Police.
The Times, 1824-11-04T00:00:00

IUIAN5ION-t.IlOISE.-Yesterdiay, a man named Ba-rra, was brought beforc the Lon MIAYORI, on suspicion of having acted fe. loniousIy under rather extraordinary circumstances towards two widows. Crowds of the relations and friends of the parties attend- ed to hear the examination. It appeared that on Tuesdav, a Mfrs. Evans, who resides at No.83, Fore-street, waited upoa the lionD MAYOR, and stated that the prisoner had soneholw or other contrived to make another widow ady,whosenamewas Hill, to fall in love with him. This M1rs. Hill had a little rnoney, and a decent business as a dress-meaker, and it was more than supposed that his object was not quite so disinterest- ed as his declarations professed to be. Aiarry him, hovwever, Mrs. Ilill would, notwithstanding the probabilities as to the actual cause of thte attachment. They lived together for sixteeni months, at the expiration of which lie suddenly took her off with bim, stating that he was going to the country, and leaving his daughter by a former wife to take care of the business on which he had since his mar- riage subsisted, without putting himself or his wife under any obli- gation to his own labour. (Great surprise wrs occasioned by the in- telligence that the prisoner, one month after the disappearance of the hate widow Hill, lhad married another widow. The applicant wvas present at the marriage of thc prisoner and Alrs. H-ill, and tosk the greatest interest in the fate of the latter, as shc had beezi acquainted withs her many years. The prisoner was applied to for information as to the abode ancl condition of his wife, but he positively and re- solutely refused to give any account of her. The friends of the un- fortunate wife were alarmed in the higlhest degree at this mysterious concealment. In fact, they apprehended, judging from his inhuman conduct towards the children of his firt wifc, that he had removed tier rrom existence altogether. The LORD AMAYOR, upon this representation, granted a warrant against the prisoner, considering that at all events, if the account was correct, there was a case of bigainy made out. The prisoner was apprehended, and broiglit to the justice-room. l'lrs. Evans restated her complaint; and said, that the prisoner after lie had married the widow H ill, anti lived for nearly ayearand a half upon her exertiono, married a Mlrs. IVood, of Chancery-lane: befbre lie did which, lie secured the business of Airs, Hill to his daughter. She also said, that when he wastaking his wife away, he declared that he was taking tier to the country for the betiefit of her health, Brand, the marshal, who executed tife warrant, stated, that he had ascertained that the prisoner's wife, who Was supposed to be dead, was still living. She was not, however, he believed, likely to continue long so, as she appeared to linger in the last stage of a consumption. He wvent to a house in Curtain-road, by the direction of the prisoner and his new wife Mlrs. Wood, who accompanied him, and found the poor woman in the condition described. The room in which she lay wvas btut indifferenitly furnished; bat the patient seemed to be on good terms with the prisoner. The vitness ques- tioned her upon the subjecot of her marriage; and she-said, shc be- lieved slte was not the prisoner's wife in law, as she liad married him in the namiC of Hlill which was not her own name, but that of a nman with whoam site had lived 14 years before shie married the prisoner. She complained of nothintg, and aQpjtared to be very resigned. Thic poor woman's friends, who liat listened vith the greatest anxtety to the state:zient, declared thlat the thing was impossible- that site was either not in a sound state of mind, or that she had spoken utnder some extraordinary influence, the facts being quite at variance with lher account of her relationslhip to the prisoner. A youth here stepped forward, and said lie claimed the protection O' the I,ORD M1AYOIR against the proceedings of the prisoner. He (thc comnplainant) was the son of Mr\rs. rood, the widow, of Chan- cery-lane, whom the prisoner had prevailed upon to marry him aller eight weeks' courtship, and mt woful marriage it was for the young man, who said, that when his father died lie conducted the butsiness of the house, and wis earning about 2001. a-year. The pri- soner, however, no sonier induced tie weak woman to give him lher hand, than he began ta exercise tlte authority of a master as well as a husband, took possession of the shop, ana turned Itis son-in-law out of loors without a farthing in his pocket. The Lo [D MIAYOR aaid, that as far as yet appeared from one of the documents witichl he held in his hand (the certificate of the t.vo marriages), the first marriage was valid, in whiclh case the prisonter could niot be entitled to-the control he had exercised. Upon the part of the prisoner, it was submitted tlhat n.o chaae hati been yet establishedt against him. It was evident that 3lrs. Hill had nothing to coniplaiti ot; and the second, or real wife, di(d not- cot'sider herself Justified in aiding ttit procccdin., for slIe did not think proper to attend. It was niot contended thai the whole of the prisone.ss conduct was capable ofJustification; and the mystery re- slpecting M1rs. Hill deserved to have been investigated. Mirs. Evans, and the othter fticntds of the prisoner's first wife, im- plored tbe Lord AMayor not to dischtarge the prisoner until they shouldl have an opportunity of investigating the circuuiistaiiecs themselves, particularly with reference io the extraordilary account given by tle sick wonitati to tte Alarshalnian ott the subject of lier marriage. Thte LOuD MSAYor aslted the prisotter wlhether lie lhad ally thing to say in ansiver to the accusations against hib. The prisoiter was silent, and( advised by his frietids to remaits so. The prisoner, indeed, saicI not a word during thd examination. The liorD l tAYOR said, lie skould by no means discharge the p7isoneT. It atppeared at present, that there was at case of bigaumy against hinit, and thie imatter mntist be fully iitvestigated. The prisoner was remanded, 4(nd the LoitD MAYOR gave orders that the feniale friends of the sick wonman should be conducted to the place wlhere she lay, and that care should be takcen that the comiu.tt nication should be perfectly free. - A youttg man named Rldgcreay w;as charged on stsoicion of hav- ing been concernted in stealimsg a nutiiber of silk hait(lerclhiefs out of a linendraper's sitop. It wvis Mtated that the prisoner, in coin- pany with another iiian, wetit inlto the shop, and asked to look at a particular pattern, which *tva in the window. The other man, who appeared itmost desirous topurclhase,went outside the shop,on pretence of pointing out the pardcular goods. bitt he disappeareti without ceremnony, and the prisoner was about to follosv him, when it was liscovered that a piece of silk handkerchiefs was stolen. The prisoner was stopped, ott suspicion of being ait accomiiplice in the robbery. No tioiteysulhietiL to purchascaltandkercliief was found upon butn. The prisoncr declared ctlit lie kitew niothiing of the person wvho had gone away. They had, he said, met in the street, aitd the fugi- tive asked him to go antl exercise his taste in the selection of a silk handkerchief: He had no idela at the time-that tie fellow had any intentioin of playing such a trick. The LongD MAYOR called upon hin to give a particular account of himself. The prisoner saiul that he had been a weaver, but work becoisuing difficLlt to be lad, lie was conipellect togo a step or tio lower, to save hinself from perishing, by stibositting tobe a player. But even in thjis utulortunate nrnk he got no miore than bare victuals, and of course was obliged to go bare of garnients; for although be acteat Ri/eseir IIIL. with success, it never'put a pennv in his'pocket. Of course it was ratlier inconivenictit for hiun to stay long upon the stge. He hoped, Ihowever, tbit lie was not suspected to be a candidate obr that otler kind ofstagec wlhere death was not the mere matter of the iiontent. The LORD MAYOn. asked himin where heplayed Inas P The prisoner said he hadt played Kig tt ichard 1II., at Croydon. llis Lordsbiip doubted the fact, tbr the prisoner's figure, maimer, anti countenance, gave the lie to his declaration. An officer said the mnia had shown symptoms of practice in the profession. The Chief Clerk said, ihat it the prisbner was a member of the stage, he could nio doubt convinice the Lord Mayor of the fact. The pliSoener.-"What, here?" (with an expression of horror antd surprise.) The LORD MAYO R.-Yes, here. The prisoncr..What ! before all these people? Mlust I de it,with. Out stuty ? rthe LOnD AIIAYoR.-Procecd. The prisoner tbieni frowned horriblv, and began thus- " Tis now the ?nid)lhgAt hour of night, WVhen chutchysrds yaivw, anid hell itself breaths out " Co,nflosn it the world. Now (putting his hnnd to his jaws) could I drink black blood And do such business with itas the day would slinketolook at." The ouni ADIYOR tttougltt tiis b't a poor evidenccof the pri- sosft'g sa1itieise in. the pr6fession. Ire thougitt, however', t'ha't a cauition would ht 6eo eefct; and aLfIer having advised him to be more particular than, hie hadl been in tbe selection of his characters in. the.streets, and to resikin that of' FiCh 'discharged him. h1AnYLERoXMr_0yFFTcZ._A Wretc?slei-lookinj, follow, iof the namie of Riclhard Baldwini, who sweeps a crossing fin Oxford-street, near to Prince's-street, was brought up-on the following Charge., It appeared that a-hictiegirl, of the name of Esther R,eeves, aged .9 Years, led stolen at sovereign out of her motherj's drawers; wvith part of wiishthithe puIrchased twio dolls; for which she paid 7s. 6Cd. ;and on returning with. her purchiase, was asiked charity by, the prisoner, who wait -standing at his usual post, attended by twb of hiis daughi- tersq. The girl gise himn Is. 6d, a'nd alsD presented thec cbildreQ wivth a doll eacht - and on being further importuned, gaLve the re- mainder of her ciutiige to him at~d his children, amounting to 7s. Cd. Thte mother, discovering thec - theft, questioned her daughter. and thuis learnt the above story. The Prisoner told a long story abouit the girl ha.Ving volutttarily given him the money, whichi she, told him iias hier own, thiouglt lie a~dmitted-he-bad doubts on that subject: he concluded with, "1anid so I said to myself, as G3od has sent this herer money, the Devil sha'nt. take it trom me : so I went and spent it." The Magistrate told him -thtat thie charge against hiri amaounted to felony, and remanded himn till Friday. QUE.TSQuATIE.-Yesterday Win. James Mead, Tohn Emser-y, and1 Fohn Reynolds?, were brought before .. 1VicTE', Esq., the sidting magistrate, charged withi stealing a 9uartitv of lead fromT the building called the Powder-magazine, adjoining Clielsea.college. Patrick Fliaherty, a pensioner in Chelsea-college, deposedl that he was employed as watchman round the prom'ises and abaut 12 o'clock the inight before, he saw the prisoner eaIQ upon thie top of the Powder-magazine. The prisoner lay down to avoid his notice. W"itness, however, faung a stone at him, when he mnoved. Witness instanatly climbjed to the top of the wall, a-nd called for assistance when Wellsh, a Bow-street patrol, rian towards him. A quautity o?~ lead hatd been taken from the premises, and more was ready stripped ofi', and rolled tip to be carried awav. Wlitness had noticea the leatd on the building the preceding day jserfecclv secure. Charlees Aiell, the Bow. street patrol aild, that in consequence of the watchman's calling for assistance, bhe wyent to the spot, ushen the prisoner MeIad wasi giveni inito his cusitody; he also noticedl the other two prisoners valkcing indler the College-wa,ll. On searching Mead, he foutnd twoknives on his person. Witness afterwards examined the buitlding.; some leadl was gone, and a quantity ripped up in rea- dinesis to bii carried away. AMill, the Bow-street patrol, said, that knowing the prisoner Rev- nold wvell he apprehended him this imorning, and on conducdtig hi tothe offce, he(Reynolds) pointed out Emery tolhi~nt(witnes,s), and said that was the young man withl me last night. Wiitness in- stantly secured him also. They stated themselves to reside in Turk'st coutt Jew's-rowv Cheliet- where he had made inquiries, but found thevy had anot lived thiere for~ ite last four mnonths, and that the mother of kteypYolds.declared that he had only been dischiarged out of prison (Tothnil-Ilelds) a few dlavs sinice, wher e he hiad been confined several months, and ashe wootld niot come fbrward -in his favour. SrKel,keeper of the Ljodge at Chelsea College, said he was anofce rte etLablishmenit, anI hiad the principal management of the premitses. lie declared for somne tutne pasgt a sLystem Of robbery was carried on in ihe most audacious manner possible; and, situateid as he was in the square, be had onlv the opportunity of seei-ng theni, but could not get to the robbers. Froin Fridlay up to Monday last he hiad been successively robbed by these 'depredators of linen, poultry, &c. ; buit hit loss was comparatively trifling to what others had suffered. Te prisoners were remanded for a week, as other charges are ex- p ecte,d to b,a brought against them. 1IATTOW-G.ARDEN.....Yeaterday Josrph WVatts, a brassfounder; was brought up, in custody of Thisselton, an officer, charged withi robbing his employers. Messrs. Johnstone and Brookes, of New. street-square, Fetter-lane, lamp-manufacturers and bransfounders. Alr. Robert Jonston, one of Cthe partners, stated, that the prisoner had been a considerable time in their emnplov, and frorni cer- tain recent kindnesses they had shiown hilm in the was' of adlvances of mnotiey, they were entitled to a imore gratef'ul return than lie appears to hiave made. the intrinsic value of the articles which would be sworn toasstolen wasof verytriflumgrnomcent,butif some examples werenot ade thesystm wuld oonextend itself, and tradesmaen A nmbe ofcurlig tolsendothr mplements used in the trade, togthe wih sme ras oramets,were produced, which were foun byTitssetonat he rianers ldgings in Old-street, City- Alr. Jolhnston obeervcd, that as lie hadl Cte whiole manaLrnment of the miechanical part of the concern, he couldi swear positively to those things, by the particular way in whicih they wvere miarked. Every ivorkman liasa a set of tools allotted to his use, and those tools are nIl lettere.d and numbered accoTding to ithe letter and numiber of the lathe at which he works. Tlitl6systematic arrangement lie(Silr. Johinston) adlopted, to prevent tlint conifusioni which, in an extenisive thaetory, employing at least 150 hancls, woul4 othecrwise ensue. Froin two of thie tools feund at the prisoner's lodginigs, the marks were filed ant very recently, no doubt to prevent dilscovery. The Magistrate asked if there was any, reason to suppose that thils peculation lied been long going forward ? Sir. Johnston said, that thecy hiad latterly miissed thiings, huit really had no powrer to attacll suspicion toone inr particuilar until last nighnt (Tuesday), that the prisoner was discovered in a patrt of thle concern where he couldl have no butsiness, anti was observed to roll something up in his apron, and wliten questionedi by the fore- mran whiat brought hiim there, lie gave some vatgue excuse, and was suffered to depart. A large clumnp of lead was missed soon after frot-n that very spot, and suspicion naturally attachiing to the pri- soner, he was given tnto custody on thie following morning (yester. day), and the articles producedl were found at his lodgings, by means of a search-warrant. Mr. Jolinston again repeated, that it was only for the purposes of j'ustice, and as a protection due to trade, that thie yresent prosecution was pressed. SMr. RooEits, the sitting Mlagistrate, entirely concurred in SIlr. Jolhnston's opinion, and In order to allow sufficient time for inquiry, he remanded thie prisoner for a week. UIcsOsr-zcAtL...Yesterday Eleanor Law, housemaid in the ser- vice of Sir. Hindson, residing in South-place, Kennington, was broughit before SI. SWANEY, Eltq., charged, on suspicion, with hay- luig bten an accomplice in the following robbery- AMr. Hindson gtated, that about two months since he hired the prisorner a' Parr's register-office, on Holborn-hill. and received an nonest character with her. On AlondAy evening lasit, lie (rritness) being absent from home, his wife, prerions to retiring to bed, took a candle and proceeded to examine the different rooms in the house, before shle went into her own. In the course of her searchi, she also went to the stable, in order to see that all was right in that quarter, as9 theboy who cleatned the homses, &c., had beeni there a shiort time be- fore with a candle. After havingascertainesi thiatahllwas safe in the sic- ble,she advanced towards that part of the biuildling where the lhay and straw are kept, wvhich isi separated fromn the stable by, a partitiotn, in which thiere isa windlow.Thiiswindowsiiethre,r tip, sad con introducing the candile, the lighit from whtich enabling her to see all over ttii place, the first thing that met her eye was the figuare of a man, witit black curlitigj hair, lyiig dowin oti one of the tr usses of hey, witlt a plate and knife and fork beside him. Shec scrfeaim-ed oit oni behold- ing the fellow, and ran into the dwelling-house. h 'wIc%atchtman was ipstantly called, wh3, tipoti examining the place, discovered that the man hiad escaped, leaving belhind himi the plate, knif'ecand fork, and some roasted beef. These circrimstances being related to witness on his retu-rn htoxec, he at once suspected tdiat the Servant girl musit have some khowledIge of the person wlto lhad been thus con- cealied. She was interrogatedI on thie suibject, and, after a good deal of' prevarication, admitted titat lhe was an acquaintanice of her's, a footman out of place ; aniti thiat slie, commniseratinug Iis situation, lhelped himn to a slice of beef out of the larder., with permnission- to slIeep on atruss of hay in the stable that night.' Her tale was behicv- ed atid no farthier sus(picions excited at that time. However, ott lVedinesday morning, the witness atnd lila wife went out, candOn their return hlome, on going iiito the parlour found that a basket, containing a quantity of' plate, whichl hadl been previously placed unrder die sideboard, was gone, earl from the facts of. a quanitity of platted ar-ticles, which were oni the sideboard,I remain- luig untouchied, togethier with thtat of the circunsetancees above. meniond, he risneranld tileperson who-nt she liatl secreted as esribthwee a ocesuspected afiaving conmmitted the rob. ber inconiltctin. ubequent te Cthe robbery, witness questioncti the risnerveryclochyas to the leng~tli of tiiie she lhad been ac- uci te iith cie an fond in Cthe loft, aLnd then she ackntow1cedged ~atshelie ben frstacqainited withi him at Kensingtioi, where sh omrylie,adta that person, since alto liatd etitered hlis (wines's)serice liedas foottman with a gentitenan next door. Sir Htidnacaledupon thilt gentleman, and upon iiiquiry, ascer- tained that suchi a lierson liaed livedh as footmian thiere, but lied been dlischarged some weekts anitecede-nt focr dishonest practices. rhis gentlemian, it appeared, had also luired the footmian at Parr's office. AVhieti the prisoner was placed at thec bar, shec cried bitterly, and protested that she hiati no hiand in the robbery. Upott being asked where the mian w'ith whons she had ackitow- lodged beingz acquaintcd was likely to be found, she declared thiat site hlad not the least idea, althoughi she hail beeni acquainted weitls h lint for aldong time, and hiad been frequently out walking with iinisi; yet -he ~hdnot kniolwlwhere lils residence was. The Mlagistr-ate observecd, that there were very strong ctircuin.. stances of stiiipicion made out against her of beingc a participator in theroberyof iarmaser.Shetheefre should be remanided fur furtierx~miatin; adesan aeurtedesteriptian of the footinan linebeengivn, tteollees wee onthealert after hitm. 1-Vlline~im, a apretic t. Sr.Archbntt, in the WVestmin. aCe-rod, he tawbroer,wascliired with having robbed his Air. Archibutt stated to the miagistrate, that fronti a calculation lie li3td recently raade, lie diacayered thiat Ihis losses tltrough dishonest shopincis anti apprentices were upwards of 2001. per annumn. The prisoner, who, lie said, wee of very respectable connex ions, had bhmn inIihis s5ervice for twvo years, and was never suspectedl of being a thiief until the present occasion. Joseph Avant, ztuiothler of Mlr. Arplhbtitt'is apprentice, was calletl to provye the charge against thle prisoner, I-e stated, that oni Tuesday evening, uboqit seven o'clock bec observedl the prisoner hanging in a very susipicious manetieaiiout the! chest in which the gold is kepit. After sontie little time, lie observed Ihini put his hand into sthe chest, witltdraw it 1hi j,tediately, end mnove off to the other codI of the sliop. W-itness continued to kieep his eye upon bimi, andI perceived hini agin go -towards the eliest. wlieni he distinctly saw tite prisbner take out a sovereign and put it Into his pocket. Witness then went up to hinm, acd accusedb him of tile robbery, when the prisoner replied, " I will give you 'tlC sovereign if you promise not to tce Mir. Archbutt about it.' Witness was here interrogated by the Tl agistrate whethier he liad held out any promise to tile prisoner, bitt the witness declared po8i- tively that ie liad not ; adding, that when the prisoner svanted to cxt rt from him the promise, Ite made no reply to hinm, and pro. ceedred to take the sovereign from him, wbich he imneadidtely marked. Tue sovereigtn was produced, and the prisoner fuily:eoni- psitted for trial. POLICE.