The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-18 00:00:00

ILFORD PETTY SESSIONS.

CAPTURE OF A GANG OF HIGHWAYMEN.-011 Satur-
day a Session was hid before \V iliiam Davis, Esq.,
Chairman, and Messrs. Streatefield, Maitland, Major
Fanshaw, Major Anderson, W. Cotton, Guillimard, and
Mashiter, Magistrates of ssex, at the Angel Inn, Ilford.
Four gipsy-looking men, known as Edward Houghton,
alias Jones Joseph, Homan, alias Job Challis, James Hoy,
alias Tidyhorne, and Henry Chapman were placed at the
' bar, charged with being found, together with three other
persons who escaped, in a cave in Epping Forest, under
very suspicious circumstances, and with assaulting and
resisting the police in the execution of their duty.
Much interest was manifested in the proceedings in con-
sequence of the numerous highway robberies which
have recently taken place throughout the neighbourhood.
Police-sergeant James White, K 13, stated that he did
duty at the police-station, Woodford-wells, for some time
past. Various complaints had been made to him of
serious highway robberies, committed in various parts of
the country by a numerous gang, who had located them-
selves in a cave, which they had managed to construct
in the thickest part of Epping Forest. On Monday last,
sviah one or two of his men, he scoured the forest, and
ultimately succeeded in finding the place alluded to, the
entrance to which he found choked up with stumps of
trees and boughs, to prevent it being seen. On entering
the place he found it empty, but picked up a tobacco-box,
containing bullets, and the wing of a duck. He thought
it imprudent to molest the cave, but directed some
of his men to watch it. On Thursday night last
police-constable Turpin, K 289, was lying on
the ground for this purpose, and, after wait-
ing about three hours, he observed seven men enter the
cave, make a fire, and cook something which appeared
to have a great deal of fat in it. The men began to
sing and carotise, and Turpiti then made the best of his
way to the Woodford-wells station, and gave informa-
tion. Six constables, armed with cutlasses, were dis-
patched to•the spot, at which they arrived at half-past
two on Friday morning. On entering the cave they
found the prisoners and three other men asleep, but ,
they were roused instantly, and made a desperate at-
tack on the police with bludgeoris, and for some time
nearly overpowered the police ; ultimately they suc-
ceeded in capturing the four prisoners, but the other
three managed to effect their escape. On searching the
place, a large knife, similar to a butcher's knife, was
founds but no property. The constables had the greatest
difficulty in getting them to the station-house.
Police-constable Turpin, K 289, corroborated the
above evidence, and added that he knew the prisoners to
be most desperate characters.

A gentleman, named Hearn, residing at Ilford, iden-
tified the prisoners as men he found stealing fruit from
his garden on Monday night list.
Inspector Cooper, of the N division, also recognised
the prisoners as notorious characters ; and Mr. Ander-
son, governor of Ilford gaol, said they bad all been
committed to his custody about six times each, and they
were notorious for robberies throughout the county.
The prisoners, in defence, said they were inveigled
into the cave to have some beer by the men who escaped.
The Bench expressed their conviction that the pri-
soners were the perpetrators of the robberies-; but, in
the absence of further proof, committed them to Ilford
gaol for three months and hard labour, and directed
the police to use every exertion to apprehend their
companions.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BO W-STREET.

Mr. Chapman, a respectable fruiterer, appeared to a
summons, calling upon him to account for the possession
of a pine-apple, value 305., which it was alleged had
been stolen from the gardens of the Horticultural So-
ciety at Chiswick, during the exhibition of fruits, &c.,
that took place there on Saturday last. It appeared
that a gentleman had forwarded seven pine-apples for
exhibition in the gardens ; among them was the one in
question, and for which one of the prizes was awarded.
After the exhibition they were to be forwarded to Mr.
Henderson, a fruiterer, to whom they had been con-
signed by the owner. At the close of the day the
pine-apple was missed, and subsequently, but by
mere accident, bated to the possession of the defendant,
who, however, declared that he had bought it of a man in
the gardens, who was standing at the table on which it was
placed, and represented it as his property. On Satur-
day the defendant called a witness named Dutton, who
proved that he saw him purchase the pine-apple in the
gardens as state I, and that he gave a fair price for it.
Mr. JARDINE said there had been a little want of
proper precaution on the part of the defendant, but
under all the circumstances the summons must be • dis-
missed. He, however, recommended the defendant to
give up the pine-apple to Mr. Henderson.
The Solicitor, who attended on the part of the com-
plainant, said he was satisfied that the defendant had
not acted from any improper motives, but the Society
felt it their duty to institute the present inquiry, in order
that exhibitors might know that every possible protec-
tion would be afforded to fruits, &c., sent to the gardens
for exhibition.