The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-20 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.
George Jackson, a lad about 15 years of age, was brought
before the Lord Mayor, charged with having picked a
gentleman's pocket.
A young man who was walking along Tower-street just
before the occasion, said—l saw the prisoner following a
gentleman, and having seen him in auspicious circumstances
before, I watched kim. Ile whipped a silk handkerchief,
with great quickness, out of the gentleman's pocket, and
turning down Harp-lane, hurried on, and when he got into
Thames-street, turned suddenly about and began to walk
back, in the most unconcerned manner. I stopped him and
spoke to him about the robbery, and he made an attempt to
trip me up, but I held him and gave him into the custody of
a policeman. When he saw that it was useless to resist any
longer he pulled the handkerchief from under his coat, and
said " There it is."
The prisoner assured the Lord Mayor that he was mis-
represented, and that he hoped his lordship would discharge
bins, especially as nobody had ever charged him with any
bad conduct before.
The Lord Mayor—Now, prisoner, bow long is it since
you have been at that bar before this day ?
The prisoner—Never was here before, your Lordship,
since I was born.
Several policemen said the prisoner was known as a thief
for some years, and had been sent to Britlewell and to the
Conipter upon many occasions; that it was his practice in
the teeth of the most conclusive evidence, to declare before
the very magistrates who had committed him, that he never
appeared in a police court upon any former occasion, and
that his lordship had upon one occasion sent him for trial
the result of which was a sentence of imprisonment for 12
months.
The Lord Mayor—l remember him well, and I believe he
made the reply he has just tootle upon that occasion.
The Prisoner—No, your lordship, I never said a word
at all at that time. (Laughter.)
Mr. Goodman (the chief clerk) said the prisoner hail been
repeatedly at the lmr at which he then stood, and that he
had been known upon being discharged from prison to levy
contributions in the usual way.
The Lord Mayor—The prisoner is committed for trial,
and let copies of his former convictions be produced in the
court. If he be let out to prey upon the public during
the approaching Exhibition, I shall take care not to be a
consenting party to his liberation at any rate. The respon-
sibility must rest upon other shoulders. I have of late
committed numbers of notorious thieves, and I trust that
justice will be done to them at the more serious tribunal to
which I have sent them.
The prisoner was then committed for trial.
GUILDHALL.
G. Cannon, cab-driver 9,148, was summoned for de-
manding more than his legal fare.
Defendant drove prosecutor, Mr. Freeman, and two
other gentlemen from the Brighton Railway to 186, Fleet-
street, and on their arrival at the latter place demanded
and obtained 201., the I. gal fare being Is. 4d. Prosecutor
desired that his license might be marked.
Defendant said that he was labouring under the belief
that he could charge 811. for the extra passenger; but
having found out his mistake he was now willing to return
the money.
Alderman Hunter said that he would not deal with the
ease as though it had been a wilful overcharge. If he was
licensed only for two persons in his vehicle, then be might
object to taking a third, but he must make his objection
before starting out, but he could not charge any extra fare
on that account. lie would not mark his license this time,
but would merely order the defendant to pay the cost of
the summons, 35., and return the amount of overcharge.

CLERKENWELL.

John James French, a young man described as a book•
seller and stationer, of No. 30, Great Quebec-street, New-
road, was charged by Oliver Holmer, of Rodney-street,
Pentonville, with conspiring with two others in defrauding
him of 351.
Prosecutor stated that he had only been in London a
week. On Tuesday afternoon last he was walking along
Oxford-street, when the prisoner called alter him, " Hallo,
Jackson, how do you do ?" Witness said, " That is not my
name." The prisoner then apologised, and invited
him to take a glass of porter, to which he consented,
and they entered a public-house, where they met
with another man, whom the prisoner called " Jem."
He commenced talking about steeple chasing, and con-
gratulating themselves in not having gone to the Bromley
Steeple ('hare, in consequence of the wet weather. Wit-
ness told them that he was going to the Edgeware-road,
and they proffered to show him the way, when they entered
a coffee-shop. A Frenchman, wearing dark blue spectacles,
entered, and he was addressed by the prisoner, who pro-
posed tossing for gin and rum-and-water and half-a-crown,
then for Gs., all of which the prisoner won. Ile then pro-
posed to toss the Frenchman for a sovereign or nothing,
and the foreigner was successful, and ho then said he would
not toss again for less than 101., 201., or 301. The prisoner
replied, " I have only got a 61. note." The Frenchman
then left the place, when the prisoner suggested to witness
to pledge his watch, &c., which he consented to do, and
" J cm" accompanied him to a pawnbroker's, where he pledged
his watch for 31., which he lent to the prisoner, and he
laid down a 31. note, together with the 31., in " Jem's "
hands. The Frenchman covered it with 91. 10s., won the
toss, and received the money. The prisoner asked witness
if he had any more money, to which he replied that he had
35 sovereigns at home, and they drove to his residence in a
cab, when witness brought out 3.51. in gold, and they drove
off to a coffee-house in the New-road, when the Frenchman
put down 451. and it being covered the money was tossed for,
and the foreigner won it and left the place, and " dem" fol-
lowed him. The prisoner and witness went to look after
them, when they entered a heershop, where theprisoner met
with a tall man whom he told that he had lost money in
tossing, and he (the prisoner) left by the back way, and on
going after him witness saw him trying to make his escape
over a wall, when he pursued and gave him into custody.
He took witness to Mr. Buffery's, gas fitter, of Wit:Acad.
street, Somers-town, and asked Miss Buffery to lend him
three sovereigns, which she declined doing, when he took
three sovereigns from his pocket and said to her, " Pretend
to lend them to me." She said they were a gang of
swindlers, and ought to be given into custody The French-
man proposed that he would back me to run a race with the
prisoner for 401. or 501., which I agreed to.
John Pooley, 286 5, took the prisoner into custody. Ile
found on him six sovereigns, a pocket book, and a skeleton
• key, also a betting book, and an account of several returned
transports.
Mr. Tyrwhitt said he would remand the prisoner. It
was a sue in which the detective police ought to use every
exertion to bring the parties forward. The betting hook,
referring to transports, was one that no respectable trades-
man would carry in his possession.
Mr. Herring suggested that bail might be taken for the
prisoner's appearance.
Mr. Wakeling said it ought to be indisputable security.
Mr. Tyrwhitt said it must be heavy and responsible bail.
The prisoner was hailed and liberated.
Our reporter has been requested to state that the half of
a 61. note, 65,304, has been forwarded to the poor box of
this court by " W."

Patrick Toomey, a labourer, was charged with ill-using I
his wife, turning her out of doors, and discharging a gun at
her while in the street.
The complainant said that her husband was in the habit
of beating her with great barbarity for some considerable
time past, and on the night before he struck her and turned
her into the street. He also threatened to shoot her, and
while she was in the street he discharged a gun. She
could not say how it was charged, but she was sure that her
husband had plenty of powder and shot in the house. She
could not say that the prisoner presented the gun at her,
but his general conduct was such that she went in fear of
her life.
The prisoner, in reply to the charge, said his wife was of
so jealous a disposition that she never gave him a moment's
peace of mind.
Mr. Elliott convicted biro in a penalty of 40s. for the
assault, or 20 days' imprisonment, and also ordered him to
God bail for his goad behaviour for one month.