The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-06 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE
(YESTERDAY.)
CLERKEN WELL. _

Maly Anne Hartive.'l and Harriet Holmes, about 18
years of age, were charged with breaking sixteen panes
of glass, value 21., at the Clerkenwell workhouse.
Inspector Bart cat deposed that the prisoners, who have
been up to a recent period inmates of the Clerkenwell
workhouse, were, about two o'clock on that morning,
sitting on the door-step of the Clerkenwell workhouse.
The whole pavement near them was strewed with broken
glass. Witness asked "who has broken all these win-
dows ?" Both prisoners exclaimed "we have." Witness
thereupon inquired how many they had brcken? They
answered " all we could reach." Holmes' arm was
bleeding. He asked them if they had broken them with
their bands? Hartwell replied '"
she did, but I was not
fool enough ; I broke them with sornethino. else." Wit-
n,s4 toDic them to the station, and charged them. They
walked quietly thither, and were locked up. They
added, at the station, that they had broken the glass
about five minutes before witness came up.
Mr. Hamet, the master of the workhouse, proved that
when he went to bed the windows were whole. The
prisoners had been paupers in the house, and were very
bad characters.'
Mr. Comm: (to the prisoners)—Well, what have you
to say ?—The prisoners replied that it was quite true
they had broken the windows, but what were they to
do ? they had applied for admission to the workhouse,
and were refused it.
Mr. COMBE—What time did you apply for admission?
Prisoners—At eight o'clock in the evening, Sir.
Mr. COMBE—Who did you see ? Prisoners—We saw
Mr. Ilamet, and asked him for a night's lodging., but we
were refused it. He told us to go to the overseer ;we
did go to the overseer's house, but we could not see him.
We returned to the workhouse, and again applied for
admission, stating that we could not see the overseers,
but we were refused admission. We sat on the flags
at the workhouse door until nearly two this morn-
ing, and then we broke the windows. The door-keeper
told us we must not go there any more.
Mr. CONDE--,IS it true that they were refused admis-
sion to the workhouse? Mr. Hamet—Yes ; I refused to
receive them. They threatened my life.
Mr. COMBE—Have they any means of supporting
themselves out of the workhouse ? Mr. Hamet—Not
that I am aware of ; but one of them was relieved on
Saturday night.
Mr. CONDE sentenced them to a month's imprison-
ment each in the House of Correction, in default of the
payment of 1/. each.
They wore committed accordingly, and seemed very
glad at being sent to prison.
A man named Ward was charged with begging and
assaulting a police-constable.
• It appeared from the evidence of Baker, 108 E, that
being on duty in High-street, Bloomsbury, on the pre-
vious day (Sunday), at ten o'clock, he saw the prisoner
asking alms from several persons, and in a peremptory
way, something like the beggar in " Gil Bias," for the
prisoner was armed with a stout bludgeon, which he
flourished in a menacing manner. Baker watched and
saw him go up to a gentleman who resides in Bedford-
square and ask for money, the gentleman refused; the
prisoner repeated his demand in threatening language ;
the gentleman still persisting in refusal, the prisoner
followed, overtook, and standing before him on the
footway, struck him so violent a blow on the chest
as made him reel back against the railings. Baker then
ran up and arrested the prisoner, who no sooner felt
himself seized than he struck the constable a severe blow
on the face, and another on the chest. They struggled
for some time, both being powerful men ; at length the
prisoner, seizing Baker's thumb, pulled it back with all
his might, and nearly broke it. Baker roared with pain,
but the prisoner twisted it the more. At length assis-
tance arrived and the fellow was secured.
Baker showed his hand, which was terribly swollen
and inflamed.
Mr. CONDE—What have you to say to this brutal
conduct? Prisoner—Nothing, and loooking jeeringly
at the officer said, " You have got that!"
He was sentenced to a month's imprisonment.
WANDSWORTH.
THE LATE ATTEMPT AT MURDER AND SUICIDE.—
Yesterday was appointed for the examination of Amelia
Alferry, the young woman who, on Monday, the 29th
ult., attempted the murder of her two children and self-
destruction, on Wandsworth-common.
Mr. Bicknell said, as the prisoner was then in a state
of great nervous excitement, he thought that it would be
politic before the prisoner was brought into Court to
have the room cleared.
The Court was accordingly cleared.
The prisoner was led into the Court ; she is about
twenty-seven years of age, was deadly pale, very weak,
and had a vacant look. She was accommodated with a
chair.
The children, one a girl six years of age, and the
other a noble looking boy, about four years old, were
also brought into Court.
The charge, as entered on the sheet against the pri-
soner, was as follows :—" Amelia Alferry, aged 27,
single woman, charged with assaulting her children,
Mary Anne, aged six years, and Henry, aged four years,
with intent to murder them, by drowning, and also with
attempting to commit suicide at the same time, to wit,
on the 29th of July last."
Mr. BURRELL approached the chair in which the pri-
soner was seated, and said, "Do you feel that you are
capable of answering tho Anrge now mad. ago,ins yutt?"
—The prisoners in a scarcely audible tone, said, " Yes,
I do."

William Alferry, a lad about fourteen years of age,
was then sworn, and stated, "I live near the White
Horse, Water- side, Wandsworth, and am brother to the
prisoner. On Monday evening, the 29th of July, be-
tween five and six o'clock, I was crossing Wandsworth-
_

common, when I saw my sister sitting 'on the island
,;ear Mr. Wil,on's. She had her two children with her.
The names are Henry and Mary Anne French. I
wished :.'er to go home. She said, 'You can go home ;
coming presently.' I went home alone, but came
e island, and the children were
back shortly it":,'Twards to play at cricket. My sister
was still sitting oil
th them to her and said,
playing near her. si:e called
We'll go home.' She then drew them to her, left the
bench on which she had been sitting, walked to the
jumped in with them. The part into
water's edge and
which prisoner jumpedis called the 'Black Sea.' I
went in after the children and held their heads up to
prevent them from drowning. I hallooed for help, and
kept the little children up until Mr. Steers came, and he
walked into the pond and took the children out. Mr.
Steers afterwards got my sister out with a great deal of
trouble, and laid her upon the grass. Prisoner had said
nothing to me before she went into the water about
drowning her children or herself. Ido not know whe-
ther she went into the pond by accident. It was in her
way home."
Mr. BURRELL asked the. prisoner if she had anything
to say 7—The prisoner, in a feint voice, said " No more
than that it was trouble that caused me to do so."
Mr. BURRELL observed. that he should now remand
the prisoner until the following day (Tuesday), and he
ordered the prisoner to be taken back to the union.