The Express.
London, England, 1865-05-03 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS

THAMES.
William Barnes, a wall-dressed, innocent-looking buYi
aged 11 was brought before Mr. Paget, charged with
attempting to steal • piece of coke from the premises of
Mr. Edward B. Johnson, corn-merchant, Canal-road, Mile.
end-road.
Mr. Paget—Hu this boy been locked up all night'
A Poliosrean—Be was let out on bed last night.
A very respectable man hers stepped into the witness-
box and said he was the prisoner'. father, sod he thought it
a great shame to bring the child to • police-court.
Mr. Paget—l am of the mime opinion. Where la this
piece of coke the boy is charged with stealing?
A policeman held up a dem of coke the size of a small
crab-apple, and its exhibition was bailed with a shout of
derisive laughter.
A pollee-constable named Phillip Ward, No. 183 K., said
be took the prisoner into custody for attempting to steal
two small pieces of coke, and that Mr. Johnson preferred '
the charge.
Mr. Paget—You took the boy because you had no choice?
Witness—Yes, sir.
Mr. Paget—Yon were quite right. On others is the respon-
sibility of setting the criminal law in motion upon • boy
1116•1111 years of age for attempting to steal two pieces of
coke.
Mr. Johnson said be had a good deal of property in an
enclosed ground. Boys bad committed great mischief there.
Porticos of the fence bad been removed, and the brass work
Whom taken off an old steam engine on the ground. It was
not for the value of the coke be prosecuted the boy, and it
was not worth while to lea his time, but he must protect
his property.
Mr. t—Have you cbildren of your own?
Mr. Jo nson—l have, sir.
Mr. Paget—And you were • child yourself once?
Mr. Johnson—Yee, sir.
Mr. Paget—Are you not ashamed of yourself'
Mr. Johnson—No, I am not.
Mr. Paget—You ought to be thoroughly 'shamed of your-
self, _ _ .

Johnscm-1 ought not.
Hr. Paget—lt I perfectly disgraceful and monstrous to
lock np a boy eleven years of age on such a charge. The pri-
soner is discharged.

THE SUICIDE OF MR. Pitzscorr, THE

BANKER.

Yesterday an inquiry was held by Mr. W.
Cartier coroner for Surrey. at Clarence-house, Hallman-
too, relative to the death of Mr. William George Prescott,
aged 64 years. Mr. Barnes, solicitor, attended to watch ;
the proceedings oa behalf of the friends of the deceased.
Colonel Arthur Prescott said be was an officer in her Ma.
jesty's service, and was colonel in the Bombay Cavalry.
The deceased was his brother, and was • member of the
banking firm of Prescott Grote, Cave, sad Co., of Loadoe. :
He ass unwell recently, and on Friday last wither came
down to remain with him at his residence at Roehampton.
In the evening witness walked out with him in the park in
front of the mansion, accompanied during portion
of the time by Mrs. Prescott. He was very
taciturn, and would nos enter into conversation. His
manlier was quite altered, and he theniedquite dedespond-
mg. He kept kicking the ground es be wialeed Wither
said to Mrs. Prescott, " How dreadful my brother looks."
His general manner made a stroog impression on witness.
On Saturday morning, at 10 o'clock, deceased, Mrs. Wm-
oott, and witness, were standing at the door, preparing to
go into the park, when Mrs. Prescott suddenly missed
deceased. She went op and called out to him. He an-
swered and said, "lam corning." Al be did not come
at once, Mrs. Prescott went to God him. She came down
again directly and beckoned to witness, telling him that
deceased bad locked himself in the bath-room, and would
Five no answer. Witness ran up and tried the door, call-
ing out " William," but no reply was given. He went
round to another door, and by pushing away a wardrobe
gained admittance to the room. His then sew his brother
with hie bead leaning over the bath and his throat cut.
The blood bad flowed into the bath. His hat and the
razor which he bad used were both at the bottom of the
bath. Witness lifted him up and found that be was quite
dead. Witness sent for • medical man. Witness believed
than deceased's leaving him and going up and destroying his
life was a sudden act.
Coroner—Do you believe that anything connected with
the bank acted apoa his mind?
Witness said that he did not know what doomed might
have said to others. but he told witness nothing.
Mr. E. Parker Wolatonholni, a barrister, of Lioooln'e-
ion, said that Mrs. Prescott was his sister. Os the bth
April, whoa witness was going to Scotland, the deceased
turned away his bead and gave his hand behind his back.
He scarcely spoke a word, and seemed so desponding that
witness said to his sister that Mr. Prescott ought to be
watched. Witness would have thought in any other ens
that a person so conducting himself would be likely to
commit suicide. At the railway station he spoke of penury ;
he said be could not do the work of the bank, and that
he could get no moony. He stated that from the way he had
made his will he had ruined himself. He said, " Ob, if I
had only • mill residue left." Witness knew that this
was all an hallacioatioa, sod often argued with him about
the will which be bad before spoken of. Witham had given
him even a legal opinion upon the affair of the will to show
him be maid sot be rained by it. When he got into his
carriage there was a great alteration in his • and
be mid, " Don't speak to roe, I am vary tired, and going to
sleep."
Dr. Richard Haawall, c 1 Mitcham, said that dowsed had
' inflicted • very arteries wound in his throat with • razor.
All the groat arteries and vessels were eat completely
through. Death must have been instenteneoes. Withers
had been in daily attendance on him fee several weeks past.
' He ass stifferieg from debility, the consequence of a °old,
which had produced tethehitie, and acted on his nervosa
system. He became so desponding of late that last Wed-
nesday witness advised him to leave home and visit his
' brother, which be promised to do.
A butler soma Scales deposed to the recent despondency
ei the deemed.
The Coroner then summed up, and left it to the jury to
; say 'bather the 01110 was Goo of fele de se or one in which
the deceased bad loth ream when be committed the act.
The jury, after delilassatiog, returned a verdict "that
deceased committed nisi& wills la a state al temporary
dersagerssat."

Miss*TorarAir Buz Flospruz, DITOWIINTRIF
swum, 0117.—The marepts umber of Winds wawa
during the wok sailine April 0, wa—Mitikkal, 993;
oforestle 725 ; Mak 1,711; ebbe NO NM mow emela