The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-18 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 18, 1851.

inchouve of Andrew Carpenter, and stealing a cash boa,
pair of bouts, mot 111. in gold and silver.
Serjeaut Corp. titer, of the It division, stated that on the
28th of November the house of prosecute:, a grocer, in
London-street, Greenwich, was broken into, and the things
named in the indictmt nt stolen, and from information he
had abut thu eld.r prisoner, who was au es-
caped transport, end whom he had traced from
Bethnal-green to Vicarage-place, Greenwich, he for
several days and nights kept a watch upon the latter named
place, and on the 4th of this month be saw Clifford come
out of the house in Vicarage-place and look cautiously
about him. He then went in again, and shortly afterwards
came out with his father, Reid, and they went sonte dis-
tance along the road, followed by witness, who, as soon
as ho could, got the assistance of some other officers and
took both prisoners into custody. They then went to the
house in Vicarage-place, which is rented by Hamilton, who
is married to a daughter of lieu, and they there found the
cash boa belonging to the prosecutor, and also the boots.
Upon further search a dark-lantern and crow-bar, a bag of
bullets and a mould, some powder and caps, and a
pair of percussion pocket-pistols loaded with ball and
capped read) for instant use, lying on the sideboard in
the sitting room. In Reid's pocket was a percussioo
cap and some money, and upon Clifford a marked coin,
sworn to by the prosecutor. The wife of Hamilton gave
the police every facility to search the place, and said her
father had done the robbery, and that her husband knew
nothing of it. The loaded pistols, it appeared, had horn
prepared by the elder prisoner to take away the life of the
first officer that matte an attempt to capture him.
The prisoner Hamilton received a most excellent cha
'weer.
The jury found the prisoners Reid and Clifford Guilty of
the burglary; and Hamilton of receiving the property; re-
commending him to mercy, as they thought he and Clifford
bad been drawn into it by the elder prisoner.
It was stated that Reid, in 1837, was convicted of a
burglary in the Old Jewry, and sentence of death was
recorded, and he was transported fur life; be escaped, was
re-captured, and again, in 1842, was tried at this court,
and transported for life. He again escaped, and came to
this country in October last. Reid said that death was pre-
ferable to the horrors he bad undergone as a transport. Ile
had been knocked about and scourged until his body was
one mass of lacerations. lie would prefer death to being
again sent out of the country. lie then began to cry most
piteously, and called on God to spare his boys, whom he
vehemently declared were innocent.
The court sentenced him to fourteen years' transporta-
tion, Clifford to twelve months', and Hamilton to four
months' imprisonment.
The Common Seijeant said that the sergeant's conduct
had been most meritorious in effecting the capture of so
dssoorste a character, and ordered kis•• sward of dl.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.—YESTERDAY.
Bank. Ma. SkIJI OM ADAM% AMITANT Jesus.
CV alUta CHAIM&
Either Wyatt, a person of lady-like appearance, was in-
dicted for having stolen two pieces of soap. She surrendered
in court.
The prosecutor was an oil and colour man, carrying on
business at lloxton, and from the evidence of a boy who
was in his service it appeared that a little after twelve
o'clock on the 22nd of November the prisoner entered the
shop and asked for a small quantity of blue. She went
and stood against a tray on which a number of pieces of
soap were lying for the inspection of customer., and took
lap two of the pieces and placed them in her pocket. The
boy having observed this told the prosecutor, who sent for a
police officer and gave her into custody. She begged fur
mercy, uud said she had a baby at home, but the charge was
persisted in, and on being taken before a magistrate was
committed for trial, but allowed to go out on bail.
Mr. Parry, in addressing the jury, did not deny the facts
as deposed to by the boy, but urged that the prisoner had
no really felonious iutention when she took the soap. She
was the wife of a gentleman of great respectability and
good circumstances, and it was not therefore because she
was in any want of soap, that she committed this act. In
Octuber, a month before this transaction, she was confined,
and that event the jury would hear from her medical man
had greatly enfeebled her mind, and that gentleman would
prove that she was a person of highly nervous temperamen
very excitable, and had since the event alluded to, been
subject to hallucinations. It was an extraordinary fact that
during the time she was ill after her confinement, she com-
plained to her nurse that too much soap was used in the
house. and that when told afterwards that not more than the
usual quantity had been used, she denied all knowledge
of having made any complaint of the kind. Coder these
circumstances he should ask the jury not to arrive at the
conclusion that the prisoner was nut guilty on the ground
of insanity, but to say by their verdict that she was in so
feeble, yet excitable a state of mind arising from extreme
nervousness, as not to be quite cognisant of what she was
about, and not fully capable of controlling her actions. She
was a gentlewonsao in every sense of that term, her hus-
band held • public and a responsible position, but for
various reasons which the jury would readily comprehend,
he (Mr. Parry) did not feel himself at liberty to be more
precise upon that subject.
A medical gentleman was then examined. Ile gave evi-
dence to the effect stated by the learned counsel, and stated
that in his opinion, the prisoner was excessively nervous and
excitable, and had hem particularly so, both before and
after her confinement.

Other Oflitlitt was given.
Thu learned Judge then cornered up, and remarked that
it was a well-known fact that women, not only during
pregnancy, but even after their confinement, were subject
to impulses of a very singular yet almost uncontrollable
nature.
The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty.
AssAULT.
John Argent, a powerful-looking man, apparently about
4, years of age, was indicted fur an assault with intent upon
a little Fir], 12 years of age, named Ransom.
The jury convicted him of a common assault, and Mr.
Witham sentenced him to three months' imprisonment.
KEEPINU UNLA.WFUL HOUSE&
Henry Pepper was indicted for keeping a common brothel
in the parish of St. Luke's.
On the part of the prosecution, evidence was given to
show that the house, or rather thu houses in question, Nos.
21 and 2'2, Baltic-street, St. Luke's, were frequented at
nights by prostitutes and men, and Inspector lirennan, of
the 6 division, and two police officers, gave evidence of
their having seen prostitutes enter the houses at all hours
of the night, and of their having repeatedly been to the
houses in search of prostitutes who had committed rob-
beries, and other parties who were charged with felony.
One prostitute, who lived in the house, was tried in this
court in the name of Ward, and convicted of robbing a man,
about twelve months ago.
The defence was that the houses were not brothels, and a
number of witnesses were examined to contradict the case
for the prosecution. They asserted that the houses were
let out to lodgers, mostly respectable married persons, and
that they were never known to be the resort of prostitutes.
One of the witnesses, who looked a mere boy, and who said
his name was Hubbard, stated that he was married, and
lived with his wife in one of the houses is question. lie
had been married twelve months, and was by trade a
pocket-book maker. The house was nut a brothel.
Mr. Parry—Are you • pocket-book maker or a pocket-
book taker. (A laugh.)
Witness—A pocket-book maker.
Mr. Parry—You say you are married—now, be careful—
where were you married?
Witness—Yes, I am married, and have been 12 months.
Mr. Parry—Upon your oath, sir, where were you
married ?
Witness (hesitatingly)—Where, did you ask, sir? What
' does that matter ?
The Judge—Answer the question, or I will commit yoa.
Witness—lt was at Cripplegate Church.
Mr. Parry—Now, I caution y,u. Will you swear that
you are married at all. Come, we happen to know some-
thing of you, Mr. Hubbard.
itness—Well, then, I ain't married at all; I live with

a young woman.
Mr. Parry—Then you told a lie, when you said you were
married ?
Witness—That's it, sir.
Mr. Parry—Have you ever been in trouble, Mr. Hub-
bard ?
Witness—l don't understand you.
Mr. Parry—Have you ever been in prison?
Witness—What's that to do with this—
Mr. Parry—Have you ever been in prison ? If I asked
you if you now steal pocket-books, you might decline to
answer, but you arc not protected from answering my
question. Were you not sentenced to six months' hard
labour tor picking a man's pocket of a watch?
The witness refused to answer. He was threatened with
committal if he did not, and he then said, "Yes, that's

right, tar.' .
The Judge—Wan you tried in this court ?
W itness —Yes.
The Judge—Before me ?
Witness—l don't know.
Mr. Barry replied, and contended that the evidence for
the prosecution was not at all shaken by that for the
defence.
The Jury found the defendant Guilty.
The court sentenced him to six months' hard labour, and
to find sureties, himself in 1001. and two sureties of 241.
each, to keep the peace and to be of good behaviour for
six months further.