The Sun. — 1850-10-01 (London, England)

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. CLERKEN WELL. William Steadman, William Jones, and George Newman, respectably-dressed young men, were placed at the bar, charged by Mr. Archer, of No. 2, Green Arbour-buildings, Moorfields, with having conspired to defraud him of 9/.  It appeared, from the evidence of the prosecutor, that on Saturday, between twelve and one o'clock, he was accosted by the prisoner Steadman, whom he had known for many years, and after some conversation Jones made his appearance, and said he was intimately acquainted with witness's father, and invited him to have something to drink. They pro• ceeded to a house in the City-road, where they saw the prisoner Newman standing before the bar drinking brandy-and-water, who also claimed acquaintanceship with witness's father, and, rattling some sovereigns in his pocket, said that a rich old aunt had left him a considerable sum of money, and there was nothing like sticking to brandy-and-water, and advised witness to have some. He then asked Jones to pay for some. Jones refused, saying he would have no objection to play at " knock 'em downs," and they went to a public-house near Goswell-street, when it was proposed to play for a bottle of wine and a sovereign and Jones asked him to go ten shillings with him, which he consented to do, and he lost. They sub.. sequently went to other public-houses, where skittles were introduced, and they induced witness to pledge his watch and lose money to the amount of 91. and upwards, and he agreed to meet them again and play for 20/. ; and feeling satisfied that he had been duped by the prisoners, he consulted with Sergeant llarvey, 14 G, who, with Reeve and Hawkins, 424 K and 191 G, took the prisoners into custody. Harvey and the other officers identified the prisoners as skittle sharps.  They were ordered to put in their own recogni. zances in 1001. each to appear on a future day to answer the charge. Eliza Slater, aged 55, was placed at the bar before Mr. Combo, charged in the police-sheet with having  attempted to commit suicide, by throwing herself into the New River.  Sergeant Judd, 44 N., said that when the prisoner was brought to the station-house she stated that a fellow named Richard Grady, who lodged in the same house, No. 1, Fox-place, Kingsland, had violated her ; and he (Judd) had taken him into custody. The fellow was now placed at the bar, and Mrs. Slater was sworn. The particulars as stated by her are of a nature not to be detailed ; suffice it to say, that the prisoner was seeking after a situation in the police force, and on Saturday night last he proposed his services to protect the prosecutrix on a visit to her sister, and on passing over a dark field the prisoner threw her down and accomplished his object, when she plunged into the river, but she was saved. The prisoner denied the charge, saying that the prosecutrix entered several public-houses on the road, was drunk, and led him across the field, which she said was the shortest way to her sister's house. The prosecutrix did not deny having drank rum at several public-houses with the prisoner. Mr. COMBE had no doubt that Mrs. Slater was drunk at the time, and he discharw,d the prisoner.