The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-23 00:00:00

NEW COURT.

(Before Thomas Chambers, Esq., Q.C., Common Serjeant.
Franca ✓omph Coot, 24, clerk, pleaded guilty to a num-
ber of indictments for obtaining by forged onlera a quan-
tity of gold rings and other jewellery from direly persons,
and also forging rod uttering a request for the payment of
money. The whole of the money and goods so obtained
amounted to between 6001. and 7001.

Mr. Sleigh and Mr. F. U. Loans appeared f.r the prose-
caws.

From the statement of the learned counsel it sneered
that the prisorier, at the time of conimiting thew assess,
had bona fora short time in the employ of Mr. Deist, the
well-known watchmaker and jeweller. When fust employed
he filled some ioferior capacity, but his employers were
so well =defied with him that they soon appoioted him to
a ixeition of trust, and among other duties was that of col-
lecting debts for Messrs. Dent. Chi the 11th of September
be asked his employers whether he might have a holiday in
the following week, and he was told that be might have
the following Monday, and according to that arrangement
he should have returned to hi. employ on Tuesday, the
13th. From inquiries afterwards made the prosecutors
learned that on the Monday be west to Messrs. Jones
and Co., the jewellers, and presented au order
requesting, in the name of Dent, that Megan.
Jones should sr nd • tray of rings by the bearer,
value about 1004 The rings were accordingly
delivered to the prisoner, who immediately proceeded to
asother jeweller's in Cbespside and presented a similar
' order and obtained goods to a like eateut. Ile afterwards
went to Messrs. Dodd, of Coruhill, who being in debt with
Messrs. Dent, gave the prisoner • cheque for 132!., and they
were about to cross it, when the prisoner asked them to be
' good enough to give him an open cheque, as one of the arm
were out of town and they could not get their cheques
signed. In the count of the day he obtained money and
goods to the amount of 30tif. or GOO/. Ile was afterwards
discovered down at Reigate, in Surrey, and fortunately at
the hotel where be had lodged on one occasion a parcel was
found containing the larger portion of the jewellery, as well
as • considerable sum in money. Besides this, • large roan.
City of property was found io the poesession of the 'ming
woman with whom he was cohabiting, and this was at 01)C.41
give!' up. . . . .

The iwinoner put is s statement asking the court to dell
with him leniently, as be was in debt, which caused bun to
commit this mime.

An officer from Ireland stepped into this box and stated that
the prisoner was convicted in Dublin in 1853, on which occa-
sion he was sentenced to years' penal servitude, out of
which he had 'erred tire years and a half. He was convicted
for • burglary in a dwelling•house, in which cue Ls mother
was the principal witness against him.
The Common Serjeant asked how it was that Meters.
Dent had received such a good character with Lim.
Mr. Sleigh said that the prisoner had been highly reoom-
meaded to them by a clergyman, but he believed he had
been recommended to the clergyman by a man who knew
the prisoner had been convicted, but had kept that from the
clergyman from motives of mistaken kindness.

After lime further conversation, the Common Serjeent
told the prisoner be had pleaded guilty to s crime of a very
aegravated nature. He appeared to have got into limare.
Leat's ler nee through a hind of Wee character, and when
there the first use be had made of hie trout was to abuse the
confidence reposed in him. He had before been convicted,
and he (the learned aerjeant) should not be doing his duty