The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-10 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-SRTEET.

Charles Dowding, assistant in the alamode-beef shop,
No. 4, Charles-street, was charged with attempting to
pick pockets in the crowd gathered about the Castle-
street barracks..
D. W. Thomas, assistant-shopkeeper, said he was in
the crowd which was liStening to the band, in Castle-
street barracks, on Sunday night, about nine o'clock, and
the defendant came alongside of him, and began to feel.
his pockets. He put his hand on his left breeches pocket,
and then walked round, and with his hand in his own
greatcoat-pocket felt his right breeches pocket
through the coat lining. Complainant without speaking
to the man, walked aside and informed a policeman of
what had occurred. He went back into the crowd and
the defendant returned, and after feeling his breeches
pocket, as before, attempted to insert his fingers into
his waistcoat pocket up beneath the breast of his coat,
which was buttoned at the time. He asked him what
he was feelini, his pockets for, but the defendant retired,
without speaking, across the 'strict; and when he saw
complainant speak to a policeman he ran.
Defendant—Did not I ask you what.) ou meant when
you spoke to me 7—Complainant said he did not return
any answer whatever. •
Thomas Brown, constable 131 A, said he advised the
complainant to return into the crowd and followed him.
He saw the defendant go behind him and feel his coat-
pocket, and then pass round to the right side and rub
complainant's right breeches pocket with the back of
his hand. The defendant walked from him to behind
two ladies and lifted up the dress of her on the right.
Leaving them he went behind a gentleman in the
crowd, where witness could observe his hands in motion,
but in a short time he. returned tothe complainant
whose breeches-pocket he again tried, and then at-
tempted to put up his fingers beneath the brea• t of
complainant's coat just at his waistcoat-pocket.
When charged by the complainant he said nothing
and ran as soon as he saw witness- coming towards him,
and when caught, in St. Martin's-lane, he said he had just
come up from Somersetshire.
The defendant denied the charge. •

Thomas Wolfe, the defendant's. master, gave him a
very good character •for steadiness aild honesty. He
said he had been in his house for eighteen months,
and was quite surprised to hear the charge made against
him.

Mi'. JARDINE said the conflict between the character of
the defendant and the charge, left the case in consider
able perplexity. He a,ked if the policeman was sure
the defendant was the man ?—The policeman said he was
quite sure ; he had no doubt about his identity.
Mr. JARDINE said he must send the case before a jury,
and ordered that the evidence of the police-constable
should be taken down on the depositions as fully as it
had been given before him.
The prisoner was admitted to bail, his master entering
into recognisances in 501. for his appearance at the
sessions.

James and Charles Stokes, two brothers, young men,
were charged with creaung a disturbance in the public-
house, 14, Crown court, and committing a severe assault
on a young boy, one of the spectators.
John Wilkie, the landlord of the house, said his house
was much pestered with the defendant Jaines Stokes,
who was idle, ill-disposed, and a drag upon his younger
brother. On Sunday night he had been drinking in the
house, and fell asleep there, and when his younger
brother Charles came to get him away, the other quar-
relled with him, and both fought most viciously.
A crowd was in consequence gathered round
the door, and Charles Stokes seeing them ran
out and struck right and left, to the serious injury of a
young boy in the crowd. The boy was kicked by the
defendant in the back, near the kidneys, and in the ribs,
so that it was feared some of his ribs were broken. Ile
was carried away last night very ill to the Charing
Cross Hospital.
The Magistrate inquired whether any one was present
to speak to the state of the boy, and on hearing that
there was no report from the hospital, remanded tha
prisoners till to morrow.