The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-18 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURT&

MANSION-HOUSE.

A boy named Witham Iletirg Smith was brought up on
the charge of uttering a forged order to Menus. William
Carter and Sons, ivory-turners, 23 and 24, Primrcee-
street, purporting to be sent from Mr. John Millington,
48, Houndsciitch, for the delivery of five gross of ivory
combs, value 9!. 13s. Sd.
Mr. J. Mich, warehouseman to Messrs. Carter, said—
Mr. Millington was one of their customers, but, doubting
the authenticity of the order, he questioned tbedefendant,
by whom it was presented. The boy stated that he had
got it from a man at the end of the street, who promised
him threepenor on returning with the goods. He further
said that both his parent. were dead, and that his guardian
had refused to support him.
Sergeant Henry Wickham remarked that the prisoner
called at Seething-lane station about six weeks ago, stating
that lie had no means of obtaining a livelihood. He (the
sergeant) directed him to Field-lane Refuge, which was
close by the station-house.
Mr. Williams, superintendent of the Refuge, said the
boy had been in the Refuge for about six weeks, and left on
Monday morning. He represented that his guardian was
• Mr. Daniell., residing in Sloane-street, and from inqui-
ries made there it was ascertained that that person was one
of • gang of betting men, who employed the boy to answer
the door in their absence, his instructions being to say they
were not at home. He was told to call Mr. Daniels his
" pa" but as soon as he got too much sense for them they
turned him adrift and threatened to murder him if he dis-
closed anything that he knew about them. Mr. Williams
added that he had been unable to obtain a situation for the
boy.
Sir Robert Carden having expressed his belief in the
prisoner's story, Mr. Carter said he was willing to take the
prisoner into his service on trial. Sir Robert thanked Mr.
Carter fur his offer, and cautioned the boy aiming becoming
the dupe of any other person.

A young man, named Thoneas Sanders, pleaded guilty
to a summons charging him with wilfully damaging the
walls of one of the rooms of the Custom-house.

Mr. Beverley, from the office of the solicitor to the
Board of Customs, appeared for the prosecution, and
stated that the wall had recently been repainted at great
expense in consequence of people writing upon it.
Prisoner explained that, having been kept waiting for
some time, ho took up a pen and wrote his name on the
wall, not knowing that he was doing anything wrong.
The magistrate indicted a fine of ss. or seven days' im-
prisonment.
WORSHIP-STREET.

Among the morning's charges brought by the N division
of police was that of a decently-dressed lad, who gave
the name of William Face.

PolicestSted thaton Monday night the boy
hadmet him in Shoreditch,andasked him if hecouldoblige
him with an order for the casual ward of a workhouse, as
he had not anywhere to sleep. The required accommo-
dation for a person so clad excited curiosity, and replies to
some questions that were put induced him (witness) to
take the youth to the station-house, and he had instruc-
tions this morning to bring him before his worship.
Mr. Newton, who was obviously, immediately that be
saw the young fellow, impressed with the conviction that
there was something wrong about the matter, put several
questions to him, all of which was answered collectedly and
cautiously. He meted that he was twelve yams old, and last
came from Plymouth, that his parents were dead, that his
fattier had kept and paid for him at a boarding-school until
the time of his father's decease, and that not knowing
what then to do he went round the coast in the smack
Sophie, and afterwards walked to London, at which place
he had just arrived quite homeless and friendless.
Mr. Newton took great pains to ascertain more, but the
attempt was useless. His demeanour and dress denoted
him to he a gentleman's son, and led to the conclusion of
his having ran away either from his home or his school.
He wore an over pilot jacket, and all his clothes es well as
his boots were good.
Mr. Newton, after acme consideration, sent the boy to
the workhouse for a week, in the hope that something
might result from mention of the facts in the newspapers.