The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-10 00:00:00

BURGLARY.

George Hughes, aged 18, Edward Evaiut,36,James Burns,
28, and Richard Sumner, 22, were indicted for having felo-
niously arid burglariously broken and entered the dwelling-
house of John Naylor and another, and stolen therein, four
coats, four jackets, four pairs of trowsers, four pairs of
stockings, and a number of handkerchiefs and shawls.
Mr. Murphy conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Venables
defended Sumner.
Mr. Naylor stated, that he was a pawnbroker in Maguire-
street. The prisoner, Sumner, was the step-son of a Mr.
Hubbersty, who had formerly occupied the premises which
he (witness) now occupied. From this it was inferred, that
Sumner was acquainted with the premises. Mr. Naylor de-
scribed, that he fastened the doors on the night of the 20th
December last, and retired to rest ; on the following morn-
ing be arose and found, that an entrance had been effected
into the shop by some person or persons who had got in
through the coal-vault. When he looked into the street he
saw the prisoner, Sumner, standing at no great distance.
On cross-examination by Mr. VENABLES, it appeared,
that the prisoner lived in Ford-street, not two hundred yards
from the scene of the burglary, and also, that a relation of
his kept a tavern, the door of which was only about one
hundred yards from the spot where he stood.
A pawnbroker, residing in Fazakerly-street, proved that
about twelve o'clock on Saturday, the 21st, the prisoner
Burns, offered him a pair of moleskin trowsers for pledge.
As he had received a description of these, he questioned the
prisoner, and ultimately went out for an officer. He met
Martindale, the Inspector of Hackney Coaches, who procu-
red the assistance of police-officer Phillips, and went to the
shop. Martindale left the prisoner Burns in custody of
Phillips, lie (Burns) having told him, that some men outside
had given him the trowsers to pledge. The pawnbroker had
also seen Sumner, Hughes, and Evans in the street.
As Martindale approached they all ran away, and Hughes,
as he ran, slipped out of a rough blue coat which he had on.
The men were all captured.
Mr. VENABLES submitted to the court that there was no
case against Sumner.
The RECORDER agreed that the evidence was too weak,
and a verdict of acquittal in favour of Sumner was taken.
The other three were found guilty and sentenced to ten years'
transportation.
John Millar, a very respectable looking young man, was
placed at the bar, charged with having obtained certain hares
and turkeys by means of forged orders.
It appeared that a few days previously to the 18th Decem-
ber, the prisoner went to the shops of Mrs. Ann Lloyd, Mr.
Matthew Storry, and Mrs. Margaret Shone, with orders pur-
posing to be signed by• Mr. Radley of the Adelphi, and Mr.
Lynn of the Waterloo, by which means he obtained possession
of several fine hares and turkeys.
In the first instance, the prisoner pleaded not guilty. By
advice of his advocate, Mr. Murphy, he afterwards withdrew
this plea and pleaded guilty. It appeared that the prisoner
is a highly respectable farmer near Bebington, in Cheshire,
and he has a wife and two children. It appeared there was
nothing against him before. He was sentenced to two years'
imprisonment.