The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-10 00:00:00

BO TV-STREET.

On Saturday the " gentleman living upon his for-
une" who figured at this office the previous day, and
who was committed to Bridewell on declining to give
his name or to produce bail for his appearance at the
next sessions, to answer the charge of having inde-
cently exposed himself to a girl of fifteen, in St.
James's Park, at mid-day, was discharged from cus-
tody, on furnishing the required security. He gave
the name of Charles Windham, and stated that he
was an officer in the army. He entered into his own
recognizances of 1001., and Messrs. Cater and Son,
e army accoutrement makers, of Pall-mall, were
his bail in 401. each.
James Carruthers, a young man presenting an ap-
pearance of the " shabby genteel," was brought be-
fore Mr. Jardine, charged with attempting, by means
of false pretences, to obtain 1001. from Messrs. Coutts
and Co., the bankers.
Mr. Humphreys, the solicitor for the prosecution,
detailed the circumstances of the case which were
shortly as foll6ws :—Towards the end of August
Messrs. Coutts were favoured with a letter from some
good-natured friend, apprising them of the existence
of a terrible gang of swindlers who were conspiring
together with the determination of robbing them
to an inconceiveable extent, by a deeply-concerted
plan only too sure to effect its object whenever carried
into execution. The writer, in an " unguarded mo-
ment," suffered himself to become a party to this de-
sign, and, upon his oath, solemnly promised never to
disclose either the nature of the proposed robbery, or
the names of thOse by whom it had been contrived.
Subsequent reflection, however, caused him (the
writer) to lament most bitterly the engagement he
had entered into ; and feeling how seriously it
would involve the respectable and unoffending parties
upon whom the attack was about to be made, he
went and entreated his unworthy colleagues to adan-
don their design. They refused, of course, to enter-
tain such an idea, except on one condition ; namely,
that he (the writer) should procure for and give to
them the conspirators) the sum of 100/. The rest
may be told in the space of a nutshell. The object
of the letter was to obtain the 1001. not for the benefit
of the philanthropic writer, who would scorn compen-
sation for such a service, but to " avert the dreadful
blow" which had been levelled at Coutts and Co.
The writer would not stop to contemplate anything
so unreasonable as the refusal of this demand, at such
a critical moment; and therefore proposed at once that
Messrs. Coutts should immediately indicate their
anxiety so to purchase a speedy deliverance from the
hands of their unknown enemies by inserting the fol-
lowing advertisement in the Times newspaper:—
" C. C. informs 'l'. T. that his request has been fully
complied with." The writer of the letter further pro-
posed that Messrs. Coutts should station a boy at;the
base of the Monument, at half-past nine ,o'clock
on the day in which the advertisement appeared, with
the 1001. in ,solid gold," wrapped up in brown paper,
at the same time causing no other party to be present.
Accordingly, Messrs. Coutts inserted the notice in
the Times of the 30th ult., and in the evening of that
day sent a sharp little boy to the Monument with a
quantity of lead rolled up like so many sovereigns,
and neatly enclosed in brown paper—a marked half-
crown having been also placed inside. Two police-
officers were also stationed within sig ht, and at the
appointed hour the prisoner at the bar appeared at
Ihis post, and greedily grasped the brown paper
parcel, with which be WAS about to raalce off; when

Mr. Painter expresse. As intention of doing so.
On Saturday lVa°rße sB‘,p HeacsitaPpb;alBye
e-Tddßr
aeEts sEte
hre Gbearrmbaenf
0,
re namedmr.
rexamination, charged with stealing
t
greatßaGreoourgg he
Broughton
quantity
rri seo; choice and expensive colours and
e
inks, and _numerous brass taps and copper bolts,
forming pdits of machinery, the property of his em-
ployers, Messrs. De la Rue, Fry, and Co., the exten-
sive cardmakers and fancy stationers in Bunhill-row.
It appeared from the evidence of Mr. De la Rue
and his son, Mr. W. De la Rue, that they have suc-
ceeded in bringing to a high state of perfection cer-
tain colours, two of which area rich carmine and a
peculiarly delicate Chinese blue, the latter being
generally used for stamping the finer descriptions of
Irish linen and other such purposes. To manufac-
ture these, engines of 30-horse power and very ex-
pensive machinery are requisite, and portions of the
machinery are dismounted and replaced by others, as
occasion may require; and part of the articles above
spoken of as having been stolen by the prisoner were
some of these dismounted pieces. The prisoner had
been in the service of the firm for a long period as a
colour-maker, and, from his being an excellent work-
man and a very intelligent man, the greatest confidence
was placed in him until Monday morning last, when
a man who had been formerly in Messrs. De la Rue's
service, but is now in that of a rival manufacturer,
entered their counting-house and anxiously inquired
for the senior partner. Mr. De la Rue sen., was
sent for, as the man refused imparting his business
to any one else, and on his arrival the workman
told him the names of several parties to
whorls he had discovered that the prisoner had
been for a long time past selling their colours and
Government envelopes, Messrs. De la Rue having a
contract with the Government for a certain descrip-
tion of envelopes, for every one of which they are
obliged to account, or make good its value. As there
could be no doubt of the truth of this man's informa-
tion, a searching inquiry was thereupon instituted,
and the result was the discovering of a most exten-
sive and organised system of plunder, carried on by
the prisoner and other workmen and workwomen, of
whom the prosecutors have more than 200 in their
employment. Communication was instantly made to
Inspector Shackell, and by his directions Sergeant
Brannan went to the house of the prisoner, in Nor-
man's-buildings, St. Luke's, at a time when the
prisoner was at home, and, on being admitted by him,
searched the place. The prisoner hesitated as to hav-
ing anything belonging to his employers, but at
length acknowledged that he had a little blue in the
lower part of the house, and on going there the ser-
geant discovered in the back kitchen a barrel contain-
ing half a hundred weight of Chinese blue, besides a
great quantity of large brass taps, copper bolts, and
other articles, the whole filling a large truck. These,
of course, were taken possession of, and the prisoner
forthwith placed in custody and examined at this court
on Monday. .
The prisoner then, in defence, said he was carrying
on a small manufacture of colours on his own ate_
count, that he had purchased part of the taps pro-
duced, and that the others and portions of machinery
he had borrowed from his employers without their
knowledge, to enable him to manufacture for himself,
and intended to restore them, but unfortunately,
having conducted the 'affair at hisown house in secret,
he had no witness to produce to prove that he did so.
'Both the Messrs. De la Rue positively identified all
the articles produced. The brass taps were worth
14s. each, and'then actually had their colour in them.
The cask of Chinese blue was intrinsically worth
Is. 6d. per pound, but in reality a great deal more,
from its scarcity and the difficulty of its manufac-
ture. The copper bolts, as forming parts of their ma-
chinery, had an adscititious value scarcely estimable,
but still considerable ; and as to the prisoner's state-
ment, of
manufacturing for himself, any workman

!d h*

the constables fronted him, not to any purpose, how- ! so doing, as the prisoner well knew, would be in-
ever, as by some unaccountable bungling he was suf- staidly discharged upon its being discovered.
fered to escape. 1 The prisoner was then remanded till Saturday last,
A few mornings afterwards Messrs. Coutts were ' when Mr. De la Rue, senior, again attended and pro-
' actuallly again addressed by the same party, who, duced a large bundle of letters which had been de-
after informing them of the paltry contents of the livered to him by another workan who was in fear of
parcel, intimated his willingnese to believe that one of being apprehended, and gave them up on the promise
their clerks, unknown to the firm, had played this ', of riot being prosecuted. These letters had passed
freak upon him. He exhorted them to bear in mind between the prisoner and other workmen in different
that the present was not the time for trifling, and as houses engaged in the same business, and their con-
he was still willing to afford them another opportu- tents, which were highly criminatory, discloseid an
nity of saving themselves from the inevitable destruc- organised and widely spread system of robbery in al-
tion that would be the result of inattention to the most everything the prosecutors manufactured, and
proposal which had been made to them, he named an- show ed that, where this could not be effected, mate-
other place and time for the re-enaction of the farce rials manufactured elsewhere had been brought to
of the little boy, the policemen, and the brown paper the prosecutors premises to be glazed and coloured
parcel. I by their machinery, so as exactly to resemble their
Precisely similar proceedings were taken on this goods
occasion by the Messrs. Coutts, with the same result, Some other evidence having been offered, and Ser-
g except that the constables were more " wide awake,"eant Brannan produced another cask of Chinese blue
and the man, who proved to be the prisoner, was and a quantity of carmine, which were identified by
taken into custody. the pr )seeutors,
Evidence having been given, of the foregoing facts, Mr. De la Rue stated, that from the information he
Mr. JARDINE, previous to remanding the prisoner, had received, he had reason to believe, that what had
asked him if he wished to say anything. been as yet stated was only a portion of what he
-The prisoner, who spoke well, said :—" I would should hereafter be able to prove; and, as he was de-
rather answer the evidence when presented to your termined, if possible, to put a complete check upon
worship in a collective form, as it would be difficult to this ruinous and wholsale system of robbery, against
sever my statements from transactions which will, no which no fair profits in trade could possibly stand,
doubt, be deposed to hereafter,'and which I must na- he trusted the magistrate would again remand the
turally anticipate. Ido not deny the truth of the prisoner, to enable him to trace out its ramifications.
substance of the evidence, so far as it has gone ; but Mr. BROUGHTON said he should most certainly do
I must beg to repeat what I stated to the policeman, so, and remanded the prisoner for a week ; but con-
when taken into custody, that I was not the original sented to take substantial bail for his future appear-
instigator of this affair, but acted merely under the ante, if he could obtain it.
direction of another per Son, known by the name of The prisoner, who still protested his innocence,
Thomas Thornley." said he could find the bail, and was then removed.
The prisoner was then remanded. LAMBETH-STREET.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET. On Saturday the Hon. G. C. NORTON requested
On Saturday Alfred Walker was brought before the reporters present to acknowledge the receipt
Mr. Maltby for further examination, charged with of the following sums for the poor woman whose child
having stolen nearly 5001. in money, and also a quan had been so cruelly ill-used, as detailed in the police
tity of jewellery, the property of Mrs. Elizabeth Tar- report of this day week :—Post- office order, No.
box, from the residence of the Earl of Harrowby, in 1,412, 1/. ; James Singleton, Esq., 1/. ; E. E., 55.;
Grosvenor-square. . Post office order, anonymous, 1/. 10s.; a lady, 1/. ;
Some of the servants having been examined and J. Bateman, 3s. ; and Mrs. C. H. S., 10s.
nothing material elicited, THAMES POLICE.
Inspector Pearce said, he had other evidence to On Saturday henry John Burkett, a little withered
offer, but he could not produce it until Friday, to and wrinkled old man, who keeps a general shop in
which day he wished a remand. Salmon's-lane, Limehouse, was charged with assault-
Mr. Crouch, for the prisoner, protested against any ing an interesting and intelligent-looking child named
further remand, as the evidence now tendered, in- Harriet Collenbourne, not more than ten years and a
stead of strengthening saspicion against the prisoner, half old.
rather went to diminish it. The prisoner was brought up to this Court on a
Mr. MALTBT said, taking all the circumstances similar charge no later 'than Tuesday last, on which
occasion Mr. Broderip held him to bail, himself in
into consideration, he was bound to comply with the
application of the police, and therefore the prisoner 1001., and two sureties in .50/. each.
must stand remanded till Friday. Though the case was net reported at the time the
Thomas Brown, between thirty-five and forty years of circumstance got circulated in the neighbourhood, and
age, of respectable appearance, was charged with robbing on 'Wednesday the father of the present complainant
his employers, under the following circumstances : mentioned it to his wife. Alarmed lest her own child
For the last five or six years the prisoner had been might have been tampered with (for they served the
in the employ of Mr. Thomas Morris, of Walker s-eourt, prisoner with milk, and the little one had frequently
Soho, linendraper and haberdasher, and not the most re- been the messenger), Mrs. Collenbourne said to her
daughter, " I hope, Harriet, Mr. Burkett has offered
mote idea was, until lately, entertained of his being dis-
honest. However, certain sums in money had been re-
centlyyou, missed from the till at different times, and for the
purpose of detecting the thief, friend of Mr. Morris
mother, he has ;" but as her father and sisters were
it
made a purchase at the shop,ind gave in payment a
present she refused to detail the circumstances. When
marked half-crown. This was on Saturday evening, and
they were gone she stated particulars too gross and
i
about twelve o'clock at night the half-crown was missed filthy to be particularised, adding that the prisoner
from the till, to which, in the interim, he had had fre- had behaved to her in the same manner four or five
quent access. He was accused of stealing it, but he times, The last assault was committed on Thursday
strongly protested his innocence ; but on his being week.
searched, the identical half-crown was found in his shoe. Mr. Pelham, who defended the prisoner on both
occasions, cross-examined the girl, with a view to
The prosecutor said he did not wish to -press the
charge, as the prisoner had been in better circumstances, show that the present charge was suggested by the
and had A over
and numerous family to support.
previous one, and that the whole was, as he had been
The prisonere'foolishly persisted that the half-crown
was his own.
instructed, a foul and abominable conspiracy to de-
Mr. MALTBY said the case would then be proceeded stroy the reputation of a man who for twenty-seven
with, and remanded the prisoner until this day week. years had sustained a most unimpeachable character
The prisoner on hearing this wept aloud. in the neighbourhood. The little girl, however, with
Elizabeth Beaty, a fe'inale of respectable manners, and an open artlessness adhered steadily to the statement
about thirty years of age,- whose garb denoted the very which she made in the first instance to her mother
extreme of destitution, was charged with attempting to and afterwards to the Magistrate.
commit suicide. e • Mr. BALLANTINE observed that the girl's state-
Between five and six o'clock last evening she was ment, notwithstanding some discrepancies in her
Observed to throw herself into the Serpentine River. cross-examination, was perfectly consistent. The
about f
She was got out after she had floated to the distance of
worthy Magistrate then examined Mrs. Collenbourne,
fourteen yards from the 'bank, just as she was for the purpose of ascertaining whether there was
sinking. She was then in a state of insensibility, but
any private pique, or any difference about money
was speedily restored to a state of consciousness. She
at first declared that she had fallen in by accident, but matters, between her and the prisoner, but no such
afterwards admitted that she had thrown herself input'- motive appeared. She was not in his debt, nor did
posely to put an end to her life, as she had not had any he owe her more than a few pence for milk ; and, so
work for a long time, and was in id-health, and coin- far from attaining any object by the charge, the com-
pletely destitute. For many months past she had plaining party had every likelihood of losing a cus-
worked at shirt-making. tomer.
Mr. MALTBY humanely ordered that she should be Mr. Pelham—But we heard nothing of this matter
taken care of for the present.
until the former charge was made.
MA RYLEBONE.
•
Mr. G. Gilbert, a livery-stable-keeper in Frederick-
charge the matter might have Mr. BALLANTINE—ExactIy so never and,
but for that
come to light.
mews, near Albany-street, Regent's-park, was on But the girl's mother, hearing of that charge, and
Saturday summoned by Mr. E. Painter, 342, Strand, knowing that her daughter had gone occasionally to
under circumstances which from the subjoined evi- the prisoner's-.. house, became naturally- alarmed ; and,-
dence may have the effect of putting the nobility, onquest questioning her daughter, the matter was revealed..
gentry, and others on their guard with respect to The child said that, since the last assault, the pia-
purchases of vehicles.
soner beckoned to her to come across to his shop, but,
It appeared from what transpired, that a man
named M‘Carthy was employed by Mr. Painter to remembering how he had treated her, she refused to look out for a carriage of a particular do so. Her mother tore up a book which the prisoner
description,
and after 'going to several places he at length gaviveirhs.erc.
ollenbourne, who seemed a respectable
went to defendant's stable, where he looked at a
w childom should
had
anr shese
preserve any
destroyed it,
memorialn
not wishingi
ntdheacte
nhcey
whichher
phaeton, and a man in attendance asked thirty.
saidpe
five guineas for it. Mr. Painter subsequently offeredbeen practised upon her.
301. for the carriage, and that amount was ultimately m
r. BALLANTINE said she had done perfectly right.
paid. The phaeton was sent home, and it was then He would send the case for trial, but, as the prisoner
had
discovered, that the axle-trees were of a quality and
entered into two suretiesreties of 50/. each to answer
make much inferior to those upon which the carriage
a similar charge in another place, he would take his
rested when the purchase was made.
Defendant, in answer to the char
own recognisance of 1001. to appear and take his trial
ge ' , said that he forthe present one.
never intended to sell the carriage for 301., with thethe recognisances were then entered into, and the
axle-trees which were in the first instance attached
to it, but he had no objection now to take the vehicle parties bound over to prosecute.
UNION-HALL.
back again and return the money rather than have Peter 21P Walter
,the young Irishman with the car-
any more dispute about it.
pet-bag, who stands charged with robbing several
Mr. Painter signified that he was not at all desirous •
taverns and public-houses in the metroolis, was
of settling the matter in that way. brought up, on Saturda for y, re-examination.
Mr. RAwLINSON said he could come to no other Mr. COTTINGHAM said that he had received a letter
conclusion from what had been sworn to than that a from Lieutenant Ward, of the 11 th Hussars, quer-
gross fraud had been committed, and he regretted that tered in Dublin, stating that, h • aving read an account
he was dot empowered by law to adjudicate in the of the prisoner's •
examination in the weekly news-
case, but advised Mr. Painter to bring an action papers of last ISunday, he had no doubt, from the
against Mr. Gilbert.
description, that his name was Waters ed that hr

aters, an` Ae
was the same person who was living as his (the
writer's) servant in Portobello barracks, and who
robbed him of a large sum of money, with which he
absconded. The Magistrate then proceeded to ask
the prisoner some questions on the subject, in reply
to which he said that he was a native of Dublin—that
he was never in the army, nor had he lived in the
service of Lieutenant Ward—that he did not know
where Portobello barracks were situated—and that he
never passed by the name of Waters, either in Dublin
or elsewhere.
A gentleman stood forward and stated that a short
time since he was staying at the Steam-packet Hotel,
in Thames-street, and that amongs other property
stolen from him, there were two silk handkerchiefs,
several linen collars, And also a walking stick. The
latter articles were now produced and identified by the
complainant, a policeman stating that he found them
in the prisoner's possession when he was taken into
custody.
Mr. COTTINGITAM said that the prisoner was already
committed on three different charges of robberies at
taverns, but that if Lieutenant Ward was present and
identified him, instead, of sending him for trial here he
should send him over to Dublin, where that offence
was committed.
The Magistrate then directed that inquiries should
be made at the Horse Guards, to ascertain if the pri-
soner was known there as belonging to the army, and
he was again ordered to. be taken back to gaol.
Edward Wheeler, a young man in the employ of
Mr. Cox, livery Stable-keeper, in Stamford-street,
was charged with stealing 580 farthings, the property
of John Underwood, of Brunswick-street, Black-
friars. The prisoner lodged at the house of the com-
plainant, an. aged man, who from his infancy, it was
described, was in the habit of collecting farthings,
1,000 of which coin he kept in a bag, which was de-
posited in a box in the room where the prisoner slept.
Some of the farthings were on a recent occasion
missed out of the box, and, with a view of discovery,
as another man occupied the same room with the pri-
soner, the complainant's daughter bored a hole in the
partition that separated her room from that of the
prisoner. On the preceding day, while the prisoner
was home, the witness looked through the aperture,
and caught him in the very act of ransacking her father's
box, containing his treasure of farthings. When the
farthings were subsequently counted, 580 out of the
1,000 were missing, and it was also ascertained that
the prisoner had been for some time in the habit of
using a coffee-shop, *here he usually paid for his re-
freshments in farthings, some of which were those of
former reigns, and formed a portion of those collected
by the complainant in the early party of his life.
Another charge of robbery was also preferred
against the prisoner, that of stealing a pair of boots
out of his employer's counting-house, and he was com-
mitted to the sessions on both charges.
Richard Edwards, a well-dressed young man, was
charged on suspicion of stealing a valuable gold watch.
The prisoner was remanded until Wednesday next.
Charlotte Barber, and Thomas Barber, her son, a youth
of eighteen years of age, were charged with assaulting
Richard Barber, the husband of the former prisoner, and
wounding him on the head with a poker.
The complainant, whose head was severely cut, stated
that on the preceding day he had an altercation with his
wife, who was in the habit of ill-treating him, and en-
couraging her son to follow her example. In the course
of the dispute his wife took up the shovel and struck him,
and his son armed himself with the poker, and, striking
him on the head, inflicted the wound he now exhibited.
Several of the neighbours stated that the defendants were
in the constant habit of treating the old man with great
brutality, and they were fined forty shillings each, and,
in default of payment, committed for fourteen days each.
Eliza Sheffield, a young girl, with her head and face
decorated witlia great profusion of artificial flowers, was
charged with robbing ; her brother-in-law of a gold
broach and two sovereigns.
The prisoner gave out that she was going to be mar-

ried this day, and was invited to her brother-in-law's
house to spend the prece ling day. While in the house
she took an opportunity of breaking .open her brother's
box, from which sho took the two sovereign! and the
broach, and was on the way to Gravesend whe:i she was
taken into custody. ."

The prisoner began to cry, and said this affair ',you'd
knock her marriage on the bead, and begged forgiveness.
She was remanded.

CLERKEiVWELL.

Mary Howe, John Howe, and Mary Howe, jun.,
were charged with stealing a large quantity of surgical
instruments, a coat, and other property, belonging to Mr.
Sydney Mosely, a surgeon, residing at 32, Haymarket;
also with being; concerned in numerous other robberies.
It appeared from the evidence that on Saturday even-
ing Mr. Mosely paid a professional visit to a gentleman's
house in Great liussell-street, on his 'return from -th,,
railway station at Shoreditch. The cab was No. 2,350,
and the badge 6,218. The driver fell asleep on the seat,
and during the nap the cab
.was plundered of all the
articles it contained. Mr. Mosely immediately . gave
notice of the robbery to the police, and police-constable
Gough, 134 E, traced the prisoners to Church-lane, St.
Giles's, where he found them in a room. Nothing could
be found in the. room, after the most diligent
search, . but en casting his eye along the floor
boards perceived one more raised than any of the others.
He took up this one, and found beneath it all the plun
der, and a vast quantity of other valuable property, in-
cluding 37 forceps. The prisoners denied all knowledge
of the matter. In another house convenient there was a
large quantity of other property, and a female named
Ellen Brown identified the female prisoner, Mary Howe,
jun., as having been in possession of a portion of the
stolen articles, consisting of surgical instruments, and
those used by dentists.
The prisoners' statement was, that a young man,
whose name and addsess they gave, had put them in pos-
session of the articles, and said he would murder them if
they " peached at the plant."
They were all remanded, the police stating that they
would probably be able to trace the remainder of the
plunder to its lawful owner.