The Sun.
London, England, 1802-12-07 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY.

MTH DAY-MONDAY, DEC. 6.

William Marriott, late a Private in one of the
Regiments of Guards, was chatged with stealing 'a
cask, containing 4.01b5. weight of Tamarinds, laid
as the property of the King; and by a second count
in the Indiament, as that of Thomas Anniss.
The circumstances of this case were very simple and
short. It appeared that the Prosecutor, Anniss, a
deputed Officer in the Customs, saw the Prisoner
take the cask, or keg, in question, froth the spot
where it was placed, near the crane-post, on Gal-
ley Quay, put it on his shoulder, and attempt to
march off with it. It was about five o'clock in the
evening, and several persons were about the place,
so the Coq-de-Main was conceived, and partially
executed with the utmost sang-fvoid ; however,
the Prosecutor arrested his progress, and questioned
him about the proceeding, when he said he got the
keg from a man : this explanation of his condul not
being satisfadory, he took him by the collar, and
had him secured. With respea to the identity of
the cask, some investigation took place. The Pro-
secutor was clear upon the point. The cask was
one of those given in his charge, and it had the
broad R upon it (the head of an Arrow), as was
usually marked upon all property in a similar situa-
tion. •

-One of the Witnesses spoke with more particular
positiveness as to the point of identity, having seen
the cask in question on board a vessel, :ts well as
.after it was landed : he said the letters J. J. in a
diamond were marked upon it. Some other neces-
sary fads in the Case were deposed against the
Prisoner. After which he was called upoin for
IVefence.
e • said, as he was coming from his work the
evening the affair took place, he was met by a man
genteelly dressed, who asked him if he would take
the cask in question as far the next street ; while
Ate was doing it, he was stopped by the Prosecutor,
and at the moment he lost sight of the man that
employed him. The rest he left to his Counsel.
The Serjeant Major, an ordinary Serjeant or two,
and a Private, were forthwith brought 'forward on
the score of charaaer ; this was given very favour-
ably. The last Witness described him to be equal_
ly a good soldier and a good man ; he had been
wounded in Holland, and was lately recommended
to the Chelsea Pension. The Jury, however, on
the above evidence were constrained to pronounce
a verdiet of Guilty.

Edward Nelson was convicted upon the capital
charge of highway robbery, in forcibly taking from
the person of Robert Bartlett, on the 29th of Nov.
two gold seals and a key, his property.
This appeared to be a very daring and desperate
attack. It took place near the Gloucester Arms, in
The Prosecutor was standing near
the door of the house, when the Prisoner came up,
and catching hold of the chain of his watch, at.
tempted to draw it .out of the fob. Prosecutor
instantly seized the Prisoner's hand, who notwith-
standing kept his hold of the watch chain, and made
several attempts to force our the watch ; at last by
a desperate and forcible effort he succeeded in
wrenching off the seals and key. The Prosecutor
caught hold of the Prisoner by the collar, but one or
two persons rushing between them, got the Prisoner
away, and knocked down the Prosecutor, and consi-
derably ill-used him. However, by the exertions
of some other persons, the Prisoner who had run
some way, was taken and secured.

The statement of 'the Prosecutor was corrobo_
rated by the testimony of other Winesses ; and the
necessary fads of identity, , being duly proved,
the Jury, after hearing a very able charge from
Mr. Baron GRAHAM, pronounced a Verdict of
Guilty—Death.

Thomas Cooke was convicted of feloniously steal-
ing a seven shilling piece, and several other articles,
the property of Thomas Greaves.
Humph. rg Godwin was found guilty of stealing
a quantity of apples, the property of R. Condon.

CLERKENWELL SESSIONS.

HICKS'S HALL, DEC. 6.
CHILD STEALING.

„Elizabeth Salmon stood indicted for conspiring
with a man, name unknown, to steal away a child,
the daughter of Joseph Irnpey, on the zzd of June
last.

The Case, as foretold by the Prisoner's Counsel,
turned out to be a very short one.

Sarah Impey, the mother of the child, being call.
ed, the first question put to her by Mr. )(Now LYS
was, at what time she was married ? • The answer
was, that she was married in November last to Jo.
sephimpey„
This immediately put an end to the Case, Mr.
KNowt,Ys observing that the indidment was de.;
fedive,. and liable to a fatal objedion, which was,
that tl►e child stolen so far back as the month of
p►tne, eniihl not be born in lawful wedlock of a
marriage which did not take place till the Novem-
ber following. The child therefore was illegitimate,
and being what the -taw called Nullius
could not be the daughter of Joseph Impey, as laid
in the Indidment.
Mr. MArt,rwmoNc .(the Chairman) ruled the
ohjeEuion to be fatal ; imeonsequence of which the
Defendant was acquitted without going into any
further evidence. Thus did a legal subtlety throw
the shield of impunity over one of the most atro.
cious of offences.