The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-18 00:00:00

WANDSWORTH.

Mr. Peter Henson, a respectable looking young
man, who carries on the business of a builder and
house-decorator, in the Bridge-road, Battersea, sur-
rendered, upon his own recognisance of 501., to answer
a charge of stealing a copper and other articles, the
property of Mr. William Howie, a gentleman residing
at Fulham.

The case first came under the notice of Mr. Paynter,
the sitting magistrate, on Tuesday last, and on that
occasion it 'was proved, in evidence, that the prisoner
had disposed of a copper and other property which were
in a house belonging to Mr. Howie, and which was
some time in the occupation of Dalmas, the murderer.
The prisoner, in his defence, asserted that Charlotte
Dalmas, the second daughter, had sold him the pro-
perty after her father absconded, and, that that person
might be produced, the case was remanded.
When the case was called on, Mr. Gilham an-
nounced that he was for the prosecution, and Mr.
Payne, of Battersea, said he appeared for the accused.
The court was densely crowded.
Mr. Howie stated that, in consequence of informa-
tion which he received from the police, he went on
Tuesday morning to the prisoner's residence, and
charged him with stealing a fence, a dresser, a side-
hoard, and a copper, from a house, a short distance
from his (the prisoner's). He acknowledged taking
the fence, which was then standing in his own garden.

He said that he was wrong in so doing, and asked
prosecutor's forgiveness. At that time he never men-
tioned Miss Dalmas's name, who was the daughter of
the former occupier, and who left the fixtures enume-
rated for the rent which was due.

Cross-examired—The fence alluded to formerly
parted Dalmas's premises from those of the late Mrs.
M'Farlane. This fence, although removed, was still
in my freehold.
Mr. PAYNTER—Then I am of opinion that this re-
moval of the fence from one part of the freehold to
another constitutes nothing more than a trespass.
Mr. Howie, in reply to other questions put to him
by the prisoner's solicitor, said he had appointed an
agent to look after his property. He was not aware
that his agent had ever entrusted the prisoner with
keys of empty houses belonging to him, nor was he
aware when the fixtures were taken away from the
house.

Police-constable Daly, 137 V, said he knew the
prisoner. That in accompanying Mr. Howie to the
prisoner's house, the latter asked forgiveness of that
gentleman for taking the fence, and said he would
make him any remuneration he wished. The prisoner
at that time never alluded to Miss Dalmas. He had
had no communication with that female since her
father was taken into custody, a few months since.
The prisoner was given into custody for stealing some
building materials, but the case was not proceeded
with.

William M'Farlane, a youth about 18, stated that
last October twelvemonth he was residing with his
mother, who is since dead, in the adjoining house to
that occupied by. Dalmas, and after Mrs. Dalmas had
given up possession, he went over the house out of
curiosity, and saw the copper there quite safe; next
morning, between eight and nine o'clock, on looking
over the fence into the wah-house, he saw that the
copper was gone. He mentioned the circumstance
to his mother and the Misses Dalmas, and they also
missed it.

Robert Brown, a general dealer, in Milman's-row,
Chelsea, proved that about eight months since he
purchased a copper of the prisoner about the size of
the one alluded to, for which he gave him 7s. It was
then lying in the prisoner's own kitchen.
Charlotte Dalmas was next called as a witness ;
she had been previously sitting with her two other
sisters in a secluded part of the court, and when
she came forward to give evidence she excited
some curiosity. She stated that on leaving her father's
house, after he had absconded from Battersea, which
he did in consequence of-his debts, she left in it a
copper, a sideboard, and a dresser, all of
which belonged to her father, but being in arrears
for rent they were left to satisfy it. Witness sold a
washing-stool, a clothes-horse, some knives, &c., to
the prisoner, but not the articles previously alluded
to. She had offered him the copper for sale, but the
sum he tendered was so little she refused to take it.

Mr. PAYNTER observed that he thought this a clear
case of felony, but as it was necessary to hare the
evidence of Mrs. Lee, the agent of the prosecutor,
to prove that the prisoner was not authorised to enter
the house, he should remand the case until Wednesday
next. He consented to take bail in 401. for the ap-
pearance of the prisoner on that day.
In the course of the examination of Charlotte
Dalmas, a question was put to her as to whether she
knew where her father was when he absconded.
Before the witness could answer, Caroline Dalmas
rose up, and throwing her arms about, exclaimed,
" So help me God! my sisters knew not where my
father was, and if I never move off this ground, I
was the only person entrusted by my father with
that knowledge."