The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-13 00:00:00

OP A BENEFIT SOCIETY..

The plaintiff in this action was the minister of a religious
sect in the north of England, and the defendant was until
lately one of his deacons. The action was brought to recover
Mt 104., balance of money entrusted to his care as steward
to a benefit club connected with his ministry. Evidence
of a satisfactory nature having been given chewing that
the defendant had had the money and applied it to his own
use,
The defendant began a long defence of thieving, wresting
scripture texts to serve his purpose. His arguments failed,
to convince his Honour, who interrupted him with the rueu-
tion of Whitecross-street prison, whereupon defendant took
, out a roll of bank notes and paid the debt.

THE POLICE COURTS.
GUILDHALL.
COAL CASEA.—Henry .41kn, a coal dealer, in Weld-
street, Lineohia-inn-flelds, was charged by John Harwood,
the inspietor of weights and measures for the eastern parts
of the City, who stated that on the 6th instant he saw a van
laden with a ton of coals in the care of a lad. There war
no machine under the waggon, and on asking for the ven-
dor's ticket, he found that none had been made out.
Alderman Wilsuu asked defendant if lie, being the seller,
had produced his son, the driver.
Defendant said he did not suppose it was necessary, and
had therefore appeared to answer the charge himself.
Alderman Wilson desired him to state what answer he
had to make.
Defendant said his business was to move furniture, and
he did not do much in the coal trade ; so little, indeed, that
he did not know a ticket or weights were necessary.
Alderman Wilson said however little defendant might do
in the coal trade, it was scarcely to be believed that he did
not know what everybody else was well aware of. It was
his duty to know the law that regulated his trade, and he,
therefore, tined him 10s. for not sending out a machine, 10s.
for not delivering a vendor's ticket, 10s. for the carman in
respect to the machine, and 10s. costs, making in all.
Thomas Webb, a small jobbing carman, was summoned
for delivering half a ton of coals at Mr. Prime's,, in Camo-
mile-street, without a ticket or machine.
Mr. Harwood stated the case. The man said he had
given the ticket to Mr. Prime,who declined saying whether
he had a ticket or not. Mr. Prime submitted that defend-
ant was not answerable, as he employed him to buy half a
ton of coals, paying him; merely fur the cartage.
Alderman I% ilson said if defendant worked his cart for
hire, and undertook to carry coals, he must conform to the
law respecting the carriage of that commodity. Ile there-
fore tined defendant ss. fur each offence, with lls. coda.
WORSIIIP-STREET.

EITINSIVE SILK iiollßEßY.—Charks 'AMC'S Wood. a
young man of respectable appearance, was charged on sus-
picion of having been concerned with others not in custody
in stealing upwards of sewt. of raw and manufactured silk,
of the value of 650/. the property of his employer, Mr.
John Edmonds, a silk manufacturer in Fort-street, Spital-
fields.
The prosecutor stated that the prisoner had been about
six years in his service as foreman and general assistant in
the warehouse, and he had always entertained the highest
opinion with regard to his integrity and uniform propriety
of conduct until the present occasion. Shortly after i
o'clock on the rooming of Saturday last he was hastily sum-
moned down stairs by one of his servants, and on entering
his warehouse, which exhibited a scene of great disorder, he
found that the various drawers and other receptacles for his
stock had been drawn out and plundered of the greater part
of their contents, consisting of 323 lbs. of raw silk and nearly
1,500 yards of manufactured silk, the entire bulk of which
amounted to at least 5 cwt. He also missed between 71. and 81.
from one of his desks, which had been foreed open and tho-
roughly ransacked pry the thieves. On examining the premises,
to ascertain in what manner an entrance had been effected,
it was discovered that the staircase window, overlooking
the main street, and which bad been carefully closed and
secured before the family retired to rest on the preceding
night, was wide open. The whole of the property in ques-
tion was perfectly safe at 4 o'clock on Friday afternoon,
when witness left the premises in charge of the prisoner,
whose duty it was to close the warehouse, and deposit the
key in a small box in the adjoining kitchen at his usual
hour of leaving, between sor 6 in the evening. About
two hours after the discovery of the robbery, the prisoner
presented himself at the warehouse at the accustomed hour,
and after readily affording every assistance in his power in
preparing an estimate of the amount of goods stolen, he
was directed to distribute about the neighbourhood a num-
ber of handbills offeriug a reward of 1001. fur the detection
and apprehension of the thieves, and continued to dis-
charge his ordinary duties without the slightest suspicion
being directed against him until the preceding afternoon,
when an investigation was set on foot in consequence of
communication furnished by another witness, and which
resulted in the apprehension of the prisoner.
James Payne, foreman to Mr. Foot, a silk manufac-
turer, stated that while passing through Spital-square be-
tween four and five o'clock in the afternoon of Fnday last,
' he observed a man with a large and bulky bag, which he
was carrying over his shoulder from the direction of the pro-
, secutor's warehouse. He believed the man to be the pri-
soner, and continued watching him until he turned into
Bishopagatc-street, but his bat having been drawn over his
eyes so as to abade his features he was unable to swear pen-
' lively to his identity.
Inspector Ellis deposed to having taken the prisoner into
custody, and that on subsequently proceeding to search his
house he discovered four empty boxes which the prosecutor
claimed as his property, but stated that they had no cornice-
tion whatever with the present robbery.
A solicitor who attended on behalf of the accused was
about to address some observations to the • s^istrate ),nt

Mr. Tyrwbitt intimated that it would be quite _ _
sary, as although he considered it a proper case for investi-
gation, he was decidedly of opinion that there was not suf-
ficient evidence to justify the further detention of the pri
goner, and he should therefore order him to be discharged.
MAItYLEBONE.
EXTENSITY. ROSIDEIIY Or NOTES AND GOLD lIT A
BERVANT.—Caroline Ilaaddine, a well-dreri,oa young
woman, was charged with having robbed Mrs. Mary Sump-
tion, a widow lady residing at No. 10, Stanhope-street,
Hampstead-road, of property to the amount of 1001.
Prosecutrixsaid-1 he pnsoner has been in my service
three years. On Friday last I. received from my tenants
a large sum, which I put into my wardrobe, where other
money had
from time to time been deposited by me. In the
whole there was more than 1001., consisting of three 10/. notes,
four W. ditto, together with • quantitf gold and some
silver; the whole was placed in three bogs and I lucked
the door of my wardrobe, which was in my bedroom.
On Saturday night the prisoner, as was the usual custom,
took a bird into the parlour, and presently came down to
me in the kitchen, exclaiming "Oh, my God! mistress, we
have been robbed, for the parlour window is open and the
drawers also :" upon hearing which I said, "Oh! then I
am a ruined woman. I went into the parlour with
her, when she remarked, " but they hav'nt undone
the seeretaire, fur there is a key in it that
don't fit," which I found to be the cam. The
key is mine. I saw a silver watch which was my late hus-
band's lying on the window board, and prisoner said, "Oh,
that will, I dare say, detect them." The watch was safe in
my. bedroom the same morning. Prisoner then went up
stairs, and as I was about to follow her she came running
down in great haste, Raying, " Oh, ma'am, the drawers are
all open, and the wardrobe too." I entered the room and
found that all my money was gone, as also the larger bag of
the three the other two I found empty upon the floor. I
said, " Oh, dear, who can have done this. " and the prisoner
made no answer. She, however, seemed much agitated.
Yesterday a tradesman named Levy came to my house, he
haring heard of the robbery, and informed me that on last
Tuesday week he had sold to the prisoner a gold watch, a
gold chain, ring, and two brooches. This was mentioned
in the presence of prisoner, who then said to me, " I am
the one who robbed you, and no one else, and I'll restore
, you the money." She then addressed herself to Mr. Levy.
o saying, "'You'll return to Mrs. Sumption what I paid you ; '
to which he replied, " We'll settle that another time," and
• he then went away. After he was gone I said to the pri-
soner, " Now, Caroline ;" when she remarked. " If you'll
only go out at that (the front kitchen) door for a minute I'll
restore it;" upon which I said, " Then it's in the kitchen?"
and she replied " Yes, it is." I told her she might just as
well give it to me where I was, as it was not
my intention to go out, upon which she put her hand into
an opening under the grate and drew therefrom a parcel
which she gave to me, saying, "There's your money." I
opened it and found therein two 101. notes, six 51. ditto, 38
sovereigns, 15 half-sovereigns, 3 half-crowns. 2 shillings,
and a sixpence. I said to her, " Now, Caroline, give me
the rest of the things;" and she drew from the same place
as she did the money a gold watch, chain, key, ring, and
brooch, which she gave into my hands.
Loekerbv' 180 5, said that he visited the house on Sun-
day nighelas t, and, upon examining the premises, he at
once felt satisfied that the robbery must have been effected
by some one on the premises. Ile yesterday evening took
the prisoner into custody, when she gave to him a brooch
which she said was one of the two which she had bought of
Mr. Levy on the Tuesday week. Witness remarked to her
that that was before the robbery, when she asserted that
she knew that, and that she had made the purchases of the
watch and the whole of the other articles with her ntis-
tress's money.
Mr. Long—Did she make this statement to you volun-
tarily ?—Witness—She did, sir.
Mr. Long—Did she tell you in what money she paid for
the articles?
Witness—She told me that she changed a 101. and a 5/.
note, both of which she had taken from the wardrobe. She
also said that she had taken money from there belOre.
The prisoner, who had nothing to say in answer to the
charge, was fully committed for trial.
GREENWICH.
Santoro ettAßOE.—Thong Billiton, of Lime Cottage,
Lewisham, gentleman, and who it was mentiened had lat-
terly been a lieutenant in the 6th Royals, was charged
with feloniously assaulting Martha Boulton, a child aged
13 years.
The evidence of the child was very straightforward and
specific; and it was proved by other wanes.•s that she had
been extremely ill in consequence of ill treatment of the
natare alleged.
Mr. Seeker ultimately committed tho prisoner for trial,
and said he would take bail in 200/., and the prisoner's re-
cognisance of 2001.