The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-27 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD CIRCO IT.—RraDING, Fzu. N.
Cnower COURT.—(Beforo Mr. Baron Pigott)

Thomas Penner, a police-sergeant, and Orange Palmer,
police-constable, were indicted for haying committed
wiUul and corrupt perjury at Reading, on the 9th of
January last.
Mr. J. 0. Willits was counsel for the prosecution ; Mr.
Montagu Williams appeared for Fenner; and Mr. Sawyer
for Palmer. _ _

On the defendants being arraigned, Palmer pleaded
guilty.
It appeared that • little before twelve o'clock on one
night of December Lett, a person named James Belcher, a
carpenter, left the Vine Inn, Broad-street, kept by Mr.
Koppel, rather the worse for liquor, and excited, having
bad some words with the landlord. On going along
Oxford-street towards his home, be saw Sergeant Fenner,
and called out to him, " You're Koppel's spy, I suppose."
Pruner still walked on, closely followed by Belcher, who
made remarks of an irritating character towards
policemen generally. Still Fenner abstained from
making any reply. Belcher stepped from the pave-
ment on to the roadway, passed by Fenner,
and when he came to Zuezanatreet, he turned
round to go to his home, which was but a
few yards off. Fenner then appears to have
let loose at Belcher, for he rushed at him with such
force that he split his ear open, making it bleed very
much, and seized him by the collar. A severe scuffle
ensued, and Belcher thooeeded in twice throwing the police-
sergeant down ; after this Fenner got at the back of
Belcher, took him by the collar of his coat, which was
buttoned up tightly, and dragged him on his back a dis-
tance of about fifteen yards, rendering him insensible.
Belcher wasafterwards got to the police-station, and on the
next day was charged before the magistrates with drunk-
enness, and having assaulted Sergeant Fenner in the exe-
cution of his drake. On that occasion Belcher complained
of having been ill-used by the polite-sergeant, and on his
application the case was adjourned by the magistrates for
the production of a person who, it was alined, saw the
sergeant strike Belcher At the adjourned hearing, a
man, named George Pavans, was called on behalf of
Belcher, and be stated that hearing a noise in the Oxford-
road on the night in question. he went to the place, and
saw Fenner and Belcher struggling together. Fenner
called upon hen in the Queen's name to aid and 'moist in
taking Belcher to the police-station. Parsons then took
hold of Belcher by the left arm, Fenner being on the right
side, and they moved off towards the station. Fernier
three times struck Belcher in the face in the presence of
Parsons. After a few minutes pollee-constable Palmer.
the second defendant, came up, sad took the place of
Parsons. The latter walked behind the two officers and
Belcher, and on reaching the top of St. Mary's Butts,
asked Fenner if he needed any further assistance. Ile
received a reply in the negative, and then went to his
home, where he discovered blood on hie face, arising from
the wounds inflicted on Belcher by Penner. After Parsons
had given this evidenoe before the magistrate, both Fenner
and Palmer were recalled, and they denied that Parsons was
there assisting in taking Belcher, nor was he or any one else
called upon to aid either of the officers. In consequence
of the two policemen solemnly negativing the statement
of Parsons, the magistrates convicted Belcher, and fined
him fie. for drunkenness, and If., including costs, for
assaulting Sergeant Fenner in the execution of his duties
as a police officer. A few days subsequently a warrant was
issued against Parsons on the charge of perjury, and on
the 11th of January he was examined before the magis-
trates. The evidence of Fenner and Palmer was again
taken, and they both distinctly swore that Parsons was
not present on the occasion of the disturbance between
Belcher and Fenner, nor did he render any assistance to
Fenner in taking Belcher to the station. Upon the testi-
mony of those two officers Persona was committed for
trial for perjury. The case excited • great deal
of interest to the town of Reading, and Superintendent
Purchase made great efforts to discover a cabman who was
stated to have witnessed the scuffle, but without success.
Information was obtained that there were three persons
seen together on the night in question, and when Palmer
was told of this by the superintendent, he then said he
had been miserable ever since the committal of Parsons,
for both he and Fenner had given false evidence. Parson
was assisting Fenner in taking Belcher to the police-
station when he (Palmer) went up. At the second bear-
ing of the assault case. Sergeant Fenner told him that
Belcher was going to bring • man forward to state that he
saw him strike Belcher three times in the face. He asked
Fenner if he knew the man, and why he did not tell him as •
witness. Fenner replied that he knew the man, and
did not want him to come. He told him (Palmer)
to state to the magistrates that there was no one with
them on that night. Palmer said, "How can I stand before
the magistrates and tell such an untruth ?" Fenner made
answer, " You must." He did as Fenner told him. Mr.
Beaumont, • commercial traveller, and Mrs. Walters, a
widow, both residing in Oxford-place, opposite to where
the scuffle took place, and being attracted to their doors
by the cry of murder, saw at a distance three persons.
The jury found F Guilty.
Baron Pigott sentenced Fenner to one month', hard
labour and five years' penal servitude, and Palmer to twelve
months' hard labour.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

(Before the Common Porieant.)

Mary Walker- , 22, a very masculine-looking girl, who
was dressed in the female convict garb, and who was de-
scribed as a spinster, pleaded guilty to two indictments
charging her with embezzling venous sums of money
belonging to Charles Edwards, her master.
Mr. Straight said be was instructed to prosecute in this
case, which was one of a somewhat remarkable character,
insomuch aa at the time the offence was committed the
prisoner passed as a man, and was considered to be of the
male sex. He was instructed to state this fact to the
court, but the prosecutor bad no desire to press the ease
harshly against her.
Mr. Cooper, who appeared for the prisoner, said that
she had pleaded guilty of her own accord, and without
any suggestion on his part that she should do so, and she
was most anxious to express her regret for the offence she
had committed. He had to urge on her behalf that sbe
was the member of a very respectable family, and bee
father formerly kept a large inn and posting-house in the
country, but had become reduced, and at his death his
family found themselves in very reduced circumstances,
and the prisoner was compelled to come to London to seek
for employment by which she could obtain her living.
She found, however, that in her real character as a woman
almost every avenue to employment was closed againat
her, and by the advice of a friend she assumed the garb of a
man, and endeavoured to obtain employment as one of the
male sex. According to his instructions she had worked hard
at the docks and other places, and hail exerted herself in
every possible way to obtain an honest livelihood, and she
obtained a situation with the prosecutor as errand boy
and porter, and for two years conducted herself per-
fectly well, and no complaint was made against her.
Mr. Straight said that the prosecutor instructed him to
state that this was the fact. _

Mr. Cooper then went on to state that the prisoner had
unfortunately got mixed up with a loan office, and
being pressed had appropnated some of her master's
money, but she assured him that she never intended to
defraud her master, and that her intention was to repay
him.

The Common Serjennt deferred passing sentence, and
the prisoner, who seemed to feel her position, was removed
from the bar.