The Sun.
London, England, 1833-02-26 00:00:00

THAMES POLICE.

Yesterday Mary Ann Harwood, a young woman of
decent appearance, whose connexions were stated to be
highly respectable, was brought before Captain RICIrBELL
and Mr. BaonExtr, charged with stealing property to a
considerable amount from Mrs. Procter, wholesale slop-
seller, in Shadwell High-street, in whose employ she lived
as servant of all work.
The prisoner has before figured at Lambeth street-office
under very singular circumstances. About two years ago
she was charged with stealing a muff and tippet from the
wife of a wealthy linen-draper, in Sr.eorge's-east, with
whom she lived as nursery-maid, and she then set up a
defence that she had been only a visiter to the lady,
who once eloped from her husband and lodged for several
days at the Portugal Coffee-house, and that the lady,
who had admitted her into her confidence, gave her the

property to keep the secret. This story was told with such
a❑ appearance of plausibility that it was for several days
believed to be true, and the rumour of the lady's alleged
infidelity gave great pain to her husband and family, but
subsequent inquiry proved the accusation to be false; and
the prisoner, who during the interval of the first and se-
cond examination attempted suicide in Clerkenwell prison,
was afterwards convicted, and sentenced to 12 months'
imprisonment. It appeared that she entered the service
of Mrs. Procter, whose husband, the captain of a ship,
is now at sea, last October. Oa Monday last Mrs. Procter,
while looking over her wardrobe, missed a table-cloth,
and a suit of clothes belonging to a gentleman named
Oliver, which she had given to the prisoner the day before
to brush and fold up. The prisoner, on being taxed with
the theft, denied it, and her mistress left her in her bed-
room, with an intimation that an inquiry should be
made. Soon afterwards Mrs. Procter heard something
very heavy fall on the floor, and sent Mr. Carter, her
shopman up stairs. On breaking open the door of the
prisoner's bed-room, he found her lying on the floor appa
rently lifeless, with a silk handkerchief tightly fastened
round her neck. She had suspended herself to a cloflits.
peg, but while swinging, the handkerchief slipped off the
peg, and she fell. After she.was recovered, she informed
Mr. Martin, the mate of a ship, who lodged in the house,
that he would find the duplicates of the property above
named, two silver spoons, a shawl, and some other
articles which she had pledged, in the slop-pail. She
was then allowed to go home, but Mrs. Procter having
subsequently missed a good deal of other property, sent for
Blaby, a land-officer of Thames-police, on Thursday
night, and he took the prisoner into custody. She con-
fessed to Blaby that she had pledged the property which
was produced by the pawnbrokers, but that Martin had
promised, as far as SOL went, to assist her, if she would
live with him. She endeavoured, when before the Ma-
gistrate, to implicate Martin, but failed. She then called
him a base and faithless villain. The Magistrates com-
mitted the prisoner fur trial, and ordered her to be closely
watched.

On Saturday last an inquest was held at the White
Hart, in Ratcliff, on the body of Mr. R. SPENCER, aged
64, a coal-merchant, in Broad-street, Rateliff. He was
a man of great wealth, and owned about 23 houses about
Rateliff, besides several in other places, and the whole of
Farnham-place, Ratcliff. Some months since he joined
with an auctioneer in a bond for the payment of 2,000/.,
and the latter failing he was compelled to bear the loss of
1,000/. This preyed upon his mind, and he nem after-
wards appeared in his right senses. A few weeks ago he
purchased a ship load of coals, which did not turn out so
well as he expected, and this added to his despondency.
Some days since he called on Dr. CLELAND, of Ratcliff,
and talked of going to a workhouse. Dr. CLELAND, in
consequence, advised his family to watch him closely. On
Thursday evening
he left his house by himself, and at
night he was found in the kitchen of one of his empty
houses, at No. 6, Farnham-place. He was quite dead,
and encircled by a pool of blood, having cut his throat
from ear to ear with a case knife. Verdict..-Mental De-
rangement.