The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-24 00:00:00

WANDS ORM.

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF FELONY.-Mr. Read-
ing William Reynolds, a very respectable-looking
man, about thirty years of age, who was described as
a pattern designer for silk and calico printing, re•
siding at Merton, and occupying offices in the City,
was charged with cutting two women's dresses, and
stealing from both parties money and other valuables.
The first witness called was Sarah Tudor, who
stated that she is a married woman, and cook in a
family residing at 25, Mecklenburgh-square. On
Saturday evening last, about six o'clock, she got into
Mr. Holder's four-horse coach to go to Mitcham.
She took her place upon the hindmost seat, upon
which was another female passenger. The prisoner
placed himself between them, at the same time ob-
serving that the two ladies would keep him warm.
The prisoner paid witness great attention. He
persuaded her to rise once or twice to allow him
to adjust the cushion, and he gathered the straw
arounct her feet. On reaching Balham•hill, some
pmseCns g,ot out of the coach, and witness, with ths
'other lady arid prisoner, gOt in. Mtnes; and her
fellow female passenger sat on the same seat, and the
prisoner on the opposite one. When the coach ar-
rived at the Angel, at Tooting, the lady who sat
next to witness told the coachman she would get
out there to save him the trouble of stopping at the
Castle, and she had no sooner uttered the words than
the prisoner opened the door on the off side, leaped
out, and disappeared. The singularity of this act
aroused witness s suspicions, and she put her hand
to her pockets to ascertain if she had been robbed.
She discovered that her cloak, gown, and pocket had
been cut, and from the latter had been abstracted a
purse :containing two soverigns and ten shillings
in silver, and a wedding ring; two small keys
which were in her pocket had also been
taken. 'Witness, .on discovering her loss,
cried out, " I have been robbed ; my clothes are cut."
The coachman asked witness who she suspected, and
she replied that man who had just left the coach. The
coachman said that he was a very respectable man,
and that she must be mistaken. The lady who had
got out of the coach then discovered that her clothes
and pocket had also been cut, arid ss. taken. The
coachman, even at this discovery of the second rob-
bery, did not attempt to look after the prisoner or to
call the police, but mounted his box and drove into
Mitcham. When prosecutrix arrived at this place
she went to Mr. Holden, proprietor of the coach, and
related to him all the circumstances, and afterwards
'informed the police.
The constable, who apprehended the prisoner, said
the other person, a Mrs. Brazier, residing at Wool-
wich, was not in attendance.",
Police-constable Joseph Reed stated that he ulti-
mately found where Mr. Reynolds lived, and having
ascertained that he was in the daily habit of travel-
ling to town and back, he arranged that Mrs. Tudor
should' meet him at the Castle at Tooting, on Wed-
nesday evening, that she might have the opportunity
of identifying him. Accordingly, when the coach
stopped at the Castle, the prisoner dismounted, and
was then told that a lady wished to see him in the
parlour. Mr. Reynolds went in, and was imme-
diately identified by Mrs. Tudor as the person who
,had ridden with her on the preceding Saturday
evening. Mr. Reynolds at once said, " Yes, I am
the gentleman." Mrs. Tudor then charged Mr. Rey-
nolds with robbing her, and witness took him into
custody. The prisoner declared his innocence, and
said he would make the party charging him suffer
but did not
for it. Witues, tseprehcd the prisoner,