The Sun. — 1857-07-01 (London, England)

SOUTHWARK.  BURGLARY AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.—Richard Cotter and William Jones, two smart looking young fellows, well known housebreakers, were charged with breaking into the dwelling-house of Mrs. Margaret Richardson, at 59, Bland-street, Great Dover Road, and stealing therefrom a writing desk and cellaret. Jones was also charged with committing an outrageous assault upon Mrs. Richardson, and threatening to murder her and her servant. The prosecutrix, a widow lady, who exhibited two black eyes and a severe bruise on her forehead, stated thatsbe resided at 59, Bland-street, and on Sunday night, the only persons in the house were herself and a female servant, and o❑ their retiring to rest everything was safe in the house. About half-past one on Sunday morning she heard a noise in her room and saw a flash of light. Believing there was a storm coming on she called to her servant, " Mary, how it lightens." Suddenly the light went out, and then she felt certain that some thieves were in her room. She instantly jumped up and seized hold of Jones as he was trying to hide himself under the bed. He turned round upon her and making use of a fearful oath, said he would murder her if she did not let him go. Jones then struck her two violent blows between the eyes which nearly stunned her, and she was compelled to let him go. She then heard him and another man leave the house, and immediately afterwards she went to the street-door and admitted a constable. She then found that her house had been entered by forcing a back window, and that the parlour bad been ransacked. She missed from the latter two writinc, desks and a cellaret, produeed by the police. She did not see anything of the prisoner Cotter until he was brought to her house with Jones a few minutes after she admitted the police. In the struggle with Jones she pulled out a large quantity of hair from his head, and she must have overpowered him ha I the servant come to her assistance. Eliza Santon, a young girl about sixteen, said she heard her mistress call out to her about the lightning. She instantly got nut of bed, and in descending to her room she saw Jones struggling with Mrs. Richardson. who was calling out for assistance. As she was going towards her, the prisoner Jones met her in the passage and seized her by the throat, telling her that if she resisted or called out, he would do for her. She was so struck with terror that she dropped down on the fluor, and then he went away and left by the bank door. Witness afterwards found a screw driver under Mrs. Richardson's bed, which she handed to the constable. John Day, an old and steady officer. No, 187 M, stated that he was on duty in Bland-street about two o'clock on Monday morning when he heard a female calling out " Police" and " Murder." He immediately went to No. 59, when Mrs. Richardson admitted him into her house, and said that it had been broken into, and that the thieves had attempted to murder her and her servant. Witness entered the place, and being told that the thieves had escaped by the back door, he climbed over the walls of the adjacent houses, and found the prisoner concealed in the water closet at the rear of a house nine doors off. As soon as he saw them there bath of them called out, " don't hurt us ; we will go quietly with you." Witness, with the assistance of a cabman, took them both into custody, and on searelsing them he found a key and a candle on Jones, and:some lucifer matches on Cotter. I❑ the water-closet he discovered the writing desk and cellaret, which Mrs. Richardson identified as her property. Both prisoners said that they knew they had done wrong, and they hoped be would not strike them with his staff. The Magistrate asked what was known of the prisoners / Dennis Clark, 108 M, said that Cotter was tried at the Westminster Sessions, in April, 1854, for housebreaking, and sentenced to 12 months' hard labour. Jones was tried and acquitted for burglary in May last, and they were both connected with a desperate gang of burglars. The prisoners, who did not deny the charge or the officer's statement, were fully committed for trial, and all the witnesses bound over to prosecute.  The Magistrate complimented the courageous conduct of Mrs. Richardson, the proseentrix.