The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-08 00:00:00

POLICE 114 TELLIGENC.E.-April 6.

CLERKENWELL—WiIIiam Tapp, who des-
cribed himself as a tailor, residing at 63, Harrison-
street, Gray's-inn-road, was charged with conspir-
ing with two other men not in custody to defraud
Thomas Lester, of 41, George-street, Portman-
square, a French polisher, of a sum of 7s. at the
Shepperton Arms beershop, Shepperton-street,
Islington.
Mr. John Wakeling appeared for the defence.
The complainant stated that he was walking in
Holborn on Friday morning, smoking a cigar, when
a well-dressed man spoke to him about the wea-
ther. He stopped to look in a shop window, when
the stranger was not only very attentive, but very
inquiring, for he asked him where he came from,
how long he had been in town, when he was going
home, what business had brought him up, where
he resided, and many questions of that sort.
Having answered the questions, and being satisfied
with his inspection of the shop window, he bade his

newly-madefriend " good morning ;" but he was
not so easily shaken off, for he became very kind
bald he would slew him
hi,
the sights of London, as well as the place w ere the
lions were washed—(a laugh)—and, having walked
a short distance, invited him to take a glass of ale
which was like mother's milk, and not to be equalled
in any part of country To this request he acceded,
and when they had been in a publichouse a short
time, a big, burly man, with a profusion of black
beard and mustachios, and attired as a sailor, came
in, and appeared very much excited, and asked the
man who first spoke to him (complainant) if he had
seen a lady dressed in pea green, with a parasol,
either waiting at the bar or looking about for him.
Before the man had time to reply the sailor said—
" Mind, the lady never went out without a veil, for
she is very handsome, and does not like a parcel of
common staring fellows looking at her." (A laugh.)
The sailor was told that his "beauty" had not been
seen, and, although at first he pretended to be very
much put out, he became very chatty, gave a history
of his travels, remarked that he had been in Bengal,
where he had shot the largest tiger that had been
known in those parts for many years, and gave
several instances of the narrow escapes he had had,
not only with tigers, but with the monarch of the
forest—the lion. He also said that one occasion be,
to avoid being killed, had to climb a tree, and was
nearly starved to death by the lion watching at the
bottom for more than a day, apparently having
made up its mind to devour him. He then said he
was the best shot in Calcutta, and to show he was
not " bouncer," he mentioned that while there he
had a wager against a native, " one of the princes
of that delightful climate," for a new rifle and a
large sum of money, and had hit the bull's eye no
less than 25 times out of 27, and that as " clean as
a whistle," while his rival, who was up to that

time considered the crack shot " did not come

near him by miles," and was so thoroughly de-
feated that he had to leave the town. The man who
first spoke to him (complainant) appeared to be very
much interested in the matter. After pausing a
little and scratching his head, he said that it sound-
ed like a lie, and he did not believe him. This led
to some dispute, and then a bet was made between
the parties that the sailor would not hit the bull's-
eye 14 times out 01200. He (complainant) was told
that he must see the wager come off ; that the rifle
gallery was not many yards distant, and he after
much pressing consented to go and act as referee.
To his surprise he found that he had to walk nearly
a couple of miles, and when they had all got to the
back of a publichouse they saw the prisoner in his
shirt sleeves, and the man whom he first met asked
him (prisoner) for the loan of a rifle. The prisoner
said that the rifle ground had beet, done away with
for more than a fortnight in consequence of the
complaints of the neighbours and the Government
having interfered, but he remarked that there was
a good bowling alley, where they could enjoy a
comfortable pipe and have a pleasant game of skittles
or "knock-'em downs." They .ill entered the alley
and found some men at play, apparently for large
sums of money, as a great number of notes (Bank
of Elegance) were staked on the result. Large
sums of money h .ving been apparently won and
lost, he (complainant) staked all his money (75.),
and, as a matter of course, was fleeced. He was
then persuaded to go and pawn his watch, which
he did for 10s., the prisoner accompanying him to
show him the way. On their way back from the
pawnbroker's the prisoner saw two policemen at
the end of the street, and induced him to return,
saying that if they were seen they would be locked
up for having gambled. He did so, and on going
down another street and returning to the public
house he found that the others had gone. The pri-
soner told him to follow, and he would find them ;
but on reaching the street the prisoner again saw
the police, on which he put into his (prosecutor's)
hand 65., saying, ("There is the money you lost."
The policeman then came up and took the prisoner
into custody.

Mr. Wakeling severely cross-examined the com-
plainant, and elicited from him the fact that he
had made bets while he was in the ground, without
either the prisoner or any one else asking him.
Police-constable Devitt, 92 N, said that several
persons had lately been fleeced at the same house
as the prosecutor. On searching the prisoner he
found on him several flash notes of the Bank of
Elegance, and counters representing sovereigns,
having on them " Gone to Hanover." He had
known the prisoner for a long period as a skittle
sharper, and as being connected with a notorious
gang, several of whom had been convicted
Mr. Wakeling submitted that there was no case
against the prisoner.
Mr. D'Eyneourt said it was his fixed determine.-
tion to send, all casesof this sort, wherethe_offence