The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-09 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

BEOOND COURT.
(Before Mr. Payne.)
James Cau, 30, desribed as a tailor, was indicted for an
assault upon Colonel Richardson Gardner, and also with
attempting to rob him. To this the prisoner pleaded not
guilty.
Colonel Richardson Gardner said that on the 2Sth of
December he was at Ealing raw, and was near the Grand
Stand. While he was there he looked down and saw a
hand on his watch chain. He had ridden down to Ealing,
and bad on a riding ooat which exposed his watch chain.
He saw the hand grasping the watch chain. and followed it
to the owner, who was the prisoner. He charged the
prisoner with attempting to steal his watch. which he
denied and said it was the pressure of the crowd that
caused his hand to be near him (the prosecutor). The
prosecutor remarked that the pressure of the crowd would
not bring his hand round his watch chain, and that he
should give him into custody. The prisoner tried to get
away, but the prosecutor seized hold of him with his right
hand, but in consequeooe of his left arm being disabled he
was obliged to let the prisoner go. The prisoner then ran
away, and was caught by the prosecutor and given into cus-
tody just as he was getting over a table.
The jury immediately found the prisoner Guilty.
Mr. Payne asked if anything was known of the prisoner.
Mr. Edwin Courthope said he was a detective officer, and
on the 9th Feb., DM, the prisoner was tried at that court
before his lordship (Mr. Payne) in the name of James Allen
for attempting to steal • watch, and was sentenced to 12
months' imprisonment with hard labour. On the 4th Sept.,
1863, witness was on duty at Portsmouth during the time
of the visit of the French fleet, and took the prisoner into
custody for picking pockets, and he was sentenced to three
months' imprisonment.
Lockyer, prison officer, maid the prisoner had
surgiMe three months' imprisonment besides.
Another constable, named Fall, of the G division, said
he had had the prisoner in custody at Brighton on Easter
Monday last on a charge of picking pockets, when be was
sentenced to three months' imprisonment.
Another constable was about to say something which
occurred at Leeds, when
Mr. Payne said that if the prisoner had been convicted
of a felony he would go into ell those previous convictions,
because then it would be a question of penal servitude ;
but as it was only a misdemeanour, viz., an attempt to
steal, him mind was made op. The sentence of the court
upon ham sou that he be imprisoned and kept to hard
labour for two years.
The prisoner—Oh ! two years-1 would as soon have been
hanged.

ARREARS IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY. —There
are more arrears in the Court of Chancery for the ensuing
term than known for some time. TM appeals are con-
siderable.

THE SPRINO CIRCUITS.—On the 18th instant the
judges of the common law courts will meet in the Court of
Exchequer, and choose their spring circuits.
THE AUSTRIAN TREATY AND THE DUTIES ON
Write AND CORN.—At the meeting of the Council of the
Liverpool Chamber of Commerce yesterday, Mr. Prange,
in answer to a question upon this subject, said it was wi-
dowhood that the Austrian tariff question would be con-
sidered in it. details by a committee to meet at Vienna in
March. The principle agreed to by Austria wee that no
import duty on British articles into Austria should exceed
25 per oent, ad valorem, but as the weight system wee to
be attained, it was obvious that in fixing the ad valorem
rate great caution would have to be exercised, because the
value of all textile fabrics was now much above their normal
prices, and a duty axed now might prove exorbitantly high
before many years were over. As regarded the wish of
Austria for a reduction of our duties on wine and corn, it
was reported that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was
willing to meet those wishes by fixing the duty on wine at
ls. per gallon in casks and bottles alike, but whether the
entire abolition of the corn duty was contemplated remained
to be ease.

Di:roans ON Pamirs Blue.--Saturday is tbe
last day for the deposits on railway bills to be made in the
Court of Cheneery. The 14th instant is the day appointed,
but that day falling this year on a Sunday the &pasha
utast be ooncluded on the previous day.