The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-29 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—LIVEIIPOOL, Ago. 23.

CZOWSI Coral.-11.,•,as ILtion. PLAIT.
Ttta Maas Aurrms SwiNDLE.

Yesterday, 11'11'i on James Chew and John Sosia were
put upon their trial as misdemeanours for conspiring
together, along with other., to defraud Pedro Wilson
and others; and also for holding mock auctions, and ob-
taining money from divers persons by means of false pre-
tencesosore particularly from one Win. Wadsley King.
The prisoners opened various auction rooms in Liverpool,
and carried on business by means of a number of accom-
plices, called " sweeteners." The manner in which
strangers were taken in was shown by tho evidence of
Pedro Wilson, second purser of the Prussian navy, who
was one of the victims. On the 13th of June he was in-
duced to go into one of these auction shops, were Chew
acted as auctioneer and Smith as purchaser. By the re-
commendation of Chew on the one hand, and the eager
hi .ding of Smith against him on the other, he was induced
to purchase several gold watches at from 71. to 9'., believing
he was getting them very cheap. Mr. Wadsley King also
bought a number of gold watches under nearly similar cir-
cumstances. Some sweeteners, iu place of Smith, acting as
bidders.
A number of other witnesses gave evidence as to this part
of the system. The watches were valued by practical men
at from ids. to 80s., and they would not sell as gold.
Richard Trigge. a brushmaker, employed by Chew as a
sweetener, was examined at great length. He stated lie
received 16s. a week and a commission on the articles sold.
He had been in the habit of bidding and buying at sales
by direction of Chew, who furnished him with money for
the purpose. The articles so bought were always returned.
Several other persons were engaged to act as himself. The
auctioneers were exchanged several times during the day.
When strangers came in the auctioneer or the men em-
ployed would call out " A mark !" Sometimes California
sovereigns were given by Chew and the other auctioneers
to buy gouda with. He had been paid his wages by
Smith as well as Chew. l'lacarda were placed in the
room representing the goods as bankrupt's stock, and when
strangers came in, Chew represented the goods as such.
William Jackson, a boy who hail been in the service of the
prisoners, stated the commission given to each one who in-
duced a person to buy a silver watch was 3d., and a gold
watch 6d. One of the sweeteners named Jones used to
examine the watch through a glass, say he was a watch-
maker, that lie understood watches, and recommended
watches. Another, Provost, used to represent himself as a
spring-maker, and had hurt his finger whilst working for
Mr. Daniels. When a buyer was in the room, a sign was
made by the holding up a finger, indicating that they were
to bid no more.
His Lordship, in summing up, instructed the jury that if
they thought the prisoners conspired by false pretences and
misrepresentati ins to cheat persons who attended the sale
by giving them rubbish instead of goods, which they, sold
as such, then the conspiracy was made out ; but if they
thought it was possible that the prisoners might have
opened the s stablishment to sell rods at a fair price, and
had no intention to cheat, they ought to find them not
guilty ; and if they had any reasonable doubt on these
points, they must give them in favour of the prisoners.
The jury, after 20 minutes' consideration, returned a ver-
dict of Guilty against bosh prisoners, for conspiring to de-
fraud the persons named in the indictment; and all who
freqnented the sale room. The trial had now lasted .31
hours, and it being 10 o'clock, sentence was deferred till
this morning.
This morning, on the court being opened, Chew and
Smith were put forward. His lordship, after a lengthened
address, sentenced each to six months imprisonment, a flue
of 201. each, and to be further imprisoned until that fine be
paid.
Nisi Pairs Pswar.—Dsroaa Ma. Jerrica
A LUVE WITH A FILE.
Francis Roberts, a machine-printer of calico, at Rad-
cliffe was yesterday tried for stabbing a fellow-
workman named Joshua Seddon, with a file, on
the 2nd of July. From the evidence adduced, it
appeared that a dispute had arisen between the
two young men, in regard to the affections of
Martha Bunker, a cousin of Seddon's, and who had for-
merly looked kindly on the prisoner, but had latterly fa-
voured her cowed. One night, at a wedding fete, the pri-
soner eat himself beside the prow cuter, and told him that
he (Seddon) hail prevented his couiin /rem getting a good
husband, and then made sonic remarks derogatory to the
character of Seddon's sister* and family. Seddon got
angry and struck Roberts on the face with the back of his
hand. They were immediately 'separated, but next day Sed-
don sent to the rsiwn where prisoner was engaged, and asked
him "if he were still in the same mind )" Roberts replied
that he was, and reiterated the abuse ; whereupon Seddon
struck him. Roberts then snatched up a file, drove Sed-
don into a corner, and stabbed him in the stomach, causing
a quantity of blood to flow.
The judge having summed up, the jury returned a ver-
dict of guilty of wounding only. without felonious intent.
The prisoner was sentenced to Ail months' imprisonment,
with hard labour.
There were no other cases of interest, and the Ist/slues* of
assizes terminated at 11 o'clock to day.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.—YEsTERDAT.
Bayou Ida. EISILISANT ADAMS, APsISTAST Jews.
The cases brought before the court this morning were
those in which parties were under bail to appear at this
session.
TICE CASE 07 \VESTA, TIIE PRIEST.
Mr. Parry said he was instructed on the part of the
prosecution, in ci case, " The Queen against WilliansWeale,"
for a misdemeanour, to ask the court to postpone the case
until the next session, the child on whom the defendant was
alleged to hare committed an assault being ill of small-pox.
Mr. Ballantine said he appeared on behalf of the defen-
dant, Mr. Weak, who was not, as hail been stated, a Ito-
mish priest ; he was a young man of great respectability,
and was then in court, prepared with witnesses to meet the
charge, and he was anxious that it should be gone into, but
he (Mr. Ballantine) had teen the medical certificate pro-
duced on the other side, and he felt bound to bow to any
course the court, under the circumstances, miieht sanction;
he could not, he thought, oppose the suggestion made 141
his friend.
fhe court then ordered the case to he postponed until the
next bail day, the rceoguisances to be enlarged.
INDEI ENT PCIILICATIONS.
Charles Ildstlota, 3i, was indicted for a misdemeanour.
The indictincut charged that the defendant had published
and -old certain obscene prints and libels. lie pleaded
guilty., and said he threw himself upon the merciful consi-
deration of the court.
Mr. Clarkson said he appeared on behalf of the prosecu-
tion, which was instituted by the Society for the Suppres-
sion of Vice, against the defendant, for vending indecent'
prints end publications at No. I, Vere-street, Clare-
market. To that charge he had pleaded guilty, and
though he had entreated the court to treat the ease with
leniency, he, Mr. Clarkson, begged to say that he could
not, on the part of the society, invite the consideration of
the court towards the defendant. The society received in-
formation of the nature of the articles the defendant was
dealing in, and sent an officer to his shop to purchase some,
and the defendant sold him those which would be shown to
the court, and front which the court would be well able to
judge what amount of mercy the defendant was entitled to.
lie was indicted, and on a search beintr made more than
900 similar productions were found. Ile defendant had
recklessly sold these thing. at low prices, and bad supplied
them wholesale to persons who hawked them about—and it
was an important fact that the plates from which they had
been worked, were in his possession.
The defendant said he would never offend again, the per-
son who supplied him was dead.
I The learned judge, after some severe observations upon
the nature of this traffic, said he was rejoiced to find that
the proper authorities had come to the determination to
clear from Ilolywell-street the abominations with which it
was crowded. Ile then sentenced the defendant to one
year's imprisonment, sad ordered that at the end of that
period he cuter into a recognisance of 1001. to be of good
behaviour for another yam.

THE POLICE COURTS.
GL ILDiIALL.

Mr. and Mrs. Fells, of 14, Great Carter-lane, Doctors'.
commons, attended in answer to summonses issued on Mon-
day, on the complaint of Mary Ann Targett, aged 17. It
will be remembered that the girl was originally charged at
this court with stealing a piece of bread from the
box of a policeman in Great Carter-lane. During
the investigation the girl alleged that she bad been
in the service of Mr. Fells, and that she had been
cruelly beaten and illtreated, and almost starved by
her master and mistress, her master having on one occasion
exhibited to her food to look at, at the same time telling
her the look was all she should have; and he not only
struck her in the face, but kicked her, because she was
hisilderman Hooper remanded the charge against the girl,
and directed that a summons should be issued against Mrs.
Fells for unlawfully beating and ill-treating her; and also
a summons against her busls.usd, Mr. Fells, for as-aulting
and illtreating her, sbe being his servant, whom he was
bound to supply with food, &c. These summonses were
issued under the provisions of the act passed for the protec-
tion of servants since the conviction of the Sloane'.
Mr. liobler appeared yesterday on the part of Mr. and
Mrs. Fells, and said he should be able to show that the
case bad been very much exaggerated in the newspapers,
and that, before the case was proceeded with, he should
desire that the evidence should be read over, when he
would be enabled to show that the injury about the bone in
the finger could not have arisen from ill-treatment as the
mother had stated. . . . . . . .

Alderman Hooper said he had not much opinion of the I
mother, but it would be better to read the evidence before
proceeding further.
Mr. Payne then read the whole of the evidence received
on the former occasion, the principal portion of which has
appeared in the Daily News.
Mrs. Targett, the mother of the girl, stated that her
daughter denied having stated she had been struck with a
rolling pin, and called witness a liar. Her daughter had
complained of being kept short of food, but on inquiry she
found it was untrue, and that the girj was a storyteller.
She had been in the service of Mr. and Mrs. Fells about
two years. Her previous situations had been obtained by
her (witness's) character alone. Her daughter had had
whitlow on the joint of one of her fingers, and part of it
having festered she was taken to St. Bartholomew's Hos-
pital, when it wu lanced, and a portion of the bone came
away, which witness had since kept in her possession. (The
girl bad stated in her examination that she had lost that
portion of the bone through hard work.) Her daughter
was constantly complaining of bein hard mocked, but she
found it was untrue, and Waif nor ha

husband believed her. The work was not work
she was unable to do. She nev.:r heard her complain
in tho presence of Mrs. Fells. Witness usAl to wash for
her and saw her repeatedly, but had only seen her twice
since Christmas, as her mistress said she was old enough
to wash for herself. Her daughter had always a good
home, and whenever she left her situation from complaints
against her she was received.
Alderman Ilooper asked the girl what she said to what
her mother had stated ? The girl said that her mother bad
stated that if she left her situation she would not take her
in, and she feared to go home.
Mrs. Targett denied she had done so, and spoke to a
strict; of acts of negligence and gross misconduct in former
situations, at oue time feigning to be an idiot. She had
three children born in wedlock. The girl, Mary Aun
Targett, was an illegitimate child. It was evident that
the witness had a strong feeling against her child from her
manner.
Alderman Ilooper said she thought it was unnecessary
that the case should on that portion of it be carried on ; but
front the evidence of the matron and Mr. M'Murdo, there
was clear evidence of assault, and the girl stated she had
been kicked.
Mr. Fells (interrupting the magistrate)—That is false,
I sir. if I were to say I had never struck her, it would not
I be true, for I have beaten her, but only mice, and that by
' her own eminent, about three weeks ago, because she coin-
mitted a theft. She was sent out fur some meat, and an
accidentally marked fourpenuy piece and a sixpence were
given her to pay for it. Winn she came back she pre-
; tended she had lost the fouepenny piece, which Mrs. k ells
afterwards found in her pocket.
The Matron—The girl complained to me at the Compter
that her master had repeatedly beaten her with his fist in
the left side, and that the three slices of bread and drip-
ping which she usually had for breakfast were cut fro a
small cottage loaf, and very thin, and very far from bi im ng
sufficient.
Mr. nobler suggested that the girl had ample opportuni-
ties of complaining to the peoplo in the house if she had
been treated in the manner she described.
Mr. Fells—l have several parOes present who will be
able to state that she has not been l; eaten and that she has
had sufficient food. The bruises on her person were occa-
sioned by a fall from a nine feet wall her attempt to get
at the policeman's safe.
The officer, Mills—The wall is not more than five or six
feet high, and when the girl fell she caught her leg in the
line and broke the fall, which was not at all likely to have
produced the various marks and bruises evident upon the

girl's person.
Mr. James Lidilon, bookbinder, stated that Mr. Fills
had been in his employ for the last 20 years., and during
that time had borne an irreproachable character, and he
considered both he (Mr. Fells) and his wife lust been very
improperly summoned.
Alderman Hooper—l hope, sir, you will allow' me to be
the judge in this matter. After the allegations ontle by
the girl, and which were in part confirmed by the s, tegem'ii
certificate I consider the issuing of the sum moans
against Mr.i and Mrs. Fell a very proper proceeding. There
in not, however, enough in the evidence to enable r re to
carry it any further. I have no doubt in my mind th,, t the
pour girl has been more than punished, indeed, s cry
anwerely beaten, and also, that site had not had s
latent food, which has induced her to plunder t.
IC
Ws before alluded to. The evidence of the mother I wil
wet say I cannot believe, but I receive it with great hesita-
tion. The girl may have stolen the fourpenny-piece, and
she might have told untruths, but no evidence has been
tendered to confirm those assertions. Altogether it is a
very fit case for investigation, and I cannot discharge Mr.
and Mrs. Fells without very severely reprimanding them
for their conduct towards this unfortunate girl, and I hope
they will feel how improperly they have acted, and that
these proceedings will have a beneficial effect upon them.
And now I wish to know what is to be done with the girl,
for, under the circum.tanees, I cannot think of committing
her to prison for taking the bread.
Mother—l'll take her home with me, and she shall have
as good a home as ever she had before.
Alderman Hooper—The girl objects to such an arrange-
ment. She seems afraid of her own mother, which cer-
tainly appears to me to be a very unnatural f, cling. 1
shall therefore remand leer fur a few days, and its the mean
time consider what can be done for her.
C LE ILK EN WELL.
Patrick Scott, a rough-looking fellow, well known to the
police, was charged by Mr. William Hodgsay, surveyor, of
Southend, with a most daring robbery and outrage. On
Monday evening last, about the hour of five, the prosecutor
WWI in Pentonville, when he felt a tug at his pocket, and on
turning round he saw the prisoner and another ruffian, the
former having his handkerchief. Ile immediately collared
the man, who resisted, striking, and kicking, and bitien
him severely, whilst his companion made a signal which
attracted several other desperate characters, who also at
tacked him, and endeavoured to rescue Scott. Witness,
however, retained his hold of Scott until the arrival of some
police constables, one of whom (Cooper, 61 N) was imme-
diately knocked down by the prisoner's companion ; he re-
ceived Scott in charge, but the latter made his escape, the
officer remaining on the ground fur a considerable time in
an insensible state. Withers, a detective officer of the same
division, having received a description of the prisoner ap-
prehended him on Wednesday night.
The officer said it was dangerous for any respectable per-
son to pass by King's-cross, which was constantly infested
by gangs of thieves waiting to plunder strangers, especially
those arriving by the Great Northern ltailway.
Mr. Tyrwhitt fully committed the prisoner for trial, and
said he would grant warrants for the apprehension of any
of the parties concerned in the outrage, who could be
identified.

LAMBETII.
T/wmas James, the cabman who hall hs en in custody since
Monday last on a charge of indecently assaulting three
children, whom he invited into his cab, was brought
up for final examination. The children slid not appear,
hut Mr. Elliott said he bad heard sufficient evidence
on the former day to satisfy him of the prisoner's guilt, and
convicted him in a penalty of 203., or 14 days' imprison-
ment.

THAMES.
George Grant, 17, George Ackert, 15, and Frederick
Pyle, 2s, were charged with dischartring fireworks on
Tower-hill. The offence having been proved, they said
they had read in the Dispatch that firework's would be let
off on Tower-hill in commemoration of Prince Albert's
birthday, and bought a few, thinking it was no harm.
Mr. Ingham said there was great danger always in letting
off fireworks, and the prisoners were liable to a penalty of
40s. lie however let them off on payment of 3. 6d. each.