The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-28 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ROBBERY AT A COFFEE- lIOUS . —Alexander
Wilson, a young man, who described himself as
a turf reporter, was charged before Mr. Knox
with stealing 19s, the money of a young man
named Charles Ives.

From the .evidence of the prosecutor it ap-
peared that he was a fellow-lodger with the
prisoner at the coffee-shop of Mr. James
Hall, No. 10A, Tottenham Court-road,
and the prosecutor missing 19s. from his
trousers pocket, and suspecting that the prisoner
had robbed him, asked him to accompany him to
the police-station in Charles-buildings, which the
prisoner did, and on Sergeant Burrough, who had
previously heard that amongst the money
missed there was half a sovereign, asking the
prisoner to show his purse, a half-sovereign
was found. Sergeant Burrough then asked
the prisoner to account for his possession
of the half sovereign, which he did by /stat-
ing that he had borrowed it of his landlord. Mr.
Hall, however, proved that he never lent the pri-
soner a half sovereign, and that he was not in the
habit of lending his lodgers money.
In answer to Mr. Knox, ',Sergeant Burrough
said that the prisoner had been convicted pre-
viously, and suffered three months' imprisonment
at Wandsworth.

Mr. Knox remanded the prisoner, that the pre-
vious conviction might be proved.

THAMES.

STORMING A PENNY GAFF.--William Collins,
aged 63 years, musician ; William Tnomas Collins,
25, his son, musician ; Louisa Collins, married to
William Thomas, 30, professional vocalist, 30 ;
George Dennis, 28, house-painter ; Mary Watson,
46, no occupation ; Ann Watson, 25, singer and
dancer ; Robert King, 38, comic vocalist ; and
Isaac Abrahams, 36, " photographic artist," were
charged with being inside a house or room,
called the Eastern Alhambra, in St. Ann's-place,
Limehouse, opposite the parish church, without
lawful excuse ; the said house or room being used
for stage plays, or theatrical entertainments, not
being a licensed theatre, and to which admission
was obtained by payment, contrary to the 2d and
3d Victoria, cap. 47, sec. 46.
Last night Mr. Worels, superintendent of the
K Division, made a raid on the noto-
rious penny gaff and captured the proprietor,
Collins the younger, and the whole corps drama-
tique. The admission was by payment of Id. each,
and 2d. was paid by a police-constable in plain
clothes for himself and his son. The audience,
about 100 in number, were principally boys.
The pieces advertised for performance were
the grand romantic drama of "Herne
the Hunter," and the amusing and
streaming farce of " The Policeman in Diffi-
culties." Complaints had been made against the
place by the parochial authorities and many inha-
bitants. Abrahams was selling refreshments in
the place. Louisa Collins was in a box taking
money.

The elder Collins said he had been 20 years per-
forming in Limehouse, and was not aware he was
doing anything wrong. He only played on the harp
last night.

The younger Collins said he had been stage
manager for three months. He held the place as a
weekly tenant, and paid rent to a Mr. Flight. He
pleaded ignorance of the law.

Mr. Paget read the Act of Parliament prohibiting
dramatic performances in an unlicensed place. The
" Eastern Alhambra," as it was termed, was
a nuisance, and frequent complaints had been
made. It contaminated the young and led them
on to crime. He called upon all the prisoners,
except Collins the younger, to enter into their own
recognisances in the sum of £2O, to appear and re-
c Ave judgment when called upon. The younger
Collins must find bail, himself in £lOO aad two
sureties of £5O each, to keep the peace; and if he
was found breaking the law again and maintaining
dramatic performances, his recognisances would be
entreated, and if the money was not paid he would
have to remain in prison.