The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-13 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS, MONDAY, Dtc. I.

James Pinkert, a silk weaver, aged 18, was indicted for burgle-
riously breaking into the house of John Stevenson, on the 2Uth of
November, and stealing a watck, value IL, his property.
It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner had been engaged
with several others in a bullock hunt, the favourite amusement of
the Bethnal-green boys, and that, in the glory of the chase, some
of them smashed the window of the prosecutor, and the hand of
one of the hunters was seised in the act of taking out a watch, but
the fellow escaped with the watch. The prisoner was afterwards
taken in the King and Queen public-house, smoking a pipe at his
ease, and the watch was found on his person. The only answer
made by the prisoner was, that he had unluckily found the watch.
The prosecutor could not swear to the identity of the prisoner as
being the person who took out the watch; but the property being
found on him, was presumptive proof that he was one of the party.
Mr. Sergeant Aaaatx would make no comments on bullock
hunting; but it was well known that the practice gave rise to much
disorder, and was frequently got up for the purpose of burglary and
other similaroBinces. The question here was, whether the prisoner
had taken the watch or found it : they must either find him guilty
or not guilty. The offence was clearly a burglary, as it was corn.
mitted after dark. A witness had said that the prisoner had been
at work till five o'clock, and the offence took place at half-past
live.

The prisoner had received a very good charrcter.
Verdict—Gaiby, but recommend to mercy by the Jury and
prosecutor. , ;„

Cornelia, .10torseinal a labourer, aged 27, was indicted For steal-
ing in a certain dwelling-hotise a watch and other articles, the pro-
perty of Michael Lyons, on the 23d of November, in Bainbridge.
street, St. Giles's.

The prosecutor and prisoner both lodged in the same ham, and
it appeared that the prisoner had broken open the room of the pro.
secutor, from which Its had stolen apparently his whole wardrobe.
Guiky.
Patrick Mabry, a labourer, aged 21, was indicted for felonis
ously breaking into the dwelling-house of John Keefe, the elder,
in the month of October, and stealing therefrom a scarf and other
articles, value 90s. the pmperry of John Keefe, the younger.
It appeared that the prosecutor's son, who was a sailor, had re.
turned from China, and had brought a scarf as a present for h:s
sister. There were also some Cowry shells, one of which was the
only property found a qttartn of an hour afterwards on the pi-sober,
who said it was all is fun, and in proof of that suffered his pocket
to be searched. The son and a girl, his sister, both swore to .11110
identity of the property.
The prisondr, in his defence, *aid that it *as all malice on the
part of the prosecutors, beetinse he refused to marry the daughter.
They had formerly been on good terms, but since he discontinued
his visits, they endesvoured to persecute him. lie could prove
that the daughter hail given money to people to come forward and
swear against him. On the clay in question, as he was passing the
street, the daughter and brother called him in, and in a short time
afterwards charged him with breaking open a drawer, and taking
away the property, but it was all false. lie had several witnesses
here on' Saturday, who were frightened away by the prorecutpra
threatening them with imprisonment if they came forward 10 tits
defence. He gave a shilling to another girl to get three penny-
worth of pears, and it was that girl who searched his pockets, in
the presence of the proaecutrix, bat the shell was there without
his knowledge, anti that girl was not now suffered to come 'inward.
If the case was allowed to stand over, he would send for his wit-
nesses.

Mr. Justice GARELEE said, that if the request had been wade
before the trial began, he would have acceded to it, but It vas
now too late. lie ought to hare mentioned it before.
The prisoner said that he did not know of the eircumstance tall
his mother came down during the trial with the intelligence.
Mr. Justice oas LEE summed up, observing that the prisoner
had borne a good character, and that the only witness against him
was Eleanor Keefe, the daughter, and it was rather extraordinary
that the prisoner should have given money to the other girl in her
presence, in order to be quiet and not tell, as she represented. The
absence of the other girl might be material.
The prisoner was arquiticd.

James A'icholas &alien, a mariner, aged 28, was indicted for
committing a rape on Amelia Niker, the wife of George Niker,
on the 234 of September last.
The proseeutrix examined by Mr. Justice BAYL/LY-1 have two
children, and was married about seven years ago. I live to Soper.
ville.street, Lime:louse-fields. My husband is a journeyman
painter. The prisoner first came to my house about nine er ten
n o iths ago, to see a female of the name of Pearse ; he often came
to visit her, but I never saw him take any libertiei with her. She
is married to a man in the same employ as the prisoner. He then
went a voyage, hid on his return called at my house to know when
Mrs. Pearce was gone. She had then left me. He subsequently
called again ;my husband was out. He asked me if I would
meet him at the City Arms ? 1 said I did not know where it was,
and I was not in the habit of meeting people. He then sentthe
child out for a pint of gin, and during the absence of the child be
assaulted me, and caught me in his arms.--[The prosecutrix thee
detailed the particulars of the assault.)-1 did not give any
alarm, but went immediately to my washing. I could not halloo
out " Murder !" or give any alarm, although I was able to yel,l
him, " It' he was a gentleman, to behave as such." I did not tell
my husband till four days after, and did net go before a 31agittrate
for near a month after the misfortune happened.
Cross-examined by Mr. Apo!. rtuus—l lived with Mr. Morris
in the Walworth-road until I was married. I was bred and born
in Colchester. I was married at a church on Tower-hill. I cannot
tell the name of it. I have been six or seven years married. M y
eldest child was horn before I was married. I cannot say when he
was born. I was married about nine months afterwards to my pre.
sent husband, the father of the child.

Mr. JUstif; BAYLtY—Oentlemen of the Jury. (,do not hilt to
stop a case of this kind; but if your minds should happen to be
made tip, it is useless to proceed with it.
Foreman of the Jury—l believe, my Lord, that such is the ease,
and that we are unanimous.
Mr. Justice BAILEY—One always looks to the conduct of the
prosecutrix in cases of this nature, for that speaks forcibly.
The Jury then acquitted the prisoner.
Richard Goddard was indicted for burglsriously enteringtoed
stealing from the dwelhng.house of John Lane, Swan-street, Beth..
nal green, certain articles of westing apparel, his prouerty.
John Lane deposed, that on the 29th October haat, at shrew
o'clock at night, he left his house to the care of his daughter Matz,
a young girl. nged 13. was a few minutes absent, and ou•lshi
return he found that the articles named in the indinment were
missing. and a room inside the parlour had been broken open.
Marc Laic stated that she went out after her father, and *Win
she returned she found the articles gone, and the door of the parlour
hail been broken open.
William Gibbs deposed, that on the night of the 29th October
met the prisoner and two others in Swan street. They, watt.**
Goddard's house and Caine out agun. One of
.theint he e‘w had
something under his arm. He watched them, and saw the sleeves
of a shirt drag along the ;Witted., He told Stapleton of that Ht
Lid seen, and then went and told Lane, who immediately said..