The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-19 00:00:00

NEW COURT.

Richard Hitchcock was indicted for obtaining money to
the amount of nearly 1,0001. under false pretences, from
Harry Hinton. •
Mr. Payne appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Bal-
lantyne for the prisoner.
It appeared from the statement of Mr. PAvNt that in
the course of last year there appeared iu some of the
London newspapers an advertisement for the heir-at-
law to some property in Essex. In consequence of this
the prisoner made application to Mr. Joshua Wall, of
Ingatestone, in Essex. who it appeared had a claim upon
the property in question. He represented to him that
the affairs were in Chancery, and induced him
to give up certain papers •he had in his pos-
session relating to this property. With these
papers,: he proceeded to Mr. Henry Hinton, a merchant
in the City, and stated to him that be had the case of
Wall in hand, in whose favour the Court of Chancery had
decided, respecting a claim made in that Court by Wall.
He further represented that some time would elapse before
he could obtain the money, and that Wall and his family
were in poverty at the time. He (the prisoner) there-
fore wished to allow them the sum of one pond per week
until the time should arrive when Wall would receive the
money. The prisoner said he wished the prosecutor to
advance him certain sums of money for this purpose, and
also for the purpose of. purchasing clothes, and paying
the clerks in Chancery. Upon these pretences
and representations, the prosecutor advanced, from
time to time, various sums of money to the
extent of 1,000/. A few months ago the prosecutor dis-
covered that all these pretences and representations were
false. He discovered that the property before referred
to was in the possession of another family, and had been
during the whole time of his connection with the pri-
soner in this transaction. He also discovered that there
were no proceedings in Chancery, nor had the prisoner,
as he had stated to the prosecutor, ever paid any money
to the clerk in the Court of Chancery.
Mr. Henry Hinton, in his evidence, confirmed this
statement. On cross-examination he stated that he had
married the daughter-in-law of the prisoner ; that they
resided with the prisoner for some time. He (the wit-
ness) paid the whole of the household expences. By toe
false representations of the prisoner he had been ruined.
Mr. John Taylor deposed that he was a solicitor. In
1839 he was in partnership with Mr. Shaw, solicitor,
of Fenchurch-street. The prisoner came to him at the
end of 1839, and brought certain papers with him. He
said he had an application to make respecting Mr. Wall
of Ingatestone, who was entitled to a large property.
He referred the witness to Messrs. Teesdale and Symes,
of Fenchurch-street. He went to them, and they said
that the estate in question had been disposed of, and Mr.
Wall could then claim nothing. Witness never saw the
prisoner afterwards till he was in custody. The prisoner
never employed the witness, or Messrs. Symes and
Teesdale.

Cross-examined—Wall possessed soma claim, but his
application was made too late.
William Pearson, a tailor, deposed that he had made
clothes for the prisoner to the amount of 301. The pri-
soner said. they were to be charged to Mr. Hinton.
Joshua Wall deposed that he lived at Ingatestone, in
Essex. He was a farmer. The prisoner never allowed
him 1/. a-week. If he got any money from any person
on his (witness's) account, he never gave it to witness.
Witness never received the value of 11. from him.

This being the case for the prosecution, Mr. BALLAN-
TYNE took objections to the form of the indictment.
The indictment contained five counts. His principal
objection was, that the false pretences, mentioned in
several counts, were in futuro. His next objection'was,
that the allegation in the indictment was not supported
by evidence.
Mr. Commissioner BuLLocs held that the objections
were good with respect to several of the counts ; but,
with respects to the others, he thought there was a case
for the Jury.
Mr. BA.LLANTYNE then addressed the Jury for the de-
, fence, and called the following witnesses :
Mary Jacques, an interesting-looking girl, deposed
that she was the daughter-in-law of the prisoner,
and sister to the wife of the prosecutor, and she was
sixteen years of age. The prisoner and Mr. Hinton
lived together fbr some time. Mr. Hitchcock always
paid the expenses. The bills were made out in his
name. She had often seen mqpey pass between Mr.
Hitchcock and Mr. Hinton. MF. Hitchcock had been
married to her mother about seven years. She was a
lady of property. upon which property the family lived.
The prisoner also had some money.
Mr. Jacques corroborated this evidence. In 1840 he
took a 51. note to Mr. Hinton's, lie was not at home at
the time, and witness gave it to his sister, Mrs. Hinton,
and he saw her afterwards give it to Mr. Hinton.
Mr. Commissioner BULLOCK summed up the evidence,
and the Jury returned a verdict of guilty. The sentence
was deferred to the next session on the application of
Mr. Ballantyne. The Court intimated that if the ob'ec-
tion to the indictment were not considered good it was
probable the prisoner would be sent out of the country.
The sessions terminated with this case.

- -
RESULTS OF SAVAGE FIGHTING.—Last week Jo-
seph Hacksley (as principal), and Thomas Baylis, Ed-
ward Gadd, William Shaw, Thomas Higgins, and Ben-
jamin Humphreys (as accessories), were committed on
the Coroner's warrant to take their trial at the Assizes,
for the manslaughter of Joseph Wassail in a pugilistic
contest at Edgbaston, near Birmingham. Hacksley and
Wassail were boys about 17 years of age ; they fought
upwards of an hour, and the scene closed by Hacksley
" butting" Wassail on the chest with a blow of his head,
which proved fatal.

POLICE I N TELI4IGENCE,
MANSION HOUSE.
A gentleman, who stated that his name was Aaron
Smith, was charged before Alderman Wilson, with hav-
ing violently assaulted John Hedger, omnibus conductor,
No. 6,521.
The complainant said, the defendant was one of the,
passengers in the omnibus which plied to and from
Blackwall. Witness inforined him and the other
passengers distinctly, that he could not go further
towards the West-end than . the Bank, and upon
reaching the end of Leadegiail-Areet told them
they were to get out. 11* defendant, however,
desired to be let down at the Bank, and complained
loudly and bitterly that the witness did not go as far as
Charing-cross, notwithstanding the assurance made to
him before he took his seat. Complainant accordingly
desired the coachman to drive to the Bank, and then the
passengers got out. The defendant, determined to follow
up his violent conduct, caught hold of the complainant,
and struck him with a stick across the head with such
effect as to occasion a considerable loss of blood, and for
such unprovoked and brutal conduct was called upon to
answer to the Magistrate.
The driver, No. 4,588, of the omnibus, said, he dis-
tinctly saw and heard the defendant strike the conductor
with the stick, after having followed and caught him by
the coat.
Alderman WILSON—Where were you when the blow
was given ? Witness—l was on my seat driving.
Alderman WlLsos—Did you see your conductor do
anything to the defendant ? Witness—Nothing at all.
Alderman WILSON—How could you see them in the
street in this condition, if you were driving on your
seat ? Witness—l turned round and saw it all. Never
saw the conductor raise his hand to the gentleman.
Mr. Smith, upon being called upon to answer the
charge, stated that in the Commercial-road he got into
the omnibus, on which were marked outside the words
Bank and Charing-cross," as he wished to go to the
Strand, and the conductor not having uttered a word
about not going further than the Bank to him or any of
the passengers in his hearing, when the vehicle stop-
ped at the end of Leadenhall street, he (complainant)
insisted that it should, at all events, go as far as the Bank,
upon which the conductor said, " We'll take you to the
Bank, and be d—d to you," and declared that such vaga-
bonds gave more trouble than respectable people would
think of giving. This language, was followed up by
gross and insulting expressions, and he (defendant) re-
solved to take the number of the conductor, and to have
the Lord Mayor's decision upon the case. The conduc-
tor, however, refused to show his number, and the defen-
dant went after him to stop him, but received two blows
from him in answer to the demand; he then instantly laid
his stick across the head of the conductor, who lustily
called for the police, and complained of having been at-
tacked for nothing.
Alderman WILSON, to the conductor—Why did you
not show your number to the defendant ? You are liable
to a fine for haying refused.
Complainant—l think you will find you are wrong,
Sir; I am not obliged to show my number to every body.
Mrs. Frances Pratt, of Seymour-street, Euston-square,
stated that she and her daughter were passengers in the
Omnibus, and witnessed the occurrence. The language
used by the conductor was gross and insulting in the
extreme, and the defendant, who was a stranger to wit-
ness and her daughter, did not at all retaliate, but fol-
lowed the conductor in order to obtain his number, and
was struck twice by him
_before he (defendant) used
the stick.
Miss Pratt confirmed her mother's account in every
particular.
Alderman WILSON asked the ladies whether the con-
ductor told them whtin they were getting into the om-
nibus that he could not go further than-the Bank? Mrs.
Pratt—By na means.
Alderman WILSON—WeII, Mr. Conductor, what have
you to say to the statement of these ladies ? Conductor
—Why, as sure as there is a God in heaven, every word
I have spoken is the truth. I did not touch him I swear.
Alderman WlLsoN—These ladies swear that you
struck him twice, and why should I not think that their
oaths are as worthy of credit as yours ?
Conductor—l have been twenty years on the road,
without a complaint made against me, and I think my
word ought to be taken; upon my honour, Sir, if you will
believe me, what I have said is quite correct.
Alderman WILSON—I do not believe-yon or your wit-
ness, and I do not think that you are fit to be employed,
and shall write to the Commissioner to that effect. I am
sorry that the gentleman who, has been so improperly
charged has been put to so much trouble, and I advise him
by all means to summon yen for gross abuse, as well as for
entrapping people by false directions on your omnibus.
If I sit to adjudicate in such a case I shall certainly
make an example of you. As for the blow you got
across the head you richly deserved it, and I wish you
had been more severely punished.
It is unnecessary to say that this decision of the Al-
derman gave very great satisfaction to all in the Justice-
. room, except the complainant and his witness.
Mr. Smith intimated that he would make no com-
plaint against the cc-Inductor, to whom he considered the
whack with the stick, and the mortification of the Al-
derman's rebuke quite sufficient punishment.
BOW-STREET.
A stiff-looking little fellow, probably about 19 years of
age, named John Hammond, and a good-looking girl about
the same age, who sells radishes and onions at the corner
of King-street, Drury-lane, were placed at the bar,
charged with the folloiving violent assault on the police.
Police-constable, F 65, stated that on Tuesday night at
nine o'clock, he was in King-street, Drury-lane, when
he saw the male prisoner fighting with three women.
Witness ordered him to move on,- but instead of com-
plying, he threatened to knock his b— eye out ;
witness then proceeded to take him into custody, when
the female came up and took hold of him, and said he
should not take the other prisoner. Witness told her to
be quiet, or he should take her too ; she then became
very violent, and said she would rip his guts out, and
threatened to knife him, &c. Witness knew nothing
against the prisoners previous to this time.
Police-constable F 57, who is a young man, stated that
from what he heard he went to the assistance of his
brother constable, whom he saw struggling with the two
prisoners ; they were both very violent. The male hit
him a blow on the mouth, and the girl struck him three
or four times in the passage of the station-house, and
threatened to rip his b— guts out.
Police-constable, F 82, stated that he assisted the other
witnesses in taking the prisoners to the station-house ;
the male threatened to stick a knife into him ; and in
the passage of the station-house the female became very
violent, and attempted a rescue.
During the recital of this evidence the female prisoner
appeared very miserable, and began to cry. Hammond,
however, was laughing all the while, and endeavoured
to inspire his frail companion with courage, by calling
her " a ninny," and telling her never to " pipe," to
leave off "snivelling," &c.
The prisoner Hammond stated, in defence, that the
charge was wrong. He and the gal was standin outside
the door of the Sugar Loaf public-house in King-street,
listenin to some singin wot was a goin on inside, wen a
lot o' Hirish cum out and told 'em to go away.. which
they woud'nt, when three or four women cum up, and
hit him, and pulled him down, and jumped on him, and
scratched him, and tore the hair out of his head, and
kicked him, and bit him, and punched him, and abused
him, and in various other ways did assault and punish
him, which it would be tedious to enumerate. He then
struck out in his own•defence, wen the p'lice cum hup,
vich he vos as quiet as a babby, and wen he got to the
station the p'lice all began to strike and to kick him.
The female prisoner stated, that she was going along
King-street, and she saw the police haveliold of the
other prisoner, whom they were using very ill, and were
dragging about by the collar ' • she then went up and
said to the police, " Don't collar him in that way, he's
no thief as you know, and he'll go quietly." F 65 then
told 19 to take her into custody, when she ran away,
into the first house she came to, up two pair of stairs,
and locked herself into a room ; 19 followed her, and
told her to come along like a good girl, saying at the
same time, that if she would not come he d break the
door open. She then said that she would come quietly,
and so she did ; and they had not brought 19 up this
morning, because he would say that she did go quietly
to the station-house. When she got to the station, the
police knocked her down and kicked her on the hip, and
tore her hair. She then hit about in self-defence, in
order to get up.
Mr. TWYFORD then ordered 19 F to be called, and he
confirmed the female's statement relative to her escape
at first, and then to her going quietly to the station-
house ; but when she got to the station, and saw F 68,
she flew into a violent passion, and created a great dis-
turbance. She said that Hammond was a fool to have
let such a set of b—y boys take him to the station-house,
she could have done fbr 'em all herself.
Mr. TIVYFORD said it was evident that they had both
been very violent; he should sentence them, therefore,
each to fourteen days in the House of Correction.
The prisoners seemed to think that they had escaped
with a very light punishment, and they thanked the
Worthy Magistrate for his clemency.
DRUNK AND INCAPABLES.—There were no less than
fourteen charges of this nature brought before the Court
yesterday, nine of which were against women, and
five against men ; two of the women were sentenced to
three days' imprisonment, and one of the men to pay a
fine of 51., their drunkenness having been accompanied
with violence. The others, male and female, were all
discharged, having behaved quietly when in the custody
of the police.
Yesterday two young men, named Henry Wilson and
Charles W4on, brothers, were brought before Mr. JAR-
DINE for final examination, charged with defrauding
several tradesmen of property to a considerable amount.
The prisoners contrived to evade the vigilance of the po-
lice since January last ; and since they were apprehended
and examined at this court on Monday week, 39 cases
have been made out against them. The court was
crowded with persons who have been swindled by them ;
and not less than 28 pawnbrokers were in attendance,
with other witnesses, to give evidence.
Mr. Pile, a solicitor, appeared for the prisoners.
The first charge brought against them was for swin-
dling Mr. Sharwood, a jeweller, of No. 94, St. John•
street-road, of property amounting to 28/. 15s.
Thomas Lucking, shopman to the prosecutor, stated,
that on the evening of the 12th of January last, the pri-
soner Charles came to the shop, and desired to see the
gold watch produced, which was shown to him. He said
lie was Mr. Marsden, lodging at No. 15, Chadwell-
street, and requested the watch with others would be
sent there for the approval of his lady. Witness ob-
served that some gold chains might also be required, and
the prisoner desired lie would send them. He then went
away, and shortly after witness called, according to the
directions he had received, with three gold chains, values
111. ss. 3d., together with three gold watches, for
171. 10s. On going to the house in Chadwell-street
witness was admitted by a servant, and shortly after the
prisoner invited him•to step into the drawing•room. The
articles were then exhibited, and on the prisoner re-
questing to be allowed to take them to another apart-
=eat, where his lady was sitting, witness immediately