The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-29 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—March 28.

WESTMINSTER.— Jane Hoden, alias Anne
Martin, alias Dati•ea, a woman 30 years of age,
with an infant in her arms, underwent a length-
ened examination before Mr. Paynter, charged
with extensive swindling, under very novel and
peculiar circumstances.

- About two months ago the police received infor-
mation that a woman was obtaining various sums
of money by advertising for the situation of cook.
The answers to her advertisements were to be ad-
dressed to J: 8., Belvoir-terrace, Vauxhall-bridge-
road. On inquiring there the police found that she
had received a great number of letters, but did not
again present herself. Subsequently the authori-
ties learnt that the same systematic and extensive
frauds were being committed by a person to whom
letters were addressed in Grosvenor-street West,
but in this, as in the former case, she did not again
sake her appearance. As there had been in the
advertisements the peculiarity that the professed
cook was willing also to attend to the bakehouse
and dairy, the police narrowly watched the adver-
tisements which appeared from day to day, and
finding one answering the description—" Address
to C. E., 44, Churton•street"—Birch, a detec-
tive of the A division, kept a watch upon the
house, and apprehended the prisoner as she was
leaving the place with a large bundle of letters
respecting engagements. Upon inquiries at the
houses where they had good-naturedly, but
imprudently, permitted her to have her letters ad-
dressed, it was ascertained that she averaged 50
answers, out of which, it will be clearly seen, she
selected her victims.

Mrs. Smith, of Ingatestone, Essex, said she an-
swered an advertisement in the papers, a month
ago, of a cook requiring a place. She saw prisoner
at the Stag Brewery, Pimlico, by appointment,
when she told her she had lived nine years in a for-
mer situation, and lastly two years with Mrs. Has-
luck, at the Rectory, Enfield, which she was about
to leave, owing to the return of an old servant. Her
account was so extremely satisfactory, that com-
plainant engaged her to come the following Wed-
nesday, unless she got a letter to the contrary, and
upon prisoner requesting her fare from and to En-
field, complainant willingly gave her 3s.
Mr. F. Hasluck, of the Rectory, Enfield, proved
that prisoner, who had never lived in his service,
had also obtained money from him to go to Enfield.
He had seven or eight applications from persons to
whom the prisoner had used his name. He saw the
prisoner, in answer to her advertisement, at his
business house in llatton-garden, where he gave
her the money.
Mrs. Adams, of 20, Upper Bedford-place, Russell-
square, said she answered lux advertisement in the

papers 10 weeks ago, and prisoner called aim her.
She said she lived three years and a half with Mrs.
Griffiths, of Oak Lodge, Chiswick, and gave her
own address, Mary Blaney, Alma Cottage, Chiswick.
Complainant was so satisfied with her statements
that she engaged her subject to her character being
approved of. Prisoner then complained that she had
not had any food since she left home at 7 o'clock
in the morning, upon which complainant sent her
up luncheon in the drawing-room. Before leaving
prisoner said she had not, sufficient to pay her fare
back to Chiswick, whereupon complainant gave her
a shilling. The lady further stated that not hear-
ing any more of the prisoner she was driven in her
carriage to Chiswick, where she met the postman,
also in quest of the accused, with a letter com-
plai►Sant had addressed to her. She took him up
on the, box by the side q the coachman, and after
three hours found their search for prisoner fruitless.
Mrs, Biddulph, Eecleston-square, proved a simi-
lar case against the prisoner, who obtained money
from her in consequence of alleging that she had
lost her Inirse.
Mrs. Walker, of the Chase, Enfield, and her
daughter, proved another charge against the accused.
Inspector Humphreys having intimated that he
could produce a hundred cases against the accused
in which she had obtained various amounts,
Mr. Paynter observed that she appeared to have
been a most successful swindler, and said he would
take two of the present charges against her for trial,
and entertain a third, spoken of by the inspector,
on Wednesday next, to which day the prisoner was
remanded.
Sir James Fergusson, M.P., for Ayrshire, ap-
peared to prosecute a complaint against Wemyss
Jobson, a person of gentlemanly appearance and
address, between 50 and 60 years of age, who had
been apprehended by Knowland, one of the sum-
moning officers, on a warrant, charging him with
sending a threatening letter to the complainant,
whereby a breach of the peace might have been
occasioned.
Sir James said that the prisoner, who was utterly
unknown to him, had addressed a series of letters
to him, alluding to transactions to which he was a
perfect stranger. The first of these complained that
defendant had been defrauded by relations of com-
plainant's, and the last contained a threat. Com-
plainant had inquired of persons whose names were
mentioned in the letters whether there was any
foundation for the grave charges they contained,
and was informed there was not.
The letter containing the threat, which defendant
had admitted to the officer when captured was
written by him, was then read by the magistrate.
It said, " With Mr. Wemyss Jobson's disdains, and
notice that if these cowardly efforts are further per-
sisted in, he shall' flog Sir James from one end of
-- (the word was unintelligible as it appeared)
to the other should he find him."
Defendant requiring the production of other
letters, they were read. They did not, however,
refer to Sir James personally, but contained a series
of charges and much invective against distant
branches of his family. One, however, imputed that
part of defendant's patrimony had been expended
to secure Sir James's return for Ayrshire.
Sir James expressed the astonishnient he had
felt at the imputations, and repeated that he knew
nothing about defendant or hislpatrimony.
In reply to questions from defendant, Sir James
declared he never knew that his uncle and nephew
had got hold of defendant's familys property, and
had never heard of such a thing till now. Had
never had any of defendant's property; never em-
ployed anybody to track his course about town ;
never knew him till he wrote the letters ; and never
saw him till now. Never met Lola Montes at Lord
Camperdown's, or set her to get him assaulted in
an American court of justice. Never threatened de-
fendant while speaking of him to anybody.
Defendant, in the course of a long statement,
said that Sir James's uncle had married his (defen-
dant's) niece, and then the parties getting hold of
another uncle, induced him to disinherit the de-
fendant, his brother, and sister, the two latter of
whom were in poverty and deep distrees. All this
was done while he (defendant) was away in Ame-
rica. With regard to the threat in the letter, he
submitted it was clearly hypothetical, for if Sir
James did not annoy him there was nothing in it.
The defendant submitted he ought to be the com-
plainant, and if the law did not protect him, he
must do as people did in America—protect hitnself.
A very formidable dagger found in defendant's
possession having been produced,
Mr. Paynter said it was quite clear defendant
was suffering under some extraordinary delusion,
in which he entertained a strong feeling against
the complainant. People were not allowed in
this country to threaten to flog others, or to
carry about dangerous weapons to redress their
supposed or real wrongs, nor would well con-
ducted men do so. Defendant was to be feared
as a very dangerous man, because he suffered
under a very dangerous delusion, and he
must find two sureties in £lOO each_ for his good
behaviour.
On the intercession of Sir James, the bail was
reduced to two in £lO, but, as the court was closed,
he had no opportunity of procuring them.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—Robert Pitcher
was charged by the police with causing an obstruc-
tion on the public footway in Coventry-street for
betting purposes.
Leader, C 40, said he saw the defendant and six
or seven other persons altogether on the pavement
in the above street at half-past one o'clock in the
day. By such assemblages very great trouble was
caused.

Mr. Beadon—What do you call trouble ?
Witness—The way is obstructed, so that passers
by are frequently compelled to walk oat into the
road or carriage-way, and many complaints, both
from the inhabitants and others, have been made in
consequence. The trouble was the difficulty in
keeping the footway clear. The defendant had one
or two books, which he believed were betting-
books, in his hand, and, seeing him, he walked.
away; but as he had before cautioned him, he fol-
lowed and took him into custody.
Mr. Beadon asked the defendant why he per-
sisted in this mode of obstructing the pavement.
The defendant replied he was only speaking, and
was not aware he was doing wrong.
Mr. Beadon said he was liable to a fine, and, ad-
vising him not to repeat the offence, ordered him
to enter into his own recognisance to be of good
behaviour for three months.

SOUTHWARK.—Thomas Crowther, a saddler
and harness-maker, of 2G, Wilson-street, Finsbury-
square, was brought before Mr. Combo, charged
with having in his possession a. large quantity of
leather and buckles, in the course of manufacture
for the Royal Artillery, the property of Messrs.
Oastler and Palmer, leather merchants, Grange.-
road, Bermondsey.
Dennis Scannell, 177 M, said that in consequenrie
of information he received, he went with Strick-
land, 76 M, another detective officer, to the pri-