The Sun.
London, England, 1834-05-15 00:00:00

LAMBETH-STREET.

THE EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF OUTRAGE AND Ex- I
TORTION.—FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE PARTIES
AND DISCLOSURE OF SOME SINGULAR ADDITIONAL
FACTS.—Yesterday, after the usual business of the
office was disposed of, John Edwards, alias Thomas
Edwards, alias W. Heath (the blind man), Peter
Leccasser, and Jeremiah Weedon, were placed at the
bar before J. HARDWICK, Esq._, and Messrs. TICKLE
and STOCK, and the Rev. D. MATTHIAS, county magis-
trates, for further examination, on the charge of vio-
lently assaulting, chaining, and tying up Mr. Gee, and
extorting from him while in that state a check for
eight hundred pounds.
Mr. Gee, being sworn, identified the three prisoners
as persons whom he had seen in the house No. 27,
York-street, on Monday, and who committed the out-
rage on his person before described. He then pro-
ceeded to repeat, but in greater detail, his statement as
already published.
Mr. HARDWICK (to the prisoner Edwards)—Who
is the carpenter who assisted in erecting the place ?
Do you mean to tell us ? Prisoner—No, I don't see
any occasion for it.
Mr. STOCK, the magistrate, said that the work
must have been done by a carpenter, as it was most
strong and permanent. He had called at the house on
that morning, and had a policeman go into the cell
and call out as loud as he could, but though he had done
so he (Mr. Stock) could not hear the least sound of
his voice in the garden close to the window ; so that
it was impossible any person could have heard Mr.
Gee's calls for assistance.

Mr. HARDWICK (to Edwards)—Do you know any
thing about those letters addressed to Mr. Gee ?
Prisoner (impudently)—Why, Sir, I am not come in
to answer any questions, and will not do so.
Police constable K5O here produced a bag of a
most extraordinary construction, resembling somewhat
that of a small pillow-case, made of calico, and thickly
lined with wadding, such as used for padding in ladies'
dresses, with a running string a short distance from
the mouth. This he said he found behind the door of
the back kitchen in which Mr. Gee had been confined.
Its appearance created a thrill of horror in the breasts
of every person who had seen it, as it was quite appa-
rent that it could not be for any ordinary purpose, was
carelessly sewn, and newly made.
Mr. Gee, on examining it, expressed it as his opi-
nion that it was intended to be put on his head and
over his face, in the event of his becoming noisy or
troublesome. This was also the opinion of every in-
dividual present.
On being questioned on the subject, the prisoner
Weedon acknowledged to having seen this horrible
instrument in the house, but said he did not know how
it came there, or for what purpose it was intended.

Mrs. Canning, the lady to whom the property
which has caused this extraordinary outrage belongs,
being in attendance, was next called on, and exa-
mined. On entering the bench from the magistrates'
room, where she was for some time in waiting, and,
seeing the blind man, she became deadly pale and
much agitated. She produced two letters, which, she
said, had been brought to her by the prisoner on Mon-
day afternoon last, and which, with a check and a
letter to Mr. Taylor, of Mark-lane, he said he had ob-
tained from Mr. Gee. She had never instructed him
to take any proceedings against Mr. Gee, and she
was exceedingly hurt and unhappy at the manner in
which Mr. Gee had been treated.
Mr. HARDWICK—How long have you known the
prisoner Edwards? Witness—Oh 1 about a year and
a half.
Mr. HARDWICK—He is an intimate friend of yours?
Witness—Not very intimate.
Mr. HARDWICK--Are you unmarried? Witness_
Yes.
Mr. HARDwicx--Then the prisoner is not your
husband? Witness—Certainly not.
Mr. Hitaowicx--I ask you again, have you or have

Canning.
Mr. Matthias explained how a mistake occurred on'
the preceding day, and which was owing to the pre-
sent entry being in a new book, and that of a person
named Heath with Jennings being the last entry in
the old.
The coincidence of a person of the name which the
prisoner Edwards had assumed having got married
about the same time and at the same church was a
little curious.
The witness, Mrs. Canning'. appeared dreadfully
(-1-
annoyed and agitated at the unpleasant expose. She
still persisted in saying she was no wife ;;fthe prisoner,
and expressed much indignation at being egtjoned
on the subject. She did not see what her mariilstge
had to do with the subject matter in question. She
had come there for a different purpose, and by the ad-
mission of the fact sought to be elicited from her
would lose her dear children. She ultimately fainted,
and was obliged to be carried away.
Mr. Gee, on referring to a copy of her late hus-
band's will, found that she bnly possessed a life interest
in the property, and that only while she remained a
widow.

A man named Brown deposed to have takeii a letter
for the prisoner Edwards, in the name of W. Heath,.
about Monday week, the postage of which came tiot
sevenpence.
The prisoner Edwards put several questions to Mr.
Gee, with a view of showing that he had not extorted
the check or letter for any motives of gain for him-
self, and had only acted in the capacity of a friend to
Mrs. Canning.
The prisoners were all remanded until Tuesday
next, when they will be fully committed for trial.
The office, as on the previous day, was crowded to
excess during the examination.