The Sun. — 1851-05-22 (London, England)

WORSHIP-STREET. Yesterday James Hurley and George Cator were placed at the bar for re-examination before Mr. Sacker, charged with a daring assault and robbery upon the person of Mr. Benjamin Collins, a blind man, carrying on business as an ironmonger in Highstreet, Shoreditch. The circumstances which led to the detection and apprehension of the prisoners were of a somewhat singular character. It appeared that on the afternoon of Monday, the 9th instant, as the prosecutor was passing through New Inn-yard, Shoreditch, under the guidance of his daughter, a child eight years old, he suddenly received a severe kick on the back of the leg, which flung him forward upon his face, but he was immediately raised up by two men, one of whom, while affecting to commiserate his misfortunes, suddenly thrust his hand into his waistcoat pocket, from which he abstracted his watch with a violent jerk that detached it from the guard, and both of them instantly made off with their booty. He gave immediate information to the police, and having been subsequently apprised that a man was in custody charged with a murderous assault upon a married woman, who had denounced him as one of the gang who had robbed him of his watch, he proceeded to the stationhouse, where he was confronted with the prisoner Hurley, and at once recognised him, by the peculiarity of his voice, as one of his assailants. Ellen Wateman, the wife of a bedstead-maker, in Christopher-square, Shoreditch, in whose house Hurley had formerly lodged, was then examined, and deposed that she accidentally witnessed the robbery while proceeding through New Inn-yard, on the afternoon in question, and having described the particulars in the same terms as they had been detailed by the prosecutor, and thoroughly identified the prisoners as the perpetrators, proceeded to state that she met Hurley again, near her own residence, on the same evening, and after an exulting observation upon the daring character of the transaction, he informed her that he had since, sold the watch for 16s. to a Jew receiver. 'Witness remarked that it was a cruel act to commit such a robbery upon a poor blind man, and told him that she had a good mind to communicate the circumstances to the police, to which he replied that he would certainly cut her throat if she ventured to do so. In consequence of these threats she was deterred from divulging what she had seen, but carefully avoided all further communication with the prisoner, and kept out of his way until the night of Saturday se'nnight, when he followed her home, and commenced a most unmerciful attack upon her, declaring that he would have her life, and after striking her repeatedly on the face, he seized her by the throat, and attempted to strangle her, but her cries of " Murder" were fortunately heard by a policeman, who rescued her from further ill-usage, and conveyed him to the station-house. Witness then preferred the charge of robbery against him, and furnished the police with further information, which resulted in the apprehension of the other prisoner. The prisoners, who denied the charge, were ordered to be remanded for the completion of the deposition, hut on being removed by the gaoler they turned fiercely round upon the female witness, and assailed her with a volley of imprecations for giving evidence against them.