Mysterious Breaking of Windows, &c.
For some days past the inhabitants of Arlington and Nelson-streets, Camden-town, have been annoyed by showers of stones, broken glass bottles, and other missiles, which have not only caused immense destruction to the windows, but seriously injured several individuals, who have been struck with such force as to induce a very general belief that some of the missiles must have been discharged from an airgun. The annoyance, which has continued day and night, has, as may be supposed, created a considerable sensation.
The Police have been on the look-out, and many of the inhabitants have watched night and day, without intermission; all to no purpose, as it could not be discovered from whence the missiles came, though the windows were heard to smash in every direction.
On Tuesday a boy named Drury, who had been employed to watch, stated that he saw a Frenchman named Pere, a brush-maker, residing at No. 9, Caroline-street, (opposite the scene of destruction), go into his garden, throw several stones at the windows and then hide himself. In consequence of this discovery Mr Pere was brought before the Magistrates on the following day, when, upon the boy’s testimony, he was ordered to find bail, which he did, and was discharged.
As the nuisance, however, still continued, the boy was again set to watch, when (as he alleged) about half-past ten o’clock on Friday morning, he saw Mr Pere enter the garden at the back of his house and throw several stones, and then hide himself as before. Accordingly, Pere was brought before the Magistrates yesterday to answer this new charge, and Mr Humphreys jun., attended on his behalf.
Policeman Sanderson, of the S division, produced several stones, which he had marked with a file, and afterwards threw them into Mr Pere’s garden, which stones found their way back through the windows.
Mr Pere solemnly denied that he was the person who threw the stones, and called a witness, who proved that he was in Huggin-lane, in the City, from eleven o’clock till four on Friday afternoon, and that, therefore, he could not have been the person who threw the stones on that day, as the boy Drury had stated. He assured the Magistrates that he knew nothing of the mysterious annoyance, and was as anxious as any one of his neighbours to find out the offenders. It was not likely that he should have thrown the marked stones, as he knew they had been placed in his garden by the police to entrap him.
Mr Rawlinson having remarked that the affair was involved in great doubt and mystery, ordered Mr Pere to find bail in an increased amount.
Weekly Dispatch (London), 20th July 1834.