The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-03 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.

-
In a case brought before Mr. Alderman Lusk at this
court attention was called to the facilities afforded to boys
for stealing and disposing of postage stamps. A lad,
named Joseph Haywood, was charged on remand with the
theft of a number of stamps from the counting-house of
Messrs. Preston and Sone, wholesale druggists, 88, Leaden-
hall-street. It appeared that in consequence of stamps
having been very frequently missed Mr. Preston marked
about 3s. worth with a solution which left no trace, and
oonld not be discovered except on the application of a
second preparation. Next morning the greater part of
them were missing, and on the lad being searched they
were found in his possession. He then admitted that he
had taken them from the desk, but denied any previous

—.-
Mr. Preston drew the attention of the magistrate to the
facility enjoyed by boys with regard to the disposal of
stamps at the smaller post-offices ; and expressed his be-
lief that more youths were led into the commission of
crime from this cause than any other, because in offices
and other places where a large business was carried on it
was impossible to prevent them from obtaining possession
of stamps.
Mr. Alderman Lusk thought the matter worthy of the
attention of the Postmaster-General, and observed that be
had known three or four cases in which young people had
been charged with repeatedly stealing stamps. There was
no doubt that facilities were given for disposing of stamps,
and he could call the transaction nothing less than receiv-
ing stolen goods, for cases had come under his knowledge
where the postmasters must have known that the stamps
had not been honestly come by.
Haywood, in consideration of his having been eight days
in prison, was discharged with a caution.

THE ALTON MURDRE.—The grand jury, at the
Hampshire 'soiree, opened at Winchester yesterday, re-
turned a true bill against Frederick Baker for the murder
and mutilation at the Alton hop-garden of Fanny Adams,
a girl of seven years. Mr. Justice Mellor used the trial
for Thursday.
THE ROBBERY AND MURDER IN SHROPSHIRE.—
The police are actively engaged in the endeavour to eluci-
date the mystery which surrounds the death of the com-
mercial traveller whose murdered body was discovered
near Dawley on Friday, but up to yesterday no satisfac-
tory evidence tending to connect any person with the
ammo had been arrived at. Further particulars of the
last movements of the deceased have, however, been ob-
tained. It appears that he left the inn in Ironbridge,
where he was temporarily located, at 10 o'clock on the
morning of Friday, the 15th ult. He took with him his
box, containing the watches and chains, and before going
out told the landlord that he was only going as far as
Dawley and Finger-lane, and would be back to dinner.
After this nothing is known of him till his body was found
under the circumstances already detailed. It would ap-
pear that the murder was committed in broad daylight, on
Friday, the 15th ult., and that the body had remained un-
discovered exactly a fortnight.
THE FARNHAM WORICHOURE INQUIRY.—After
an adjournment of ten days the inquiry into the abuses
alleged to have been for a long time in existence et the
above union was resumed yesterday morning at half-past
eleven o'clock by Mr. Lambert, an inspector, and Dr.
Smith, the medical adviser of the Poor-law Board. Dr.
Anstie, fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and
senior assistant physician and lecturer on materia medics
to the Westminster Hospital, and one of the Lancet com-
missioners, was examined at considerable length. He had
since been over some of the wards in the workhouse, and
found that the general cleanliness was much greater than
it was in October when he before visited it. The met-
pool is in a similar state, and its contiguity
to the hospital is prejudicial. Mr. Smith in-
formed the commissioners that he did not propose to
call any additional witnesses, and that the case on the
part of the Lancet] was consequently closed. Mr. Barron
then proceeded to call evidence on the part of the guar-
dians, having previously handed in the minute and VIM.
toes' books of the union. Superintendent Newland deposed
to the system pursued in the admission of tramps to the
workhouse during his experience of three years' residence
at Farnham. He suggested that with the view of im-
proving the present plan of giving admission, the appli-
cants should be required to
.produce a ticket from the
union at which they had previously slept, similar to the
course pursued at Guildford. Mr. Immbert—Another plan
has been suggested, that the applicant should wear his
hair with • circular piece out out, but them • difficulty
arose as to what should be done with • person who had no
hair at all. (Laughter.) After some other evidence, the
inquiry was again adjourned.