The Express.
London, England, 1858-03-31 00:00:00

THE POLICE COU.R7S.

MANSION-HOUSE.

Solomon Parker wee charged before the Lord Mayor with
having feloniously received a large number of blankets which
had been stolen from the government.
Mr. Young, solicitor to the contractor, appeared for the
prosecution, Mr. Lewis for the defence.
Mr. J. Johnson, dyer and contractor, of South-street,
Whitechapel, said—l am contractor for cleaning blankets
and other goods on behalf of the Admiralty. I received at
various times during the last eleven months a large number
of blankets from her Majesty's Victualling-yard at Deptford
to be cleaned at my pem and to be then returned to
' the Victualling-yatd. I have missed 100 blankets, all
marked T 0.," with fa broad arrow and • rim, and one
which belongs to the Penitentiary at Milbank, within the
lost week. I know nothing of the prisoner. I have teen in
the hands of the officer 100 blankets, which I believe ere
the 101 which I have lost.
Cron-examhted by Mr. Lewis—I will swear that all the
blankets produced have been in my pommy/ion within the
bet three months. The string with which they are tied up
is my string. If they had been placed in the dockyard I
should have known them by the string.
Robert Day, foreman to Mr. Johnson—l have examined
the blankets, and have not the least doubt that they are
the blankets we lost. I saw them safe between sight and
nine on Saturday night, at our dyeing-house in South-street.
We have a particular way of folding and tying the bundles.
Those produced have the marks of having bem folded as es
fold them. _ _ . .

eharle; Day, dyer and cleaner, in the employment of Mr.
Johneco—On Saturday evening I went with Robert Day
and --mined the premises and found that all was safe, aa
locked the Sap door and the outer door when we left. On
Tuesday afternoon I went to take some other blankets and
found that the lock of the oats door had been tampered
with, but I got In with the key, and then I found the fl
I door which had locked was open, and the padlock mining.
I missed several bundles of the blankets., which were safe on
Saturday night. 1 had helped to clean and tie end fold
them. I have no doubt that thou produced by the officer
are the blankets I so prepared. I found a dark lantern on
the premises.
Crom-examlned—lf I had seen them at the dockyard, I
could not have sworn that they were those we missed since
Saturday night.
Mlobasi Meehan, commimion agent, of Phife•buildings,
Houndelitch, said—On Tuesday, the 23rd of Math, about
10 o'clock in the morn*, the prisoner met me and uked
me If I would buy 100 blankets of him. He then brought
me a sample, and I gave him 161. foe them. He brought
them in a barrow in two deliveries. The following day the
°Meer celled upon me, and I delivered them to him. I have
bought these sorts of goods from the prisoner before, marked
In the same way, and he has been often my worst opponent
at the government sake. in outbidding me.
Cross-examined—l have personally attended males at
Deptford, and have bought thousands of this sort, and
marked laths srasmseasy.

Michael Deady (66)—1 went, in eoneequenat of Informa-
tion, to Mr. Meehan, and he showed me the blankets, of
which I soon took porismke. I than went to tlioney-lane,