The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-18 00:00:00

CLERKENWELL.

MOST EXTRAORDINARY AND MYSTERIOUS CASE.—
A fashionably attired man, who described himself on
the police-sheet as Francis Drake, Esq., architect,
26, Penton-place, Clerkenwell, was charged with ex-
torting money from Mr. William Hoyte, a dairyman,
residing at 64, White Lion-street, Pentonville, on
a threat that he would charge him with the murder
of his own illegitimate child.
Inspector Thatcher said that the prisoner had given
a false
,at 41, Kenton-street,
Brunswick-square.ddrese' He
li9
Mr. Hoyte was then placed in the witness-box.
He trembled violently, and 'seemed to regard the
aTGI
prisoner with feelings of terror. It appeared from
his statement, which was most incoherent and con-
fused, that he became acquainted with the prisoner five
years ago, by his being served with milk from wit-
ness's establishment. A girl named Harriette Ramsay
accused him with being the father of her child. Being
in great fear that his wife would hear of it, he went
to the prisoner, and sought his advice. The prisoner
drew up an agreement, to be signed by the woman
and by him (Hoyte), the former guaranteeing not t.
annoy him in future, and the latter promising to allow
her Bs. as a weekly allowance for the maintenance
of the child. Soon after this the prisoner asked him
prisoner continued these requests. Witness at length
rfoarfutaheed,loaan of
ndtshoemn,e
and
dalmost daily since, prisoner
money; he lent it to him. The
threatened that he would acquaint his wife with tke
whole matter ; under the influence of these threats he
gave him money, sometimes 21. a week. The pri-
soner met him generally twice a day, and using this
threat obtained sums varying from 4s. to 65., and
sometimes more. The child died about two years
and a half ago, and since that period the prisoner re-
peatedly declared that he would bring him before a
magistrate for making
away with the child. Witness
was greatly terrified at this, fearing that he would be
disgraced before his large family and all his friends.
the prisoner met him again,
and declared he
He must have
given the prisoner between 501. and
1001. On Friday last
would bring him before a magis-
trate for making
away with the child, unless he
gave him money. Witness gave it to him. On
Monday the prisoner used the same threat, but was
On the previous night the prisoner came to his house,
and having seen Mrs. Hoyte, told her all, and said he
witness saying he had told all to his wife.
refused,
would settle the affair for 3/., but she gave him into
custody.

The- solicitor's clerk said that the prisoner never
gave a farthing
of all the money he had received to
the mother of the child, who had never seen him.
Mr. BROUGHTON said it was a most extraordinary
case, and required the fullest investigation. On the
it his duty to remand the case until
whole he felt
Friday next, and could not accept of bail to a less
amount than 150/. in the whole, to answer for his
appearance.
The requisite bail not being forthcoming, the pri-
soner was committed.
U.11.710N-11A L L.
THE ROBBERY By ASSUMED POLICEMEN.
Timberlake, alias Cooper, George Jackson
Contison, and John Western, alias While, were b alias
brought
up before Mr. Trail!, for final examination.
Cooper and Western were charged with stealing
twelve sovereigns and a half from the house of Mr.
Brundall, a Journeyman carpenter, at 24, Agnes-
street, Waterloo-road, by assuming to be policemen.
The particulars have appeared in The Sun on several
occasions.

Western was taken into custody on Wednesday
last, by Goff and Brooks, two active officers of the L
division, and identified by Mrs. Brundall as the man
who took the property, by representing himself as a
police-officer, and producing a forged search warrant.
The prisoners were also charged with forging two
cheques for 451., and committing a robbery at a
coffee-house in Grafton-street, Soho.
They were committed on all the charges.