The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-20 00:00:00

PICKING POCKETS—.—A IeUCE.Y ESCAPE.

Ann Moses and Eliza Thomson were indicted for picking
the pocket of Mrs. Putnam.
From the evidence it appeared that the prisoners entered
the shop of the prosecutrix and asked to be served
with some plums. Mrs. Putnam measured the fruit,
and then the Prosecutiix, by accident, put her hand
into her pocket, and missed her purse, which she had
but a few minutes before placed there. She 'told

the prisoners she had lost her purse, but they said, " Oh,
you'll soon find it." They then quitted the shop, but feel-
ing certain that they knew something of the robbery, she
sent the errand boy after them, and in a few minuteS they
were brought babk by a policeman, but upon being searched
nothing was found upon either of them. They had, how-
ever, during the time between leabing the shop and being
taken into custody, entered a publicliouse called the " Wood-
man," for a Short time. Notwithstanding the most rigid
search, the purse was not found.
Mr. Payne , told the jury that they must, before they
found both prisoners guilty, be of opinion they were acting
in concert. If they were of opinion that the robbery had
been committed by one of them only, but they were uncer-
tain which, the safest way would be to acquit the prisoners.
The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty.

The prisoners were then indicted for stealing a purse, the
property of Mrs. Brown, in. Portland-place.
The prosecutrix said the prisoners came up to her as she
was passing along Portland-place. Thompson asked her if
she knew where she could find an eye doctor. During the
time ehe was talking to the prisoner she supposed they
robbed her. She was informed by the police that two women
were in custody for picking pockets, and on seeing them she
identified thorn as the persons she he had spoken to in
Portland-place. It was 20 minutes after the prisoners left
her that the purse was missed. She was sure the women
were the same. •

The Clerk—Ara you agreed, gentlemen, as to your
terdict ?

Foreman of the Jury—Yes, we find the prisoners at the
bar " Not guilty, and are very sorry for it." (Laughter)
Mr. Payne—l never find fault with the verdict of a jury,
but I cannot understand how you could come to such a
verdict.

Foreman of the Jury—We are very sorry. We think
they are thieves—they look like it—.(laughter)—but we
could not find them guilty. There was nothing clear.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Payne—The result of the verdict is, that two very
clever thieves are let loose again in London.
Foreman—We know it, my lord. (Laughter.) We are
sorry we could not find them guilty.
Mr. Payne—lt appears that Thompson has been out of
gaol but a short time.

The Foreman of the Jury—We very much regret we
could not find them guilty. We have no doubt about their
being thievei, but we could not clearly bring the present
offense home to them.

Mr. Payne (addressing the prisoners)—You've had a
very lucky escape. I hope it will be a warning to you, but
I'am afraid you'll both soon be here again.
Prisoners—Oh no, your Worship ; you'll never see us
again after this.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—(TMs Day).

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

CASH Box ROBBERY BY ERRAND BOYS. Charles
Stacey, 16, William Pallett, 14, and Robert Irwen, 16,
three errand boys in the employ of Mr. Walter Bullock,
tin-plate worker, of 16, Rupert-street, were charged as
follows :

The prosecutor said that for some months past he had
lost various sums of money from his cash-box, and although
he had tried every means to detect the thief, he had failed
to do so. Yesterday morning, having missed 75., last night
he marked one half-crown, one two-shilling piece, two
shillings, and eight sixpences, and put them in the box and
locked the drawer in which the box was deposited. This
morning, in consequence of what his son told bins, he went
to the drawer, which was still locked, and on opening it and
looking at the cash-box, he missed one shilling and two
sixpences. Ho then taxed the prisoners with having taken
the money, but they denied having done so. He then sent
for a constable, who on searching them found on Stacey a
marked shilling, and on each of the other's a sixpence. He
had frequently found a difficulty in getting the key into
the lock, as if some one had been tampering with it.

Walter Bullock, son of last witness, proved seeing his
father mark the money, and keeping a watch that morning,
and when no others were present but the prisoners, hearing
the cash-box rattle, and then informing his father.
Sergeant Walker, 15 C, said, on searching the prisoners,
he also found, besides some-of the marked, money deposed
to, a set of dice on Stacey, and another set on Irwen.
The prisoners denied they had taken the money.
The prosecutor said he had treated them all with great
kindness.

Mr. Beadon said he should send them for trial, but at
present should remand them.

THAMES.

ROBBING A POOR WOMAN OF }MR GOLD.—Mary
Keefe, an Irish girl, was brought before Mr. Selfe charged
with stealing two sovereigns.
The prosecutrix in this case is a poor and industrious
T_iishwoman named Ellen Keefe, no relation to the prisoner,
and residing at No. 68, Lambeth-street, Whitechapel.
The prisoner was destitute, and Mrs. Keefe, with
that generosity so characteristic of the Irish people, took
pity upon her, invited her to her house "to take the bite
and the sup," and found her some needlework. On Mon-
day night the prosecutrix had two sovereigns in the house,
which she placed in the pocket of her...gown, and hung it
up on a nail in her bed-room. The prisoner slept in the
same room. Yesterday morning Mira. Keefe missed her
gold, which she described as two bright yellow sovereigns,
which she had saved for many a long day. The woman
dock labourer, and
He vehemently
afiorosut
ssoudsphecintedl
whiethr hsutesablainudg,
ilivehro
misonaey.
protested his innocence, and the woman then accused the
prisoner with having stolen her "bright gold," and a
police-constable, named Hall, 127 H, was .called in. The
prisoner declared she had not stolen the money, and asked
the policeman to send for the high priest, that slfe
might take an oath that she was not the thief. She was
conveyed to the station-house and searched by Mrs. Brad-
ley, female searcher, who found a sovereign in each of her
boots. Before they were discovered she declared, in the
most solemn manner, that she had never seen .the money.
After Mrs. Bradley had taken the sovereigns from her, she
asked her to overlook it and keep the money.
Mr. Selfe:--Do you
plead guilty or not guilty, or do you
prefer being sent for trial ?
The prisoner—I have got no father or mother, and no
one to direct me, sir. I WAS never here before, and don't
know what all this means.
Mr. Sere-*Then
you say you are not guilty ? -
The prisoner—To be sure I am.
Mr,Self—Then you axe Committed for trial,