The Sun. — 1863-09-24 (London, England)

STRANGE STORY.  At the Birmingham Police court, on Tuesday, Mary Ann Jones, who was charged at the court on Monday with threatening to commit suicide, was again brought up and placed in the dock. On Monday she had made to the court a strange statement, to the effect that she had been enticed away from her home at Burslem by a young man named Wm. Dean, drugged on the way to Wolverhampton, and afterwards seduced and robbed. This she afterwards altered, and her amended statement stood thus :—Dean, who had worked with her at a pottery at Burslem, had been courting her for some time, and by him she was enciente. On Saturday morning he advised her to start with aim for Wolverhampton. On the way, and when within a very short distance of the town, he pulled from his pocket a powder, and urged her to take it. She did so, and afterwards became unconscious. Oa coming to herself she found that Dean had left her, and also that, while in a stupefied state, a small sum of money, which she drew from her employers before leaving Burslem, had been taken from her. Upon this evidence, involving, as it did, charges of offences of serious magnitude against Dean, the bench ordered a warrant to issue for his immediate apprehension. The young woman gave his description and address to the police. In the course of the day an officer, armed with the authority of the law, was sent down to the Potteries in search of Dean. On arriving there he found out that the girl had made a statement having not the slightest foundation in truth, and that she had imposed on the credulity of the bench with lies trumped up for the occasion. No such a person as William Dean was known in the locality, but the girl was known to the police as being a notorious impostor, and addicted to vagabondish habits. riaving made these discoveries the officer quietly returned to Wolverhampton, bringing with him a witness who was well acquainted with the girl's antecedents.—Policesergeant Steel, of Burslem, said that about two years ago the prisoner was found lying in the road, at Trentham, by Mr. Adderley, M.P., of Barlastonhall, to whom she stated that some person had robbed her of a purse containing 4s. 60., and also committed a rape upon her. Mr. Adderley, in consequence, took her in his carriage to Stone Workhouse. A man was arrested oa the charges, but her statement proved to be untrue, and she was severely reprimanded by the magistrates who heard the case. She admitted that she had made a false charge. She was afterwards taken to the workhouse at Chell, whence she absconded, taking with her some clothing belonging to the union. On this charge she was sentenced to a month's imprisonment. Shortly after her release from gaol she was found sitting in the road at Trentham, at night, and told a policeman who found her that she could tell who the men were who had been concerned in the recent poaching affray on the Duke of Sutherland's estate. She named a lodging-house where they could be found, and the house was searched,but this story turned out to be untrue. She was brought before magistrates at Longton, and sentenced, he believed, to a month's imprisonment. The prisoner—Nothing of the kind, sir. Witness —A short time afterwards she was in custody of a police-officer, Blurton, charged with disorderly conduct. For this offence she was sentenced, he believed, to two months' imprisonment Soon after her liberation from gaol she was found at Eccleshall, in an apparently dying state. Police-sergeant Robinson took her to his house, and she informed him that two men had taken her into a toll-house near Salop, and committed a rape upon her, and afterwards gave her poison. Two magistrates were fetched from church to take her declaration, as it was thought she would die. The declaration was signed by her, and she stated her belief that she should not recover. Upon inquiries being made as to her character, she admitted her statement to be false, and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. After her release from gaol she was again found at Longton, but she was then in company with a man, and she was brought before the magistrates, and sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment. Her term expired last Saturday. One of the bench asked if she was a prostitute. Witness—She is a notorious prostitute, and one of the greatest liars in the world. Superintendent Povey had received communications from almost every town in England where she had practised the same kind of dodges. The prisoner—You have told an untruth; I have only been to Stafford three times; the first for seven, the second for fourteen, and the last for twentyone days. Witness—On applying to the gaol more than half a dozen convictions can be produced of her. Prisoner—As to my going to Chell Workhouse, I never did, for my mother took me home. The Mayor (to the prisoner)—He says you came from Stafford on Saturday. Prisoner—lt was not on Saturday I came. I was at home on the 19th of September, and my mother knows it too. In answer to the bench, the witness added that there was no such person ss William Dean living at Burslem. The Mayor (to the prisoner)—Do The adhere to the statement you made to Dean ? prisoner said she did, and it was true she was three months advanced in the family way. The Mayor said she would be examined by a surgeon, and remanded far a week, and in the meantime further inquiries would be made respecting ker. He added that this case showed the necessity of there being a public prosecutor. It must be placed in the hands of an attorney, so that a proper inquiry might be made, and the case presented to the bench next Tuesday in a connected form, for if the statement of the nollee-bergeant were correct the prisoner ought not to be at large.—Binnznyllarn Gazette.  GAS LAMPS just placed in the Champs Elphs reeemble in shape an antique vase. The light springs from an imitation candle, and at the .top ie a white porcelain reflector. They give a much more brilliant light than those on the old system.