The Sun.
London, England, 1833-01-22 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

LAMBETH-,STREET.
Yesterday Mr. Davis, an extensive sugar refiner,
waited on the sitting Magistrates at this office,
Messrs. HARDWICK and WALKER, and stated that
durirg the preceding night an attempt had been
made to break into his sugar-house, in Rupert-
street, in the vicinity of this office. The thieves
had, by a large crowbar or some such instrument,
wrenched off a large padlock and the outward fas-
tenings of the front door, and then endeavoured to
force it open. Being well secured on the inside
with bolts and bars, it resisted their attempts, and
they fortunately d d not succeed in effecting an en-
trance on the premises. Mr. Davis's of jest in
waiting on the Magistrates was to express art opi-
nion which he entertained that the police directed
their attention mainly to the principal streets, arid
did not afford that protection to property which was
in back or hy•streets which it required.
Mr. HARDWICK observed, that they (the Magis-
trates) had no control whatever over the regula-
tions or conduct of the new police constables in mat-
ters such as Mr. Davis complained of, as it was
vested solely in the hands of the Commissioners.
Mr. Friar, an inspector of the division in which
the sugar-house is sitaate, said that a constable was
placed nightly in Rupert-street to protect the pro-
perty in it alone.
Mr. Davis replied, that if this was the case he was
perfectly satisfied.
HATTON-GARDEN.
Yesterday Charles Wright Wadsworth, an elderly
man, of respectable appearance, and Henry TVilliams,
a young man bearing a great resemblance to him,
having the dress of a porter, in his shirt sleeves,
were brought before Mr. LAING, charged with va-
rious extensive acts of swindling.
The prisoners have been well known for several
years past as swindlers, and the prisoner Wadsworth,
whose appearance is imposing, was in the habit of
assuming the character of a banker, an engineer, a
surveyor, an architect, and a Manchester agent, for
the purpose of executing his designs upon the pub-
lic, and was known by the names of Ayliff, Wright,
and Wadsworth. A few years ago he took a house
in Clifford-strew, , Bond-street, where tradesmen felt
no suspicion in giving him credit to the amount of
3001., 4001., and 500/. in the pursuit of his object.
The prisoner, Henry Williams, acted as footman,
groom, and porter, and was in the habit of receiving
the goods which were ordered when they were sent
home. After having carried on these manoeuvres
for a length of time in Clifford-street, they
decamped, and took a new residence in
Bishopsgate, where they practised their imposi-
tions for some time, to a considerable extent, upon
the respectable tradesmen of that neighbourhood,
until the various calls upon them to pay induced
them to move their quarters to a central situation,
where it was most likely for them to carry on their
plans without discovery, and they obtained posses-
s-ion of a respectable house, No. 1, Wilman-place,
Brunswick-square, on taking which they commenced
operations with additional spirit, and, supporting the
appearance of a respectable establishment, with do-
mestics attired in livery, orders were received from
them with satisfaction, and sent home in many in-
stances without suspicion, until the non-payment of
taxes, bills, &c., excited it, and at length the pri-
soners, who appeared to be acting as the principals
in the swindling transactions, were both taken into
custody, arid their family ejected from the premises
by order of Miss Foster, the landlady of the house.
On being placed at the bar, the rush into the
Court was tremendous, and all eyes were rivetted
on the prisoners, who stood erect at the bar with
all the indifference imaginable.
Mr. LAING (to Wadsworth )—What's your name?
Wadsworth—My name is Wright, your Worship.
Mr. LAING —Why did you give your name Wads-
worth ? Wadsworth—l sometimes go by both
names.

Mr. LAING—What are you, eh ? Wadsworth—
I am a Manchester agent, and I have been in the
habit of doing a great deal of business.—( Laughter.)
Mr. Michael Danks, carpet and rug manufacturer,
of Hatton-garden, received an order for some carpets
and rugs, which were to be sent to W'ilman-place.
They were sent there by the porter, with directions
that they were to be paid for on delivery. On his
arrival with them they plied him with ale out of
which they had swindled a respectable brewer in
the court, and they detained the property. The
prisoner, Henry Williams, was at the house acting
as servant or porter.
A gentleman here stated that the prisoner, Wads-
worth, took a house, situate No. 1, New-street,
Dishopegate, under the name of Ayliff, in which
name goods were ordered, but Mr. Ayliff was never
to he found at home, and the inmates bolted at an
early hour in the morning.

kr. Murphy, coal merchant, of St. Pancras, had
also been duped of a considerable quantity of coal..
Mr. Dank, jun., on calling at the house, No. 1,
Wilman-place, to request payment, was gros•ly as-
saulted by the younger prisoner, and kicked out of
the house.

Mr. Nicholson, of the firm of Nicholson and
Robertson, brewers, of Regent's Park, proved that
several casks of ale were ordered by Wadsworth,
and they were delivered to him and the other
prisoner on Friday evening last, but it was found
impossible to get the money.
Messrs. Bartley and Sons, linen-drapers, of
Bishnpsgate-street, stated that Wadsworth came to
their shop, and ordered goods to the amount of
21. 165., which he paid for. He gave his card,
" Mr. Ayliff," I, New-street, Bishopsgate, and said
his housekeeper was in want of various articles, and
she should attend and choose for herself; and that
he also wanted to furnish a house. The prisoner
having paid for the fist order, and his appearance
and manners being those of a gentleman, he was in-
duced to give credit, but he could not get paid.
A master butcher, of Theobald's-road, Holborn,
stated that the prisoner called on him and agreed to
have meat weakly, and when 21. 3s. were due he
could not get his money, when he refused to serve
more. The prisoner then shook something like a
101. note at him, and said, " Now I won't pay you
at all."

Mr. Whitfield, of Lamb's Conduit-street, pork-
man and cbeesemoneer, sent home a quantity of
pork and butter to No. 1, Milman-place, by order
of Wadsworth. The lad was directed not to leave
the property, but it was taken from him, and all
applications for money were unavailable.
A glass-manufacturer, of Brownlow-street, Hol-
born, stated that a lady called at his shop and or-
dered some decanters and two lustres to be sent to
I, Mi!man-place. They were left with Williams,
who was acting as servant.
Several other tradesmen exclaimed they had
barges of a similar description.
Mr. Taylor, a solicitor, here stated that one per-
son, residing in Bond-street, had been swindled out
of 400/. by the prisoner's gang, when he resided in
Clifford-street. There was a person named Ayliff,
to whom the prisoner Wadsworth assigned over his
property iu furniture about twelve months ago, when
he was placed in the Marshalsea prison, and while
he was there Henry Williams acted as his livery ser-
vant, and took care of the goods.
Mr. LAING—I am really surprised that respect-
able tradesmen should suffer themselves to be duped
so grossly. I never heard of so barefaced and im-
pudent a gang.
Mr. Taylor said that a policeman 50 E, knew the
history of the prisoner Wadsworth, if the case was
remanded, and he had no doubt but numerous
charges would appear against the prisoners, if they
were detained till a future day.
The prisoners, on being questioned by the Magis-
trate, contradicted themselves very much, and were
agitated. They gave very unsatisfactory accounts
of themselves.
Mr. LANG had no doubt of their being connected
with an infamous company of swindlers, and after a'
patient examination he remanded the prisoner Wads-
worth till Saturday next, and ordered Williams to
find good bail for the assault on Mr. Danks, jun.,.
and to give 48 hours' notice to the prosecutor. •