The Sun. — 1844-09-10 (London, England)

THAMES POLICE. Inspector Pearce said, he had other evidence to On Saturday henry John Burkett, a little withered offer, but he could not produce it until Friday, to and wrinkled old man, who keeps a general shop in which day he wished a remand. Salmon's-lane, Limehouse, was charged with assaultMr. Crouch, for the prisoner, protested against any ing an interesting and intelligent-looking child named further remand, as the evidence now tendered, in- Harriet Collenbourne, not more than ten years and a stead of strengthening saspicion against the prisoner, half old. rather went to diminish it. The prisoner was brought up to this Court on a Mr. MALTBT said, taking all the circumstances similar charge no later 'than Tuesday last, on which occasion Mr. Broderip held him to bail, himself in into consideration, he was bound to comply with the application of the police, and therefore the prisoner 1001., and two sureties in .50/. each. must stand remanded till Friday. Though the case was net reported at the time the Thomas Brown, between thirty-five and forty years of circumstance got circulated in the neighbourhood, and age, of respectable appearance, was charged with robbing on 'Wednesday the father of the present complainant his employers, under the following circumstances : mentioned it to his wife. Alarmed lest her own child For the last five or six years the prisoner had been might have been tampered with (for they served the in the employ of Mr. Thomas Morris, of Walker s-eourt, prisoner with milk, and the little one had frequently Soho, linendraper and haberdasher, and not the most re- been the messenger), Mrs. Collenbourne said to her daughter, " I hope, Harriet, Mr. Burkett has offered mote idea was, until lately, entertained of his being dishonest. However, certain sums in money had been recentlyyou, missed from the till at different times, and for the purpose of detecting the thief, friend of Mr. Morris mother, he has ;" but as her father and sisters were it made a purchase at the shop,ind gave in payment a present she refused to detail the circumstances. When marked half-crown. This was on Saturday evening, and they were gone she stated particulars too gross and i about twelve o'clock at night the half-crown was missed filthy to be particularised, adding that the prisoner from the till, to which, in the interim, he had had fre- had behaved to her in the same manner four or five quent access. He was accused of stealing it, but he times, The last assault was committed on Thursday strongly protested his innocence ; but on his being week. searched, the identical half-crown was found in his shoe. Mr. Pelham, who defended the prisoner on both occasions, cross-examined the girl, with a view to The prosecutor said he did not wish to -press the charge, as the prisoner had been in better circumstances, show that the present charge was suggested by the and had A over and numerous family to support. previous one, and that the whole was, as he had been The prisonere'foolishly persisted that the half-crown was his own. instructed, a foul and abominable conspiracy to deMr. MALTBY said the case would then be proceeded stroy the reputation of a man who for twenty-seven with, and remanded the prisoner until this day week. years had sustained a most unimpeachable character The prisoner on hearing this wept aloud. in the neighbourhood. The little girl, however, with Elizabeth Beaty, a fe'inale of respectable manners, and an open artlessness adhered steadily to the statement about thirty years of age,- whose garb denoted the very which she made in the first instance to her mother extreme of destitution, was charged with attempting to and afterwards to the Magistrate. commit suicide. e • Mr. BALLANTINE observed that the girl's stateBetween five and six o'clock last evening she was ment, notwithstanding some discrepancies in her Observed to throw herself into the Serpentine River. cross-examination, was perfectly consistent. The about f She was got out after she had floated to the distance of worthy Magistrate then examined Mrs. Collenbourne, fourteen yards from the 'bank, just as she was for the purpose of ascertaining whether there was sinking. She was then in a state of insensibility, but any private pique, or any difference about money was speedily restored to a state of consciousness. She at first declared that she had fallen in by accident, but matters, between her and the prisoner, but no such afterwards admitted that she had thrown herself input'- motive appeared. She was not in his debt, nor did posely to put an end to her life, as she had not had any he owe her more than a few pence for milk ; and, so work for a long time, and was in id-health, and coin- far from attaining any object by the charge, the completely destitute. For many months past she had plaining party had every likelihood of losing a cusworked at shirt-making. tomer. Mr. MALTBY humanely ordered that she should be Mr. Pelham—But we heard nothing of this matter taken care of for the present. until the former charge was made. MA