The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-03 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS.

(Before 111 r. PUCKLE and a full Bench of Magistrates.)
STREET ItOBBERY.—Ann Callaghan, aged 22, stood in-
dicted for feloniously stealing from the person of Mr. Thomas
Watkins a valuable silver watch, his property.
The prosecutor stated that on the night of the 18th of the
last month, between the hours of ten and eleven o'clock,
while passing along the Borough-road, he was accosted by
the prisoner, who followed him to the Surrey Theatre, when
she came in front of him, and giving a sort of twich round
close to his person, ran away and joined a man, who stood
about twenty yards off. Her manner and the fact of her
running away caused his suspicion and induced him to
examine his pocket, when he found that his watch was
gone. Two policemen came up at the instant, and he in-
formed them of what had taken place. The police and he
instantly went in pursuit of the prisoner and the man,
and soon came up with them, when the prisoner denied all
knowledge of the watch, and declared she had never seen
him. Both she and the man were, however, taken to the
station-house, and upon being searched the watch was found
in her bosom.
The prisoner made no defence, but merely threw herself
upon the mercy of the Court.
The CHAIRMAN briefly summed up, and the jury, without
hesitation, found the prisoner Guilty.
The CHAIRMAN called constable 84 M into the box,
and asked him if the prisoner was known to him, or the

police?
The witness replied that she was. That she bad been
summarily convicted and sent to Brixton for robbing a man 1
of his watch. That she was the associate of the worst de-
scription of thieves in the district, and that the man who
}i had been taken with her was an expert and well-known
thief.
The CHAIRMAN sentenced the prisoner to ten years' trans-
portation, and she was removed from the bar, bellowing at
the top of her voice, and uttering the most frightful oaths
.14
against the chairman, prosecutor, &c. As her voice became
sufficiently faint, the chairman called ➢lr. Welkin, the pro-
secutor, into the box, who, in reply to his questions, said he
had told the inspector that the prisoner had joined the man
who had been taken with her a short distance from where
she had committed the robbery, and they both ran away to-
gether. The Chairman, upon hearing this, observed that in
his opinion the evidence was sufficiently strong to show a
participation in the robbery, and he was utterly at a loss to
understand why the inspector should have, under the cir-
cumstances, and more particularly as he was known to the
police as a practised thief, taken it.upon himself to discharge
him, and not take him before a magistrate to let him deal
with the case. He, the Chairman, was of opinion that the
man should still be taken up and brought before the magis-
trate, and the constable would have the sanction of the
Court in doing so.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
GUILDHALL.

Charles Crook, who was lately committed for having, in
conjunction with a person named Habbijam, stolen a number
of 51. Bank of England notes, and changing them at various
places (the same being stolen or lost) , was brought up, for
iN the ninth time, before Alderman Wood.
The particulars of the case are these :—A Miss Byfield
'74 came into the City for the purpose of getting a cheque cashed,
which she did, and received the change, principally in 5/.
' notes. She made a few purchases on the way home, and on
.7.4 her arrival there missed her money. On the same and next
day it apeared that Crook and Habbijam had changed them
at a number of public-houses in the neighbourhood of Lam-
beth. Crook alone was taken into custody, and afterwards,
on account of his confession, Habbijam was also apprehended.
;14 Previous to the latter's apprehension, Crook had sent to his
father and brother, to request them to call on Habbijam, and
a person named Ridger, residing in Lion-street, Old kent-
road, and tell them he was in custody, which they did ; and
Mr. Games, solicitor, was employed to defend him (Crook)
;% by Habbijam. After a number of investigations had taken
,14 place Crook was committed, and Habbijant held to bail, him-
,Ye self in 2001. and two sureties of 100/. each. On being called
1% last week at Guildhall he was not forthcoming, and, after
some discussion, it was found that Habbijam was bound to
appear at the Old Bailey. and not at Guildhall.
2s. Mr. Hubbard, for the prosecutrix, now stated that, accord-
' ing. to the suggestion of the worthy Alderman at the last ex-
amination, an indictment had been preferred against Rabbi-
jam. When the details were laid before Mr. Clarkson, he
applied at the Central Criminal Court for Crook to be admitted
as evidence against Habbijam, which application was imme-
diately granted. Habbijam was then called, and not an-
swering, his recognisances were estreated, leaving the case
open for the purpose of giving the officers an opportunity
of finding Habbijam. There was at present but very little
chance of apprehending Habbijam, in consequence of his dis-
(" posing of everything he owned and absconding. He could
now prove that Habbijam was a returned convict, having
been transported for life some years ago for issuing forged
notes, and had only come back to this country about four

years since.
Alderman WOOD said he did not think it was quite so long.
Mr. Hubbard, in continuation, said that the exertions
which I:ad been used would be of great benefit to the public,
as they had been enabled to break up a regular establish-
% men' of first-rate thieves, lie now wished to mention what
% he considered as a most serious affair. It appeared that
14 when Crook yeas first taken into custody he immediately sent
4 to his family, a2king them to go to Habbijam and Ridger, of
the Old Kent •roa,., and let them know lie was in prison.
They called first on Habbijam, who went with them to Mr.
Games, the solicitor, and. to Ridger. While at the latter
%
place Mrs. Ridger put het' head out of the window, and said
'LA
74 words to the effect that if they wanted to know anything
about the notes Habbijam km." all about them, and could
give them information. The mos! extraordinary thing was,
that this woman, who might havet;iven material evidence,
was, within three days of the circumstance above-men-
tioned, dead and buried, and the husbaod had absconded,
leaving not the slightest trace of where he NC as to be found.
Under these circumstances, there was h case ot. strong sus-
picion that the poor woman had met with foul play:.
Alderman WooD—But the proper mode would be, ,I think,
to communicate with the coroner on the subject.
Mr. Hubbard said he wished to remark that during tiie
inquiries being made, they had discovered, as part of the
system of robberies carried on, a new feature, which was to
dress a young child, about twelve or fourteen years of age,
genteelly, and place him near the banking-houses, to watch
when any parties came out, to follow them, and when they
attempted to purchase anything, after giving the informa-
tionfnecessary to his companions, he went up by the side of
the individuals and lifted theirpockets while they were emp-
tied. Miss Byfield, when she was making her purchases,
now recollected that a genteel youth of this description stood

by her side.
Alderman WOOD said it reminded him of the old system
Ice. of the crow in Elizabeth's time, when the figure of a woman
was placed in a room with a number of bells and pockets,
and the pupils were obliged to take Various articles out with-
out making the bells sound. This had been practised in the
City within the last six months.
Mr. Hubbard said that he now intended to ask that Crook
should be liberated -on bail to appear at the next sessions,
and if Habbijam was not apprehended before to appear at the
following sessions.
Alderman WOOD said that as he had been admitted as evi-
dence against Habbijam at the Central Criminal Court, he
ought to be admitted to bail, which should be himself in 200/.
and two sureties of 1001. each. At the same time he thought
Mr. Hubbard ought to communicate with the coroner re-
specting the death of Mrs. Ridger.
Mr. Hubbard said he thought that would be the best
Course.
The required bail being forthcoming, Crook was liberated.
MABLBOROUGH-STREET.
John Theme, No. 10, Norfolk-street, described in the police-
as a gentleman, was brought before Mr. Maltby,
sheet e :
with Wham-court-road,
having assaulted police-sergeant Park, E 3.
cbTarlgio consct
able said he saw the defendant knock down a
-court-road, about twelve o'clock the
woman in Totem:
__He went up and asked the woman if she
pwraesvidoeussironuis ofght. givin: her unmanly asssailant into custody.
The woman replied in t.,;e affirrflative, and witness proceeded
to lay hold of the defentsan:-., when the defendant kicked him
more than once, and caused g."eat pain and injury.
The defendant denied that ne had intended to kick the
constable in the manner described. He only put up his
knee to push the constable from him.
Mr. MALTBY sent the defendant to hard labour for one
month.
A man, assuming the name of Warner, but whose
from
real
name is Edwards, was charged with obtaining money
Earl Howe under false pretences.
A footman, in Lord Howe's estabiLshment, said the de-
fendant called at his Lordship's housein South Audley-
street, stating that his name was Warner, and that he called
for an answer to a paper, which he had left a dzi,y or two
previously for his Lordship. The paper was a begging peti-
tion, which his Lordship had ascertained to be signed with
fictitious signatures, and acting under the advice of his
;elicitor, Mr. Thynno, hie Lordship directed that a police.