The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-06 00:00:00

I;WibOROUGH-STREET.

An elderly gentleman of fortune, who gave the name
of Wiley, 23, Holles-street, wa,s charged with having as-
saulted a youngnaannamed Davidson, The defendant was

tell you. •
The complainant declared that he had not even looked
at ire defendant, to his knowledge. The monomania of
the decemdant consists in the belief that strangers whom.
he meet; in the street are making faces at him.
Mr. HARDWre: fined the prisoner 51., or two months'
imprisonment. The defendant, who only heard the lat-
ter part of the sentence, Liemediately said, " lam ready
to go to prison, lead the way. The fine having been
mentioned, and the question put if he chose to pay it,
the defendant answered. " Certainly," and pulled out a
101. note. Having received the change,office,
he left the
exclaiming " I won't be mocked, ni be
if I do ;
things are come to a pretty pass?'
HATTON-GARDEN.
. ,
John Toomay, an ex-policeman, of the B dirisivn, was
charged with stealing property to the amount of 1004
under very extraordinary circumstances. It appetlred
from the evidence that the prisoner had been in the wee
ploy of Mr. 'Edward Wilkins, wholesale grocer and cone
fectioner, of St. John-street-road, Clerkenwell, and in re
short space of time he had removed from his master's
premises upwards of five tons weight of grocery, consist-
ing of sugar, plums, currants, rice, cinnamon, nutmegs,
and every other description of grocery ; besides a great
quantity of pickles and sauces. The discover,- of this
extensive depredation took place as follows :—On
Friday evening the accused was observed to conceal
upon his person a pound and a half of dried fruit, and
when about to leave off work, he was questioned as to
whether he had anything upon him ; he admitted th.'tt
he had, and begged for mercy, saying it was the first;
time he had committed any depredation. The prosecutor
was inclined to believe that it was his first offence, and
to let him off, but, upon reflection, he thought it a duty
he owed to himself, and in fact to his other servants, to
make a further investigation, and heave him over to
Inspector Penny, of the G division, who, after locking
him up, proceeded to the prisoner's house, where he found
the immense quantity of property already mentioned.
Me. Penny also found in the place aletter written by,the
prisoner to his sister, wherein he states his intention to
set up in business.
Mr. GrtzENwooD—Well he might think of setting up
in business. Why he has property enough to stock half
a dozen shops.
_—
Inspector Penny said the stolen goOs Ved a very large
cart, and it required two horses to draw the weight.
Mr. GrnEuxwoOD—Did the prisoner say anything ?
Insp,:cfor Penny—At first he said that I sloald not
find an 7 property at his house; but when he heard that
I had obtainej the quantity enumerated, he said he bad
taken it for a Chrietmee pudding.—(Laughter.)
Mr. GREENWOOD (0 the prosecutor)—How do you
suppose he got the property off ours premises ? Prose-
cutor—Through a private entiance t the back of my
warehouse.
Mr. GREENWOOD—Have you never missed property ?
Prosecutor—No, my stock is so very extensive, it would
be next to an impossibility.
Mr. GREENWOOD (to the prisoner)—Have you a wish
to say anything in your defence? Prisoner—Not at
present.—lle was fully committed to Newgate.
HATTON-GARDEN.
Thomas Lawrence, formerly headwaiter to the Pier
Hotel, Gravesend, was brought before Mr. Greenwood,
in the custody of Robert Rambling, a City policeman,
No. 539, and placed at the feloe's bar, charged by Tho-
mas Reynolds James, a one-armeel men,
lowing extraordinary circumstances :-- under the fol-
The prisoner, who was apprehended iti the City, was
taken before the ,Lord Mayor, at the lfaelsion-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, Grave: end,
whilst the prisoner was engaged there as e,ead-waieer.
Subsequently a man, named Rayner, a jeweller,
was apprehended, under very suspicious circum-
stances, with the property in his possessfOn, by
George Collier, a' constable of the E division, who
has been since dismissed from the force for keis-
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, lie 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 Miekle, who had been (en-
trapped, and convicted at the Old Bailey, attended and
stated cireumstancee, 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, Rarer, and Mickle
being attainted witnesses. Collier was discharged. On.
that cccasion it was alleged that the prisoner Lawrence
was connected 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 hint 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-
eicles 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
be 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 gave me a card, which stated
that I was to go to Mrs Up:on's, at the Sun public-house,
New-road, Gravesend.
Mr. GREENWOOD—I caution you, that you need not
say anything to criminate yourself.
James—fcome here to tell the truth and if I do crimi-
nate myself, I can't help it. After waiting in the
pea
tlohuersfhoirphpalufbanlic-hhoouurs,eL,
Lawrence
eeld-stree ine
Wakefield-street, mmeLto-
rema n there. I did so, and he returned in half an
hour, when he asked me for a handkerchief,
up a bundle, and ordered me to leave Gravesend by the
two o'clock steam ve
Collier. ssel for London, and deliver it to
By Mr. GREENWOOD.--I met the prisoner casually.
He called on me five. months ago, in consequence of
Collier's apprehe • nsion and examination at this Court
appe g nin 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 he 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 on Friday James gave him into custody
in Thames-street ; he was quite unconcerned, and walked
quietly to the station-house.
James 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 ho
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
ono seemed to credit.
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 w
respec-
table, and there was no doubt but he wouldattendas
his own recognisance. His father was _ upon
b
William Curtis. butler to Sir
The prisoner said he had a wife and three children.
He lived in White Horse-street, Stepney,
as an occasional waiter at taverns. and now acted
Mr. Greenwood ordered him to be take
station-
house, and directed Inspector Pe nto the
nny, of the G division,
to accept responsible bail for his a
if it was offered. He was then taken appearance this day
The
:clerk
asked James whether the station-house.
present at the next examination. he was sure to be
come forward. They have tried James—l'll be sure to
to• do all they could
against me, and now I'll try th
then left the Court. the cause against them. He

BULL
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BARRACKS AND ISULLETS BREAD.,
Our Glossop correspondent says—" It seems Sir Robert
Peel has at last considered his measures, for barracks are
now being built at Ashton-under-Lyne which will accom-
modate 3,000 soldiers. So it appears we are to have
barracks instead of workhouses, and bullets instead of
bread "—,Derbyshire Chronicle.

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