The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-16 00:00:00

SS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 16. 1863.
MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(Baton the Aesistant-Judge.)

Margaret (Masson, 24, laundress, wee indicted for
obtaining by a false pretence from Mr. Bucktoo the
sum of 2s. 6d., with intent to defraud. There were two
other indictments of a similar nature against her. The
prisoner pleaded guilty.
In this case it was shown that the primmer bed fora long
time serried rio a series of frauds in obtaining money
from the benevolent under the pretence that she
had suffered a very heavy domestic calamity. Her mode
of action was iii the first iostance to ascertain the
Dames of benevolent persons living ID the district selected
for her operations, and also the name of the clergymen
of the parish, together with that of the verger or pew
opener. Having got this information she went to a home
sod requested permission to see the lady of it on very ur-
gent business, having been seat by some reverend gentlemen.
whom she named. Being shown into a room with the
lady intended to be acted upon, her usual statement was
that she was the daughter of the pew opener or verger of
the church, sod that she had been sent by the clergymen to
the lady, whose benevolence was so well known, to crave
her assistance. The grounds upon which she made the
application were that her husband had been employed on a
railway, but had unfortunately been killed by ao accident,
and that on the very day of hie funeral libeled been con-
fitted with twins; that she was oessequently in great dis-
tress, and was about 35e. in arrear of her rent, and pray big
for assistance. At other times her story was varied, she
stating that her husband was drowned at sea, and that she
had been left with four children in a state of the greatest
distress. This appeal generally succeeded in obtaining •
response of fos., or some smaller sum, and then the name of
the last giver was used to back her appeal in other cases. It
is almost needless to say that in every case the use of the
clergyman's name was altogether unauthorised, and they
had no knowledge of any such pence.
George King, police constable 76 D, said he knew the
prisoner, and was present at the Marlborough-street Polite-
court on the 18th of February, 1862, when she was 000-
victed as a rogue and vagabond for obtaining charitable
contributions by a false pretence in the name of Margaret
Dent, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. He
was also present at the Marylebone Polios-court on the 18th
of July following, when she was convicted of two similar
°fleeces, and sentenced to terse MOMS' unprisoornent
upon each ; and she had since been convicted. When she
was convicted at Marylebone Police-court there were
between 60 and 70 cases against her. Her practice was to
take different districts, and she always used the name of
the clergyman of the parish.
The Assistant-Judge said he looked upon this as one of
the most cruel cases that had come before him, as such
cases would have the effect of making the poor poorer, by
steeling the heart, of the rich against the appeals of those
who were really in distress. She appeared to be • most de-
termined person in this line of life, having been sent to pri-
son over sod over again ; but he should puss such a sen-
tence upon her as would prevent her from doing so for some
time to come. For the cause of charity and on behalf of
the poor themselves, it was the duty of the court to make
en example of her, and that was that she be kept in penal
servitude for three years.

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.

William Bolvs,Thiviii&;;;;Tad Thomas Sandie,
three well-known thieves, were brought up before Br.
Alderman Hale, sitting for the Lord Mayor, severally
chanced with stealing watches in Cheapside on the previous
evening.
It appeared that in each case the watch was stolen at
the corner of Foster-lane, at the time the patrol were pass-
ion on their way to the Bank, where, in consequence of a
hoarding being erected, the pathway is narrow, and while
the soldiers were passing that spot the foot paasengeis were
delayed for a few momenta, and during that time the pro-
waters lost their watches. In the case of Bohm and
Connor the 'eidetic* was quite conclusive against the pn-
Dooms, and the watches were found on the prisoners and re-
covered, and they were committed for trial. In the third
case, however, against Sandie, the evidence was not so
stroeg, the prosecutor only having a suspicion that the
prisoner was the man who took the watch, and not haring
seen the prisoner near him the evidence was not sufficiently
conclusive to warrant his conviction, although he was well
known to the police, and he was consequently discharged.

ALARMING ACCIDENT ON THE NORTH
EASTERN RAILWAY.

Yesterday an accident took place to a pu-
mp, train on the North Eastern Railway, which in
its remits has probably been without parallel in the history
of railway catastrophes. The eircumsteues are very brief.
At 7.15 .m., the government train to Hull and Leeds left
York, sod proceeded, without interruption, to the first sta-
tion, Capmanthorpe, some three or four miles from the
city. The morning was very dark, but otherwise
favourable for travelling. The train, consisting of an
engine, two guards' ease, and some eight carriages, left
Caprnanthorpe station, and proceeded on its journey at
an easy rate, but when opposite the fifth mile post from
York, Reynolds, the guard in the first van, was
alarmed by feeling • sudden chock, which shook
him violently. He was about to look out of the
van window, when another shock threw him back
with considerable force into the van. As soon as he re-
covered he looked out, and saw that some six or eight
carriages were loose from the first portion of the train,
and were turned topsy-turvey down au embankment some
10 or 15 feet high. At the same instant, the screams of
the passengers, and the crash of broken carriages, led to the
impression that a frightful accident had occurred, and of
course the most prompt measures were resorted to to stop
awoaching trains and to alleviate the sufferings and
alarm of the passengers. The engine was detached from
the train, and at the next station transferred itself to the
other line, returning to York tt the greatest speed to
spread the alarm. lu a short space of time, Mr. Lebrey,
the oompany'seogineer, and Mr. Christisou, the general pas-
senger superintendent, were on the spot, accom-
gamed by Mr. J. Rutter, Mr. Nicholson, end Mr. Barnes, the
chief official', ands body of workmen. On arriving at the
scene of the accident it was found that the whole of the
passenger', some fifty in number, had scrambled out of the
carriages. Several medical men hails been called upon, and
they accompanied the "special" tram to the spot, where
they at once busied themselves in ascertaining the extent of
the injuries of the passengers ; sod now we have to relate
the most remarkable portion of this otherwise serious acci-
dent. Though meenettrty nom end women bad boon turned
over and over down an embankment in railway car-
riages proceeding at the rate of some twenty miles
an hour, not one was killed, nor was there
anyone seriously injured. lodged, bruises were somewhat
scarce, and the doctors had but little claims upon their
attention. One MIA had his foot partially crushed in one
of the carriage doors, but his injury was nut serious, and
he proceeded to York by the next tram. Another man was
very much shaken, and he stayed during the day at an ad-
joining farm-house. The third of the wounded was • gsa-
tleman, who it is feared has been injured internally,
though be was sufficiently well to proceed on his journey
home. Several of the other passengers were alarmed and
had sustained slight eloocussions, but nothing of that swim=
suture which was expected from the character of the acci-
dent. The exertions of the railway officials were of the
most strenuous nature, and the line was to a con cleared
that little or no interruption took place to the traffic.
We may also add that the strength of the company's
carriages wee • powerful means of preserving the lives of
the wringer.