The Sun.
London, England, 1833-10-25 00:00:00

THAMES POZICE.

Yesterday James Banks,a waterman was brought
before Mr. BKODERIP, charged under the following
singular circumstances :

Mr. Evans, jun., a surveyor of Thames Police,
stated that he was coming down the river that
morning about two o'clock, when he heard the voice
of a woman calling for assistance. He ordered h's
men to row with all possible expedition to Mill-
stairs, Bermondsey, from whence the noise seemed
to proceed, but on reaching the place all was quiet.
A man, who was keeping watch on a barge, told
him that he had heard a violent screaming and a
plunge in the water near the stairs. He landed and

traced a man's footsteps and drops of water from
Mill-stairs to a house in Sdwb-street, a distance of
200 yards. He listened and heard persons moving
about within, but more than five minutes elapsed
after he knocked before he was admitted. He

traced the next footsteps to a bed-room at the hack
of the house, in which the prisoner lodged. He
knocked at the door and a woman, whom he
afterwards discovered to be the prisoner's wife,
said that Mr. Banks lived there, but had gone
out about a quarter of an hour ago. He told
her some one had gone overboard, and demanded
admittance, and after a long pause the woman pre-
tended to cry, and said she hoped her husband was
not drowned. She kept him waiting more than a
quarter of an hour, and, on his threatening to break
the door open, she screamed, and said, " Oh, yes,
my husband is here!" and admitted him. He found
the prisoner partially undressed, his shirt and clothes
were quite wet. On questioning the prisoner, he
said he was in his boat at Mill-stairs, when he heard
some one groaning, and was going to see what was
the matter, when he slipped, and fell overboard.
Witness told him that his conduct was so suspicious
he must be taken into custody; on which he replied,
" Very well ; I didn't do it." He conveyed him
to the police-galley, and proceeded to search about
the place, and, on a wharf just below Mill-stairs,
he found a girl lying close to the edge of the jetty.
She was intoxicated, and quite insensible, and ap-
peared to have been treated in a most brutal man-
ner. She was bleeding profusely, her bonnet and
clothes were torn, and her hair was dishevelled.
He carried her, with the assistance of his men, to
the boat, and conveyed her to that office, but she
was not able to speak until the last few minutes.

Mr. BRODERIP asked if the prisoner had made
any excuse for not opening the door when called
upon ? Evans—He said his wife put her hand on
his mouth, and prevented him from speaking. Ile
seemed much agitated when I entered the room.

The girl who was found on the top of the wharf
was called in; she was in a very deplorable condi-
tion, and had no shoes on ; her apparel and stock-
ings appeared to have been torn, and there were
marks of violence on her face and arms. In answer
to questions from the Magistrate she said she had
no recollection of what had happened. The last
place she recollected being in was Butcher-row,
Whitechapel, where she met the prisoner and two
others, who seemed to be watermen, and they took
her to a public-house and treated her with gin. She
could not tell how she came over the water, or who
took her on the top of the wharf.

Mr. BRODERIP Ordered the girl to be sworn, and
she stated that she got her living by selling ballads.
She remained in the public-house five minutes.
That was the last place she recollected being in.
She knew nothing more. Her name was Mary Ann
Holland.

Mr. BRODERIP—Has anything particular hap•
pened to you ?
The girl answered this question by stating that,
since she awoke she felt very unwell, and could
scarcely move about.
Evans said that when he discovered the girl the
lower part of her clothes were torn.
From further questions put to the girl, and her
answers, it appeared her person had been abused.
The prisoner, in his defence, said he never saw
the girl before, until he saw her in the police galley.
Mr. BRODERIP—How came your clothes to get
wet ? Prisoner—l had just come from the Tower,
where my boat was lying, and while attempting to
make it fast to a ring on the piles at Mill-stairs, I
fell right into the water.

BRODERIP—How came you not to answer
,he officer when he knocked at your door

The prisoner made no answer.
Evans here stated that the prisoner had admitted
hat he had been at the Garrick Theatre on Wed-

nesday night, which was nom. Whitechapel.
Mr. BRODERIP—Do you recollect any other fe-
male being in the prisoner's company ? The girl
replied, " I do not Sir; I lost my senses after
met with the prisoner and the other men."

Evans said the general impression was that a