Police.
The Times, 1824-09-18T00:00:00

IMlARr.IsonouCiH.sTTREET.-Yesterday a young man of iespec- table appearance, about 20 years of age, fairhair and complexisn, dressed in a green frock coat, black waistcoat and trousers, and a black stock, who refused to give his name to the night constable, vwas brouglht before Air. CoNAN r, the sitting Magtstrate, from St. Giles's watchlhouse, charged with the following attempt to commit a burglary :_ A young man, namedl John iMlount Stevene, who lodges at the Bedford-arms tavern, in Charlotte-street, Bedford-square, deposed, that about two o'clock that morning he was returning home, with two female friends, from a party, anrd as lie was passing along Great Russell-street, he heard the crash of window-glass suddenlv broken, and whlen he came to the house No. 104, lie looked into the area, and there saw the prisoner crouched in a corner, close by the kitchen window. Witness called to himi to comTie up, and asked what he did there; but received no answer. He then called a watchman and pa- trol, who were passing, and they descended into the area, and lifted the prisoner over the rails. The prisoncr said notlhing, nor did he attempt to escape, or account for his being in such a situation. A young woman, a servant in the house, by this time had opened the street door. and let thern in to examine the kitchen, whera a square of glass was found enmirely broken out. John Daly, a watchman, said, that having been called by the last withess, he went down into the area, and there found the prisoner on his knees, and without his hat; andi, with thce assist- ance of a patrol, named M'Gregor, he lifted him over the railing, and on searching his pockets found upon him the three centre bits, the bundle of matches. and the phosphorus bottle now produced. Witness then conveyet the prisoner to the watchhouse, and while going along he entreated witness to let him go, that he was an unfor- tunate young man, for God's sake to have compassion on him, for that he (witness) himself inight have chlildren, and some of theim come to misfortune. At the watchhouse the prisoner was again searched, and in ilis fob were found the bundle ot pawnbroker's dt- plicates now produced. a lMl'Gregor,the patrol, corroborated thestatement of the last witness. A young man, named Hunt, a poulterer,said, that when the street door was openetl by the female servant, he went, with her and others, down to the kitchen and area, and in the latter place he picked up the crow-bar, the skeleton keys, the dark lantern, and large centre.bir, prodtceid, all of which appeared quite news, and made upon the most improved construction. WVitness took them to the watchhouse, and gave them to the night constable. Jane Cummins, a voung girl in the service of illr. M'Leland, up- hlO]sterer No. 104, (great Russell-street, said, that her master does not himself reside at that house, but at No. 100i, in the same street, and thiashouse, (No. 104) is entirely oceunied by lodgers. Witness herself sleeps in the kitchen, and, in order to awake in proper time in itbe morning, she generally leaves a shutter of ene of the windows uuclosed. About two o'clnck that morning, she was awoke by the noise of glass breaking, and on looking towards the window sele saw a man, whom she knows to be the prisoner, kn.eeling on the ground, and feelieg at the window. She was dreadfully alarmed, and get- ting out of bed as quietly as Dossible, she vas going up stairs, to alarm the lodgers, when hearing the watehman at the frornt of the house, she opened the strmet-door, and by that time the prisoner had been taken out of the area, and was in custody. Nothing, she said hadi been stolen, nor was there any property of value in th'e vin(low, neither did she think that the prisoner had put his hand in at all when he was disturbed. IUMr. AI'Leland said, that there wasno propertyof any kind missing. Air. CONANT, the Magistrate, now asked the prisoner wyhat his naate was ? 1'risoner._l must beg to decline answerinig that question. I hold a respectable situation in the city, and it woald be my total ruin, if my name were meentioned connected with a transaction of which I atm totally innocent. Alr. CONANT then asked him how he accounted forbeing found in this area, and those implements of housebreaking found on his person. Tbie prisoner denied that any thing was found on his person but the matches and phosphorus bottle, and the pawnbrokers' duplicates, and these he picked up in the area himself. The fact was, he said, that as he was passing this house, on his way lhome, two men sud. dernly sprang over the railing, out ef this area, and snatching his hat from his head, threw it down the area, and ran aeway. He was, of course, compelled to go down for his hat. and wlhen there lie kicked against these things, and picked them up. Had he been there, he asid, sos the purpose of housebreakintg, it WaS not lilcely that lie wvould have remainedl after the noise of the glass breaking; and, be- sides, was it likely that he would bimself have carried such a load of implements ? Mr. CONANT here inqstired if thei tbree centre-bits were not found on theprisoner's person. The watchman said, most certainly he took thelzm out of his pocket. The prisoner again denied this, and also tlenied having held ahy conversation zs described with tlte watchman, going to the watch. house. Mfr. (CONANT again asked the prisoner if he pers sted in not tell- ing his name, or who his friends were. Tihe name on the duplicate found on him was Davis. Was that his name ? Prisoner.-That is not my name; and I nmust, as I said before, decline telling it. Mly friends are highly respectable, and reside in the neighbourhood of the Strand; and it is on their account, and not my own chiefly, that I refuse iny name. Lord MeONrTFOnT, who was on the Bench, asked the prisoner if he had any objection to mention what trade or profession he was of. Prisoner.-I at present hold a respectable situation ir the citY. I have but lately returned from the WVest Indies. I landed at liver- pbol in Mlay last, from the Island of Demtierara, where I held a re- spectable situation in one ot the first establishments in the mercan. tile line there for three years. Lord MlON TrORT asked hini if he knew who the Attorney-Ge. neral of Demerara was. Prisoner.-I do not recollect his name at this momnetit; but the Governor of the island,in my time, was Lieutenant-General ilurrav. Mlr. CONANT said, that he should not send hima for trial on lhis ebar e, or remand him for any other examination, but 'should de- cide hs case at once, and commit hbm for three months to the House of Correction, as a reputed thief, having been found under very sts picious circumstances as sworn to, and wvith house-breaking imple. ments ipon him. His refusing to tell his name, or wlF. his friends were, was also a strong circumstance of suspicion against him, and he must be assured had its weight. Prisoner.-I hope, Sir, vou will not for ever ruin me, by com- mitting me to prison for an'offence of which I am innocent. I do niot refuse tm3 name out of any disrespect, but for the reason I have Iiir. CONANT asked how was he to believe a word the prisoner gaid, if he did not refer to some respectable person who k;new some. thingof him. Hemight still nameesomeper6on, if he pleased, who could be sent for. Prisoaer.-.Then, Sir, r naRme a most resYpectable mercantile gen. tleritan, rho knows re and all rny family;* who hass known me for 12 years; knows the zespectable situation whichl I bave filled, and, rentfill, both abroad snd at home. I name, Sir, as a fedof mie,ur. Witeley, of No. 37, East-street, LJamb's Con- duit street. Mr-. COwAWT asked, what wag Mr. -Witeley. -PAsorer. - He was, and is, Sir, a wtbst extensive general mer- chant; but I believe now retiring fTombutsihiess. Mr. o a2OeAT.-Have you seen M?r. Witeley lately ? Prpsoiner.-Yes, Sir; within a few days. Have you spoken to him ?-Certainlt..'Sir, I have. Illr. CONANT then said, that Mirt. Viteley tousld be sent for- and in the mean time itstead of couslhitting the prisoner. as he in- tended, imnmediately, he woutld remand him tilliMonday. But, said lr. COAr.TT,s who are we to say wishes to see Alr. Witcley ? Prisoner.-If yo4 win allow We the indulgence, I wiU write a let ter to Alr. Witeley myself. 2Ur. CoS iT..By aL mrAeal s; but I stippose you have no objer- Lion to let theletter be seen bv us ? Priaoner.. Il.ost certainly not; any of yot are welcome to Mr. COXtANT tbefigaVedireciiong that th-eprisoner shoald be fur. sisl4 withw pen;ik n ae adhazewsa;ded untiUl onXay. POLICE.