The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-15 00:00:00

REPORTS OF THE COUNTY PRISONS.

The reports of the surgeons of the county prisons were
to the effect that the prisons generally were in a healthy
state.

The report of the Rev. W. Mann, Chaplain of the
County Gaol, excited the greatest attention, and was lis-
tened to with the most profound attention by a crowded
Court. " I," said the Rev. Gentleman, " have never seen
at any former period the prison so crowded as it now is,
and has been for the last six or eight months. Our fre-
quent gaol deliveries afford little or no relief. It seems to
me as if the prisoners were discharged to-day only to be
exchanged for others to-morrow. This observation is ap-
licable to all the wards of the prison, and to all characters
and conditions of the prisoners, male and female, young
old. There is, however, generally speaking, the same de-
cency and decorum in their outward conduct and behaviour
as stated in former reports—an apparent attention and de-
votion during divine service in the chapel, where I am fre-
quently gratified with the loud response, which appears to
come from all the individuals of the congregation, and
shows me two things, viz., that the greatest number of them
can read, and that they have been before accustomed to
the service of our Liturgy. There are, however, many
exceptions and great varieties : some are naturally quiet,
peaceable, and orderly ; others are so only by restraint, ma-
nagement, and a discipline which is not always available for
the purpose, but fails of success." The Rev. Gentleman
concluded by noticing the cleanliness, good order, and re-
gulation of the prison.
The Chaplain of Brixton House of Correction was much
gratified to make a favourable report.
The Chaplain of Guildford House of Correction testified
to the uniformly good conduct of the prisoners under his
care, and to the attention they had paid to his instructions,
whether in preaching, expounding the Scriptures, or convers-
ing with them in private.
The Chaplain of Kingston Prison reported that the pri-
soners were orderly, and employed their leisure hours in
reading and writing.
The Governor of the County Gaol, reported that he had
339 prisoners under his care, 35 of whom were Court of
Request debtors.
The Governor of Brixton Gaol reported that he had the
charge of 199 prisoners, 35 of whom were confined under
sentence of Court-martial.

Mr. Randle Jackson inquired if the Return, stating that
one woman had been confined 37 times, was correct.
Mr. Sibly stated that the Report was perfectly accurate,
and that the woman whose name was Sophia Rhodes, no
sooner got out of prison than she was sent there again. a _

The Governor .of the House of Correction at Guildford
reported that he had 96 prisoners under his charge ; and
the Governor of Kingston Gaol stated that 26 prisoners
were confined in that prison.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HO USE.

George Wormersley,one of the Society of Friends, was
brought up forfinal examination charged with having robbed
his employer Mr. Clarke, the extensive warehouseman of
the Minories, of goods.
The prisoner was confidentially employed by Mr. Clarke,
and was in the habit of sympathising with him on the sub-
ject of the serious losses sustained by the house on account
of the dishonesty of some of the servants. It is rather sin-
gular that the system (for the plunder had been going on
for some time), was detected and exposed by a pawnbroker,
who was aware that he must be a loser by giving the infor-
mation to Mr. Clarke. It will be recollected that a short
time ago a younc, man in the employment of Mr. Clarke
was committed to'Newgate for robbing his master, and that
upon that occasion several pawnbrokers produced the goods
which had been pledged by the accused. Mr. Bradley, of
Tower-hill (the robbery having caused a sensation amongst
the trade), began to examine his books, and found that a
great number of new silk and velveteen waistcoats had been
pledged from time to time by a person who appeared to be
connected with some large establishment. His suspicion
that all was not right was confirmed by the odd fact, that
as he was passing along the street he saw the prisoner
smoking his pipe in a very easy way at the door of a house
which was differently situate from that which he described
in his address while pledging. The pawnbroker immediately
went to Mr. Clarke, and mentioned that there were twenty-
three waistcoats which had been pawned at the shop, and
identified Wormersley as the man who had pledged most of
them. The prisoner was therefore taken into custody.
The waistcoats and the duplicates were produced, and
the former were sworn to as the property of Mr. Clarke by
that gentlemen's butler.
Louisa Jennings, a woman who lodges in the house of
the prisoner, had pledged four new waistcoats for the pri-
soner, and these waistcoats, as well as those pledged by the
prisoner himself, were identified as the prosecutor's property.
The LORD MAYOR very highly commended the conduct
of Mr. Bradley upon the ocnasion.
Mr. Clarke said that there were other pawnbrokers who
could not be justly complimented in that manner. The
prisoner had written to him letters admittirr, his guilt, and
mentioned several pawnbrokers with whom he had pledged
much more stolen property. Those pawnbrokers, how-
ever, had shown great unwillingness to assist the ends of
justice, and had, in some instances, exhibited to him goods
of another kind for the purpose of deceiving him.
The LORD MAYOR desired that the names of such pawn-
brokers should be put down in a list, and pledged himself
that a sharp eye should be kept upon them.
The prisoner now being asked whether he wished to say
anything, was not disposed to make his defence on the pre-
sent occasion.

Mr. Clarke stated that several persons had called upon
him and proposed a compromise to the amount of the loss
occasioned by the depredations of the prisoner to the
amount of 1501., but he had refused, as the indulgence he
had exercised on previous occasions had led to the most
extensive plunder. He regretted to be obliged to say that
on no occasion could he be induced again to pardon a cri-
minal of this kind.

The prisoner was then fully committed for trial.
John Mitchell, the cabman, some days ago charged with
having stabbed a man in a public-house in Bishopsgate-
street with a knife, was brought up for further examination.
It was stated that the woman who gave evidence on the
occasion was ill and could not attend.
The LORD MAYOR believed her non-attendance arose
from a very different cause. He suspected that she was in-
timidated from attending by the companions of the cabman,
and ordered that she should be compelled to come forward
on the final re-examination, as her evidence was of import-
ance to the case.

The owner of a public-house in Houndsditch charged a
ward-constable, named Collins, with having allowed two
" smashers," or passers of bad money, to escape.
The LORD MAYOR said the case was one which must be
investigated, and directed that it should be presented to the
ward authorities.
Mark Braclay, a genteel-looking young man, was charged
with robbing Mr. Effingham Wilson, bookseller and pub-
lisher, of the Royal Exchange, of various sum of money at
different times.—Remanded until Thursday.