The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-12 00:00:00

THAMES.

AN INCORRIGIBLE PICKPOCKET.—James Shaw, alias
Shoe, 18, a well-known Spitalfields thief, of No. 12, Witt-
street, in that parish, was brought b.fore Mr. Yardley,
charged with stealing a silk handkerchief, value 45., from
the person of Mr. John Robson, of No. 7, Manor-place,
Stratford, Essex.

John Bone, an active police constable, No. 161 H, stated
that he saw the prisoner following Mr. Robson yesterday
afternoon in the Whitechapel-road, and that there was
another thief behind him covering his operations. The
prisoner skilfully extracted Mr. Robson's silk.handkerchief
from his pocket, and was about to hand it to his confede-
rate, when witness pounced upon him, snatched the hand-
kerchief from the prisoner, and secured him.
Mr. Robson identified the handkerchief, and said he
never missed it until the policeman spoke to him.
The prisoner, on being called upon to plead, said he was
guilty.

Mr. Yardley asked if the prisoner was known ?
Bone said the prisoner was the most incorrigible
pickpocket in London, and had been in custody
at least 20 times, and had been convicted summarily at that
court and at the Worship-street Police Court six or seven
times.

Mr. Yardley—l sentence the prisoner to six months' im-
prisonment and hard labour in the House of Correction.

The prisoner—What, six months for a fogle (silk hand-
kerchief) its a —. The remainder of the sentence was lost
as the fellow entered the gaoler's room.
DARING ROBBERY ON TOWER Mime—John Rogers, a
well known, activb, and incorrigible thief, about 20 years
of age, whose depredations have been chiefly confined to
Tower-hill, where more watches have been stolen than at
any other place in the kingdom, was charged with stealing
a silver watch value £lO, from the person of Captain Wil-
liam Mendhurst, the master of the ship Sarah. The prose-
cutor said that he was passing over Tower-hill and seeing a
crowd assembled he stopped to see what was the matter,
and almost instantly found his watch going out of
his pocket. The ring of the watch was broken, and the
guard chain was hanging down. He turned round and saw
the watch in the prisoner's hand, and attempted to secure
him. There was a rush against him, and the prisoner got
away. Ho ran after him and secured him, and took the
watch from him.

The prisoner pleaded guilty ; and on Mr. Yardley asking
if he was known, Roche, the gaoler, said, "He has been
here very frequently, your worship, and summarily con-
victed three times at least."

Mr. Yardley convicted the prisoner of larceny, and sen-
tenced him to six months' imprisonment and hard labour ;
and at the same time warned him that if he was ever brought
before him again, and a case made out, ho should commit
him for trial, and if he was found guilty, penal servitude
in a convict prison for many years would be his doom.

THE COMPETITIVE SYSTEM FOR THE INDIAN
ARTILLERY AND ENGINEERS.—The competitive system at
Addiscombe will, we understand, take effect from the be-
ginning of next year, which will allow the old system fairly
to work itself out before the new one commences. Under
the new system, cadets entering the senior department, after
successful competition, will remain at the collece, one year ;
at the end of which ey will be examined and posted ac-
cording to merit to the engineers and artillery. The engi-
neers, we are informed, will then go to Chatham, as com-
missioned officers for one year; and the artillery cadets,
in the same position, to Woolwich for six months. To
lessen the expenses of education, and to extend thereby the
area of competition, it is proposed, we believe, to give every
engineer and artillery cadet £lOO after passing his two terms
at Addiscombe. These we believe, are the main features of
the scheme for the senior competitive department of Addis-
combo. The competitive examination, it may be mentioned,
will be in mathematics, including the higher branches of
statics, dynamics, and hydrostatics; and in any four, or less,
of eight other branches of study, namely—English language
and literature, language and history of France, language
and history of India, experimental sciences, drawing (nil :
tary and civil), the use of astronomical instruments, and
surveying instruments. The test is to be by marks—mathe-
matics, in which examination is compulsory, having a much-
higher number than any.".—Overland