The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-27 00:00:00

BURGLARY AP BRIXTON.

117iWain Henry IVotton, 21), casemaker, and Joseph,
Young, 15, labourer, pleaded guilty to a burglary in
the dwelling-house of George Swire, and stealing therein
a hat, telescope, and other articles his property, and
Charles Culling, 20, shoema;ker, Charles Heiner, 18,
shoemaker, and Mary Ann Clarke, 19, pleaded not
guilty to feloniously receiving I)art of the same property,
well knowing the same to have been stolen.
Mr. Sleigh prosecuted ; the prisoners were unde-
fended.

It appeared, from the evidence, that the prosecutor
was a chemist, of Brixton-I sill, and Wotton was for-
merly in his service as a port ier, but had left him a few
months previous to the robbery. On the night of the
29th October the prosecutor retired to rest between
eleven and twelve o'clock, ha ring previously fastened up
the premises in his usual mare ner. About six o'clock in
the morning he was awoke It 3, the violent barking of his
dog, and on his getting down stairs he found the pre-
mises had been broken into, tape shop, &c., in great dis-
order, and the place complete 1y ransacked. Suspicion
falling on certain parties the prosecutor gave informa-
tion to the police, who succ ceded in apprehending the
prisoners, and in the possessio al of several of the prisoners
was found most of the article s stolen from the prosecu-
tor's premises. Between 4 Vi. and 501. in gold was
taken from a cash-bcx. After the prisoners
were apprehended they rex.° taken to Lambeth
police station, and put into tl i e cells. Cullen and Clarke
were placed in adjacent cell / 4, when the following con-
, ersation between them was c tverheard by the police :
el, rke called out to Culling, " Culling, how are you ?"
He r eplied, "All right, Pelt: v. Cheer up, I'm here."
She th en said, " Where are, we going ?" and Culling
replied, •" To the Bailey. If.. we had been sent to the
Lane (Horatemonger-lane Gaol) we shoul,l have been
lagged (transpori.ed) ; but at the Bailey we shall only get
a stretch" (12 months' imprisra nment). (Laughter.) Clarke
then said to Culling, "You had better say you slept at
my house—you know what I mean." Culling replied,
"All right, Polly. I've ns ade it all right with Bill
Wotton. He is going to take the lot on himself."
Clarke then said to Cullimg. "Plead not guilty. We
were going to have a fine !Christmas, but never mind,
we shall get out together."
The prisoner Culling, in 1 its defence, said the articles
found in his possession wer e given him by Wotton, and
he called a witness in suppoi It of his statement. He had
no knowledge at the time thi It the articles were stolen.
The Common Sergeant st immed up, observing that
be thought the evidence not , sufficient to convict Home:•.
The statement of Clarke Culling that he was to say
. he slept at her house that nitht, pointed to a knowledge
of the burglary by those tTvy) prisoners.
The jury acquitted Homer, and found the prisoners
Clarke and Culling guilty of receiving.
The prisoner Mary Ann Cie ,rke war: convicted on the
9th April at the Westminster Sessions in the name of
Jones, and sentenced to six, months' imprisonment.
Wotton was also convicted at Westminster on the 18th
SoptaaborkAB64, for robbioir.bia employer of 104 6u.

3d., and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment.
He had been previously in custody on suspicion of having
robbed three of his employers. Clarke, till recently,
cohabited with a man who was sentenced at the late
Westminster Sessions to vix years' penal servitude.
The Common Sergeant then sentenced Wotton to
four years' penal servitude; Clarke to two years' im-
prisonment with hard labour ; and Culling a " stretch,"
or 12 months' imprisonment, with hard labour. Young,
who is a lad of 15 years of age, and was scarcely tall
enough to look over the dock, was ordered to be put
back till next session, that inquiries might be made
about him. He is supposed to be the associate of
thieves, though of so tender an age.

REPRESENTATION OF SOUTHAMPTON.

SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING.
There is little new to communicate to-day, public
attention being everywhere occupied with th,lt great
meeting hold last night in the Riding-school and its re-
sults,. which were telegraphed to the limes, and pub-
lished this morning. Mr. Vbreguelin, who first addressed
the meeting, set forth his claims as a commercial man to
the reincbc..:::: of an inaport.ent commercial constitu-
ency like Southampton, and expialn,:: le ;.ling points
of his political creed as exhibited in his address to the
electors, which we printed on Monday. Ifr. James
followed, confining himself chiefly to the cry got up
against the lawyers, and to an examination of the valu-
able services rendered by that class cf men to the
liberties of the country. The uproar throughout the
meeting was of the most turbulent character, and the
result has only added fuel to the flames, instead of allay-
ing them.
Bills have been issued to-day, one set announcing the
adoption of the resolution in favour of Mr. James, and
the other ,declaring the contraty, and the majority to
have fallen on Mr. Weguelin. The partisans on each
side vehemently uphold their respective views, and the
feeling is more violent and bitter than ever.
Mr. James has published another address to-day, in '
which he says :
" A majority of the Liberal electors of your borough, by
a resolution passed at a large public meeting held last
evening, having declared me the most fit and proper per-
son to represent you in Parliament, I hasten to return my
thanks for the honour conferred upon me.
" I have already explained to you my political prin-
ciples, and beg to assure you that I shall seek every oppor-
tunity of personal interview with each elector."
Atter the meeting at the Riding-school broke up last
night a large number of Mr. James's supporters met at
the Royal Hotel, and formed themselves into an active
canvassing committee, with Mr. Alderman Dusautoy as
chairman, and Mr. Alderman Blatch, as deputy-chair-
man. Committee-rooms have been opened at the Royal
York Hotel (which has been for some time unoccupied),
and the exhibition outside of large placards announcing
the fact gives token of the contest having commenced
in earnest.

A large and influential assemblage of Mr. Weguelin's
supporters was also held to-day at the Star Hotel, to
make the necessary arrangements for the coming
struggle. Mr. Alderman Coles, we believe, acts as
chairman of Mr. Weguelin's committee.
Everything betokens the adventof a severe fight, and,
unless some arrangement can be happily arrived at to
heal ;he split in the Liberal ranks, the town will be
plunged for the next three months into the turmoils of
one of the most painful and bitter political struggles that
have ever been known in Southampton.
Mr. William Lankester, the iron-founder, and one
of the principal tradesmen in the town, has been ap•
pointed chairman of Mr. Weguelin's committee, and
Mr. Alderman Tucker has been appointed deputy-chair-
man. Mr. Weguelin's committee rooms are'directly
opposite those of Sir Edward Butler; Mr. James's
committee-rooms are at the Royal York Hotel.
There is every reason to believe that before the elec-
tion comes on, one of the liberal candidates will retire to
enable the liberals to fight the conservative candidate
with their full force.