The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-15 00:00:00

WORSHIP-STREET

Oa Saturday Anne Williams, a middle-aged woman
of repulsive appearance, was charged with stealing
four sovereigns, two half•sovereigns, and a pocket-
book from the person of a portly respectable-looking
man named Phillips, who described himself as a dealer
in plate in John-street, Whitechapel.
The prosecutor stated, that while on his way home,
through Commercial-street, Spitalfields, between six
and seven o'clock on the preceding evening, he was
accosted by the prisoner, with whom he entered into
conversation, and who ultimately induced him to
accompany her to her lodgings in an adjoining street.
He was shown into a very wretched apartment, and
while considering whether he would stop there or
not the prisoner contrived to adroitly thrust her hand
into one of the pockets of his trousers, and take out
his money, amounting to the sum abovementioned.

He instantly seized her by the hand, in which he
distinctly heard the gingling of gold, and attempted
to force the money from her, but she rapidly trans-
ferred it to her mouth, and although he firmly
grasped her by the throat, in which he could plainly
feel one of the sovereigns, and use his best efforts to
compel her to disgorge it, she struggled herself away
from him, and succeeded in swallowing the whole of
the money. Witness upon this ran to the street-door
and called fOr a policeman, into whose custody he gave
her, and she was conveyed to the station-house, where,
while preferring. the charge, he discovered that he had
lost his pocket-book also, containing a pair of gold
earrings and some valuable old coins, which was safe
in his breast pocket when he first met the prisoner ;
but although she had been closely searched by the
woman appointed for that purpose, none of the pro-
perty had been found.

When called upon for her defence, the prisoner
denied having swallowed the sovereigns, or even seen
the pocket-book, and declared that the only portion
of the prosecutor's money that she had had was one
shilling, which he had himself voluntarily given her;
but this was, of course, refuted by the prosecutor, and
the 1112gistrate therefore ordered her to be brought up
again next week, and directed that in the mean time
the peculiar factg of the case should be communicated
to the prison authorities.
iVilliarn Tereday, a tradesman in the Cambridge-
road, near the Eastern Counties Railway, was charged
by his wife with violently assaulting her.
The wife, a respectable-looking woman, but who
bore the marks of recent ill-usage on her face, stated
that the defendant, mho for a long time past had been
almost incessantly intoxicated, got up early in the
morning,and demanded money for gin; she evaded
the request, and tried to persuade him not to have it,
upon which he swore at and abused her, and flung a
crockery dish at her head. The missile fortunately
missed her and was smashed to pieces against the wall,
and while she was making her way to the door to
escape he seized a loaf and levelled that at her head
also, but that likewise missed her, smashed through a
pane of glass, and fell into the street. He continued
" raving about" for an hour, and she at last gave him
money for gin, which he drank and went to bed, but
came down in a few minutes, and insisted upon
more gin ; she refused him, upon which he beat her
shamefully with his fists, and sending out for the
spirits, obtained it upon rcredit, and drank it. He
continued this course all through the day, alter-
nately drinking, swearing, and ill-using her, until
11 or 12 o'clock at night, when he made another de-
mand of money for a fresh supply of gin, and on her
declining to furnish him with it threatended to pitch
her down the stairs and break her neck. She at last
consented to give him a sixpence, which he spent in
as much gin as he could get for it; but when this had
been drunk he renewed his violence towards her in
such a fearful manner that she felt her life was not
safe in his hands, and she was ultimately compelled
to seek the protection of the police. She did not so
much want him punished, notwithstanding his treat-
ment of her, as to have him bound over to insure her
own safety.
The prisoner, who scarcely seemed sober even
while before the magistrate, gave a general denial to
all that his wife had stated, but the charge was too
clearly established to admit of a doubt, and he was
ordered to find two sureties in 201. each to keep the
peace towards his wife for one month, or be com-
mitted in default ; and in addition to enter into his
own recogniamaces in 401. to be of good behaviour for
the next three months; and, not being able to find it,
was removed in the van.
LAMBETIL

On Saturday Robert Yutes, master shoemaker,
was charged by Mr. Peacock, boot manufacturer,
Walworth-road, with inciting the errand boy, in
the service of the complainant, to rab him of boots
and shoes.

Mr. Peacock said, that having found he was robbed,
he discovered that his errand boy conveyed a quantity
of property, consisting of leather boots and shoes to
the prisoner's shop, and on being questioned the lad
confessed that the prisoner gave him Is. a pair for
men's shoes, and 6d. for women's shoes.

The prisoner admitted having purchased some of
the property.
He was remanded.
WANDS WORTH.

On Saturday Anne Johnson was charged by the
Rev. Edward Whitley, incumbent of Somers-town
Chapel, near Wandsworth, with endeavouring to ob-
tain charitable contributions by fraud.
The prosecutor stated, that the prisoner represented
to him her distress, with the letter produced. In order
to judge of her want, he went with her towards
Dunse-hill, where she stated she lived, but after a long
ramble the prisoner admitted that all she had said
was false. After some resistance he obtained the
letter from her. It bore the signatures of Mr. Thomas
Cubitt, Miss Champion, and Mr. Sanderson, all of
which were forgeries.
The magistrate committed the prisoner for a month
to gaol.

THE, ATTEMPTED MURDER AND
SUICIDE AT READING.
In addition to the intelligence respecting this
dreadful occurrence which appeared in our Saturday's
impression, we take the following particulars from
the Observer :—" The name of the wretched author
of the tragedy is James Hersey. He has for some
years past been in the employ of Mr. Rimell, vete-
rinary surgeon and shoeing smith, of Friar-street,
Reading, and until lately resided with his wife and
four children (all boys) in a court running out of
London-street. About six week s since he removed
with his family to a house in East-street, the scene
of the horrible occurrence. From the ;testimony of
parties well acquainted with the deceased, it appears
that for some time past he has entertained a suspicion
of his wife's fidelity ; indeed, he has publicly charged
her with having had illicit intercourse with an old
gentleman on whom she was in the habit of attending
as charwoman. His accusations were always empha-
tically denied by his wife, and it is ascertained that
there never was the slightest ground of suspicion against
her. However, quarrels have frequently arisen between
them, and it is only a few weeks since that the de-
ceased man was brought before the magistrates, and
held to bail to keep thepeace towards his wife. During
the past fortnight the wretched man has almost en-
tirely neglected his work, stating as an excuse that
he was unwell. On Wednesday the keeper of a
beershop next door to his own house, having heard
that he was poorly, inquired how he was, upon which
he replied, There's nothing the matter with me,
Mrs. Nutt ; but I have seen things that are wrong,
and I have stayed at home to find them out.' Mrs.
Nutt told him that he must he wrong in his head to
imagine such a thing, on which the wretched man
observed, I'm right enough in my head ; there's
nothing the matter with me.' Yesterday he visited
this same house two or three times, and at one o'clock
took home a pint of beer for his own and his wife's
dinner. About four o'clock the wretched man and
his wife were heard quarrelling by the neighbours ;
and during the altercation deceased sent out his son
Charles, who had just come home from school, to
fetch his brother, then playing in the street. The
poor little fellow had just descended the flight of steps
in front of the house, when he heard a great noise be-
hind him, and looking back he saw his mother rush out
of the front door, followed by his father, who at the
same instant felled her to the earth with a poker which
he held in his hand. The poor woman fell senseless
outside, the wretched man retiring within the house,
and closing the door after him. The poor boy ran
immediately for assistance, and finding a police-
constable returned with him to the house. The
woman wa- found lying on the door-step in a pool of
blood, which was found flowing copiously from wounds
in her head. A surgeon was immediately sent for,
and she was removed to the hospital in an insensible
state. The constable, on ascertaining that the wretched
man had retired into the house, raised the door-latch,
and proceeded into the passage, at the further ex-
tremity of which he was horror-stricken at beholding
the assassin lying on his face and almost deluged in
blood. After groaning heavily twice, he expired in
the officer's presence. A medical examination dis-
covered that he had inflicted a frightful gash
across his throat, extending from ear to ear.
Mr. Houlton, the superintendent of the bo-
rough police, having by this time arrived, a care-
ful examination of the premises was made under his
superintendence. The first thing discovered was a
poker • this was lying just within the passage of the
house, and from its bent appearance gave dreadful
evidence of the violent manner in which it had been
used. In one of the back rooms there was discovered
lying on the floor, the deceased's neckerchief, and on
a table in the same apartment an empty razor-case.
Mr. Houlton then endeavoured to trace, by the marks
of blood, the manner in which deceased had effected
his object. The appearances were such as to
leave little doubt that the- wretched man, after
having knocked down his wife, closed the door, and
supplying himself with a razor went into a shed or
out-house in the back yard, and there inflicted the
first gash. From this place he appears to have walked
half-way across the yard, where, from the large
quantity of blood which has escaped, he is supposed
to have made the final gash. The wretched man then
threw down the razor on the pavement, and attempted
to return into the house, but in so doing he seems to
have stumbled against the door-sill and fallen head-
long into the passsage, the position in which he was
found. The wretched woman, though still alive, has
continued in an insensible state since the dreadful .
occurrence, and on inquiry last evening, was stated
that she was in a very precarious state ; indeed, from
the dreadful nature of the wounds she has sustained,r
her recovery seems altogether improbable. 'The poor
creature is nearly ten years older than her husband,
has a hare lip, and is altogether destitute of any per-
sonal attractions ; therefore the fatal suspicions which
her husband seems to have entertained are the more
remarkable. Mr. Blandley, the borough coroner,
has appointed the inquest on the deceased for Monday

next, and it is said that some letters have been dis-
covered in the house which wi;l thiow a light on the
case when it comes before this functionary. The de-
ceased had four children, the eldest of whom is 16
years of age."