The Statesman. — 1812-09-29 (London, England)

POLICE.  . • Guit,nnart.—A boy named Roberta, was ol' Monday charged before Sir Mai-rams Bt.onam, the Sittine, Alderman, with a novel species of theft, by I,lr. Wolfe, a tallow-cikvidier in Pleet-market. On Saturday afternoon, the Prisoner with an. other boy pill tessin stature than himself, came into the Prosecutor's shop,, which is vrry large, having two counters on opposite sidesv behind oneof Which, a heap of silver was piled up, out of the reach,of apy, hand from without either counter. The young thief thrust a slender wooden wand across the counter, poll&ateronsly lifted out of the silver heap one bank taken tippeadefL to the top of the wand, and then a second one, which he. Olt* Isandtd to his. juvenile accomplice, who Instantly of ''s escape. Roberts was seized, and a Constable being sent tor, was searched, when neither of the bank tokens, but ifitestailver was found upon him, The wand was found to have tOran the top, whieh attracted the silver tokens, and a ardele was found in the Prisoner's pocket.—He was ilugnik.4l.ropfarthet ealmination. Wortimir,eratter.—Monday a person named Skater' alias reilircorineosnatisted, •ebitgel with uttering forged notes, perporting to be Rank of piARR4 Notes of 11. each.  !•  ,o h',IILET: SErtriesea 28.  Dr.JohieSkrieciff was put to the bar to take his trial on an 11 Indictment, charging him with having stolen several books, a a diver snuff-box, .atul other articles, the property of Hugh hheigenzie, Esq. It appeared, from the evidence of Charles Strachan, the sermint iof the Prosecutor (who lives at No. 4, Brick-court, ; Tempsoyle), that on the 40th of July lam, the Prisoner called at the'Cluunbers, and asitCed if Mr. M'Kenzie was at home? On • being answered in the negative, he said he would write a note 1, to him. The boy Immediately proceredlim some paper, ands pen and' lat. Prisoner then complained of being thirsty, and begged the boy. to get hint a glass of water, which the boy agreed to do, and quitted the room fur that purpose. On his retern the Prisoner gave him a note, which he desired him to give to his Master, and then welt oat. This note heing unsealed, the boy observed, that it was nothing but a piece of Mask paper. llis suspicions were immediately excited and he followed the Prisener into New-court, and there told him that the note he bad left had no writing in it. The l'risoner said be was mistaken, it was written with a pencil. This, however, Dot being the case, the boy insisted upon his going back to the t chambers and the porter of the Inn having come to his assist- I ante, au :Prisoner agreed to accompany them; and lo going ap stain:, a bOok fell from him, which the boy picked up, and reeggoised as his master',. The Prisoner was searched, and other books. also the property of the Prosecutor, were found in his possession. lie Ras afterwards conducted to the Brown Bear, where a snuff-box, likewise the property of Mr; hi'licazie, was found. ! The Prisoner said nothing in his defence, but left his case in the hands of his Counsel, who called live most respectable per. sons; fruits whose depodtions it appeared, that the Prisoner was formerly a Fellow-commoner, at Cambridge, and a Professor of Chemistry; that be had at all times supported the character of a man of the strictest honour and integrity ; but that of late,- in j consequence of a variety of misfortunes which had befaikwhimi be had evinced the strongest marks of a disordered mind. It • also appeared, from the evidenceof Mr. Landwer, an engraver, that the Prisoner was above the ceremony of asking auy small favour °fa friend, such as bOrrowing books, or other trifling artitles. He always took them without asking, and expected his friends to be equally free with him. It farther turned out, that the Prisoner was upon the most intimate footing with a gentles man of the name of Nl'Keexie, but whether the Prosecutor was 1 that person ur not, did not appear. The Groornir SIMIAi ? having summed np the evidence with Retasot impartiality, the Jury, without hesitation, acquitted the  On the tad inst. Thomas Bennty,.Midshipman of the,Press Gang stationed at Greenock, was brought before,the „Magistrates, for.wantonly firing a musket, supposed to be charged with ball, among the spectators witnessing the scene, while in the act of impressing a man upon one of the quays. After a long and interesting examination, in which the fact was fully proved, and from which it clearly appeared, that ne attempt had been made by the spectators to circumvent, the Prisoner in the pursuance 'of his duty, or to rescue the person impressed, he ' was addressed by the Chief Magistrate, in a most 'able,afid eloquent speech, • he was reminded, that the service in which he bad been engaged, was one `that vested censideiable power in his hands, which power he had wantonly exceeded ' • that it was a service which required hini to blend the feelings of the matt with the authority.of the officer : but these feelings he had trampled upop and disregarded. BenIney was yesterday brought np, and sentenced to 30 days 'confinement in Bridewell, and before liberation, Ito.find caution against such unwarrantable condtict In time to come. This judgment, we trust, will Iprove a warning to.thoie who may, in future, be employed in a similar character An that place, and Is highly creditable to the authority from whence it pro. ~. ' Coaoaraes ;4 Innnizat-,,, n-Inquisition was taken on Saturdayl.o lictigreykpiace, Pimlico, on the body ;of Masy .Burnett}- who .erae,fowt4 drowned in the tieigMloujhOier op litisii/lay. It -appeared in evi[dence that the deceased was tervahe to a Lady who resided in the 'hen#,Of Mr. Young,. wherbai Lieu' tenant-in the army also had apartments. The Officer and ihtsceivapt tiecame too intimate, and in consequence she was discharged. She, however, instead Of leaving the house tot* her boxes into the Officer's room, and refused to quit it; but, she was at length compelled so to do. She expressed her determine' --nit suicide, and, perambulated the -- ' cl,