Old Bailey, Monday, Jan. ...
The Times, 1824-01-20T00:00:00

dOliI A lstirz JVrcut, SanzitelRaiyrs, and J.F.Uioft, were capitally indicted under Lord Ellenborough's Act, for firing a loaded pistol at John Collins, on the 4th of January inst., with intent to do hiin some grievous bodily harm. There were other counts in the indict ment chlarging the prisoners with the same offence, 'i,th intent to commit a robbery, At thc request of AMr. LAW, the prisoner's Counsel, the witnesses- were ordered out of Court. .Jolm Collins exainined.-I live as servant with Mlr. Baaufoy, of South Lambeth. On the 4th of Jaditary I was coming down the Vauxball road, having been to Pill-nall with my aunt. It.a5 Sunday evening, and I was returning home, at about 8 minutes to 8 o'clock, when I was 6 yards from the toll-bar, a man came up to me and presentect a ps ol in my face, saving, " Stand ! I demand otir money, else ll blow you brainx out." I told him that hiad no inoney; lie replied, " I know vou have," and 'tiII kept the pistol presented to my 1ace; iwo other men then came up. retired a step or two with my face towards them; the mnan with the pistol then said, " Positively I'U blow your brains out if you don't deliver yeur money." lie had thenm his hand on my breast, and the pistol presented at my temple. The other two men then laid hold of me, one by the left arm, and the other came behind me and took me round the vwaist. I said, " Ill see you d-d before I give you any money," and with that I mnade a ruslh froin them to get away. As soon as I got loose, I called out " ,Murder," and the man Who had the pistol then fired in the direction in which rwas t the ball cameso nearnme as to strike my hat up: it struck under thie rim -of my hat, but did not knock it offt my head, as I caught it with my hand. They all then ran avay; the man who had had hold of me behind, ran across the road; the other two, intaWohehistez-vow. I followea, ait- called out Sop tbiea" the then separated, and oneofthem crossed theroad,I beheve it was thermat who fired the pistol, the other I kept in si ht till I saw a soldier eutch him. the soldier brought bim back to the guara.house, where Pace, the officer of Queen squate pollcc-officc, seatched him. le found on him three or fotr pistol-balls, and a l!owder-flask. The prisoner Rains wAs the man. On'the Fridav lowing. I saw the other two prisoners in castody, and'at first I thought itwas the prisoner Blott thut had fired the pistol, but I afterwiards tlhought WVren was the man *:ho fired ' and I think so now. I d Veirom theheightand figure, asthemanwhoprqiented the pistol hau something over his fate like a black stock, which came down to his nose. Herwas the tallest of the three. Ie had on a blue coat, light waastcoas and dark-coloured trousers. Elliott's dreswas nealy thesame. On my oath, I believe they were the two men hwho were present. The other prisoner(Rains) was takew- iny 5ight and was never Out of it. Cros.exmine byMr. AW.-It -was a, Aarklslh night ; but it aunlder.a lamp, syo tthat Icould distingish.A etinlgh;Y bts. a litl alarvmed, and was-more intent on maiingmy escape thar, -ob. servig the~nert The vjlt' a so elose~ tbal it mnight B'e TA inu 'ofit that atuku y a-h man ~was aboz,t a ya7rd.Whl'ine when he tred, and the mate of the iislol .waz hOt mrany inches fromi mty e Thtomas Lance examtned.-t am a private in the 2d battalion -or Grenutlier Guards. about eight o'lock on the 0th of imnultay, I wa s ktnoRohchssersartow,and hleafrd the reportf ;lre~~n,dsharge,; and afterwardRs, " Stop thief," comie brsim the same spot. "'A - oral of the guard. calfed my tthtion~ to a run . _ , l e cor- When lie hatddtessedl himself,-jT w-ih ;te'sz 2ekd: blu 4hei't hat -wi,s: tbt psoner r`plied, "' Iiereit is,e - (and put ^ browvn paper cap on his head.) "1 Thiis is all the hnt-I have got. As ihe wit: ness wras taking liim outbf the room, he sad, " I-now `what iou want ifie for now; I am sure of beifig topped' (hung). Witness then lodged him in tie Watch-house. The nest niorning (5th of .la- nuary), witness-went to the lodgings of the prisoner Rains, anti in the room t found a laige vice, the teeth of whch exactly corresponded with the marks on the bullets found idl Raitss pocket. AVitneUa apDre. hended Eiliott afterwardsntiear Sali.hury.square, and on -searding him found in his pocket-three gun-flinti. Thomas.Stiff, a soldier, deposed, that oh the 4th ofi Janhiary he was standing sentry at Rochester-row. fe heard thereportcof fire- arms, and afterwards a cry of "1 Stop thief." lle saw tw omein3 ruvlR ning-on the opposite side of the road, one of them crossedovei ana came close to witne6s, who knocked hiiii down; bitt becot tip again and ran away. He left his hat and a piece of- black stuff in it, which witness afterwards gave to Pace;tlie officcr. The man had on a coat and trousers of a dark colour. Thomas Pace recalled.-Earlyin the mnorning of the fth of .Tanu- ary,Wftnes went ot taid found a pistol in the road, a few yarda from tie place where the witness Stiftknockel the man down. the ham. mer was down, the pan open and damp, and the contents discharged. (The pistol wvas produced by the officer, and recognized by the pro- secutor,) The prisoners, on being called on for their defence, severally denied all knowledge of the robbery, and called The Hon " r jo- --, who spoke t6 the character of Wreji, iQ. Vt ? yeArs ago had lived as selMnt vuii sIte WOtns; At that time ke had qgndicted hirTeself heneetlv. Mr.Bittlestof amd Dlr. Shandwj trus.mia1kers, for whom the pri. soner Rains had worked, gave him a good *hhdctei f'r honesty anti industry. He had Been in the employ of the latter wifneAs up io the period of his apprehension. The learned JnTDGE (Mfr. Arabin, who7sat for the ftecordei) hav- I ing summed up, the jury retired for half an hour, ard on; their re- turn foundall the prisoners gutilty, but recommended Elliot to mercy on these groun(ls_tlieir belief that it 1was his first offence, and elio from the slighter proof against him- I OLD JBdLPBY, Mondday, Jan. Hl.