The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-30 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS.

The Chairman, Mr. Iletnext, arrived at twenty minute* to ten
o'clork, and waited with anxiety for aterher alagistrate, to form a
; but eleven o'clock arrived before any other trade his ap-
icnrance. The prisoners arid prosecutors looked at each other with
a". expression of countenance bordering on despair, and one of the
Jurymen. taking up his list, obseived that " he would return in
the afternoon." The 'jocose tor._ whit which this was uttered ex•
cited the risibility of all present. At length they were relieved by
the entrance of the Chairman, foiloaed by Major King, at nearly
taelee o'clock, when busyness immediately commenced.
J./vs Iriffin was charged wilt leluniously stealing au iron pin
ano screw, belonging to a vice.
('tench Mathew, the prosecutor, dcoosed that he was a cooper,
and on the *th of last August he left his shop, and in the mornieg
lie oilseed 'he screw in question, and went to Myers the officer, and
to several prisons who bought old iron, to tell them to stop it it'
°Tan d for sale.
Nssakea—l keep a fancy shop ; that is, a shop for selling
Lied*, rebbits. ere.
CHAIRMAW—You sometimes fancy old iron too. do you not?
Witness-1 fancied that. Ile then proved having bought it of
the wise:cr.
The prosecutor recommended the prisoner to mercy o arcnunt
of his having a wife, and a child two days wnen n the crime
was conortilied. Ile 0:33 sentenced to two month's' hard labour, at
Goihtford.
Elizabct4 Lyana was charged by Samuel P.yfoed, a hnrsly-looking
weather-b,aten sailor. with robbing him of his watch, at .1 house of
ill Time in Kent-street.
Samuel ilyfavd—l am a mariner. I was in the Borough on the
Ist of Angus:, and saw the girl at the bar near St. George -m Church.
She asked use to go home with her, which I consented to, and ac.
companied her ton house in Kent-street. (Ilere he related some
particulars which occurred previous to his missing his watch.) He
then continued—l missed my watch, which lam certain was in my
fob. It was a silver watch. She asked me if she should fetch sonic
porter. I then charged her with stealing the watch, but she den.ed
it. (At this moment the prieoner, with a polite eort of bow to the
witness cooPy told him "he was a list.") Witnees continued—l
sent for n constable, who searched and found the watch upon her.
I ant ctitaitt this is the watch.
Kirby. the constolde, then stated, that he was sent for by the
prosecutor. and stashed the prisoner. lie could not find the
watch in seerching her clothes, but found it between the hair of her
head anti her rap. She then said that the tailor had given it to
her, but he declared that he had not. He was as sober then as he
is now.
The prisoner male a very inganious defence, in which sheest. sta
ted
ted
that she had gone home with the prolecutor at his own reqa
assaulted her, she made an outcry, and he then gave her the watch
to b.. silent. On her refusing to return it, tie seat for a constable,
and gave her in charge; but she was quite innocent.
The CIi*IIMAIT, in summing up, remarked that she had made
a clever defence; in which they had her own statement, but it was
unsupported by any evidence. On the other aide, the prosecutor
had swans, that she had taken it, and the constable proved having
found it no her proton ; and its left It to the judgment of the
Jure which they ought to give tuo-t credit to.
The Jury, after a short hesitation, found a verdict of Not
Guilty ! I !
Thy Cuattatate(doubtingly.)—Did I understand your verdict
to be Not Guilty ?
The Foreman seemed struck with astonishment at any dnnbt be-
ing entertained of hitt sagacity. and., after recollecting himself for a
few seconds, replied, ee We find her not guilty of stealing train
the person, but guilty of having it in her hand."
The Cuatuxate, in acquitting her, cautioned her as to her fu-
ture conduct.