The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-07 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(Before Mr. W. H. Bodkin, Assistant Judge.)
Samuel Jater, 25, labourer, wee indicted for steeling
silver watch, value 101. 10s., the property of William
Jeter, in his dwelling-house.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
The Assistant Judge sentenced him to be imprisoned
and kept to hard labour for four months.
Halm Farrell, 22, and George Farrel, 20, were indicted
for !testing & blanket, towel, Am., the property of Ann

Williams.
The prisoners pleaded guilty.
The Assistant Judge sentenced George Farrall to be lm-
and kept to hard labour for twelve months, and
Henry for nine months.
Thomas Wilson, 26, was indicted for stealing six silver
spoons and other articles, value 71., the property of
William Spensley. from his dwelling-house.
Henrietta Elizabeth Jackson said she was servant to the
Rev. William Spensley, of No. 1, Oak-villa, Brook-
rood, Stoke Newington. On the 13th of October she was
laying the cloth in the diningwoom, but had occasion to
go into the kitchen on the awe floor, and was gone about
a minute. When she returetbd she found the prisoner in
the room. He had some forks in his band, which he
threw down when she went in, but he put some silver
spoons into his pocket, got out of the window, sad ran
away. She followed him, calling out " stop thief," and
he was soon afterwards stopped. The spoons were found.
The jury found the prhaner Guilty.
The Assistant Judge sentenced him to 12 months' im-
prisonment and hard labour.
John Cuthhert Palliser*, 34. was indicted for stealing a
pianoforte, value 451., the property of George Peachey.
There was a second indictment against him for stealing a
pianoforte, value 331., the property of George Burling and
another.
Mr. Ribton (instructed by Mr. W. I). Smyth) prowscuted;
the prisoner was undefended.
This case presented an unusual amount of interest, net
so much on account of the value of the articles alleged to
have been stolen, but in coniequencse of the prisoner being
the first who has been detected in carrying ou a system of
robberies under the pretext of engaging pianofortes on
hire, and as soon as they got them into their possession
selling or pledging them for anything ykey could obtain.
A gang of persons have long been engaged in these trans-
actions but hithesto have baffled all attempts to bring
them to justice.
The prisoner denied any felonious intention in taking
the piano, and said he intended to return it.
The jury almost immediately returned a verdict of
Guilty.
The Assistant Judge sail that it was unnecessary to try
the prisoner on the second indictment, which was almost
identical in all its details with the present case. It was
clearly the intention of the prisoner to steal these articles,
and the sentence of the court upon him was, that ha be
imprisoned and kept to hard labour for two years.
(Before Mr. Payne.) - _ _

Michael Crawley, aged 13, and Alexander Jahn Jam's,
aged 9, two boys whose heads scarcely reached the top of
the dock, were indicted for a very impudent robbery from
a shop of a packet of coppers.
Henry Lee said he lived at 8, Lower Chapman-street,
and was a grocer and beer-shop keeper. On the sth of
October the prisoners came into his shoo, and after being
there a few minutes they left. Immediately they were
gone be missed a packet of coppers, value ss. On the
following day he met them in Commercial-road and gave
them into custody. When they were taken to the station
house they said they had spent the money in a public-
house in beer and bread and cheese.
The prisoners pleaded guilty.
Mr. Payne thought the best thing that could be done
would be to send them to a reformatory, and sentenced
Crawley to be imprbioned for six weeks and then sent to a
ry reformato fur four years, and James to be kept in a re-
formatory for three years.
William Fletcher. an old man, described as a blacksmith,
was found (silly of stealing a quart pewter measure, value
3a. 6d., the property of Henry Bonner, a publican.
Mr. Payne sentenced hint to be imprisoned and kept to
hard labour for four months.
Charles llaadc,32, • Onsterer, was found /Nifty of a
il simar offence, the pot being the property of Amelia Ann

Selby.
A constable proved that the prisoner bad suffered a
term of three months' imprisonment before for • similar
offence.
Mr. Payne sentenced him to be imprisoned and kept to
hard labour for nine months.
Santvel Strappo*, 21, hair-dresser, was indicted for
stealing a hair-brushing machine, • looking-glass, four
razors, a comb, scissors, two hair-brnalies, an apron, a brass
inkstand, and an oilstand, value V. 10s., the property of
George Manley.
Mr. Prinsley prosecuted, and Mr. Montagu Williams
defended.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and as there was
nothing known against him,
Mr. Payne sentenced him to be imprisonod and kept to
hard labour for four months.