The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-07-16 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF WATCHES.

Charles Drure, a middle-aged man, plainly clad, and So-
phia Drure, a young woman, probably his daughter, also in
plain attire, were placed at the bar charged with being con-
cerned in a recent robbery in Edinburgh to a large amount.
The prisoners had been brought up on Tuesday, when some
evidence was heard against them ; but the case not being
complete, they were remanded until yesterday, to give the
proprietor of the property (to whom Mr. Dowling, the com-
missioner of police had wrote,) an opportunity to identify
it, and also to trace any other portion of the property
that might be found, and to procure the attendance of the
pawnbrokers with whom some of it had been pledged.
The evidence given on the first day was to the effect that
an extensive robbery had taken place on the premises of Mr.
Maashall in Edinburgh last month, from which many valu-
able articles were abstracted. The prisoners afterward came
to this town, and, it appeared, had in the first instance taken
ingenious means to prevent such of them as were in their
possession from being identified—so that they might with
greater safety dispose of them. The elder prisoner had gone to
Mr. Bolton, watch-maker, Old Hall-street, in this town, with
several of what are called " bars" of watches, viz., the plate
or portion of the interior of the watch on which the maker's
name, and the number are engraved. This he desired should
be erased or defaced, and another name, that of " Edward
Harris, Dublin," substituted. Mr. Bolton (whose honour-
able conduct throughout, Mr. Rushton highly praised,)
suspected there was something wrong, gave information at
the Police-office, first telling the prisoner to call for the arti-
cles at an hour which he named. The prisoner went accord-
ingly to Mr. Bolton's, and received the articles. He was
watched, and followed to the house where he lodged, in
Regent-street, where also the female prisoner lodged with
him, and to whom some other suspicious circumstances
attached. There were there found a number of other watch
plates, with the name complete ; six pawn tickets for watches
pledged with different pawnbrokers ; two tickets for similar
articles pledged in Glasgow, and one for another pledged in
Leith. Two gold watches were also found with the name of
Mr. Marshall engraved upon them. In all, about a dozen
watches,'(all gold, but, we believe, one, of silver) were found.
Mr. Marshall, from Edinburgh, being sworn, said, that on
Saturday night, the 11th of May last, his premises were
locked up in the usual manner. Early on Monday morning
they were found to be broken open. A portion of the pave-
ment had been raised, by which access was obtained to the
house. A hearth-stone had also been removed under the
pervilion roof, and the parties had gone down to where the
property was, by means of a rope ladder. Either 52 or 53
gold and silver watches were carried off.
Six pawnbrokers (or their assistants), of this town ap-
peared, with each a watch. Mr. Thomson said, he received
that produced, on the 11th of June, from a person dressed
like a gentleman, not like the prisoner. Mr. Marshall iden-
tified it as of his make.

Mr. Madder produced a gold watch, which was also
pledged with him, about the same time. Mr. Samuel pro-
duced one pledged on the 6th July. Mr. Cohen produced
another, not pledged by the prisoner, but by a respectable
looking man. Mr. Roberts produced another pledged by
the prisoner. They were all identified. Mr. Marshall said,
he had an impression that he had seen the male prisoner be-
fore, but was not all acquainted with him. .
This was the principal portion of the evidence adduced ;
and Mr. Rushton said, that both the prisoners must be sent
for trial upon it to Edinburgh, whether they would be con-
veyed by the superintendent of the police of that city, who
was here to take them in charge.
The prisoners were then removed in custody of the Edin-
burgh superintendent. The watches were all separately
labelled, (in presence of Mr. Marshall, and the superintend-
ant,) by the witnesses who had received them in pledge.—
The witnesses being told that they must attend the trial, left
the court. The amount of the robbery, in all, would, we
learn, be from £4OO to £5OO.
VIOLENT ASSAULT UPON A POLICE-OFFICER.
A custom-house officer, named Sweeny, stood charged with
having violently assaulted police-officer No. 178. Inspector
Wharton said, that between one and two o'clock that morn-
ing, (yesterday,) while he was opposite the Adelphi Hotel,
he heard a stick knocked in the direction of Cropper-street ;
that he went into that street, and near the top of it found No.
178 stretched almost insensible on the ground, with a severe
wound on his head, from which he bled profusely. He as-
sisted him, and afterwards learned from him the house into
which the assailant had gone. He went there and found the
prisoner, with his hand bloody. Mr. Cooper, the surgeon
of the force, was sent for, and it proved that he was danger-
ously cut. He was still so ill that he could not attend that
clay. Mr. Rushton said that the prisoner had placed himself
in a very serious position by his violence, and remanded him
until the officer could appear.

PREPARING FOR GAMBLING AND THIEVING AT THE
RACES.-SAD DISAPPOINTMENTS.

A large number of young fellows, known to le of bad cha-
racter, and who were either found lurking about the streets
at untimely hours in a suspicious manner, and refused to go
home, or were found with implements of gambling—such as
thimbles, fortune wheels, &c., making early preparations for
the races, were placed snugly on in groups, as their respec-
tive cases might be, and the evidence being heard they were
committed for seven, and a few of them for fourteen days
each to Kirkdale House of Correction, with a view to re-
strain them in their several vocations during the race week.
The chagrin depicted in their countenances on learing their
anticipated harvest amongst the unwary was prevented, was
somewhat amusing.

TESTIMONIAL OF ESTEEM.—The parishionersof Heswall,
in the county of Cheshire, have presented the Rev. Edward
Bowman with a handsome silver salver, bearing the following
inscription :—" Presented to the Rev. Edward Bowman, by
the parishioners of Heswall, as a testimony of his private
worth, and faithful ministry in the parish.—June 24, 1839."
BIRKENHEAD HOTEL.—Yesterday evening, another fete
ehampftre, including a fine display of fire-works, by Mr.
James, pyrotechnic artist, took place in the Tea-gardens of
Birkenhead Hotel, and gave much.satisfaction to a numer-
ous and highly respectable attendance of ladies and gentle-
men. There was a good band of music on the ground, aid
the whole went off with much eclat.

NORTHERN MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.-4. numeroin
meeting took place last evening, in the North Corporation
School Room, Bevington Bush, for the purpose of forming
a Mechanics' Institution for the inhabitants of the north
end of the town—the present or parent Institution being
beyond the reach of the individuals resident in the neigh-
bourhood of the contemplated building. On the platform
were the Worshipful the Mayor, Mr. Alderman Freme, Mr.
Alderman Holt, Mr. Walmsley, and several other members
of the Town-cowncil. Several resolutions were then passed
for the purpose of forwarding the objects of the meeting, and
a general meeting of the members was announced for the
12th of August next.
The immediate establishment of a new Educational Insti-
tution in the town, for the instruction of all classes in litera-
ture and science upon a sound religious basis, has been de-
termined upon. The preliminary meeting held for this pur-
pose was attended by the most eminent of our Liverpool di-
vines, and influential of our merchants, and the good work
will proceed with rapidity and zeal, as soon as the committee
formed for that purpose shall have drawn out their prospec-
tus of the constitution, and leading features of the new insti-
tution. What may be the result of their labours, we can-
nut pretend to say, but it would certainly afford us much
pleasure if they led to the foundling of a college, so as to save
the town from the threatened infliction of one from an op-
posite quarter. If a college be determined upon, of which
there is much probability, and the schools be open to the
public at rates varying with their means and the instruction
afforded, we know of no better mode_of causing the Church
of England Schools to be filled to overflowing, than by the
foundation of scholarships in the college, to which the most
talented boys in the Church of England Schools might be
annually appointed. The emulation thus excited in the poorer
classes, and their children would be intense and lead to the
most gratifying results. The accommodation of the mechanic
must be a leading feature in the new institution and every
facility afforded him in the pursuance of his studies. These
and numerous other important details, however, will not es-
cape the attention of the committee, and we wish the under-
taking the utmost success.
Mr. John Arthur Roebuck has arrived at the inn at Rother-
ham. Mr. Roebuck holds a brief against the chartists who
are to be tried there for training at Barnsley.—She ield
THE WHIG. RADICAL NEOPHYTE.—" I knew how you
would turn out," said a worthy ex-voter of Ipswich, now
keeping an inn at Stratford, to Mr. Thomas Milner Gibson,
last Friday, while the ex-M.P.'s carriage was waiting fora
change of horses, " I knew what you would turn out: you
sever could look me straigliforward in'the face.; you hers
just turue4 put whet I suepugt•Pd.",v4oo Siand4rd,