The Express.
London, England, 1868-01-25 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(Before Mr. Payne.)

Joseph Hodges, 32, was indicted for stealing two
dead fowls, value 60., the property of Richard James.
The prosecutor is • asesemonger and poulterer,
living at Viotoria-road, Pimlico, and on the
night of the 4th of January the prisoner went up to the
tors shop, deliberately took two fowls from the
=and ran away with them. He was pursued, when
he threw the fowls away, bat was caught and given into
custody. The prisoner in hie defencesaid he was drunk
and did not know what he was about, but the witnesses
denied the drunkenness. The jury found the prisoner
I Guilty.
Herbert Reeves, warder at Coldbath.fielde Prison, put
in the following convictions against the primp.). :—Nins
months, at the 11016311$ of this coast, 15th of April, 1861,
in the name of John Hall, for riesling linen from • cart •
eighteen months, 24th of March, 1862, at the seeirions of
this court, in the name of John Williams, for attempting
to steal • cue of stuffed birds ; three months, 24th
December, 1863, at Marlborough-street police-court, in the
name of John Hodges, for attempting a robbery ; two
years, at these session., October 3, 1863, for stealing pots ;
and sit months, October 12,1867, at Marlborough-street
policecourt, as a rogue and a vagabond.
Mr. Payne said he had had along career of crime and almost
every deecription of punishment, and be must therefore
now be removed from society for some time to come. The
sentence now upon him was that he be kept in penal ser-
vitude for seven years.

THE POLICE COURT&

MANSION-HOUSE.

Mr. Charles Knight, • gentleman connected with a
bank in Lombard-street, attended before the Lord Mayor
to answer a summons which charged him with unlawfully
detaining a watch, • scarf-pin, and some other articles of
jewellery and wearing apparel, the property of a person
named Alderman George Partridge.
Mr. Vann, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the defendant.
The case was one of rather • singular nature. It ap-
peared from the statement of the complainant, who is •
clerk to • mercantile firm, that he married a daughter of
the defendant, and had one child. Returning home one
day he found them both gone, together with the servant,
and the house locked up. The property mentioned in the
summons had also been removed, and be subsequently
discovered that it was in the possession of the defendant,
against whom be took out the present summons to obtain
its restitution.
In reply to questions put by Mr. Vann in cross-exami-
nation, the complainant said the transaction to which be
referred took place in the year 1864, and the reason he
gave for the delay which had occurred was that he had
been very ill and in attendance on en hospital as an out-
patient. He also stated that shortly after his wife was
removed to her father's house be received information
that she was dying, and she and the child did in fact die
shortly afterwards. He admitted that the property in dis-
pute belonged to his wife, and he asserted that it was
still in the possession of the defendant, because he bad
seen it there within the last three months.
Mr. Vann, addressing the Lord Mayor, said the case
was one of a painful character. The fact was that an un-
fortunate marriage had been contracted, and for reasons
which it was not necessary for him to go into the wife of
the complainant felt compelled to leave his house and
take refuge at her father's with her child, andshortly after-
wards she died. With regard to the property referred to,
the whole of it belonged to the wife of the complainant.
The wearing apparel consisted mainly of children's clothing
and the remainder was small trinkets and paraphernalia,
which according to common law was the personal prepaq
of the wife. After her death this property was diatrlbuted
among her relations, and the complainant had no lawful
claim whatever upon it. He might mention that the com-
plainant had applied to two respectable solicitors to take
the matter up for him, but upon • representation of the
facts being made to them they both declined to do so. In
addition to the facts as above stated, he should also sub-
mit that under Jervis's Act the complainant ought to have
instituted proceedings within six months, but be did not
rely upon that so much as upon the fact that he had no
claim to the property.
The Lord Mayor said that in looking at all the facts he
should dismiss the summons, as it was clear that the com-
plainant had no right to the property.
Charles Woodhorae, a private of the Scotch Fusilier
Guards, lying at Chelsea Barracks, was charged under the
following circumstances by William Turner, • messenger
at Guildhall police-court :
The prosecutor said that shortly after ten o'clock on the
previous night he was passing through Threadneedle-street,
when the prisoner, who was in uniform and wore his mili-
tary overcoat, stopped him, told him that he was very
badly in want of money, and that he must give him • few
halfpence. Witness, who was in plain clothes, told
him he should do no such thing, and that if be
was distressed he should go to his regiment. Prisoner
then said that if be did nut give him some money be would
soon makeloiin, and proceeded totake off his belt,when
ness, putting his hand under him mat, told him that if he
used his belt he would give him something that would
stick to him. On this the prisoner no longer threatened
violence, but made use of disgusting language both towards
him (witness) and • young woman by whom he was accom-
panied for the purpose of serving a summons. He after-
wards called a policeman, and gave the prisoner into
custody.
A sergeant of the Fusilier Guards attended in court, and
said the prisoner's conduct was very irregular, and, in fact,
he was never out of trouble, either for drunkenness or ab-
sence without leave. He had been five or six years in the
service.
Prisoner said be was drunk or he would never have done
what he bad.
On the application of the sergeant the prisoner was de-
livered over to him for the purpose of being charged with
desertion, as he had absented himself • month without
leave. . - -