The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-29 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

The May adjourned general sessions for the county of
Middlesex commenced yesterday morning, at the Guild-
hall, Westminster, before Mr. Bodkin, aasiatant judge ;
Mr. J. Payne, deputy assistant judge, and the following
magistrates:—Mr. H. H. Harwood, Mr. C. E. Johnson,
Mr. Rankine, Dr. Jervis, Mr. Twentyman, Mr. Loveland,
Mr. Baylis, Mr. Waleson, Mr. Antrobus, Mr. F. H. N.
Glossop, Mr. Gould, Mr. Sambrooke, and Mr. Bashford.

(Before the Assistant Judge.)
On the names of the gentlemen summoned to serve on
the grand jury being called over, a gentleman appeared in
the body of the court, and said he had an excuse for the
non-attendance of William Clarke, of No. 11, Down-street,
Piccadilly, as he was a footman, and was at present
travelling with his master, Mr. Stone, on the continent.
The Assistant-Judge (to Mr. Proud, summoning officer)
—Wby, here is a footman summoned on the grand jury.
He returns himself on the grand jury list as a " gen-
tleman."
Mr. H. Harwood—lt probably ought to' be a gentle-
man's gentleman. (A laugh.)
The Assistant Judge (to the witness)—How is it, if he is
only a footman that his name appears on the list!
Witness—His wife keeps a lodging-house at the place
for which he is summoned.
The Assistant Judge—Let a fresh summons be issued
for him to serve on the petty jury, and he must appear
here next sessions. The grand jury were then bnetly
addressed by the Assistant Judge, and they retired to
their room.
The calendar is lighter this searion'than usual, and only
contains the names of 71 prisoners committed for trial, 00
being indicted for felony and 11 for misdemeanour. The
state of education of the prisoners was reported to be as
follows :—Can neither read nor write, 20 ; can read and
write imperfectly, 40; can read only, 3 ; can read and
write well, 2.
The offences with which the prisoners stand charged
are pot stealing, robberies from the person., indecent
assaults' attempting to obtain goods by false pre-
tences, stealing from the docks, embezzlements, ma-
liciously wounding, conspiracy to obtain two cows by
false pretences, stealing lead, assaults on the police while
in the execution of their duty, and some minor offence*.

STAMP OFFICE ROBBERY AT MARCHISTER.—Some
time between Saturday noon and yesterday morning, the
office of the Hon. Mr. Howard, government distributor of
stamps, Cross-street, Manchester, was broken into by
thieves, and poet-office, receipt, probate, and foreign
stamps of the value of 7,0001. were stolen. The thieves
had gone deliberately and systematically to work, picking
the lock and entering the office of Messrs. Garnett and Co.
next door, first, and getting from there into Mr. Howard's
private office. From there they broke open a door double
sheathed with iron, and got into the stamp office. The stamps
were in a new Milner's safe, and this they threw over upon
some pieces of calico obtained from Messrs. Garnett and
Co.'s place, to deaden the sound. They then used drills,
and succeeded in opening the safe. They only obtained
31. or V. worth of other property, mostly in cash and loose
stamps. Of the property taken from the safe, it is thought
that from 3,0001. to 4,0001. worth will be readily con-
vertible
into cash. The Hon. Mr. Howard has offered a
reward of 4001. for information leading to the detection of
the thieves and recovery of the property ; or a propor-
tionate sum for the recovery of any part of the property.
The town of Ottery St. Mary, situated a few
miles from Exeter, was the scene, on Friday, of a fire on
a scale now rarely witnessed in this country. About noon
the fire broke out, and by eight o'clock in the evening 120
houses, or thatched cottages, were destroyed—thus leaving
as many families houseless. What makes the calamity
more painful is the fact that the majority of the sufferers
are of the poorer clam. The unintentional originators of
all this mischief were a few children, who bad been con-
fined in a schoolroom for some misdemeanour, and who
had thoughtlessly beguiled their hours of imprisonment
by throwing lighted pieces of paper up a sooty chimney.
HEALTH AND STRENOI'H RESTORED BY Dv BAILEY'S
DILLICIOVI RITALEBTA ARABICA FOOD which cures without me
Maine or Mooavenience dyspepsia Ondtgeetion), comet, asthma,
consumption, debility, constipation, diarrheas. palpitation, me,
von', bilious, liver, and stomachcomplaints. It saves fifty thane
its cost in other remedies, and is the best food for infants
60,000 cures annually.—Da Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street,
London, W. In tins, at la lid. ; 11b., Ti. o,i ; MU_ ?Ma ;
Ulna., 40a. ; also ate, Orsone.hurehutraet ; a, Cbcallaida: 118.11.0.
sag 2V6, Oxford-street; and at aY Rrocera—(Advertissinsut.)