The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-29 00:00:00

130 W-STREET.

DESERTING FROM THE POLICE FORCE.—John Jes eph
Duigan, a smart-looking young fellow, lately a serge an tin
the E division of police, was placed at the bar charged -5 iith
withdrawing from the force without notice or leave in si
'cit-
ing, and also with neglect of duty.
The prisoner was yesterday indicted a t the Middle sex
Sessions for stealing a silver watch and gold chain, a p iece
of cloth, three rings, and the sum of £47 14s. 7d., the I wo-
perty and money of Edward Wilkins, but a difficulty ha r ing
arisen he was discharged. The facts adduced in evide ace
against him on this occasion were as follows::—The prise •ner
was a police-sergeant in the E division of police, and
acted as divisional clerk at the station in George-stm set,
St. Giles's. The prosecutor was a police-constable in: the
same division, and his wife was employed at the station .; just
mentioned as cook to the unmarried constables who lo d ged
there. The prisoner and Mrs. Wilkins eloped on the 2 9th
of December, and on the 20th of Janury, in consequemei of
6 telegraphic despatch forwarded to Liverpool by Mr.
O'Brien, the superintendent of the prisoner's division, vho
had received private information, Scott, a Liverpool t lei ec-
five, went on board a ship called the Switzerland, bon. ad for
America, and there he found the fugitives passing and er the
name of Wells, and occupying one berth as man and It ife.
The things mentioned in the indictment were found int the
prisoner's possession, and also some money, part, no dot tbt,
of a eum of £47 143. 7d., which the woman. had witnthw
just previous to her flight, from the savings bank in tSI on-
tague-street, Bloomsbury, where it had been deposit ed
in
her own name. They had paid £l5 10s. for their pass age
to New York. When tlie adultress found she was dett Led,

she threw her arms round her paramour's neck, kissed im,
and said, " Never mind, Jack, we'll be together again- :yet ;
the tailor's (alluding to her husband, who had been a to .ilor
before he entered the force) no use." Inspector Peth( 3rF. E,
pr4ceeded to Liverpool and brought them back to Lc mtlon,
and the prisoner was charged with feloniously appro ,pr dat-
ing the prosecutor's property. After the evident la for
the prosecution closed the assistant judge asked the le awned
counsel who conducted the prosecution whether he could
point out anything in the evidence upon which he. could
leave it to the jury whether the prisoner had been go Elty of
the felony in the county of Middlesex. There was no doubt
ample evidence upon which a Liverpool jury could a, ^..t, for
at Liverpool the prisoner was found in actual possesseloxt of
the property, but there was not the least proof either of the
adultery, which no doubt had taken place at Live rpool,
having first occurred in Middlesex, or that within the .juxis-
diction of the county the prisoner possessed himself of eso
articles or the money. The point raised by the leait ned
judge could not be met, as the prisoner was ordered ti be
discharged.
The evidence offered against the prisoner this morning
was given by Superintendent O'Brien. He stated tha pri-
soner was what was called a sergeant-clerk. On the !Nth
of December he was reported absent without leave,, and
nothing more was heard of him until he was taken_ into
custody for stealing the rings and watches. He was p)si-
five the prisoner never gave notice of his intention to• quit
the force, and he also knew he had not received wriaten
leave to do so.
Mr. Lewis, jun., who appeared for the prisoner, ;said
there was no doubt the offence committed by :his lent
came within the 15th section of the Metropolitan 1?olice
Act, which authorised a magistrate to inflict a penalty of
or a month's imprisonment, for quitting the force wi tout
notice ; but he hoped that, as the prisoner had been con-
fined for some days, and had lost his situation, them agis-
trate would remit the penalty.
Mr. Henry—lf I take that view of the case, the pri Muer
is still liable to be tried for the offence committed in lan-
cashire, as the judge was of opinion that there was no (thing
to show that the prisoner possessed himself of the pl.( occu-
tor's things in Middlesex. Do the commissioners i. acid
to indict him at Liverpool ?
Inspector O'Driou—l cannot say, your worshi p.