The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-27 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

ROBBERY AT THE CHAPTER-HousE.--John Smith,
a labourer, was placed at the bar charged with
stealing some lead from the Chapter-house, West-
minster.

Mr. Herbert J. Poole,of the firm of Poole and
sons, masons, employed in restoring the Chapter-
house within the close of Westminster, stated that
the prisoner had been employed ou the works since
last Friday. Last evening he was engaged with
several others in digging a hole, across which a lead
pipe run. At five o'clock the pipe was all right,
but at ten minutes past five, on his again visiting
the spot, he found it was shorter, and then gave
directions that all the men employed should
be searched as they left the premises.
While this was going on witness saw
the prisoner step on one side and lay
down the missing piece of pipe behind some
stones. He had taken it from inside his trousers.
There are many hundred tons of lead about the
Chapter-house, and it was necessary to make an
example of dishonest labourers.
Mr. Arnold—Whose iftoperty is the lead ?

Prosecutor-0 ars. We are working for the
Government.

Mr. Arnold—l thought this, which is within the
Close of Westminster, belonged by a grant of
Elizabeth to the Dean and Chapter. is the Chapter
house in any way reserved ?

Prosecutor—The Chapter-house was given up to
the Government when the Parliament was removed
to St. Stephen's from there in Henry Ill.'s time.
The possession of the building certainly is in the
Government, although the building belongs to the
Dean and Chapter. The lead by the contract is

ours.
Pi isoner—l know nothing about it.
Mr. Arnold—You are remanded till Tuesday.

THAMES.

SHAMEFUL ABANDONMENT OF CHILDREN.—
Catherine Robinson, alias Connor, alias O'Donnell,
an Irish woman, was brought before Mr. Knox
charged with deserting her two illegitimate children,
Joseph aged six years, and Mary Ann aged three
years, and leaving them chargeable to the parish of
St. George-in-the-East.

Mr. Rolston, relieving officer of St. George, said
the prisoner's children had been maintained by the
parish, one for three or four years, the other for
about two years. She took them out of the house
again, and on the Bth of Juno last a woman
named M'Gill brought the children to the gate of
the workhouse in a destitute condition, and sai d
they were starving. The children were admitted,
and had been maintained by the parish ever since.
The prisoner had kept out of the way until yes-
terday when she was taken into custody.
Mr. Win. Folio, porter and superintendent of
labour, stated that the children were in a deplorable
condition when they were brought to the workhouse
in Juno.

The prisoner said she had no questions to ask
and no defence to make.

Mr. Knox said the prisoner was a most unnatural
and unfeeling mother to abandon her children as
she had done, and put the burden of maintaining
them on the ratepayers. He sentenced her to three
mouths' imprisonment and hard labour.
UNFOUNDED CHARGE AGAINST A SAILOR.—
William Grant, a seaman, lately paid off from a
ship after a long voyage, was brought up on remand
before Mr. Knox charged with stabbing James
Coghlan, a wharf and dock labourer, and living at
No. 1, Wharton's-court, Cartwright-street, Rose-
mary-lane.

Mr. Pelham, solicitor, defended the prisoner.

The case set up for the prosecution was that the
prisoner was fighting with another man in Albert-
street, Shad well, and that on the prosecutor
separating them the prisoner struck him on the
head with a knife, and he fell senseless to the
ground. In cross-examination by Mr. Pel-
ham, the witness admitted that he had been
drinking with some loose women on the day in
question. He saw no knife when he was struck.
lie was a cooper by trade. It was aboat two
months since ho was doing any work as a cooper.
Walter Palmer, 258 K, took the prisoner into
custody at a house of bad repute, in Albert-street.
The prosecutor was outside, bleeding very much.
The prisoner was secreted behind a door, with a
knife in his hand, and he said ho had been robbed
of £3 15s. There was no blood on the knife he took
from the prisoner.

Mr. Daniel Ross, surgeon, of No. 10, Commercial-
place, Commercial-road, said there was a small
punctured wound deep to the bone, which must
have been caused by some sharp instrument. It
was not a dangerous wound. In answer to a ques-
tion, Mr. Ross said if the prosecutor had fallen
against a sharp-pointed substance it would have
caused such a wound.

Mr. Pelham said the prisoner was a respectable
young man homeward botml, and was attacked and
robbed in a street in which every house was one of a
bad character. Witnesses wort) called, who fully
proved the defence set up.

Mr. Knox was satisfied the case for the prosecu-
tion was satisfactorily answered. A seaman had been
ill-used and robbed of his money. lle discharged
the prisoner.

DESTRUCTION OF SALSION.—A large number of
salmon and trout have boon poisoned in the river Plym,
either it is supposed by water flowing from the mines or
china clay works. Accordir g to the report of Mr. Ffennell,
the Plym is the finest river in England for breeding sal-
mon, and the destruction of fish in such a manner as that
which has just occurred is regarded as very seriously
affecting the fishery. A meeting of the conservators has
consequently been convened for Friday, at Tavistock, for
the purpose of determining what steps should be taken iu
the infttter.