Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1891-05-16 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

EXTRAORD INARY BURGLARY AT HACKNEY.  Alfred Wilson, 38, a tailor, with no home, was charged before Mr. Montagu Williams, Q.C., al north London Police-court on Friday, with bur. glariously breaking and entering the ewelling-houill of Mr. John Wallace, a retired master mariner.— The prosecutor said that on Thursday night his premises were all safe about 12 o'clock. At 4.30 in the morning lie heard a slight noise downstairs, and went to ascertain the cause. Seeing the shadow of a man inside the scullery, witness went in, closed and locked the door, and told the prisoner to hold up his hands to see if he had any weapon. Witness then closed with the prisoner, and two gentlemen next door came to his assistance. Then came the policeman, and the prisoner mai deposited at the police-station. During the struggle in the scullery the prisoner said, "Let me go, or it will be the worse for you," but the prosecutor did not hee# this. The Magistrate : Bow was the entri effected ?—Prosecutor: Through the scullery windoW, which is protected by bars Oin. apart; and it must have talen him all his time to get through them. My wife fancies she fastened the catch of the window; but she is not sure. However, she knows It was closed and the blind drawn.—Constable West said he was on duty near the prosecutor's house at a quarter to five o'clock that morning, when he was called to take the prisoner into custody. Witness found the man in the scullery, guarded by the prosecutor and others. On the way to the police-station, the prisoner said he got over several garden-walls before he reached the prosecutor's house. He went to the scullery window of the latter, pulled off his coat, and got through the iron bars. It was a stiff struggle when he got his body half-way through, and it was whilst he was thus engaged that one of his tools fell upon a board beneath the window and aroused the prosecutor. When searched at the police-station a putty knife and a gimlet (the point of the latter protected by a cork), were found in the prisoner's pockets, and in the scullery of the prosecutor's house was found a large chisel (produced), which the prosecutor denied any previous knowledge of. —lnspector Arthur Smith said he examined the premises in question and found that access had been obtained as described, the prisoner squeezing his body through the bars, which he found were Of Inches apart, but which probably would give a little in the centre. Witness examined the catch of the window, and could not say it had been forced. When at the station the prisoner said "It is the first time I ever tried to do a thing of the kind."— Inspector Smith asked for a remand, as he had no doubt he could prove other cases against the prisoner. —This was granted.  A verdict of felo de se was returned on Thursday by a coroner's jury at Aldershot in the case of Corporal Greenwood. R.E., who blew out his brains on returning from the races on Tuesday. There was no evidence at all to shew that the deceased's mind was impaired at the time, his conduct being most deliberate. He bore an excellent character, all his money accounts were in perfect order, and he appeared in a cheerful state of mind a few minutes before committing the rash act. The coroner gave orders for the police to take over the body and bury it at night. The post of Assistant Under-Secretary for War, rendered vacant by the death of Colonel H. G. Deedes, will be filled by the avointm.ent of Sir A. L. Haliburton, K.C.8., who, since his compulsory retirement on the abolition of his office in April, la 9, has been employed on special duties at the War Office. This course will entail no additional expense on the Army funds. The new Bishop of Rochester, the Rev. Dr. Ran. dall T. Davidson, has been prostrated by illness, and has been obliged to take to his bed at Lambeth Palace, where he and Mrs. Davidson were staying. He had been ailing since Sunday, and on Wednesday a doctor was consulted,and ordered a protracted period of complete rest. The enthronement in Rochester Cathedral,fixed for the 16th inst., is now Indefinitely postponed.