The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-01 00:00:00

LAMBETH.

Thomas Smith, William David Eales, and Ann Jones,
alias Smith, who have been in custody for some days
past, on a charge of being concerned in the robbery at
the house of Mr. Hamblin, an aged and infirm gentleman,
3, Crayford-road, Coldblow-lane, Camberwell, were
brought before Mr. Henry for further examination.
The first witness called was Mr. Thomas Phillips,
who gave his address at the Hall of Commerce,
Threadneedle-street. He deposed that he had seen the
prisoner Smith before, and was perfectly confident of
his identity. When requested by Mr. Henry to state
the circumstances under which he had before seen
Smith, Mr. Phillips said, that on the afternoon of Sun-
day, the 14th instant, he went to visit his sister, Mrs.
Hamblin, whose husband has been a long time bed-
ridden, at her house in Crayford-road, Camberwell.
At about eight o'clock in the evening, while sitting at the
bed-side of his brother-in-law, his sister, Mrs. Hamblin,
came in in a great state of agitation, and beckoned to him
to follow her to the next room. He did so, and Mrs. Ham-
blin then informed him that there was a strange man in
the house, and showed hint a letter which he had given
her. His sister then commenced reading the letter to him
in a low tone of voice, lest her husband should hear it; for,
from the state he was then in, the slightest excitement
must have produced his death. After hearing the con-
tents of the letter, witness went into the passage, where
he saw the prisoner Smith, and, addressing him, said,
" Pray. what is yoor business here ?" and while so ad-
dressing him, he saw that he had a dirk in his hand.
The prisoner replied, " I have come for the money in
the house, and if I don't have it in a few minutes I'll
call in my men who are outside, and the house will be
plundered." On finishing the sentence, he drew from his
lefthand coat-p ,cket a horse pistol, and proceeding towards
the hall-door, partially opened it and gave a whistle
wh: n a second man, armed as he was himself, with a
pistol and dagger, came in. There was some communi-
cation between them, when the second man stood up in
a corner shaded from the light, that he, witness, should
not see his face, so as to be able to identify him again.
He had, however, a perfect view of the features of
Smith, and had recognised in them at the time a partial
likeness to two friends of his own, with whom he had
done business, and this circumstance had so strongly
impressed his mind with the whole of the prisoners'
countenance, that he could have no difficulty, even at a
remote period, of speaking with perfect certainty to his
identity, and was confident he was the man. The pri-
soner Smith spoke to him and said, " If you'll let me
have 10/. I'll leave the house, anti take my men away,"
and at this time Mr. H. Phillips thought the second man
had left the house. Witness told Mrs. Hamblin what
the prisoner said about the 101., and she went up stairs
in great agitation to look for the money as he supposed;
she had not been cone many minutes, when Smith called
out, " Is that lady coining ? I'll only allow two minutes
before I call my men in." He (witness) here recollt cted
he had a bank note in his pocket for 101_ and f,llotved
his sister up stairs to tell her so, and they returned
together. Witness then waled up to Smith, and ad-
dressing him, said, " If I give you this 101. note will
you be off immediatel.v ," and the prisoner replied that
he would. Witness then gave Smith the note, upon
which he turned round, and proceeded towards the street
door, and he (witness) was following him. The pri
soner, perceiving this, turned round, anti when within
about three feet of him, presented the pistol to his breast
and vowed he would shoot him if he followed him, or
even looked after him. In about five or ten minutes after
witness went to the station-house and gave information
of what had occurred. The inspector came back with
him to the house, and on examining the place they dis-
covered some footmarks in the garden at the back of the
house where Smith had been, and where he had presented
a pistol at Mrs. Hamblin. The note be had given the
prisoner he had received at the banking-house of Messrs.
Williams, Deacon, and Co., in change for a cheque for
11/. odd. The female prisoner and the prisoner Eales
were perfect strangers to him.
After some further evidence was given, Inspector
Campbell put in the original letter presented by the pri-
soner Smith to Mrs. Hamblin on the night of the rob-
bery, and one received since the last examination, of
which the following is a literal copy :
"My lady,—l write these few lines to inform you that
I have been sent here by a gentleman for your money,
and I must proceed in getting it ; and if you refuse me
the men outside (twelve in number), will come in and
plunder the house, and if you make any noise your lives
will be in danger.

Tv the lady of the house."
This was followed by a similar letter.
Mr. HENRY expressed his detPrrnination to send Smith
and Jones for trial ; but, in order to give the officers
time to procure further evidence as against Eales, re-
manded all of them to a future day.