The Sun. — 1866-08-03 (London, England)

THAMES.  STEALING A HAM.—Samuel Jacobs, an active fellow, about 20 years of age, and described as a labourer, was charged with stealing a " real York ham," weighing 301bs, from the shop of• Mr. Bryan, cheesemouger, Suffolk-house, at the corner of White Horse-street and Commercial-road, Stepney. _ _  The robbery was a most audacious one, committed in one of the most public shops in the metropolis, and at a few minutes past nine o'clock in the evening. Two young men saw the prisoner and two other men in front of Mr. Bryan's shop. One of the thieves took a large ham down from a hook in front of the shop, and gave it to the prisoner, who tried to conceal it under his frock. The ham was too large, and he could not conceal it. He handed it to the third of the gang, "who wf-nt to a tobacco shop next door with the ham in his hand, and bought some tobacco. By the time information was given to the shopman in the prosecutor's shop the ham and the thieves had disappeared. The prisoner was taken into custody, one hour and a half afterwards, in the Anchor and Hope public "house, in the Horseferry-road, Ratcliffe, about 200 yards from Mr. Bryan's shop. He said to Police Sergeant Baden, No. 4 K, "You are wrong this time." The prisoner, who loudly protested his innocence, said he was at the Anchor and Hope all the evening until he was taken, and he called a witness, who said his name was Francis Jamieson, and that he left the prisoner in the Anchor and Hope at 9 o'clock, and there was then another man with him.  The Magistrate said the prisoner's witness was a good one for the prosecution. He was very much astonished the man with the ham who went into the tobacco shop was not secured. The young man who saw the thief with the ham in the tobacco shop ought to have closed the door upon him, and had time to call out the posse cornitatus. Any one could apprehend a thief. The witness was not actuated by any spirit of enterprise or energy. The witness said he had a dog with him, and did not see the man go into the tobacco shop with the ham, but come out with it.  Mr. Pyer, the chief clerk—l have it on my notes, " I saw him go into the tobacco shop with the ham." The prisoner ultimately pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and hard labour.  DARING STREET ROBBißY.—James Henry Seeble, aged 21, of 24, Thrawl-street, Spitelfields, shoemaker, was charged with stealing 7s. from William Thomas Gyfford, a wine porter, of Turnmill-square, Bethnal-green. The prisoner forced his company on the prosecutor in the Mile-end-road. They were drinking together until half-past one o'clock this morning, when they reached Sidney-street, Commercial-road. The prosecutor, who was then the worse for liquor, sat down on a door step and began to count his money in a bag. The prisoner immediately snatched it from him and dropped 2s. or 3s. out of it on the pavement. Tho prisoner stooped and picked up the money again. A struggle took place between him and the wine porter, and a cry was raised of "Thieves," and "Murder." The prisoner ran away with the money ho had stolen. He was pursued and captured by Henry Lewis, a police constable 403 K, who found the. stolen money upon him. Lewis said the prisoner was a very bad character, and was in custody a short time since for attempting to rob an unfortunate woman. Tho prisoner said he was not guilty of taking the money, but ho was guilty of being in company with those who did take it. The Prosecutor—No one else was with me when my money was taken. The Prisoner—l'll be tried here and plead guilty.  ------- The prisoner was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and hard labour.  In the Foreign and Colonial Produce Markets, during the last few days, there has been very little animation. Sugars have sold slowly at about previous rates, while coffee, in some instances, has slightly declined. Rice has been dull, but without change in value, while in tallow the operaticrns for both present and forward delivery have been on a limited scale at about previous rates.