The Express.
London, England, 1868-01-02 00:00:00

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CALCUTTA AND SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAY.
(THIS DAY.)

To-day an extraordinary general meeting of thin
company was held at the offices, Oresbam-house, for the
purpose of reducing the capital of the company from
1,000,000/. to 200,0001. in If. paid-up shares. The proceed-
ings were of a purely formal character, the Chairman
(Mr. J. Borrodaile) stating that it was to effect under the
Companies' Amendment Act of last session, what the board
thought bad been done some years ago, but which hod not
been carried into effect through some informality.
ludous for the reduction of the capital having been paned,
the proceedings terminated with a rote of thanks to the
chairman.

EXTENSIVE ROBRAILIVAY. BERIES ON THE MIDLAND

At the Leicestershire Quarter Sessions, on Tues-
day and Wednesday, the court was engaged for a consider.
able time in investigating charges against several servants
of the Midland Railway
_Company, for stealing drapery
goods from waggons while passing over the company's
lines. Owing to the extensive amount of stolen
rtypro-
which had been recovered, the court pre-
sented mach the appearance of a drapery esta-
blishment. These robberies appeared to have been
carried on for a long time past, during which period
property to the extent of many thousand pounds hail been
stolen. In the first case Thomas Jackson, :14, pointsimus,
and Dennis Parkins, 20, foreman shunter, at Syston
Junction, and Henry Martin, 41, beerhouse keeper,
Sileby, were charged, the two former with stealing
410 yards of calico print and 72 yards of skirting,
value 191., from the railway trucks at Syston June.
tion, on the 18th of August last ; and the latter prisoner
was charged with feloniously receiving the same. Mr.
Merewether prosecuted ; Mr. Inglmant defended Martin,
and Mr. Jacques appeared for Parkins, against whom tha
charge was withdrawn, and who was frallal to give t eieen't
I evidence. It seemed that, on the 14th of August, Mewls.
Ashton and Co., calico printers, Manchester, sold a earl-
tity of calico to Messrs. Fletcher and Co., merchants, of
that city, who in turn disposed of a quantity to Messrs.
Biddlescombe and Banning, of Yarmouth. The eoods were
sent by rail, and hail to pass Syston junction. on the
arrival of the train at Yarmouth the truss was missing,
and the railway company hail been obliged to make up tho
loss. Nothing was heard of the matter until the
November, when Police-sergeant Bosworth apprehended
Martin, and in his house found seventy-two yarda of
the missing print, a dress (partly niade ue) of the
same material, besides ninny other articles of dee
pery. He at first said he had given some sacks for the
print, and afterwards that he received the whole fiom
Buck Underwood. Jackson, who hail pleaded guilty to
the charge, was called, and he, as well as Parkins, gars
evidence, showing that they took the goods from the
waggons while they stood in the sidings, and that thy
handed them over to Underwood, a platelayer engaged on
the line between Sileby and Syston, who also deposed to
having transferred the property to Martin, front whom, at
different times, he received sums varying from 10,. to et.
Martin was also shown to have disposed of a considerahle
quantity of drapery to numerous villagers of Silsby, on
whose backs had, consequently, been identified many
missing manufactures. Martin wits found guilty, and ho
and Jackson were sentenced to 15 years' penal servitude.
In the second case, James Bradley, a frame knitter, of
Sileby, was charged with stealing 2:1 yards of woollen
cloth, value 31., which had been sent by Messrs. Lomas,
Horner, and Co., cloth merchants, Leeds, to Mr. .1.
Miller, draper, Leeds. On the truss arriving at its desti-
nation the cloth had been abstracted, and part of it was
found in prisoner's house made up into clothing. Prisoner
alleged that ho received it from Buck Un lemma!, the
platelayer engaged on the line, who married his wif..'s
sister, and that the transaction was a bona fide one. The
jury found the prisoner not guilty.
In the third case, John Berridge Preston, a mile iy
porter, was charged with stealing a piece of imperial violet
French poplin, value lA., on the 2.ith o:4/etol.r. Mr. Sills
prosecuted, and Mr. Palmer was for the defence. The
goods had been sent from Messrs. Holdsworth awl
Son, Bradford, to Messrs. Bellaire, Wisbech, and, although
the prisoner was seen to mount the railway wacein :mil take
away the package, which was rifterwaels found hi his
locker, of which be hail the key, the jury. after au list's
deliberation, found the prisoner not guilty.