The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-05-30 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

TAKEN IN.BY A SHAM DETECTIM  - At Marlborough-street Police-court, Arthur Mari. ham, 35, a clerk, has been charged on remand with stealing two silver forks of the value of 305., belonging to Mrs. Washington Hibbert ; also with stealing a diamond ring, of the value of £l5, the property of Mrs. Ada Mode, the proprietress of a private hotel. In October, 1887, Mrs. Lilibbert lost her purse in Farm-street Chapel. A few days afterwards the prisoner called at her house, said he was a detective named Sinclair, and that he had the man in custody that stole her property. He was left alone for a few minutes in the dining-room, where the plate was kept, and two days after he left the house the forks were missed. It subsequently transpired that no person was in custody for stealing Mrs. Hibbert's purse, and that the statement of the accused was untrue.— ' Mrs. Morle deposed that in July, 1887, several articles of jewellery were stolen from her house. A female servant of hers was prosecuted for being concerned in the robbery, and while the girl was under remand the prisoner called upon witness, represented that he was a detective of the City police, and asked her to accompany him to the Mansion House to identify some of the jewellery that she had lost. Believing his story, she went with him to the City, and on the way he asked her if the ring she was wearing was like one of those she had lost, and she replied in the affirmative. He requested her to take it off and let him look at the setting of it, and at the same time told her an interesting police story whiph engrossed her attention. They travelled by omnibus to the City, and on alighting at the Mansion House the accused, who still had possession of her ring, exclaimed, "Excuse me, I must go and get the keys," and darted down a side street. She waited some time, but he never returned, and ultimately she gave information to the police of what had happened.—Mr. Henry Holditch Hungerford stated that in February, 1888, his wife lost a diamond butterfly brooch, and he put an advertisement in two daily papers, saying that if the finder returned it to the owner a reward would be given. Shortly after the advertisement appeared the accused called at his residence and said that he was a detective named Robinson, and that the brooch had been found, together with some jewellery that had been stolen from the residence of Mr. Grenfell, a friend of witness's. Believing the man's story, the witness went to try and find Mr. Grenfell, but without success. Taking advantage of the absence of the witness from his house, the accused called there, and represented that he had been sent to fetch some documents, but the butler took care not to leave him by himself in any of the rooms. Afterwards it was ascertained that there was not a word of truth in the prisoner's story. —Detective-sergeant Lythell stated that numerous complaints had been received about the aecusep,who was committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court.  By command of the Queen, a State ball was given on Monday at Buckingham Palace. Many members of the Royal family and a large number of invited guests were present.  Laura Bridgman, the afflicted blind mute, about whom the late Charles Dickens wrote so pathetically in his sketches of America, has just died in New York. She was born in 1829. Although labouring uder such terrible disadvantages, she was happy 2.d contented. She suffered much before her death. William lit'Gregor, aged 63, of Preston, met with his death in an extraordinary manner on Saturday. He placed a toy cannon on the top of a wringing machine in the washhouse and exploded it with a hot iron, blowing out his brains. He has left a widow and children. It is supposed he committed suicide. liywa will the late relierick harron, druggist, who left personalty valued at £77,402, bequeaths £5OO to the St. Luke'. Hospital; 17200 each to the Religious Tract Society, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and the British and Foreign Bible Society, and one rear's wages to each person in his ein;iirrrerut.