The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-16 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE SHOPLIFTING AT

READING.

Mrs. Elizabeth Lodger, the wife of a musician
and dancing-master at Reading, underwent a final
examination on Wednesday, before Mr. Andrewes,
the late mayor, and Mr. T. Morris, a borough
magistrate, on the charge of stealing a large quan-
tity of drapery goods. The robberies perpetrated:
by the prisoner are without parallel in the
borough for extent, and seem to show that she,
has had an irresistible penchant for plunierinf;
drapers' shops. Her detection was very remark
able. It appears that she visited the shop of Mr
Steward, a bac on-fac tor,on Friday evening, and made
purchases to a moderate extent. Her conduct while
there excited the suspicion of Mr. Steward, and, 8,11
she wore a large cloak, her bulky appearance led
him to fancy that she had committed some dis-
honest act. As she was about to quit the shop he
intimated to her his suspicions, and expressed a
desire to see whether she had anything concealed
beneath her huge cloak. She affected to be greatL2f
annoyed and surprised at the intimation, but, al I
Mr. Steward was firm, and expressed his deter..
mination that she should not quit the place withl•
out his being satisfied as to whether she hed
anything, she yielded to an examination, which r
suited in the discovery, not only that she had son 0,
of Mr. Steward's goods which she had not purchase 3,
but that she had in her possession some gow
pieees, having on them the private marks of tl 10
drapers from whose shops they had been takes 1.
She was thereupon given into the custody of a polis 01
officer, and removed to the station. Here a minut
search was made, and- articles were found conclvk •
sively proving that she had not honestly obtainot3
the goods in her possession. She was lodged is
the Bridewell for the night, and, by direction of
Mr. Superintendent Peek, of the borough police,
officers were employed on the following day is
making inquiries at the different drapers' shops.
The property found upon her was soon identified,
and as several losses had been previously reporter
at the station, it was deemed advisable that walla
should be made at her lodgings, she having bed
separated from her husband. Police Sergeants Ca g
and Seymour acted in accordance with instrt tC
tions given to them, and on examining her be la'
room found an immense quantity of goods, the pi 0'
duce of robberies for months past. The articl ea
found comprised stair covering, measuring abo
20 yards, ladies' boots, table cloths, cotton prix
and other dresses, shawls, merino, linsey woolse fr
flannel, patent socks for boots, and perfume' !I
to a considerable extent. In another roo
were discovered 200 yards of cotton print, and 0
great variety of other articles ; there wero, als 0,
fancy stationery, and things of a similar descrii r
tion. The prisoner, it appeared, carried on 04 0,
business of a dressmaker and milliner ; she visites
drapers' shops to buy articles in her business, and
the robberies were committed while the shopraell
had left her at the counter to get the articles 020
required, all of which were carefully concealed uve
der her cloak. Her respectable appearance dig'
armed the trades-people of suspicion, and althougA
the articles were soon missed she was never suor
pected. The discovery of her robberies has created'
quite a sensation in the town. She has been cola'•
mitted for trial on several charges.

VISIT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES TO CANADAP:,
Itlis now officially announced that the Prince of Walt*
visit British America in the course of the spring. Tile
period assigned for his royal highness's departure is___;tll4
middle of May next. His royal highness, it is asseKed,'";
go out with a very numerous retinue, and it is expected it
the Great Eastein, if ready, which is very doubtful, will ~acc-
ompany the royal squadron. The sojourn of the Prince`h—
the colony will extend over a period of two months, wilt"
will be spent in visits to the principal towns and greet
lie works, and of course to Niagara and some of the other
more remarkable scenes of natural grandeur with which
North American provinces and the United States abound
Both in her Majesty's dominions and in the States of the
American Union the heir apparent of the British cror
will meet with a most enthusiastic reception.—Canadtark
We are informed that, preparatory to the co
struction of the proposed Great North Atlantic Tel
between Europe and the United States, for which a
elusive concession for 100 years has been
Danish government, the requisite caution moneY
ter of
dols.) has this day been remitted to the Danish Min's
Finance at Copenhagen by Messrs. CroskeY and Co.. .who
are interested in the concession. The line is tr.s, proc_cce:
from Scotland and Denmark via the Faroe Isltuidaj
land, Greenland, and Labrador, to Canad,:. and the
sUnited.
States, and to consist of comparatively short links of sub-
marine marine cables. The practicability of the route has. b__,,
granted
.b.ligy;
oothlyet
recently demonstrated by a personal survey made by uoi,
lengthj
Shaff n eur, j
owith
tohoensulVjeedctnebsedfoarye lastth cgcaravezaiietvteideeonfcteheatiigreous!
of Commons now sitting.