Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1892-11-12 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND GAROTTING. At the Southwark Police-court, on Tuesday, four men, giving the names of Frederick Day, Stephen Cook, Sydney Le.,wio, and James Strayney, were charged with stealing a silver watch from the person of Mr. M. B. Ilcssiter, a clerk. —lt appeared from the evidence of Detective Peter White that he was in company of Police - constable Burnell on the night of the Ist instant. 'Fhey were on duty in the neighbourhood of Waterloo-road when their attens tion was attracted to the suspicious movements of five men, including the four prisoners, and they kept watch upon them, following them about for a long time. Soon after midnight the prosecutor. who had missed his train, came out of the station into York-road, when the four men went towards him. Day put his arm round prosecutor's body and took something from his waistcoat pocket, while the four other men hustled and struck him. The officers ran towards the men, who decamped and went down York-street, where Day and Cook were captured. From what they saw they examined the garden in the street, and there found the silver watch which had been stolen from the prosecutor. Prisoners %ere conveyed to the station. The officers then went in search of Lewis and Strayney, and succeeded, the next night, in arresting them at a common lodging-house, They said, "I know nothing about it." The officer added that he was afraid the fifth man could not been identified.—ln answer to the magistrat Day said: We all plead guilty, and hope ydk woz ship will settle it here.—Magistrate: No.—' yi I hope you will. We did not hurt the gentlenl/4) —Previous convictions were proved against tne prisoners, who were thereupon committed to take their trial at the next Old Bailey sessions for highway robbery with violence. Henry Trayner, a smart-looking young man, well dressed, and having something of a military bearing, was charged at the Worship-street Policecourt,on Tuesday,with being concerned with others not in custody in violently assaulting Robert Stewart and robbing him of a watch value L6.—The prosecutor, a Scotchinan, living in Blythe-street, West Ham, said that on Monday night he was in the neighbourhood of Aldgate, but was not acquainted with the locality. He asked the prisoner the way to Aldgate, and the prisoner volunteered to shew him, saying he was going that way. He led him through sonic back streets, and he (prosecutor) became suspicious, and told the prisoner he did not like the way he was leading him. Then the prisoner suddenly seized him by the throat, and at the same moment two other men laid hold of him. His arms were held, and he felt his watchchain pulled out. The pressure on his throat was great, and he could not call out. A moment later he was released, and the men were running away. He pursued and pointed the prisoner out to a constable, and saw the prisoner stopped. A piece of cord some yards in length was put before the prosecutor, and he said that he had no doubt the rope was round his throat. The marks were there when he got to the station, and he felt at the time as if he was being strangled.— Police-constable Mansfield said that he was passing a street called Short-street, Spitalfields, at a quarter to 11 o'clock, when be saw four men. On going towards them three ran away, leaving the prosecutor. Witness seised the latter, who exclaimed that he had been robbed, and pointed to the prisoner. Witness pursue,' him, and never lost sight of him till be was stopped by another police-constable. The latter at the police-station found the rope produced in the prison?r's pocket.—The prisoner made a statement in defence, not denying that he war with the prosecutor, but denying that lie was con. cerned in any attack on him.—ln reply to the magistrate it was sail that there was little chance of the others concerned being arrested. rho prisoner was then committed for trial.  Agnes Pitcher, 30, wife of William Pitcher, of North End, Henley, committed suicide on Tuesday morning by cutting her throat with a bread knife, st 21, Osborne-villas, Margate-road, Ramsgate. She was staying at Ramsgate for the benets; of her health.  An extraordinary incident was on Saturday reported from Cadoxton-juxta-Barry, where Mr. and Mrs. M'Creight, residing in Main-street, were disturbed in their sleep by the piercing screams of their little girl, about Ave months old. On lighting up the room a huge rat leaped from the bed and sprang upon a chair in the corner of the room, where it reared itself in self-defence. A sheep-dog was called into the room and a wild scene ensued, the rat biting the kg several times, but being eventually killed. The child's wrist was found to be severely bitten, and the sleeve of its nightdress was covered with blood.  4