The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-05 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS.

Yesterday the February adjourned quarter sessions of
the peace for the county of Surrey commenced at the See-
sions-house, Newington-causeway.
The calendar contained the names of 54 persons for
trial-52 for felony, and two for misdemeanour. The
status of education was as follows:-15 could neither read
nor write, six could only read, 3.2 could read and write
imperfectly, and only one could read and write welL
On the grand jury being sworn, the chairman said that
the calendar contained the names of in prisoners for
trial, and he was happy to inform them that it was
much bus than thecorresponding session last year, I
which ho considered hig y favourable when they
remembered what hard times they had passed through
and the hardships of the poor and destitute.
At the same time, the offences were of a very slight
nature, so much so that the grand jury might be of opinion
that the magistrates should have dealt with them sum-
marily,
instead of troubling this court with them. lie,
however, regretted that although the offenoes were mostly
slight, the offenders were old thieve', some of them
having been repeatedly convicted and served penal send- i
tide. By an order from the Secretary of State magistrates
at police-courts and petty sessions were restrained from I
dealing with such prisoners, having direction, to send
them to the sessions, so that the court would pass such a
sentence as to keep them from their pursuits for a long
period. There were 23 prisoners for simple larceny, eight ;
for stealing from the person, four for obtaining from their
masters, four for embezzlement, two for stealing goods by
false pretences, four for breaking and entering dwelling- I
houses, one for cutting a horse, two for cutting sheep, and;
two for cutting and wounding.
(Before Mr. T. Tilson.)
Richard Rolla, a respectable-looking young man, who
has been employed as cellarman in the Crystal Pekoe for
upwards of eight years, was indicted for feloniously smelt-
ing Mary Chart, and violently stealing from her person two
coats, the property of Thomas Chart, and one watch and
other articles, the property of Richard Lambert.
Mr. E. Smith prosecuted ; Mr. Lilley appeared for the
prisoner.
Mrs. Chart said that on the Sunday the fire broke out
at the Palace she accompanied her husband and a young
man lodger there, and being shareholders they were ad-
mitted. Soon after the fire broke out, her husband
and friend, being anxious to assist in extinguishing is,
threw off their omits and hat", and gave them to her to
take care of ; and her lodger, in addition, handed her his
gold watch and guard chain. In a short time afterwards
she heard something said about the wild animals being
let loose, and, becoming much alarmed, she asked prisoner,
who appeared to her to be a person in the company's
employ, to show her into the garden. He offered to do
so, but instead of taking her to the garden, he took her
downstairs underground, and when there rid. " I must
have the watch and chain and the three costs." He then
caught hold of her by the cloak near the ducat, and took
the things away from her. While he was doing so she
called out " Murder," but the place appeared so dismal
and lonely that she did not think anyone could have heard
her. On her leaving off prisoner said, " I must have that
chain you are wearing also," and was about to take it,
when she rushed away, and ultimately reached the build-
ing—in what way she could not tell.
For the defence several witnesses were called, including
Mr. Bertram, the contractor, and master to prisoner, all of
whom spoke in the highest manner of him, and also went
fully to prove that prisoner could not have been where
proeecutrix stated at the time, and, in fact, he was with
one or the other of them during the whole time of the fire.
Mr. Lilley also made a powerful defence, when the jury
returned a verdict of Not

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THE POLICE COURT&

WORSHIP STREET.

John .Vaynard;ii-,-leWriieCias a shoemaker, but
having all the a nce of a blacksmith, and John
fillet, 28, tall, of upright carriage, calling himself a
tailor, without any fixed residence, were placed at the bar
by Inspector Haskell, of the C. division of police, and Ser-
geant Maw, the City detective, charged with attempting
to buiglaiiously break and enter the dwelling-houses, NOS.
;l and 64, City-road, tenanted by John and Luke
Hancock, jewellers and opticians ; also with having
in theirpossessiou housebreaking instruments.
Not any defence was offered, and both were fully com-
mitted for trial at the Central Criminal Court.
isOCTHWARK.
Robert Zoe, a very nice looking lad, twelve years of age,
was placed at the bar before Mr. Woolrych for final exami-
nation, charged with striking Jane Bourne, also twelve
years of age, on the head witha hammer, and threatening
to murder her.

the prosecuting officer of the Associate
Institute for enforcing the Laws for the Protection of
Women and Children, watched the case on behalf of the
society.
It ;appeared that the prisoner and prosecutrix attended
a school in Snowthelds. Bermondsey, and living near each
other they wad to play together. latterly, however, the
girl took a liking to another boy, which caused some
jealousy between them, And the prisoner was heard to say
" that one of these days he would do for her." Accord-
ingly one day after school hours he secreted a hammer in
a corner of the yard, and as the girl was leaving school
he attacked her and wounded her in such a manner that
she was conveyed in a abate of insensibility to Guy's Hos-
pital, and after that the prisoner was apprehended and
remanded from time to time for the attendance of the
prosecutrit, who now appeared, the wound being nearly
halted up.
In answer to the charge, the prisoner said that he need
to play with the complainant, but latterly another boy
had come between them, and she told him unlese he gave
him a hiding she would have nothing more to do with him.
He told her that the other boy was too big, when she
struck him, and then he knocked her down. He never
used a hammer, and never said be would have her life.
Mr. Woolrych committed him for trial for unlawfully
wounding the prosecutrir._
.....