The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-20 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURT&

lit ANSION-HOUSE.

The Secretary of the Nicholson's Wharf Providence
Society, which has been established for 22 years, appeared
in answer to a summons taken out by a man named
Wheeler. _

..
Mr. Buchanan appeared for the complainant, and Mr.
Wontner for the defendant. .

n;it SVid:vl that Wheeler had been in the ser-
vice of the firm for several years, and having fallen sick
was entitled to 10,. a week. On applying to the secretary
he told him that he must first see the firm, and having
done so he then told the plaintiff that he Gould not pay

Mr. Oke said the court had no jurisdiction. The matter
should be referred to arbitration, and then, if the arbi-
trators did not agree, it could be brought here.
William George Alkot, aged 14, residing at 11, Rydon-
street, New North-road, was charged with forging and
uttering a cheque for 10/., with intent to defraud.
Mr. Mullins, of the Bankers' Protection Society,
appeared for the prosecution. The prisoner was unde-
fended.
_ _

The cheque was presented by the prisoner at the Na-
tional Bank, Old -Broad-street, on Saturday, and pur-
ported to be signed by Rees, Cree, and Co., carrying on
business at 47, Aldermanbury.
Samuel Poole Bees said the cheque was not in his hand-
writing, nor in that of his partner, but it was an imitation
of witness's handwriting. Prisoner bad been in his service
for eighteen months, and the cheque had been filled up by
him. The cheque was one taken from a book he bad in
use on Saturday, and which he usually kept locked in •
drawer.

Detective Webb said he took the prisoner into custody.
He at first denied having filled up the cheque, but on
being told that he would be locked up admitted that he
had signed it, and cashed it at the bank. Witness asked
him how he got the cheque. Prisoner said he opened the
drawer with a skewer he had brought from home. He
then took out the cheque and locked the drawer again
with the skewer. On being questioned as to what he had
done with the money be said that he had been out for a
holiday on Sunday with another boy named Leyland, and
that he had bought a watch for 12s. 6d. which he got
exchanged for another on paying 2s. additional. Witness
went to the boy Leyland, who gave up 2!. 18s., stating
that he had received 3/. from the prisoner. On being
apprehended, 30s. was found in the pockets of the pri-
soner himself.
Alderman Allen committed him for trial.

Webb stated that the father and mother of the boy had
done everything to reform him but without effect. He
had been in the habit of staying out till 11 or 12 o'clock at
night, awl his mother had frequently gone and fetched
him home, but he would not listen to her instructions.
A young man who stated that he was a draper's assistant
out of employment, was sentenced to pay a tine of 20s. or
suffer 14 days' imprisonment for defacing the walls of one
of the watercloisete at the Cannon-street station of the
South Eastern Railway, by cutting his name into the
enameL
GUILDHALL

William James, a shirt cutter, residing at No. 33, Pear
Tree-street, Goawell-road, was placed at the bar, before
Alderman Salomons, 31. P., charged with stealing a woollen
shirt, from the shop of Mr. L. P. Mayer, merchant, of 50,
Wood-street. . _

John Donegan, clerk to Mr. Mayer, said the prisoner hail
occasional work from his employer as a shirt cutter, and
when employed could earn 3s. per day. On Wednesday he
called for work at a time when he knew Mr. Mayer would
not be there, and said he would wait for him. While wit-
ness's back was turned he secreted a shirt in his hat, and
was leaving the premises when witness asked him to let
him look at his hat, as be wanted to buy a new one. He
refused, saying it was only an old one, and rushed out of
the warehouse, but was followed and brought back, when
the shirt was found in his hat.

—he prisolierPfeidediuilty, and said that he was driven
by poverty to do it. He had a wife and live children with
nothing to eat.
Alderman Salomon asked if inquiries had been made
about the prisoner.
Dreary, 114, said be had been to the prisoner's address,
and he had there a moat wretched home. He had a wife
and family of five children, and they were miserably off
indeed.

The wife (who was in court) was called forward, and in
answer to the magistrate said that her husband only earned
2.. 6d. a day when he could get work, and last week they
earned between them only sa. Gd.
Alderman Salomon. remarked that fie. Gd. would not
keep a man, his wife, and five children for a week. Did
she not apply to the parish for relief ?
The wife replied that they had not lived long enough
where they were to get relief, and when they had no food
they went without.
Alderman Salomon* said it was a most painful case, and
be should take time to consider how to deal with it.

Donegan said Mr. Mayer wished it to be dealt with mer-
cifully.
The prisoner was remanded.

BOWSTREET.

An elderly man, named Charier Botcher, was brought
before Mr. Flowers, in custody of William Wooden, •
mendicity officer, for begging in the Strand ; and • young
men named Brown, a carpenter, foe interrupting the
officer in the execution of his duty.
Woodup stated thathe was on duty in the Strand on
Wednesdey,at about half-peat two o'clock, when he saw the
prisoner Butcher begging of several persona. He beard
one gentleman say, " I won't give you anything—go away."
He also went into • cook-shop, and appeared to be asking
for something. Knowing the prisoner, who had only just
served a month's imprisonment, he took him into custody.
As he was conveying him to the station-house Brown in-
terfered, and wanted witness to let the prisoner go. Wit-
ness told him to mind his own business. He persisted in
his interference, and in a few minutes a crowd assembled,
who began to hellos. and shout at him, and some mud and
stones were thrown which struck his hat. Brown slid not
strike him, but as lie was the awe of the disturbance
witness took him in custody too. At the station-house
Brown said he was sorry for what he had done. Witness
had made some inquines, and found that Brown was •
very respectable young man.
Butcher addressed the magistrate in • prolix and
vociferous harangue, abusing Woodup as • " villain," de-
nying that he had begged at all, and disputing the
slightest details of the evidence. He denied that he went
in and out of the eookshop as Woodup had described, but
said he was there more than half an hour, and ate a 4d.
steak pudding and Bowe plum pudding. He bad been
formerly a wealthy man, and had laid out 200 f. a month
in Mark-lane, and bad contributed largo amounts yearly
to the charities of his native town Arlington, where his
brother was now churchwarden. He therefore felt that
even if he had been in distress, and had asked a gentleman
to assist him, it would have been excusable.

Mr. Flowers said he did not believe a word of all this
(which if true could easily be proved), except that the
prisoner had made a very good dinner, as, no doubt, beggars
were generally able to do. For the rest, it might be as
well for Brown and many others to know that a profes-
sional beggar was never good for anything.
It was hers mentioned that the prisoner was well known
to one of the constables of the F division who was ac-
quainted with his family. They had several times set
him up in business—oncest a cost of 3001., but it was

quite useless, as be spent his money,and was soon as badly
off as ever.
Brown said he would not have interfered if he had
known that Woodup was an officer, but as be was in pri-
vate clothes witness thought he was an °Winery civilian
taking upon himself to convey the prisoner to the
station for begging of him. He was now sorry for what
he had done.

Mr. Flowers said he would be more sorry if he knew as
much of the prisoner as be (Mr. Flowers) did. His expe-
rience of the prisoner, who had been several times before
him, was peculiarly unfavourable. He should commit him
for one month. The conviction would be returned, and if
he were brought up again he would be imprisoned for a
long time. Believing Brown to be a respectable man, but
mistaken, he should remand him.