The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-09 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

GUILDHALL

John Fit*lkon, a discharged ;;Idler with only one arm,
and wng two medals, wu charged th atealing two
dozen fieariles, eau 11. Da., underha the fwiollowing einem-
stances : _ _

Thomas Morgan said—l am a civil engineer, and carry on
Wainer at No. 1, Lothbary. The prisoner has lost an arm,
and did belong to the corps of columnsiousirer, but although
be still wears a similar uniform he is no longer oomiected
with them. He has, accosting to his own account, taken
up his position in frost of Jones Loyd's Bank for the last
two years, and I have occasionally employed him. On
Wednesday last I engaged him to remove a quantity of film
to an office at 53, Moorgate-street, and agreed to give him
se. for the job. I missed two pup* containing I dozen
files in each, and the prisoner afterwards admitted that he
took them to a hake • shop ic Colemanetreet, and on
making inquiries there I found that the prisoner had after.
wards called for and taken them away. The one dozen and
8 files produced are my property, and were found at the
prisoner's lodgings.
Alderman Hale—Do you wish to ask the prosecutor say
questions
Prisoner—Well, air, lam innocent. The day was very
wet, and I went into Coleman-street while on my way with
two pima of files to 53, Moorgate-street, to get something
to drink. I called at a baker's shop to get • peony loaf
ant, and when I went out I left the files on the counter,
and dui not remember them until I got home, when I re-
turned for them, and took them to Mr. Morgan's office, and
finding it closed, I took them home, Intending to return
with them in the morning, but forgot all about them after-
wards.

Alderman Hale—But what indwell you to deny all know-
ledge of them when Wed by Mr. Morgan on the following
morning
Prisoner—l did not recollect the circuinefance..

Policeman 133 sail—The prisoner's wife denied there was
more than one parcel of Aka, but I found the other parcel,
containing eight tiles, concealed in the cupboard.
Aldermen Hale—What has become of the other four files?

Prisoner—The parcel broke while I was carrying it, and I
suppcee I lost the files. I have a good character, and a
heavy family to support. lam innocent of any dishonest
intention, I assure your worship.
Inventor Knight- I understand that the prisoner was
formerly a commissionaire, and wu discharged fur drunken-
Dee, since which anothereommissionaire has been appointed
to him district ' • but the prisoner is, notwithstanding, fre-
quently employed under the impression that he is a member
of the Commissionaires Institution.

The prisoner still maintained Ms innocence, and was com-
mitted for trial.

BOW-STREET.

Jokii Gregory, hawker, no basri rce idiom, and Watiost
Collis', labourer, no hoots, were charged with conspiring
with two others to defraud William Ball, a seaman, of 81.
The prosecutor deposed—Yesterday I met a man in Hol-
born, who asked me the way to Pimlico, and I told him.
We got into conversation, and he maid be had just eeme
into an estate in Lincolnshire, sod had maze to town to
settle some business with respect to the will. We want to
a public-house in Newton•street. The prisoner and another
man then got tossing, and induced me to bet a sore-
reign upon this tossing. I did so, and lost the sovereign.
I then bet three sovereigns in the ran manner end lost
them, and afterwards four sovereigns, which I also lost.
Gregory won the first bet, the sovereign ; his friend and
the man from Lincolnshire with the large estate won the
others. After this Gregory offered to bet me 2/. that my
chain was not gold, and stated MO to go to a jeweller's shop
to have it tested. I went with him, but when we got to
the door of the jeweller's shop be attempted to run away.
1 then seized him sod dragged him back to the public-house,
when we found the others were gone. I then said, " You
have robbed me and I shall give you in charge." The pri-
soner Collins was at the door of the public-house, and I
asked him to fetch a policeman ; he said he could not find
one.

---Qom-examined by Mr. Lewis—l bad only eight save-
reigas and some silver when I went there, and I lost it all.
I was not tossing. The prisoner Gregory tossed and lost all
my money for rim He only won 11. -I did not ask him
to return the It. I did not want it back ; but when I
found that I had berme cheated I wanted to get back all my
money. I did not offer to withdraw Chatham. if he would
return my money, or part of it. I knew they had been
cheating me because Gregory explained to me that it was
not fair tossing ' • that the other man had two halfpence,
one in the palm of his hand and the other on the knuckles.
II " bead " was cried he showed theme in the palm which
had the " woman " up. If "woman " was cried, he showed
the other, which had the "head" up. I never tossed be-
fore ; indeed, I did not toes this time, but I never before
bad anything to do with tossing.
Pohcoman 142 F deposed that when he was taking
Gregory in custody Gregory handed some money to Collies,
who was standing close behind him. Witness knew it was
money, because he heard it chink. He attempted to inter-
cept it, but before he could lay bold of Collins's hand he
it to a woman, saying. " Here, Jenny, take this
came to my wife." At this moment there was a crowd of
about thirty people round them, and witness could not get
at the woman, who escaped. He took both prisoners in
custody.
Mr. Lewis said there was no evidence that any fraud had
been committed. Supposing that prosecutor had lost his
money. he bad been trying to get money from others.
Mr. Henry said the charge wee that of conspiring with
others to obtain money by false pretence., by pretending
that they were playing out a gems of chance, when in
point of fact it was a game of cheating. The difference be-
tween their conduct and that of the prosecutor was, that
the bitter was trying to get money from the others by fair
tossing, not by any trick.
Mr. Lewis—That is if you believe implicitly the evidence
of the prosecutor.
Mr. Henry said that was a question fora jury.
Mr. Lewis would submit that it was not a case to go to
• jury.
Mr. Henry said it was certainly • case for further in.
main,. He should remand the prisoners that the polio.
might endeavour to lied out who they were, and what was
their previous character. Neither of them had given his
address. . . .

Mr. Lewis, after a short consultation with Gregory, said
he would give his real name and address, which he had
Gay enameled from an unwillingness to give anooyance to
his friends. 114 name was Junes, and he lived at Hackney.
Mr. Henry said the address could be given to the police-
man, in order that he might make inquiries.
Collins persisted in saying that be had no fired reeidetios.
Mr. Heury—The policeman heard you tell a woman to
take the money home to your wife.
Collins—ThAt is wrong, sir. I have not got a wife.
They were then remanded.

Jev{► drv►dell, ► cab-dnrer, badge 1,249, residiog ►t 5„
Thompsoe's Beck•mots, Haltmooo•etreet, linhopegste, was
charged before Iz. D'Eioeourt under the tenoning cir-
curostanors

11.ap red that the defendant was in the employ of Mr.
Biohud Case, the exteusive cab proprietor of Gough-street,
Gray's, inn•roarl, and he signed an agreement to have a cab
out from nine in the morning till twelve at night, with two
hones, for which he was to pay lls, On the god of No-
vember be had one hone, and set out under the agree
meat, and kept it out for eight hours after twelve o'clock
at night, and refired to pay what he had signed for,
namely, la. fur every half hour after twelve at night.
The defendant brought home the hone in a very dread-
ful condition, and he admitted that be had drives
the borne to the other side of /Watford and back after tea
o'clock in the morning. The hone, owing to the cruelty it
had received from the defendant, had been coefined to the
stable ever sioos, and It,. (lass Mated that he bad set
brought the defendant before **magistrate for the reco-
very of the money, but to punish him for the cruelty to the
horn. He also wished the defendant punished as an ex.
ample to other cabmen.
The defendant said he was very sorry, and hoped the ma-
gistrate and Mr. Case would look over the matter.
Mr. D'Eyncuurt sentenced the prisoner to 14 days impri-
sonment.