The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-08 00:00:00

QUEEN'S-SQUARE.

Thomas Pyvis, a sickly-looking youth, was placed
at the bar before Mr. Burrell, charged with havin g
broken into the dwelling house of Major Thomas
Henry S. Clerke, No. 4, Brompton-row, and stolen
therefrom a large chest full of silver plate, a gold
watch, three gold rings, a diamond bracelet, a suite of
silver, including ear-rings, bracelets, brooch, &c., and
other articles of jewellery.
The evidence of several witnesses who were ex-
amined went to prone that on the evening of the 29th
ult., about five o'clock, Major Clerke left his resi-
dence, giving the footboy orders to follow him to his
club-house with his bag, that he might dress for a
party. The boy did as he had been ordered, and the
presumption is that the perpetrator of this daring and
extensive robbery had watched the proprietor and his
male servant from the premises. Shortly after they
had left the place, the cook thought she heard a noise,
but supposing it was caused by the kitten, paid no
attention to it, but on hearing the hall-door shortly
afterwards slam too, she became alarmed, and her
suspicions that the house had been robbed were
shortly afterwards confirmed. On the return of the
footboy, at eight o'clock, she proceeded with him to
examine the house, and on entering the Major's room
they found that the plate chest, which was usually
kept there, had been carried off, and that an
attempt had been made to force open several
drawers in the room. They also discovered
that an upper sleeping apartment had been visited,
the whole of the locks on the drawers forced, and a
gold Geneva watch and other valuables stolen. On
their return to the Major's room they discovered a
hat which had been left by one of the robbers, a skele-
ton key' which opened the street door, and by which
the thieves had effected an entrance to the premises,
a small file, a jemmy, and a candle. The police were
Called in, who, on examination of the place, were of
opinion that the robbery must have been committed
by some persons intimately acquainted with the pre-
mises, and they, as usual in such matters, directed
their inquiries as to any servants who had been re-
cently discharged. They ascertained that prisoner,
after a service of five months, had left the Major's
service in January, being subject to fits, and was an
inmate in St Thomas's Hospital, but they had every
reason to believe, in consequence of some communica-
tion made to them, that he went in and
out of the establishment whenever he thought
fit, and had an ample opportunity of com-
mitting the robbery ; added to which, the water-
man at the coach-rank at Knightsbridge, on a visit to
the hospital, said that he had every reason to believe
that prisoner, with a female, hired a cab on the even-
ing of the 29th ult., and placed a large chest inside it.
Under these circumstances of strong suspicion, added
to others about to be detailed, the prisoner was taken
into custody by Bradley, a constable of the B
to whom he said, without any leading questions being
put to him, " he supposed he was taken about the
Major's spoons."
James Milley, the -Major's footboy, proved that
prisoner had been in the habit of coming to the house
to visit the servants. He' never saw prisoner wear
such a hat as the one found on the premises. •
Ellen Measted, formerly in the Major's service,
proved that prisoner knew where the plate chest was
kept, and at the time he left the service abused the
Major, and said he would serve him out.
Benjamin Pelliss, 28 G-, produced the plate-chest.
On Saturday week he was on duty in the Bagnigge-
wells-road, and saw a woman whom he knew to be a
bad character pass, and in a moment afterwards, on
crossing the road, she said to him, " You are wanted
here," and pointed out the plate-chest, which was
standing on the road side.
The chest on examination was only found to con-
tain a few trifling articles, the others being gone.
Major Clarke said that he had a character with the
prisoner from Lady H. Chisholm, but he was so sullen
and violent that he was obliged to discharge him. Tie
had paid him for a-month before he entered the ser-
vice, and for a month afterwards.

The prisoner declared that he was in the hospital
on the 12th of March, and had only been out once
during the middle of the day. He denied all know-
lhdge of the robbery.
lie was reminded until Friday neat.

UNION-HALL.
William Dear, alias Howard, was charged with
stealing a bay gelding, the property of Mr. Wheat-
ley, the coach-proprietor, of Greenwich.
Thomas Rogers, foreman to Mr. Wheatley, stated
that the prisoner was horsekeeper in the employ of
Mr. Wheatley, whose service he suddenly left with-
out assigning any cause about a fortnight ago. On
Thursday night last witness saw the bay gelding
safe in his master's stable, and the next morning he
missed it, and found the stable-door had been forced
open. _

- Samuel Giddens, a horse-slaughterer, in Green-
street, Blackfriars•road, stated that on the morning
of Good Friday, the prisoner brought a bay gelding
to his yard, and offered it to him for sale. When
questioned as to whom the animal belonged, the pri-
soner's answer was that it was the property of Mr.
Archer, fishmonger, of Dorking, in Surrey, who
sent him to London to dispose of it. The witness
suspecting the truth of the prisoner's statement, pre.
tended to send out for change of a Bank of England
note, and detained him until he sent for a constable
to give him into custody.
William Harris, inspector of horse •slaughterers'
yards, stated that upon being apprised of the circum-
stance of the prisoner having offered the horse for
sale, and his assertion with respect to its being the
property of a Mr. Archer, at Dorking, he (the wit-
ness) immediately started off for that town, to make
the inquiry. He sent back his carrier pigeon with a
note to Mr. Giddens, informing him of the falsehood
uttered by the prisoner. On subsequent inquiries it
was ascertained the horse was stolen, as already de-
scribed, from Mr. WTheatley's stables at Greenwich.
The prisoner told the Megistrate that his character
stood well at Greenwich ; that he had never been in
trouble before, and that he would bring up witnesses
as to his (prisoner's) good-conduct.
Mr. COTTINGHAM said that he wag bound to send
the case for trial, where evidence of prisoner's good
character would operate on the minds of the Court
and jury.—The prisoner was committed accordingly.

EXECUTION of JOHN LAWRENCE
FOR MURDER, AT HORSHAM.
The sentence of execution passed upon Lawrence
at the late Lewes Assizes for the murder of Mr.
Solomon, the chief officer of Brighton, was on Satur-
day morning carried into effect, at the usual place of
execution on the top of the county gaol. From the
character of the offence, and the circumstances under
which it was committed, there was not the slightest
chance of any remission of the sentence, and from the
time of his conviction the wretched culprit evidently
prepared for the fate which awaited him, and ap-
peared anxious to make all the atonement in his power
by a sincere repentance.
Although the prisoner admitted the justice of his
sentence, yet, up to the very last moment, he persisted
in declaring that he was not actuated by any mali-
cious feeling towards the unfortunate deceased, but
he says that, at the moment, a sudden and uncontrol-
lable impulse impelled him to seize the poker and give
the deadly blow, and he said that, if he had consi-
dered but one moment, he should not have committed
the act. He has all along declared that he could not
tell what possessed him at the moment, but the
thought to kill the deceased suddenly came across his
mind, and he could not resist it. The Rev. Mr.
Allen, the chaplain of the gaol, who has been con-
stantly with the prisoner since he has been at Hors-
ham, repeatedly asked him whether he was actuated
by any feeling of malice towards the deceased, and
the culprit in the most solemn manner always made
the same statement relative to the melancholy trans-
action, and also said that at the time he struck the
blow, he could hardly tell whether it was aimed at
Solomon or any other person.
The prisoner, although only 24 years old, appears
to have passed his life in one long career of vice and
crime. Although of respectable connections, at Tun-
bridge Wells, at an early age he was in the habit of
frequenting beer-shops' where he became acquainted
with the most depraved characters. He then went to
work upon the Brighton Railway, and the scenes of
vice and profligacy which he there witnessed com-
pleted his ruin. After this he went home to his
parents ; and being intrusted with a cheque for 251.
he appropriated the proceeds to his own use, and set
off is Brighton, accompanied by a young women, with
whom he had cohabited ; and the money being soon
spent he was reduced to distress, and then com-
mitted the offence of stealing the carpet, which even-
tually led to the murder of the unfortunate deceased,
and the forfeiture of his own life. The wretched man
stated that for three days before he stole the carpet he
had been continually drunk, and that when he com-
mitted that offence he did not know what he was
about. •
The prisoner's mother, it appears, is married to a
second husband. He has written to her, and received
answers several times since his condemnation, but she
was in such a state of wind as to render her quite
unable to support the trial of parting with her
wretched son. The prisoner's uncle and a younger
brother went to the gaol on Friday evening; but, at
the request of the prisoner, the parting with them was
deferred until the following morning. The conduct
of this brother during the time he has been in the
town has created an universal feeling of disgust.
Ever since he has been in the town he has been
almost continually drunk, and on the Thursday
night before the execution of his wretched relative he
spent the evening at a beer-shop, where fiddling and
dancing was going on. In answer to an observation
made by Mr. Loader, the governor of the gaol, as to
whether he intended to see his brother executed, he
replied that he certainly should do so.
Very shortly after the culprit's condemnation his
fortitude returned to him, and he expressed an
anxious and apparently sincere desire to atone for his
past crimes by a full and sincere repentance, and on
Friday he expressed a strong wish to receive the Holy
Sacrament. The chaplain at first rather dissuaded
him from so doing, but at length, believing him to be
sincere and truly penitent, he acceded to the pri-
soner's desire. It was after this that the prisoner's
uncle and brother called, but the culprit not being
then in a state of mind to receive them, requested,
through the governor, that they should not disturb
him at that moment, but come to him in the morn-
ing. The brother at first said he should not come
any more to see him, and it was only at the earnest
request cf Mr. Loader that he at length consented to
accompany his uncle in the morning.
When not engaged with the chaplain, the culprit
has almost incessantly occupied himself in writing,
and he has sent letters to nearly all his old abandoned
associates earnestly entreating them to avoid their
present course of life, and to refrain from the conduct
that lead to his destruction. The culprit had his sup-
per at the usual hour on Friday night, and went to
bed about ten o'clock, and slept soundly until the next
morning at seven o'clock, soon after which hour the
.
chaplain was in attendance upon him. Mr. France,
the under-sheriff of the county of Sussex, had arrived
on Friday evening, and, as a great crowd was ex-
pected, by his directions barriers were erected, in order
to revent accidents from the pressure of the people.
Saturday morning the prisoner's uncle and his
brother came to take their last leave of him in this
world. The culprit bore the scene with, great firm-
ness, and he appeared more concerned on account of
his brother than for himself, and he entreated him in
the most solemn manner to alter his course of life,
and avoid the miserable condition to which he had re-
duced himself by his misconduct. The brother ap-
peared very much affected, and he promised to reform
his evil way of life and go home with his uncle, who,
at the dying request of the culprit, promised to provide
for him. From this time the culprit prepared himself
for the fatal moment, and he repeatedly expressed his
desire that it had arrived, as he said he was quite
ready to die, and he trusted he should be forgiven his
sins.

The officers of the sheriff arrived at the gaol soon
after eleven o'clock, and about a quarter to twelve
the culprit was pinioned, and he was shortly after-
wards led along the passage of the gaol to the drop
which was erected upon the temporary platform made
for that purpose. He-walked with a firm step, and
mounted the ladder leading to the scaffold without
any assistance, and then gazed calmly. round among
the crowd. The Rev. Mr. Allen asked the miserable
man whether he had anything he wished to say, and
he replied that he had not, and at the same time again
declared that, although he suffered justly for killing a
fellow-creature, he had DO enmity against the
deceased, and that he was not conscious of what he
was doing when he struck him with the poker. He
then shook hands with the reverend gentleman, and
expressed, in the warmest terms, his gratitude for the
kindness he had received from him, and also from Mr.
Loader, the governor of the gaol. All the arrange-
ments were now completed, and at a given signal the
drop fell, and in less than a minute the miserable
culprit had ceased to exist.
Although the crime of which Lawrence was con-
victed created a good deal of excitement in the-neigh-
bourhood, and, indeed, throughout the whole county,
where the unfortunate deceased was generally re-
spected as an active and excellent officer, very few
persons, comparatively, were present at the execution,
notwithstanding there was a great cattle fair in the
town, which, of course, attracted a number of
strangers. Preparations had, however, been made to
prevent accident in the event of there being so great a
concourse of people as was expected; and Inspector
Hughes and seven men of the A division of Metro-
plitan Police were engaged to superintend the
arrangements. It is now nine years since there has
been an execution in this county; and it is rather re-
markable, that the last man who was executed, for
four daring burglaries, was brought to justice mainly
through the exertions of Solomon, the unfortunate
deceased, who, no doubt, at the time, little anticipated
that the next execution would be that of his murderer.
The body, after hanging an hour, was cut down
and placed in a shell, and at ten o'clock on Saturday
night, according to the terms of .the sentence, it was
interred within the gael. .

THE LATE COACH ROBBERY%
OXFORD, APRIL 6.—Richard Elliott, who ge'
scribed himself as a cigar-merchant, residing in B.
,
•
street, Paddington, and who has been in custody
since the night of Monday, the 18th of last month, °ll,
a charge of being concerned, with two others, not Yet
in custody, in robbing the Defiance Oxford coach.°
1,500 sovereigns, was, for the first time, publicly (it
mined in the house of the Governor of the prison, bJ
Dr. Marsham and Captain Shepperd.
The prisoner, who is a sharp-visaged man, of rather
fair complexions, and about thirty years of age, vi,a9
smartly dressed, and is evidently a sharp and actisl
fellow.

Previous to the examination being entered on, Mr'
Ballantine, who appeared for the prisoner, applied to
the Magistrate, and requested that some friends ei
the accused, who had come from London, and wh°
were very anxious to hear the nature of the charge
against the prisoner, as they had been kept in tn,'
dark about it, should be present. It was also but fa
to inform the Magistrates that he, Mr. Ballanthlef
also intended calling some of those as witnesses
isto
speak to the character of the prisoner, to show 'oll°
and what he was.
Dr. MARSHAM replied, that at present he did net-.
see the necessity of calling witnesses as to character'''
as the question before the court was one of fact. Ile'
refused the application • but said he had no object'
tion to the depositions taken at the former examT„'"
tions of the prisoner being read over, and it would
,u;
then open to him, Mr. Ballantine, to make such- 4?`"-
•servations on the case as he might think proper.
The deposition of Mr. Robert Hair, clerk in
banking-house of Messrs. Coutts and Cu., Strap
(who was not present), was the first read. It wagA
the effect that the witness, from instructions he in
received, on Monday, the 18th of last month, count't
out 1,500 sovereigns, and, after weighing them, it,.
them into a bag and delivered them to Robert Quili"
a porter employed in the bank.
The deposition of Robert Quint, the person alluded
to by the last witness, was to the effect, that after re;
ceiving the sovereigns from Mr. Hair, he put the:
into a small box, which he deposited in a blue bag'
secured at the mouth with a string. He then got ie,w
a cab, and drove to the Gloucester Coffee-house, 01:
()
ford-street, to deliver it to Hobson, the driver of
Defiance Oxford coach. When he arrived at the
Gloucester Coffee-house, the coach had not got up, b...!t
after remaining a few minutes in the passage, it
rived, when he delivered the bag to Hobson, and 50,,,
him put it into the front boot. 'The time he had Lf
wait for the coach was about five minutes, and all tho
time the bag lay by his side in the passage. re'
Joseph Hobson, who was in attendance, was be
called, and being sworn, his deposition taken on
29th of March was read over to him. He depose
that he was coachman of the Defiance Oxford nee, fip
which travels between that place and London.•
Monday, the 18th of last month, at about ten o'nhiett
in the morning, he called at the banking-house, t
Messrs. Coutts and Co., Strand, and signed a reef
for 1,5001. sovereigns. He subsequently returned
the. Belle Sauvage, on Ludgate-hill, and left thee
with his 'coach at twelve o'clock, when he had erhie
lady on the front seat. He then proceeded Otto
Bell and Crown, Holborn, where he took, 01
another lady, who also got upon the if.°o
seat. He next drove to the Regent-circus, igu'o
he took up a lad and a man, both of whom sat to
the front with the two ladies. He then proceedek
the Gloucester Coffee-house, where he saw Quint, the
porter at Messrs. Coutts's, who gave him a blue
and this he placed in the off side of the front set
amongst other things, but put it near the hotter,
He then took up a man (who took the box setri
who saw him place the bag in the boot. 'Jo
man was stout, about 5 feet 9 in. in height, and
an old-fashioned blue great coat, and had no luggf;
Before reaching _Knightsbridge the man on the
told him a person wanted to go with him, wu4
Elliott, the prisoner, came out of a gin-shop, 5,
up on the dickey, and said he was going to Bens,,a
At Hammersmith he took up anotherenan, who Sgt
on the back part of the coach, and a woman, anuo
Cranford-bridge he took up another gentleman. de,
Cranford-bridge he saw the bag in the boot 0 d
and he did not think that anything was taken (OA,
the boot till he reached Benson. He changed- hon,
first at Hounslow, next at Longford, then at Salt-wly
when a lady got down ; next at Ealy Bottom, ehelyr,
Henley Bottom, and next at Benson. Here
Shrub, whom he had taken up at Cranford-brie
and the prisoner Elliott, got off. The former he eO4
carpet bag, which was given to his boy, and wit'io
went into the Crown Inn, where he stopped to reee.,o,
the prisoner's fare. He gave him change for a soverVy
and he pressed witness to have a glass of ale, vvbie:lo.
(witness) took. Before this a lady got out at •P
hill, and a passenger at Henley Bottom. Who to
reached the Crown Inn, Benson, it was a quartefut
seven o'clock, and he on that occasion, as well as op,
places at which he had changed horses, left the A
On arriving at the Old Bank, at Oxford, he
for the bag delivered' to him by the porter of Me
Coutts and Co., but could not find it. He.then dr°o
to the Vine Inn, in the High-street, where the °ILIAC
finally stopped, and then again looked for it, t
found it was gone. He then asked the passif,,bol
nge
who sat on the box with him and the others,
saw any person take it, and they all said they did the
In his cross-examination by Mr. Ballantin!,,os
witness said that the man whom he describe
riding with him on the box, and who had nbserieir
him receive the box and put it in the bOot, Was
fict
tered as a " gent." on the way-bill. He did 40
know what became of him, nor had -he seen i'4o
since. He knew all the females that were with
00
as passengers but one, and he believed they were
troia
respectable persons. At Benson he was awn'', jbo%
his coach about five minutes, and was, also off Ins aed
at the five other places he had previously ehe,i'llit
horses at, as well as at Knightsbridge, when he took
prisoner up. He did not see the prisoner take
thing away from the coach at Benson.
Mr. Ballantine here remarked on the el"tio
singularity of the witness giving a receipt ferp
1,500 sovereigns at the banking-house of the 14°-
Coutts' two hours before he received them.
The other witnesses examined were William till,
man, a servant in the employ of Mr. Shruhoi4i,
Carr, horsekeeper at the Crown Inn, Benson,
Carter, landlord of the same inn, and a female se,
vent, named Pierce. fao'
The prisoner was then remanded till a future

el!
GREAT BRITAIN STEAM-SHIP.—The flow Of
tide on Thursday night and Friday morning, 111"0 '
Cumberland basin gates, was to the height of from old
36 feet, . probably.higher than any we shall have be of
the autumnal equinox. It was by the ticletera
Thursday that the Directors -of the Great liVe6ooo
Steani-ship Company. had hoped to have riot'
the Great Britain down the river. At a 11101,
ing of the board of Directors of the Dock CoMP opi
on -Monday last, a resolution Was: passed that .11. ,c
of the correspondence which had taken place betrtio"
that Board and the Directors of the Gre't Wes. die
Steam-ship Company, respecting the.tesntys7ir oricip
Great Britain, be transmitted to the• Board ;Of T. to
with such explanations as may be deeMed neeegeelpe
elucidate the positiOn of all parties.= By this•it wlflreo,
seen that nothing has yet been done to relieve the t"
Britain from her 'embarrassing situation..oTb°
Mercury states that the William Milne,s,, in p-,,-„po
through the smaller lock of Cumberland-basin, -'Oll
upon the walls, and, the tide ebbing, heF,bottoM fgo ,
forced out, -and the greater pate 'of her valuable
was lost. Thi; occurred in- the antnihif ot toe!
remained for some weeks,- wedged in, the-00140d
successively flowing over, and• it was thought .1
she -I, 01
have to be broken up; atolength, •however, shelve re'
tricated, underwent • very costly repairs, and .ste,
moved to another port. r ' . 0
•THE DINER-ouT.—The diner-out must ' heir
most passionate love for children.. He must so boz°,ort
himself that when his name shall Ise sainoitneesti",
child in the mansion shall set up a yell—a;9erelto4 •
rapture—shall rush to him—pull his coat-tails-rel„ :1;;y 1 •
his back—twist their fingers in his bair—snao'l.aiort
watch from his pocket ; and, whilst they rend his 10
Saxony—load his shoulders—uncurl his wig ricer'
W
threaten instant destruction to his repeater,
,'""icett
out must stifle the agony at his heart and hii?"-tbille:
and to the feebly-expressed fears of the maintlAt
the " children are troublesome," the diner-out 111°.110
into every corner of his face a look of the most selloo.
delight, and with a very chuckle assure the ar17;001
parent that "the little rogues are charming!"----
Meddows' Heads of the People.

BIRTHS. r
On the 2d inst., Mrs. George P. Putnam, of Euston-",
of a son. tir
k On the 3d inst., at Goodrest Lodge, near Beld-i II
lady of Bulkley J. M. Praed, Esq., of a son.
$ 9°ll'
On the 4th inst., Mrs. T. P. Turner, Bedford-rowy of
still-born. of
On the 4th inst., the wife of F. 11. Dickinson, Esli''
Upperilarley--street, of a daughter.
_......../

.
MARRIED. tts' et
On the 10th of February, at the Cathedral, Cs.clllit
licitly, Esq., Civil Service, to Annie Lydia, second,(l2"v,f
of Samuel Tomkins, Esq., of Lombard-street. stagOn the 2d inst., at Southwick, Rants, William „ovioribi
Raper, Esq., M. 8., to Mary, daughter of Charles
Esq., Controller of her Majesty's Customs, Ramsgate.

.

DIED. eSter'
• f
On the 29th ult., John Gould, Esq solicitor, of
street, Queen-square, aged 74. ,„,.; ,
On the 31st ult. at Gainford-place, Barnsu.-44.
Islington, Mrs. P. Allan, widow of the late G. Allan.Ae.--aipif
On the Ist inst., at Warminster, William Lye
Esq., aged 30. the
On the 3d inst., at Eglinghani, Nortlunberlazisof:
Venerable Edward Thomas Bigge, Archdeacon of Lind ea
On the 3d inst., at Worthing, John Bradley. Escl-4' gilt"
On the 3d inst., Frances Margaret Pavies, eldest 1.411'
of Captain Chandler, 17th Lancers, aged 15. „,:iiiVicti"
On the 10th inst., Agnes, eldest child of Mr. NY, •
of Cheapside. Cheapside.
On the sth inst., Emily Susan, only daughter
Baker, Esq., of Endsleigh-street.

London : Printed and Published by KURD() -Nis
No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, ty 0)
Strand, in the Precinct of' the Maroy, theC97;;
itiddleaex, Monday, April 8,1844.:

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