The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-27 00:00:00

epressed his belief that Miu Morgan had been made a
duxrarbgyarths prisoner.
es garah Morgan said she was 17 years of age.
she had known the prisoner for about 14 months. The
hottime she brought anything to her house was about
three months ago. They were all brought in the daytime.
Before she brought anything die said she was going to get
mimed, and going into business, and asked witness if she
would take care of a few parcels for her. She had brought
a good many parcels since that time. When she brought
the bolsters a hey carried them for her. She did not know
whits was in the parcels, and never saw any of the boxes
,i,od. The prisoner did not pay her to take charge of
The prisoner said that Mr. Bell gave her some of the
goods, and a young man who bade sinoeleft the prosecutor
pee her the red.
The prisoner was fully committed for trial.

CLERKMWELL.
CAPTCRZ OF A GAS° OP PIC/CPO
AGSICCLITRAL-HALL.

AT THZ

John Gifu*, aged 26, who described himself as •
wadlst, and gave his address at a coffee-shop, in James-
'beet, Old-street ; Wiiliavt M'Ouire, aged 23, a weaver, of
4}palworth-read ; James Welch, aged 21, a hawker, of 17,
sr Union-court, Holborn; William Burke, aged 22, a
barhr, having no home ; and Charles Neale, aged 18, •
bookbinder, of 5, Pump-court, Red-lion-street, Clerken-
well, were charged before Mr. Barker with attempting to
Dish pockets in the Agricultural-hall (North London
tshibition), Islington.
Polimesonstable Dudley, 47 N, said that last evening,
between 6 and 7 o'clock, he was standing near the pay pte
of the Industrial Exhibition, when he saw the whole of the
prisoners come up in company and enter the hall. Suspect-
ing them, he followed and watched them, and saw them,
with the exception of Welch, commence operations at once
by attempting to pick pockets. Welch walked behind them.
apparently on the look out, and, being ill he did not go
into the crowds with the other prisoners. He watched the
prisoners round the building, and then followed them into
the gallery, where he supposed they saw him, as they
separated and went different ways. Whilst in the gallery
he saw Gibson put his hand into the pocket of one Lily,
and that was the second attempt that had been made to
rob her, as whilst on the basement M'Gnire had put his
hand into her pocket. He went up to the woman and
asked her if she had lost anything, and was answered in
the negative, the person addressed remarking that she
could not be robbed as she had nothing to lose. Whilst
he was looking from the gallery he again saw the prisoners
attempt the pockets of several persons, and he then went
and with assistance took them into custody. At the
police-station they were searched, and on four of them
nothing was found, but on Gibson the sum of 11d, was
found.
The prisoner asked the constable if any of the parties
he spoke to had anything in their pockets'
The constable said they had not.
Police-constable Maynard, 266 N gave confirmatory
evidence, and said that ho knew all the prisoners as the
companions of wait notorious thieves and prostitutes.
during watchin the prisoners for about two hours, and
that tune, with the exception of Welch, he saw
them attempt to pick the pockets of no less than 20 persona.
Ile asked one of them if she had lost anything, and she
said she had felt a hand in her pocket, but she had
potting in it to lose.
The prisoner Gibson mid that this charge was trumped
sip against them because they happened to be known.
gene of them last night ever attempted to pick a pocket,
and they did not go to the hall for that purpose. Having
heard of the " wonders that were to be seen there, they
had gone there for an evening's intellectual amusement."
If they had attempted so many pockets as the police had
stated, they surely would have stolen something; but
nothing was found on them.
The prisoner M'Guire said that as soon as they went
into the hall they saw the two constables, and knew that
they were being followed ; and was it likely that, knowing
that, they would attempt to pick pockets? On his honour,
he could assure the magistrate that none of them ever took
their hands out of their pockets last night. They did not
go to the hall to pick pockets ; they only went there for
amusement.
The prisoner Welch said that the constables were mis-
taken in saying that they caw him enter the hall with the
other prisoners. He met them in the hall, and knowing
them, walked and spoke with them, and he was sure it was
a mistake to say that they attempted to pick pockets. He
only got out of a sick-bed yesterday morning.
The other prisoners said that they (lid not wish to say
anything except to say it was all false that the police had
stated.
Mr. Barker said be would give Welch the benefit of the
doubt and would discharge him. Theother prisoners would
each be sentenced to three months' imprisonment with
bard labour in the House of Correction.
The prisoners, laughing, danced out of the dock.
WESTMINSTER.
WIFE BEATING.
Charles Ribbon, a labourer, was charged with assaulting
his wife.
The poor woman had one of her eyes bandaged. On
being wont she stated that she did not wish to press the
charge against her husband, but merely wished him bound
over to keep the peace. She admitted that he had inflicted
the injury she now bore.
Mr. Arnold—Let the witness stand up.
Mary Ann Welding said that last night she was walking
behind the complainant who was with a female cousin.
The husband came up, and with some appellation struck
the complainant violently.
Defendant—She was having an altercation with her
cousin, and I did not like to hear it.
The Wife—l don't want to press the charge against my
husband this time. I only want him to keep his hands off
me for the future.
Mr. Arnold -I have made up my mind never to pay any
attention to the requests made by wives in cases of
this descriptiou. With few exceptions their wish is always
to screen their husbands. I ant determined, for the pro-
tection of other wives, to punish all such offenders. I shall
commit you for a month to the House of Correction, and
require you to enter into your own recognisance' to keep
the peace for three months.
SOUTHWARK.
ALLEGED OUTRAGE ON FEMALES IN THE. SURREY THEATRE.
Mr. Thomas Mille, a respectable tradesman, surrendered
to his bail for final examination, charged with indecently
assaulting Mrs. Emma Barrett in the pit of the Surrey
Theatre.
Mr. Henry Allen, the prosecuting officer of the Associate
Institute for enforcing the Laws for the Protection of
Women, attended on behalf of the society, and Mr. Palmer
defended the accused.
It appeared from the evidence of the prosecutrix, a re-
spectable married woman that on Monday night she was in
the pit of the Surrey Theatre with her husband and sonic
4 friends. About 9 o'clock she was proceeding from her seat
to join her husband in the refreshment department, and
in passing the prisoner he seized hold of her and acted
indecently towards her. Ile tried to pact his hands under
her clothes, and lifted her petticoats up. As soon as she
released herself from him she fetched her husband, and
he gave the defendant into custody.
Mrs. Elizabeth lteeldey, another respectable married
female, said that she was with lest witness, and heard her
amuse the defendant with indecently assaulting her, and
while she was gone for her husband, witness asked the de-
fendant why he conducted himself so grossly to a respect-
able married woman. He laughed at her, and endeavoured
to pull her clothes up. At that time one of the officers of
the theatre came up. and removed the prisoner.
Police-constable 47 L said that the prisoner was given
into his custody in the lobby of the Surrey Theatre for
assaulting MN. Barrett. He was perfectly sober, and de-
nied the accusation.
Mr. Palmer, on behalf of the defendant, said that the
siteesses for the prosecution were mistaken. His client
was a respectable tradesman, and would scorn such conduct
as that imputed against him. He was standing in one of
the passages of a crowded theatre looking at the
performance' with Lis hands behind him, when the females
pushed past him, and as their crinolines lifted his hands
may have touched their under clothing, but he denied
Positively wilfully misconducting himself towards either of
the females.
The magistrate observed that he could not decide the
use after the testimony of two respectable females. He
committed the accused for trial, but accepted bail for his
appearance at the sessions