Star. — 1827-06-06 (London, England)

BURGLARS IN MASQUERADE. JoAn Thompson, James Cook, and John Hinton, were indicted for a conspiracy to rob the house of Robert Gibson, Esq. in Torrington-square ; and the indictment further charged that two of them, Hinton and Thompson, had gone to the house attired as females, and that they had implements for housebreaking in their posses. sion.—The prisoners appeared in their ordinary dresses, it not bring deemed necessary to compel their appearance in the female habiluments which they had assumed for the purpose of the robbery. Mr. Am.'s stated the case, which, he said, was one to which, in the whole course of his experience, he had met with no parallel. S.srah Blackburn—ls servant to Mr. Gibson, of No. 15, Torrington-square. On Sunday three weeks, during the time when Mr. and Mrs. Gibson, and the rest of the family were attending Divine Service, the prisoner Cooke, dressed in his proper attire, knocked at the door, and inquired if Captain Mackey lived there? She told him she knew no such person, and he replied " That is very strange; this is Mr. Gibson's, is it not?" She answered it was, and he went away. About ten minuts s afterwards, a double knock was given at the door, which she answered, and found Hinton and Thompson at the door dressed as ladies, and having their faces concealed by a thick veil, thrown over their fashionable I Leghorn bonnets. The prisoner Hinton inquired if Mrs. Gibson was at home ? witness said she was not, end be asked when she would return ? and expressed an intention of walking in and waiting. She told him she was instructed not to allow persons who were unknown to her, to enter the house in the absence of the family, and requested they would call again. They whispered together for a few minutes, after which Thompson said, "No, we'll step in and wait, Mrs. Gibson can't be long." As he said this he stepped forward, and from his gait she was led to suspect he was not a female; she in consequence peeped under his veil, and seeing a thick black beard on his upper lip, she felt convinced they had come fora bad purpose, and, pushing him from the door, called out " Thieves! murder l"The two prisoners Hinton and Thompson instantly ran away, and as she followed them with her eye, she saw Cook running in the same direction. They were all apprehended and brought back, without her losing sight of them.—John Brown was passing near the spot at the time, and hearing the screams of the last witness, jei in the pursuit of the prisoners, one of whom he appre: headed, and found on-his person two turnscrews, a large bag, and several housebreaking implements. Win. Taylor apprehended Cook, whom he saw running in the direction of the other prisoners. Thos. Elliot produced a pistol, which he saw Thompson, when running away, Ring Mo the area of Mr. Rice's house, in the square." He also produced some tools, which he saw dropped by the prisoner Cook. The prisoner Thompson undertook, on their being called on for their defence, to act as spokesman, and told a long story. The CHAIRMAN summed up,- and the Jury, without hesitation, found all the three prisoners Guilty. The COURT sentenced them each to two years imprisonment, and to be kept to hard labour.