The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-27 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK•

. _
HIGHWAY ROBBERY NEAR LONDON.BRIDGE.—Joseph
Smith, a young man of respectable appearance, was
brought up in custody of 474 A, charged with stealing
a watch from the person of Peter Elaisbe, a teacher of
languages, under the following circumstances :
The prosecutor stated that on the previous night,
about 7 o'clock, he had passed over London-bridge from
the City, and when near the Bridge House he saw a
crowd of persons round a female lying on the pavement.
He pushed among the people to see what was the matter,
and his watch was then safe in his waistcoat pocket.
The prisoner was on his right side at the time, and be
suddenly felt a snatch at his watch, and on looking
down he missed it. Witness being persuaded that no
one else could have stolen it, ho seized hold of him,
and seeing a constable near be called him and gave him
into custody.

The prisoner here declared that he was a respectable,
bard-working mechanic, and he would not be guilty of
such an act. He could assure his worship that he knew
nothing of the gentlemariti, watch.
Mr. Burcham asked the prosecutor whether there
were many men crowding upon him when be felt his
watch go ? He replied that there were, and he was
rather violently pushed at the time. - However, seeing
the prisoner so close to him he imagined no once else
could have robbed him,

Mr. Burcham asked him if he saw the watch in his
hand 1

Prosecutor replied that he did not. There were so
many about that it could easily be passed away.
Police constable, 474 A, said he was trying to get a
drunken woman along on the previous evening, when
she fell down near the Bridge House. A mob of people
soon collected about, among whom was the prosecutor,
who called him to take the prisoner into custody for
stealing his watch. He took him to the station-hou,e
and searched him, but nothing was found on him.
Mr. Burcham asked whether anything was known of
the prisoner ? The constable replied in the negative,
but biaere were several thieves in the crowd—who ran
off when he took the prisoner into custody.
Mr. Burcham said the evidence waa so doubtful that
he was sure no jury would convict the prisoner, conse-
quently he should discharge him. lie recommended the
prosecutor 'to make inquiries about his watch of the
pawnbrokers.

The Stackville (Miss.) Advocate gives the particulars of 1
a very cold-blooded :tad determined murder. Burns,
Stovall, and blows w ere exchanged. Soon afterwards
the
Stovallproprietor
wasd roi
vf i
na b o :gn
p ,E,
sel ,
Burns'
stable, and, seeing him
engaged harnessing a horse, pulled up and walked to-
wards Burns. He be ckoned to a negro who was stand-
ing near to get out of the way, at the same moment
raising the gun and filing. At the instant of his firing,
Burns looked around .and received 'the contents of the
gun full in the face. He raised his hands to his eyes
exclaiming, "My God h" Upon this
sunk to theadvanc theedarwi,hin
ten
paces and fired the second
time, the whole charge taking effect in his back; and
Burns then cried out, "I am a dcad man !" Still not satis
fled, Stovall coolly approached hir.--4, and drawing a
and
Stovall
pistol, put it close to his head and fired again, bursting
his eyeball from its liocket ; then putting the pistol to
his breast, he fired a fourth tune into the body of the
already dead man. Mrs. Burns and her children
rushed from the houoe screaming, while_ Stovall coolly
walked away, got into his buggy, and drove off.
An association to promote emigration to the Pacific
has been formed at New York.