The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-04 00:00:00

THAMES.

DARING ROBBERY IN A DOCK.—John Bowen, a
stevedore's labourer, was brought before Mr. Ben-
son, charged with stealing a bottle of brandy from
a barge in the East India Dock.
Mr. Stoddart, solicitor, conducted the prosecution
for Middlemass and Horner, lightermen and barge-
owners, who, he said, were continually losing pro-
perty from their craft, and were determined to pro-
secute in every case where the thief was de•
tected.

A barge, containing 40 quarter casks, and 24
cases of brandy, was lying near a ship in the East
India Dock, and in the temporary absence of the
man in charge of the barge, the prisoner jumped on
board, tore the lid off a case of brandy, and took a
bottle of brandy from it. He then concealed the
brandy bottle under a tarpaulin, and went on shore.
His proceedings had been carefully watched by
James Sissions, Custom-house officer, who took
him into custody directly he stepped on to the quay.
The prisoner had been previously slinging goods on
board other craft.

The prisoner said he had been having a little drop
of drink, and that made him commit the robbery.
Mr. Charles Douglas, head constable in the East
India Dock, said the prisoner was a stevedjre's
labourer, and had no right on board Middlemass
and liorner's barge. The brandy was to be put on
board ship.

Mr. Benson—The prisoner has committed a very
daring robbery in open day, one I never heard
equalled. The prisoner is sentenced to two months'
imprisonment and hard labour,
John Hallett, an elderly man, a labourer, was
brought before Mr. Benson, charged with stealing
nine ounces of tea, the property of the East and
West India Dock Company.
Yesterday afternoon, when the labotirers were
leaving off work at four o'clock the prisoner was
among them, and h 0 was rubbed down and searched
by Joseph Cleaver, a constable, as he was leaving
the West India Dock at the principal gateway, and
nine ounces of tea Were found in his pockets and
boots. The prisoner had been employed among
the teas in the warehouse.

The prisoner, in defence, said it was poverty
made me do it.

Mr. Benson—You are adding to your poverty
and misery by robbery,
and you will not be em-
ployed in:the East and West India Dock any more.
The Prisoner—l have only been employed four
days in five weeks.
Mr. Douglas, head-constable, here said—l doubt
that very much. lie is a preferable labourer. He
has been employed in the dock 15 or 16 years.
Mr. Benson—And he has now forfeited his pri-
vilege to work in the dock. Ile is sentenced to six
weeks' imprisonment and hard labour.

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MARLBOROUGII-STREET.

WORKED TILL THE LA sT.—Thorn as Stone,
Cherry-gardens, Bermondsey, wood-chopper, was
charged before 111 r. Tyrwhitt by the Royal Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with ill-
treating a pony by working it in an unfit state.
The prisoner was seen by Dobre, officer of the
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, driving the pony, which was attached to
a cart laden with bundle wood, along St. James's-
street. The officer noticing that the pony was very
lame examined it, and found it to be very lame of
the near foreleg, which was much bent over, and,
in addition, the pony was very old, and nothing but
a mass of skin and bone ; and when the officer de-
tatched it from the cart it could scarcely walk, in
pitiable and wretched condition.
consequence of its
The prisoner said that if the pony was not fit to be
worked, he would have it killed. Ile was a poor
man, and unable to get another horse.

Mr. Tyrwhitt said that the prisoner had worked
the pony till it had scarcely got any health in its
body ; and then he said he was a poor man ; but
that was no excuse.

The prisoner said he would have the pony de-
stroyed, and on that condition Mr, Tyrivhitt