The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-18 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

if ANE3ION•HOUSL

Margaret HefUlaeg, Ellen if itcAeil, John Maw, and
Henry Anderunt, all of whom were well dressed, were
brought before the Lord Mayor, charged with stealing •
puree containing 2!. is. from the person of Mary Anne
Woodriff.
It appeared from the evidence of James Gale, that he
was in King William-street, on Friday afternoon, when he
sew all four of the prisoners standing together. A lady
happened to cromthe road, when the two female prisoners
followed her, and the two men walked another way. Wit-
ness followed the two women and saw Hennesey put her
band into the pockets of several ladies. They returned to
the corner of King Williamotreet,wbere be first saw them,
and Hennessy put her right band in the pocket of a young
woman who wu waiting to cross the road, while Mitchell
stood on the other side and said something to her. The pri-
soner walked away, and witness asked theyousg wocou if she
hail lost anything, and she then missed her purse. He
told her to go with him, but ou turning round the prisoners
were nowhere to be seen. He walked about some time
looking for them, and on up Fishetreet-hill, he saw
all four of the prisoners together at the corner of Monu-
ment-yard, where the two flimsies were standing, one each
side of • lady, and Hammy with her hand in the lady's
pocket. He saw them attempt the pockets of two ladies
who got out of an omnibus, after which they went Into a
publio-houae, and witness thee saw • constable aid gave
them into custody. Another man hid joined them at the
public-house, and they were all drinking together, but after
being searched the third man was allowed to go.
Mary AIMS Waxbill said she was waiting at the corner
of King William-street, to cross the road, when the last
witness asked her if she had loud anything. She put
her hand in her pocket and mimed her puns containing
21. Ts. 3d. She noticed the two prisoners standing one on
each side of her, and the prisoner Mitchell made some re-
mark about a ire-engine that was standing opposite, but
she did not feel either of them at her pocket.
The prisoners were searched at the station, and 2s. 3d.
found on Hennesey, sod ls. 2d. on Mitchell, but nothing
was found on either of the male prisoners ; and they an
gave • false address with the exception of Thomas, who
declined to give soy account of himself. Both male and
female prisoners denied all knowledge of each other. Hen-
nessy and Mitchell said they hawked combs and mittens,
and Anderson said he was • tailor.
Partridge, the gaoler, said the prisoner Thomas bad been
at this court before on two or three occasions, and had
six weeks the last time, and he thought Hennessy had
been also convicted before. _ _ _

A female who was in court, and who said she wan
Thomas's mother, however, said that was falm, as she
bad never lost sight of her son for so long • period as
sis weeks at a time. He was a respectable you man,
and was a himallnisher by trade, and had worked in the
New•eut very lately.
The Lord Mryor asked if that were true why he bad not
gives his address, that inquiries might be made.
The prisoner replied that he did not want his friends to
bow it.
Tin prisoners were remanded.
GUILDHALL.
- - -

157i:a Smith, a decent-looking woman, the mother of six
young children, was charged before Alders can Gabriel, with
whom sat Alderman Copeland, with stealing Z. 3 bonneta„
value 305., under the following circumstances,
From the evidence of Messrs. Parsons and Co., bonnet
manufacturers, it appeared that the prisoner was occa-
sionally employed by them, and that on Saturday last they'
bad a quantity of bonnets in stock, which they subse-
quently traced and identified at • milliner's shop in the
Hackney-road, where it was ascertained they bad been sold
by the prisoner. She, however, on being asked where she
obtained the bonnets, averted that she received them from
another woman, who was not forthcoming, to sell. This
account not being deemed satisfactory, she was given into
custody, but she persisted in the story she had told in the
first instance.

The witness who purchased the bonnets of the prisoner
veld she had hitherto known her and still believed her to
be an honest sod industrious woman.

Alderman Gabriel aaked the priaooer what her hueband

The husband here came forward, and presented, in his
own person, a most miserable specimen of humanity.
Alderman Copeland asked him what trade be was?
The husband said he was a cabinet-maker, but be earned
very little at his trade.
Alderman Gabriel said he ought to be able to earn 255. per
week, at least, as a cabiset-maker.
The husband said he did not earn half that amount, but
he had another occupation, which he declined to mention
in a public court.
Alderman Copeland said be had no wish to pry into say
man's private affairs, but he thought the husband ought to
maintain hie family and keep his wife out of the temptation
of stealing to provide for the wants of her children.
The husband said he had so objection to tell the neigh•
taste what his other occupation was privately. It was
nothing dishonourable ; in fact he gloried in it.
The witness who said she knew the prisoner, and in what
state she and her family were in, described the most
pitiable acenes she bad observed when calling on the pri-
sneer, there being six poor little children in the greatest
distress for even the commonest of the necessaries of life ;
and is order to throw some l 4 ht upon the husband's mys-
terious occupation, she stated that big eldest child bad on
several occasions informed her that be was in the habit of
taking the last peony out of the house to buy candling with,
to enable him to follow his other occupation in the neigh-
bourhood se a Scripture reader, although in doing so he
knew he was leaving his children without bread, and bor-
derizzanon starvation.
Gabriel raid it was certainly a very sad case to
en • respectable woman reduced to such a degraded poritios
thyme' the mistaken enthusiasm of her husband. He
strongly recommended thu husband to leave the spiritual
welfare of his neighbours to others, and attend more to the
wants of his own family. However worthy the object of •
scripture reader might be, there were other claims upon him
as a husband and a father requiring his first consideration.
Alderman Copeland concurred with Alderman Gabriel
with regard to the lamentable circumstances which gave
rise to the preemie/large ; and having elicited from the pro.
mentors a recommendation to mercy, passed upon her the
sentence of seven day.' imprisonment.