The Sun. — 1849-06-09 (London, England)

LAMBETH.  John Collins, a most expert thief, was placed at the bar before Mr. Norton, on a charge of picking the pocket of Mr. Cattingham, the magistrate, of a silk handkerchief.  Mr. Cottingham, upon being sworn, stated, that on the preceding evening, while on his way from the court to his residence, and just as he had passed the Victoria Theatre, he felt a twitch at his pocket, and instantly missed his pocket handkerchief, which he had used but two or three minutes before. Observing the prisoner running away, and having no doubt he was the person who had committed the robbery, he called out " Stop' thief 1" but prisoner got away, and witness seeing a policeman gave him information of his loss and a description of the prisoner. On that morning, while proceeding to Southwark Court, he saw the prisoner in company with two other men, and having at once recognised him as the person who had robbed him of his handkerchief; he approached him, but the instant the prisoner saw witness he took to his heels, on which witness followed, and told him he should not get away. He said something about his wish to get some employment, but witness ultimately secured and gave him into the custody of a constable. On telling the prisoner the charge upon which he took him, prisoner said it was quite impossible he coted have robbed him, as he had been at Camden-town the whole cf the preceding evening. In conclusion, Mr. Cottingham said he was surprised and grieved to find that, though the street was crowded at the time, and that though people beard him cry out " Stop thief!" and saw the prisoner run, not one of them made the slightest effort to stop him. The prisoner boldly denied the charge, and said his reason for running away in the first instance was the fear that Mr. Cottingham would give him a month's imprisonment for loitering about. Police• constable William Romaine, 38 L, said he had known the prisoner for seven or eight years to be a notorious thief, and bad seen him several times in custody. fie " had two months from this court a short time since for a similar offence," and had only been discharged from prison on Saturday last. He was an associate of Sale, who had been hanged' for the murder of Mr. Belchambers, and was daily in the company of the worst characters. • _ . _  Mr. NORTON told the prisoner that if he persisted in asserting kis innocence of the charge he should send him before a jury, but if not, as it was not the wish of Mr. Cottiogharn to press for an extreme punishment, he should deal with the case summarily. The prisoner finally replied that Mr. Cottingham was gpatilsers.p„eahke atsh ea ergotbl abieurtye do tvi' mistaken in his person, but having heard some of his cishtarpatwe oats iseirsvuemdmhuist the m'iththaeg worship.—(Laughter.)  _ R)maine hero said it was no use the prisoner's going on so, for on seeing him at the station-house, be said, "Why, Jack, did'nt you know Mr. Cottingham ? You ought, you have been before him." He replied, that he did not know him at the time, Finding that there was no use in his persisting to deny the matter further, the prisoner acknowledged his guilt, and was committed to the House of Correction !or two months.