The Express. — 1849-09-04 (London, England)

ROBBERY AT WEDNECHERY.—On Wednesday night last, about eleven o'clock, a most daring highway robbery was committed between Holloway-bank, Wednesbury, and Hill top, by two ruffians, upon a commercial traveller, named Walter William Cobb, residing in Astonstreet, Birmingham. It appears that Cobb (who had been to Wednesbury on business, and was toe late for the last conveyance out of Wednesbury to Birmingham) called at the Hare and Hounds public-house, and inquired if he could have a horse and trap to go to Birmingham, but receiving a reply in the negative, he walked en towards Birmicgham, He had not gone many yards before be was followed by four men, who had been thinning at the Hare and Hounds, and they asked him for some money, stating that they were " poor colliers on the strike." He refuszd to give them anything, and two of them went back ; but the others followed, and still importuned him for money, and, on his giving another refusal, one of them struck him a blow on the bead, and knocked him down. The other villain then held Mr. Cobb while the one who knocked him down rifled his pockets, from which he took 11. 10s. in gold coin. Mr. Cobb struggled hard with the thief wise knocked him down, and, for some time, held him by the hair of the head; but he ultimately got away, and, withhis companion, made off. Mr. Cobb immediately raised a cry of police," and, fortunately, George Bailey, an officer of the county constabulary, and another policeman, came nip at the time, when, from toe description 'oven of the men, Bailey apprehended two men in bed at a house at Rollo way.bank,an hour after the robbery. The men, whose names are John Ingram and Thomas Holmes, alias Pass, were brought up on Thursday, before the magistrate, when Cobb fully identified them as the men who had robbed him. The depositions having been taken, the prisoners were committed for trial at the neat Stafford assizes.—Birmingham Mercury. SUICIDE OF A SERGEANT IN THE GrAnDS.—Before Mr. Wakley, jun., at the Canteen, in St. John's-wood Barracks, on the body of David Smith, aged 42 rears, late quartermaster-sergeant of the let battalion of Coldstream Guards! Robert Martin, a private in the same regiment, said, about ten minutes past six o'clock on Saturday morning witness saw, through the window of the store-room, the deceased hanging near the well. Witness instantly gave an alarm, and on entering the store-room with Sergeant Sheedeo, they found the deceased suspended by a cord which was fastened to a wooden peg in the wall. There was a noon in the rope which was round his n&k, and the other end of the cord the deceased held firmly in his hand. The deceased was instantly cut down, but life was found to be quite extinct. Witness had seen the deceased about ten minutes before the discovery, when the deceased on.. oat of his quarters which adjoins the stare- room, with only his shirt and drawers on, and after lookiog about for the space of a half minute, he went in, and witness did not see him again alive. The deceased had been very desponding for some days past, and on Friday last he wanted as if he was not in his right mess. Sergeant-Hejor Harrold stated that the deoeaaed had been 23 lean is the regiment, and about three years since, is consequence of his good conduct and behaviour, he was raised to the rank of quarter-master-sergeant. He was • married man, and had four children. He had been very low spirited for several days past, on account dins wife's illnen. *The jury returned • verdict of "temporary inlenity.