Star.
London, England, 1826-10-12 00:00:00

MANSION-HOUSE.

Yesterday a young man, of very respectable appearance and fa-
mily, was brought before the Loan MAYON charged with having
stolen a gun, the property of Mr. Wilbraham, a gunsmith in the City.
Mrs. Wilbraham, wife of the prosecutor, deposed, that the pri-
soner came to the shop about amonth ago, and asked to see a per-
cussion gun. She shewed him one, and he put it to his shoulder,
and said that it would exactly suit, He then asked whether he
could try it? and she told him that her husband was on the premises
in another street, and he might go there, with her husband's son,
and make the experiment.
The son of Mr. Wilbraham stated, that he went out of the shop
with the prisoner, carrying with hint the gun, and that they had not
gone far when the prisoner said to him, 's I want some caps, go
back for them and give me the gun." Witness then gave the gun
to the prisoner, and went back with a shilling, which the prisoner
gave to him, leaving the prisoner in possession of the gun ; he had
not, horeever, gone many yards cowards the shop when be stopped
short, thinking he had not done right. The prisoner was rather
too quick for him, neither he nor the gun was to be seen. Witness,
about three weeks afterwards, saw the prisoner waiting in the street,
apparently for a stage coach; an officer was procured, and he was
taken into custody.
The officer stated that he saw the prisoner on the top of a coach ;
the last witness pointed him out from amongst four persons who
were sitting together; witness asked the prisoner, but previously
told hint that he was not obliged to answer the question, what he
had done with the gun? The prisoner replied," Don't ask me any
questions." The case had been remanded for some days, and it
appeared that in the mean time the friends of the prisoner were
not idle.

When he was yesterday brought up, some respectable persons
appeared, and interested thrmselves very much in his behalf. They
pleaded his youth (he appeared to be about 23 or 24), and the re-
spectability of his connexions in his favour ; and his solicitor, Mr.
Humphries, thought that the identity was not capable of being
proved, and represented to the Lord Mayor the great probability
that ;here was a mistake.

The Loaf. Navin thought that, from what he had heard, there
was no doubt of identity, and be called upon all the witnesses to
restate their evidence.

Mrs. Wilbraham, upon being asked by Mr. Humphries, In the
course of the repetition of her statement, whether she might not be
mistaken ? said, that she did not wish to swear the young man's
life away.
The LORD MAYOR—I see how this is--,hem is a young man of
respectable family, who has committed what appears to be a most
deliberate act of felony; all the circumstances she* it; his friends
intercede for him, and try to get him off on the score of respects-,
'Nifty. Is it to be supposed that I can countenance an attempt of
the kind, when it must be obvious that, upon such evidence, I must
have committed a person in low circumstances. His Lordship then
asked the buy, whether he was not sure that the pawner was the
man who bad taken the gun ?
The boy rather hesitated.
The Loan MAYO% then desired that the oath should be adminis-
tered to Mrs. Wilbraham and her husband's soit.—This was done,
and his Lordship said to each of them—" Have you any doubt as to
the identity of the prisoner ?"
Both. of them said they were sure he was the person.
The LORD MAYOR—I am sorry at being obliged to commit a
person whose character, it is said, was respectable up to the time of
this transaction, but it is impossible that I can do otherwise. The
plan by which the property was obtained was one .f the Most de-
liberate kind.

The prisoner was then fully committed to prison, and the parties
were buuud over to prosecute.