The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-11 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.—YEBTERDAT.
Emu Ma. Junes Eau LID MIL Buoy Purr.
Tait Awns Rooms.
_ .

Mr. Bodkin. upo-nthei;;;;:ei 1:1;;;;aking their seats,
applied to them to direct that the trial of a certain indict-
ment, against several pettier, under the set of parliament of
the 25th Geo. 11., for keeping a eiscrderly house, under the
name of the Argylserooms, in Titchboarnestreet, should be
postponed until the next session. The grounds upon which
the application was made were that the indictment in ques-
tion, and two others of a similar character, were preferred
by a person who was formerly • common informer, and that
the parish or police authorities had not interfered in the
matter, and the su•. erintendent of police of the district
likew:ss represented that no disturbance or disorderly
oonduct had taken place at the establishment In qurstion
requiring his interference. In addition to these facts, toe
learned counsel stated that some points of law were involved
in the ease which were of nor siderable imp inane*, and one
of the indictments had been removed by certiorari to tie
Queen's Bench, in order to obtain the opinion of the judges
upon them points, and under them circumstances be sub-
mitted that it would be desirable not to dispose of the pre.
seat indictment until the one that was pending in the Court
of Queen's Bench had been tried.

Mr. Parry, who appeared fir Christopher Brown and
Emile Laurent, two of the defendants, maid that he joined in
the application on the pound that those gentlemen were in
such a state of illness as would reader it dangerous for them
to appear and take their trial, and he pat in certificates of
two med•cal gentlemen to that effect.
Mr. Clarkson acid he was not in a position to oppose the
application, so far as Nears. Brown and Laurent were
concerned ; but with regard to the other defendants, he was
instructed to press for the trial:of the indictment against
them at the present session. The only object of the post-
ponement he said was, to obtain delay, and in the mean-
time that which they alleged to be an Wesel act was carried
en every night: Ii there were rally any points of law in
the case, it appeared to him that their lordships were quite
tompetent to depose of them.
Mr. Bahamans said that it was very well known that some
important questions of law were involved in the case. One
material question was, whether an old and almost obsolete
act of parliament, which he believed was passed for the pur-
pose of preventing seditious meetings or something of that
sort, applied to the harmless amusements of =uric and
diaries ?
Mr. Baron PIM inquired whether Mr. Clarkson would
consent to the Attorney-General entering a nolle pros qui
with regard to the two defendants who were unable to
attend, as this would get over one difilealty.
Mr. Clarkson expressed himself ready to consent to this
course, or that an acquittal should he taken for thee, two
defeadants, provided the indictment was disposed of without
delay and the point of the legality or illegality of the pro-
needles set at rest.
It we, then arranged, after some further discussion
between the learned counsel and the court, that the trial
should stand for the present session.
Urrnurrn A F 01011) ACCIPTANCE.
Georg* Lyon, 32, clerk, pleaded guilty to two indictments
charging him with uttering a forged bid of exchange, with
Mort to defraud William Miller Chrtgie and others.
Julgment was postponed.
AOCIAAVATID ASSAULT.
Charles CartserigAr,26, was indicted for feloniou'ly cutting
and wounding Daniel May, with intent to resist his lawful
apprehension.
Mr. Ryland and Mr. Thompson prosecuted for the corpo-
ration of London.
It appeared that May, who is a City policeman, wee on
duty in Ludgate-street on tire morning of the 12th March, in
plain clothes, when he sac the prisoner and another man
named Judge prowling about, and having some knowledge
of their character he watched them, and saw them go to the
shop of a tailor named Hayes, in Farringdon-street, where
they both handled a coat that was outside and then walked
off. They shortly afterwar.le returned, and Cartwright
boldly took down the coat and put it under the one he bad
on, Judge in the meantime " covering" him, and they were
both about to deuunp with their b ,oty when May came up
and seized Cartwright, and upon an alarm Wins raised
the other prisoner was also secured. The constable was
then about to proved to the police station with
Cartwright, who et first want quietly; but just as they
got to the Snow-hill end of Farriagdonstreet, Le stopped,
and mid, that if the constable would not let him go he
would kill him, and at the same moment he drew salmi) knife
from hie pocket, and inflicted several severe and dangerous
cuts upon hie hand. The constable, notwithstanding the
injuries he had received, still retained hold of the prisoner,
who WSOSTSIMUSIIy &Miffed and lodged in the police station.
The jug bound the prisoner Guilty of wounding the pro-
mentor, with intent to prevent his lawful appraki mirth
Cartwright was than charged by another indictment,
ttiatly with the other man, Judge, with the lemony of steal-
th. coat.
he same facts, with the exception of the wound* ig
the constable, were put in evidence, and the jury found NS
prisoners Unsay.
Mr. Baron Pleat sentenced Cartwright to be transported
for Mena yeas, and J al* was sentenced to be imprisoned
sad kepi to herd labour for ono year.

MIDDLESIX SESSIONS.—YISTUDAT.
Swam Ma. 'mama Anon'.
81111111 MIMI= —PAITILIOBS Or TUB Ban.
MINI/ ArkesdAMMINM, 31, was indicted for having stoles
• Bank of nom of the valne, and for the payment
of 10/, tam .crowns, and eight 'hilltop, the month of
Louisa Amine, from her person
Mr. Carter appeared foe the prisoner.
Ths posesutriz, a widow lady, deposed thee en the 19th
of last math, at about half-past Ave o'ifsek In the after-
noon, she wee Molding In St. Martin's-lane, when the
prisoner and mother young woman, apparently about her
own age, went up to her and asked where they could meet
with an omnibus ramie( to the Hampstead-road, and before
she bad time to answer Its question she felt her dress
polled, and es her immediately posing her hand to her
pocket, she encountered the hand of the prisouer' in which
she saw her puns. The purse eontained a 101. note, and
thirteen shillings In silver. She at ones seised the ;iris ncr's
hand and tried to detain her, but the prisoner succeeded
in wresting it from her grasp end ran off. She pursued,
and saw the prisoner enter the side door of a pawnbroker's-
shop, and on following her thither, the found her in one of
the boxes." Upon being accused of the robbery, the pet-
soaer very coolly declared she had never before seen her
but, being positive that she was the is non who bad robbed
her, she placed her in the custody of a polies officer. The
mosey had not been recovered, nor had the woman who was
with the prisoner been apprehended.
Mr. Carter cross-examined the promentrix, and *odes-
voared to thew, by questioning her, from the depositions
taken before the magistrates, that she had prevaricated in
her evidence. She negatived every question the learned
gentleman put to her, and said she had spoken nothing but
the troth throughout the case.
In consequence of an observation of the lensed judge,
Mr. Carter maid he would put in as evidence for the pri-
soner the whole of the depositions, to show that the prose-
tunic had mid that to-day the had not said before the com-
mitting magistrate. It was most unfair towards a prisoner
that counsel should be interrupted in the discharge of their
duty and it was not the first time his privileges as counsel
had been interfered with in that court.
The leaned Judge—lt would be more consistent with
your duty as counsel to put in the depositions, and not make
comments until the proper time comes.
Mr. Carter begged his lordship's pardon ; he was DA
making Ornaments, not was he doing anything his privileges
as an advocate did not authorise him to do.
The learned Judge—l am the authority here, and Imy
you are to go en with your ease.
Mr. Caner—l must and do insist upon my privileges as
the prisoner's advocate not being interfered with oy the
court, and it is impossible that I can perform my duty to my
client if the judge puts a limit on my discretion, and takes
the ease out of my hands entirely.
The learned Judge—l am not taking the mos out of
your hands at all ; bat I tell you plainly, so that
you may understand me at once, that if you
think it is within your discretion to assail the character of a
respectable witness, and impute to her that for which there
is no pretence, I hell put a limit to that discretion. You
must not and shall cot do it.

The depositions were then put in, and the examination of
the witnesses being concluded,
Mr. Carter addressed the jury. The position of a mantel
in a case circumstanced as the present was difficult in the
extreme, ond be felt bound to say that the course his Lord
ship hod adopted—in limiting his divretion, and interfering
with his unquestionable privilege as the prisoner's advocate
—was so.' unfair, most unjust, and most ungenerous, *spe-
cially when his chant, if declared guilty of the crime imputed
to her, was liable to be transported for a very considerable
period. The course the loused Judge had taken was not
an example befitting a wart of justice ; he, as counsel for
the women at the bar, had a right to complain of
it; and he deemed it his duty to raise his voice against
any limit being put upon the discretion of counsel,
into whose hands the interests of the innocent as well es the
guilty were confided. Hi. lordship had crippled him in this
m on the previous day, and be could not bet complain
of it, as it was calculated to inflict growl injustice upon
prisoners. The learned counsel then proceeded to comment
upon the facts of the case.

'The learned judge, in summing up, said the prisoner was
indicted for a robbery from the person, and it appeared that
he else was indicted to a very great extent upon the present
°oculars. Unquestionably, no judge had a right to impose
any limit upon the discretion of counsel, es long as that dis-
cretion was fairly and properly manifested on behalf of •
client, but he very much doubted whether • judge had not
the power, and whether he was not bound also to exercise
it, of placing a limit upon • counsel's indiscretion.
Than himself none could be more willing that a witn is
whose character was bad, and who came into court with
no very good grace, should be left entirely at the mercy of
counsel, whom he would rather assist than retard in the
exposure of such a witness; but, on the other hand, he could
not allow counsel to ruthlessly email the character of a re.
quotable witness, without the alighte4 ground for so doing,
as had been the case with »mut to this poor, helpless, but
respectable widow. He heel a high respect for the counsel of
that court, end was sorry such thugs as there occurred. He
was determined to preserve regularity in the court, and he
would rot allow counsel to run at the character of witnesses
against whom no real complaint could be made. The
counsel for the prisoner had taken this course in two or
three instance', and appeared determined to persevere,
but if that was the issue Mud between himself and the
bar, they should soon see which wu the stronger of the
two. _ _

_
The prisoner was found Guilty, and sentenced to six
months bud labour.

The court ordered 11. 195., taken from the rvironer, to be
given up to the pro•ecutrix.

POLICE.-YEATERDAY.