The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-25 00:00:00

.P-4.;;;74,/-7

body coming," and pushed her on to a bank. She
still continued to scream out, upon which he let her
go, mounted his horse, and rode off. A short time
afar, she met Henry Russell, who came to meet her,
and she informed him of what had occurred, and the
conduct of the prisoner, and he (Russell) desired her
to make her father acquainted with the circumstance.
On Friday- morning she returned home from Bark-
ing, and then told her father of the conduct of the de-
fendant.
In reply to the questions of Mr. HENRY, the wit-
ness said the prisoner held the rein of his horse's
bridle on his arm, while he assaulted her, so that he
could use both his arms. He had not made use of
any improper language while endeavouring to force
her into the field, nor had he attempted to kiss her.
Mr. Samuel Peter Briggs, the father of the com-
plainant, said he had been informed by his wife, who
was much afflicted at the occurrence, of the assault on
his daughter on Friday morning last. He at once
waited upon Mr. May, the' prisoner's Inspector, and
related the circumstances to him, and Mr. May re-
commended him to forward his complaint to the Com-
missioners of Police. The defendant had since offered
to make a humble apology for his conduct, and his
wife had been to him (witness) to beg he would not
press the case ; and though he felt it to be his duty to
go on with his complaint, yet he did not wish, for the
sake of his wife and family, that the defendant should
be severely dealt with.
Inspector May was sworn, and said for ten years
and a half, while the defendant had done duty under
him, his conduct had always been good. The men se-
lected for duty when a horse was required were per-
sons who had served in the army and dragoon re-
giments.
The prisoner in his defence admitted seeing a young
woman on the night in question and entering into
conversation with her, when she said her name was
Briggs, and that she expected her sweetheart to meet
her a little further on. He denied in the most positive
terms having dismounted from his horse, or touching
the complainant in any way.
Mr. HENRY observed, that it was quite impossible
to doubt the defendant's identity, or that he was the
person by whom the assault had been committed, as
the complainant could have no object.in coming for-
ward and making such a statement against him. Had
such an offence been committed by an ordinary per-
son, he should have felt it to be his duty to have im-
posed the highest penalty the law would allow; but
being committed by a person whose duty it was to
protect such persons as the complainant, the offence
was thereby grievously aggravated. Under all the
circumstances he would not inflict a pecuniary fines
as such, in his opinion, would not be commensurate
with the crime he had committed, but would give him
the sevQrest penalty he could record ; namely, one
month'sjimprisonment in the House of Correction, with
hard labour. Mr. Henry added to this sentence his
opinion that he had disgraced himself as a man ; and
the prisoner, who stands at least six feet high, was
then removed from the bar.
THAMES-POLICE.
Yesterday a man named John Smith, who had been
a thief from his infancy, was brought before Mr. Bra-
derip, charged under rather extraordinary circum-
stances with a marine burglary, in breakinT into the
cabin of the schooner Ellen, in the river, with intent
to steal the captain's and mate's watches and wearing
apparel.
Much interest was created by the prisoner's exa-
mination, and he is suspected to be one of a gang of
river pirates lately released from various prisons, who
have committed many daring robberies on the Thames
during the last three weeks, and baffled the vigilance
of the river police.
Captain Jeffries, the master of the Ellen, said he
went to bed between 12 and 1 o'clock on Saturday
night, and left the candle burning on the table, and
was roused up by the mate during the night, and on
turning out, saw the prisoner running away.
Mr. William Elliot, the mate of the Ellen, said the
vessel was lying at Bell-wharf-pier, Lower Shad-
well. About one o'clock in the morning he was in
his berth in the steerage, which is divided from the
cabin by a pannel only, when he heard a great bustle
in the cabin, and upon raising his head saw the pri-
soner close to the door with one hand on the pannel,
and a waistcoat, which belonged to witness, in the
other hand. He sang out " Who's that ?" but no
answer was returned. He then hailed the prisoner a
second time, and asked him what he wanted ? and as
he did not speak, witness kicked the bed clothes off
him, and told the intruder he would very soon see
what he wanted. As he jumped out of bed the pri-
soner rushed up the companion, but he seized him by.
his legs and found he had no shoes on. The pri-
soner released himself, ran upon deck, and just as
he reached the gangway fell down. He was soon,
however, upon his feet again, threw off his coat, and
jumped clean overboard into the river. On reach-

ing the water, he struck out as hard as he was able

xi-wards the shore. Witness and the captain put the
ladder over the bows, got down, and pursued him, and
traced his footsteps among the barges on the shore.

The prisoner aftirwards iook a round turn and got

away, but they gave chase to him, and one of the
ships apprentices caught him behind a pile, near
Bell-wharf-stairs, and brought him up all standing.
They made him fast until a policeman came to the
spot, and then gave him into custody. There wa:s
nothing removed but the waistcoat belonging to wit-
ness, but if the prisoner hadshad time to overhaul the
Captain's pockets he would have found a watch, be.
sides a lot of money.
Evans, the superintendent of Thames police, was
asked if the prisoner was known, and he replied that
he had been summarily convicted by the Magistrates
eight times, and had not long come out of prison. His
father and brother had been committed from that

Court for robberies on the: river, and transported by
the Judges at the Central Criminal Court.
Mr. BRODERIP said it should not be his fault if the
public was not relieved of the prisoner, and he would
put him in the way of being transported for life. Al-
though no property had been stolen from the ship,
there had been a sufficient removal of the waistcoat

to constitute a felony in the eye of the law, and he
should commit him for trial.

The prisoner said he was in the cabin, but removed
nothing, and seemed very anxious not to be sent to
the Old Bailey, where his previous bad character
might operate against him. He complained that a
grindstone had been thrown upon him while he was in
the water, of which the Captain and mate said nothing.
The Captain said he had no grindstone on board.
The prisoner—You chucked something very heavy
on me ; it nearly sunk me altogether. It was a grind-
stone.

Mr. BRODERIP-It is an imaginar7grindstone, you
may depend upon it. I shall commit you for trial;
you are too dangerous a character to be at large.

lENTALS OF METROPOLITAN COMMISSIONS OF
SEWERS NORTH OF THE THAMES..—Westminster,
&c., Commission, 2,788,190/. ; Holborn and Fins-
bur, 1,316,013/. ; Tower Hamlets, 888,596/ ; City
of London, 792,904/. • Poplar, 78,411/. ; St. Ka. tha-
rine's, 12;964/. Total, 5,877,0781. The City of Lon-
don having sent in no return, the above amount is
taken from their return to the House of Commons in
Aulust, 1834.
NEW MODE OF SPOLIATION.—Domestic Drama—
Billinsgate Fishmonger—Don't meddle with my lob •
ster, my good man, or you'll have that finger of yours
mo
bitten. Stander-I;v—Pooh ! he'll not bite. Fish-
monger'—Don't trust
if my
rustto
dog's tail
taiiStawndereer-
b betweeny— I tellhis
nippers. Fishmonger—'Try it. Stander-by—Here,
you n gheer
Carlo, Carlo !—(Lobster snaps.) Dog (in agony)—
Beaouw-w-w -w-w ! Fishmonger—Hallo ! where the
devil is my lobster going ? (The dog vanishes round
the corner of the street, and the curtain falls.)
THE NEW RIVER HEAD.--A number of labourers
have been employed for some days past in cleansing
the immense reservoir belonging to the New River
Company, in Amwell-street, Pentonville. The sedi-
ment has been allowed to accumulate for eleven years,
until at length the present measure became necessary.
In some places there are eleven feet of mud.
ADVANTAGE OFT BEFRIENDING A NEIGHBOUR.
In 1811 George ilson, of Biddick, in this county,
emigrated to North America, having previously bor-
rowed 20s. from ThomaS Robson, a neighbOu. r, t
'assist him in effecting that object, under a promise to
was then a banksman, but he has
pit. On
been em-
aaterletiten reasfrso°Pmptihe executors of
remember him if ever he had it in his
thattte hepower. Robson
weer:p loye d
he pumping
received
PWhiillsaodnelpahpiap,risUinngitehdimSOn Monday
had recently died at
and bequeathed him
money and property to the value of 7,000/. ! The
party who has reaped this ample return for his gene-
rosity is now about 70
woman !—abut half a yearyears
ofh age;
marriedb—lucky
female
not more than 40._Dur ago
mrolezieie ut a
PUBLIC DINNER TO D. ROBARTS, Es4.—Wed-
nesday night the friends and admirers of David
Roharts, Esq P A t.having resolved to take an op-
portunity of congratulating him on his return from
Syria and the Holy Land, entertained him at a public
dinner in the Hopetoun Rooms, Edinburgh. About
90 gentlemen were present. Lord Cockburn occu-
pied the chair, supported on the right by Mr. Roberts,
Sir W. Allan, Sir 11. Bishop, Bishop Gillis, Pro-
fessor Wilson, Mr. _Murray, of the Theatre Royal,
&c., and on the left by the Right Hon. the Lord
Provost, Sir John Robinson, Mr. Cunningham, Mr.
J. S. Kinnear, Rev. A. Bennie, &c. Patrick Robert-
son, Esq., and Alex. M'Neill, Esq., acted as croupiers.
Mr. Bennie said grace and returned thanks.
Letters from Italy state that Rossini has placed i
the hands of a notary at Boulogne a sealed packet,
which is only to be opened after his death. This
packet is addressed to Mdlle. Olympe P—, and is,
it is said,
an opera, which the maestro leaves, with
all his fortune, to this lady, who has been for some
time past his companion. Rossiniof
is al yearb age,
having been born Feb. 29, 1792.
The Rev. R. H. Barham has been presented by the
Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's to the EcetorY of St'
Augustine and St. Faith, London.

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