The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-03 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell, a widow lady, residing
at Bloomfield-cottage, Woodford, Essex, and Eliza-
beth Woolfe, described as a servant out of place,
were charged with stealing a porte-monnaie, con-
taining two 101. notes, three 51. notes, some gold,
silver, and some postage stamps, from the person
of Miss Anne Ramsay, 15, Sloane-terrace, Chelsea.
On the matter being called on, a solicitor stated
that the circumstances of the case were of a most
peculiar nature, and he would have spared the ac-
cused being placed in the dock, but that it had been
insisted upon in the ordinary course of business.
He said he appeared on behalf of the prosecutrix, a
lady who had been on Saturday to the City to re-
ceive her income, and returning with it in an omni-
bus, lost it in some very extraordinary way. On
her way home she took out her porte-monnaie for
a shilling, and on arriving at the end of her journey
a short time afterwards, her money was gone. The
prisoners were the only persons in the omnibus, and
as no policeman could be obtained, th• driver of
the omnibus took them to the station in the carriage.
They were there searched, but nothing was found.
Acting under the influence and excitement of the
moment she had charged the accused with the rob-
bery, believing them to be the perpetrators of it,
but when she had ascertained the respectability of
the parties she had accused, she used every means
in her power to effect their release, and would with-
draw the charges.

A. solicitor on the part of Mrs. Campbell, objected
to the withdrawal of the case, and courted the
fullest inquiry. He had been Mrs. Campbell's pro •
fessional adviser for upwards of 25 years. She was
a lady of very considerable property and of the
highest respectability, and felt acutely at her ad
vauced period of life the injury and indignity that
been inflicted upon her. He insisted on tue charge
being proceeded with, as he wished the grounds to
be shown upon which the lady, who was his client,
had been given into custody. It had been most
serious in its consequences to her, and amongst
other unpleasantnesses to which she had been sub-
jected was that of being stripped and searched.
She was sitting at the further end of the omnibus
from the lady who lost her money. She was never
near her, and there was no pretence for saying she
had the least opportunity of taking the money.
Mr. Paynter said that the case was one of the
most unfortunate for all parties. Had he know❑
the peculiar circumstances of the case the accused
should not have been placed in the dock. He could
not insist upon the charge being proceeded with
when it had been withdrawn. The matter arising
out of it must be disposed of elsewhere, as it was
not within his jurisdiction.
The accused were then discharged.

MARYLEBONE. —Robert Watts, a respectable-
looking youth, aged 17, was charged with having
stolen a piece of ribbon, value 10s., the property of
Messrs. Spencer and Co., drapers and haberdashers,
Lisson-grove.
The firm having upon many occasions missed
articles of different descriptions, one of the assist-
ants, named Hopes, was directed to keep a close
watch in the millinery department ; he accordingly
secreted himself therein on Saturday evening last,
and, at eight o'clock, the prisoner and another
brought home a lot of mantles, which had been
' made up by his (prisoner's) mother. They passed
through the room alluded to to the cloak-room up-
stairs,
where they left the goods ; and having come
down the prisoner's companion went straight out,
when the prisoner, after looking cautiously
around and seeing no one near him, knocked
off the lid of a box from which he took a
piece of ribbon and put it in his pocket. He then
quitted the shop followed by Hopes, who caught hold
of him in the street, near the door ; the ribbon he
contrived to drop down a trap door, beneath the
window, where it was directly afterwards found.
He was then given into the custody of Sergeant
Norman, 12 D, to whom he denied that he had
stolen anything.
He now admitted to the magistrate that he was
guilty, and was sent to hard labour in the House
of Correction for three months.
A young Frenchwoman, named Le Blanc, was
charged with stealing watches, jewelltry, and gam
articles.

Elizabeth Horeford, lodge. keeper to South Villa,
Regent's-park, stated that
of Mr. Martin, a French protestant
the reemniendation
she last September allowed thei)r°test...nt clergyman,
er h
she house
ef
went e on o
ft
charge. pr:sone lodge in
r to
h
lin Friday, the 9th
October,
soner (who had
...0 shopping, leaving the p
was
going.
,+ ;-'
,+previously told her that she
...so a situation as governess on the following
\
Monday) in care of the house. - • On her return she
found that the prisoner had left, and that her
(witness's) bedroom door had been forced pe,
• and a geld watch and chain, some ear-rings, and