The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-05 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.
On Wednesday evening an application was made at this
office to Sir F. Roe by direction of the Right Hon. the
Lord Chamberlain, for a summons to be issued against Mr.
Thorne, an upholsterer and dealer in curiosities, in Stanhope-
street, Clare-market, in order that he might appear to show
in what manner he became possessed of a quantity of tapes-
try, the property of his Majesty.
It appeared from the statement of the gentleman who
made the application, that when the new gallery was erected
some time ago in the House of Lords, a portion of the
splendid tapestry representing the capture of the Spanish
Armada was removed, and conveyed to the Lord Chamber-.
lain's office for security. A man, whose name did not ap.-
pear, who was a servant to Major M'Carthy, the Secre-
tary to the Lord Chamberlain, and who had access.
to the place where the tapestry was deposited, offered-
it as a present to a friend of his named Weare. The
latter, however, said he would not accept it as a present,
but would give him ss. for it, which was accepted. Weare
afterwards offered it for sale to Mr. Preston, a broker,
in Stanhope-street, who became a purchaser, and subse-
quently sold it to Mr. Thorne. This was previous to the
fire by which the House of Lords, together with the re-
mainder of the splendid tapestry, was destroyed. The por-
tion of it purchased by Mr. Thorne became, in consequence
of this calamity, greatly enhanced in value, and was in fact
an object of much curiosity. Mr. Thorne wrote to Lord
Melbourne, and subsequently to the Duke of Wellington,
informing them of his having this tapestry in his possession,
and offering to sell it to hi,.; Majesty's Government for the
sum of 4001. His Grace of 'Wellington, upon the receipt
of Mr. Thorne's letter, wrote immediately to the Lord
Chamberlain, requesting to know in what manner Mr.
Thorne could have become possessed of the tapestry, and
desiring that an investigation might take place. The mat-
ter was inquired into, and the result was that it was traced
is the manner above described from Major M'Carthy's ser-
vant, through the hands of Weare and Preston, to the pos-
session of Mr. Thorne.

A summons was issued, and yesterday afternoon was ap-
pointed for the hearing, when Major M'Carthy was present,
together with the necessary witnesses.
A gentleman, who said he was clerk to Mr. Hamilton,
an eminent solicitor in Berners-street, accompanied by Mr.
Thorne, attended to the summons, and requested a postpone-
ment of the inquiry.
Sir F. ROE asked if the tapestry had been brought for-
ward as directed in the summons ? Mr. Thorne said it had
not, for it could not be found at the moment.
Sir F. ROE asked how this was accounted for ? Mr.
Thorne said that a constable named Ibberson, who said he
was sent from the Lord Chamberlain's Office, came and de-
manded peremptorily that the tapesty should be given up
to him. This demand he (Mr. Thorne) did not think proper
to comply with, and had placed the tapestry where it could
not immediately be found. It would, however, be forth-
coming. It was wished that the inquiry should be post-
poned until Saturday. _
Sir F. ROE thought this was too long a postponement,
for the tapestry could easily be produced in twenty-four
hours at the latest. The Chief Magistrate then appointed
two o'clock this day (Friday) for the hearing of the case,
and directed that the tapestry should be produced, and all
the witnesses be in attendance.