The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-01-09 00:00:00

IVESTWNSrjR SESSIONS, JAN. 9.
learn W. MAINwAAINe Eiq. Aid a Desch of
orvt- . MAGioleildria• -• I 4 '
^ 4.4tWir
liiCKPOCOVS.
Thiaaracanappeal of Biltosotes, Wood-
ford, and Bill White, (alias .(.'stakeybraw), from a •
conviction given against them on thictanber the
• lath, as noted thieves and pit kpockets, by .Sir f. •
Panson s and Nan sq ts„ E. as Sitting Magit-
tratts at Bow-street Vistice-office.
Mn KNAPP, coansel for the Prisoners, said, his
first Objection against the mush:bon was, that Lie
Magistrates who had convicted them bedlam, Bach
evidence as would antlionew a conviction.
Second Objection—That the word at is sulsoi-
;lard for the word of in the conviction. The Act
of Parliament uses the worths "convicted before the •
Magistrates of the Thames Police Office ;" instead •
of which the crime is set forth in the conviction, 1.14
before the Magistrates at the Thames Police Of-
fice. The Learned Counsel observed, that. by the •
alteratiqn of the word, it might lie before any Ma-
gistrates, and not actually belbre the pro?er
rstrates of the Thames Police Office.
Third Objeation—That the Act of Parfianiept,
47 Geo. ILL ou which the conviction took plilbe,
referred to the Act of 7 Geo. 11. which Act states,
that, the Prisoneis abaft be held in oestody mita'
they are discharged by due course of law ; in the
conviction there were no such words. In the care of
the King v. Rhodes, who was COI IV icted as a
vogue and a va,caliond, Lord Kenyon was of
opinion, that a conviction must take piece before a
commtinent, and ordered Rhodes to lie discharge,
because the words be kept in custody until dis-
chargid by due course of law," were not stated in
the commitment.
The fdarth ob;ection was—That tho reasons foe
coovictlon were not fully stated in the conviction.
Mr. POOLNY, far the prosecution, said, the ob-
jections were tneriely to matters of form, and the -•
Act of Parliament said, that want of formality
should not set aside a conviction.
Mr. Justice .llatirwsnish observed, that aka
only objection that seemed to have any '
was the substitution of the word at fix of; linetkis-
he thought of little consequence ; however, he
would not give his judgment on it until **day of
the adjournment of the Sessions. In dicakesa
time,

given
gar
po&ed,
yew%
that'
He hi
cen•ed

todv. He never t
often
saw him in company with one Himly, a noted
thief.
Joseph Pearks, an officer of Bow-street, was next
called. His evidence was objected to by Mr,
lis•PP, as he was not before the lagistrates.
It
wis contended by Mr. PooLET, that he had a right
to shew their guilt in its clearest view ; as the ap..
peal was, that there was not sufficient evidence far
a conviction.
The CHAIRMAN was of opinion, that so new evi-
dence could then be bmught forward.
Was. Homan, one of the patroles of Bow-street,
knew the prisoners a length of time; always con-
sidered them to be reputed thieves. Salines and
Woodward had often been in custody ; White was
once in custody ; was taken at the Marquis of
Lansdown's Masquerade, and was discharged by
producing evidence that he kept Livery Stables..
• Here the evidence closed. Seven officers were in
Court, wank% to be examined as to thew know-
ledge and optimums of the Piwiners, but they were
not brought forward, as no new evidence could be
allowed.
Mr. KNAPP said', he could not conceive what
right the Magistrates had to convict the prisoners •
the act of standiu against a print-shop, watched
during the whole time, and not a single instance of
an attempt to commit • felony, would not make
them vagrants ; if it would, there was but little
.ecurity for His Majesty's subjects; for there was
h-srdly u man that had not committed the mine
crime. He called no evidence, on WOW of the

Prisoners.
Mr. Justice MALIMWAitt No Omen that the,
Prisoners ought to have produced cr
to their characters and way of hying ;• had net.
done it; and, he buppoisd' from the best cause is
the world, which was, that they had not any. He was
fully of opinion that the evidence was suificient io
convict them ; and he highly approved of the cot
victioo. The Magistrates oa the Bench hilly cis -
cided with him. Ile reserved the judgment on the
objection until the day of adiourALevt

The Ediewad and Mary, HODGSON, from Myth,
has been taken, retaken, and is arrived at Yar-
mouth.
The Margaret, of Glasgow, loot her fantasist
and bowsorit, at Cork, in a gale on the .3 ist ult.
The Mary, STOllt. from 'Yarmouth fur Loudon,
is ashore near Orforchtess.
• The Maria, Mutowistru. from Quebec for
London, and the -. PEI.TEr, from Quebec
for ()Porto, were spoken with on the 31st Noveasb.•r,
bearieg away for Acton, being Itta4.
A her from Barbaines was yesterday
which states, that the expedition under the orde.s
of Admiral Cootie N k and General Bows's', stilts,
from Barbados." the beginning of November against
the Danish islands.- We may therefore very shortly
expect to be informed of the result of this enterprise•
the success of which was not doubted at Bar.
hadoes.

me anyourouteus
time, they might go into the evidence •
att
given before the Magistrates, cud as itaitieliNV.
gave the conviction. ~
Situate' Thornton, an officer of
poed, that he knew &tunes and W
years, and Vt hite three years ; looked oa
that time to be notorious thieves mat pidipsiksliVt - •
He had Woodford once before in cuotellt -tom
ceived a letter from a gentleman in Holbsetrditli"
there was a gang of pickpockets who infelliddleptt,
neighbourhood ; on which inbrmation 4 .
the Swan public-house, in Breams-b it •
was a notorious flash-house, and he appogiiiis
Woodford there ; on the 7th of NowerbbvCikiiiiic
the three prisoners following a gentlemee in the..
Strand, and had not a doubt but they went trying'
to pick his pocket* ; AA the .1
doubt
of Pa".•weisp.llo.4-
saw them again together in Piccadilly ; did neitater.•
them doing any thingparticularly ; a hen be *gimp"
them, they were standing at a picture-shop ;Agri
was at the opposite side of the we ; Soamee-dade
pied hint, and they went immediately eill4 ail
which he followed them, and took them into cur.
todv. He never saw White at the theili-liouse.,btt