The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-11 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

Thomas Sykes was charged before Mr. Traill with
stealing a coral necklace from Eliza Curtis, a child four
years of age. It appeared that the child on quitting
school the preceding day, in passing along Red Lion-
street was stopped by the prisoner, who began to put
various frivolous questions to her. He availed himself
of the opportunity when he thought they were unob-
served, and in a moment he unclasped a coral necklace
from the child's neck and immediately ran away. The
prisoner escaped at the time, but on tendering the article
in pledge, the day afterwards, it was suspected he had
stolen it, and being given into custody, was subsequently
identified as having taken the necklace, by a little boy
who happened to be present when the offence was com-
mittee.
The prisoner denied the charge, and declared he had
purchased the necklace of a young man in the Red Lion
public-house, but that he could give no information as
to who or what he was.
The prisoner's father said that his son was in constant
employ ; that he believed his assertion with respect to
his having purchased the necklace ; and he declared that
it was-the first time in his life that ever a key was turned
upon his son.
Mr. TRAILL said that he believed the evidence of the
little boy who witnessed the transaction ; but that he
should remand the prisoner until further inquiries were
made, as robberies of the above description were of a very
aggravated nature.
THAMES POLICE.

Thomas Thompson, a horse slaughterer, of Whitechapel,
was on Monday finally examined on the charge of having
burglariously entered the house of William Patrick
Murley, near the Commercial-road, and stolen therefrom
a quantity of wearing apparel and other articles, to the
amount of nearly 40/. (The case was remanded from
the 26th ult.)
It appeared from the evidence that, on Wednesday,
the 21st of August, the complainant, who is a dock
cellarman, went with his family to a benefit at Sims's
Saloon, Whitechapel-road, taking with him his lodger,
named Lewis, the greater part of whose property had also
been stolen on the occasion. Complainant shut up the
house before leaving it, and then locked the front door,
the key of which he took with him. At the theatre the
complainant saw the prisoner leaning over the door, and
he seemed to eye the complainant and his family very
narrowly, as if for the purpose (as it afterwards ap-
peared) of ascertaining whether they were all from
home. This was about nine o'clock in the evening, and
the prisoner disappeared shortly after. During the
evening, and especially towards the close of the enter-
tainment, a man named James Northeote, who was sus-
pected to be a confederate in the robbery, entered into
conversation with complainant, and treated him to some
half-and-half. About half-past eleven o'clock, just as
the performance closed, the prisoner returned to the sa-
loon, and again narrowly eyed the complainant and his
family. He also appeared to exchange significant
glances with Northcote, which, however, did not strike
complainant at the time. On his return home, Murley,
finding it difficult to open the front door, looked in
through the keyhole, and was alarmed at perceiving a
candle lighted in the passage. He immediately got round
through the next house, and burst in the back door,
There was no person in the house ; but every drawer
and lock in the place had been ripped open with a
chisel, and all that was portable and valuable taken away,
even to the children's pinafores. To sustain the charge
against the prisoner, a boy named William Pell, who
was going a message on the night of the robbery, saw
three persons, one of whom was Thompson, standing
near the complainant's door. They seemed to be in
conversation, and one of the party said, " Be sure you
get the graining done to-morrow." Upon the suspicion
which these circumstances created, the prisoner was
art;sted at his lodgings on the ensuing Sunday ; and as
no part of the property had been traced (nor has any
yet been discovered), the charge would have had little
or no foundation, were it not that Thompson himself
made certain admissions when taken into custody.
Police constable Mumford on arresting the prisoner
told him the nature of the charge, to which the prisoner
replied, " Yes, I know all about it." When taken to the
station-house and confronted with the lad Pell, who sai I
" That's the man," the prisoner replied, " Yes, you've.
got me right, and you've well tutored that boy. He
then turned to the prosecutor, who was also present, and
sjd, " Never mind, Mr. Murley, you ought to have had
two or three more in this besides me." The inspecting
sergeant presentwk c when the prisoner made these ob-
servations. constable added, that the prisoner
had been in custody :"14 three former occasions, once on
suspicion of having stolen "gin-glass' once for robbing a
waggon, and at another time .`:er staling a horse.
'
On Tuesday, the 27th ult., after Thompson s remand,
Northcote was brought up in custody oil City constable
as a party concocting and aiding in the robe7rV. ,The
charge as against Northcote was instantly dismfssi.....
In sending Thompson's case for trial, Mr. BaopEnin
observed that it was not quite so complete as it might
have been, for there could beuo doubt that the prisoner's
statement was correct when he said that there were
others connected with him as regarded this robbery.
The prisoner, when called upon for his defence, said,
as the magistrate was resolved to send him for trial, he ,
should reserve it until that occasion.
CLERKENWELL. • _

• Margaret Anne Stephens, an elderly female,
dressed in thread-bare black garments, and wearing
a widow's cap, was charged with the novel offence of
attempting to obtain money from a police-inspector,
through the means of a begging letter. The prisoner
was accompanied by her two little children, about
the ages of six and twelve years.
The inspector stated that on the previous night,
between six and seven o'clock, the prisoner and her
two children knocked at the door of his private resi-
dence, in Pearl-crescent, Bagnigge Wells-road, and
sent to him a letter supplicating relief, and thinking
she was one of those impostors who subsist on this
species of fraudulent representation, he took her to the
police station. He handed in the letter, which set
forth the distress of the applicant, but in simple un-
exaggerated language, and written in a legible man-
ner by a female hand.
Mr. COMBE asked if any money was found on ber?—
The inspector replied in the negative. Nothing was
found on her hut a number of duplicates.
The inspector further stated, that not wishing to
confine children of such tender years in a police
station, he sent a police-constable with them to ,
Clerkenwell workhouse, but the officials there refused
to receive them. He sent the same constable with
them to St. Pancras workhouse, but there, too, they
were refused admission. In compassion he took them
to his own home. (The inspector behaved in the
kindest manner towards the children, who were in a
most deplorable condition, their garments having been
literally covered with vermin. The inspector's wife
had them properly cleaned, and gave them nourishing
food, so that the poor little creatures appeared in court
in a much better condition than they otherwise would
have done.)

The prisoner, who seemed very timid and nervous
when called upon for 'her defence, stated that her
husband, who had been clerk to Mr. Alexander, a
merchant, residing at the West-end, died about 18
months ago. She supported herself and children for
some time ofter his death by the sale of furniture and
by pawning her clothes, and at length turned to
needlework ; she earned something by stay-making,
but it was inadequate to supply them with the neces-
saries of life, and her health failing her about three
months ago, she was reduced to the greatest dis-
tress. She did not like to go into the workhouse,
because she would be separated from her children,
and was at length driven, as a last resource, to solicit
aid in the manner in which the inspector found her.
Inspector Barton said he believed what the woman
stated. The Mendicity officers had no knowledge
whatever of her. There were between thirty and
forty duplicates found in her possession, and none of
them were for more than one shilling, most of them

for fourpence, a pocket. handkerchief or a shawl, and
those of later dates for articles still more requisite in

female attire.

Mr. Camila discharged her, and directed the officer
to accompany herself and children to the overseer of
Islington, that they might be relieved.
John Mead was charged with violently assaulting
Harriet Barton, a mild-looking girl, residing in Is-
lington.
On the previous day the prosecutor was passing along
the Britannia-fields, when the prisoner threw clay over
her. Having soiled her dress very much, the girl be-
came incensed at his conduct, and remonstrated with
him in strong language. The prisoner immediately
rushed upon her, knocked her down, and when she got
up again struck her a violent blow on the left eye.
'he prisoner did not deny the assault, but said he
was only " larking" in the first instance.
Mr. BmenAm asked him if he would make any injurycom-
pnsa?tionprfiosrotnheer_ ohvee he" had
something
htion: e young wo-
manMr BING • . you give her 3/. ? Prisoner—
Indeed. I can't do so.
Mr. BINGUABI—Then you must pay a fine of SL, or go
to prison for a month.—He was locked up.
On Monday Mr. John Stephen Murphy, residing in
Spencer-street, Northampton-square, connected with a
commercial house in the City, was brought upon on re-
mand,charged with killing and slaying Samuel Rogers,
andseriously endangering the lives of three other per-
sons—viz., Rebecca Mead, John Bignall, and Elizabeth
Bignall, who is still in extreme danger.
Mr. Moger, of Highgate, the surgeon who attended
the sufferers, and the Rev. Dr. Causton, rector of High-
gate, were in attendance.
Williams, police-constable, 26 S, stated that the Big.