The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-04 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

A MODERN GEORGE BARNWELL.—Thomas Coulson,
assistant to the Messrs. Shoolbreds, the extensive silk
mercers and drapers, Tottenham-court-rokd, was charged
with stealing five ladies' collars, value 15s. tOd., a quantity
of dresses, shawls, mantles, drapery, hosiery, and trim-
ming, over £lOO in value, the property of his employers.
Mr. Bowden, the chief clerk at Messrs. Shoolbreds, said
it was the practice in the house, when the goods were
sold and paid for in the shop, and directed to
be sent home to the residence of the customer, the assis-
tant who had sold them ought to send the parcel into the
packing-room with a ticket written and signed by him,
giving the address to whom the parcel was to be sent. In
the packing-room the address was copied on the parcel,
and the ticket was filed. The assistant keeps a duplicate
ticket, and eventually he files it in the cashier's desk.
Yesterday a parcel was sent with a ticket bearing the fol-
lowing address, " Mrs. Graham, 26, Lupus-street, Pimlico.
Coulson, paid." Some suspicion being entertained respect-
ing the prisoner, witness went to the cashier's desk, exa-
mined the file, and found there was no duplicate or the
ticket. He went and had an interview with the
prisoner, and asked him certain questions relative to the
parcel, when the prisoner told him the parcel contained
five ladies' lace collars, price 15s. 10d., which had been sold
with a variety of other articles, making 16s. 10d., the lady
having paid for and taken some of the goods away with
her. On referring to the file again, witness found a bill
(receipted) for articles to the amount of 16s. 10d., but they
did not include the lace collars, the price of which was
15s. 10d., or any of toe articles mentioned by the prisoner
as composing the parcel. Various other questions were
put to the prisoner, with which he fenced and evaded in
every manner possible, but finding himself taxed very
closely he at last said the lady had not been there at all,
and a constable was called and he was given into custody.

Police-constable F 73 said he took the prisoner into cus-
tody, and on searching him at the station-house he found
in his possession a gold watch, chain, five or six pawn-
brokers' duplicates for drapery goods and other descrip-
tions of property sold by the Messrs. Shoolbred, pledged
for sums amounting in the gross to over £2O. On search-
ing the dormitory of the prisoner at Messrs. Shoolbred's he
found the prisoner's box, on opening which he discovered
no less than 43 pairs of gloves of all colours and descrip-
tions.

Police-constable E 20 said in accordance with directions
he had called on Mrs. Graham•at the address stated. She
said that she first mot the prisoner in the Lowther-arcade
with a "lady friend" who came from his native place,
Penzance, and who introduced her to him. She and her
friend, " a Mrs. Hogg" lived together in Boyle-street,
Saville-road. They had both for some time received the
prisoner's visits on the understanding that though he had
no money he could make them presents of dresses, lace, rib-
bons, &c. He represented himself as related to people who
wore well off, and that they would pay for whatever he
wanted, but that they would not give him any money.
Parcels for both him and Mrs. Hogg were forwarded by
Shoolbred's cart, and tnat there never appeared to be any
secrecy as to the place from where the presents came from.
She gave up a quantity of goods worth over £5, which she
said she had received as " presents" from the prisoner, and
also a number of duplicates which related to similar articles
which bad been pledged for over .£lO. He afterwards
went to the residence of Mrs. Hogg, at Kensall New Town.
She said she knew the prisoner as a friend, but that she
had no idea that he was carrying on dishonest practices.
She had received dresses, &c., as presents, believing they
were obtained in a proper way. She also gave up a variety
of articles that had been sent to her by the Messrs. Shool-
bred's cart• •

The prisoner, in answer to the magistrate, said he was
guilty of the charge, and that he had nothing to say.
Sir Thomas Henry remanded the prisoner for the attend-
ance of the two " ladies" and other witnesses.