The Sun. — 1867-09-18 (London, England)

THAMES.  HIGHWAY ROBBERY WITH - VIOLENCE IN A PUBLIC STREET.—Francis Green, described as a hammerman, .aged 27, of No. 1, London-terrace, St. George's-in-the-East, was brought before Mr. Benson, charged with being concerned mith others in assaulting and robbing Mrs: Ca 3 oline Major North, wife of a tradesman, dwelling at No. 59, Cable-street, St. George.  Mrs. Major North stated that on Monday afternoon last at three o'clock she was passing along the Cannon-street-road, wearing her gold watch and chain, when a young man rushed from a narrow alley and seized her chaid with both hands, pulled the watch from the pocket in her dress, and tried to break the chain, which was a strong one, and for some time resisted all hi 3• efforts to rend it asunder. She struggled with the villain, and he dragged her along by the chain, forced her on the ground, and by a violent effort disengaged the gold watch from the chain, and ran away with it up the court. Her mouth was bleeding from the violence offered to her, and no one came to her assistance. The prisoner and another man were right in front of her and the thief while she was being illused and robbed. They looked on, and the prisoner said to the man who was dragging her along, " You -- fool, why don't you do it better than that? " There were many persons in a low beer shop opposite to the place where she was robbed, but no one interfered.  Mr. Benson—Did you cry police, thieves, or murder ?  Witness—The attack was so sudden, and I was dragged along so roughly, that I had not the power to do so.  The Prisoner—Are you quite sure that I said, " You fool, why don't you do it better ? " Witness—Yes, I am sure of it. The prisoner—What I said was, " It's a shame to treat a woman in that manner."  Witness—No, you said nothing of the kind. Porter William Dunaway, Police-sergeant No. 11 11, of the detective police, said he apprehended. the prisoner yesterday afternoon, and said to him, " Do you know who lam ?" to which he replied, gi Yes. I know what you are come about, Mr. Dunaway ; it is about the lady that has been robbed of her watch." Witness said, " The lady has stated that you and another man were standing by all the time it was done." On the way to the station house the prisoner said, "I saw the three men that did it they came down out of the court a few minutes before the lady came up." At the station house he told the prisoner that he had been heard to declare that he saw the watch lying on the footpath for fen minutes. The prisoner denied this, and said that he laid bold of the young man's arm, when he was robbing the lady, and said to him, " What a -- shame it is, you villain." He asked the prisoner why he did not lay hold of the thief. The prisoner said, " I do not know whatever came over me, my powers seemed to leave me. I could not hold him." Dunaway added that a very low lot inhabited Bowyer's Buildings, opposite to where the robbery was committed. The court led to St. George's-terrace, another bad place. There were numerous thieves, burglars, prostitutes, and other infamous characters" in those places, and the inhabitants of Cannon-street-road who did not belong to the dangerous classes were afraid of their badly&posed and wicked neighbours, and would not interfere if they saw a robbery or outrage committed. Mr. Benson—That is an alarming state of things indeed.  Police-sergeant Dillon, No. 19 K, confirmed the statement of Dunaway as to the lawless state of the district near the place where the robbery was committed.  Mr. Benson—A respectable woman is illused and robbed in the daytime in a crowded thoroughfare, and people look on and don't interpose. It appears to me that many more could be charged besides the prisoner. The public-house, in which were SO many persons of bad character, should be reported to the licensing magistrates. Dillon—lt was a low beershop, not under the control of the magistracy. The prisoner has been hanging about there and associating with bad characters for a long time.  Mr. Benson was afraid he would not be justified in detaining the prisoner, although the circumstances were suspicious, and finally ordered him to enter into his own recognisances in the sum of £lO to appear next week. lie hoped the perpetrator of the audacious robbery would be arrested.  7HE