The Umbrella Thief

SYSTEMATIC ROBBERY OF UMBRELLAS.

John Mayne, whose address and occupation were refused, was charged with stealing a silk umbrella, the property of Mr. Thomas Joyce, a surgeon residing in Pembridge-gardens, Kensington. It appeared that on Friday the prisoner called at the house and requested to see Dr. Joyce, and on being informed that he was not in he asked permission to be allowed to write a letter. He was permitted to enter the hall, where he saw Miss Joyce, who allowed him at his request to look over the patients' book for a name. He wrote a letter, which he left on the hall table for Dr. Joyce, and went away. Police-constable 149 F said he saw the prisoner in Pembridge-crescent behaving in a suspicious manner, and watched him. He saw him draw an umbrella from under his coat. He followed him to the Portobello-road and took him into custody. At the station he examined the umbrella and found the name and address of Dr. Joyce upon it. Miss Joyce identified the umbrella, and it was stated by the servant that it was not missed until it was brought to the house by the constable. Detective Dew applied for a remand, and said there were other cases against the prisoner. Mr. Curtis Bennett observed that the prisoner had represented himself to be an inquiry agent in the employ of a solicitor in John-street, Bedford-row. Detective Dew said the prisoner alleged that he was making inquiry on behalf of a captain of a ship, whose wife had been confined while he was away. He had since admitted that it was all a fabrication. Mr. Curtis Bennett remanded the prisoner, who asked for the return of 6s. found upon him, but he was told that the money must be kept in the possession of the police.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper, June 1, 1890, Page 11

WEST LONDON.

TWENTY YEARS IN PRISON.

John Mayne, whose address and occupation were refused, was brought up on remand charged with stealing an umbrella from the stand in the hall of Mr. Thomas Joyce, a surgeon, of Pembridge-crescent, Notting-hill, where he obtained an entrance under the pretence of inquiring for a patient and to write a letter. A record of the prisoner's previous convictions was handed in, from which it appeared he had been in prison 21 years and six months under various names and different offences. His first conviction was at the Central Criminal court in 1869, and the last at the Middlesex sessions in 1885, when he was sentenced to penal servitude. Other cases were now gone into against the prisoner. Mr. John Dickinson, a physician of Bow-road, said on the 19th of May the prisoner came to his house about five o'clock, and asked him to attend a person who was ill. He gave a name and address in Cambridge-road, and after he was gone witness missed his umbrella from the stand. Mrs. Charlotte Norris, of The Lawn, Uxbridge-road, Shepherd's-bush deposed that on the 19th of May the prisoner called to see the apartments, stating that he wanted them for two gentlemen. She showed him the room, and after he was gone a watch and chain were missed from the dressing-table.
The Prisoner: Look at me!
Witness: Oh, I know you. (Addressing the magistrate.) I was here last week, and identified him. He has a peculiar shaped head.
Detective Dew said he was present when the charge was read over and the prisoner said he was "Not guilty."
The Prisoner: It is a matter of small moment in the face of the other charges, but she is mistaken.
At the request of the prisoner Serjeant Chick was called. He said the witness saw the prisoner in the strong room with other men, but she hardly knew whether he was the man or not. When she saw him in the court she said he was the man. Detective Dew informed the magistrate that there were several cases against the prisoner, one in which some surgical instruments were stolen. Mr. De Rutzen committed the prisoner for trial in the three cases, and directed the police to mention the former convictions.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper, June 8, 1890, Page 11