The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-06 00:00:00

rDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(Before Mr. Dowling, Deputy Assistant Judge.)
John Durkin, 26, and Elizabeth Orley, 40, were indicted
fee breaking and =Mem the dwelling-house of the Rev.
'Behead Ward, sail stesling therein two gold bracelets and
other articles, value 201., his property.
Mr. Ribton prosecuted ; Mr. Si. Williams appeared for
Caley ; Durkin, who plaided guilty, was undefended.
From the evidence of William Tipster, of No. 9, Glas-
row-terrace, Millbank, it appeared that between 2 and
I dclock in the afternoon of the 30th of August he saw
Durkin go down the area steps of the Rev. Mr. Ward's
Lose, No. 12, Baton-square, and be afterwards entered the
Isms& He had suspicions that all was not right, and he
remained watching the house for about an hour, when
IM saw the prisoner make Us appearance, and he ran along
the balcony of the first floor, and the servants after him.
He climbed over the divisions of the different houses as
far as No. 15, when he slid down by a pillar supporting the
telcony, and dropped on to the pavement in the square,
followed by the footman. This witness seised hold of
Durkin, and assistance being obtained, he was taken back
to Mr. Ward's house, and on the way he threw away •
quantity of jewellery. He had previous to entering the
area been with the woman Caley, and she appeared to be

wasting for him.
Other evidence having been given,
The jury acquitted Coley, and Durkin pleaded guilty.
. A previous conviction having been proved against the

prisoner,
Kr. Betjeant Dowling *eked if anything more was known
it the prisoner.
Kr. George Lockyer laid the prisoner had been known
to him since 1848, and he had been convicted and sentenced
beirteea times to various terms of imprisonment, with re-
whippings. He had also been convicted at the
rat- Bdaney, and sentenced to penal servitude for seven
years, besides two years' imprisonment from this court.
He assaulted an officer of Coldbathfields Prison, from
which he escaped, but was shortly afterwards recaptared.
The Deputy-Assistant Judge said the prisoner hhaaddfor
a considerable time preyed upon society, and was really a
wry dangerous person. He belonged to a class of per-
sons technically called "area sneaks," who took advan-
tage et the absence of servants to gain admission to the
louses, and to purloin the property. The sentence of the
wart on him was that he be kept in penal servitude for

tem years.
Thonas Cooper, 17, oostermonger, was indicted for steel
fag a silver watch, value 11. 155., the property of Thomas
lyhe prosecutor is a seafaring man, and on the night of
the 25th of August he was passing Bow Common, when be
vas accosted by • woman who wished him to go with her.
Lignediately afterwards be was surrounded by the pfisoner
and several other young men, and they called out, ' Why
don't you pay the woman—pay the woman r He wanted
to know what he was to pay her for, when the prisoner
snatched his watch from his pocket. The prosecutor seized
bold of the prisoner by the collar, and demanded the res-
toration of his watch, and they struggled violently
together, the prisoner endeavouring by all means
in his power to effect his escape. The prosecutor,
however, still retained his hold, and he distinctly
maw the prisoner hand over his watch to some of his
companions, and they made off with it. The prisoner still
straggled to get away, and being near a heap of bricks, he
seised hold of one, and struck the prosecutor on the Lead
with it, and afterwards bit one of his fingers to the bone.
A. young man came up, and seeing what was going
.on,
went for a policeman, and the prisoner was taken into
custody. He bad previously mid that if the prosecutor
winild let him go he would get him back his watch
The prisoner said ho had nothing to do with the 'robbery,
sad was only attracted to the spot by hearing cries from
some persons he did not know, calling out " Pay .the
woman."
The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
Th
e Deputy-Assistant Judge said it was very fortunate
for the prisoner that no previous conviction was proved
against him, or he would have been sentenced to a long
term of penal servitude. He sentenced him to imprison-
ment and hard labour for 12 months.
•

John Balla, 33, was indicted for embezzling the sum of
16a., received by him for, and on account of, James
Baader, his master.
James Reader said he lived at No. 16, Hardwick-street,
Commercial-road, and will the proprietor of the Crown
Brewery Stores, Bell Wharf, Shadwell, and the prisoner
wee in his employ for about 18 months. It wee his
duty to receive small sums from colliers lying in the
stream and to pay them to the foreman at the wharf the
day he received them. He entered the same in a book,
and a foreman put his initials to the entries. He (wit-
ness) applied to Captain Jones for 16s. due from him,
upon which he handed the receipt in the prisoner's
handwriting for the money, and it bore the words,
" Received, J. Balls." Witness spoke to the prisoner,
and 'eked him about Captain Jones's aoeount, and he
admitted that he had received the money, but declined to
give any answer why he bad not paid it over. Several
other deficiencies had been since discovered.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty.
Mr. Serjeant Dowling sentenced him to be imprisoned
end kept to hard labour for three months.

SECOND COURT.
(Before Mr. Payne.)
Mary Ann Chidety, 19, a decent, respectable-Looking
girl, described as a servant, pleaded guilty to obtaining hy
false pretences from Benjamin Coleman Harris six ya.l
of flannel and other articles, with intent to defraud.
The prisoner had left her situation, and for the purpose
of getting food she went to the prosecutor's shop, and got
the things under the proton°e that they were for her mis-
tress. Her parents were most respectable, snd it was her
first offence.
Mr. Payne said it was a bad offence, because the pri-
soner had gone three different times and obtained goods.
The sentence of the court upon her was that she be im-
prisoned and kept to hard labour for 12 months.
The prisoner, who elicted the sympathy of most persons
in court, burst into tears, and seemed quite overcome at
her sentence. She had almost to be carried down the
slobs leading to the cells.
After a short time the prosecutor got into the box, and
prayed the court to reconsider the sentence, as it was the
prisoner's first step from the paths of virtue. She had
hitherto borne an irreproachable character, and her friends,
who lived at Bristol, were willing to take care of her when
she came out of prison.
Mr. Payne said be ought not to have trusted the pri-
soner.
The prosecutor said he gave a large amount of eredit,and
It wag a thing that occurred many times in the course of
a day.
In answer to the court,
Police constable 88 N said he had made inquiries and
had found that she and her connections were very respect-
able. Her father, who lived at Bristol, had been in one
situation for fourteen years.
Mr. Payne deferred passing seatence.
George Chopf in, ZI, weaver, was indicted for stealingthe
stun of if. 55., the moneys of Herbert Thomas, from his
person.
The prosecutor said he lived at Stowey-street, Caledo-
nian-road, and on the 26th of August he got drunk and
lay down in a field near the Cattle-market to sleep. At
that time he had a half-sovereign and 15e. in silver in his
pocket. When he awoke he was in the policeststion.
His money was all gone.
A labourer said he was coming up the Caledonian-road
and saw the prosecutor lying down in a 'had, and the pri-
soner close to him. He said to the prisoner, "Is the man
drunk 1" and he made no answer. Witness then walked
across the road and watched him. The prisoner then pulled
the prosecutor up and put hie hands into his trousers
pockets. Witness went for a constable and when he re-
turned the prisoner had gone.
John Cambridge, 71 Y, said he was called to the prose-
cutor, and while he was trying to get him up, the prisoner
was brought back, and he charged him with robbing the
prosecutor. The prisoner said he had only got 18s., but at
the' station he was searched, and a half-sovereign was
found in the lining of his trousers.
Mr. Payne, in ?easing sentence, said it was a bad
offence for the prisoner to take advantage of a drunken
man. He must be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for
eight months. As regarded the prosecutor, if be had not
got drunk he would not have been robbed. He (the learned
deputy assistant-judge) hoped he would live more sober
for the future.
The prisoner was then removed, muttering imprecations
against the witnesses.