The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-03 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

BOW-STREET.

SYSTEMATIC PLUNDERING OF SOLDIERS AND
SAILORS.—SamueI Heath, a coffeehouse - keeper,
carrying on business at 17, Western-place, close to
the Great Northern Railway Station, was. charged
before Air. Vaughan with having feloniously stolen
property, consisting of carpet bags, a musical in-
strument, and wearing apparel, the property of
soldiers who had bden lodgers in his house, and also
of the colonel and officers of the 4th Dragoon
Guards.

It appeared that a soldier named Keeley, belong-
ing to the 4th Dragoon Guards, went to the house
of the prisoner on the 29th of November last. At
that time he was on furlough, and was introduced
to the house by soma per:;on whom he had met in
the neighbourhood. On the 30th, the next day,
which was Saturday., he was robbed of some money
while sleeping on the sofa. On that day Cor-
poral G:over, of the Ist Drtgoon Guards,
having arrived at the Waterloo Railway
Station, and being on his way to Wakefield,
ou furlough, was induced to go to the same house,
and from his statement it seemed that after having
been there some time, during which he had three
cups of tea and three chops, the prisoner charged
for that 12s. 6d., which he considered too much,
and refused to pay it. He wanted to go out, but
the prisoner would not let him. He, however, did
go•out, and slept at the coffeehouse afterwards.
The prisoner then took his bag. He had three
medals on. He found two of them off his breast
when he awoke. The whole three were on the
table. The prisoner had them; they were worth
about 255. llis cloak, which he also lost, was
worth about 15s, the carpet-bag 6s. or 75., and
the things in the carpet-bag about £l. Keeley
told him that the landlord had taken some money

from his pockets, and he also had to leave his
clarionet. The prisoner paid his fare to 'Wake-
field, which was 14s. lid. In his carpet-bag, which
he identified, was an account-book, which he iden-
tified, and which contained his will.
Abraham Ballard, police constable 154 Y, stated

that he had gone to the house of the prisoner, who
was well known to the police, for the purpose of
seeking for a watch which had been stolen, and
which there was every reason to believe bad been
left with the prisoner, and for the receiving of
which he was committed on the previous day. On
searching the place, he found a cupboard in the
back room containing the property already men-
tioned. The prisoner was then taken into custody,
and the prosecutors having been communicated
with, the present charge was brought.
Mr. Besley contended that the principal charges
had not been sustained.

Mr. Vaughan intimated his intention of commit-
ting the prisoner for trial.
Mr. Besley then requested that substantial bail
might be taken, when it appeared that twice in
1865 the prisoner and hs wife had been taken into
custody for robbing soldiers and sailors, and on
being liberated on bail had managed to square the
matter with the prosecutors. Bail was consequently
refused, and the prisoner committed.
Amongst the property discovered by Ballard not
yet owned are a gold pencil-case, from Z. M. H.
to his friend, L.M., 4 carpet begs, 22 silver forks,
and two spoons.