The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-08 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON PLRAI3.

liittinp at Nisi Prim, in Loados.—Mitara Mr. Justice kin
and a Comma Jury.)
WILLIAM V. WOZCZOTII. —muu AcrFeosm

The plaintiff in this case wan a general dessierin Old Gravel.
Iwo. and the defendant was a salesman in Union-street,
Southwark. On the inh May the defendant sold to the
plehatiff a quantity of old furniture for 16e., and on the
following day he gave the plaintiff into custody upon the
charge of having stolen a saddle, which he had taken any
with the things which he had bought. The plaintiff sous
taken before a magistrate, who discharged him.
Mr. Pearce appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Joyce foe
the defendant._ . .

plaintiff's we was that be bad purchased the
saddle with the other things ; but he admitted that whet
he was asked by the defendant oe the following
day where the saddle wee, he said that he had sold it ; sad
that thin statement was untrue. The defendant bad also
sued the plaintiff in the county court for the vase of the
saddle, 55., and recovered the amount.
For the defence it was said that the plaintiff did not boy
the saddle, and had improperly removed it. In additioa,
the defendant pleaded certain statutes which entitled him
to notice of action, so th►t be might tender amends,
proving he had acted bunt fide. Beyond this, it was sub-
mitted that the action was onofwhich was unfit for a superior
court, sod might very properly have been disposed of in
the county court.
The jury found for the defendant upon the ground that
he had acted hoot fide.
His lordship said that he entirely agreed with the jury.

THE POLICE COURTS
(THIS DAY.)

CLERICENWELL.
GROSS DESERTION OF TRW CMLDREN,

A poor, half loved looking woman. with an infant is her
arms, who gams the same of Esther Owen, was charged in.
fore ME Attire; at the instance of the authorities of St.
James, Clarkenwell, with shorting her three thildrte,
Owen, aged 12, James, aged 10, and Esther, aged 5, whereby
they had become chargeable to the parish.
Mr. Robert Watts., assistant relieving overseer, said he
was instructed by the guardians to bring this case under the
notice of the magistrate. The defendant and her children
had for some time previous to the 30th of August last bees
inmates of the workhouse ; but on that day she voluntarily
took her discharge. The next day the children were brought
' to the house by the police, who found them wandering abed
the streets without any visible means of subeirteoes. From
the statements of the children it would appear that they
were deserted on the very day that they were taken from
the house. Yesterday, the defendant went to the work.
house and asked fee relief, but did not say a word about the
children. She was recognised as being the mother, sad
when spoken to about the matter she said she was very
merry.
Mr. Barker asked if the defendant was a widow, or when
the children were illegitimate?
The defendant, who was in tears, said that she 11116 a
married woman, and that she would not have left the work
house with the children bad she not been compelled to do
so by her hu•band. It was true that she had left km
children in the streets, but her husband, who had no work,
told her to do so, and said it would be better for the chil-
dren, an they would be taken to the workhouse, sod cand
fot better than if they were with him and her.
Mr. Barker asked if the husband had been as inmate 0(
the workhouse?
Mr. Watts replied that he had, and left with his wife and
children.
Mr. Barker said that in that elite the husband would be
liable to be punished for the desertion, and not the &ro-
dent. The law supposed that she acted stader her husband's
directions.
Mr. Watts said be was directed to bring the woman be-
fore his storable, in the hope that be would reprimand het
for bee cruel conduct in deserting the children.
Mr. Barker, in discharging the defendant, said she had
been guilty of very unmotherly conduct. She was morally
as guilty as her husband ; sod if the parish authorities pro-
ceeded splint hintand proved their case, he would un-
doubtedly be severely punished.

110LETT ASSAULT.
Thomas Smith, a bonekeeper, of 16, Yardlevatreet.
mington-square, Clerkenwell, was charged with assaulting
Mr. Thomas Sentrah, shopman' of 8, Roman•terrace,
Rognimeoad. He was further charged with amaultiog Mrs.
Jane &omit, and wilfully damaging her bonnet. value re.
From the evidence it appeared that this morning the cm-
plaicaut with bee husband and some other friends were out-
side the Talbot publichouse about one o'clock, when the de
fondant was very quarrelsome, and pushed against everyone
he came near as if for the purpose of picking a quarrel. He
struck the complainant's husband a blow, and when she
interfered the defendant turned upon her in the
most violent intoner, struck ber a violent blow and then
took her up and threw her with all his force under a
horse and cab that were standing at the door. She fell
wills such force that it cut her head very badly, and
was soon covered with blood. In the scuffle the bonnet of
the complainant, which was of the value of 174., me
spoiled. The complainant's bonnet was predueed, and the
strings were saturated with blood.
The defendant said that he did not intend to hurt the
female complainant. He had some words with her hus
band, but was not aware that he struck the wife.
Om of the witnemes stded that the complainant had A
very *arrow escape, ss the hone began to move as she was
lying between its legs.
Mr. Harker ordered the defendant to pay 155., the damste
to the bonnet, and 20s. penalty for doing the damage.
in default, to be imprisoned in the House of Correction for
twenty-one days.
The prisoner, who had no money, was then removed.
• SOUTHWARK.
• A THOCRIESOME PAUPTI.
- • •

Jose Afaror, a diminutive and a;danisns looking woman,
who has been several times tried and convicted of smashing
the windows of the guardians of the poor, was broiled
before Mr. Burr-ham, charged with ringing the bell
of Mr. Collision, the chairman of the guardians of sgo
George's, at his hones in BLackman.strint.
Mr. Collision said that be and his family were muck
alarmed by bearing • violent ringing at his door bell abut
12 o'clock at night. He got up, thinking that the boos
might be on Are or that thieves might have broker .s.
but ea looting out of the window ho perceived the visor!'
ringing violently. A constable came up at that time, sod
he gave her into custody.
Mr. Burcham asked how it was that she nnoyed him is
such a manner !
Mr. ('ollinson Paid that she had been a long time chine'
able to their parish, tool while in the workhouse wasp kes
are of as much assay other inmate ; she, however, f reqlT
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discharged herself, and with the view of gettin iuto posos
(which she preferred to the workhonse) die brokeg the re,

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haring officers' and the guardians' window,. Shelled been
committed several times from this court, and twice tried at
the Surrey 811116011 S for these offences. He believed she was
Gee of the most successful impostors on the medical autho-
rities of the prison that ever existed.
Mr. Townson, one of the relieving officers of St. George's,
said that the prisoner was one of the most troublesome
paupers he ever had to deal with. Whenever admitted
into the workhouse, she generally got into the infirmary,
mid lived on the best the house afforded. She. however.
was not content with that ; and she was so successful
in imposing on the 'medical officers of the House
of Correction, that she preferred that plea to the
workhouse. She was tried at the Surrey Sermon; and see-
Mixed to 16 months' hard labour for mashie( 90L worth
of glue in the shop window of Mr. Hay, ome of the guar-
dians, and was oily discharged yesterday. She told witness
that she had " gammoued" the authorities at Wandsworth,
and during her incarceration there bad lived in luxury. She
told him she had daily, half a prat of wine, one pint of stout,
one quart of milk, one quart of tea, two eggs, one custard
pudding, one pint of beef tea, two oranges, eight ounces of
bread and butter, and four ounces of bread.
The prisoner exclaimed that it wee quite true, as she was
very
11. " Look at ma, your worship ; you rem see that 1
am i"

Mr. Bureham told her that he had a very good recollec-
tion of her, by committing her so many tames to prison for
wilful damage to the windows of the parish officers. She
►ppeared to be in the same state of health sa when she first
came before him, and he believed her to be an impostor.
Mr. Jay, the other relieving ofrunr, assured his worship
that such was a fact ; but, to ascertain whether it wee true
that she had such luxurious helm in Wandsworth House of
Correction, he had written to the governor, and received an
answer in the affirmative. No wonder, then, at her pre/cr-
ib( the House of Correction to the workhouse.
Mr. Burchan' observed that be should take ears that she
had Dot such sumptuous living for some time to come by
directing her to Mad bail for six months. In default of that
the would be committed to Borsemonger-lane Gaol, sad he
did not think she could "gammon" the surgeon of that
prison.
She was then removed, protesting that she was very ill
and wanted to be slat to Wandsworth.