Police.
The Times, 1824-10-25T00:00:00

Gt JLDUALu.A fellow onamed Jmae Wefton, better known in the neighbourhoodl of Chick-lane by the elesignation or C'Our.,ry Jen, was brought up, in the early part of lest week, before Alr. Alderman BtmroEas, by Turnpenny, tbe city offi.r, who hd stoMiped him with a large pe wter.water can in aesack, whicb he 'woad pocted him to have stolen, and for the posse.s5onof which theprisoner could give no better account than that he had boueht it for 2s. of a man in thc street, vwho was a perfect stranger to him. The value of the can, even as old metal, was stated by a person acquainted with such articles to be wvorth at least from l?s. to lSs. The convirtiorr uipon the mnintd of tke Magistrate, and indeed upon thLatofall present, was that the fellow had come by the article dishonestl * but as there was no proof of that fact, and no trace at that tirne of an owner, the AMagistrate felt hinself, however reluctantly, compesWl_ to set the prisoner at liberty; but directed the can to be detained for sonse days, to aftord opportunity for arnv claimant to appear. Turnpenny, the officer, ksad,in the interim, been mostdiligent itr hid inquiries, and at length discovered that the tan had been stolen from the Rainbowr Tavern, in Fleet-street, and upon the very same even. ing on which he iset the prisoner in possession of it. His next ob. ject was tb retake Welton, and in this lie sas equally successful, for though the fellow had abandoned his old lodgines in Chiek-lanie, be managed to trace hinm out in the purlieus of Safron-hill ; and, dex_ terously contriving ar, interview with hiwn, questioned him if he meant to attend at the office, and claimn the can. Welton, takiag it for granted from this inquiry that no trace had been obtained of the robbery, said he dic. " Wcl," repliedthe officer, - in thtl eas as we do not seem likely to trace an owner for it, I suppose it is alR right, and if you wish to sell it, I can take vou to a Rnea who wants such a thing, and will give a fgir price for it." Welton said he woulti not take less than lOt. 'or it. This the officer apsared to think was net too much, avid under the pretence of intradtingr him to thie supposed purchaser, prevailed upon hirn to accompany himn into the city, wlhen he told hin he had already found the owner, an2 accordingls' lodged him in the Compter. from whience he was agair, brought ut or. Ssturday before the sitting Baagistrate, Air. Aldar- man Cunow DEn. Mr. CoIls, the landlord of the Rainbow Tavern. and his waiter recognized the person of' the prisoner immediately on hit being pacea at the bar, observing that he shouid have been the last person to have conmitted a robber-y at their houce es both he asd a femna. whom he called his wife had frequently bcen releved by them witht broken victuals, they stating thicinselves to be out of all emplor,end in very great distress. The landlord and hiE waiter swore positively to the otn, bv several marks upon it, it having been in comStan= Use about the house for nlearly two years; and thatitwas mirsed on the- same evening the prissner was first takten into castody. Mr. Colls produced the pewterer's bill for the can, which had been made tcs order, and originally cost three zuineas. The prisoner had nothling to ollr beyond his formner storz aed was committed for trial. PG LICE.