Seat on for examination.
--Two youth named
Augustus Shopperson and Thaddeus A. R
Hopkins, charged with breaking into the store of Henry M
Jones, on 2d street, between Clay and Leigh, a few nights since, and stealing several thousand dollars worth of groceries, &c., were yesterday sent on by the
Mayor to the Hustings Court for examination.
The original charge was against young
Hopkins and his mother, but there being no evidence connecting
Mrs H. with the transaction, she was promptly acquitted.
The following is a summary of the testimony:
Mr. Jones stated that for some time back he had been robbed several times, and he was at a loss to know what steps to take to prevent a recurrence of the depredations upon his property.
His store is in the house occupied by
Mrs. Hopkins, that lady living in the upper part, and his residence being in another port of the city.
After the second robbery, he locked and nailed up the side door to his store, which had formerly been used as an entrance through
Mrs. Hopkins's passage way. About two weeks since, on opening the store in the morning, he found that it had been robbed, and that from this side door the nails had been drawn and it unlooked.
Knowing that the key to
Mrs H's front passage door would also unlock this side one, he came to the conclusion that the parties in the house were the once who had robbed him, and he therefore determined to obtain a warrant against
Mrs. Hopkins, her son, and
Augustus Shopperson.
Subsequently, however, he concluded not to have the latter arrested, because he had told him that
Thad. Hopkins committed the theft, and got him to help dispose of what he had stolen Shopperson went with him to several stores where some of his goods had been sold, and at one of them he fully identified a lot of guncaps which were among the articles lost.
James Williams a youth, about 12 years of age, nephew of
Mrs. Hopkins, stated that since the robbery of
Jones's store he had been told confidentially by
Shepperson that he (S.) had, on one occasion, stole $20 from his sent without her knowing it; that he intended breaking into
Spratley's store, near the
New Market, and that there being a pitcher and basin in a certain barber shop near the market which he fancied, it was his intention to break into that also and steal them Shopperson confessed to him at the same time that he had broken into
Jones's store.
Mrs. Hopkins testified that Shopperson was a boarder at her house, and that her son and him had been inseparable companions.
Once or twice whilst he was bearding with her she went out to spend the day, taking along her family.
Before leaving home she always looked the house up, and each time when she would return after night, she found the front door unlocked, and Shopperson in bed. Feeling some gulosity to know how he got in without the key, she inquired of him about it, when he informed her that he unlocked the door with a broken key which he had.--
Mrs Hopkins know that her son had never stealthily entered the house in her absence nor did she believe he had anything to do with the robbery of
Jones's store.
About the guncaps and other articles which Traddons, her son, had sold, they had been given him by Shopperson to dispose of.
Several other witnesses testified in the case, but the above embraces that which is most important.
The accused were remanded to prison to await their examination next Monday, at which time the
Hastings Court meets.
