The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-04 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(Before Mr. Payne.)
Harlin Cooper, 21, described as • tailor, a ticket-of-
leave man, was indicted for stealing a watch, the property
of Frederick Pusehart, from his person, to which he
pleaded not guilty.
Frederick Puschart, a respectable young man, said that
on the IGth of September he was ooming home, about 12
o'clock at night, when he came up to a crowd of people in
High-street, St. Giles's, and whilst there he lost his watch.
The prisoner was standing by his left side, with a hat
on, and after he lost his watch the prisoner disposed of
his hat and put on a cap. Witness saw him (prisoner) pass
something behind him, and he immediately missed his
watch. The prisoner ran away, and he ran after him, and
accused him of stealing his watch. The prisoner was sur-
rounded by a little man and several low-looking fellows,
who were evidently his companions, and if it had not been
for some friends of his (witness's) the prisoner must have
escaped.
Police-constable 49 C said he heard a row and cry of
" Thieves," and upon going up received the prisoner into
his custody on this charge. He said he had not got the
watch. The row was caused by two men fighting.
Benjamin Bishop, of 30, Upper Rathbone-place, proved
seeing the prisoner and a very short man a little way from
the crowd pressing close against the prosecutor, and
directly after he complained of the loin of his watch. The
prisoner took something out of his pocket and gave it to
the little man, who is called " Alec," and he went away.
Witness went up to the prisoner and seized hold of his
band, when he was hustled and struck by his companions.
Cross-examined by the prisoner (in an impudent manner)
—Did not see any exchange of hats. He asked prisoner to
give up the watch, and he said that he had not got it.
There was &great crowd.
After Mr. Payne had summed up the evidence,
The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
Charles Cole, sergeant, C division, said the prisoner was
sentenced to three years' penal servitude on the 2nd Nov.,
1863, for housebreaking, and was now out upon a ticket-
of-leave. His time would not expire until next November.
Had seen the prisoner several times since he had been re-
leased, and had spoken to him and told him he was glad to
see him at work, and he (the serjeant) hoped he would
keep at work. Had subsequently seen him with a gang of
thieves, of which the little man " Alec" was the leader.
" Alec " was a terror to the neighbourhood, and although
he is a little man, yet he is a terrible character. Witness
told the prisoner that if he did not keep better company
he would be sent back to penal servitude to serve the
remainder of his sentence.
Mr. Payne, in passin; sentence, condemned the conduct
of the prisoner after hems sentenced to penal eervltudeand
obtaining work in not keeping to it. He had received very
kindly warning from Sergeant Cole, and if he had followed
his advice he would not be in that dock. As long as he
saw chance of a prisoner reforming, combined with the
safety of the public', he always dealt leniently with him,
but when the prisoner had an opportunity of retrieving his
character and would not do so it was useless to pass a
small sentence upon him. The prisoner had behaved vary
badly, and was a dangerous man. The sentence upon him
was that he be kept in penal servitude for seven years.
Hannah Craig, 32, was indicted for stealing a surf and
mantle, value 125., the property of Mary Loxes.
It appeared that on the evening of the 25th of Septem-
ber the prisoner went into a pawnbroker's shop in Rocher-
ter-terrace, High-street Stoke Newington, offering some
article in pledge for the purpose of redeeming another
article. While she was waiting to receive the article she
was about to redeem a boy spoke to George Stillcoin, the
assistant, and then he missed
taesTlluafrom the counter.
He charged the prisoner with s • it, which she denied,
and he sent for a police-constable. e waiting for him
to come the prisoner put the parcel down from under her
shawl containing the articles named in the indictment.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and
Mr. Payne sentenced her to be imprisoned and kept to
hard labour for four menthe.
Elizabeth Smith, 45, was indicted for stealing half • sove-
reign the property of William Huntley.
William Huntley said he lived at No. 28, Dame-street,
and was a gas-meter maker. About half-put six on the
evening of the 22nd of September he was in front of the
bar at the Skinners' Arms public-house, where he acci-
dentally pulled out of his pocket three half sovereigns, and
they dropped on to the ground. He picked up two of
them, but one of them fell near to the prisoner, who was
in front of the bar. On his stooping to pick that up also
the prisoner got before him, picked up the half sovereign,
and refused to give it up, and she also said that she had
not got it. He asked her several times to give it to him,
but as she still refused, he went for a policeman and gave
her into custody.
Henry Saker, potman and barman at the Skinners' Arms,
Coburg-street, Clerkenwell, said he was standing in front
of the counter when the prosecutor dropped his money.
Part of the money fell at witness's feet, and as he was
going to put his foot upon it the prisoner stooped quickly,
and picked it up. The prosecutor was stooping at the time
and was just about to pick it up, but the prisoner stooped
before him, and almost knocked him over. He asked r
to give the man his money, and she said she had given it to
him. Witness asked her again to give it to him, and she
said she had not picked it up at all.
William Chsplrn, 249 G, said he was sent for to take the
prisoner into custody. He asked her what she had done
with the half sovereign, and she said she had p'cked it
up and gave it to him, and then said she had not picked it
up at all. At the station-house she again said that she had
picked it up and had given it to him.
She now said she had not picked it up.
The jury found the prisoner Gisilly.
Mr. Payne sentenced her to be imprisoned and kept to
bard labour for two months.

John Bishop, who pleaded guilty last sessions to an in-
dictment, charging him with having housebreaking im-
plements in bus possession, and against whom judgment
was deferred, was again placed at the bar.
It will be remembered that after the prisoner pleaded
guilty, Police sergeant 404 A stated that the prisoner
was charged in 1800 with housebreaking, at the Old Bails),
in the name of Epsworth, when he was sentenced to be
kept in penal servitude for four years. He was indicted
with another person, who gave the name of Jackson. This
asses Lion, corroborated as it was by five other sergeants
and four constables, the prisoner positively denied, and
said to show how careless the police were in cases of iden-
tity, be would state, notwithstanding that statement
might criminate himself,that in 1860 he was serving apart
of a sentence of six years penal servitude passed upon
him in 1857, and therefore he could not have received a
sentence of four years' penal servitude in 1860. He chal-
lenged the fullest inquiry into all the facts, and said that
if inquiry was made at Mill:sink it would be found that he
was there in the name of Donohue, that he worked as •
plumber there with a man named White. Afterwards be
went to Portland, and from thence be was sent to Ber-
muda, returning to England in 1861, which of course pre-
cluded the possibility of his having committed another
crime in 1860. On Morday, when this matter wasbronght
before the court Mr. Payne directed that some person from
Millbank should to-day be in attendance to prove whether
the prisoner was the same person who was recorded in their
books as O'Donohue, and was sent to Bermuda prior to
1860.
On the prisoner being placed again at the bar this day,
he reiterated hie previous statements, and wished to be
taken to Millbank, where he could be identified, and
proved that he was not Epswortb.
After a great deal of discussion, and the examination of
additional witnesses, the jury found that the prisoner was
not the same person, and that he was not convicted
in 1860. . . . . .

Mr. Payne said the sentence on him was, that be be kept
in penal servitude for five years.
The primmer—Your lordship has not kept faith with me.
You said I should not be punished in consequence of what
I said.
Mr. Payne—For this offence only, to which you pleaded
guilty, you are liable to a sentence of penal servitude for
five years.
The prisoner—My lord, I hope you will preserve this
evidence, as I do not intend to let this matter rest here,
as the wl ole of these policemen have perjured themselves.
Mr. Payne—Oh I dare say you can have the evidence.
The prisoner (to the policemen)—You are a disgrace to
the cloth you wear.
The prisons,- was then removed to the cells, and the
court rose shortly before seven o'clock.