At Marylebone Police Office, on Monday, Mitchell, Dyson, Mahon, and
Robinson, the men accused of the burglary at Mr. Holford's, were brought up for reexamination. Mitchell, the man who was so badly wounded, appeared to be very ill, and still had his arm in a sling. Several Policemen gave evidence respecting two women ; which went to prove that these women and Mitchell, Dyson, and Mahon, were all connected together, and thus to show that these three men at least were leagued in the robbery. Mr. Joseph, a surgeon, stated that he had found three marks of shot on the right hand of Dyson ; the wound that had been on the left hand might have been caused by getting over a spiked fence. Mr. Collins, the surgeon who was sent for when Mitchell was taken into custody, said that on examining his back he found eleven or twelve wounds that appeared to have been caused by shot. Mr. Wontner urged on behalf of Robinson, that there was no case against him, as the evidence did not show that he was near Mr. Holford's on the night of the robbery. Witnesses were called to prove an alibi. Robinson's brother and his wife swore that he was at their house at Heaton during the whole of the night of the 13th. Other persons spoke of seeing him on the Sunday night' but their testimony was not inconsistent with a belief of his guilt Policemen were reexamined to strengthen the suspicion against the prisoner, by reiterating proofs that he had been in company with the other men on the night of the 13th at the George in the Borough. Mr. Broughton admitted that the evidence against Robinson was comparatively slight; but of the witnesses 'who were called to prove the alibi, those who deposed anything to the point were near relatives. He resolved to remand all the men for a week ; but if good bail were tendered for Robinson, he would consider the matter.
At Bow Street Police Office, on Wednesday, the further investigation of the robbery of jewellery in the Strand proceeded. The only new evidence was given by Policemen; who showed that several of the prisoners had been connected together before the robbery. All were remanded for a week; the recognizances of Kelly, the porter, being enlarged for that time.
Mr. Sirrell underwent another examination, at the Manaionhouse, on Tuesday, on charges of knowingly purchasing stolen goods. Mr. Henry Golden, of Maidstone, identified three silver pepper-castors found at Sirrell's : they were stolen from his house by burglars, on the 25th September. More evidence was given about the silver spoon stolen from the Rainbow Tavern in the beginning of August. Mr. Brockleby swore that a gold watch found in the stock was lost by him at Epsom races, on the 22d of May : the watch was taken from the guard in a very unaccountable manner, but there seemed little doubt that it was stolen, and not lost by Mr. Broekleby. A friend also identified this article. Mr. Luigi Balerna, of Halifax, a jeweller, had his premises plundered on the night of the 13th July; a great number of articles were taken, among them an old pair of gold spectacles: he swore that a pair found at Sirrell 's were these ; he had worn them himself; there were peculiarities about them. Miss Emily Coates recognized a mourning-ring as having belonged to her sister : it was missed about a year ago. In the course of a cross-examination, Inspector Lund stated the amount of the seizure at Mr. Sirrell's. "I have the list of the property which is removed from the prisoner's premises. There are, I should say, a thousand spoons, some hundreds of watch movements, perhaps thirty watches, and between sixty and seventy rings. There were, I should say, twelve or fourteen mourning-rings. We have had, I dare say, a hundred or two inquiries about the goods. The value of the property we took may be between 30001. and 4000/. I have heard that Mr. Sirrell has carried on business these thirty or forty years." The accused was again remanded, on bail.
The case terminated on Thursday. Mr. Bodkin appeared as Government prosecutor. Mr. Lewis, for Mr. Sirrell, urged that there were not the slightest grounds for attributing a guilty knowledge to his client; who had been for many years carrying on an extensive trade as a refiner and dealer in plate, and who had never once shown by his conduct, either as regarded the articles in question or any other goods, the most remote disposition to concealment or prevarication. Mr. Bodkin said, he left the case entirely in the hands of the Alderman. Alderman Gibbs, bearing in mind that Mr. Sirrell had voluntarily surrendered himself, that out of a stock of the value of 3000/. or 4000/. so few charges had arisen, and that these cases might have occurred in the usual mode of transacting business, while there was no proof of guilty knowledge, considered it his duty to discharge the prisoner. There was a burst of applause at this decision.
At Southwark Police Office, on Monday, Henry Chalk was charged with entering a house in Tennison Street, York Road, by means of a picklockkey. A Policeman saw him trying doors in Stamford Street, and followed him to Tennison Street; there he opened a door, and entered. The constable hastened to give notice to another officer, that the man might not escape by the rear of the house. When he returned to Tennison Street, Chalk was in the road, having left the house when he found that his entryhad aroused the inmates. Picklock and latch keys were found upon him.—Committed.
At the Mansionhouse, on Wednesday, Adam Young, a man under age, was charged with obtaining 10s. from Mrs. Richardson by improper means. Mr. Young has opened an office in Lower Thames Street as a general agent for conducting business connected with the Exhibition of 1851. Mrs. Richardson wanted counter-space to exhibit stays ; she went to Mr. Young, and paid him 10s. for a apace of four feet four inches in the gallery ; she swore positively that Mr. Young undertook to give her the space himself in consideration of the payment, not to apply to others on her behalf. Mr. Charles Wentworth Dilke, one of the Executive Commissioners, proved that the accused had no power to grant space in t,he exhibition-building. The defence was, that Mr. Young took the las. in payment for his trouble in making application for the desired space through a local committee. David Lloyd, a duly and Mr. Young's father, both swore that Adam Young distinctly told Mrs. Richardson that this was all he pretended to perform, and that he himself had no power to grant the space. Alderman Gibbs said" I have considered the case with great attention, and I believe the witness Mrs. Richardson is the witness of truth. I shall take bail to the amount of 401. that defendant appears at the Sessions to answer any charge that may be brought against hum; and I shall send the depositions to the Court."
At Bow Street Police Office, on Saturday, Henry Williams was finally examined on a charge of stealing lace, and .another man and two women for feloniously, receiving the same. Williams is a well-known thief. Mr. Fisher, a lace-merchant in Wood Street, sent a boy with a packet of lace to Waterloo House, in Pall Mall East, in the evening ; the boy found that the place was closed for the night ; he was hastening back to his master with the parcel, when Williams accosted him, and offered him a shilling to take a message a short distance; eventually, the boy was induced to leave the parcel with Williams at a public-house : when he returned the thief had disappeared. The lace was worth 137/. Portions of it were traced to the other prisoners ; some had been pawned. The accused were all committed for trial. Two other charges were then brought against Williams ; in one case he had stolen a parcel from an errand-boy, and in the other instance a coat, by a trick similar to that employed in the lace-robbery. He was committed on both these charges.
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