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Northern Star (1837-1852), 16th October 1852, Edition 2 of 2, Page 6, 150 THE STAR OF F&EED0E [Octob^

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    • LAW CQUHTS.
    • POLICE COURTS.
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      150 The Star Of F&Eed0e [Octob^

      150 THE STAR OF F & EED 0 E [ Octob ^

      Law Cquhts.

      LAW CQUHTS .

      1/ Middlesex Sessions. Pocket-Rickw R.. ...

      1 / MIDDLESEX SESSIONS . PocKET-riCKw r .. — William Pcricn , twenty , was convicted of « sslealineV ) s . Gd . from the person of John Wilson . Lockyer , the loofficer h attendance from the House of Correction , Cold-bath -fields , jpproved two former convictions against the prisoner , who was sen - inclined to seven years' transportation . Stbket Kor . nKUY . — David Bivdscy , twenty-two , and Thomas

      I Lee- nineteen , were indicted for robbing Joseph Turner 01 a watcn nand ' chain , value £ 6 10 s . This was one of those street robberies \ which are ' effected by a prostitute accosting a passer by , and one or imore fellows then coining up and charging the person accosted with t talcing liberties with a respectable married woman , availing thems selves of the bewilderment produced on the victim by so sudden a ( charge to rob him . The prisoners were found " Guilty . "—Sergeant ] Fade " 2 N , proved that the prisoners were members of a gang of

      i swell-mobsmen , of which one Wilshaw , a notorious cracksman , was 1 the chief in command . —Lockyer deposed that the prisoner Lee was t tried in that court for a robbery of the same kind not along ago . He - was acquitted , bnt the girls were convicted and sentenced to trans-• portation . —Fade said that the prisoners had with others carried on i an extensive system of plunder from Hoxton to Islington , and along the City-road . —The Assistant Judge sentenced them each to seven years' transportation . # , indicted for

      Robbery of Watches . —Bamet Joseph , a Jew , was having stolen four watches , the property of Daniel Elliott liedger The watches in question were safe in the prosecutor's shop window , No . 2 . Upper Duncan-place , Islington , at about three in the afternoon , on the 2 nd of April , and they were stolen by some person who must ' kave crawled into the shop and taken them from a tray in a manner that escaped the attention of a person who was in the back parlour at the time . The evidence to connect the prisoner with the robbery was , that he had pawned one of the stolen watches , and when charged with having done so by a policeman , lie threw him

      down , and by getting into a house in Irymgpan-lane , and taking a leap irom a first-floor window , effecting his escape . The jury found the prisoner " Guilty . ' * A police-constable named Ward stated that he knew the prisoner to be a common associate of thieves . On one occasion a boy was detected conveying stolen property to him , and was sentenced to seven years' transportation . On another lie was suspected with another thief of having stolen a £ 5 note which they had in their possession , and he destroyed all means of proof by chewing up and swallowing it . He assaulted the officer , and for that lie suffered a month ' s imprisonment , and he had been-found in possession of duplicates of stolen watches . The Assistant Judge sentenced him to ten years * transportation .

      Police Courts.

      POLICE COURTS .

      . Mansion House. Fighting Tailors.—Three...

      . MANSION HOUSE . Fighting Tailors . —Three young Irish tailors , named Murphy , Donohoe , and Kelly , were charged with having disturbed the neighbourhood of Catherine-wheel-alley , by lighting on Sunday . The place iu which the row took p lace has been long known to be the only part of the city in which , on account , of the alternate merriment and quarrels among the resident tailors , nobody is allowed to slumber or sleep either by night or by day . Even the . Sunday lias no exemption . On the contrary , the usual peiformers consider that the character of that day , wliich is everywhere else to a certain extent venerated , yields to them an opportunity of showing a bolder contrast

      in their favourite exercise of "pitching into" each other . It appeared from the statement of the police , that , when they were summoned to the scene of action , there were ten or twelve of the inhabitants , all of who lived and worked , as it were , together , fighting away like devils . There were , as is generally the case , some women , whose voices gave variety to the music , engaged in the light . The confusion was so great that it was impossible to distinguish who were most actively engaged , but , as the three defendants were covered with blood , it was presumed that they had not been idle spectators among the 200 or 300 persons who were gathered together at ihe height of the amusement . Thev were accordingly conveyed to the statiou-house ,

      and , as the officers calculated sagaciously , the bother was soon at an end . —The Lord Mayor : Were they sober ? Witness : Perfectly so , your lordship ; but ii does not signify whether ia that neighbourhood the people are sober or drunk , for fight they will ? To keep the place quiet is absolutely impossible . —The defendants said they were standing together , quite sober and comfortable , when somebody— -they believed it was Paddy Ryan or Peg White—gave one of them a pelt that reminded him of a fall that , killed his father from the top of a ladder . Thev began to defend themselves as well as they coubi , and

      in instant the whole street was nothing but a regular field of battle . They did not know who in the world began or ended lite row . They only knew tkst afier having the lives hammered out of them they ¦ were walked off to the station-house . —The Lord Mayor : I suppose the people in the surrounding neighbourhood were alarmed ? Policeman : They were greatly annoyed , your lordship . I can ' t say they were alarmed , for the cries of * ' Murder" in the place are very frequent . — -One of the defendants : Oh , faith , if there was any murthei there it was we that were murthcred . Warn ' t the three of us

      knocked down like ninepins?—Here a woman got into the witnessbox , and said : I got this eye , please your worship , among 'em ( showing a disfigured side of her face ) , bnt . I don ' t think it was done by them three at the bar . I think it was Jem Ryan ' s list that done it . Are you there , Jem ? ( looking into the crowd ) . A Voice : No , Jem wasn ' t there at all at the lime ; he was blind drunk at No . 3 . ( Laughter ) . —The Lord Mayor : I confess 1 do not know Avhat to do with the Irish tailors , who seem to mo to be a class of 111 C 11 distinct

      from , all others . They seem to mc to live upon fighting and drinking , strange as the diet may appear to-be , and wherever they herd together they contrive to elude ihe police . There is no evidence that these defendants gave , though there is proof enough that they received , blows , but I consider that I shall do perfectly right in binding them over , in their own recognisances , to keep the peace towards all her Majesty ' s subjects for six months . The mildness of my decision arises from the fact that they are the only sober Irish tailors I ever saw here .

      GUILDHALL . Bkggixg-Letteh Impostors . — -Thomas Rogers , John Stuart , and James Wilson , were brought , up on remand charged with being begging-letter impostors . —Horsfurd , sen ., the Mendicity Society ' s officer , stated that he hud known Stuart as a begging-letter imuostor since 1835 , during wliich time ho . had been nine Limes convicted and suffered imprisonment for the offence , the last time being iu May of the present year . He knew Rogers also as having been twice convicted of the same offence ; while ho knew Wilson as the associate of Mich characters , and hud seen him in company with the other ptii-vmers in Chcapside on Tuesday . —The prisoners were sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour .

      Stabbing by a Buy . —11- Park , a boy , aged twelve years , was charged with stabbing a iishmonger named Watson , residing in Shoelane , and Ellen Park , the boy ' s mother , was charged with assaulting the complainant— 'lhe prosecutor slated that in consequence ol difierenees which occurred between the mother and himself , who lived in the s . mm house , on account of her children being so troublesome

      . Mansion House. Fighting Tailors.—Three...

      she took up a piece of wood to strike him with , when the boy took up an oyster knife , came behind him , and stabbed him in the thigh . The wound was of some depth , and bled very much . He had been obliged to have it dressed by a surgeon . —The prisoners entered into an account of the quarrel between the parties , but did not deny the fact of the stabbing . —The woman was bound over to keep the peace , and the boy was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment .

      BOW-STREET . Post-office Robbery .- * -Robert Gadsmark , aged twenty-eight , an assistant letter-carrier in the Walworth district , was brought before Mr . Jardino , charged , upon his own confession , with stealing letters containing Post-office orders . ™ Matthew Peake , a constable attached to the General Post-office , stated that the prisoner was formerly a receiving-house keeper in the same district ,- but had become reduced in circumstances . He had been lately employed , in consideration of this fact , as an assistant to the person who succeeded him at the receiving-office . The prisoner gave himself into custody for stealing two letters , one of which contained a £ 5 Postoffice order , and the other a £ 2 order . —The prisoner , . who said nothing to the charge , was remanded for further examination .

      Drunkenness and Assault . —Henry Cost , a young man , was charged with two assaults and drunkenness . The prisoner , after knocking down his wife , and leaving her senseless upon the pavement , aimed a blow at Mr . Burnaby , the chief clerk of the court , who interfered to save her from further violence . —He was fined £ 2 , or eieht days' imprisonment . The fine was paid . Potiornv by a Lawyer . — -Wallace Harvey , a member of Gray ' sinn , describing himself of 2 , Middle Temple-lane , was brought before Mr . Henry for re-examination' on several charges of forgery , and obtaining money under false pretences . The prisoner was

      remanded from Friday last . The circumstances deposed to at the fust examination were briefly to the effect that the prosecutrix , Mrs . Wood , was the widow of Dr . Ralston Wood , a literary gentleman , who died at Christmas , 1850 , at which time the prisoner , finding her left friendless in London , represented himself as the companion of her late husband , and volunteered to manage her affairs . Thus armed with her authority , he possessed himself of her entire means , consisting of about £ 600 , an annuity of £ 20 , and some property at Glagow , wliich he induced her to sell for £ 214 . This amount ( minus £ 4 for her own immediate use ) was placed in their joint names in the Commercial Bank of London , and subsequently drawn out by the prisoner , by cheques bearing the forged signature

      of the widow . He continued also to receive the widow ' s annuity from Scotland , sending forged receipts for the same , and never paying her more than a few shillings at intervals for her support . —A number of witnesses were now called to substantiate the charge .- — Mr . Henry said he should commit the prisoner for trial for the forgery of the seven cheques upon the Commercial Bank ; but he should direct him to be brought up again to answer the charge of having also forged the receipts sent to the Glasgow Chamber of Merchants , in acknowledgment of money received by him for Mrs . Wood , but never paid to her . It was also stated , when the case was opened , that the prisoner had negotiated some cheques upon the bank , which were dishonoured . —Mr . Wontner said the witnesses to

      support this cnarge were now in atteiiG . unce .--It was then proved that the prisoner had ordered some books of a tradesman in Pleetstreet , and tendered one of the cheques'in question in payment for the same . It was returned , there being " no effects . "—Mr . Henry said that the prisoner must also be committed on this charge , for it was altogether distinct from the other , and could not be affected by anything which the prisoner had said respecting the Woods . His

      worship hoped that the managers of the bank would now consider it their duty to take up the prosecution for the cheques , as they were the parlies who had been defrauded . —Mr . Giffard : We are not cer tain' of that . It is one of the questions which are under consideration .- —Mr . Henry : Oh . ' there can be no doubt of that , I think . Some gentlemen present , who represented the managers , promised to give the subject every consideration . — -The prisoner was then fully committed for trial .

      MARYLEBONE . Plate Robbery . —George Bad ham , Rowland Badham , and Ann Badham , his wife , were charged with having been concerned in an extensive robbery of plate at the residence of the Rev . Thomas Gamier , rector of Trinity Church , Marylebone , and who resides at No . 5 , Upper Harley-streer , Portland . pJace . ~ -William Boone , the butler , said : On Friday evening last , at a quarter to seven o ' clock , the front door bell rung , and on my going up to see who was there I saw the prisoner Rowland Badham . who came into the

      hall and spoke to me regarding a person who , as he alleged , had at one time lived in the service of my master . I remarked to him that I knew nothing about the person he alluded to , and after having partaken of a pinch of snuff with him at his request he quitted the premises . At nine o ' clock , upon going into the pantry , I missed the plate-basket , which contained valuable property of different descriptions . ( Witness hero enumerated the articles stolen . They consisted of saltcellars , spoons , forks , sugartongs , & c . ) I immediately gave information of the robbery to the police . —Potter , 212 K : On Wednesday afternoonat five o ' clock

      , I was in Broad-street , when I saw two men reconnoitering about the house of Mr . Delany , a pawnbroker . The two men I speak of were the prisoners . Rowland went in , and George walked away . I observed that the latter had something bulky under his coat . I entered the shop , and there saw Rowland , who had just put two silver saltcellars upon the counter . I asked him where he got them from , and he told me that he had them from a gentleman who , bein « about to go to Australia , and wanting some clothes , had sent him to

      raise what , he could upon the articles . Not liking his story , I searched him , and found in his possession five spoons , a pair of sugartongs and a fork . While conveying him to the station-house he said that he had purchased them ol a traveller . —The woman was discharged with an understanding that until the next examination she was to be under the surveillance of the police ; and the two male prisoners whose story was that they were to raise money on the plate , for a person who had appointed to meet them on a future day were remanded till Wednesday next .

      MARLBOROUGH-STREET . Alleged MuniiEn . —James Phillips , a rough-looking fellow , was brought before Mr . Bmgham on suspicion of having murdered Ann Mathews , the keeper of a house of ill-fame , No . 11 , Sheppardstrcct . —The prisoner had been brought to this court before and imprisoned for savagely beating the . deceased . —Mary Richardson widow , had been living about ei ght years as servant to the deceased ' The prisoner also lived m the house as porter for about two years ' The prisoner was nephew to the deceased , who went by the name f ihe

      oAnn Brown , prisoner and his aunt cohabited together , and occupied the same bedroom as man and wife . They were accus tomed to quarrel violently . They were not three nights together without quarrelling . On Saturday night the prisoner went out , and did not return until twelve o ' clock . He was then betwixt and beuveen-neither sober nor drunk . Deceased sent for a pot of neer , and sat down on tne hearthrug in front of the fire . Prisoner used very bad language , and called her filthy names , and scid she was sitting in a dirty manner . The prisoner was standing near the bed , partly undressed . At that moment a ring came to the bell and witness went to the door . As she was going out she heard her

      . Mansion House. Fighting Tailors.—Three...

      mistress say " Oh ! Mary , " as if calling to her . Wii » 7 ^^ away more than three minutes , and when she returned i ^ Y ^ M she found her mistress lying at full length on the floor vo , r ° oia to the fireplace . Witness put her hand under the 1 \ \ fot deceased to raise her up , and asked the prisoner , who \ VJ ° ^ near the fireplace , to help her , remarking at the same ti f ! Ss have killed your aunt at last . " The prisoner made n 0 "IV ^ 'ii lifted up his foot and pressed it as hard as he could on (] , ? ;' ' » it the deceased . The prisoner as he did that said , << i \ l ^ w here , look . " The deceased never spoke or groaned 'n , J ' * acre , iook .. ioo un-uww »« "w o ^ ivc oi groaned , Tv %

      ; then got into bed . Witness said , " Why , you are not hoI , ! " ' * ^ her lie here ? " The prisoner said , " She ' s all right en 02 l ( ' 1 go to bed . " Witness waited , but her mistress never mnv , } ' / ' prisoner , after a short time , got up and lifted the decease 1 T || p bed . He said he would go for a doctor . Theuprisoner went *" rt | p returned in a short time , followed by a doctor . The doeior UiUl ( l but could do no good . The deceased had been drinkiim- , iu ' , i ^ afternoon . The chain , the pencilcase , and spectacles now «^ llu > were her mistress ' s .- —It was proved that the prisoner had hri previously packed up to go to Auslralia . -The prisoner w manded for a week . ' as NA Simpleton . —James Jones , and Mary Ann , his wife charged with having extorted two sums of £ 2 5 s . and £ <> . (; ' I Augustus Assiny , beershop-keeper , No . 53 , Wells street O- ' m street , under a threat of laying an excise information ar 4 ;„ ,., i

      Mr . Bingham said there was nothing to warrant the detention 0 f t wife , and she must be discharged . H e would hear what the w « , had to say . The prisoner denied having represented himsift ? an excise officer . He only went into the complainant ' s house t finding he was selling beer in another man ' s name , he . ra ve ' ?" advice as a friend . He did not recollect the money paid Jo j , [ lu Um he was not sober—Mr . Bingham said he would remand limi fo ^ week , to give the officers an opportunity of ascertaining if hc jj J levied black mail on other beershop-keepcrs and publicans '"

      CLERKBNWELL . Pestilence Manufactories . —Margaret Barnett , Dennis Haw * Julia Finn , and Catherine Dalton , of Charlotte-hiuldin » nit " ' Pleasant-court ) , Gray ' s-inn-lane , were summoned before Mr yJ whitt , on Saturday , for taking in lodgers , their rooms mhml registered and approved of for that purpose . —William Hunt , insnpcf ing sergeant of common lodging-houses , said that he visited fiu ' defendants' rooms at one o clock on the morning of the 29 th of hst month , having previously served notices upon them to register uVk

      rooms as common lodging-houses . In that of Barnett he found three beds . In the first bed were the defendant , her son , six years old , her brother , a man thirty-fiv . e , a girl twelve , and a girl nine years of imthe brother ' s children , and another girl , nine years old . In Uie second bed was a man . The third bed was on a chest at the side ol the others , and contained a man , who said he paid Mrs . Barnett 4 d , per week . The room was in a most filthy state , swarming wall vermin , and encumbered with a quantity of old wood which left a

      space of about seven feet by four , in which space the first-mentioned beds were on the floor , the beds consisted of a quantity of dirty shavings , and the stench was horrible . The other cases were of ' n similar description . —Mr . Tyrwhitt convicted Barnett and Finn in the full penalty of £ 5 each , and Dallon in dOs ., or hi default a commonsurate term of imprisonment . They were , however , allowed a week to comply with the regulations , or leave their abodes . Hayes to cautioned and discharged .

      WORSHIP-STREET . Ruffianlv Outrage . —Henry Hall , a well-dressed person , described as a civil engineer and estate agent , residing at Brudeneilplace , New North-road , was charged with a series of unprovoked and savage assaults on Mrs . Martha Hipgins , a respectable and elderly woman , living in Aske-plffce , Hoxton , Josiah Riggins , Lcr husband , and Sophia Thornton , a charwoman in their employment . The first complainant , Martha Higgins , who appeared with her head enveloped in bandages , was in such a state of extreme suffering and exhaustion , from the ill treatment she had sustained , that she was scarcely able to articulate , and was accomodated with a seat during

      the investigation . It appeared from her evidence , and that of several other witnesses , that shortly before five o'clock on Saturday afternoon , while the charwoman , Thornton , was engaged iu cleaning the parlour window , at the house of Mr . Higgins , the defendant , who was passing along in the company of another person , wantonly raised his stick and gave her a smart cut across the arm . On demanding what he meant by such conduct , the defendant assailed her with flic mo & t profane and scurrilous language , which attracted the notice of her mistress , who proceeded to the door , and remonstrated with him upon his disgraceful behaviourto which he replied with a

      distrust-, ing epithet , and was proceeding to attack her also , when his friend interposed , and succeeded with some difficulty in forcing him down the street . Feeling greatly incensed at the outrage , Mrs . Higgins immediately communicated the particulars to her husband , who hastened after the defendant and his friend , whom lie overtook at a short distance , and inquired if they were the persons who had insulted his wife and servant . The defendant coolly answered in the affirmative , to which the complainant replied that ft was well for him he was not present at the time , but he had no sooner uttered the observation' than the defendant made a violent cut at his head with his

      stick , which he managed to ward off at the expense of a severe brmsi > upon his arm , and his assailant rapidly followed up the attack hy a succession of heavy blows , one of which struck him under tho our , and caused him the most excruciating pain from the effects of wmcii he had not yet recovered . While they were struggling together , Ins wife , who was greatly alarmed and agitated , suddenly presented herself , and on begging him not to engage in a personal contest . Din " give the fellow in charge , the defendant thrust her violently into w ' road , and , raising the butt-end of his stick , dealt her a blow on uu | front of her head , causing a wound from the blood streamed u < w h

      over her face . She was saved from falling by one of her ncigboinj ' who caught her in his arms , and conveyed her to the residence oi . surgeon in the neighbourhood , who dressed the wound , and iui' »! her with the certificate now produced . In the meantime a sin --taneous rush was made upon the defendant by a number oi pe |' j ^ whom his outrageous conduct had attracted to the spot , and a " desperate resistance , he was ultimately overpowere d and give' _^ custody . —Mr . Hammill said that the case was of far too ^ V ^ nature to admit of its being summarily disposed of ; ™ as " < ttit ferred from the medical certificate that the health of the huly y ~^ ^ present in rather a precarious slate from the effects of his vio . --he should order the prisoner to be remanded for a week , to alioi

      opportunity for ascertaining the result of her injuries

      LAMBETH . The Ruffian Sweep . - James Cannon , the ruffian cll ^ f . ; sweeper , who has been in custody since the 13 th oi last ^'"^ . ^^ . . j ,. charge of having made a murderous attack on 1 ouce-c ' » i _ r r . - Michael Dwyer , 135 P division , was placed at the bar be oil Elliott , for final examination .-Dwyer , the prosecutor , wno , ^^ the present savage attack ' upon him , was one ol the mi ;> ^^ men in the whole of the division to which he belonged , was ^ to be assisted into court by two of his brother c , ° ? stft *' J . flrC Wyly altered was his appearance that even the officers of the com . « j ^ — recognised him . The poor fellow could only "io i i ( hlikdtf double , and . his glassy eye , haggard appearance , ana

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Oct. 16, 1852, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_16101852/page/6/