The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-13 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE-(TBIS DA Y.)

MARLBOROUGII-STREET.

EXTENSIVE PLATE ROBBERY.—Two men named Armsly
and Kenny, were placed at the bar before Mr. Beadon,
charged with being concerned in the extensive robbery of
plate at the house of Mr. Richard Hodson, solicitor, 11,
Devonshire- place, Fortland-place.
Mr. Richard Hodson said, that at seven on Monday
morning his housekeeper, Eliza Wells, came up to him and
while in bed informed him that the house had been robbed.
He told her that as she had charge of the house that was
impossible, but on his proceeding down stairs to the dining-
room he found that the cupboard in which there was a large
quantity of plate was open, and that a portion consist-
ing of the following articles had been abstracted-2 large
and small silver coffee pots, 7 dessert spoons, 7 large and 7
small forks, 2 milk pots, 2 tea pots, a fish knife, tongs, ladles.
He then missed a desk from the room, in which was a gold
watch, £lO 10s. in gold, two gold seals (one with his initials),
a valuable malachite seal, and a large musical box. He
then went to the door, the chain of wliich was not up, nor
was the door bolted, A little boy then came to the door
with bread, and he sent for a constable, who on examining
the door found no marks of an extreme° having been made,
and said he believed there had been none, but that the rob-
bery had been effected from within. From the cupboard
also a mahogany box, with his name on it, was taken. It
was full of different articles of plate. On going into the
kitchen he found that three large boxes had been broken
open, and dishes, salt cellars, butter knives, and a large
quantity of other articles taken. He also found there the
desk broken open, the parcel which had contained the money
torn up, and a workbox also broken open. The only articles
which the thieves had missed wore those not of silver. The
prisoners, he believed, had been to see his servants on the
Sunday night, contrary to his rules to that effect.
Inspector Hubbard, of the E division, having confirmed
Mr. Hodson as to the state in which he found the place
soon after the discovery, said he questioned the house-
keeper, Eliza Wells, and after prevaricating a great deal
she admitted that the prisoners had been .there as late as
11 on Sunday night, and he then took the prisoners into
custody from the information he obtained. He had aster•
tained that the prisoner Kenny had been in the habit of
going to tho house to see one of the servants. Armsly had
gained admittance to the house by going to work there.
A constable named Robinson, of the E division, proved
taking Kenny, who also went by the name of Gosling, into
custody, and his admission that he was at the house on
Sunday evening. Ho found in the house, on returning, a
largo bag, a "jemmy," the marks on tho desk and box
which had been broken open corresponding with it, also a
chisel. _ _

Tho prisoners were thou remanded.
It was stated that the amount of the robbery is quite
£4OO.

TIIA.IqES.

DARING STREET ROBISERY.—George Baxter, a well-
known thief, aged 23, and described as a ropemaker, of
York-place, Stepney, was brought before Mr. Selfe charged
with stealing a silver watch, value 10s., from the person
of Patrick Meham, a sail Maker.
It appeared from the. evidence that the prosecutor was in
the midst of a crowd listening to the exhortations of a
"cheap Jack," who was selling crockery ware and other
goods on a vacant space of ground near Limehouse Church.
While "cheap Jack" was rattling come earthenware
plates and recommending them to be of first-rate quality,
the prisoner was paying attention to the prosecutor's
watch, which he managed to withdraw from the sailmaker's
pocket and detach it from the ring to which it was made
fast by a guard chain. The prosecutor laid hold of the
prisoner's hand as he was withdrawing it from his watch-
pocket, and said, " You have taken my watch." Tho pri-
soner struggled, and said, " I have not got your watch;
leave me alone," and at the same time handed the watch to
a confederate. The prisoner, after a desperate resistance,
was secured and given into the custody of a police-constable.
The prosecutor afterwards picked up the ring of his watch
on the ground where the robbery took place.
A police-constable said that many robberies had taken
place on the waste piece of ground in the district while the
"cheap Jacks" were exercising their calling in their carts.
They generally were very amusing fellows, of whose pre-
sence the thieves took advantage whenever they had an
opportunity.
The prisoner, who protested his innocence of the robbery,
was committed for trial.