The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-15 00:00:00

BOW-ST EEET.

DARING ROBBERY AT A WATCHMAKER'S.—TWO shabbily-
dressed young men, named John Green and Alexander
Simpkins, were charged with stealing 7 gold watches,
valued at £66, from the shop of Mr. Skelton, clock and
watchmaker, 43, St. Martin's-lane.
Mr. Porter appeared for Simpkin and Mr. Abrams for
Green. _ . _

Mr. Skelton stated that on the 9th March he went out
about four o'clock and returned at about five, when he
found that about 9 or 10 gold watches had been taken
from the glass case. He knew the numbers and makers
names of 7 of them.
Catherine Cox, housekeeper to the last witness, said that
shortly after her master went out a cabman came to the
dom. and asked her to speak to a passenger in his cab. She
went to the door of the cab, but on looking round, and
seeing some man in the shop, returned to the door. The
man seized her in the passage, by
.the shop door, and flung
her to the back of the shop. She believed the prisoner
Simpkin was the man. On coming to the door she saw
the same man and another, whom she believed to be Green,
running away, and begged a gentleman to pursue them.
They had robbed the shop. She had missed some of the
watches, especially throe or four, which wore kept in front
of the case and were of peculiar appearance. She saw
them safe about 3 or 4 o'clock. _lade a practice of looking
to see that all was safe as she passed the shop door.
John Willy, salesman at a China shop in St. Martin's-
lane, said he had seen these men, two of whom he believed
to be the prisoners, loitering about in the lane. At the
time the cab was at the door he saw the two whom he
believed to be the prisoners running up the lane towards
Hop-gardens, and they went down that turning. He did
not see them come out of the shop, the cab being between
him and the door.
The witnesses were cross-examined both by the learned
counsel and by Mr. Abrams as to the identity of the pri-

Boners.
The prisoners had been apprehended by Sergeant Ackrill
and Constable Gordon (the officers directed to investigate
the case) in consequence of infoimation, the nature of
which did not transpire,

Both prisonero were remanded.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

PLATE ROBBERY IN MAYFAIR.—James Thompson, alias
Riley, "no home—painter," was charged beforo Mr. Tyr-
whitt with stealing some silver spoons and forks, of the
♦alue of £lO, the property of the Hon. Thomas Charles
Bruce, No. 13, Hertford-street, Mayfair.
James Randall, servant to the Hon. Thomas C. Bruce,
said—Last night, about nine o'clock, I put a dozen spoons
and a dozen forks in the pantry, looking into the area, the
window of the pantry being closed. I left the pantry but
had not been gone more than a minute when I heard a
noise and the rattling of plate. I ran to the pantry, and
saw the prisoner in the area, the window of the pantry
being open. As /soon as the prisoneesaw me he ran away
up the area steps, and as he did so he dropped three forks.
I ran after him and called "stop thief," and he was pursued
by others and brought back to the house, and in the
presence of a constable took some spoons and
forks from his pocket. The yalue of the spoons
and forks, which are the property of my master, is £lO. '
Police-constable John Widding, 369 A -I was on duty
at Stanhope-gate, Hyde-park, last night, and saw the pri-
soner running, pursued by some person crying "Stop
thief." I ran after him as fast as I could, and some gen-
tlemen held up their umbrellas and turned him back, and
I then caught him. He raid, " It's not me; let me go, I've
done nothing." I told him that I had had too much
trouble in catching him to let him go, and took him back
to No. 13, Hertford-street, and he gave up some spoone
and forks, and three forks were picked up in the area. On
searching the prisoner a ticket of admission to the House
of Lords, and a complimentary ono for a .nasic-hall were

found upon him.
Mr. Tyrwhitt remanded the prisoner.
LOAN OFFICES AND TIIEIR PRACTICES.—A gentleman
waited upon the magistrate to complain of the conduct of
the keepers of a loan °Mee, 84, Well-street, Oxford-street,
who advertised to lend money on Satisfactory security,
and, after charging 10s. or .£1 for iugniry fees, declined,
on some frivolous excuse, to advance the money, and re-
fused to refund the amount charge I the applicants.
Mr. Knox said that several similar applications had been
made at that court respecting the same office. With every
desire on his part to assist the applicant, he was unable to
do so. What he would advise the applicant to do was to
place himself in communication with a solicitor, and see if
the persons could not be indicted for a conspiracy.
The applicant thanked the magistrate for his advice.