Star.
London, England, 1822-09-13 00:00:00

stealing a bag containing 48 sovereigns,And other
property, belonging to Mr. Laurie, of blpet-street.
Mr. Anot.rues stated the case to the Jury.
Mr. Laurie, deposed,' that he lives at '53, Fleet-
street. The prisoner lived with him in July as an
errand-boy. On the morning Of the 27th he was
awoke and informed that .he had been robbed. On
examination he found the iron closet or chest which
was in the counting-house. open, and the drawer
which had contained sovereigns and notes empty. He
immediately searched the house along with the watch-
man and the prisoner, whom he had called up. They
found no person. lie, prisoner when in the kitchen
got on'the top of a copper, and looked down the flue.
Witness said, s, VVhat,do you want there? surely not
person can be hid there." Prisoner made no' reply.l
He sent for Harrison theMatshalmannext day, who,
on examining the premises. gave it as his opinion that
the robbery was effected by some person% the hitise,l
ana said he should search the prisoner. He did so,
but found nothing that could excite suspicion. The
only persons that slept in the house besides Mr. andl
Mrs, Laurie, were the servant-maid and the shoptnan.
Four days after this, witness. took prisoner before a
Magistrate, but nothing was elicited which could cri-
minate him. The servant-maid was afterwards dis-
charged in consequence of something the prisoner
said of her, but not relating to the robbery. The pri-
soner was himself discharged on the 3d of August.'
The maid servant remained some days longer. Saw
nothing of him for a few days, until he called for his
clothes. Witness had previously given orders that
he should not be admitted to any part of the house,
except the shop. He attempted to go down to the
kitchen, but was prevented. On Tuests:ty, the 13th
of August, two chimney-sweepers came early in the
morning, and rang at the bell. They said they were'
ordered to come and sweep the chimnies. They were
told that they could not then, but that they must
come on Friday morning. This was on the Tuesday..
Witness hearing this, gave directions that no persons
should be allowed to sweep his chimnies but Mr.
Blown, or some one in his employ. Mr. Brown was
sent for next day, and one of his boys came on 'Thurs-
day. He went up, and thrusting his hand into the
flue of the copper found what he at first took to be a
bag of nails, but on examination it proved to be the
bag containing forty-eight sovereigns which had been
stolen from his drawer on the 27th of July. Harrison
was again sent for, and he advised that if ele two
sweeps who had called on the Tuesday should return
on- the Friday, they should be admitted. They did
return on the Friday at seven o'clock, and Harrison
being on the spot, they were taken into custody. On
being 'asked who had employed them, they said the
prisoner, who was outside. Harrison went out, and
returned with the prisoner. The sweeps then pointed
him out as the person who had told them to come
and sweep the chimnies.
On his cross-examination by Mr. BRODERICK, Mr.
Laurie said, that the prisoner had access to all parts
of'the house for four days before he gave the order
not to have him admitted,to the kitchen.
William Gillespie, the watchthan, in whose beat
Mr. Laurie's house is situated, saw it on the night in
question; passed it every half hour; did not see it
open till between three and four. At that time two
men passing told him Mr. Laurie's house was open.
He examined and found it was open, and that Mr.'
Laurie had been robbed.
Cross-examined.--I did not stop the two men who
gave me the information. I go round every half hour.
A person during my absence would have time to
open the door. I saw nothing to excite my suspicion
that night.
Lundy. another watchman, corroborated the evi-
denced' the lait witness. -

Anthony Harrison, the City Officer.—l first went
to Mr. Laurie's house at about half-past nine on the
morning after the robbery. There was no appear-
ance of force from without, and I am certain the door
must bare been opened from within. There was a
chain and bar on the street-door, but they had no
appearance of having been forced. Somebody must
havoopened the door from within. The only ap-
pearance of force was on the iron chest. I examined
the prisoner, and told him that I thought somebody
had.broke out, and not broke in. I searched him and
the other servants, but nothing was found. On the
morning that I arrested the prisoner I was watching
opposite Mr. Laurie's house from- five o'clock. At
seven 1 saw two chimney-sweeps come. They were
let in, and 1 followed. I examined them for about a
quarter of an hour. In consequence of something
said by the servant girl, I- ran out, and saw the pri-
soner at the end of Crane-court, leaning against the
wall, and singing. I took him into custody, and said,
" Mr. Charles, this is found out." He made no reply;
I took him over into the presence of Mr. Laurie and
his family, and the twochimney-sweeps. The biggest
sweep said, " that's the man (to the prisoner) who
hired me to sweep the chintnies, mato take the gold
out, and I was to have two sovereigns ;" and he aided;
I did not mean to take them out of the house, Sir,
but to give them to you" (to Mr. Laurie) ; and turning
to the prisoner; -he said, and what a pretty mess
you have got me into." Prisoner said nothing to this.
—The other chitmley-sweep, the little boy, was so
frightened, he said nothing. I Wok them all before
the Alderman—the prisoner was committed; the
sweeps were discharged.
This witness was cross-examined, but nothing mate-
rial was elicited.
Stanley Hogden—l am,one of the sweeping-boys
in the service of Mr. Brown. I went to sweep Mr.
Laurie's chininey on the Thursday. I found a bag
in a flue in the kitchen. The flue was a steam-flue.
I gave the bag to the servant girl. I did not know
what the contents of it were. 1 thought it was money
from the jingle; but I could not see. On searchinig
about the flue I found a single sovereign, which I
also gave her.
Cross-examined—Nobody told me to look for the
bag. I was feeling for the copper flue. lam quill
certain that-the girl did not tell me to put my hand'
into the other flue.
Re-examined—lt was by accident that I pot my
hand into the steam-flue.
Sarah Hebden—l was servant to Mr. lia'nrie at the*
time of the robbery. -I remember the ;Oirthe Mr.
Brown's boy came to sweep the chirpier' I 14441101
manner directed the boy to work into theother glue.
The'boy found a bag; which I gave to my master. -I
saw it contained sovereigns. Afterwards he-found o
single sovereign. I was up early on the morning die
other sweeps were expected. I was in a (rout root