The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-26 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENOE.7-•May 24.

CLERKENWELL.—SHOCKING CASE OF GROSS PER-
JUItY.---,THE LATE ROMANTIC AFFAIR AT LAMBETH.
J ames Mullett, a master baker, carrying on business at No.
7, Clarence-place, Clapham-road. - appeared before Mr.
Corrie, in answer to a summons taken out by Sophia
Beckett to show cause why he should not contribute to the
support of an illegitimate child d which he was alleged to
be the father.

Mr. Lewis, jun., appeared for tho complainant, and Mr.
Pelham for the defendant.

Mr. Lewis, in opening the case, said that the matter had
been before the magistrate at Worship-street, but on that
occasion the complainant failed to establish her case. A few
days afterwards the complainant took the child to the de-
fendant's shop, and having placed it on the counter, walked
away. On that occasion she was followed and given into
custody for deserting her child, but when the case was
heard before the Hon. Mr. Norton he dismissed it, anti'
number of respectable parties in the court having assured
the magistrate that sbehad been most unjustly treated, for
that even the complainant's wife had at Worship-street
declared she sincerely felt for her, Mr. Norton recom-
mended her to take out a fresh summons against him.
That course had been adopted, and he (Ur. Lewis) felt
satisfied that, from the fresh evidence be, should adduce
before his worship, an order would be made on the defend-
ant for the support of his child.
Sophia Beckett was then sworn and deposed as follows :
—1 am a single woman, and reside with try mother at G 7,
Brewer-street, Somers-town. In May, 18a5, I was in the
service of the defendant. I hid a male bastard child, born
on the IGth of March last. It is now alive, and the de-
fendant Mullett is the father of it. and no one else; I
never knew a man either before or after him. I was in his
service in October twelvemonth, and continued there up
to the middle of last year. After I had been in his service
six weeks he offered mo money to seduce me. The first
"occasion of his connection with me was in June last. My
mistress sent me upstairs to get some "London Journals,"
and while I was in my bed-room the defenclant‘came behind
me in his shirt and drawers, put me on the bed and smo-
thered me over. I screamed out, but he had connection
with me. My mistress came upstairs and met him coming
out of my room. She began abusing him. I ran down
stairs and claimed the assistance of a carpenter, who was
there. My dress was loose and my hair down my shoulders.
I remained there some days after that, and then left. It
made me very ill ; my head ached and nose bled for three
months on and off. I did not know I was in the family
way until my sister aecucod me of it. That was three
months after the connection.

Cross-examined-1 do swear that defendant had inter-
eoursa with me. My mistress took in the "London Jour-
nals," and gave them to mo to lock up. That afternoon she
sent me u?letairs for them. I screamed, and my mistress came
up. It was all against my will. My mistress said to me,
" Has your master succeeded ?" and I replied " No ;" fcr
being no scholar, 'I did not know what she meant. When 1
was at the Worship-street police-court I did not say any-
thing about the carpenter.
Re-examined—lt was done in my bedroom. My clothes
wore not much tumbled. The bed was. It was all
rumpled, as if it had not bean made: My mistress saw
me putting it straight. She said she was sure my master
had been with me. My screams brought my mistress up.
He pulled the bod clothes down and put them over my
head. My hair was rumpled when the carpenter saw me.
My nose bled, and nay mistress sent for a ' surgeon. I
fainted away the same night.
John Walling said—l am a carpenter, and reside at 21,
Everett-street, Great Russell-square. In the spring of
1835 I was engaged at defendant's house, doing some work.
I remember the complainant being servant there at the
time. On a Monday afternoon in. May I remember her
coming to me in the kitchen, with her hair in a disordered
state, and her dress the same. She complained of her
matter having abused her upstairs. I heard the defend-
ant's wife upstairs just after call him a black villain and
a rogue. Since then the defendant has been to my hoube
about this case, and said if I would attend he would pay
mo for my trouble. Ho said he wanted me to speak the
truth, and that all he' wanted me for was to_ prove the girl
wrong in the dates. I told him that I saw the girl come
down into the kitchen with her hair and dress in disorder,
when he said he was not aware that I knew anything about
it. He also said that they wanted to bring him father df
the child, and that I was to state nothing but the day of
the month I was working there. I told hint that he knew
he had had connexion with the girl.
Cross-examined—Mrs. Mullett was upstairS. The com-
plainant's brother has asked me to come here. He has not
promised to pay me.
Eliza Harwood said she was lately servant to the defend-
ant, and had charge of one of his shops at Stockwell.
Sue was examined at 'Worship-street, but after that the
defendant discharged her because she stated all she know
about the matter. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mullett had spoken
to herabout the complainant. On one occasion the defend.
ant said he had " bested" Sophia, but that it would never
have happened if it had not been for his wife's cursed jea-
lousy.

Mrs. Mary Huggins sworn—l am married and live in
Union-street. Complainant is my sister. At about three
months after she left htr place I and some other partied
went to the defendant's house. I had previously found that
my sister was very ill. She kept getting worse, and at last
she told ma she was in the family way. When we entered
the defendant's shop we saw Mrs. Mullett there, and I told
her Sophia was in the family way. She said hp was a
lain. The ilefeudant then came into the shop, and upon
beinc, told of their errand, he said, " Well, you can do
your best and, do your wors I will do nothing until the
law compels me, and then it will have to find me." Ile
then loft the shop, when his wife calul him back and said,
" Coale and answer for yourself. I remember the circum-
stance well, and it is black against us." I told the defend-
ant that he had ruined my sister, when he replied, "I
dare say she was bad before I knew her."
.11ines Beckett and Matildaßeckett stated that when the
co-nplainant and the defendant were at the Stockwell Po-
lice-station, they heard Mullett say that if the girl had
come to him in a quiet way, he would not have minded
paying the half-crown a week.

Other witnesses having been called, who proved the re-
sult the interview at thedcfendaart's shop, and his using
the words, "I dare say she was bad before I knew her,"
Mr. Pelham proceeded to remark on the evidence, and
contended that the expression "Iknew her" might refer to
her getting into his service. The case had been heard by
Mr. .Rammill, who, after adjourning it, and giving it his
best consideration, had dismissed it; and he thought'it
was only to annoy his client that he had been brought
here. That such was the case there could be no doubt;
and, to show the animus of the parties, it might be
mentioned that since the complainant was at Lambeth
a petition had been got up, beaded, "To the benevo-
lent public, and particularly to the inhabitants of
Brixton, Stockwell, and the vicinity." He should place
the defendant in the box, and he would state that the
whole of the complainant's story was an entire fabrication.
The defendant was then called and sworn. He said I
was in court and heard complainant swear that I had con-
nection with her on the bed. I swear that is not true, I
never had connection with her then, norat any time what-
ever. I admit I was up-stairs, as was my custom, to get
some rest in the afternoon. My wife did come up stairs
just as I came to the door with nothing on but my shirt
and drawers. The•girl was up-stairs at the time, and my
wife, who is of a very jealous disposition, taxed her with
having been with me. Complainant went away because
she was ill. I suppose her mistress gave her notice. I
swear most positively that I never had connection with her.
Cross-examined—All that the complainant has stated is
false. The carpenter has told a lie, and I will indict him
for perjury. In fact all the witnesses are liars; and I can
prove it. My wife has been jealous of me before, perhaps
not without cause, because I was seen to kiss a previous
servant.
Mr. Corrie said that the case was one of some difficulty,
the more so that he sat in review of a brother magistrate's
decision. He thought that Mr. Hammill had relied upoa
the medical evidence when he dismissed the case, for he
saw that the surgeon, in answer to the question whether,
"Supposing an intercourse took place at menstruation, is
is likely conception would take place ?" the answer was,
"It is possible, but not probable. It would if it took
place immediately after." There were some parts of the
evidence in which troth sides agreed, and that was in the
wife's going up-stairs, and having a suspicion of what
had occurred. The girl's story was, in his opinion, con-
firmed by this evidence of the carpenter, who, he must say,
had given his evidence very fairly. It was a very painful
case, for ono or the other had committed perjury. There
were several matters which the defendant hail failed to
meet,-and he should, therefore, believing the girl and her
witnesses, make the usual order with costs.
Mr. Pelhain at once gave notice of appeal. •

WORSHIP-STREET. Abraham Geo. Pellatt and
Joseph Pargiter, police-constables of the G division, were
placed at the bar, for final examination, before Mr.,Ham-
mill, charged with having burglariously entered and plun-
dered the premises of Mr. F. Frebout, landlord of the Angel
and Crown public-house, in Tabernacle-square, Finsbury.
Mr. Martin, the superintendent of the division, attended
as before to watch the case, which excited an unusual de-
gree of interest in a crowded court.
Tho particulars of the former examination have already
appeared in this paper, and the following additional evi-
dence was now proceeded with :
Mrs. Jane Frebout, the prosecutor's mother, stated that
at 12 o'clock on the night in question she retired to rest
with her family,-but si •Aly before 5 o'clock next.mlerning
she was called up by the police, and on hastening down
stairs discovered the street door open, anti several con-
stables in possession of the place. The lower peat of the
premises had evidently been ' rens irked, and the counter
was strewed with the fragments of broken bottles and
flooded with spirits. She also missed some silver and copper
money from the till, and two glass cases of cigars had beeq
nearly emptied of their contents. It was the duty of the
barman to sleep in the house, but on that occasion, after
witness went to bed, he went out without permission, and
abseute I himself during the night.
Edward Eccles, the I a 'man, was then recalled, and in
answer to questions front the magistrate, admitted having
left the house without leave, and that he did not return
until 7 o'clock on the following morning. He had previ-
ously apprised the prisoner Pellatt, who was on duty on
the beat, that he intended to "make a night of it," and
at the same time directed attention to the door, which
would probably be insecurely fastened,
Ann Doherty, a fellow-servant of the last witness, de,
posed to her having let out the latter at the time re-
ferred to, and that she afterwards secured the door by
means of a bolt, which she carefully shot into ad'orifice in
the floor, and found it to be perfectly fast.
..The prosecutor here intitnated that he had since exa-
mined the fasleniegs, and found that the enor could be
forced open by external pressure, and the bolt-holy was
partly choked with sawdust.
Police-constable Cooke, G 74, corrotorated the evidence
of tho constables who were examined at the former hear-
ing as to the discovery of the prisoners in the house at four