The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-21 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSION&

(Before the Assistant Judge, at Westminster.)
Barak Myers, 18, wu Indicted for having feloniously and
sealleloudy enticed, and taken away a child of the tender
age of three years and • half, named John William Har-
mer, with intent to deprive Sarah Elizabeth Harmer, its
mother, of the lawful custody of such child—and stealing
certain articles of clothing which the said child was then
wearing.
Mr. Caarteen prosecuted; Mr. Hairy wu counsel for the
prisoner.
This use, is opened by the learned counsel, was this :
The father and mother of the child lived at No. 4, Portland-
street, and on the 20th of May lase, the mother, who was In
a very bad state of health, went about mid-day to Middlesex
Hospital, leaving the child playing in front of the door.
On her return, in a little more than an hour,
the child was gone and all her efforts to
glees any tidings of it were unavailing. She
wee he several "reeks in the greatest distress of mind, and
bed bepta to give up all hope of the recovery of her child,
when bee attention wee called to an advertisement offsets,/ •
sward of 201. for the restoration of • child to Mr. Atten-
borough, of Regent-street, and it occurred to her that is •
great many children would probably be taken to Mr. Aden-
borough, possibly hers might be among the number. She
saw Mr. Atteoberongh, and furnished him with the pardon-
lam of her loss, expressing her regret that she was unable to
advertise a reward for the recovery of her child, or she would
gladly give any amount to have it restored to her. Mr.
Atteaborough took a deep interest In her ease, and, in a man-
ner which reflected infinite credit upon him, he
up • subscription, and advertised a reward of
C
. for the restoration of her child. This adver-
tisement caught the attention of Mr. Sutton, the
mister of the Chelsea workhorse, end it struck him that the
descripdon given of the missing child corresponded with that
of cos which had been admitted into the workhouse on the
6th of July with a young woman, who said it was her brother.
Oa Sat day the prisoner applied for relief, and said a child
which was with her was her brother, that her father and
atelier were deed, and she end the child were destitute; they
were accordingly taken Into the house. When Mr. Sutton
had men the advertisement, he put some %mations to the
child, sad the enswers, although very • 'edified
him to • great extent that the child wee the one advertised
for, and lie communicated with the parents, who attended,
and eventually recognised the child as theirs with
an immense degree of delight. It was wearing
some of the clothes which it had on the day
It was lost, but these were upon its
_poor littU
body sores and braises which left no doubt that it
had been subjected to very great 81-treatment. The prisoner
was sent for, and Mr. Sutton asked her if she intended to
persist In her statement that the child was her brother, sad
caudated her that a man sad woman were present who
claimed it as a child which had been stolen from them on
the 70th of May, She then add she need not assert any
longer that it was her brother; it wan not, but she had re-
ceived it from in old woman to take care of, end she had told
the lie that it was her brother, is order to get it into the
workhouse with her to be taken are of. The child was of
course given up to its parents, and the pi Son e' charged with
this offence. The evidence having been given,
Mr. Horry contended that legally the charge was notate&
out, bat
The Assistant- Judge having summed up,
The jury at once found her Guilty of the whole charge.
The Aasistant-Judge said it was • tees of a wry melons
character, and he should take time to madder what sentence
he should paw
It appeared from statements made to the court by
Masan. Sutton and Glass and Pollee-sergeant 3 C,
that the prisoner was absent from her own home
all the tame the child wee missing, and that
it was left at St. George's Workhouse, Southwark, on the
hit of June, in the name of Murray, by a person who said
the mother of it had been sent to prison. It was taken in
sad sent to Mitcham, and on the 2nd of July the prisoner
applied for it, giving the name of Murray, and said it was
her own child. It was given to her, and on the 6th of July
she took it to Chelsea Workhouse, where it was found by Its
meets. No
used for ging doubtieir, hits it was in the prisoners proms-
don, it purposes,was and that it wasde-
coyed away with that o jest. It was satisfactory to know
that from June the ho to July the 2nd it was in good hands.
The bruises were the result of injuries purposely inflicted to
excite the sympathy of those person" who misplace charity
Igemrelleving street beggars who carry children about with
The prisoner had decoyed her own deter, a mere
child, away from home for the same bees purpose. Her
mother we, described as • decent, hard-working woman.