The National Register.
London, England, 1822-05-26 00:00:00

OLD IJ4ILEY SES.VONS.

WZDNISADAY, MAY ti.--Tile sessions commenced this
morning before the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, the She-
riffs of London and Middlesex, Sir John Perring, &c. At
half past ten o'clock Mr. Justice Bayley and Mr. Baron
Garrow came into court. _ _ .

Theca are for trial 27 prisoners for London, and 167 for
Middlesex, one of the latter of whom is iud.cted fur mar-
der.

J. Lomas, a respectable looking young man, whose trial
was put off last sessions at his own ;egotist, was put to the
bar, capitally indicted for haring paid away a certain
forged note. value 101. with intent to defraud the Bank of
Englande—The prisoner pleaded guilty.
Mr. Justice Bayley tel..' the prisoner he had batter re-
tract his plea, because the court could nut take into their
consideration she circumstance to assist him ; and there-
fore lie would recommend the prisoner to re-consider the
matter, and would give him two hours fur that purpose.
It would, he said, be inure satisfactory to the court and
the public, fur the prisoner to plead not guilty.
The prisoner replied, that he should still assert his guilt,
and persisted in abiding by the original plea.
He was again indicted for a similar offence, and again
pleaded guilty. There were 14 other indictments against
the prisoner of a like nature. His plea of guilty was then
recorded.

John Bush, aged 23, was capitally indicted fur stealing
nine gowns. and other wearing apparel, the property of
Mary Sparkes.
Tue piusecutrix is a dress maker, residing on Chelsea
Common, and ott the day slated in the indictment she left
her sitting-room, where several valuable dresses were
lying, fur a few minutes only, the front door being then
opt." When she returned, she met the prisoner in the
wreak.. with the dresses rolled up under his arm. Site
immediately seized hint by the collar, and shook him until
lie dropped the bundle. He strneglee fur some time, and
at length gut front her grasp, and ran into the street. She
however, pursued hint, calling *. Stop thief," anti be was
secured by a gentleman who was passing.—He was found
guilty—Death.
Mr. Baron Garrow, in ordering bliss Sparkes ber ex-
peewee, said Ise should not do her justice if lie neglected
to tell her that she had done the public a service by her
intrepid conduct.
John Green was indicted for stealing 6 reams of paper,
value 91., the property of Mr. Sainsbury.
The prosecutor is a hot-presser in Ship-yard, Temple-
bar, and in March last he had six reams of paper to press
for a stationer, named Smith. The prisoner, who was in
the employment of a Mr. Taylor. a gilder, was sent by the
latter to fetch the 'serer in question, lot the purpose of
Loving gilded,and having gut possession of it, he converted
it to Iris own use —He was found guilty.
lie was afterwards tried upon another indictment for a
s' 'ler uilerice, and found guilty.—The plisutter was told
he mist expect to leave the country.
John Cameron was indicted for stealing a scarf, a pair
of gloves, and a few other trifling articles, the property of
Esther Woodle:r.
The prosecutrix is one of the unfortunate women with
whom the streetsof the metropolis abound, and late at
night she was met by the prisoner, whto prevailed upon
her to take him home for a very trifling consideration,
and while site was asleep he packed rip hue few ilaing, lie
rutand in the room, and went away with them. He was
taken two nights after.
He was found guilty, and Mr. Baron Garrow told him
that a man who could lie capable (deriding to the dist; ems
ul a woman in the unhappy situation of the prosecutrix,
wild experience no aneley. He would cei tautly be aell•
eueed to traospot tailor) hir seven years.
Rebecca Mat 'instate, an elderly woman of respectable
appearance, was indicted for stealing eight yards of casu-
ist ic, the property of J. Spas kes, in his dwelling Isoiare.—
The prisuiter went into Mr. Spar kiss' shop, under pretence
of purchasing a slip of cambric, when she put an entire
piece into a pocket curiously contrived in Trout of her
gown.—The Jury found her guilty of bleating to the value
of 20s.
TituustraY, MAY 23.—Peter Hatton, Wm. H. Lovell,
and James Brown, were capitally indicted far assaulting
Lewis Rushton, in a place near the highway, patting him
lit fear, and taking front his person a watch, value 71., and
sa. bd. in monies, numbered, his propel'''.
After the prosecutor had been examined and cross-
examined, Mr. Justice Bayley said—" Gentlemen of the
Jury, you iutiusated to use its one cue that 3au were sati.t.

!r7

tied, and wished not to proceed farther; perhaps you are
of the Pane opiaion in this case."
The Jury rept eased themselves quite satisfied, 4nd ac.
quitted the prisoners.
The proseemor applied for his eapences, which were
indignantly relaxed by the court.
ButLocg-lttiettno.—Cleurge Royffe, Joseph Royffe,
and Joseph Young, were put to the Isar upon an indict-
ment charging them with cutting and stabbing J. Bans,
with intent to murder 1 . There were other emits
charging the intent differentiy.
Mr. Andrews said, the prosecution was instituted by the
parish officers of Spitalfields, fur the purpose, if possible,
of putting an end to an evil n hick had fur years existed in
that and the adjoining parish of Bethnal-el ens, where it
was the custom every Salobatli-day ter vast crowds to as.
'mould° for the amieseineut, as they termed it, of bullock
hunting, which led to every oilier species of outrage. He
should first call the burgeon, in order se save the time of
the court.
Mr. Baron Garrote, addressing the Jay, said, that
upon this evidence the prisoners were entitled to an ac-
quittal upon the present indictment, but he should seat
certainly order them to hr detained to be prosecuted fur
the assault. It might, perhaps, be useful for men like the
I.rohniers to know a little of the law as it would apply to
the present charge, slid lie would therefore state what the
Law epee the subject was. It a set of men, armed wink
sticks oar other weapons, went out for the purpose of bul-
lock humming, or ally other unlawful purpose, with a deter-
mination at all hazards to stand by each other in the
proseentiou of that purpose, and in consequence of such
determination any one of the King's subjects met with
death, every milli of them would be beyond all doubt
guilty of wither. And further, if the entortimate animal
which they were tormenting, should, while in a state pro-
bably of IllbildilthS, occasioned by their brutal treatment,
gore or otherwise cause the death of peaceable snlejeet,
then also, those engaged in the scandalous pursuit would,
in the eye of the law, be guilty of the crime 14'mm-der....
He hoped these oh lions would have some (Gee! in
checking the disgraceful scenes which were witnessed
every succeeding Sabbath, at the east end of this metre.
polis.
The Jury acquitted the prisoners, but they were de-
tained by order of the learned Judge.
FRIDAY, MAY, 21.—This morning Ann Montfort' was
put to the bar, charged with the wilful murder of Lucy,
her infant child, by beveling its head from its body.
Mts. Mary Leland lodged in the house a the prisoner's
husband, who is a weaver. They had tell children, the
youngest was Lucy, aged about now months. The hus-
band oldie prisoner, on Suede), mointeg, the leili May,
went out to chapel. In a short time alter, a knock cane
at witness's door, and when she opened it, the prisoner
reclaimed in a frantic manner, throwing up her arms, " I
have killed little Lucy I—l have cut her head off I—send
for an officer." Witness war honor struck, and would
not at first believe it, but she saw blood on the prisomer's
hand and clothes.—Witness is positive that at the time
she was in a state of insanity.
By the Ceurt.—Slie was uniformly kind sad tender to
all her chattiest; she was a must affectionate and kind
another. She was of a religions torn, and went regularly
to chapel every Sunday. She was a perfectly sober wo.
man. Witness had laird children herself, and haw that
at such a time, owing to a superflne of milk, and its not
being drawn off, the soother was very likely to setter both
in body and mind, according to her strength and other
circumatanees. Witness first advised her to wean the
child, and about a week after she commenced doing so.
Site asked her Vales load weaned Lucy, and she replied,
" Rio; it was so delicate, she could hot hear to wean it."
She appeared to suffer in her own health very materially
by suckling the child.
The prisoner, when asked if she had any thing to say
In her defe„,,., ruse from her seat and 'aid, in a low tone
1 w ish to be allowed to return home to any family, if
possible..
Thomas Toff, brother to slue prisoner, said, he remem-
bered an accident which occurred to him when he was
slant ten years of age, in consequence of which she was
struck senseless, and continued in a state of dreangement
two years. His mother had been afflicted with insanity.
Dr. Dalton, a surgeon in Carey-Street, Liucolu' .
fields, said, lie attended the prisouer two years ago in
bodily illness, and lie observed a great degree of despon-
dency, of such a kind• as indicated' a ;sr ...disposition to
insanity.
The Jury here declared themselves satisfied, and ac-
quitted the prisoner ow the ground of insanity, which sub-
jects her to confinement in the Lunatic Asylum during
his Majesty's pleasure.
At one o'clock, Mr. Law moved their Lordships, on
behalf of the Consintitional Association, ter an order that
a certain man then in Newgate, on a charge of publishing
a blasphemous libel, and who had refused to disclose his
name, should he conveyed in proper custody before the
Grand Jnry, in order that he might be identified, a fresh
bill being about to be preferred against him.
The learned Jiidges acceded to the motion, and " the
man unknown" was brought from Newgate, by direction
of Mr. Wonlner, the governor, and taken to the Grand
Jay room.
The bill of indictment was then presented to the Grand
Jury by Mr. Murray, and William Smith, the witness, also
purchased the publication in question, was called in, and
swore that he was the man who sold it to bins in Carlile's
shop.
'the defendant was then asked what his name was, but
lie mimed to tell, and wax conveyed hack to prison.
At live o'clock the London Grand Jury came Into court
with the remainder of the bills which had been presented
to them, and among them was "a true bill against a man
whose name is unknown. but whose person is known to
the Jurors, for a misdemermour."
James Edwards, aged IT, and James Flawn, aged 13,
were capitally indicted for stealing In engraved copper.
plates, valve 1001. the promo ty of Wm. Matthews, in his
dwelling•honse ; and Wm. Hanterton was indicted for re-
ceiving the same, knowing them-to have been stolen.
It appeared in evidence that the prisoner Edward.
lodged in Mr. Matthews's house, and availed himself of
the opportunity thus afforded him of purloining the plate
in (oration, which hail been sent to Mr. Matthews to print
from, and hail taken them to Flawn and another boy (ad-
mitted as evidence), who conveyed them to the prisoner
Hanterton's house in Short's-gardens, Drury.lane,M)4l sold
them to hint for half a crown a plate I
Edwards was found guilty—Death ; and Hatnerton was
found guilty of the receiving, which subjects him to 14
years transportation.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.
NVT'.DNFADAY, MAY 22.—George Cooper was indicted for
twilid and corrupt perjury. The di resident had been et grocer,
ia Upper North Place, Gray'a Inn-road, and became bankr:pt
in the end of October last, and the perjury charged was. that
Le had deposed before the Commissioners, while • under exami-
s.atinn, tint hie house had been broken into, and rubbed of
2231. un the 9111 of Oct. 1121.
The coutntitsian of bankruptcy that issuml against the defen-
d int, the petitioning creditor's debt. and an act of bankruptcy
au lan part of the defendant, were all proved.
Mr. Eatnory and 31r. Cgle, solicitors to the eotmuission,
voted the defendants depositions on e•aminations which took
*dace on tbe 2lst of Jan. and 13th Feb. on both of which days
let stated the particulars of the robbery, e iz. that the robbers
had broken in at a back window in his !loose, hich looked

jam 'Wilson-place, by removing an iron railing; that they had
• stolen It).1 sue erei,ois ; out bank notes and silver, to tit.; amount
La the whole of 21.51. The 601errigna and bank-notes were
kept in a small tea-chest in the parlour, the sits er was in the
lad. Ile offered a reward of 1001. for the apprehension
o." the rubbers the next day. Ile also stated on his e‘s.
nduation, the names of the different persons from whom
I c bad realised the bank-notes, and said be had received the
sovereign,' is the coatis.: dins dealings in the eight or ohm pre-
ceding days.
Edward Reid, police officer of Hatton Carden, was the next
witness called. lie stated, that he went to the defendant's
lonise on the 9th of October in consequence abasing been sent
If.d by him. The defendant told him he had been rubbed the
night before, and aliened him the window at which the robbers
must have entered ; the icon railing had been removed from
the window. The witness examined the whole premises, and
left the place perfectly satisfied that the house had bean broken
noon Milli robbed. The defendant consulted him on the best
mode of proceeding to discover the robbers, and be advised
oll'aaring a reward for their apprehension, which the defendant
accordingly did. Same time after the witness left the de.en-
. elvat's house lie heard reports that it had nut been broken open,
and :bat the defend tot had not been robbed. These stports
excited his suspicions, and be e. ent again to the house nod ex-
amined it more minutely, but he saw nothing to confirm his
auspicious.
Mr. Alley said, after the evidence given by an officer so
iatchigent, and of such established good character as the last
wattles*, that the house had been broken open and robbed, he
aboald not proceed with the prosecution, The defendant was
immediately acquitted.