The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-16 00:00:00

W ESTMINSTE R.

SINGULAR CASE OF FELONY.—William Ranson,
a respectable-looking youth of 17, was charged
with stealing a half-ounco weight.

Mr. Kenuan llamburgh, tobacconist, of 41,
Great Smith-street, 'Westminster, said that at half-
past 12 yesterday morning, he saw the prisoner
enter jhis shop and put something on the counter.
He asked for a quarter of an ounce of tobacco.
The scales were swinging as though they
had been pushed, and prosecutor missed
from them the half-ounce weight, which
ho had just before been using. He asked
prisoner if he had seen it, and he declared he had
not. He gave prisoner into custody, and he was
taken to the station, where he was searched, but no
weight was found, and prosecutor withdrew the
charge. At five minutes past one, on returning to
his shop, a boy named Debus brought the missing
weight into the shop, and said the prisoner, who had
sent him with it, was over the way. Prosecutor went
out, when prisoner took to his heels, and en being
captured explained how he had evaded the search
for the weight at the station, and had after that de-
termined to restore it.

Mr. Arnold—What is known of the boy ?
the Father-.--I am a hard-working man, but I
can't get this boy to be industrious as I am. I wish
your worship would get him to sea —that would be
the best thing for him.
Mr. Arnold—Has he ever been dishonest before?

The Father—Never ; never took a farthing of
any one that I heard of. lie has never been in
trouble of any sort before, but he won't work, and
had better go to sea.

Prisoner was remanded for a week, to see whether
a ship can be provided for him.

THANIES.

SAVAGE ASSAULT ON A POLICE CONSTABLE.-

William Ford, a disreputable blackguard, a ship-
wright, lately dwelling in Bright-street, Bromley,
was brought up, on remand, bafore Mr. Benson,
charged with savagely assaulting Henry Cummins,
a police-constable, No. 347 K, who has been con-
fined to his room since the injury inflicted upon
him by the prisoner. He was in such a precarious
condition when the prisoner was first brought be-
fore the magistrate that Mr. Paget went to his
dwelling and received his deposition in his own
room.

The constable, why has partially recovered, now
stated that on the night of the sth instant the pri-
soner came to him in Bright-street, Broinley, and
accused him with stealing his cap. The prisoner
was very drunk. Ho told him he knew nothing
about his cap, and that if he had lost it he would
assist him in looking for it. He did so, and
the prisoner began to make a noise. He persuaded
the prisoner to go home, and took him to a house,
whore he said he lived. On reaching the house the
prisoner said he did not live there, and was very
disorderly and noisy. He said to the prisoner, "If
you don't go away I will take you to the station-
house." The prisoner said he would fight him.
He took hold of the prisoner to convey him to the
station-house, and they struggled and fell. The
prisoner was undermost. He was getting up, and
the prisoner raised his foot and save him a tremen-
dous kick on the lower part of his person, which
took his breath away, and disabled him. He had
been, very ill ever since. He had been suffering
great pain.
Mr. Matthew Brownfield, divisional surgeon of
police, of the East India Dock-road, said he had
been in attendance on the disabled constable, who
had received a severe and very peculiar injury.

In answer to Mr. Benson, the witness said that
the constable was getting better and would be able
to return to his duty very shortly.
The prisoner, in defence, said that he was drunk
when the affray occurred. lie knew nothing of it.
Mr. Benson said the prisoner had committed a
very ferocious and wanton assault on the police-
constable, who was doing his duty temperately
and firmly. He was glad to hear the constable
was getting better, and thought he should be jus-
tified in disposing of the case summarily and in-
dicting upon the prisoner a sentence of two mouths
imprisonment and hard labour.

The Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres,
in its yesterday's sitting, elected M. de Rossi, of
Rome, to the place of foreign associate, vacant by
the death el AT, Doppi el Berlin.