The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-17 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

In the New Central Criminal Court, Thomas Collins,
described as a labourer, but attired as a young gentleman,
was convicted of stealing, on the 6th inst., a pocket-book and
two Bank notes of the value of 50/. each, from the person of
Joseph Thomas Martin, the property of Messrs. Thomas
Baring (Brothers) and 0., and was sentenced to be trans-
ported for ten years.
Mary Purley, a married woman, aged 36 years, was con-
victed of the murder of her infant son by drowning him in
the Regent's-canal, and sentenced to death.
At the Surrey Sessions, James Gearing, a man of a most
ferocious aspect, and the leader of a gang of thieves who in-
fest the Borough-road and Elephant and Castle, was indicted
for feloniously stealing from the person of Martha Davis, on
the 29th of March last, in the parish of St. George the Mar-
tyr, the sum of V. 17s. 6d., the property of her husband. She
was surrounded in the street by the prisoner and his compa-
nions. The jury found a verdict,of Guilty, and the prisoner
was sentenced to ten yearsrtranSportation.
At Bow-street, John Skinner Francis, a young man holding
a commission in the Cape of Good Hope Mounted Rifles, and
Mary Ann Browne, described as a governess, were brought
before Mr. Jardine, for re-examination, charged with forging
and uttering a cheque for 190/., another for 30/., and a third
for 250/., each purporting to be drawn by Dowager Lady
Nellthorpe, of Seven Oaks, Kent, with intent to defraud
Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smiths, bankers. Mr. Bush, on
behalf of the Society of Bankers, said a large portion of the
property was outstanding, some of which could be traced
.to
both the prisoners, and at a future day he would be in a con-
dition to prove that on one occasion they both went to the
banking-house to get a cheque cashed. The prisoners were
remanded till Friday.
At Lambeth-street, Miss Julia Elizabeth Seales was brought
up in custody,' from the residence of her parents, at 44.
Farmer-street, Shadwell, and placed within the bar, before
Mr. Henry, on a charge of having caused the death of her
illegitimate female infant, by throwing it into the privy. The
prisoner, who is a fine young woman of 19 years of age,
seemed in a very weak and dejected state. Mr. Henry did
not think there was any necessity for pressing the inquiry at
present, as the prisoner could not be tried at the present ses-
sions at the Central Criminal Court, and the next session
would not be before the second week in May. The prisoner
was remanded for a fortnight.
At the Thames Police-court a tall and powerful man,
named Thomas Frewin, aged 52, a superannuated Custom-
house officer, who has for some years past plied as a waterman
at Ratcliff, was brought before 11Ir. Broderip on a charge of
killing two cats in the house of Mr. Henry Wilson, the White
Hart, Queen-street, Ratcliff. The prisoner- on being called
on for his defence, said, in a very collected manner, that he
was actuated to do as he had done by an evil spirit. The evil
spirits seemed to be the cats, and so he took up the poker and
killed them. Mr. Broderip said it was quite clear the pri-
soner was a very dangerous lunatic. He was ordered to be
taken care of.