The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-19 00:00:00

THE 7 SUN LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 19, 1868.

POLICE 11VTELL1GENCE..THIS DAY.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

HEARTLESS SYSTEMATIC ROBBING OF CHILDREN.
—Elizabeth Duggin, described as a servant out of
place, was charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt, with
stealing a pair of boots from the person of a little.
boy named George Roberts, about five years of
age, whose parents reside in Moor-street, Soho.
Mr. Win. Stephens, of No. 9, Church-street,
Soho, bootmaker, said that between four and five
o'clock the previous afternoon, in consequence of
some children telling him that a woman was taking
off a child's boots in a passage, he went to the pas-
sage of the house No. 29, Church-street, Soho, and
saw the prisoner unlacing the boots of a little boy
named George Roberts. He asked her if the child
belonged to her, and she said " Yes." He then
turned to the little boy and asked him if the
prisoner was his mother, and he said " No." A
young man then told him that he had seen
the prisoner give the little boy something, and on
his opening the child's han 1 he found a halfpenny
in it which the prisoner hal given him. He then
told the prisoner that he shoal I give her into
cust Aly, and followed her into Sitio-spare, where,
seeing a constable, he gave her into custody, when
she said that she was a respectable woman, and that
she would make him ply for it, but he was not at
all afraid of that.

The prisoner said she wantel the witness to give
her in charge.

The witness said that was not true, and that she
dodged him and tried to get away.
Inspector Morgan, C division, said there were
other cases where the prisoner had robbed children.

Robert Pickering, a young man, working in
Dean-street, Soho, proved seeing the prisoner follow
the child George Roberts, and the spooking to the
witne,s Stephens.

Charlotte Landfield, a little girl, living at 24,
Stephens-street, lottenham-court-road, said that
on the previous afternoon she was with a little girl,
named Phcebe Boyce, when the prisoner said to
Phcebe Boyce that if she would go with her she
would give her some sweetstuff. The prisoner took
Phoebe Boyce round to Tudor-place, and told her
(witness) not to follow. She afterwards saw
Phcebe Boyce without her boots, and went and told
Mr. Boyce, who lived in the same house.

Thos. Boyce, 55 E, said Phoebe Boyce was his
daughter, and three and a half years of age. He
saw her at his door with the last witness yesterday
afternoon, and on seeing her subsequently her boots
were gone.

Alfred lialliday,lseven years of age, residing with
his parents at 8, Wardour-street, proved that, on
Monday last, the prisoner took off his boots, telling
him
,that she was going
.to clean them as they were
dirty.

Inspector Morgan said that in this case he be-
I eyed the prisoner promised the child something.
Mr_ Tyrwhitt asked the little fellow whether that
was the case, and he said she promised him a
locket.

Inspector Morgan said a locket was found on the
prisoner. Perhaps his worship would ask the child
whether it was the one the prisoner showed him.

Mr. Tyrwhitt showed the little boy the locket,
and he said it was the one the prisoner promised
him.

Mrs. Halliday, the mother of the last witness,
said he went out about five, and at half-past six
he returned without his boots.

Police-constable John Morgan, 183 C, said that
when the prisoner was given into his custody she
said she did not take off the boots. She refused
her name and address at first. Nine duplicates
were found upon her, some of them relating to
boots, and also a locket.:

Inspector Morgan asked for a remand, stating
that he knew of another case, and he believed there
would be several.

The prisoner, who is a woman of middle stature
of sallow complexion, and was attired in a light
muslin dress and black shawl and bonnet, was re•
manded.

CHURCH RATES AT .DOINTABT.E,I4

On Monday an important meeting of the seattiOders
of the Doncatitei parish church was held at the vicarage—
the vicar, the Rev. C. J. Vaughan, D.D., in the ()stair—
when the important question of levying a new church
rate or abolishing the rate altogether was considered.
Dr. Vaughan pointed out the position in which
the parish stood under the new Act, and it was
explained that three courses were open to the meet-
ing. One was to levy an increased rate, and trust to
the liberality of the parishioners to supply the necessary
funds, as heretofore, the rate being levied over a much
smaller area than formerly ; a second course was to abolish
the rate altogether, and to increase in its place the rents
of the seatholders in sufficient degree to meet the
deficiency; and the third course was to abolish the rate
and have an offertory, morning and evening, once a month,
for the purpose of meeting those expenses hitherto
defrayed out of the rate. The vicar set these several pro-
positions fully and clearly before the meeting, and a
resolution was finally passed to the effect that the meeting
recommended the abolition of the rate and the substitu-
tion of a monthly offertory. The churchwardens then
announced that if, was not their intention to ask for a rate,
and the vicar stated that he should have pleasure in giving
the recommendation of the meeting all the effect possible.
It was said during the meeting, that where a three-half-
penny rate had hitherto been sufficient, collected from the
town, an eightpenny or ninepenny rate would be required,
collected from the parish only.

MR. GOLDWIN SMITH ON TIIINGS IN
GENERAL.

Mr. Goldwin Smith addressed on Tuesday the Liberal elec-
tors of the borough of Woodstock. In consequence of the
absence, through illness, of Mr. Brodrick (the Liberal
candidate for the borough), Mr. Smith took that gentle-
man's place, and recommended him to the constituency as
a fit and proper person to represent them in Parliament.
Apologising for interference in an election with which
really (except as the personal friend of Mr. Brodrick) he
had nothing to do, Mr. Smith read and commented upon
the candidate's address. Having laid a statement of Mr.
Brodrick's position before the electors on his own account,
Mr. Smith added that he heartily hoped this great
extension of the franchise, this great recognition of the
rights of the people, this great improvement of our
institutions, would be accompanied with an improvement
in the mode of election. He trusted that with the
extended constituency they were going to leave behind the
evil influences that prevailed with constituencies in former
days. Depend upon it, if a man paid money down, or
there was any other corrupt consideration whatever, that
which he had bought he would sell ; he would sell it for a
place, for social position, for entrance to Ministers' parties,
or for something else that would as effectually prevent
him from being a worthy member as if he was bought with
money. Therefore, if they wished to have their share of
the benefits which a really popular Government could
bestow, they must send to Parliament a man who had not
bought them, and who would not sell them. Let them
hope also that this duty which the Legislature had im-
posed upon the great mass of the people, would be re-
spected by the powerful and the rich. If they desired
that the poor man should resist the temptation in
his hour of distress to trespass upon their rights, let
them set him the example by carefully respecting the
rights the State had bestowed upon him. They met there
not merely in the interests of the party, but in the inte-
rests of their country, and he hoped what they might do
that day might tend to the benefit not merely of one party
or of one class, but of classes and all parties, of rich and
poor, of farmer and farm labourer, of employer and em-
ployed, of every man who bore the name of Englishman,
and shared in the greatness and happiness of England.