial-road.
Mr. Downs—When you lived in Heath-street did
you know a person named Andrew Anderson ? Mrs.
Reid—Yes, unfortunately.
Mr. Downs—What did you know about him ? Mrs.
Reid—Nothing further than that he owes me 5/.,
which I unfortunately lent him.
Mr. Downs—Did his wife ever come to your house,
and find her husband and you in bed together ? Mrs.
Reid (indignantly) —No.
Did Mrs. Anderson ever come to your house to com-
plain of your harbouring her husband? Mrs. Reid—
Certainly not. Mrs. Anderson, who is now dead, and
myself were on the most friendly terms.
Mr. Downs—. When you lived in Langdale-street,
did you know two persons of the name of Edlim and
Wm. Anderson ? Mrs. Reid—l did not.
Mr. Downs—Did any persons of the names I have
mentioned visit you for certain purposes at your house
in Langdale-street? Mrs. Reid—Certainly not.
Mr. Downs here said he had to apply to the Magis-
trate for a summons against those parties.;
Mr. BINGHAM replied that such testimony would not
be admissible. If the witness stated anything in the
course of cross-examination that was not correct, he
(Mr. Downs) would be at liberty to indict her for per-
jury, if he thought proper.
Mr. Pelham applied to have the statement wade by
the prisoner at this office when he charged Mrs. Reid.
Mr. BINGHAM did not think that this was necessary.
The witness, Mrs. Reid, had distinctly sworn that she
had not robbed him or done anything of the sort, rind
that ho thought was sufficient for the present inquiry.
Besides, the Court was in possession of the facts.
Miss Mary Ann Barton, a very good-looking young
woman, was next called, and examined by Mr. Pelham.
She stated that she was a single woman, and re-
sided at 13, Sydney-street, Commercial-road, and had
known the prisoner about a year and a half by the name
of George Thompson, and never knew him by any other
name. She first met him in the Commercial-road, at
about six o'clock in the evening, when he escorted her,
and after some conversation he asked her for her address,
which she gave him. He subsequently used to call
upon her at her sister's, but nothing improper took
place between them during his visits. The prisoner
subsequently visited her at the house of Mrs. Reid.
Mr. Pelrnan—Were his visits visits of courtship? Wit-
ness—Yes.
Mr. Pelham—What did he describe himself as ?
Witness—As a widower, and said he lodged in Bedford-
square. He never asked her, that she recollected, about
the property of Mrs. Reid, nor had she seen him in
Mrs. Reid's bed or bed-room. In her cross-examination
she positively denied that there was any improper inti-
macy between her and the prisoner. It was nut usual
with her to give her address to any person she met with,
but she had done so on the present occasion. In con-
versation she told the prisoner how her sister was situ-
ated,
and he said he pitied her, and would call and see
her ; and he did call about four or five days after.
Since that time she had discovered that the prisoner was
a married man, and had been married at the time he
paid his addresses to her as a widower.
Miss Ann Dye, the neice of Mrc. Reid, stated that
she had been standing at the door with her aunt on the
night of the 18th of last month, when the prisoner came
up and got into conversation with Mrs. Reid ; while in
the kitchen the prisoner took liberties with her by put-
ting his hand into her bosom, and she slapped his face and
broke his pipe. The prisoner shortly after took his right
shoe off, and said it was late, and he should stop there
that night ; and on her aunt telling him that he could
not, as she had no accommodation for him, he put his
shoe on again, and almost immediately afterwards said
he had lost his purse. Rs subsequently called the pollee,
but at the same time wanted to get out, but she held
him to prevent his doing so, and insisted upon his being
searched also ; and in the struggle to keep him back
she tore his coat. She did not observe her aunt sit
on the knee of the prisoner, and was sure she did not
do so except once, when she was pulled upon it by the
prisoner himself: When she was returning with the
last bottle of wine she saw the prisoner coining from
the direction of his own residence, and go into Mrs.
Reiti's house with her. This witness was cross-ex-
amined at some length, but nothing particular was
elicited.
Mrs. Ann Patterson, a widow lady, residing at No.
16, May's-pond, in the Borough, on being sworn, de-
posed that about four years ago she became acquainted
with the prisoner, by his taking apartments at her then
residence, in Tratalgar-square, Stepney.
Mr. Pelham—Now, Mrs. Patterson, I wish to ask
you if, before the prisoner took apartment; at your
house, three persons in the garb of females did not call
at your house to view your rooms? Witness—Yes.
Mr. Pelham—Now, I wish to ask you if you noticed
anything peculiar in the appearance and manner of
those people, and whether, in point of fact, you did not
suspect one of them to be a man in woman's attire ?
Witness—Yes, I did.
Mr. Pelham—Then state to the Magistrate whit
that was.

Witness—Why, one of them was very tall ; he had
a handkerchief tied up over the chin, and when they
were coming down stairs the other two said she was
very near-sighted. This induced her (witness) at the
turning on the stairs to put her hands round the waist
of the tail figure, and then she discovered that it was
a man, or, at least, she strongly suspected it to be so.
The prisoner came to live at her house some time after.
when he represented his name to be Wilson, and said
he was a widower. Soon afterwards he professed a vio-
lent attachment to her, offered her marriage, and a day
was subsequently appointed for the wedding, her wed-
ding dresses purchased, and cards with the name Mr.
and Mrs. Wilson printed.—(Laughter.) While at
her house the prisoner on one occasion dressed himself
in her servant's gown and her bonnet, and his appear-
ance then bore so strong a resemblance to the figure
she had before described as one of the party coming to
look at the house, that she felt almost satisfied it was
the same. The prisoner remained at her house about
eight months, and during that time had borrowed from
her 173/. in cash at different times, representing that
it was to pay his men—that he could not at the time
draw money from the bank—that he had a vessel at
sea and houses in Devonshire, and down to the present
moment she could not get a shilling from him.
Mr. Pelham—You were induced to g;ve him this
money from his having expressed his determination to
marry you, and his having professed to have a ship at
sea and houses in Devonshire ? Witness—Yes, Sir,
certainly.
Mr. Pelham—Then have you since found out that
he was a married man at the time ? Witness—Yes.
The witness further stated that the wife of the prisoner
and the prisoner afterwards came to her house and so
annoyed her that she left the neighbourhood.
Mr. Downs—Now, Mrs. Patterson, is it true that
you sent for the prisoner, by his own daughter,. while
you were ill, to come to see you, and said that if he did
not came you would die ? Mrs. Patterson—No, I did
not ; but while I was ill the prisoner came as far as my
bed-room door to know what was the matter with me.
Thomas Watkins, a barman at the Crown and An_
chor, in Storey-street, Stepney, said he recollected the
day on which Mrs. Reid was b'ronght to this office, .nd
on the night before he saw the prisoner at the house of
his master. lie had a glass of gin and water in the par-
lour, and paid the lad for it
and left about eleven
o'clock. On the following
if he had not given half-a-sovereign on the night before
to the lad. morning he called and asked

No. 2, Limekile-hill,
Mrs. Maria Harris, the wife of Robert Harris, of
known the prisoner at the bar about eleven or twelve
Limelouse, deposed to having
years, during which time he went by the different names
of Cummings, Vincent, Beer, and Thompson. He
lodged at her house, and from time to time borrowed
money from her, and owed her at the present time as
much as 451. He once charged her with stealing money
from him, on a Sunday morning, when he got in a great
passion, and said he had been robbed of seventeen shil-
lings. She denied the charge ; told him no person had
been to his room ; sent for a policeman, and after he
came, the prisoner fond the money ; the policeman was
not present when he found it ; this occurrence took place
about eight years ago. Io her cross-examination, the
witness admitted that, since this occurrence, both she
and her husband had given the prisoner money, but it
was in the hope of being able to get what he owed
them.
At this stage of the proceedings, Mr. Downs, on be-
half of the prisoner, addressed the Magistrate at some
length. He complained of the case being reported in
the public papers until it had been concluded ; and said
that its publication had prevented a respectable person,
who had long known the prisoner, from bailing him.
Mr. BiNnitAm replied, that he had no control in the
matter. He then desired the officer Shelwell, who had
been mixed up in the affair, and whose conduct had