The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-04 00:00:00

The LORD MAYOR—The right owner shall do as he
pleases with that. _ _ _

Prisoner—Then I suppose you'll order him to give me
up my two bob.
the LORD MAYOR—No. But you shall have your two
months.—(Great laughter.) Ho stands committed to the
treadmill for two months.

Prisoner—That's hard, my Lord. I'm very sorry
you put such a wrong construction upon the affair. This
is a nice business. I'm robbed of my money kind my
fish, and then I'm sent to the mill.—(Laughter.)—Com-
mitted.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Mr. William Cryis, the landlord of the Bull public-
house, in Great Windmill-street, Haymarket, was
brought up on a warrant, charged with committing a rape
upon Sarah Stevens, the wife of William Stevens, of No.
1, Angel-court, Great Windmill-street, porter.
Mr. White, of No. 2, Hatton-garden, solicitor, at-
tended on the behalf of the prisoner. The prosecutrix,
who was an ordinary.looking woman, about 35 years of
age, stated, that she had been in the habit of going to
the prisoner's house for the last two or three weeks for
beer, and occasionally borrowed a newspaper. On Thurs-
day, between two and. three o'clock, the prisoner called
at her lodgings for a newspaper she had. Her husband
was out at the time. She first spoke to the prisoner at
the street door, and -,On her going down stairs he fol-
lowed her, uninvited, -into the front kitchen, which was
the room she occupied. Ile shut the door after him, and
asked her if she had any children; and on her replying
that she had not any living, he took off his hat and put
it on the table, and then seized her in his armq,
and forced her against a bed that was folded
up on an arm-chair. The prisoner then went away ;
and in a short time afterwards her husband came in,
and seeing the room in confusion, and that she was
crying, he questioned her as to the cause, and on her
hesitating to tell him, he seized a razor, and swore that
he would cut her throat if she did not inform him of the
whole truth, and fearing that ho would actually carry
his threat into execution, she related all that had passed,
and by her husband's desire she came to this office, and
obtained a warrant against the prisoner.
The prosecutrix underwent a strict and searching
cross-examination by Mr. White, in the course of which
she denied that she had ever given the prisoner any en-
couragement to take liberties with her.
Mr. White, on the part of the defence, said that he was
instructed that this was a conspiracy between the prose-
cutrix and her husband to extort money from the pri-
soner ; and, in confirmation of this, called two witnesses,
who deposed, in the course of Thursday evening that the
husband of the prosecutrix called at the prisoner's house,
and offered to compromise the matter, but the prisoner
refusing to have any thing to say to him, he went away,
threatening that he would have him up before a Magistrate.
The husband strongly denied this.
Mr. HARDWICK said he had made up his mind to send
the case to a jury, and he should, therefore, commit the
prisoner to take his trial at the present sitting of the Cri-
minal Court.
The prosecutrix and witnesses were then bound over
to appear on the trial, and the prisoner was immediately
removed to Newgate.
HATTON-GARDEN.
Thomas Lawrence, formerly head-waiter to the Pier
Hotel, Gravesend, was brought before Mr. Greenwood
in the custody of Robert Hambling, a City policeman„
No. 539, and placed at the felon's bar, charged by Tho-
mas Reynolds James, a one-armed men, under the fol-
lowing extraordinary circumstances :
The prisoner, who was apprehended in the City, was
taken before the Lord Mayor, at the Mansion-house,
who referred the case to this Court for examination. It
may be recollected, that, about two years ago, a plate
robbery was committed at the Pier Hotel, Gravesend,
whilst the prisoner was engaged there as head-waiter.
Subsequently a man, named Rayner, a jeweller,
was apprehended, under very suspicious circum-
stances, with the property in his possession, by
George Collier, a constable of the E division, who
has been since dismissed from the force for mis-
conduct. Rayner was fully committed for trial upon the
evidence of the prisoner and Collier, who at that time
was considered to be an indefatigable, intelligent, and
honest officer, and the prisoner Rayner, being tried and
convicted at the Old Bailey, was sentenced to six months'
imprisonment, with hard labour in the House of Cor-
rection. Whilst in prison, however, he was informed by
one of the prisoners that he had been concerned with
James in concocting plans for the purpose of entrapping
innocent persons, and charging them with felonies and
other circumstances, which led him to be satisfied that he
had been the victim of James and Collier, the latter of
whom he caused to be apprehended and brought to
this Court, and charged before Mr. Bingham,
who sat for Mr. Greenwood. On that occasion,
a poor simple boy, named Mickle, who had been en-
trapped, and convicted at the Old Bailey, attended and
stated circumstances to show that a system had been
carried on similar to the " blood money system" adopted
by Brock, Pelham, and Vaughan, which excited so much
interest many years ago. James, Rayner, and Mickle
being attained witnesses, Collier was discharged. On
that cccasion it was alleged that the prisoner Lawrence
was eonnected with the robbery at the Pier Hotel, and
he was apprehended on the charge of James, who, being
sworn, stated that he was formerly a harness maker, but
having lost the use of his arm, he now got his living by
making horses' nose bags. George Collier, an ex-con-
stable of the E division, was charged at this Court on the
22d of January, 1840, with having received four silver
table spoons and two silver forks, the property of Mr.
Cornet, the proprietor of the Pier Hotel, Gravesend,
knowing them to be stolen, when he was discharged.
Mr. GREENWOOD asked whether the circumstances of
the case could be explained to him by anybody?
The Chief Clerk said that a man of respectable ap-
pearance, an apparent traveller, entered the Pier Hotel
and ordered dinner, and whilst it was preparing he went
out to take a walk. The table was laid out with the ar-
ticles of plate which were subsequently stolen. The pri-
soner, it appeared, afterwards came to London, and some
letters passed between him and Collier, which came under
the notice of James, who was concerned with Collier in
the apprehension and conviction of a man named Rayner,
who purchased the property stolen.
Mr. GREENWOOD inquired whether Collier was not
the same person who was suspected at this Court with
dog stealing, when he cried like a child.
He was answered in the affirmative, and informed that
he was a stout big-headed man, who was always charging
persons with robbery, and he was thought so clever and
active, that he was employed without uniform to trace
and apprehend offenders. He was now an inspector upon
the Brighton Railway, which situation he procured
through the influence of the Duke of Rutland's butler.
Mr. GREENWOOD expressed his astonishment.
James cross-examined—l gave Collier into custody. On
the 22d or 28th of February, 1840. I went to Gravesend
by Collier's orders. When I landed on the pier, I saw
the prisoner Lawrence, who beckoned to me, and when I
got up to him he turned his back to me, and held both
his hands behind him, and g ve me a card, which stated
that I was to go to Mrs Upton's, at the Sun public-house,
New-road, Gravesend.

Mr. GREENwooD—I caution you, that you need not
say anything to criminate yourself.
James—l come here to tell the truth, and if Ido crimi-
nate myself, I can't help it. After waiting in the par-
lour for half an hour, Lawrence came in and took me to
the Ship public-house, Wakefield-street, and told me to
remain there. I did so, and he returned in half an
hour, when he asked me for a handkerchief, and he tied
up a bundle, and ordered me to leave Gravesend by the
two o'clock steam vessel for London, and deliver it to
Collier.

By Mr. GREENWOOD.-4 met the prisoner casually.
He called on me five months ago, in consequence of
Collier's apprehension and examination at this Court
appearing in the newspapers. I told Sergeant Bren-
nan, of G division, that I believed Lawrence lived at
Gravesend. I met him this morning in Thames-street,
and gave him into custody. Had the curiosity to look
in the bundle when I got on board the steam-vessel, and
found it to contain four silver tablespoons and two silver
forks, marked with a small cross. I took them to Col-
lier's house, in Brighton-street, St. Pancras. Went
with him to a public-house in Rathbone-place, where
Collier gave me one of the spoons, and told me to take
it to Rayner's, in Crown-street, Soho, to ask him if he
purchased such articles. He said he did, and ho pur-
chased the property. He (Rayner) was afterwards taken
into custody by Collier, and brought to this Court.
Hambling, 539, City officer, stated that James, and a
man named O'Keefe, called and told him that they
wanted him to be on the watch to take the prisoner into
custody, and this morning James gave him into custody
in Thames-street ; he was quite unconcerned, and walked
quietly to the station-house.

- Jellies here said that if his evidence was suspected,
other respectable witnesses could be brought forward to
confirm him, if the prisoner were remanded.
It was here stated that a regular plan had been con-
cocted by James and Collier for the purpose of entrap-
ping parties. Collier did it for his own profit, and he
getting for himself the credit of being a valuable officer.
Several persons had been transported upon the evidence
brought forward by them.
This precious scamp then told a long cock-and-bull
story, tending to implicate the prisoner, but which no
one seemed to credit.

Mr. GREENWOOD said, under the circumstances, he
did not wish to send him to prison, but he would require
responsible bail for his appearance.
The solicitor's clerk said that the prisoner was respec-
table, and there was no doubt but he would attend upon
his own recognisance. His father was butler to Sir
William Curtis.

The prisoner said he had a wife and three children.
He lived in White Horse-street, Stepney, and now acted
as an occasional waiter at taverns.
Mr. Greenwood ordered him to be taken to the station-
house, and directed Inspector Penny, of the G division,
to accept responsible bail for his appearance this day
if it was offered. He was then taken to the station-imuse.
The Clerk asked James whether he was sure to be
present at the next examination. James—l'll be sure to
come forward. They have tried to do all they could
against me, and now I'll try the eause against them. He
then left the Court.

FREE TEA DE.—We are glad to learn that a
preliminary meeting of the friends of free trade will be
held at Eastwood's Hotel on Monday next, with a view
to the formation of an Anti-Monopoly. Association. Con-
sidering the vast interest which Liverpool has in free and
unrestricted commerce, and in its consequent extension,
we cannot help thinking that her merchants and traders
are a little late in the field, but it is better late than
never, and by extra energy, activity and zeal, they may
recover much of the ground which has been lost by de-
la?r, give additional strength and confidence to the friends
of the common cause, and strike dismay into the hearts
of its enemies. We cordially wish success to the move-
ment, and hope that men of all political parties amongst
our merchants and traders, who are suffering, though at
present in a less degree. from the same cause which has
laid our manufacturers low, will combine to advance its
Progress.