The Express.
London, England, 1864-01-02 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.
Au ioNlliggesaat•looking lad, about 14 ye►rs of age, named
Benjamin Hibtis, was brought up on remand before Mr.
Alderman Phillips, sitting for the Lord Mayor, charged
with robbing his employer, Mr. Daltrey, of King Wilbam-
street, ivory turner. . . . .

-The prisoner it appeared was in the satyrs of Mr. Daltrey
as errand boy, in which employment he had been engaged
for about three months. There were several charges of rob.
bevy against the prisoner, one being for stealing •Sf. Bank
of England note, and others for stealing various articles
which had formed parcels with which he had been entrusted
to take to the booking-office for the purpose of trans-
mission to customs= in the country. There was
also in addition to the charges of robbery, one of
forgery, he having taken a parcel for this purpose of booking
it, and returned with the delivery book, purporting to be
signed by some one at the Phoenix booking-offioe in King
William-street, on receipt of the parcel, and for the two-
pence for booking.
These were the facts upon which the prisoner was re-
manded, and yesterday • witness was called who deposed
to having purchased • quantity of knitting needles, pocket-
books, pincushions, of • lad named Duncaife, who gave
her an invoice with the goods, with • printed heading,
bearing Mr. Daltrey's name.
The lad Dnooalfe, • lad about the age of the prisoner, was
called as • witness, and gave his evidence in a very clear and
straightforward manner, and it appeared from what he
stated that he and the prisoner lived in the same neighbour-
hood, as he described it, about two stones throw from one
another, and they were in the habit of calling one for the
other and walking to the City together of • morning. wit-
ness being employed as errand-boy ss Mr. Dawson's, the
newsagent, in Canoonatreet. He deposed to having sold
the goods to the last witness as described by her, and made
out the invoice, and the circumstances under which he was
induced to do so were that the prisoner bad told him that he
was going to travel for his master, and that for every 6e.
worth of goods he sold he was to receive 2s. 6d. for him-
self, and the prisoner told him to sell them as he
would make abetter traveller than lie would, and he also
told him to make out the invoice, as he was rather the
better penman of the two. The prierer had the goods
with • quantity more in a box, and he remarked to him
that it was • " nice thing to have to carry about," when
the prisoner said if be did not like it he would not carry
it, and he afterwards bought a basket in which he placed
all the goods, and threw the box away. As they were
walking along together passing some large warehouses, he
heard • noise which he thought was some rata, having seen
one just before, but on turning round he found the prisoner
bad dropped a quantity of knitting needles, which had fallen
down the grating of one of the warehouses. He told the prisoar
that be would get into • pretty mess, when he replied that
it did not matter in the least ; he should tell his master that
he had lost them and he would not say anything. He remarked
to prisoner that his was • very nice master, as according
to what he had said he had bought him a new suit of
clothes, and • hat, and a watch, and above all when
be lost property be would say nothing to him. The witness
west afterwards to the place where the knitting needles
were dropped, accompanied by the officer who recovered
them.

The offioar Whitney then proved takieg the'primoner into
mutoly and bin subsequent avowal of stealing the rd. note ;
and the prisoner—who, when asked if he wished to say aor.
thing, said that Einocalfe had nearly half of the fit. note
and half of the money for the goods which he had sold—was
committed for trial, Mr. Alderman Phillips remarking upon
the wickedness which he had displayed.