The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-25 00:00:00

CLERKENWELL.

A young man, about twenty 3 ears of age, who stated
his name to be John Thompson, but who the police knew
to have several aliases, was charged with the following
daring and impudent robbery:—
Mr. Hunt stated that he resided next to the shop of Mr.
J. Lockyer, in Suffolk-street, St. James's-walk, Clerken-
well, and about seven o'clock on Wednesday evening,
as he was standing at his own door, he observed the pri-
soner, accompanied by another man, standing close to
Mr. Lockyer's window, when the prisoner's companion
with as little noise as possible broke one of the panes of
glass, while the prisoner held his hands under it to pre-
vent the noise it would cause by falling to the ground.
They then took two large ingots of metal from the
shelves inside the window, with which they walked away
in different directions; and as the prisoner passed wit-
ness's shop the latter made an attempt to seize him,
when he ran off very rapidly, but, was eventually stop-
ped by a constable, who found the ingot of metal pro-
duced lying near the door of the shop.
Mr. Lockyer having identified the metal, the prisoner,
who declined making any defence at present, was fully
committed for trial.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Dominic Sweenie, a shoemaker, lodging at 36, Thomas-
street, Grosvenor-square, was charged by his wife with
assault an] brutal treatment.

The complainant said her husband came home on
Wednemlay night about ten o'clock, and dragged her
down the first floor stairs, s•ruek her several blows about
the head, cut open her cheek below the eye, and made
her mow h and nose bleed. They live on the ground
&Jur, but when he knocked at the door she ran up stairs
in terror, hoping to escape him, as he had often threat-
ened to take her life, and had abused her frequently.
The landlord of the house corroborated the evidence
of the woman.

Police-constable C 56 said he was called in and saw
the blood, but thinking it would soon be made up again
he went out. However, screams of murder were heard
before he had left the locality, and be broke into the
kitchen, where he saw the woman down on the fhor,
the man above her with his knees on her chest, and his
hands grasping her throat, in the act of strangling her.
The defendant admitted he struck her.

Mr. LONG said he was sorry that he could not inflict
a punishment more adequate to the offence, but he would
pronounce the severest sentence which was allowed him,
and that was, that the prisoner should pay a fine of 51.,
or go to the House of Correction for two months.

Benjamin Squires was charged with stealing a decanter
of sherry wine from Mr. Hodgon's bar, at the corner of
C h a rles-s tree:, Oxford-street.
Charles Bonham said, he was standing at the bar
between eleven and twelve o'clock on Wednesday night,
and the prisoner entered, deliberately bent over the
bar, removed the decanter, and walked off with it. As
he was going out, he said to him, Stop, where are you
going with that?" and the prisoner immediately ran.
Police constable, F 124, took the prisoner with the
decanter under his coat.
He was committed for trial.
,SOUTHWARK.

ROBBERY AT A RAILAYAY TERMINUS.—Sarah Sears,
a young woman of respectable appearance, was charged
with having stolen a purse containing 13s. 21, the pro-
perty of Mrs. Ann Oliver, of Norfolk-street, Park-lane,
at the terminus of the Greenwich Railway.
The complainant stated, that at half• past ten o'clock yes-
teaday morning she went to the London-bridge terminus,
and in paying. her fare to Greenwich, had occasion to
take out her purse, which she returned again to her
pocket as she supposed. She then proceeded towards the
platform, and before she got up to the train she missed
her purse, and on looking round, observed the prisoner
close at her heels. She addressed the prisoner, asking
her if she had found a purse, but she at once answered in
the negative, adding that she knew nothing about it, and
she walked along, and took her seat in one of the car-
riages. The complainant suspecting the prisoner, went
up to Inspector Woodcock, and mentioned her suspicions
to him, and they proceeded together to the carriage in
which the prisoner had taken her seat.
Inspector Woodcock stated, that when he questioned
the prisoner, she exhibited considerable alarm, and after
some time said she would give it up to the owner if she
promised not to proceed against her. No promise, how-
ever, was held out to her, and she was then taken from
the carriage to the inspector's room, and there she pro-
duced the purse and its contents, which she pulled out
of one of her stockings which was fastened round her
leg with her elastic garter. She was then given into
custody.
The prisoner, who trembled and was dreadfully agi-
tated, begged for mercy, saying she was of a respectable
family, and that she never intended to have committed a
robbery. She said as she passed through the wicket at
the terminus, immediately behind the lady who preferred
the charge against her, she (the prisoner) felt something
adhering to the floss silk border of her shawl, and finding
it was a purse she confessed that, instead of making the
fact known as she ought to have done, she deposited it
in her stocking.
Lewis Pelham, alias Simpson, and Henry Knowles, were
charged before Mr. Seeker with being engaged in an
illicit distillery, in Charles-street, Blackfriars-road.

Pargeter, an officer of Excise, stated that, having re-
ceived information that a private distillery, on an extensive
scale, was in full operation at a house in the above street,
he went there the preceding afternoon, and by stratagem
obtained entrance, accompanied by another officer. They
discovered both the prisoners in the apartment in which
the distillation was going forward, and the still contained
20 gallons of spirits, besides tubs containing 500 gallons
of wash.

Pelham admitted that he rented the premises of a man
named Rogers ; and the other prisoner said he was en-
gaged by the former as a day labourer to attend the fires.
When 'the latter, however, was brought into the
presence of the magistrate he contended that as he was
not actually found aiding and assisting in the illegal
proceedings he was nut therefore liable under the Act
of Parliament to any punishment. He was informed
that his presence in the still-room justified his being
treated as an accomplice in the offence, a fact with
which he seemed to be quite surprised. In the course of
the examination it was stated that the revenue was
defrauded of a considerable sum by the above defend-
ants, both of whom were fined 301. each, and in default
of payment were cosnmitted for three months.

The complainant, in reply to Mr. SECKER, said that it
was her impression she must have dropped the purse in
returning it to her pocket, and that it was not taken out
by the hand of the prisoner. Under all the circum-
stances she did not wish to press the charge against the
prisoner.
Mr. SECKER said that, as the complainant had inter-
ceded in her behalf, he should, therefore, instead of send-
ing the prisoner for trial, inflict a penalty of 51. on her
for unlawful possession, and in default of payment commit
her for one month's imprisonment.