Police.
The Times, 1824-12-22T00:00:00

B0V-rsTutET.-;_Yesterday JoleZn Cpon, one of the lower orders of newsvenders, or as they were forn.erly called " hornboys," was brought up; charged vith cre iaing a noise in the streets, and falsely spreadin a report that the Zat] of Liverpool had been assassinatea Air. 'Theophiliis Clarke, a gentleman. residing at No. 7, George- street, Adelphi, stated. thtat on Alonday evening, about 9 o'clock, he was in his eown house, and had just taken ofF his boots, deter- mined to remain at home for the night., when he heard come one in the street bawling with the lungs of a StenEor, " Wonderful news ! Eutraordinary news! Shocking news! Assassination of the Earl of Liverpool, the Prime tshisiter of State! Al the parti- culars in second edition of the Con0fer." Shocked and alarmsd at such a piece of intelligence, he and a gentleman named Hyatt, be- lo'ging to the Beard of 1StWorks, posted off to Fifc-house to inquire if it were true, and were told that the noble Earl was most certainly in the land of the living, and in his usual hcalth. They were re- turning home when they heard the same voice in Craven-street, and they made up to the prisoner and gave him in Charge. He had one number of the Courier in his hand, which wvas not a second edition, and did not contain the most distant bint that any thing had befallen the Earl of Liverpool. The prisoner, in his defence, said, he waa passing the Cousrier- office, when he heard one gentleman saly to another orztside, "-.ave you heard the new ? How shocking! the Earl of Liverpool is as- sassinated. The Coutrier has the particulars in a second editioni." Ilearing this, and believing it to be true, he went in and purchased three papers, in order to make a-trifle by them. A gentleman from the Coarier-office said, that knowing the OccU- pation of the prisoner, he cautioned him when be came in for the papers not to be imposing upon the public, for that the paper had no news of consequence, but, on the contrary, was extremely barrcn. The trick was practrced almost every day, and some of tbese fellows had actually been known to have stamped the words " Second edition" at the top of a column, to render the deccption more complete. A wvatchman who heard the prisoner calling, said he asked if it was true? " True !" said the prisoner, " why it's in the Courier, and thtat's enough. Every thing is true that appears in the Courier." -(A laugh.) M$7r. HALLS, after siome remlarks upon'the shameful nature of the offinee, committed the prisone;, in default of bail, to answer the charge at the sessions. The offence is amisdenieanour at common law. UNsoxT-HALL.-Yesterday the followrinE extraordinary investiga- tion, respecting an extensive burglary, oe place before the sitting m.agissrate, R. J. CIsABeBERS, Esq. SIn Saturday last a Alrs. Whitmee attentded at this office, and stated the following particulars of a burglary whichi was committed in her house at No. 5, NVellinfton-terrace, Blackfriars-read. On Thursday night, she went to C(ovent.garden Thentre, accompanied oy her husband and some other friends, leaving the hoube in the care of a servant girl and a charwoman. On their return home about twelve o'clock, they were shockell on finding that the house had been robbed of property consisting of money. Bank of England notes, and plate to the amount of upwards of 31001. The magistrate -who then presidedmade some inquiries whether Mrs. Whitmee had sus. picions ofany parties having been concerned in the robbery; when that lady replied in the affirmative, and two persons, a man, and a womnan with whom he cohabitrd,were apprehended and now brought before Mr. CHAX EuS, when the following evidence was brought forward:- Two active officera were also directed to use their exetions in findiag a clue to the parties. They cominenced the inquirv by in. Ierrogatipg thccJ1arwoman and thleservant girl,who were leftin care bf the honse on the niglht in qutestion, homi they ascertained to be completely innocent ofany participation in the robbery. The next step was to have a particular accountfrom Mrs.Whitmnee regarding all that she knew of the circumstances, when, from her statement to them, they (the officers) apprehended the man and wvoman now at the bar. They had subsequently. ascertaine(d that Mrs. Whitmee, immac- diately upon the granting of the warrant against the partv whom she dlescribed as being implicated in the business, went to their residence, and appnsed them that the magistrates of Union-hall had issued a warrant fbr their apprehensioni, and desired them to prepare them. selves, as they would be "1 wanted." The oflicers, surprised that such a course had been adopted by Mrs. *Vhitmee, proceeded in their inquiries the result of which was., that they diseovered that the lady in question had been also at the houses of two persons, both of whom, the'officers said, they were convinced were the thieves, for the purpose of warning them of the danger whicII threatened them. Tb'his extraordinary conduct, on the part of AIrs. WThitmee, defeated their plans, and gave dhe real perpetrators ol the robbery an opportu. nity of getting rid Of the whole of the property4 but at the desirc of Alrs. ?hitrec they apprehended the two persons who were now be. fore the mag:istrate;* and from thefollowing investigatiom it will be seen that Mrs. Whitmee had conducted herself before and after the robbery in the most unaccountable manner. The niagistrate, upon being made acquainted with these facts, ex. pressed the utmost astonishment, and catlet Mir. lVhitmee, the gen. tleman who had been robbed who gave evidence to the following eflect:-He stated, that on the eventing of the 15tb of December, between 6 and 7 o'clock, hlilself, his wife, his son, his sister-in-law, anti another relation, proceeded to Uovent-gprden Theatre, leaving the servant.girl ana a charwoman in the care of the house. The complainant's son, h nvever,did not go with the party to the theatrr, but returied when they reached Waterloo-bridge. He remained in the house until about eight o'clock in the evening, when he quitted it. When the complainant returned home with his party fromn the theatre, he learnt that his house had been broken open aud robbed during his absence. On entering the parlour, he found that all the plate Was taken from the sideboard, and a bureau which was in the room had been broken open and 25 sovereigns stolen therefrom. On going up stairs, he found that his wife's gold watch anl his son's silvr watch were likewi,e stolen; and on inspecting a tea-caddy which was in a drawer, he missed 2651. in Bank of England notes and gold. Among the notes were several 21. no-es, and one of 501. A silk umbrella was also stolen from the premises. Alatildca Foster, the servant-girl,was then exarmined.-After being cautioned by the magistrate to relate the whole truth, notwithatand- inR the parties whom she might implicate, she deposed as follows:- When my mistress and family went to Covent-garden Theatre on Thursday evening last, she told me to take a bonnet of her's to be cleaned. Aflerlthe part7 had gone, my young master returned, and he aflarvwaris-went out. This was a few minutes before eight o'clock. Before he went out again, the female prisoner came to the door and inquited for my moimtres. I told her thiat she was not at home. Mly young master heard ber inquire for my mistregs. In a short time I twent with my mistress's bonnet, leawving the charwoman in the house. In about halt anhourI returned home, accornpania byayoungnman, aftiesid of mine. He conversed vwilth the watchman, whom we both k!new very well, and wbilst we were in conversation, I obaereed. the charwoman turing the eorner towards our house. Being ularmed I cried out," Is that yDa, Mrs. Bartlett? What brought you out ?" She answtered," Oh,Jane,I tkou,,htyou were murdered f.oraon after you were gone, a young woman, very much like a bad gIrL came up and said that the yoang man, your companio. biad been figbting. in Blackfriarsroad,-'-and lhad baen taken to thtb bbfer aigbtind that you had been seriously Injured, and taken to a bad hour-e and that you wanted me to vialt you, for the purpose of cerl. fying that vou were not a girl of bad character." , cunt-. nued the witness, became verv much alar.ned, and onl tryin to enter the front door I could not get in. The. wtchman anid my friend went to the back of the house and found oll the doe-a open. I tben got in at the back door, and found that the dor was bolted. I had fastened the back door at iight.falL lVhen my master came home, I told him vwhat had happened. Mlr. Staplees-th ethief clerk, here communicated something to Alr. CIIAMBEL S, which led the follozingqueh- tions to the witness. Before your master and his party went to the tkeatre, did any rson vie-t your mistress? YVes, Sir, a gentleman._-.Who r;as ne ? I think my mistress said bis name was Honeyrnan.-What timle in the day was this? About one o'clak.-.Vbo sent for him? Aly mistress.-Who went to fetclh him? The brother of my mistres.-&Was he ever there befere? Y'es, Sir, once before; it was on a Saturday.-Do you know Honeyenan? 1 do not, onls from what my mistress said of him.dlWhat did she represent him to be? ly.mistresS said that he formerly htpt a puUic. hosmse.-Was there no other person callid on the morning of the robber ? WVtness, after a little while,- recollected hereel, undl replied, Yes, Sir, the doctor who attends my mistre-e, and also her sisters, but they did not see Honeyman, who concealed himsilf in the back kitchen by the directions of lier mistress; bat that peon wrent out by the back way unobserned by the vsirers. i7artha Barlett, the charwaman, was then ernadined.I Was ac Airs. Whitmee's house on the evening in question. After the party had gone to tihe theatre, the tervant-girl vient out on an ernand. About five minutes afterwards, a bold-looking woman called, and inqffired if a servant girl, named Jane, lived there. The witness was here desired to look at the fernale prisoner, -nd state whether she was the person svho then caine to thie door, or ,ot ? After looking at her attentively for a fea miontee, ehc replied that it was not the prinsner. The-male prisoner then observed that lih slhonl hereafter ezphl;n the oasioa of his coempanien calling at Mtr. 'Vhitmeet dor, as stated by the servant girl. Tbe female witness in continuation :-After the w'itidra had rez calved an answer, signifying that- a persm named Jane did fefide there, rhe said, " Then-you must comealong with me, for the younig man who was along with Jane has been fightingin I3lachfiarsa.roadi, and has baen taken to the watlhhouse, and Jane has been conveyed to a bad. house, much ill used, and she wants you to testifr- that she is not a woman of the towo." I then proceeded with the riorna,- in search of Jane, and she took mie up Blickfirlars-soad, and thence into (Iravel.lie. In rhelater plete, she showed irealmuse don a tu~n ing, saying, that her husband, whose name was Jones, r.ac with Jaue there, ann that if I inquired for Jane, I rhauhld fiad her in the house. 1 then kniocked at the door, and made the inqui,ies as I had been di- rected,'and was answered by a person from witbin, that Jzaqad not been there, neither was she known there. I then wentogjAle turning into Gravel lane and found that tihe-woman-had gon avway. I then hIastened to Mllr. Whitmees house, and saw the qervant and watchman in convereation together as she hes stated. The Alagietrate now requested that Mir. Wliitmee would step forvward. Air. CHABBERS then observed, that he had rome quesftons to put to him, with respect to his wife, 6sr the elucidation of the affair which were exceedinzly distressing to Ihis feelings * but in conrEe quence of the part t3iat it appeared she had taken, he was under the necessity ol msaking those inquiries. Alagistrate-Pray, Sir, do you, know who Honeyinan is ? Air. Whiunce.-No,Sir, 1doTaot. b agistrate._Did you not knovw that your wife was intimate with hiT ?-I did not. Illgisrate.-Our office, can tell ou, Sir, that he is a commonb thief, ane6that this is a " set up" of his. Rice, the officer, then stated, that when he sawv rg. Whitmee the morning after the robbery, she told him that she had aEuspicinn against the ftemale prisoner, who was a xuantua-niaker, and had been to her house inquirinp for a job. Ai rs. Whitmee lihewise said that she suspected the male prisoner, as she observed him look very earnestly at her as she passed with her husband in the Nesr-cat on their way to the theatre the night of the robbery. The officer thes i said, that wyhen he had obtained a warrant againat-someethoer per. ties, he understood that MIrs. Whitmee herself went to th'cm'teng that a warrant was out against them: by thia means tho officems w.ereprevented apprehending those against whom suspicdon attach. ed. They wiere svell known to be thieves, andtheir names were ho.. neymnan aF,d Hamtnoand. -. - Pople, another officer, confirmed.tbe etatoment of- Rice The male prisoner nowv begged to offer some observations. -True it wassihatbhe sa;wAirn. Wlitmee an the ighlt she lhad stated, and it was also true that hue companion, who was chargell in conuitmncin with himself, had been at MrsW hitmee's house toiuquire forker; butthe intention oftthat visit was not of the natre which -they were now accused of. He would explain to the magistrates the fact can nected with his knowle.dge of Mrs. lhitee. Shehadcalledztbis house sometime ago, being accompanied li. a peron named HitchIn, a brokera in Blsekfriars.roacl; sad they 'hired a room3 for-a short Itune; a te' which Alrs. Whitmnee directed, tha:t rrhenevef tfie gein tea:an with whom she thad been w7ith,-ca}le, a t their house, to rend for her without loss of timle..- of. CH A his lBXE;S here asked the mrn in custody, what descrption Tbe prisonler in reply said, that he would not conceal the faect for his house was a house for the reception of company, and commnoly went by the namne of a brothel ! He then prceeded to stute, t{hat or. the evening an whicl the robbery was -sid to hare been-in cm- nitted, his female companion called at ftifa. Whitinee's hIose, for the purpose of informing her tlat the gentleman with whomsahe had been a CWr nights before, was then -at the bouzeanxioutly waiting for her. It was for this purpose, sad the prisoner, and far other that the female callned at Ai1r. WPhitmee's house. And I now defy that voinan.to-cantadict mueif sh'e can. "There are other circarn- stances," tsaid the lprisoner, " which I am bound now to :state re- specting the character of Brs. lWhitmee. She requested both my.. self, andathe femnale who takes care of mv boue, that whenever uay gentleman cUed at our house :nd wanted la 'lady,' to imnmnediately send for her, anEshe would beat their service witbouttdelav." Duiring this statement, Alr. Whitmee appeared to -be lahboring under excessive agitation ; be struck his hand against hi forehead several times, ejaeulating, " Good God I can this have been the case?" ' he prisoner then went or to declare, that he'was innocent of any participation in the robbery, which he could provre tr the satisfaction of thc magistrate. Alrs. WWitmee now stepped up to the side of ber unfortunate huF- band, and commenced to give the magistrate a kong accoint of her acquaintance with the person yhom she hedmetat the brothel. Sbe said, that it was for no improper purpose she made the appoiotntent there; it was to arrange a few little matters about seime furniture ; and knowing her husbznd to be of rather n jeaus turn, she did not invite the person to her house but desiredhim to cell at the r*on. et's house, both ef whorn she Lad known for a lengtb of time. With respect to what the prisoner said about her desising him to send for her when a " lady" was wanted at home, there was no truth in the assertion. The prisoner, and tbe female who was in cas-ody with him, both declared that they were now ready upon their oaths to swear to the truth of the facts stated. The.4lagistracc here observed that there wret no circumstances of susPicoio adduced against the man now in custody, or the woman, and that he should therefore discharge them. - Rice and Pople then said, that had not Irs. Whitatmee in the first instance apprized thle thieves ofwhat had occurred at this ofiice when she first gave information of the robbery, they could easily have op. prehended them. The lagis raw here interrogated Alrs. Whitmee as to her ac. quaintasce with Honeytnan and Hlammond; and she acknowledged that she knew them both. Mlr. CHAMBERS then, addressing Mr. Wlrhitmee, said, that had ist not been for the conduct of his wife throughout the business, in all probability he would not have inet with the severe less of his property. It was sproved that she had informed the prsons wbo were suspecteed of the robbery of the means that were in progress for upprehending them, and by that course frustate. the plans of the officera.He theii lamented that he could dn no more for .lr. lWhit. rnee; after which all the uarties left the office. POLICE.