The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-24 00:00:00

TRROWINO INTOYEA AT A RAILWAY TRAIN.

Richard Guntrip, 10, and Charts. Mitch's, 12, pleaded
guilty to a charge of misdemeanour in having thrown stones
and mud at one o the train, travelling upon the Great
Western Railway.
Mr. Montagu Williams, who was instructed to prosecute
on behalf of the company, said there was a second charge
against the prisoners of having committed a similar act
with intent to injure the passengers in the train, which
was a felony. The prosecutors, however, believed that
the purposes of justice would be answered by their plead-
ing guilty to the misdemeanour, and be should, therefore,
not offer any evidence in support of the more serious
charge.

Tlie Common Serjeant deferred passing sentence for
the present.
The public will remember that a few sessions ago a man
named George Dundee was convicted before the lteconler
of a highway robbery accompanied with violence upon a
gentleman pained Thorne, the collator to Hearts. Young
and Bainbridge, the brewers, of Wandsworth. The pri-
soner, upon this conviction, was sentenced to ten years
penal servitude, and to receive twenty lashes; but it
appears that very grave doubts are entertained as to I
whether the prisoner is the man who was concerned in
the robbery, and whether he was not improperly convicted
of the offence. The charge rested entirely upon the eel- I
dance of the prosecutor, and although he swore positively
to the identity of the prisoner, there was no corroborative
testimony whatever to support this statement. It appears
that the learned lteconler who tried the case was not
satisfied with the conviction, and it is mid that the police
themselves are aware that the prisoner is not guilty of
this offence ; and it may be stated that the prison autho-
titles also are satisfied, from information that has come to I
their knowledge, that the prisoner was wrongly convicted.
Communications have passed between the Recorder and
the Home Secretary upon the subject, and the result has
been that the sentence of flogging has not been carried
out, and it is very probable that in the result the prisoner
will receive a pardon. It is rather a curious coincidence
that a man as present confined in Newgate, and who was
convicted at the last session of the court of a robbery
accompanied with violence, and sentenced to penal servi-
tude and to receive 39 lashes, is believed to be the person
who actually committed the offence for which Dundee
was improperly convicted.
James 17, and Edward Jones, IS, labourers,
were indicted for robbery, with violence, on James Mills,
and stealing from him a watch and chain.
Mr. Utley prosecuted ; the prisoners were undefended.
The prosecutor. James Mills, an ironmonger's assistant,
stated that he was walking along Blackman-street, Bo-
rough, about midnight on Monday, sth August, accom-
panied by a young woman named Ann Hickey. As he
passed Dodson's-court the prisoner M'Douald seized hold
of his watch and chain, and after getting possession of
them ran into the court. Prosecutor followed him into
the court, and having caught bold of the prisoner a
struggle enmed, in which prosecutor was struck on
the head and face and kicked all over the
body by M'Donald and two other young men, to
one of whom M'Donald handed the watch and
chain. Prosecutor kept hold of M'Donald till a
police-constable came up, and he then gave him into
custody. The other two men ran off. Jones was observed
in Southwark police-court next morning, and the prose-
cutor, being of opinion that be was one of those who com-
mitted the robbery, gave him into custody. He did not
recognise him by his face, but only by his figure. Witness
had had to go to the hospital, and was now suffering from
the injuries he bad received.
This evidence having been corroborated by Ann Hickey
and police-constable Gosling,
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty against M'Donald,
and Acquitted Jones.
Several previous convictions were put in against
111`Dotiald, who on ono occasion had been sent to sea, but
at the end of the first voyage did not return.
The Common Serjesist said it was a very serious offence,
and one which was very frequent in London. As he
wished to mark his sense of the crime, and to deter others
from committing • like offense, he would sentence the
prisoner to receive 20 strokes with the cat, and after that
to undergo seven years panel servitude.
Henry Ryan, 32, painter, was chained with stealing 39
pieces of wall paper, the property of John Gerald Potter
and others, carrying on business in Cannon-street.
Mr. Bailey appeared for the prosecution, and Mr.
Montagu Williams for the defence.
The prisoner was observed on the 3rd of September by
Detective Smith carrying • parcel wrapped in brown paper
in Bow-lane' leading from Cannon-street to Cheapeule.
As he refused to give • satisfactory explanation of how the
parcel came into his possession he was taken into custody,
and it was ascertained that he kept • marine store shop.
Evidence was given to show that previous to this he bad
beep seen talking with a man named Cooper, who was in
the employment of Messrs. Potter, and who had sines
absconded.
The jury convicted the prisoner of • second count,
charging him with feloniously receiving the property
knowing the same to have been stolen.
It appeared that in 1853 the prisoner was sentenced to
seven years penal servitude under the name of Molyneux.
In 1856 he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment
at the Mansion-house for stealing a watch, and at the
conclusion of his term of Imprisonment he was remitted
to complete him sentence of seven years' penal servitude.
Prior to 1853 there had been numerous ounvietions
against the prisoner.
The Common Serjeant sentenced him to ten years' penal
servitude.

The Grand Jury bare returned true bills against John
Wiggins and Louis Bordier for wilful murder.