The National Register. — London, England, 1822-12-08 00:00:00

OLD B.DLIEr SESSIONS. WEDIESDAY. DEC. 4.—These Smarms commenced this day before the Right Hon. the Lard Mayor, Mr. Justice Bayley, Mr. Baron Garrew, Ike. %Valiant ' eliCker was indicted for unlawfully and ma liciously shooting William Becken,with intent to kill or do him some bodily harm. NV,lliam Beckett, the little boy, was pot into the wit nesse' box ; and to questions put to him by the Court he answered that he was eleven years of age, and knew the punishment that awaited liars and false swearers. He then proceeded to detail the facts of the case. From the testimony of Bell, the lxiy's foster father, and that of the surgeon who attended him, it appeared that he was confined for six weeks, several pebbles were ex tracted Irmo his face, and he has lost the sight of one of his eyes. The prisoner, in his defence, said that the gun went off by accident as he was getting over a stile. Mr. Trumpet . , a farmer at Heston, the prisoner's em ployer, stated, that he stationed him with the gun to frighten away the crows from his corn fields. It was an old gun, which went off very easily at full cock, but it reqnired a good.pull at the half-cock. The prisoner was a remarkably quiet and inoffensive person, and in the wituels's opinion not at all likely to commit any malicious or mischievous act. The It v. \lr. Winfield and Mr. Trump, who had known the prisoner almost from his infancy, gave hint a stion.excellent character in every respect. Mr. Barna Garrow charged the Jury, who immedi ately re ttttt led a verdict of not guilty. John Harris, late a private soldier in the 24 regiment of foot, was Mimed for stealing in the dwelling-house of'Col. de Burgh, of that regiment, to whom he was batman, a diamond ring, value tool. divers Bank of England notes for the payment of 2501. and sundry so vereigns his property. William Rich, the deputy constable of Leeds, where The prisoner had been taken into custody on the t Ith of November, proved • e finding on his person the diamond ring, a 101. note, a purse with 355. 6d. in it, and a silk purse empty. Mr-Harding, jeweller of Oxford -street, proved that the prisoner purchased a silver watch and a gold ring at his shop on the morning of the robbery, for which he: paid a 101. note, receiving the change. Janus Ingram, a police offier, proved the receipt from a Mill named Halliday, at whose house prisoner lodged, 93 sovereigns, and a half-sovereign, also the w a tch a nd key purchase d by the prisoner of Mr. Harding. Col. de Burgh identified the diamond ring and green purse found on the prisoner, and the 101. note also found on him, as well as that paid by hint to Mr. Hard ing, as part of the stolen property. Mr. Justice Bayley summed up the evidence, and the Jury found the primmer guilt . )—death. The Court ordered all the prop,ny found to be deli -vered to the prosecutor. Martin Bell, ; god go, and William Perkins, aged 19, were capitally indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of W. Parry, Esq. and stealing therein a great coat, value 61. his property, and three great coats the property of Robert Wasson. Mr. Parry resides in Gloucester Place, Portman-square, and Wasson WJS his coachman. On the (veiling of the day named to the indictment, the prisoners were disco vered to have broken into the back part of the house, by Wasson, and alarm being given they were secured.— The articles mentioned were found strewed about the table. - The charge was fully brought home to the prisoners, and the Jury found them guilty—death, but strongly recommended Bell to mercy, he having received an ex cellent character from several witnesses. Anne Wood and Sophia Trayer were indicted for stealing 30 sovereigns, the property of R. Seges, Irons his person. The prosecutor said he was a carrier, and one evening be met the prisoner %Vood in Whitechapel, and accom .panied her home. The other prisoner shortly after Carne in, and dcmatideJ money from him, which he refused to give. The two prisoners then assaulted him and took uway his money. Cross-examined by Mr. Law.—He lost 27 sovereigns, 10s. in silver, and a check for t4l. 19s. 2d. The pro perty was not his,but entrusted to his care. Ile was above five minutes in the room, but had never seen the prisoners before. He saw Wood about half an hour after the rob bery, and Trayer the following morning. Brown, an officer, said, that the prosecutor told him he had torn Wood's gown, but he found her gown was not torn. The prisoners declared they were innocent. Mr. II iron Garrow summoned up the evidence, and the Jury found the prisoners not guilty. THURSDAY. Dec. S.—STEALING IN A DWELLING liouse.—Thomas Speake stood indicted fur stealing a piece of leadeu pipe and a copper, the property of Count San Antonio. The pipe and copper happened to be in an unoccupied house belonging to the Count, in Duke.strtel, St. Jame's, which was in the care of Mr. Abbott, an auctioneer, to Ca•ale.court, in the Strand. The pri,wier was met in Jermyn-street, with the cop per and a crow bar, on the mornifig of the 20th of Oct. Ile was taken up on suspicion, and when in custody, he contrived to slip his arms out of his coat, and by tin. means he effected his escape. I lowever, he WaS stopped by a watchman coming Irons his beat, and was filially secured. These circumstances having been satisfactorily proved, the Jury returned a verdict of guilty, without hesitation. The Recorder sentenced him to seven years trans ration. JOllll Powell stood indicted (Or stealing two pieces of ark timber, the propt rty of John Vo r cey ; and Cha r l e s Lyres was indicted lon reedit tog the same, knowing the same to be stolen. '1 he prosecutor was a c irpenter, residing In Crouch End in the early pall of November he missed the tut. _THE NATIONAL RECIT pieces of timber from his yard. Some days after one of his tot oilmen saw them at the house of a wheelwright in Hornsey-road, who proved that they had LA en left in his care by the prisoner Powell, aml he had some suspicious they had been stolen. lie immediately sent for Vincey, who stated the timber was his pmperty. Eyres happened to be in his shop when the prosecutor entered, and im mediately effected his escape. This was all that was charged against Eyres, and the Judge did not call upon hint fur his defence. Powell alleged in his defence that he had found the timber, and brought them to the house of Grinder, the wheelwright, to have them cut in shafts for a cart. One witneu gave Powell a good character down to this time. The Jury, after a few minutes deliberation, returned 1 , a verdict of Guilty against Powell; fait on account of his good character he was recommended to mercy. Eyres was discharged. FoacteitY.—Samuel Corney, aged 31, was capitally indicted for feloniously putting away a certain bill of exchange for the payment of 371. Rh. well knowing the same to be forged arid counterfeit, with intent to defraud Henry Walker. Henry Walker was the first witness called. He stated that he was a farmer residing at Enfield, where the pri soner had mills. Some time ago he sold prisoner some wheat, amounting, with another debt to 481. 35. 4d.— The prisoner, on the 17th of June, sent him a note, ett closing a bill of exchange for 371. Ins. purporting to be accepted by Mr. William Mead. The endorsement to the bill was in the hand writing of the prisoner. The bill was not endorsed when he first received it, but sub sequently. It was endorsed," 11 r. William Mead, Pope's Head-alley."—Aboot a week after the prisoner called for the balance of the bill, and witness refused to give it to him, until he had made enquiry who the acceptor was. —The prisoner said he was a very good man, and was a ' flour factor in Mark-lane. About a week after this witness saw him at Waltham Abbey. when prisoner asked him for the balance. as he was short of cash.— Witness, however, refused, he having, in the interim, made enquiry after the person said to be the acceptor, arid been unable to find any such man. When the time at which the bill became due had nearly arrived, the witness gave it to his son-in-law, to present it for pay ment. The letter enclosing the hill was certainly in the hand-writing of the prisoner. The prisoner was not arrested for two mouths after the bill because due, be cause the witness did not think the acceptance was a forgery, until the prisoner had deceived him several times in toot ke,ping his appointment to go in search of the acceptor. Cross-examined by Ms. Adolphus.—The bill has been one night out of his possession. Mr. Ruiner, son-in-law to the prosecutor, said he presented the WI at No. 2, Pope's Head-alley. The answer he received was, that Mr. Mead was not known there at all. John Adam Elliott, clerk to Mr. Guillonneau, of No. 2, Pope's Head-alley, knew the different persons who resided in the upper part of the house. There was no such person as Mr. Mead resident there in June. The prisoner said nothing in his-defence, but called a number of witnesses, who gate hint a most excellent character. Mr. Justice Bayley in his address to the Jury, said there were two charges against the prisoner ; the one for forging, and the other fur uttering the bill, knowing it to be forged. The Jury were assembled to try offences committed in the county of Middlesex, and a question might arisl as to whether, if it were a forgery, that forgery had tint been committed in the city of London, and consevently if the charge had ended there, great difficulty wvtild have arisen; hut here, if the charge of tittering was, in their 01/1111011 brought home, it was clear they were competent to dlecide on it, as the resi dence of the prosecutor at Enfield, was in the county of Nliddle9ex. The Jury retired for three quarters of an hour, and re turned with a verdict of—Not Guilty. FRIDAY, DF.c. 6.—Catherine Bayliss and Susannah NVelsby were indicted for stealing, and Mary Nlumford for receiving, knowing them to have been stolen, several articles of wearing apparel, the property of Harriet John- son. and three coats, the property of Henry Coe. The Jury found the prisoners, Bayliss and \Velsby, guilty, and acquitted Mumford. James Rayner was indicted for stealing a shirt, a pair of trowsers, and a razor, the property of Thos. Banner; and John Riley for receiving the shirt and rszor, know them to have been stolen. The J tiry acqiiitteil Riley, but found Rayner guilty, and strongly recommi•nded 111111 to mercy, because they believed him to have been driven to the commission of the ()Hence by extreme distress. Ile was in a vet) , had slate of health, and Mr. Baron Garrow sentenced niiii to be e .()tined for six months in the house of correction and to be kept in the infirmary during his confinement. Thomas \loothy was indicted for stealing six sovereigns and live shillings, the property of William Parker.— Veidict, not guilty. Thomas !rigs was indicted for stealing 7 cwt. of lead, the property of Francis Davey Bacon, and John Druce was charged with receiving the same, knowing it to have bten stolen. An accomplice, named Jordan, was the principal wit ness.—The Jury found both the prisoners guilty. James Hellewell, aged '2, a y g 111311, rather fa shionably attired, was illdletvd under the recent act of Parliament, for that lie, being a servant to Thomas Thwattes, did feloniously steal two boys' dresses, his 'novelty. The 'prisoner had lived for a considerable time in the sP,rs ice of r. Thwaites, who is a tailor, in Blackinoor street. Mr. Thwaites having occasion to suspect the prisoner, searched his apartment, and found in his trow sers pocket some duplicates relating to the articles men tinned in the indictment, which the prisoner hail pur ist:lied flow his •hop and pawiled.—lle said, when taken v ,Antudy, that he INaS about to be married, and having occasion for a sum of money, he had pawned those and other things to make it up, and he intended when the marriaae had taken place to have redeemed and returned them to Mr. Thwaites. Several respect lisle persons spoke highly of the previous good character of the prisoner. The Jury found him gui lty. BIOAMY.--John Geyner was indicted for feloniously intermarrying with Phoebe Lanning, in the month of Oct. 1818, his lawful wile, Lydia, being at the time alive.—The case was clearly proved. The prisoner, when called upon for his defence, threw himself upon the mercy of the court. Ile called no wit nesses. Mr. Baron (farrow stnnmed up the evidence, and the Jury found the prisoner guilty. His Lordship intimated, that the full punishment authorised by the law would be inflicted upon the prisoner. FORGERY UPON THE EAST INDIA COMPANY.— Duncan M•Cullum, a middle-aged man, of most respect able appearance, was brought to the bar, on the motion of Mr Holland, who stated, that the prisoner stood com mitted for a capital felony, in forging a warrant for the delivery of certain goods belonging to the East India Company, and that he (Mr. 11.) had to apply to the court, that the prisoner might be remanded until the next sessions, in consequence of the absence of a material witness, a Al r. Sterling, without wh, se assistance the prosecutor felt that it would be useless to prefer the bill of indictment before the Grand Jury, and that the recog nizance of Mr. Sterling might be esti-cued. In support of this application the learned gentleman Read long davits, front the contents of which It appeared that Mr. Sterling, who was the most important witness, had waited upon Mr. Fenton, who was employed by the ' East India Company in the prosecution, and expressed a wish that the Company would withdraw the charge of forgery, and he (Sterling) would prosecute prisoner for fraud. Mr. Fenton said, such proceeding would be ex ceedingly wrong, and refused compliance with it, and Mr. Sterling then withdrew himself, and had not since been heard of. Prisoner—My Lord, it is extremely hard upon me, that I should he detained. lam ready to take my trial. Mr. Baron Garrow—There are ineiniveniencies which must sometimes be Buffered, if the furtherance of public justice demand it.—Titis appears to me to be such a case, and 1 feel myself justified, upon the affidavits that have been read, in ordering that the recognizance of Mr. Stilling be ewer led, and that you be remanded until the next sessions. This application was delayed until the latest moment, and was made now only because the Grand Jury have no further business berare them. if Mr. Sterling comes forward now, the prosecutors are ready to present their bill. Prisoner—My Lord, there is no collusion between me and the witness, and knowing my own innocence, I wish to take my trial now. Mr. Baron (arrow —The delay is not occasioned by the prosecutors, who have dime all they can, and I Call. not reverse the order I have made. The prisoner asked if bail would be taken, and was answered in the negative. He was remanded. The indictments from Clerkenwell having (about four o'clock) been put into the hands of Mr. Shelton, Mr. Justice Bayley desired to see the person who had brought them from the Session-house. A young 111411 was ac cordingly pill into the winless box. Mr. Justice Bayley —Did you bring these indictments from Clerkenwell .1 did. _ _ Mr. Justice Bhyley.—Who gave them to you!—Mr. Richards, the crier of the court. Mr. Justice Bayley—And in thts state?—(They were merely tied up with a string.)—Yes. Mr. Justice Bayley—And you carried them in this way through the streets in the dark !—Yes. Mr. Justice Bayley—Such 3 practice is a most impro per one, and the Court has frequently here had reason to complain of it. The hills when found ought to be locked up in a box, and sent by some responsible person ; not open, exposed to the chance of loss or the possibi lity of alteration. Mr. Baron Darrow was astonished how such a prac tice could be coutinued after the Court had spoken of it. Every man acquainted with legal proceedings trust see the great impropriety and great danger of suffering the bills of indictment to he carried about at the leisure and at the mercy of an ordinary messenger. Interpolations, or many oilier malpractices, to which he (the learned Judge) would not now adtert, might arise out of such a SVSICIII. It would be well, too, that the hills should be sent down as soon as the Grand Jury at Clerkeuwell rose; and not as was frequently the case now, at nine or ten o'clock at night. John Barton was tried for picking the pocket of Mr. Grattan out London-bridge, on the 22d of Nov., about the middle of the day. A constable saw the robbery committed; there was a second person concerned in it, who escaped. The prisoner. in his defence, said, that he picked the handkerchief off the ground, and called several wit nesses to his character. These persons spoke well of his general conduct, and said that he could earn (although hr was only a lad) to 3s. (id. a day as a shoemaker. The Jury found the prisoner guilty. The Recorder said that it was scandalous for a man to steal, who could earn 3s. a day ; he might save mo• ney out of such ways to put him in business. Such peerstn should he made examples of; and he (the Re corder) sentenced the prisoner, on the spot, to be trans ported for Richard Thompson was tried for picking the pocket of Mr. A. V. Oven, of a silk handkerchief on 'Change. —The primmer was taken in the fact. The Jury town! him guilty. Mr. V. Oven said, that he had felt it his duty to mo secote the young man—but he now begged to say, that he had heard much lately in favour of his character — and that a tradesman of respectability was ready to take hint into his service. _ The Recorder said, that could not Ix. It was a ter rible !hula if merchants were to have their pocktts picked on 'Change. :MO