The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1842-12-23 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

DARING ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY.—CAUTION TO PUBLICANS.—A case of a most daring attempt at robbery was heard at the Police-court yesterday, in which Mrs. Weare, the landlady of a puhlic-house in Marvbone, appeared against five men, named Thomas Connor, -Andrew Brown, John Brown, John Foulkes, and John Young. Mrs. Weare stated, that on the evening of yesterday week, the 15th inst., between seven o'clock and half-past, she went up stairs into her own bedroom in the dark. On going towards the window; she thought she saw the movement of a shadow under the window, and on stooping to see what it was, she put her hand upon the person of a man who lay underneath. Greatly alarmed, she demanded of him who he was. and what he wanted there. He replied, "It is me.; and if you stir, or speak, or move, I will shoot you." The man then ran towards the door to effect his escape, and Mrs. Weare in the meantime called loudly for assistance through the bedroom window. She could see the figure of the man, but had not an opportunity of seeing his face. She was in the bedroom at four o'clock, and at that time everything was in proper order.—Robert Sutton stated that be was sitting in the bar, when he heard Mrs. Weare scream " Murder !" very loudly. He immediately got up, and at the foot of the stairs he met the prisoner Connor coining down in his stockings, with his shoes in one hand and his hat in the other. The prisoner said to him, " Run to the back ! " He accordingly went there, and when he returned the prisoner was gone.. The prisoner Andrew Brown was in the house at the time.— Another witness, named William Price, said he was ill the house, and he saw the prisoners Andrew Brown and John Brown in the skittle-alley, playing with some others at skittles.—A boy from the public-house, named Thos. HornhY, described several of the prisoners as being in the skittleyard, and added that one of the party was away for more than an hour, but the others still kept playing on. The prisoner Connor had drank ale out of the same quart with the other men who were playing in the skittle-alley.—Policeofficer Ainsworth, jun., stated that, on Wednesday last, he proceeded to a house in Gascoigne-street, where he apprehended the prisoner Connor, Whom he placed in bridewell. He afterwards went again, in company with police-officer Greaves, in order to search the house. The two Browns were down stairs; and in the front garrett were found the prisoners Foulkes and Young in bed together. Greaves, who was stationed in the yard, on these prisoners hearing the alarm, observed that a bunch of skeleton and other keys was dropped into the yard from the window of the garrett. All these four were placed in custody. Mr. William Robinson, a clerk from the firm of Messrs. Roskell, Ogden, and Co.. said he had tried tour of these keys, and they were keys belonging to that firm. The premises were robbed some weeks ago : witness lost only 10s., one of the clerks £5, and the firm £1 2s. 6d.;—altogether, XS 2s. 6d. were taken.—Mrs. Weare stated that the bundle which she found on the bed, ready to be carried away, contained two coats, four pair of trousers, three waistcoats, a silk shawl, a silk dress,—some of which bad been taken from the drawers, and others from a chest. A silver cream-jug was also wrapped up in the counterpane. The property altogether was worth nearly £2O. The bedroom door was not locked. All the prisoners denied ally knowledge of the charge imputed to them. Eventually, the prisoner Connor was committed for trial at the next sessions, and the other prisoners were remanded for further enquiry, particularly into the robbery at Messrs. Roskell, Ogden, and Co's.