The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-15 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.

FELONY.—Saturday Joseph Pratt, a man em-
ployed by Messrs. Ward, Brittle, and Ward, hosiers,
Wood-street, Cheapside, was charged before Mr.
Alderman BROWN with having in his possession a
large collection of articles in the hosiery line, sup-
posed to have been stolen from his employers.
Mr. L. C. Matthews, Upper Whitecross-street,
pawnbroker, stated that on Saturday morning a
woman came to his shop, and offered half-a-dozen
pairs of black stockings in pawn. Mr. Matthews
having certain misgivings that the black stockings
were not honestly come by, with a feeling which we
would like to see more generally prevalent among
those generous individuals whose " money lent" in-
vites the needy to visit them, was determined to as-
certain if his suspicions were well founded. Ac-
cordingly, inviti►►g the said woman into his private
parlour, he put sundry questions to her touching her
residence and her husband's occupation, in the coarse
of which he learned that her name was Pratt, that
she resided in Philip-lane, and that her husband was
employed at Messrs. Ward, Brittle, and Wards.
The shrewd pawnbroker was now quite satisfied that
the black stockings were never paid for; and, having
given information of the circumstance at the house
in Wood-street, Pratt's lodgings in Philip-lane were-
visited by a gentleman in " the commission of the
staff." A search being made a large collection of
articles, such as may fairly belong to the firm, and
sufficient to fill a large bag,' were found, and Pratt
taken into custody.
Mr. Brittle, one of the pattners, said that the
prisoner had been some time in their service. He
had seen the property found at his lodgings, and
had little or no doubt but that they formerly formed
part of their stock. However, he was anxious to
inspect them more minutely than he had done, a
thing he was prevented doing in consequence of the
short time which had elapsed- since the prisoner
was taken into custody; therefore he hoped the
Magistrate would remand him..

Mr. Alderman BROWN said he had no hesitation
in complying with this request ; and accordingly re-
manded him until Tuesday next.

BOW-STREET.

A young mail, named Percival Hardwicke, was
charged, on Saturday, with obtaining groceries to
the amount of upwards of 20/. under false pretences.
James Gray, shopman to Chambers and Co.,
grocers and tea-dealers in the Strand, proved that
the prisoner came to the shop of his employers on
the 23d of April last, and presented a written order
for 3016. of loaf-sugar, and 21b. of tea. The order
purported to bear the signature of " S. Lovejoy,"
(of the firm of Walters and Lovejoy, of Fleet-
market), who was a customer of Chambers and Co.
The prisoner came again on the 13th of May, with
an order, signed as before, for 41b. of 7s. tea. The
tea was delivered to him, and the prisoner repeated
his visits so often, with similar orders, that at last
suspicion was excited, and being questioned he ran
away. He was then pursued and taken into cus-
tody. The whole amount of goods which he
obtained upon forged orders was 221. 10s.
Mr. Lovejoy attended, and proved that the orders
were not in his hand-writing, neither was the signa-
ture which they bore.--1 he prisoner was fully com-
mitted for trial.

Thomas Birmingham, the young man who stood
his trial at the Old Bailey, on Friday last, for the
wilful murder of Sarah Waite, at Kensington, came
to this office on Saturday, and demanded'his clothes,
which the elder Taunton had in charge. The clothes
were immediately given up to him, upon which Bir-
mingham drew off his fustian jacket, and put on the
livery coat of Lieut. Ives, in whose service we un•
derstand he is t►► be continued.

Moot AucnoNs.—On Friday a young gentle-
man, whose name, we understand, is Harris, applied
to Sir R. BIRNIE and Mr. HALLS, the sitting Ma-
gistrates, under the following circumstances :—He
stated that he was walking the preceding day past
the well known auction-rooms in the Strand, exactly
opposite to Southampton-street, v,hen he saw the
auctioneer holding a very handsome-looking watch
in his hands, as if he was selling it to the highest
bidder. Hearing several very low sums offered for
it he entered the place, and, after very little compe-
tition, bought the watch for a pound. On taking
the watch to a watchmaker he was informed that it
was valueless.

Sir RICHARD—You knew surely that a watch of
any worth could not he purchased at that price?
Mr. Harris—Why, Sir, the auctioneer warranted it
to go.
_ _

Sir RICHARD (laughing)—Yes, to get out of his
hands when you bought it. (Laughter.)— Mr. Har-
ris-1 was aware, Sir, that it was not gold ; but I
imagined that it would make, if the works were
good, a very good present for my servant. As for
the money Ido not care for it three halfpence. I
merely applied to you in order to warn other per-
sons of the swindler's concern.

Sir RICHARD—The nuisance has been made very
public,. but it would appear that that is of very little
service.

The applicant afterwards said that his brother was
a magistrate and a clergyman, and he had pointed
out to him an act which was passed to prevent such
swindling practices, and it was as clear as a pikestaff,
Mr. Harris was informed that such might be the
case in Ireland ; but no act of that kind was in exist-
ence in England.

The young Irishman, finding that he was unable
to punish the auctioneerfexcept by an action (which
made the remedy worse than the disease), took his
eave of the office.