The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-18 00:00:00

THAMES.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY WITH - VIOLENCE IN A
PUBLIC STREET.—Francis Green, described as a
hammerman, .aged 27, of No. 1, London-terrace,
St. George's-in-the-East, was brought before Mr.
Benson, charged with being concerned mith others
in assaulting and robbing Mrs: Ca 3 oline Major
North, wife of a tradesman, dwelling at No. 59,
Cable-street, St. George.

Mrs. Major North stated that on Monday after-
noon last at three o'clock she was passing along the
Cannon-street-road, wearing her gold watch and
chain, when a young man rushed from a narrow
alley and seized her chaid with both hands, pulled
the watch from the pocket in her dress, and tried to
break the chain, which was a strong one, and for
some time resisted all hi 3• efforts to rend it
asunder. She struggled with the villain, and he
dragged her along by the chain, forced her
on the ground, and by a violent effort disengaged
the gold watch from the chain, and ran away with
it up the court. Her mouth was bleeding from the
violence offered to her, and no one came to her assist-
ance. The prisoner and another man were right
in front of her and the thief while she was being
illused and robbed. They looked on, and the pri-
soner said to the man who was dragging her along,
" You -- fool, why don't you do it better than
that? " There were many persons in a low beer
shop opposite to the place where she was robbed,
but no one interfered.

Mr. Benson—Did you cry police, thieves, or
murder ?

Witness—The attack was so sudden, and I was
dragged along so roughly, that I had not the power
to do so.

The Prisoner—Are you quite sure that I said,
" You fool, why don't you do it better ? "
Witness—Yes, I am sure of it.
The prisoner—What I said was, " It's a
shame to treat a woman in that manner."

Witness—No, you said nothing of the kind.
Porter William Dunaway, Police-sergeant No. 11
11, of the detective police, said he apprehended. the
prisoner yesterday afternoon, and said to him, " Do
you know who lam ?" to which he replied, gi Yes.
I know what you are come about, Mr. Dunaway ;
it is about the lady that has been robbed of her
watch." Witness said, " The lady has stated that
you and another man were standing by all the time
it was done." On the way to the station house the
prisoner said, "I saw the three men that did it
they came down out of the court a few minutes be-
fore the lady came up." At the station house he
told the prisoner that he had been heard to declare
that he saw the watch lying on the footpath for
fen minutes. The prisoner denied this, and said
that he laid bold of the young man's arm, when
he was robbing the lady, and said to him, " What a
-- shame it is, you villain." He asked the pri-
soner why he did not lay hold of the thief. The
prisoner said, " I do not know whatever came over
me, my powers seemed to leave me. I could not
hold him." Dunaway added that a very low lot
inhabited Bowyer's Buildings, opposite to where
the robbery was committed. The court led to St.
George's-terrace, another bad place. There were
numerous thieves, burglars, prostitutes, and other
infamous characters" in those places, and the inhabi-
tants of Cannon-street-road who did not belong to
the dangerous classes were afraid of their badly-
&posed and wicked neighbours, and would not
interfere if they saw a robbery or outrage committed.
Mr. Benson—That is an alarming state of things
indeed.

Police-sergeant Dillon, No. 19 K, confirmed the
statement of Dunaway as to the lawless state of the
district near the place where the robbery was com-
mitted.

Mr. Benson—A respectable woman is illused and
robbed in the daytime in a crowded thoroughfare,
and people look on and don't interpose. It appears
to me that many more could be charged besides the
prisoner. The public-house, in which were SO
many persons of bad character, should be reported
to the licensing magistrates.
Dillon—lt was a low beershop, not under the
control of the magistracy. The prisoner has been
hanging about there and associating with bad cha-
racters for a long time.

Mr. Benson was afraid he would not be justified
in detaining the prisoner, although the circumstances
were suspicious, and finally ordered him to enter
into his own recognisances in the sum of £lO to
appear next week. lie hoped the perpetrator of
the audacious robbery would be arrested.

7HE COLLISION ON 71IE RIVER.

The inquest on Sergeant Barry was resumed this
morning.

John Keddy said he was Captain of the Went-
worth, but Mr. Allen, Trinity pilot, was in charge
of her all the day of the collision. If the Metis
had continued the course they first saw her taking
she would have cleared the Wentworth. The
witness gave some practical evidence as to the
rules governing ships' courses.
Mr. Jackson, Chairman of the Woolwich Steam
Packet Company, was examined, and also Thos.
Blackland, who considered that if the Metis had
gone to the north she could have cleared the Went-
worth.

The inquiry is still proceeding, and is likely to be
very protracted.

TRADE INTIMIDATION AT PLYMO UTIL

The shipbuilders here divide their work into two
classes--new, or building, and old, or repairing.
The customary wages for old work are higher than
for new work. Mr. Joseph Banks, builder, has
been in the habit of paying 21s. per week for new,
and 30s. for old work. About a month since he had
an American ship to repair, and on her 30 extra men
were employed at 303. per week, and continued
until the repairs were completed. At that time Mr.
Banks had two men, non-unionists, enga,gel on new
work at 21s. per week ; but they were so much
worried by the extra men that they were obliged to
leave.the:town, although one had a wife and seven
children,- and could obtain employment nowhere
else. Four men of the port offered at the same wages,
but for some unexplained reason refrained from
coming. After this ten of the discontented men
offered, but Mr. Banks declined to employ them, as
they had assisted in driving the two non-unionists
away. Having occasion for extra labour he advertised
for six men at 21s. per week for nen work, and obtained
four from Bideford and two from Padstow. They
commenced work last week, and have ever since re-
sisted the coaxing, threats, and intimidations of the
unionists ; but it has been necessary to appeal to the
magistrates to enable the men to go uninjured to
their homes. The following is the verbatim copy of
a letter which Mr. Banks received by post last week
—" Plymouth, Sept. 9. Sir,—You have taken on
6 shipwrits and you know you have employed those
men under wages of the port of Plymouth, and you
are the first master in the port to cut our money
down ; you tried too on the last job you had, whot
is the reason of your doeing, do it make any dif-
ference to yoti what we get on Old work, i can• tell
you you had better mind whot you are about for we
shipwrits of Plymouth will let you know we are
men not to be trampled and by the likes of you,
and if do not discharge those 6 men we sware we
will do for you and yourn, for i expect one night
you will have your brains blown out and your
house gat on fire, so the best thing you can do his
discharge them directly, if nut you are a dead man'
and your house no more ; you will find Plymouth a
second Sheffield, and we shipwrits a second Broad-
head. So no more from your aue of a Plymouth
shipwrits."

FATAL EXPLOSION.—During blasting operations
at West Hoe quarries, Plymouth, on Saturday afternoon, a
Chiti,ge-Of -ganpoWder exploded sooner than was antici-
pated, the consequence being that a man named Richard
Gourd was blown 4 distance of 18 feet, and fell on a rook
dead,