The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-06 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 6, 1853.

Campbell's act, and she might have been indicted for
wounding with intent, and then it would have been in the
power of the court to order an imprisonment of two years.
In answer to the court, it was stated that the prisoner
expressed her sorrow for what had occurred, adding that
she cant to hurt the child, but merely meant to
I make it smart for a minute or two. Her general conduct
to the children was kind, but her temper was passionate.
The Common Serjeant, after making some further inqui-
ries, and ornamenting upon the time that elapsed between
the period of the commission of the offence and the prisoner
being given in charge, ordered her to be imprisoned for 14
days in Newgate.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.—YEST!IDAT.
/arose Ma. 61111JZANT ADAM/, AMMTART AWOL
The Court to-day took bail cases.
FENN! TEIZATIII.
George Seymour was indicted for a misdemeanor, in
hiving kept a place for music and dancing in the parish of
St. Luke, Old-street, such place being unlicensed for that
purpose.
Mr. Sleigh said the prosecution was instituted by the
parochial authorities, for whom he appeared, and be should
sill evidence which would at ones satisfy the court and the
jury that tho prisoner had kept one of thou places the
most proper name for which was a filthy hole, termed in
vulgar parlance " a penny gaff," in Brick lane, St. Luke's,
• esmiplete den of iniquity and a hot-bed of pollution and
Mom It was frequented chiefly by children, and persons
of the basest character, and it held out to the respectable
juvenile portion of the community allurements of the most
dangerous tendency—they were induced to het pence by
some means, some no doubt by robbing their masters, to
avail themselves of the entertainments provided for them at
a peony each, by the prisoner at the bar and his corps dra-
The prisoner protested that he was not the proprietor of
the place, but the mere manager.
The Assistant Judge said if he were only the manager he
was just as guilty in law as the proprietor himself.
Mr. Sleigh said the jury would at once perceive the cha-
racter of the place from the placards announcing the enter-
tainments, some of which be would read, the police having
taken on of them. The learned gentleman then
read e following, which were smeared on large pieces of
dirty' cartridge paper in black characters, shaded and em-
bellished profusely with daub. of Venetian red :
" Notice. A new Ballet and a Change of Singing.
" Maynard's Benefif. next Thursday. Obi, or Three
Fingered Jack!
" Every Evening, commencing at half-past six o'clock,
and ten minutes after every succeeding hour. A Grand
Gala Night every Thursday. Come early.
"The Musicians' Benefit is next Thursday. Forget it
not.
" Rules to be strictly observed :
" Every person to attend at half-past five precisely, or
be fined 2d.
" All laughing or inattention on the stage cash
offence, 2d.
" Every person engaged is to render what assistance may
be required of them in the business or be fined 2d.
' Any person going from the stage in that business cos-
tume will be fined 3d.
" Every person to be behind when the bell rings for com-
mencing, so as to be ready for their duty when required, or
be fined 2d.
" The greatest order to be observed by all during the
progress of business, or each defaulter to be fined 2d."
The fines to extend to one and all, and will be rigidly
enforced, and the whole will be spent at such time and in
such manner as may be thought best. Vivat Regina."
Inspector Brennan said he went to the place in question,
No. 9, Brick-lane, Spitalfields, on Monday evening, the
12th of last month. It was a foundry, and had been fitted
up as a theatre, with stage, scenes, curtains, &e. Ile found
an audience of from 70 to 100, nearly all children, of ages
varying perhaps from eight to twelve, or fourteen, many of
whom had been at the bar of this court. There was a per-
son who appeared to have been installed in a position of
authority. He was provided with a long stick, which he
used to the children if they displayed any impatience for the
commencement of the performance, or hooted, or made a
noise. He saw the prisoner there, and asked bim if he was
the proprietor of the theatre, and he replied that he was.
He then asked him if he was • married man and had
children, and on his answering in the afilunative, witness
put it to him whether he should like to see children of his
owa huddled together in a place like that with a gang of
young thieves, most of whom, he observed, were barefoot.
The prisoner's reply to this was that he was a profer.ional
man and got his living by it, and said he would part with it
after Christmas, but could not before. On the 13th he called
main, and found the prisoner in a box, taking the money.
He called him out and told him the parish would prosecute
him if he did not shut the place up. Music and dancing
were then going on. The admission was one penny. Witness
had more than once seen parents go to the place after their
children, and drag them out by the hair of the head.
The prisoner declared that he
that he was the proprietor of the place, or that he had chil-
dren of his own. The proprietor was • person named Jones,
who kept the keys, lit the pis, and kept it in order, and let
it to him, prisoner, at Cs. Bd. • night. He was • profes-
sional, and must get a living somehow, and it was very
hard for him to be taken instead of the owner. He was
the general manager, and bad to pay the rent every night,
or the owner would not suffer them to go on, and fre-
quently he only took 10s. a night ; so that out of that be had
to pay 6s. Bd. rent, and provide everything else for the
other 3s. 4d.
Th• kits, lanamoalately fuwall Lim Orailty.
The Amistant-Judge, after commenting upon the evils of
those trumpery exhibitions, sentenced the prisoner to six
months' bird labour.
A conuastaieation was made subsequently to the Assis-
tant-Judge, upon which he said—l em informed that there
are three -of these places in the parish of Shoreditch, within
a very short distance of each other. and the parish have
been applied to and will not take the matter up and pro.
&acute. As Assistant-Judge, I state publicly in court, that
if this be the fact, their conduct is most reprehensible, and
I wish they could be indicted fur it.