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

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.
(Before the RECORDER.)
Henry Howard, 25, described in the calendar as a
tailor, was indicted for a burglary in the dwelling-
house of William Frederick Shoebridge, and stealing
a silver spoon and other articles, his property.
It appeared from the evidence that the prosecutor
is a surgeon, and resides in the Old Kent-road. On
the night of the 28th August, the family retired to
bed leaving the premises properly secured, and the
next morning it was discovered that some person had
entered the house by means of a back window, and
the articles in question were stolen from the surgery.
About nine o'clock in the morning after the robbery
was discovered, the prisoner went to the shop of a
pawnbroker in Tooley-street, ir'd offered part of the
stolen property for sale, and on his being questioned,
he said he had picked it up in the New-cut. Not be-
lieving this story, the pawnbroker sent for a police-
man, and gave the prisoner in charge, but as he was
conveying him to the station-house, the prisoner con-
trived to give him the slip, and he was not appre-
hended for three or four days afterwards.
The prisoner, in his defence, asserted that be was
not the man who ran away, and declared that he
knew nothing about the robbery.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty ; and the
prisoner was also proved to have been convicted of
felony in 1836, and sentenced to seven years' trans-
portation.
There was another charge of burglary against the
prisoner, which it appeared was committed at the
next house to the prosecutor in the former case, and
which must have been perpetrated about the same
time. The Recorder, however, expressed his opinion
that it was not necessary to go into the evidence in
this case. _ _

The prisoner was sentenced to be transported for
ten years.
William Windsor, 18, a well-known young thief,
was indicted for stealing from the person of Lydia
Crouch a purse, containing silver moneys, the pro-
perty of her husband.
Mr. Charnock defended the prisoner.

It appeared, from the evidence, that the prosecutor
was passing along Garden-row, in the middle of the
day, on the 21st of August, when the prisoner, who
was accompanied by three other young men, went
up to her, and contrived, in a most adroit manner, to
lift up her gown and take the purse from her pocket.
The robbery was effected in so dexterous a manner that
Mrs. Crouch was not at all aware of her loss, and the
prisoner would have escaped with his booty, but the
transaction was fortunately observed by a very intel-
ligent lad, named Henry Hughes, who is in the ser-
vice of Mr. Folkard, a pawnbroker, at the corner of
Garden-row, and he gave notice to the prosecutrix of
what had happened, and called for a policeman. The
prisoner and his companions ran off and escaped, but
he was taken into custody the next day, and was posi-
tively sworn to as being the person who committed
the robbery.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty ; and a pre-
vious conviction for felony was also formally proved
against the prisoner.
The RECORDER sentenced him to be transported
for ten years.
John Sproule, 39, pleaded Guilty to an indictment,
charging him with stealing a silver spoon and fork,
the property of W. Mackinnon, Esq.
He was sentenced to be kept to hard labour for
twelve months.
In the course of the day the grand jury came into
Court, and returned a true bill against William Ross
Touchet, for feloniously shooting at Thomas Smith,
with intent to murder him.
The Recorder rose soon after five o'clock.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)
BOW-STREET.
Emily Brockweli was brought up for final exami-
nation, charged with stealing 1001. in gold, the pro-
perty of Mr. William Cunningham.
Mr. I'Vooller defended the prisoner.
Mrs. Margaret Cunningham stated that she was the
wife of the prosecutor, and rented the top floor of
Mr. Fairbrother's house, in Bow-street. On last
Friday she had 100 sovereigns in her room, in a bead
purse, inside a velvet bag, which was placed in a
drawer in the front sitting-room. On Friday morn-
ing last, on going to the drawer, she missed the bag.
On discovering her loss, she questioned the prisoner,
who was servant to Mr. Farebrother. She said she
was sorry for the loss, but she knew nothing about
it. A policeman was called into the house, and shortly
afterwards the prisoner came up stairs, with a printed
cotton bag in her hand. She said she had found the
bag in the water-closet. On opening it, it was dis-
covered to contain 100/. 10s. Witness asked the pri-
soner if Mrs. Fairbrother knew anything of it, and she
said that she did not. The prisoner had access to the
room in which the money was deposited.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wooller—Witness had said
to the prisoner that she would give 201. if she could
get the money back. She did this to induce the pri-
soner to tell her all she knew about the matter.

Mr. JARDINE directed this to be entered very care-
fully on the deposition.
The officer who took the prisoner into custody
questioned her, and she said she had bought a pair of
stays, for which she paid 3s. Gd., in Cross-court.
Ann Reynolds, of No. 7, Cross-court, deposed that
the prisoner purchased a pair of stays at her shop on
the 9th of September. She paid Bs. Gd. for them.
She paid for them with a sovereign.
Mr. Wooller contended that the offer of 20/. had
taken the case out of the magistrate's jurisdiction.
Mr. JARDINE said he had directed this to be care-
fully entered on the depositions, and he should leave
the point for the higher Court to decide.
John Brockwell here stepped forward, and said he
was the father of the prisoner, and had given her a
sovereign a fortnight ago.
Mr. JARDINE said that could be stated on the trial.

The prisoner was then committed to Newgate for
trial.

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
with the murder
ao
ft
hh
irse aotwtnh ai
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ghet
iwmoaut led
ccharge him
Inspector Thatcher said that the prisoner had given
a false address. He tired at 41, Kenton-street,
Brunswick-square.
Mr. Iloyte was then placed in the witness-box.
He trembled violently, and :seemed to regard the
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 br him (Hoyte), the former guaranteeing not to
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
for the loan of some money ; he lent it to him. The
prisoner continued these requests. Witness at length
refused, and then, and almost daily since, prisoner
threatened that he would acquaint his wife with the
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 snaking away with the child. Witness
was greatly terrified at this, fearing that he would be
disgraced before his large family and all his friends.
He must have given the prisoner between SOl. and
1001. On Friday last the prisoner met him again,
and declared he 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
refused, witness
saying he had told all to his wife.
On the previous night the prisoner came to his house,
and having seen Airs. Hoyte, told her all, and said he
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. BROUGIITON said it was a most extraordinary
case, and required the fullest investigation. On the
whole he felt it his duty to remand the case until
Friday next, and could not accept of bail to a less
amount than 1.501. in the whole, to answer for his
appearance.
The requisite bail not being forthcoming, the pri-
soner was committed.
UNION-HALL.
THE ROBBERY DT ASSUMED POLICEMEN. - Wm.
Timberlake,
alias Cooper, George Jackson, alias
Contison, and John Western, alias White, were brought
up before Mr. Traill, 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 min
who took the property, by representing himself as a
pelice-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.

Q UEEN-SQUARE.
Yes( cerday Catherine Stuart, the woman charged at
this Co urt, on Monday, with the most revolting cruelty
to thl 2e young children, the particulars of which
were • fully detailed in our last, underwent another
leng iened examination.

e case had been remanded in order to procure
the a ttendance of Clarissa Tyler, the eldest child,
who I \lad been kept out of the way. She was yester-
day t Tesent, but much altered for the better, since her
appe ranee at this Court when the warrant was issued.

O n the accused being brought in from the cells,
C Larissa Tyler, aged thirteen, was put into the
witr tess-box and sworn. She was evidently intimi-
date and gave her evidence with much apparent
unv tillingness, the following being her answers to the
interrogatories put to her by the Clerk :—I live with
my father, at No. 7, Broadway, Westminster. My
mo ther has been dead some years. Prisoner has lived
wi my father some time, and had care of us children
wh en he was out. My father, the prisoner, myself,
and tmy little brother and sister, all lived together in
the same room. My father came home to his meals
al‘N rays, and sometimes I dined with them, and some-
tim us the other children did. At other times we used
to r line when they had done. Sometimes I have had
the same food as they. I complained of the food I
har I, but not lately. It was sheep's paunch. It was
onl y once I complained of sheep's paunch.
's''''he girl's brother, a coal-porter, stood forward and
asst u •ed the Magistrate that she was afraid to speak
the t ruth in the prisoner's presence.
'1 I le examination was continued, the girl answering
witl 2 even more reluctance than before, the answers
;- almost extorted from her :—lt was
.only once
that. L complained of having sheep's paunch. I had it,
and 2 ro did my little brother and sister. I did not dis-
like it. I complained to a person in the house. I
nev e r complained that it was nasty, but I didn't much
like it. Prisoner gave us the paunch to eat. She
and : my father had some of it for dinner at the same
time, Prisoner was kind to me when she was sober.
I cat ne here to complain of her because she gave me a
blaq ,e eye ; first she kicked me on the eyes as I was in
bed , and then she came with her double fists. I don't
kners v why she kicked or struck me. She said nothing
to r3O e before she did it. She did not complain that
d done anything wrong. She has beaten me before,
butt not to mark me. I can't tell what she beat me
for then, she didn't say. My father saw me when he
ca zs re home after I had had the black eye, but I don't
kr Ir lw that he said anything. When I came here I did
say I had no flesh upon my bones. I showed my
bac k at that time, and said I had not had proper or
sul icient food. I suppose I had not had what was
pro; per.
Sr. BURRELL having inquires whether the accused
wisi 'led to put any questions to the witness, she re-
, plies I she did, and said, " Now, Clarissa, you know
that we frequently haven't had food to eat ourselves—
has( 'n't we all gone without, your father and all of
ur; IVitness—After a considerable pause, replied,
" Sc )metimes we have, I can't say."
P tisoner—When we had meat didn't you always
hav e some ?

I. longer pause than before succeeded the inquiry.
1 Witness—You never kept us without—not always.
W hen you had some, we had.
Cwo or three unimportant questions were then put
by the prisoner, which the girl answered readily.
1 sirs. Jane Hopkins, who resided in the same house
as 1 he accused, frequently heard the children's screams
and had endeavoured to get at them, but the room
doo r was always locked. She had frequently heard
the little boy crying for food, and gave it bread and
but ter. If it had more given by her than it could
eat, the child was afraid to take it up stairs, but hid it
beh ind the street-door. The children always corn-
plai ned of great ill-usage, and the hair was pulled off
thei :r heads by handfulls.
Innette Wilson saw prisoner throw scalding broth
over • Clarissa Tyler's head and shoulders, and the child
acre amed with pain and ran down stairs. She heard
prix oner say that if the girl came in there again she
wot dd jump upon her.
IN Ir. BURRELL inquired the girl Clarissa's appear-
anc( before the prisoner absconded ? Witness replied
that she was literally starved, her bones almost forced
then rselves through her skin, and she could not walk
upright nor straight from weakness. 'Witness added,
that Clarissa always told her she was turned out of
door 's at meal times.

1! Bun..armr.—Was the prisoner in the habit of
drin king ? Witness—l never remember to have seen
her perfectly sober.
Mr. 13uuaEr.r. (to the prisoner)—Should you like
to ask the witness any question ? Prisoner—Oh no,
I'd rather not, she has quite frightened me.
Mr. 13u KRELL recalled the last witness, and asked
if this cru el treatment was practised in the presence
of the fa,thEr, or whether he joined in it ? Witness—
It was ge)ierally when he was out. I never saw him
join in it.
Caroline! Tyler, aged 10 years, was then put in the
witness-bos, and said—Prisoner used to beat us very
much, an, I I have complained to Mrs. Cooper of it,
but she uEcd to heat my sister Clarissa a great deal
more than she did me, and she used to pull her hair
out of her head. She gave my sister and little bro-
ther and Ine salted bread and butter. She always had
the same. We never hid any meat. My father and
mother ( the prisoner) had meat, but we had not.
Sometimes we had a little broth made of pieces of
meat. M:y father frequently saw mother beating us,
but he didln't say anything. My father was gone to
work when. we had our meals.

Prisoner--Don't you know that the reason was
because we didn't know when he would conic home ?
Why don't you speak, dear ?
The child burst out crying.
Prisoner, finding the girl would not give any
answer, changed her tone, and exclaimed " You have
been standing there false swearing yourself."
The wholle of the evidence having been read over,
Mr. BUWELELL asked prisoner whether she had any-
thing to say ? Prisoner said she owned having been
in the habit of taking a little drink now and then, but
this was altogether a got-up story against her by
Tyler's faixtily, whom she never could satisfy. No
person had ever seen her ill-use the children.
Mr. BIIERELL—YOU locked the door when you
committed these violences. You have been guilty of
gross brutality, and I shall commit you for trial for
these cruel assaults. I will take good bail—two
sureties in 1001. each, if you can procure them.
The witnesses were then bound over to prosecute.