The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-21 00:00:00

spinster, and Susan Howden, '27, married, were indicted
3 0 6 fur a robbery with violence upon Edward Richard Bonham,
211 15 0 and stealing from him a handkerchief and LI 17s. in
10 1 0 money.
Mr. Tilley prosecuted, and Mr. Austen defended the
women; Brown pleaded guilty.
The cants have been very recently given at some length.
The prosecutor, who is a bricklayer and beer-shop keeper,
upon the 13th July was at the Admiral Keppel, Brompton,
where he saw all the prisoners and also two other men, not
in custody. Having a previous knowledge of Riggory, he
paid for something for them all to drink, but not liking
the company he proposed to take Riggory for a drive. She
agreed to go, and requested that he would allow Howden
and one of the men not in custody to go with them. He
did si, and they drove in a cab to Battersea New Park,
where, to his surprise, he saw that Browa and the other
man had also arrived, and they would not leave him. In
order to get rid of them, he paid for more drink at several
houses, and finally, at about half-past four, they all get into
the park, where the men threw him down, knelt upon him,
and after a severe struggle, during which much injury was
done to prosecutor, they rubbed him of his porte-monnaie
and handkerchief. By this time the park keeper came
up and took the two women, who were on the watch, into
custody, and a police - constable two of the men, the
third escaping by a boat on tlia way to the station ; another
of the men got away and had not since been captured.
Mr. Austen, in a very ingenious and able address, con-
tended that the men alone were the l fillies criminally liable.
The jury found the women both guilty, and they were
sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, and the man to
eight.

424 17 2

i685_13. 8

THIRD COURT.
(Before Mr. Prendergast, Q.C.)

Rebecca Wells, 22, spinster, was indicted for endeavour-
ing to conceal the birth of her female child.
Mr. Orridge prosecuted and Mr. Sleigh defended.
The prisoner had, previously to lee 21st of June, been in
the service of a lady in Beauvoir-terrace, Stoke Newington,
and upon that day, the lady's suspicions b:ing aroused, she
taxed the prisoner with what she thought had occurred,
and prisoner did not deny it. The police were then called in
and they found the body of the infant in the pipe of the
water-closet.

Mr. J. James, of Nelson-terrace, Stoke Newington, sur-
geon, stated that in his opinion the prisoner had been pre-
maturely and unexpectedly delivered where the child was
found.

The learned Commissioner said if that was so there was
no ease to go to the jury, however wrong, the prisoner's
conduct had been. As she had done nothing to dispose of the
body, she could not be found guilty of concealing the birth
of toe child. We might talk about India; but he was sorry
to say infanticide was carried on to a great extent in this
country, and strong measures should be taken to repress it.
Incontinence was one thing, and child murder another.

..
The prisoner was then ordered to be discharged.
TIT other cases disposed of in this court were chiefly
robberies with violence from the person, which, judging
from the calendar of the present session, seems to be a class
of offence upon the increase.

POLICE REPORTS.

The Lord Mayor—Look at his hands, officer, and see if
there are any marks there such as a tailor's hands would
have.

MANSION-HOUSE.—THE CASE OF MRS. SODEN.—
The following was received by the Lord Mayor :
" A poor clerk sends herewith 10s. for the relief of Mrss.
Soden, whose case was reported in the papers of to-day, and
it would afford him the utmost satisfaction to administer a
sound thrashing to her heartless husband.—August 19."
The following sums were also received fur the use of the
unfortunate woman, viz.:—Anonymous, £1; "H. R.,"
El ; " 8.," ss. 6J.; Anonymous (postage stamps), ss. ;
S. Fr 4:).," 55.; Anonymous (postage stamps), 10e.;
" F. W.," ss. ; " City Clerk," 53.; and " W. S. R.," 53.
George ,Smith, late a carman in the employ of Messrs.
Chaplin and Horne, railway carriers, was brought up on
remand charged with having, on the 7th inst., stolen a van
containing 20 bales of wool, value £4OO, from the premises
of the London and North-Western Railway Company,
Aldgate.
Mr. Sewell appeared for the prosecution, and Mr.
Wontner for the prisoner.
On the previous occasion evidence had been given to show
that the van had been seen at a distance from the premises
drawn by the prisoner's horses; but there was no evidence
to identify the prisoner positively as one of the two men who
drove it.
Mr. Sewell now said the case had been remanded to
enable him to complete the evidence against the prisoner,
and also to discover his accomplices, but he (Mr. Sewell)
was sorry to say that, although there could be no clout):
that the prisoner had accomplices, they had so far escaped
detection. With regard to the prisoner, however, the case
would now he made complete.
William Chandler—l am a wool loader, in the employ of
Pickford and Co., Haydon-square. I know the prisoner at
the bar, having seen him at the square. I remember Satur-
day morning, the 7th of this month. At a quarter past six
I went up the yard, which joins Haydon-square, and I saw
a load of wool standing there, covered with one of the com-
pany's sheets. It was about four or five rods from the
Aldgate-street entrance. I came up again about half-past
six, and I then saw the prisoner Smith get on the box and
drive the van loaded with wool, which was No. 90, out of
the yard and turn to the right. The van was drawn by two
chestnut horses.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wontner—l am quite sure the
prisoner Smith was the man. I first said I had seen the
van removed the same night. I did not see the prisoner
again till this day week, when I was brought here to see
him. I noticed the number of the van because I had seen
it standing there the night before.
William Priest—l am a carman in the employ of Messrs.
Pickford, at Haydon-square. Last Saturday week, about
eight o'clock in the morning, I was coming up from the
sugar house, along Backchurch-lane, when, just as I passed
Cannon-street-road, I fell on behind a van loaded with wool,
and had to follow it for 200 or 300 yards. I noticed that it had
one of the company's sheets over it, and wondered what had
brought the sheet there, because 1 had always understood
that the company's sheets were never allowed to be taken
off the premises. The van was drawn by two horses, but I
could not see their colour, nor could I see who the man was
on the box. I did not see any men walking behind it or by
the side. When we reached Christian-street I had an op-
portunity of passing it, and, as I did so, I saw that it was a
Chaplin and Horne's van; and I also saw the prisoner
Smith standing about 10 or 20 yards off, on the opposite
side of the road. I had known him by sight before, but not
by name. I supposed him to be attending to the van. That
was a very unusual place to see a load of wool, which made
me take the more notice of it.
Mr. Wontner—l have nothing to ask this witness.
Mr. Sewell—That finishes my case, my lord, and I think
the evidence folly justifies me in asking you to commit the
prisoner for trial.
The prisoner, who left himself in the hands of his solicitor,
was fully committed for trial. He is said to have previously
belonged to the P division of the Metropolitan Police.
.Henry Adams was charged with stealing a parcel con-
taining two coats, value £1 17s. 6d., from a van belonging
to Pickford and Co., the railway carriers.
William Avison, carman, deposed that between 10 and
11 o'clock that morning he was in Cheapside, with his van,
delivering goods, when he stopped for the purpose of de-
livering a parcel. He quitted the van for about a minute
for that purpose, and as he was returning saw the prisoner
take a parcel oil the van and cross over the road with it.
He ran down Gutter-lane, witness following, and turned to
the right into Wood-street, where, finding himself pursued,
ke threw down the parcel and increased his speed. Wit-
ness picked up the parcel, at the same time crying "Stop
thief," and the prisoner was stopped by a gentleman who
was coming in the opposite direction.
The prisoner made no attempt to deny his guilt, but
pleaded in extenuation that he was a tailor, and had been
for some time out of work.

Officer (after looking attentively)—There's never so much
as the mark of a stitch, my lord.
Prisoner—That's because I have been for the last month
in King's College Hospital with a bad leg, as I can prove.
Look here (pulling up his trousers).
Lord Mayor—Pray, spare yourself the trouble and the
court a disgustirg sight. You have committed a most im-
pudent robbery, for which your leg forms no excuse, and I
shall send you for trial.
Committed accordir g:y.

SOUTHWARK.—CHARGE OF BURGLARY.— George
111Wonall, a suspicious-looking fellow, aged 22, was
charged with breaking into the dwelling-house of George
Chas. Wheeler, a tailor, at 21, Queen-street, Webber-street,
Blackfriars-road, and stealing therefrom three pieces of
cloth, twe coats, a shiet, table-cover, and other articles, his
property.
Junes, police-constable 151 L, said that at half-past six
on the previous morning be met the prisoner in Upper
Ground-street, Blackfriars-road, carrying a bundle. He
was coming from the direction of the prosecutor's house,
and as soon as he saw witness he endeavoured to avoid him,
but he went up to him and asked him what he had in the
bundle. He said that he diii not know, as a man had just
handed it to him to carry a little way; but be did not
know where the men was. Witness then took him into
custody, and a little while afterwards he ascertained that
the prosecutor's ht•use had been cute:cf.! and the contents of
the bundle stolen therefrom. On searching the prisoner
witness found a false key on him, which opened the prose-
cutor's street door.
Mr. Wheeler identified the property produced. He saw it
all safe in the front room on Wednesday night when he went
to bed. One of his lodgers went out about five in the
morning, and then the prisoner must Itiv.e entered the
house and committed the robbery.
The maeistrate asked whether anything was known of
the prisoner ?
Jones, the c-nstable, replied that numerous robberies had
lively been committed in a similar manner, and he wished
for a remand, to make further inquiries about him.
Tree prisoner was according remanded until Monday.
IleanWAY ROBBERY BY A FEMALE.—Hannah Sheen,
a tall young woman, who had several times been convicted
t'fiii
forahwayr
obbesrttoy,tiaanrdottwe•hoooes,ulffvaesredbrofuingirhtybeeafrosr'epemnarl.
servitude
Burcham for final examination charged with stealing a
person of Thomastußorronattellginiatshte, public
crown-piece from the
sti eets.
Mr. W. Edwin appeared for the prisoner.
pelr(olseeedOinag along Tuesday High-street, Borough,
The prosecutor stated that he was a pipemaker, and re-
tsi‘sdoedo,aettosook,,Shneoww-tifi
him and asksaiemtedepluruipmt
Itloetrohithmrieinaadtcnihinrelr,i.lisHe refused,
at home, and when near King-street the prisoner
caan'(ulepuupshteod her on one side, but she followed him,an aagnelliewhen,
caught hold of her and demanded
pocket wasand
cs sett.l ee
rcH e
neara
ternlip 'rig;
the money back, but instead of handing it to him she
threatened to smash him if he did not let
her
. alone. A con-
stable came up at that time, and took her into custody. On
the way to the station-house she attempted to slip the crown
piece into his hand, but it dropped on ttre.pavement.
In cress-examination by Mr. Edwin,
been to Vauxhall Gardens, and had witness said he had
enjoyed himself, but
he was perfectly sober when the •
gave her r.o encouraeement, but Sirdisaalrlehr 2ccocu°lstetdo h
her.He
stole a el., wstntor-eppenites
She was, however, very expert in stealinge the money,avo as he
was not aware that she had robbed him until be put hit
hand in his pocket. He then seized hold of her directly.
Fitzgerald, 114 M, said he took the into prisoner custody,
and on the way
to the station-house, he saw her drop the
five-shilling piece.
Mr. Edwin here
int •
entron to deal with the prisoner
timer the new act?
Mr
. Burcham said that he could not deal with such an
offender. He should commit her for trial, but some
evidence as to her former convictions must be given.
Sergeant Gardner, 25 M, said that on December 1, 1851,
.2.e was tried at the Newington sessions, and sentenced to
1_
' months. On September 12, 1853, she was again tried at
the same piece, and sentenced to four years' penal servitude;
and on 29th May last she was sentenced to two months at
this court.
Mr. Burcham said he recollected sentencing her to the
latter term of imprisonment, and he took that lenient view
re r 'nu—
b:
of her case to give her another chance of t her