The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-30 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

Edward Ballard, 22, barman, pleaded guilty to an in-
dictment which charged him with stealing 184., the pro-
perty of James Braun, his master.
Mr. Metcalfe. who appeared for the prosecution, said
that the prosecutor was a highly respectable licensed vic-
tualler at the east end of the town, and the prisoner was
in him service as barman, and in consequence of missing
money some coins were marked and placed in the till, and
the prisoner was detected. The prosecutor bad reason to
believe that the prisoner bad been lobbies him for a con-
siderable time to the extent of 61. or 81. a week, and when
he was taken into custody a sum of 701. wee found in his
possession, as well as a diamond ring that was worth 501.,
and which there was no doubt had been purchased with the
money he bad stoles. He was instructed, however, to
state that on account of the youth of the prisoner and his
previous good character, the prosecutor did not wish him
punished with any severity, bat left the matter entirely in
the hands of the court,
Mr. Sleigh, who was instructed for the defence, urged in
mitigation of punishment that the prisoner had yielded to a
sudden temptation, and be said that his friends, who were
very respectable, had made arrangements to seed him out
of the country.
The Common Serjeant told the prisoner that he was very
touch indebted to his master for having instructed his
counsel to state what be had done, and but for this he
should certainly have passed a much more severe sentence.
He then ordered him to be imprisoned and kept to hard
labour for eight months.
Upon the application of Mr. Metcalfe the court made an
order that the money and the diamond ring found upon the
prisoner, and which be admitted were the proceeds of his
plunder. should be given up to the prosecutor.
Mr. Poised, who was instructed to prosecute on behalf of
the Treasury, made an application that the trial of three
prisoners, named Watson, Starr, and Stevens. should bs post-
poned to the next session, and the rocognissaces of the wit-
nesses be respited in the meantime.
The prisoners were committed upon the charge of baring
violently assaulted several police constables in the execution
of their duty, sad it appeared that since their committal
one of the constables bad turned out to be so seriously in-
jured that he is not expected to recover. In the event of
his death taking place the prisoners would, of course, be
amenable to a charge either of murder or manslaughter, as
it might turn out.
The court granted the application.
Henry Lester, 18, a respectable-lacking young man,
pleaded guilty to a charge of forging and uttering a cheque
for 251. Si. 6d., with intent to defraud the London Joint
Stock Bank.
Sentence was deferred.
Edward Smith, a young man, was charged with a rob-
bery with videos*.
Mr. Daly prosecuted.
The prosecutor was walking along Lent-street, in the
Borough, when he was assailed by three men, one of whom
was the prisoner, and robbed of a small sum of money, the
act being accompanied with a good deal of violence. The
c espanions of the prisoner were convicted at a recent see-
lion and sentenced to penal servitude.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and evideoce
having been given that the prisoner had been summarily
convicted a great many times., he was sentenced to seven
years' penal servitude.
Henry Jones, 33, clerk, pleaded guilty to two indictments
charging him with embezzliog various sums of money, the
property of Walter Spencer Chapman, his master.
Mr. Metcalfe was instructed for the prosecution.
The prosecutors are wholesale grocers, carrying on brui-
ses* in Alderagate-street, and the prisoner was in their ser-
vice as clerk and collector, and in these capacities he
appeared to have received about 130/. which he had not
accounted for. There was this great aggravation in the
prisoner's conduct, that he appeared t 3 have gone to some
of the customers of the prosecutors before the usual
period of credit had expired, and represented that he was
one of the firm, and that they were pressed for money and
wished the account to be settled as once.
The prisoner was sentenced to eighteen months' hard
labour.