13 SEPTEMBER 1828, Page 5

POLICE OF LONDON.

Mrs. Cooke, alias Sutton, was brought to Bow-street for re-examination, on Saturday. It was merely stated by Mr. Rathmacher, that he had not yet obtained possession of his piano-forte. A conversation then arose as to who was to prosecute the prisoner and her gang. Application had been made to the Secretary of the Society for Prosecuting Swindlers ; but that society made it a rule never to undertake any prosecution unless some of its own members are sufferers. This point was left unsettled ; and at a future stage of the proceedings, Mr. Rathmacher mentioned that the porters who carried the instrument to her house could be produced. The prisoner was therefore remanded.

Fagan. the officer who had been at the house in Blackfriars-road, where Barrett lived. produced a number of letters and documents which he found there, of which he took possession. From these it appeared, that Barrett, Godfrey, and the others, had carried on business as timber-merchants at Shoreham, having also an establishment in the metropolis; but by a letter from a person who signs " Wm. German," it appeared that this concern proved a failure. A second letter from the same individual states that he (German) was unable to get the bills discounted, and being pressed on all quarters was completely aground. There wasno chance,-he feared, of open- ing a banker's account, and all hopes were at an end of doing any good at Shoreham. The letter concludes—" Front the many disappointments I am con- tinually meeting with, I see nothing else staring me in the face but bankruptcy. I am sorry I cannot assist you at present, therefore exert yourself and do the best you can ', The gang had next turned their attention to Brighton; and a "ma- gasin des modes" was opened, of which Mrs. Sutton, under the name of San- ders, was the Conductress. This concern also failed ; the "nobility, gentry, and visitors of Brighton," to whom her cards were addressed, having declined to become patrons. Mrs. Cooke next assumed the name of Mrs. Elizabeth Smith ; and having removed to another quarter of the town, announced herself as a straw anfLeghorn bonnet-manufacturer. This undertaking also proved un- successful; but still she continued to swindle a number of the people of Brighten. She decamped very suddenly. Her next appearance was at High. bury, under the assumed name of Sanders. She had obtained possession of a nchly-furnished house by means of the activity of her town agents ; and havin; formed the scheme of opening a seminary for young ladies, she issued the following circular:— " Ilighbury.Park Establishment for Young Ladies.—Mrs. Sanders respectfully begs leave to assure parents, guardians, and the friends of female youth, that the most unremitting attention will be paid to secure those young ladies intrusted to her care the advantages of a superior education. Liberal and enlightened minds have admitted the disadvantages resulting from enlarged establishments, where it cannot reasonably be expected that where unlimited numbers are received, on the principle of economical charges, due attention can be paid to the improvt meat of each ituli- viditul in the various branches of education. Indeed, at many seminaries, additional charges frequently mislead and surprise those whose views have been directed to an economical establishment. Mrs. Sanders respectfully subunits her system and charges for the approbation of those who, placing their daughters or wards at a se- minary, are desirous of ensuring a solid ornamental and liberal education, under the eye of a parent whose anxious study it will be to conciliate and secure the affection of her pupils, and by every indulgence and attention to their comrort, health, and intellectual improvement, unite all the ideas of home with the acquirements of a seminary. Mrs. Sanders's establishment consists of a select number of pupils; therefore the restraints and formality of a boarding-school are dispensed with, and the young ladies will consider themselves as in a family."

Exclusive of masters, the payment for each pupil was modestly, fixed at one hundred guineas per annum. It was not stated whether the above an:a:mime- 'tient had the effect of procuring Mrs. Sanders any pupils ; but as far as appearances went, the establishment at Highbury offered strong inducements to parents and guardians: the mistress was plausible, and seemed accom- plished; she lived also in the first style, and made her morning calls in a very handsome vehicle. Several other letters and memorandums were read : front one of which, it appeared that the gang had some connexion with Gravatt and de Cuurcey Ireland, who were tried at the Old Bailey Sessions for coining.

Mrs. Cooke was again placed at the bar on Monday; and the porters who carried away the piano-forte were examined. They spoke to the fact of their having placed the piano-forte in a recess in the parlour, by her own desire. This was all the evidence. The witnesses were bound to attend at the Old Bailey Sessions; and the woman was fun), committed to Newgate.

The fishermen on the Thames are reduced to great straits by the rigid manner in which the laws regulating the fishing in the river are enforced. In return, they have become so ferocious that it is dangerous for the officers employed under the water-bailiff to venture among them. Last Friday night, an officer named Pierce had interfered with three boats "standing for shrimps :" be received a blow on the head from a grappling-iron, which de- prived him of sense; and had not some other boats approached, it seemed very likely that he would have been murdered. At the Mansion-house, on Saturday, a warrant was granted for the apprehension of the assailant. Im- mediately after this complaint, another fisherman was charged with having fished with an unlawful net. Alderman Farebrother regretted the necessity he was under of condemning the net, but said he had no alternative. Fisher- man—" Why, your Worship, I have a wife and six children, and must they starve ? What am I to do ? Shall I take 'em out and drown 'em like cats The City Solicitor—"You must fish with a lawful net; the law directly for- bids the use of such as you have used." Alderman—" I assure you it is with great pain I condemn the net." Fisherman—" If you saw my family you would not touch the net." Alderman—" I must condemn it." Fisherman —" Well, then, your Worship, let me have the rope at any rate ; that's not unlawful." Alderman—" What do you want with the rope ?" Fisherman —"To hang myself, to be sure." The Alderman and tire City Solicitor having consulted together, the former said, "Well, my good fellow, in a short time your net will be a lawful one, and when that time arrives you shall have it, by applying at the Mansion-house." The fisherman was in same degree consoled by this assurance, and returned thanks. Morgan, the showman, appeared to answer for the misconduct of his lion, in wounding a boy at the fair. It was proved that the fault was in a great measure the boy's own, he and others having provoked the brute by puking at it with a stick. Over the cage this caution was stuck up—" Beware of Pompey, the great lion who killed his keeper." The Alderman advised some compensation ; which was promised.

An Irishman, named Kane, was brought to Bow-street on Monday, charged with having disturbed the congregation of the Chapel of Ease of St. Martin's parish, in Long Acre, on Sunday. It appeared that he had got drunk and had beaten his wife ; she ran away ; he followed her, overtook her in the passage leading to the chapel, and beat her again ; his violence and her screams alarmed the congregation, and they were removed : he afterwards returned and created another disturbance under the chapel-win- dow, when he was given into custody. In reply to the Magistrate, he said that he was a Catholic, and a good one too ; and that he would not likely have created the disturbance had it been a Catholic place of worship ! The Churchwardens having undertaken to prosecute, the prisoner was committed, A boy about twelve years of age, who belongs to the formidable gang, calling themselves the "Forty Thieves," was on Monday sent to the House of Correction for three months, from Union-hall-office,--having been con- victed of an attempt to pick a handkerchief from a gentleman's pocket. The members of this gang have peculiar marks on their arms and hands, by which they are known to each other. The prisoner had some capital letters marked, apparently by gunpowder, on the skin. The letters were described to he the initials of his name, anthalso that of a prostitute, for every juvenile thief belonging to the gang was stated to have his "fancy woman." Thomas Bartley was brought before the Lord Mayor, at the Mansion-house, on Tuesday, on the charge of having obtained various sums of money under false pretences. The prisoner, on the preceding day, having got himself in- troduced to Mr. Foster, one of the partners of Calvert and Co., brewers, handed to that gentleman petitions anti papers stating that he was an Ame- rican by birth, bad been part owner of a vessel which foundered about the Western Isles, that all on board perished, except himself and five others, and that his loss of property by the calamity was 4700/. Among his list of subscriptions were the names of several clergymen, dissenters, and elderly ladies ; but it did not appear that he had actually received any money. Ile was sent to the house of correction for three months, as a rogue and vaga- bond. Among some of his papers were found written cautions riot to apply to lawyers for relief under any circumstances.

William Harman, one of the messengers belonging to the County Fire Office, Regent-street, was brought before Mr. Conant, at Marlborough-street, on Tuesday, charged with having committed frauds upon the directors of that establishment, to the amount of upwards of 1001. Mr. Barber Beaumont, the managing director, attended to prosecute the prisoner ; who, he stated, had been employed by the directors for the laat t-s.ix years. He had con- ducted himself with propriety until within the last six months, during which time he had embezzled money to a very considerable amount. Two of the most recent cases were specified—in the one, he had appropriated 4/. 11s.,

in the other 91.4.64 to his own use, instead of the Company's. The pri- soner wished to indemnify Mr. Beaumont, as far as in his power. The offer of compromise was rejected, and the prisoner remanded.

John Smith, a chimney-sweep, was committed, on the charge of having stolen plate, knives and forks, and other articles, from the Thatched House Tavern, the chimneys of which he had usually swept. Margaret Donelly was committed for having received the same, knowing them to be stolen ; the principal witness against them is the woman's daughter, a little girl about twelve years of age.

George Laming, a young Irishman, was, on Tuesday, brought before Mr. Marriott, at Queen-square, on the charge of having stolen a ladder from Mr. Cubitt, the builder, in Grosvenor-place. When apprehended by the con- stable, the prisoner said that he had only borrowed the ladder fur the pur- pose of releasing a young woman from Hyde Park. Mr. Marriott—" Well, young man, what have you to say ? you have got yourself into a pretty pre- dicament." Laming—" Please your worship, I was taking a walk with a young woman, who is here to speak for herself, itt Hyde-park, yesterday evening. We rambled about a good deal, and I was so transported with the dear creature, that the time glided unconsciously away, so that, when we reached the gates at Hyde-park corner, we found them closed against us. Under these circumstances, I scaled the iron-rails, and, inspired by the God of Love, I ran to Mr. Cubitt's premises, in Grosvenor-place, and borrowed the ladder, for the purpose of assisting the lady over the gate." Mr. M.trriott admonished him to take care of his future conduct, or his gallantry might get him " transported" in a way which he did not probably anticipate. Ile was di-charged.

A lad was examined at Guildhall, on suspicion of having stolen a bundle of religious tracts, some weights, and a hammer. No claimant appearing, Mr. Payne, the clerk. suspr,ested that if the lad was remanded till he had seed all the tracts it might do bins good. Alderman Farebrother would not do that, as he was afraid it might make him worse. The youth was given up to his friends.

Soon after Mr. Hardwick had taken his seat at Lambeth Office, on Tuesday, Norris, the officer of the day, ushered into his presence a poor woman, named Larkins, the widow of a tradesman once in respectable busi- ness in the neighbourhood. Mr. Hardwick asked her what was her busi- ness ? In a pitiable tone of agony, she replied that it was to obtain his assist- ance in the recovery of her daughter's clothes- Her daughter, about eight weeks since, left her home for the purpose of going into time service of an old lady and gentleman living in the West-end of the town. She heard nothing of her since she went ; and seeing the description of a person who was acci- dentally drowned in the canal near Limehouse, and it corresponding with the dress and appearance of her daughter, she went to the dead-house there, to ascertain if it was the body of her child. It unfortunately was not ; for happy would it have been for her if it had, and that, though deprived of life, she had not been contaminated. On her return home, she met her unfortu- nate girl. Mr. Hardwick—" What age is she ?" 11rs. Larkins—" About fifteen, Sir. I met her. Sir, in the Commercial-road, in company with a vile brothel-keeper, named Worms., dressed out in a manner which left me no doubt as to the kind of people into whose hands my poor child had got. My poor child recollected me at once, and on seeing me, she fainted. I dropped myself, too, and some kind people took us into their house until we re- covered. I then brought my girl home; but oh Sir, she is so chan,ed, and, through the infamous woman, so bad in health, that I was obliged to take her to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where she now is. I called for her clothes, but they were refused me, and that is the reason that I now trouble your worship. My poor child! my poor child !" Further explanation dis- closed the residence and practices of the " infamous woman," one of the worst of her class. An officer was sent for the clothes ; and the vile seduc- tress having refused to deliver up all, was placed at the bar. She is only about twenty-three years of age, and was accompanied by a girl about sixteen, whom she had also inveigled : both evinced the most disgusting effrontery. Mr. Miller, the chief officer, was directed to visit the unfortu- nate girl at the Hospital ; where he learnt from her lips more than enough to bear out the worst inference that could be. drawn from her mother's evi- dence. As she was sincerely penitent, the Magistrates are to endeavour to get the girl into the Magdalen Asylum ; and notice has been sent to Worror, (a Jewess,) that unless she immediately shuts up her house and leaves the district, she shall be sent to the House of Correction for three months.

James Mayden was on Wednesday charged at Bow-street, under Lord Ellenborough's Act, as amended by Lord Lansdowne, with having thrust an iron instrument into the right eye of George Green, whereby he is for ever

deprived of the use of it. The prisoner, who is a plumber, was in June

accused of having received a quantity of lead, which had been stolen from Buckingham House. He had previously applied to the :proAOCutor for the loan of his horse and cart, to drive some lead. Some days after, the parties having met in Piccadilly, the prisoner called the prosecutor a damned in- former and a rascal. The prosecutor was passing the prisoner's shop on the 30th of August, when the latter came out, and a good deal of abusive language was uttered on both sides. The issue was, that the prisoner went for an iron instrument, with which he first made a thrust at the prosecutor's bowels, and then, before he could guard his face, thrust it into his eye. Mayden stands committed to Newgate, on the capital charge.

Mr. Very, confectioner, Regent-street, complained to the Magistrate at Marlborough-street, that he was much annoyed by crowds of persons who as- semble round his shop in the evening, to admire a beautiful young lady who attends his shop. When the shop was closed, they climbed up the balcony, and looked through the apertures of the shutters. Hats and shoes, and in one instance a large stone, were thrown in. An officer was directed to see what could be done to effect the removal of the mob.

At Mary-la-bonne, a Paddington coachman was fined 40s. and costs, for having abused a gentleman front whom he was exacting more than his regular fare.

The Captain of the Hero steam-boat, which carries passengers from London to Gravesend, was charged before the Lord Mayor, on Thursday, with having attempted to circumvent the Captain of the Sophia Jane, which sets off from the same wharf. The offence was, that the Captain of the Hero had employed some little boys to obliterate certain words from a wall, which announced that the Sophia Jane sailed daily from that place for Gravesend, and which words the defendant thought attracted too many customers to his rival. The defendant was convicted in the penalty of 51. A woman named Cowen appeared with black eyes, broken nose, swelled head, bruised arms, and other symptoms of somebody's resentment, to corn- plain against her husband. They had been married twenty-seven years; but it was only within the last five or six years that he had commenced

beating her. Some days before, he had brought in as much laudanum as would have killed a dozen of persons, and said that he was going to put himself to sleep in earnest. He did not take the drug, for what reason she could not tell, since she did not interfere to hinder him. The defendant, its excuse for his conduct, said that he had received a wound in his head, and that made him savage sometimes, but at other times he was as mild as a babe. The Lord Mayor ordered him to find bail.

James Henry Prince, the schoolmaster belonging to the charity-school for the united parishes of Bloomsbury and St. Giles's-in-the-fields, was brought before Mr. Conant, at Marlborough-street office, on Thursday, charged with an atrocious crime committed upon the persons of two of the female orphan children in the school. The evidence was not sufficient to bear out the capital charge ; but he was ordered to find bail to answer any indictment for misdemeanour, which might be preferred against him by the guardians of the school. The prisoner has a wife and three children.

Two celebrated French tight-rope dancers, Madame Saqui and her hus- band, came to Hatton-Garden, on Thursday, accompanied by an interpreter, to prefer a charge of assault against John Monkhouse, keeper of White Conduit-house, Pentonville. The complainants had engaged the gardens of White Conduit House at ten guineas, to perform there during the last week, and did so every night since Monday. On Saturday night, however, having come to perform as usual, they were disappointed and surprised at finding all the ropes down, and at Mr. Monkhouse telling them he wanted neither them nor their dancing any longer. They remonstrated with hins, and out of their remonstrance arose the assault now complained of: be struck Monsieur first, and next Madame. It was proved that the conduct of the foreigners towards the defendant had been somewhat violent ; and Mr. Ser- geant Stilton therefore dismissed the case.

A Manchester man. named John Brookshaw, was brought before the Lord Mayor yesterday, charged with having been engaged with a nest of ingenious and desperate swindlers, who [me been levyiug, contributions upon the public for some time. The batch here alluded to beats Mrs. Cooke's alto- gether ; they are all regular moms of business, and it is extremely hard to establish a case against them. In the present case, the prisoner had tried to obtain possession of thirty-five packs of skin comb-wool, a pretended pur- chase from Mr. Greenell, of Ashford, in Kent, by some gentlemen who re- presented themselves as Messrs. Keene and Company, of Green Lettuce- lane, London. Means were taken to guard against any swindling transac- tion by having the wool consigned to the warehouse of Messrs. Lawrence, who were to see it weighed and receive the money. The prisoner and his gang were too deep for the parties ; the waggoner was waylaid on his road to town, and desired to lodge the wool in another warehouse. Here it was discovered by Mr. Greenell. The prisoner appeared with an order for its delivery to him ; and he was given into custody. In his exatnination, time prisoner trumped up some stories about his dealings with different bankers. There were no grounds on which he could he detained, and Sir John Perring was obliged to discharge him. As he was moving off the gaoler claimed a shilling, his customary fee ; the prisoner replied, " Upon my honour, I have not a farthing, in the world."

Another of the " Forty Thieves" was yesterday committed from Union Hall for stealing flannel. It has been decided, by Sir George Fa-rant, on a complaint against Mr. Rosenberg, that a landlord who supplies his lodgers with wine is liable to the full penalty for retailing it without a licence; and, in the view which the Magistrate took of the statute; it makes no difference though the wine be procured from a licensed bemuse, and given to the lodger, without any profit having been charged. The penalty is 204 which the Magistrate has the power of mitigating one-half : in this case it was so mitigated.