The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-15 00:00:00

LAMBETH._

James Spernmore, a middle-aged man, of rather re-
spectable appearance, was brought before Mr. Elliott,
for final examination, on various charges of obtaining
property, but particularly boots, by false representations.
The prisoner it appeared, by making inquiries in the
neighbourhood, obtained the names of several gentlemen
engaged in the middle of the day in the City ; and when
they were from home he called upon the servants, and
giving the name of some b.tottnaker, represented that he
had been sent for the boots to have them made water-
proof. By this means he managed to get some hundreds
of pairs of boots from servants in all the outlets of
London, but was at length apprehended at Camberwell,
with two pair of boots in his possession, which he had
just obtained.
He was committed for trial on six clear cases, these
being considered quite sofikiciit to Lrita.port,
THA ME S.

Thomas Cole, a tall young wan, who belongs to a

Whitechapel gang of thieves, was brought before Mr. •
Broderip, charged with breaking and entering the dwell-
ing-house of Mr. George Frederick Williams, an officer
belonging to the Wet India Dock, and s tealing a large
quantity of wearing apparel and other property.
It appeared from the evidence, that Mr. Williams and
his family left home at half-past seven o'clock on
Monday evening, and requested Mrs Brown, a neigh-
bour, to look after the baby, which was left in its cradle,
during their absence. Soon after nine o'clock Mrs.
Brown was going towards the house, No. 1, George-
street, Limehouse- fields, when she saw a light in the
front room up stairs. She put the key in the street-
door, and the light was immediately extinguished. The
woman called a young man, her nephew, to her assist-
ance, and directly they entered the house they heard a
noise up stairs and a jump. They called Mr. Williams,
and Mr. Knight, his tather-in-law, by name, but neither
of them answered; and concluding there was a thief in
the house, made all the haste they could into the first-
floor back room, where they saw a tall man, resembling
the prisoner, making his escape by the window. Before
they could seize him, he jumped into the yard below,
scaled a wall, and got into a garden at the rear of the
acljoinin,g premises. Au alarm was raised, and the in-
habitants were soon on the alert, and formed a cordon
so as to prevent the thief escaping. The fellow got over
several walls, and after being pursued for some time he
found his way into the yard at the back of the house,
No. I, Catherine-street, inhabited by Mr. Marshall, an
East India Company's messenger. Mr. Marshall was
seated in his parlour, when he heard his dog barking in
the backikitchen, and fearing an attempt was being made
to enter his dwelling, he went into the yard, and was
informed by his neighbours that there was a thief
secreted there. Mr. Marshall procured a light, and
upon opening the door of a privy, found the prisoner
there. He seized the prisoner, and detained him until
the police arrived. He had on two coats, which were
the property of Mr. Williams, and had been stolen from
his house. A silk handkerchief and a money box also
belonging to the prosecutor, was found in his pockets.
Two silk handkerchiefs which he had stolen were taken
off his neck. Overton and Prescott, policemen of the K
division, Nos. 43 and 75, afterwards proceeded to Mr,
Williams's house, and found it in a state of great confu-
sion. Everything had been disturbed, and several boxes
and drawers ransacked, and the contents removed. Se-
veral bundles containing wearing apparel, linen, arid
silk dresses were found both in the upper and lower
rooms, ready to be taken away, and if the thief had nut
been so opportunely disturbed, he would have carried
off a rich booty. The prisoner's boots were fitted to the
foot-marks in the grass and gardens he had passed over
in his retreat, and they corresponded exactly. A police-
man named James O'Connor afterwards made a farther
search, and discovered ten skeleton keys in the soil of
the outhouse whet e the prisoner was found. One of
them opened the street-door of Mr. Williams's house, and
another was applied to the lock of the bedroom, and
opened that also. O'Conner also found an old boot in
the soil, and in a yard adjoining the prosecutor's house
he picked up a blanket. Other evidence inculpating the
prisoner was given, and a strong case made out against
The prisoner, in defence, said he heard the cry of
thieves, and jumped over a wall in pursuit of them.
Mr. BRODIIRIP committed him for trial for burglary,
the offence having been committed after the clock struck
nine. •