The Sun. — 1842-02-07 (London, England)

WOOLWICH. Three dashing young gentlemen were placed in the dock, charged with committing a robbery at the Bell Tavern, Bell Water-gate, Woolwich. - The case excited the greatest interest, from the nature of the evidence adduced. The prisoners' names were Lees, Hurry, and Thompson ; the latter had loSt his hat, which was not to be found. A police constable of the L division (31), being sworn, deposed that he was standing at the door of the house in question, when he went up stairs. to look for a brother constable, who, be thought, was in the house. On the landing-place he saw a door on the left open, and he looked in, but discovered it was a bed-room. Lees, one of the prisoners, looked in, and Thompson was there, and another, not in custody. Thinking something suspicions, he went doWn and informed the landlord, and he remained below ; in a few minutes after he heard the cry of " Thieves," and a scuffle. Lees came clown and hastily left the house. He followed him about two hundred yards, when he saw him join Hurry. He then called some brother constables, and took theminto custody. On searching them at the station-house Thompson had a silver watch, and a door key. penknife, some sovereigns, and silver. He told the sum in the purse before:he opened it. On Lees was found a sold watch, gold guard, penknife, three sovereigns, &e. On Hurry a, watch, guard, two sovereigns and a half, some silver, &c. He had seen them previously together in a road leading to 'Woolwichcommon. Did not see Hurry near the house in question. Mr. GROVE could not see what business the constable had to take them. They all had watches, and wore them in the fashionable style round their necks. They had not, with the exception of Thompson, been seen near the house.  Mr. Burch, the landlord, wished to be heard, and I stated that on the police constable informing him of the circumstance, he went up stairs, and saw the prisoner, Thompson, coming out of his bed-room. He called out "Murder ! thieves !" He then saw another run out. He found his bed-room had been ransacked, the bed and and bedding taken off the bedstead. Under the mattrass he had some silver spoons concealed, which he bought about thirty-five years ago from Mr. Webber, a silversmith, of Powis-street. They had been removed from there. The lock of the door had been picked, and he had not time to see what he had lost. There was a bag with a quantity of silver, three watches gone, &c. He distinctly heard something heavy fall by the side of Thompson, when he was running down stairs. Mr. George Sutherland stated he was in the house at the time, when he heard a cry of "Murder," &c. He saw Thompson run clown without a hat, and he then .saw the spoons fall from his person, and he held him fast till taken into custody by a police constable. Did not see the other prisoners there. William Romayne, a police constable, deposed to taking the prisoner, who said nothing but that he had made a mistake in the room. Lees had come down. and gone away; another constable followed him. Benjamin Portman said he heard something fall. He ran up stairs, when he met Thompson,-who gave him a violent blow on the nose.  The constable 31 L said, if they were remanded, no doubt, from their description, which answered exactly, he could prove plenty of similar cases against them. He had seen them often in bad company, thieves, &c., and watched them during the day. • Mr. GROVE -It is a very clear case against Thompson, but the others he-saw no pretence for taking into custody, nor had the officer any right to do so; they might be the associates of pickpockets, but that was no reason, as they were not near the house in question. Hurry was discharged. Mr. Hurry then said he Was, a farmer residing in a Sudbury; he came to town for few weeks, and took lodgings in Montague-place, RUsSell-square; his father was a County Magistrate, living in Suffblk, and he could Th bringe most respectable witnesses as to his character; he came down .to see the. review, "and not one of the others did he know.