The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-03 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HO USE.

An elderly gentleman came to the,Justice-room to com-
plain of a robbery which had been committed upon him in
the streets on the preceding day. He had, he said, a good
deal of experience of the streets of London, and was up to
the manoeuvres which the thieves were daily practising, so
that he was rather surprised to find that he was to be num-
bered amongst the victims. As he was passing down Lud-
gate-bill he saw a man with what was called a "life-pre-
server" round his neck, which, upon being filled with air,
looked like a large horse-collar, and attracted the eyes of
the crowds of passers-by. The man who carried this pre-
server varied the amusement by letting out the wind at a
more violent rate than that at which he blew it in, and the
noise produced thereby set the mob in a roar of laughter,
and made all genteel people get quickly out of the way,
and in the confusion produced by this eccentric performance
pockets innumerable were picked. The principal perfor-
mer was of course the person who exhibited the " bladder
cravat," but the thieves, who went on with the by-play,
formed the most profitable part of the company, and al-
though the complainant was aware that that which was
said to preserve life was used to pick pockets, he fell some-
how or other into the crowd, was hustled from one to the
other, and robbed of his pocket-book as well as of his poc-
ket-handkerchief.

The LORD MAYOR said it was rathar extraordinary that
a gentleman who knew the thieves so well should expose
himself to them in a crowd, which was the element of the
fraternity.
The applicant said he knew that he deserved to lose for
the rashness of his conduct, but he thought it to be his duty
to endeavour to secure those who had no experience from
the danger of such a system.
His Lordship directed that the police should watch the
movements of the bladder-bearer when he exhibited in the
streets.

Hannah Sheen,Miaael Sheen, and Elizabeth Regan were
brought before the Lord Mayor, charged with having
robbed the house of Mr. Dawson, linen-draper, of Bishops-
gate-street, the master of the first prisoner. The case ex-
cited much interest.

A constable stated that at half-past seven o'clock on the
evening of Sunday, the 23d of November, he obser►ed the
prisoner Michael Sheen standing near the door of Mr.
Dawson's house, and suspected that the young man had a
design upon the house. In a short time Michael Sheen
walked into the house, the door of which was opened by
Harriet Sheen, who proved to be the sister of Michael.
Witness kept the door in sight, and in about a quarter
of an hour saw Michael come out with a large bundle.
Witness said, " What have you got there ?" To which
Alichael replied, " Only some things to wash." Witness,
convinced that all was wrong, took him into custody,
and found upon examination of the bundle that it con-
tained two blankets and two counterpanes. Michael was
then lodged in the Compter, and Mr. Dawson was in-
formed of the circumstance upon his return from Church.
Hannah Sheen was then apprehended, and five pounds in
money and two duplicates were found upon her person
In her box, in the room in which she slept, were found se-
veral articles, the property of Mr. Dawson. Michael
Sheen having stated that he was taking the bedclothes to
the wash at his mother's house, another officer was directed
to find out that house and search it. The officer soon
found Ellen Regan, the mother of the Sheens, in bed,
under which were concealed two boxes containing property
of Mr. Dawson's.

Mr. Dawson stated that Hannah Sheen had been in his
service between three and four months.

Hannah Sheen declared that Mr. Dawson was quite
mistaken in supposing that the goods were his. She had
told him, when about to become his servant that she should
be obliged to encumber the house with a quantity of bed-
clothes and other property, as she had saved a great deal,
and she was surprised at being charged with having stolen
what was her own property.

The LORD MAYOR said that the case was, he was happy
to say, a very unusual one. It was but seldom that a whole
family were to be found in a conspiracy to plunder a house.
The scene disclosed was truly horrible, and he should com-
mit the mother and two children to take their trial at the
Central Criminal Court.