The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-04 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

George Palmer, 18, clerk, was indicted for felonionaly
embezzling the sum of 931. 16e. 3d., which he had received
for and on account of Evans Evans, his master and em-
ployer.
Mr. F. H. Lewis was for the prosecution ; Mr. Poland
for the prisoner, who pleaded guilty.
The prisoner had been educated at the Commercial Tra-
vellers' School, and went from there to the Hearts of Oak
Benefit Society, No. 21, Hart-street, Bloomsbury. There
he acted as junior clerk. In that capacity the contribu-
tions of country members came into his possession, to the
amount of nearly 1001. some of which he squandered away
in the greatest immorality.
son=t Ryan, 15 E, produced a book in which the pri-
mules careful entry of the various mums he had
expended in waste and debauchery, with the names of the
persons by whom they had been received.
Several witnesses were called who gave the prisoner •
good character, and Mr. Poland urged that he bad yielded
to • sudden temptation.
The Assistant Judge sentenced the prisoner to be im-
prisoned and kept to hard labour &rills months.

Joarph Etridge, 35, servant, was indicted for stealing
• large quantity of plate, value SW., the property of
Herminsep Hannah Cross, his mistress.
The prisoner pleaded guilty.
From the statement of Mr. Pater, counsel for the prose-
cution it appeared that the prisoner had been for many
years in the employ of Mr. Serjeant Cross as butler, but that
gentleman is now deceased. In Aut Mrs. Cross went
out of town. leaving the prisoner in crge of the house and
property. She did not return until October, when she
found that the prisoner had disappeared. Mn. Cron imme-
diately went to the plate-room, but finding the door locked
she had it burst open. On entering the room she found •
letter addressed to her, sealed with black, and stating that
she would be surprised at finding all the plate was gone,
and that in a box in the room she would find the pawn-
brokers' tickets. The letter went on to say that the next
time Mrs. Cross heard anything about him, it would
be his body being found in the nil in the
Regent's-park : and, to give colour to his state-
ment, an umbrella with • ticket pinned to itl was
found on the bank of the canal. In consequenoe of this
statement, • representation was made to the authorities,
and the canal was dragged, but it is needless to say that no
body was found. The prisoner, however, was subsequently
taken into custody, and he attributed his defalcations to
speculations in betting transactions. Since he bad been in
eustody, the prisoner had done all in his power to obtain •
restoration of the property, and he remarked on the fact,
that all the plate traced to pawnbrokers bore the crest of
the late Serjeant Criss.
Four pawnbrokers' assistants, from Mean. Tomlinson and
Richardson, of 51, Cranford-street, Mr. Tomlinson, New
Church-street, Marylehose, Mrs. Smith, US, Edgware-
road, and Mr. Amherst, 14, St. Alban's-place, Edgware-
road, produced plate pawned witk them, and bearing the
mend Serjeant Cross. He made repeated pledges with some
of these pawnbrokers
The Assistant Judge said he should refuse the expenses
of the pawnbrokers, for the reckless way in which they had
taken in these articles of plate with the crest upon them,
and he advised them to be more careful in future, or he
should feel it to be his duty to order a public prosecution to
be instituted against them. . . .

Mr. Pater iaid that Mn. Cross was most anxious to
recommend the prisoner to the merciful consideration of
the court.

The _Assistant Judge said that, but for the recommendation
of the prosecutrix, the court would have passed a sentence
of penal servitude for a long period ; but giving effect to her
request, the court sentenced him to be imprisoned and kept
to hard labour for two years.
Mr. Payne sat in the Second Court and disposed of
WOO larceny MN, but they were devoid of public interest.