The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-11-06 00:00:00

POUNDS.

Queer+ aQuanc—On the night of Friday se'onight, or
early on Saturday morning, the premises of the Westmin•
ster Gas Company, in Horseferry.road, were burglariously
entered, and cash to the amount of 1,0001. was carried off
by the burglars. On the Friday night Mr. Rice Williams,
the chief clerk to the establishment, was the last person
who left the premises, and then all wax safe. About six
o'clock on the (allotting morning, do leis going to the ftc.
tory, he found the great outer gates closed, apparently as
he had left them the preceding night. On proceeding Into
the interior. he found that tyro windows coutronnicatior
with one of the ware-roo ns bad been attempted) to be forced
open, but a strong chain within hail re.itted the effort,
although two bolts had been %trenched off. A door leading
to a flight of stairs, communicating to the counting house,
bad been forced open with a crow bar, and the violence
used by the benders nearly shattered it to pieces. Haring
gained an entrance to this depository, they began their
work of plunder, and broke open an iron safe, from which
they stole a tin cash boa, containing 700 sovereigns. A
desk was also f weed open, and silver and copper monies to
the amount of SiNt. more fell into the possession of the
robbers. There was not a room in the spacious building
bet was overhauled by the robbers ; and what is most ex-
traordinary, no person was seen to go in or oat by the
watchmen. On the Monday morning information was
given to the police, and the officers of this establishment
have been upon the look out for the perpetrators
night and day ever since. but nothing could be discovered
till Tuesday night, when private information was teceived
that the perpetrators of the burglary were to be found in
the neighbourhood of the office. lo consequence of this
camnsunication, George Pople, Cooper, and Goodly, repair.
ed to a house in Old Pye Street, Westminster, where they
apprehended a notorious individual, who has long been
known on the town as an experienced " cracksman," named
Charles Cartwright, on the charge of being concerned in
the burglary. The house in which he was taken is of ill
fame, and has long been the terror of the neighbourhood.—
On being taken into custody, he at first attempted to make
a resistance, but subsequently submitted Ito be handcuffed,
protesting himself innocent of the burglary. The officers
having captured him, repaired to the George and Bell, io
Orchard Street, where they detected two others, named
Henry Bardon and John Roberts, whom they also secured;
and all three were brought to the office yesterday, before
Mr. Raynsford, the Magistrate, under an escort of officers ;
and on being placed at the her, the officers stated upon what
charge they had apprehended the prisoners.
The Magistrate asked if the persons belonging to the Gas
Light Company were present to prefer the charge against
them ?—The officers said, that as it would take a few days
to arrange the evidence, they had to request that the pri-
soners might be remanded, to give them an opportunity to
procure the attendance of the witnesses.—The prisoners
said they could satisfactorily prove to the Magistrates that
they were perfectly free from being concerned in the rob-
bery.—The Magistrate remanded them for farther examina.
Lion.—The prisoners were then committed to Tuthill-
fields prison, to be brought up in a week for further ex-
, amination.

MARTIABONE OFFICC—JUVINILS DEPRAVITT..--YeSter-
day a young boy, named Richard .111.qott, was brought
from the watch-house, and charged with defrauding his
own fathrr. It appeared from the father's statement, that
the boy was only 13 years of age, and although so very
young, was absolutely an adept in thieving; every means
bad been adopted to effect a reformation of his habits, but
without avail. He had become linked with a gang of
juvenile depredators, and boldly protested to his heart-
broken parents that he would be "an out and outer."
The Magistrate ordered the boy to be detained fur the
present.
- - -

•
UNION HALL.—Yesterday a dustman complained to
Mr. Cesstaeas, that his employer (Mrs. Ad!am) had
refused to give him his " halves" of a 51. note, which he
picked np in a dust-hole, at a house in Westminster.
Mr. C/IA3IIIRRS inquired if all property found by him
in the way described, went to his employer.
The complainant. 7—" Oh ! no, Sir ; it is always the
custom of the trade to share whatever of value is found—
that is, one half to the finder, and the other half to the
employer."
The Magistrate desired him to state the way in which
the 51. not• Irmi come into his possession.
Complainant.—l was clearing out a dust-hole at a Mr.
Sibbines, in Westminster about a fortnight ago, awl in
shovelling up the rubbish I saw a rotten goose with a bit
of paper wrapped round the tail of it. On opening out the
paper, It proved to be a 51. note, which I took home to my
mistress and gave her; but from that day to this, she
has not given me a halfpenny of it, and refusrs to let me
have my share.
Mr. CHAMBERS said, that he would take care neither the
mistress nor her man shoo! ; share the prize. lie ohs, vved,
it would be easy to ascer.,on the owner of the note, hy
compelling Mrs. Adlat» to deliver it up, and impottoding
it at the office until the necessary steps were taken to
inform• the loser of the circumstance. A sunsintots
• then granted against Mrs. Atliant, fur the prtyluction oh
he note.

..iitr.

. .

.:::-.v.1,-='v•-•.•••-• •

• FIRES. •
.01ww•—
About half.past nine o'c-4lock last night a fire broke oat
at a carpenter's shop in Bennet Street, Stamford Street,
Bleckfrixrs' Road, %%Lich did considerable damage, hut,
did net extend beyond the premiies. The alarm, however.
which St occasioned was emit, from the wind blowhsg
freshly from the south, and it bring known that Mr. Rue;
in one of whose shops the fire appeared, bad a very large
quantity of bnilding materials on the premises. Engines
speedily arriving, the filmes were, by the exertions of the
firemen and site supply of water, so far subdued by eleven
o'clock, as to put aside all fears for the safety of the adjs.-
cent premises. Our readers may judge of the alarni
naturally excited, when we state that the reflection
seen miles distant; and so late as half-past ten o'clock
persons were seen running in every direction towards
Blackfriars' Bridge. which was nearly impassable. Sin
deceptive, too, was the appearance of the reflection as ta
the place of the tire, that, about the time abovententioned
a parish engine was driven down Newcastle Street, into
Surrey Street, in the Strand, under the impression that the
fire was in that neighbourhood.
Further particulars of the Fire in the Parish workhouse of
St. George's in the East.—Fross the inquiry instituted by this
trustees into the circumstances attendant upon this unfortuna e
calanilty, it appears that the fire originated in the oakum room,
end it is conjectured that the person whose duty it was to light
the fire in that room at five o'clock, previous to the commence-
ment of the day's labour, might incsutiously have suffered a
spark to fall among the highly combustible material which WAS
there lodged in considerable quantity. This once kindled. the
flames spread wits greet rapidity, communicating from the floor
nod wainscoting to the ceiling, sad thence to the ward above.
which was occupied by a number of infirm poor. The anxiety
felt on the instant for the safety of those who were thus pm.
riously situated, It would be impossib:e to describe; and tss
utmost exertions that the hurry and confusion of the moment
permitted, were made to extricate them from the destreetion
with width they were threatened. Many, however. were no
sooner got out of the rooms than they insived upon returning.
at all hazards, to endeavour to save front the devouring ele-
ment some little article of property which, in the first moment
of alarm, they had forgotten. The overpowering heat and sti-
fling nature of the smoke which rolled upwards in thick biscdc,
volumes from the oakum room below, threatened instant seffo-
cation to all within its reach, at length compelled the attenc-
ants to retire; and it was feared that several whose Itnprudenew
had induced them to venture toa far into the endangered apart-
seas, were thus uusvoidattly abandoned to their fate. Ike
I pariah and fire entities soon arrived, and a plentiful supply of
water being oh' ained, the progress of the flames was checked.
I and their ravages confined to the DeWitt" (a sort of out house)
In which they first broke out. It is, however, to be I-me deo,
that several lives were lost on the occasion, three bodies has-
!log been found when the fire was completely got under, of
persons who appeared to have been suffocated by the smoke;
and there Is reason to fear that a fourth has also suffered in a
similar manner.