The Sun. — 1860-02-13 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENOE-(THIS DAY.,  ROBBING THE GUARDIANS OP ST. MARTIN'S WORKHOUSE.--Thomas Hugo, about 76 years of age, and employed as the master shoemaker in St. Martin's Workhouse, was charged by Mr. James Barrett, the master of the house, with stealing a quantity of leather, the property of the guardians of the poor of St. Martin's. Richard Brennan, the gatekeeper at St. Martin's Workhouse, said the prisoner was an inmate, and was employed in the house as the master shoemaker. On the previous (Sunday) morning he went up to call out the names of the inmates going to the different places of worship, when seeing something bulky at the bottom of his trowsers, he ordered him to "fall out" from the rest, and afterwards took him into the hall and asked what he had got at the bottom of his trowsers. He said he had "nothing at all,' but, on his pulling up the leg of his trowsers, he pulled out some of the pieces of leather, which he had tied round his leg. He said he was going to take it to his son's to make up. It was the same as that used in the house—was sole leather, the value 6s. 6d., and the property of the guardians of the poor.  Mr. James Barnett, the master of the house, said that every confidence had been reposed in the prisoner ; in fact he had so much confidence in him that he recommended to the guardians that he should be allowed a suit of clothes different to the other inmates. He had been treated with great kindness, and ho felt much surprised that he should have been guilty of such conduct.  Mr. Boadon having asked the prisoner if he was guilty, he replied that "He was, but that he had never been charged before."  Mr. Boadon said the prisoner had taken such a peculiar mode of taking it that it gave the idea that it was not the first time of his doing so.  Committed for three inonths, Mr. Beadon remarkingthat had he been a younger man, he should have sent him for six.  The parties live in a small house in North-street, Limohouse, and, according to the evidence of the complainant, on Saturday night the prisoner, who was drunk, fastened a quarrel upon her, tore her hair out by the roots, and bit a pi.«, out of her forehead. The prisoner after " chewing" the piece of flesh, spat it out of her mouth, and then bit her thumb. She was completely " smothered in blood." Eleanor Greenwood, a dissipated-looking woman, confirmed the evidence of the complainant with all her exaggerations, and said the prisoner tore Mrs. Thomas to pieces. A policeman, 490 A, said ho was sent to a house in Northstreet, in consequence of an information that murder was being committed. All the parties wore quiet when he reached the house. They were all intoxicated. Kr. Yardley was of opinion there was a great want of discretion on the part of the police-constable. There was no occasion whatever to take the woman into custody and lock her up. The complainant might have been left to her remedy by summons. It was too bad to put a woman who had a child suckling at the breast into confinement this sort of weather, and on such a slight pretext. The woun& on the forehead was a mere scratch, and ho believed what the prisoner said, that she was grossly provoked. The parties appeared to be related, and were quarrelling and drinking. It was a very happy family. The landlady of the house in which the parties reside said there was six of one and half a dozen of the other. The complainant and defendant were continually quarrelling, getting drunk, and fighting. The complainant had paid no rent for three years, and put her at defiance.  Mr. Yardley thought the landlady had given a very oorroct description of the parties—six of ono and half a dozen of the other. If equal justice had been done, both parties should have been locked up. The case had been most grossly exaggerated, and unequal justice had been done by locking up one woman and not the other. lie was called upon to do equal justice, and ha should discharge the prisoner.