The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDOIN, THURSDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 11, 1866.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

INGENIOUS ROBBERY BY A DISTILLER'S WAREHOUSEMAN.
George Hewitt, warehouseman, in the employ of Messrs.
Rickards, of No. 207, Piccadilly, was charged before Mr.
Knox with robbing his employers of a quantity of brandy
and gin.
Mr. Sayer, from the office of Mr. Edward Lewis, of
Great Marlborough-street, appeared for the prisoner.
Sergeant George Clark, of the Detective Force, said—ln
consequence of instructions I received from Mr. Rickards,
distiller, of Piccadilly, I yesterday evening watched the
prisoner as he left the warehouse, and followed him into
Windmill-street. I then stopped him, and told him that I
was a police-officer, and that 1 suspected he had something
concealed about him belonging to his employers. The
prisoner said, " Then you had better search me." I said
that I should do so, and asked him to go back with me, and
he did so, and on the way to the station he said he was
very sorry to say that he had got some brandy and gin.
On getting to the station I searched him, and found con-
cealed under his coat two tin c.7.us, one containing brandy
and the other gin. [The cans, ingeniously made so as to
fit the prisoner's body, were produced.]
Mr. Rickards said—The prisoner entered into our em-
ploy iu 1862, and, in consequence of suspicions I enter-
tained, I communicated with the police. I believe the
brandy and gin produced to be our property.
By Mr. Sayer—l have been three years trying to detect
the prisoner, and have on different occasions taken bottles
out of the prisoner's coat pocket:but did not discharge him,
acting under legal advice.
Mr. Sayer —The prisoner will plead guilty if your wor-
ship will deal with the case.
Mr. Knox—l cannot do so. I must send the case to the

sessions.
The prisoner was then committted for trial.

THAMES.
FALSE CHARACTERS.—IMPORTANT CONVICTION.—AIfred
Hunt, a grocer's assistant, about 25 years of age, was
brought bofore Mr. Paget, charged with unlawfully offering
himself as a servant to Mr. Duncan Wallett, grocer and
tea-dealer, in the Commercial-road, Stepney, with a false
forged counterfeited certificate of character, purporting to
be signed by Mr. William Williams, of East-street, Wal-
worth.
Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, conducted the prosecution
for Mr. Wallett, and said the offence charged against the
prisoner was of a very mischievous description. Grocers
were more liable to be plundered than any other class of
tradesmen, and it was of the utmost importance to them
that young men of honestyand integrity should be employed
by them. The prisoner came to Mr. Wallett,who carried on
an extensive business in two establishments as a grocer, tea
dealer, and wine and spirit merchant, and offered himself
for the vacant situation of assistant, which the prosecutor
had advertised. The prisoner was approved, subject to
reference as to character, and referred to a Mr. Barrett, of
Salisbury, as his last employer. Mr. Wallett wrote to Mr.
Barrett, and received a letter with the Salisbury post
mark upon it, giving the prisoner an excellent and glowing
character. Mr. Wallett's suspicions were aroused in con-
sequence of the unbusiness-like terms of the letter, and
made inquiries through the great firm of Peck and Co., in
the City, who informed him there was no grocer named
Barrett in the city of Salisbury. The letter was a forgery.
When the prisoner called upon Mr. Wallett again, he said
he should like a town reference, and he subsequently
brought a letter purporting to be signed by Mr. Williams,
of East-street, Walworth, speaking of him in the highest
terms. That letter was also a forgery.
Mr. Charles Young then called Mr. Williams and Mr•
Walcot, who fully bore out the solicitor's statement.
The prisoner made a romantic defence, and said he had
married the daughter of a baronet in one of the shires, and
that she gave him £5OO to go through the form of mar-
riage after he seduced her, although he had another wife
living. Through this affair he obtained the forg
characters.
Mr. Paget said the prisoner had committed a very grave
offence, and fined him £2O, and, in default, three months'
imprisonment and hard labour.