The Express.
London, England, 1864-01-04 00:00:00

BOWSTREET.

Robert Pe/them and Jaws Ryan were charged by the
detective police with attempting to pick pockets at
Drury-la . Theatre on Friday night. A detective sergeant
stated that in consequence of complaints, himself and
other detectives wet. stationed in the corridors of Drury-
lane Theatre, and as the people were coming out of the
dress circle they saw at one time at least ten or a dozen
marauders at work in every direction, bet in consequence
er the crowd their efforts to pounce upon them with pro-
perty In :heir possession was • difficult matter. The two
petseners were amongst the most audacious, and having been
seen in three several attempts upon gentlemen's watches as
they were escorting ladies from the lobbies to the carriages,
they ware secured. Although working in concert, the
prisoners, when taken, professed not to know each other,
yet when called on to give their addressee, both which
proved false, the one was in Old Nichol-street, and the
other in Half Nichol-street, within fifty yards of each other.
The prisoners were known to the police as having been pre-
viously engaged in 'Under transactions.
They were remanded.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Mr. Slephats, pawnbroker, of Brewer-atreet, wu snm-
mooed for refusing to deliver up a gold watch pledged by
Patrick Gavin.

The complainant had pledged a gold watch, value N., for
IF. Is. When the year was out, the owner's wife went, and
paid three months interest beyond the year, under the
Pawnbrokers Act. Ou the money being finally sent to
redeem the watch, complainant was told that the watch
had been redeemed, on the declaration obtained by a per-
son who gave the 0111310 of M•Pherson, several months
previously, and that the three months' interest had been
taken by the assistant in mistake, as he did not know the
watch had been redeemed. The three months' interest was
then handed to the complainant. The question was whether
the declaration was a sufficient answer to the demand of the
complainant.
Mr. Neate, for defendant, contended that, under the
Pawnbrokers Act, the pawnbroker was bound to deliver the
watch up to the party who had made the declaration before
• magistrate that the ticket had beeo lost, and claimed it.
Sir F. Pollock and Mr. Knight had some years ago confirmed
this view of the law.

Mr. boos was of opinion that complaioast'a remedy was
not under the rawnbrokere Act, and dumissed the sum-
mons.

WESTMINSTER.

Jam Payne, a respectable-looking, middle-aged man, was
placed at the bar, charged with felony.
John Simmonds, assistant to a butcher, at 259, Fulham-
road, said—This man stole a large piece of beef, and ran MT
with it.

Mr. Sella—Where was it ; hanging in front of your shop!
Witness—Yes, but it was not banging there by itaelf—it
ran on a joint.

Mr. Selie—What do you mean?
Witmer —He did not take all ; he only took a part.

Mr. Selfe—llid not take all. How do..yon mesii!
Witness—Why it was this way ;he did not take all. He
cat off what he wanted from a quarter of beef hanging at the
door.

Mr. Salle—lle cut the beef ae it was hanging at the door,
you say ; where did he get the knife from
Witness—Slipped out his pocket knife and cut it. He
just mired the bone and took the meat. He took 51b. away
Mona. We heard of it directly, and we followed barn up, and
we got him beck.
Mr. Salle —Did you get the beef back
Prisoner—l Deter had it. A pocket knife would not do it.
Witness—But a pocket knife dal do it. We dad not find
the beef on him.

Prisoner—Did you see me cut the beef off! Why, of
course you did not • you were all inside the shop ;
you know my locket koife would not cut that piece of
beef off.
Witness—Why did you run, if you didn't take it'
. .

Prisoner—Anybody' would ion' such a morning u this.
You couldo't walk, your worship, it was so slippery. I
never took the beef. I wasn't at the shop door at all, awl
they know nothing about it. I can prove it.
Witness—And I can prove be was seen to take it.
Prisoner wee remanded.

THE CASE OF G. V. TOWNLEY.

(From the Examietr.)

To our great astonishment we learn that the judge
who tried Townley, though directing and approving the
verdict of the jury, advised a further inquiry to ascertain
whether or not the prisoner was insane. For this a sort of
new trial was directed by a commission, with the change,
merely verbal in the issue, of mad or not mad, instead of
guilty or not guilty. No matter how upright may be the
intentions of persons entrusted with such an inquiry, the
serious fact that a life depends on it will have a subtle in-
fluence on the judgment. The prisoner knows how to play
his part, and so to raise doubts, the benefit of which will
certaidy be given to him.
But if this course is to be takes at last, would it not be
better for the credit of justice, and fairer for its adminis-
trators, that it should be taken at first? If the inquiry
whether T3wnley was insane or not had preceded the in-
quiry whether he was or was not guilty of murder, a care-
fully considered verdict would not have been nullified, and
a criminal court stultified.

CAA we expect jurors to devote their time and best at.
Unities to questions of fact involving life or death when
they know that the result of their moat careful labours may
be set aside by a private commission! Will they not na-
turally be disposed to save themselves trouble and to come
to • hasty conclusion, as there is sure to be another inquiry
reversing their decision !
. .

And that is not all. Medical authority is prevailing
against the authority of the law, and criminal justice m
losing more and more of it. certainty.
A man who LAB had any mad ancestors may consider him-
self privileged to commit murder without any fear of the
gallows, fur he has only to play a very easy part afterwards,
though it may b proved beyond a doubt that he knew what
he was about, and he will Lave the benefit of the theory of
uncontrollable impulse. What benefit of clergy used to Le
beoefit of medical crotchets is now. How it is that any
►loodstaiued prisoner is mad enough sot to peso himself off
mad is what we cannot comprehend.

THE RESPITED CON V icrs, George Victor
Townley ban not received her Majesty' pardon, neither has
his sentence been commuted, lie has been removed to •
lunatic asylum, in complimuce with the provisions of so act
of parliament. The certificate required by the act was duly
forwarded to the Secretary of State by the prison authori-
ties, signed by two magistrate* and two medical men, lade-
pendent of the gaol surgeon. Previous to receiving this,
Sir George Grey had a report from the presiding judge,
Berm' Martin, recommending a medical import'. Sir
George Grey referred this to the Lunacy Commissioners,
who appointed three of their members to conduct the in-
quiry, sod who coincided with the opinion of the local
authorities. The act also provides for the support of the
prisoner, either from the perish or from hie property, if
poesemed of any. Joseph Mahaig, the soldier convicted of
causing or abetting the death of a woman at Guildford,
having also taken poison himself, has had his sentence com
I muted to penal servitude for life, upon the strong reomn-
ineedatiou to mercy of the jury, forwarded by the proud-
ing judge, Baron Pigott.— Olasc rrer.

- - -
CRUELTY.—For some time pasta woman named
Clara Noble, Zi, has been living with her husband
vim at Grove-end-road, St. John's-wood. Yesterday morn-
ing, at three o'clock, she was taken in labour. On her
master and mistime learning the foot they bundled both
Noble and her husband into the street. After waiting
some time in the bitter cold and damp night air, the hue
band found a cab, in which be placed his wife, and directed
the cabman to drive her to the Marylebone Workhouse.
They arrived there about four o'clock, and on opening the
door of the cab it was found that during the journey the
woman had given birth toe fine child. Every care and at-
tention was paid to the mother and little stranger, and we
are glad to say both are doing well.—Morylehone Mercury.
CRYSTAL PALACE.. -- HALT-A.-CROWN DAT.
SATURDAY, JAN. 2. Admissions on payment, 1,196 ; ditto
by season tickets, 1,804 ; total, 3,002.

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