The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-26 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

A case exemplifying in a remarkable degree the mistakes
fallen into occasionally, with respect to the identity of per-
sons, mine on before Mr. Cottingham, during the examina-
tion of a man named Jarvis, who was charged on suspicion
of stealing a firkin of butter at Camberwell. The prisoner
was brought to this Court a few days ago, charged with steal-
ing a firkin of butter, which he was seen carrying on his
shoulder, and when stopped he said that he had found it lying
in the road, and was in the act of taking it to an adjacent
shop ; but this statement being disbelieved, he was taken
into custody. The prisoner gave a similar account when be-
fore the magistrate, and two persons in attendance gave him
a good character, and said that they had known him from
his youth, and never heard of his being in trouble before.
Two or three policemen, however, gave a very
different character of the prisoner, whom they
alleged had been convicted of felony, and trans-
ported for seven years. This latter accusation
however, was denied by the prisoner, and he was remanded
until this day, with a view that the matter might be further
investigated. Accordingly policeman 76, P division, attended,
and on looking at the prisoner he said that he took him into
custody in the year 1835 for felony, and that he was con-
victed and transported for seven years.
The prisoner declared that the policeman was mistaken,
and went on to say that a brother of his was tried some years
ago and sentenced to transportation, but that a subsequent
investigation having been entered into before the Secretary
of State, his brother received a free pardon.
The policemen still persisted in their tale.
Here a tradesman, who had known the prisoner since his
boyhood, stepped forward, produced the free pardon of the
prisoner's brother, and said that the accused had never been
away from Camberwell a month together since he was born.
This latter circumstance was confirmed by the shopkeeper
to whoni the firkin Of butter belonged which the prisoner was
charged with stealing.
Mr. CorrniGnAm said that the investigation of the charge
showed that the policeman was mistaken as to the identity
of the prisoner, although he had spoken with such confidence
on the point. He (Mr. Cottingham) had no doubt the police-
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positive of it, and at the same time Mr. Cottingham dis-
charged the prisoner, saying that ho left the Court without
any imputation on his character.
Inspector Evans, of the L division, gave information of the
sudden death of a gentleman in a public-house, on the pre-
ceding afternoon, under very awful circumstances.
The Inspector stated that a gentleman, named Burrows,
residing at South Lambeth, met a female in the Borough,
between three and four o'clock on the preceding afternoon,
and they walked together until they arrived at the Crown
public-house inWwesalred up stairsinster-road, intowhi a room on h
which house they entered
firsttered
floor, and They
called for a glass of gin and water, and Mr.
Burrows had just tasted the liquor, when his companion ob-
served that he changed colour, and immediately fell off the
chair on the floor. She immediately rang the bell, and the
landlord coming up, and seeing the condition of the gentle-
man, immediately called in medical aid, but he expired al-
most
instantaneously. A policeman having been apprised
of the circumstance, took polemical, of the
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, .
perty—consisting of a goidwatch and chain, a purse contain-
ing a considerable sum of money, and some small silver arti-
cles. The landlord and the female who was in the company
of the deceased at the time ho expired, accompanied the
policeman to the station-house, and the woman who, it ap-
pears, is a widow, and lives in SnBw's-fields, had been for
some time acquainted with the deceased, who had been
formerly in the army, and was described to be about 60 years
of age.