The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-14 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Frances Robinson, a genteel-looking girl, 15 years of age,
was charged with robbing her parents, under the following
circumstances :

Mrs. Mary Ann Robinson, the mother of the girl, who was
so deeply affected that she could scarcely be kept from faint-
ing while giving her evidence, stated that she was residing
with 'her husband and another of her daughters, in Little
Pulteney-street, Golden-square. Every possible care had
been taken in bringing up the prisoner, but within the last
six months she had formed a connexion with several dissolute
lads and girls of her own age in the neighbourhood, and had
become a most wicked and abandoned girl, frequently re-
maining out all night. She (witness) had begged of her with
tears, and on her knees, to desist from her evil courses, but
without the slightest effect. A few days ago, she, during the
absence of her parents from home,broke open a box and stole
a writing desk, a tea caddy, and a valuable shawl, with which
she absconded; and her parents heard no more of her until
she was taken into custody by the police. The shawl was
afterwards discovered to have been pawned by her at a pawn-
broker's in the neighbourhood, but no trace of the other pro-
perty had been discovered. The mother added that she
attributed her daughter's ruin to her being enticed to a sing-
ing and dancing-room at a public-house in Earl-street,
Seven-dials, where there was nightly an assemblage of from
fifty to one hundred girls and boys, some of the former not
more than twelve years of age ; smoking and drinking were
permitted, and scenes of the most disgusting profligacy took
place.
Mr. HARDWICK gave peremptory orders for measures to be
instantly taken for the punishment of the proprietor of the
room in question. _ _

Mrs. Robinson said she was afraid that if some restraint
was not put on the prisoner she would come to an untimely
and shameful end.

Mr. HARDWICK said it might appear very severe to her
feelings, but under all the circumstances she had better pro-
secute. The Court might, perhaps, send the prisoner to some
asylum
Mrs. Robinson said she should adopt the magistrate's ad-
vice, and the prisoner was accordingly committed.
THAMES POLICE.

Wednesday, Mr. John Cockburn Belaney, the writer of a
work upon falconry, and who represented himself as a sur-
geon, was brought up in custody of police-sergeant M‘Cardell,
No. 4 K, charged on suspicion of having caused the death
of his wife Rachel, by administering to her a quantity of
prussic acid on Saturday last, at the house 46, Green-street,
Stepney.
The prisoner, who leant on the front of the dock in a ve►y
dejected manner during the inquiry, appeared to be about 45
years of age. Previously to the inquiry being entered into,
the prisoner requested a postponement of the case, as he had
sent for counsel to conduct the defence.

Mr. BRODERIP said, that any evidence which might be
taken could be read over on the arrival of the barrister, who
would then have an opportunity of putting any questions to
the witnesses which he thought necessary.
Prisoner—ln my position, Sir, under the present circum-
stances, the complexion of the case is very dark.
Mr. BRODERIP—I must view it as a complete blank, which
is only to be filled up by the evidence brought before me.
Mrs. Matilda Hippingstall, 46, Green-street, Stepney,
stated that on Tuesday week the prisoner engaged two apart-
ments in her house on the ground floor for himself and his
wife. About twenty minutes before eight o'clock on Satur-
day morning last, the prisoner called out, "Mistress Mistress !
conic up, my wife is very ill." She did go up, and found the
deceased lying on the bed apparently in a strong fit. Witness
raised her up, and said " She is very bad indeed." The pri-
soner said, " Pray try something for her; put her feet in warm
water," and the water was at once procured. The prisoner
and a servant girl proceeded to rub her feet, and witness said,
"Oh ! send for somebody." A Mrs. M'Eachern and a Cap-
tain Clark, friends of the prisoner and his wife, were then
sent for, and ultimately Mr. Garratt, a surgeon, was called
in. At that time the upper part of the deceased's body was
dreadfully convulsed. The prisoner said he was himself a
medical man, and would bleed the deceased, but that she had
no pulse ; he added, that he supposed she was labouring under
an affection of the heart, of which her mother had died nine
months previously. The prisoner and Captain Clark rubbed
the deceased's legs, the Captain using a clothes brush, the
operation seemed to revive her a little,.and a mustard plaster
was then applied to her chest ; but witness could not say
whether by the Captain or by the prisoner. The deceased
breathed about twice after Captain Clark came in, and died
with a convulsive gasp upon witness's shoulder. Her death
occurred about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes after
the witness went up ; but it was difficult to point out the
precise time of her death, there were such long intervals be-
tween the gaspings. There were two tumblers on the table
by the bedside, and the nearest one seemed to have been full
of a clear liquid, which witness -neither tasted nor smelt.
Witness saw no phial, except a bottle in which, she under-
stood, a black draught had been brought for the deceased.
She saw no broken glass in the place. So far as she observed,
the prisoner and his wife lived happily together. She
played on the piano for him. They had been at the theatre
together, and had bad friends to visit them. She was a
pretty little woman, twenty years of age, and about seven
months advanced in pregnancy. Their intercourse seemed
to be more like that of father and daughter than of husband
and wife.

At this stage of the proceedings, Mr. Charnock, the bar-
rister, and Mr. Hicks, the solicitor, appeared for the defence.
Sarah Williams, servant to the last witness, deposed to the
affectionate terms upon which the deceased and the prisoner
appeared to live. On the Wednesday after they came Mr.
Belaney sent the witness for a black draught, and then
brought out a basin which he requested her to empty. No
medicine was purchased by witness after the Wednesday.
About 7 o'clock, on Saturday morning, the prisoner called
for a glass and a spoon, which witness took to him, and he
then said that he was going to write. At a quarter to 8
a.m , the prisoner called ou " Mistress! _Mistress ! my wife
is very ill l" Witness wont up, and saw • shs was foaming