Star.
London, England, 1817-09-19 00:00:00

up ready to be taken away. The whole of the arti-
cles taken away were not worth 40s.
The Judge observed that the capital part of the
charge was done away, in consequence of the pro-•
petty being under the value of 40s.
TheJury)ound the prisoner—Not Guilty.
Holl and aloha Ridley were indicted for a
highway robbery, in assaulting Thomas Dwyer, on
thy King's highwsy, and taking front him a gold
seal and a ribbon.

Thomas Dwyer said he was in Drury-lane about
half-past eifht on the evening of the 31st of August.
He was going home, quite sober, when two perfeitS
knocked up against him, and pushed him out of his
way; it appeared as if done by design, and not by
accident. The two persons punkt oo ; then the pri-
soners at the bar came up, and one of them (Hall)
made a snatch at his watch, and took away the rill-
bon, seal, and key. Witness followed, anli took
Hall by the collar; on which Ridley came up and
thiew him dawn; he lost his hold, but soon got up
and coliared him ; the prisoners ran away ; he never
lost sight of them. A private watchman belong;ng
to the Coal-yard came and assisted him to full iw
them; they took Ridley and Hall. They were con-
veyed to the watch-house, and searched, but no rib-
bon or seal was found upon either,of them. Witms
was not at the time in any fear of his life. He is a
labourer in one of the East India warehouses.

William Reading was a pirate watchman in Drury-
lane; on the evening of the Slst ultimo at halt past
eight, he beard Dwyer calling " Watch." He gave
his assistance, and they took the prisoners into cus-
tody. When Dwyer produced his watch, the ribburi
was broke away; he was not in liquor, but seemed
much agitated in consequence of losing his property.
Patrick Crawley, a watchman, said lie saw the
prisoners brought into the watch•bouse, be searched,
•
but found nothing en them.
Several persona gave Ridley a good character, but
Hall called no witnesses.

The Judi:a (Baron Gnanass) in his charge to the
Jury, took nonce of the prevailing practice of panics
of thieves pushing violently against persons in the
street ; and said it would be very desirable to make
examples of such persons; but whether the forcible
taking away property accompanied by :hie kind of
violence amounted to what the law understood by
highway robbery, must depend on whether the per-
ion robbed was put in fear. In this case the prosecu-
tor said he was not in fear of his life, and therefore
he apprehended it would be extremely difficult to
make this a highway robbery, because it did not ap-
pear that the prosecutor was in a state of terror at
the time the property was taken ; for it was necessary
in all cases of highway robbery to spew that the
taking of the property was in consequence of a per-
son being put in fear. As to the character given of
Ridley it could be of no use to him, if the Jury be-
lieved that he assisted the other prisoner in knocking
the prosecutor down.
The Jury, after deliberating near a quarter of an
hour, returned the following verdict :—" Hall, guilty
of snatching the watch ribbon ; and Ridley guilty of
rescuing him when he was taken."
Mr. Baron GRAHAM—" Gentlemen of the Jury,
this Verdict cannot be received you must either nod
a verdict of Guilty or Not Guilty; you have stated
that it appeared to you, from the evidence given in
this case, that one of the prisoners did snatch the
watch ribbon and seal from the prosecutor as he was
passing quietly along the street ; if that is your be.
lief, the inference is, that in point of law, he com-
mitted the robbery impuW to him ; for what object
could he have had in snatching at the watch ribbon,
except to take from the prosecutor his property ? and
that constitutes the offence charged in the indictment.
With regard to the other prisoner, you have also
stated as a fact proved by evidence, that he rescued
the robber the moment he was taken into custody; if
you still continue to think so, and are satisfied as to
his identity, you cannot separate his crime from that
of the other, for if one man commits a felony and
another aids and abets bins_ in any way, either by
watching while the offence is committed, by enabling
him to snake his escape at-or it is committed, or by
being in his company and privy to the offence, such
other person is a principal, and equally guilty with
the actual perpetrator of the clime. It you think
that the hand of Hall was the same hand that eeiskd
the property of the prosecutor, the hand that rescued
him when taken was also in 'point of law his hand,
and both were equally partakers in the guilty act.
The Jury again deliberated for two or three minces,
and found a verdict of Guilty against both prisoners.
Anthony Sideasr: was indicted for stealing a tin
box, a gold ring, and a selo bank note, from Ellta-
beth Jones.

The proper name of the prosecutor was Elizabeth
Fletcher, that being the name of her husband, who
was at sea. Sbe said she lived in Plutntree-enters;
that the prisoner had visited her at her apartments.
On the 18th of August, he called upon her, and re
quested he might have some hot water tor his break-
fast. This was in the morning. While she was fe-
ting his breakfast the postman came with a letter ; it
had a £lO note in it; she told him she coold not
read writing; be said he wnuld read for her ; he
looked at the letter and told ter it contained a £lO
note. He finished his breakfast, want out and stopped
near an hour ands half; when he returned be said
he was going to fetch the broker to sell what he had
got. Atter his goods were taken out of his house, he
went out with the broker, taking the goods with hint.
He teturned again in the evening to the apartments
of the witness, said he was poorly, and asked for some
boiling water for his tea ; she gave him Lis tea ; -he
stopped for some time ; it rained very hard ; he asked
her to go along with him to bny a pair of ssockings.
She had to go an errand, and she went out with hem,
he holding an umbrella over him and her. They came
down Ludgate.hill into Fleet•street, and he totted
her to have a glass of gin. He went home with wit-
ness, got his supper; he stopped a good while; she
took the box, into which she put the selo note, kissed
the note, said, GOD bless the gentleman thlt gave it
her, and put it in her pocket. The prisoner said, he
wished be had st 10; witness asked him to go home;
he made her no answer ; she desired him again to go
home ; be-answered, it rained very hard, and that he
had got the tooth-ache so bad, that she ins a hard-
hearted woman to turn him cut of doors; he said, he
did not know where to go that night. and requested
to be permitted to lie on the chairs, aad said be would
make her an amends. Witness said he should net
stop.in her place. as die would not be or" by his