The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-30 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

PICKPOCKETS AT THE ST. JAMES'S HALL.—Mary Ann
Taylor and Catherine Smith were charged with being at
the St. James's-hall, for the purpose of picking pockets,
during the preaching of a sermon by Mr. Spurgeon.
Charles Cole, 317 A, a detective, said that on the pre-
vious day he was on the staircase of the St. James's .hall,
coming down towards Regent-street, when lae saw Taylor
standing by an elderly female in black, and, knowing her
to be the companion of thieves, he stood behind her, looking
to the right, and saw the prisoner Smith, whom he also knew
as the companion of thieves. In a few minutes he saw
the prisoners talking together, and heard Taylor say, " We
won't wait any longer," and leave the hall with Smith.
They directly after returned, and Smith took off her left
glove and put her hand into the pocket of a female. He
afterwards saw Taylor put her hand into the pocket of a
female who was looking into a window in Regent-street, but
observing him (Cole) she motioned with her hand, and an
Atlas omnibus coming they both hailed it, but getting the
assistance of another officer he took them into custody.
Smith said that she knew nothing of the other woman,
that she was respectable, and had come to Regent-street
far work, but could not say at what shop. On searching
them a knife was found on each.

Mr. Bingham committed the prisoners for a mbnth each.

THAMES

HOUSE-BREAKING IN TILE DAY-TIME:M:6s. Billings,
a strange and reckless-looking fellow, well clad in good
cord, and wearing a large silver ring upon one ofhis fingers,
was bro'ught before Mr. Yardley, charged with breaking
into the dwelling-house and shop of Henry Jaques, boot
and shoe maker, of No. 1, . Gun-lane, Limehouse, and
stealing nine pairs of boots and two concertinas therefrom.
The prisoner is a well-known thief, and is .strongly sus •
pected of having committed many burglaries and robberies
in the neighbourhood of Liu-rehouse On Tuesday morning
I last, between the hours of 11 and 12 o'clock, th 6 prosecutor
left his house and shop, and locked up the doors in the
usual manner. He returned in about two hours, and dip. -
covered that his house and shop had been forcibly broken
into in his absence, and misted nine pairs of boots and two
concertinas. The prisoner was seen by the prosecu-
tor loitering about his shop on the same morning,
and he was standing opposite to it when Mi. James left
home. Information was given to the police, and Abbott, a
constable, .322 K, having received information that the
prisoner had been offering boots for sale, took him into cut.-
tody. On being made acquainte l with the charge, the pri-
said, " Yes, I did t•tke the boots. I was famishing and
starving when I did it." Another police -constable, named
Wall, 204 K, searched the prisoner's lodging, at 1, Night,
ingale-lane, Limehouse, atid found a pair of boots covered
with a board. Richard Clough, of 3, Brook• street, Ratcliffe,
produced two pairs of boots he had purchased of the prisoner
on Tuesday last. The three pairs of boots produced were
identified by Mr. James as a portion of the stolen property.
A former conviction against the prisoner, for felony, was
proved, and it appeared that he was not in the famishing
and starving condition he represented.
Mr. Yardley committed the prisoner for trial.