The National Register.
London, England, 1822-12-08 00:00:00

OLD B.DLIEr SESSIONS.

WEDIESDAY. DEC. 4.—These Smarms commenced
this day before the Right Hon. the Lard Mayor, Mr.
Justice Bayley, Mr. Baron Garrew, Ike.
%Valiant 'eliCker was indicted for unlawfully and ma-
liciously shooting William Becken,with intent to kill or
do him some bodily harm.
NV,lliam Beckett, the little boy, was pot into the wit-
nesse' box ; and to questions put to him by the Court he
answered that he was eleven years of age, and knew the
punishment that awaited liars and false swearers. He
then proceeded to detail the facts of the case. From
the testimony of Bell, the lxiy's foster father, and that
of the surgeon who attended him, it appeared that he
was confined for six weeks, several pebbles were ex-
tracted Irmo his face, and he has lost the sight of one
of his eyes.
The prisoner, in his defence, said that the gun went
off by accident as he was getting over a stile.
Mr. Trumpet., a farmer at Heston, the prisoner's em-
ployer, stated, that he stationed him with the gun to
frighten away the crows from his corn fields. It was an
old gun, which went off very easily at full cock, but it
reqnired a good.pull at the half-cock. The prisoner was
a remarkably quiet and inoffensive person, and in the
wituels's opinion not at all likely to commit any
malicious or mischievous act.
The It v. \lr. Winfield and Mr. Trump, who had
known the prisoner almost from his infancy, gave hint
a stion.excellent character in every respect.
Mr. Barna Garrow charged the Jury, who immedi-
ately re ttttt led a verdict of not guilty.
John Harris, late a private soldier in the 24 regiment
of foot, was Mimed for stealing in the dwelling-house
of'Col. de Burgh, of that regiment, to whom he was
batman, a diamond ring, value tool. divers Bank of
England notes for the payment of 2501. and sundry so-
vereigns his property.
William Rich, the deputy constable of Leeds, where
The prisoner had been taken into custody on the t Ith of
November, proved • e finding on his person the diamond
ring, a 101. note, a purse with 355. 6d. in it, and a silk
purse empty.
Mr-Harding, jeweller of Oxford-street, proved that
the prisoner purchased a silver watch and a gold ring at
his shop on the morning of the robbery, for which he:
paid a 101. note, receiving the change.
Janus Ingram, a police offier, proved the receipt from
a Mill named Halliday, at whose house prisoner lodged,
93 sovereigns, and a half-sovereign, also the watch and
key purchased by the prisoner of Mr. Harding.
Col. de Burgh identified the diamond ring and green
purse found on the prisoner, and the 101. note also
found on him, as well as that paid by hint to Mr. Hard-
ing, as part of the stolen property.
Mr. Justice Bayley summed up the evidence, and the
Jury found the primmer guilt.)—death.
The Court ordered all the prop,ny found to be deli-
-vered to the prosecutor.
Martin Bell, ; god go, and William Perkins, aged 19,
were capitally indicted for breaking and entering the
dwelling-house of W. Parry, Esq. and stealing therein
a great coat, value 61. his property, and three great coats
the property of Robert Wasson.
Mr. Parry resides in Gloucester Place, Portman-square,
and Wasson WJS his coachman. On the (veiling of the
day named to the indictment, the prisoners were disco-
vered to have broken into the back part of the house,
by Wasson, and alarm being given they were secured.—
The articles mentioned were found strewed about the
table.

- The charge was fully brought home to the prisoners,
and the Jury found them guilty—death, but strongly
recommended Bell to mercy, he having received an ex-
cellent character from several witnesses.

Anne Wood and Sophia Trayer were indicted for
stealing 30 sovereigns, the property of R. Seges, Irons
his person.
The prosecutor said he was a carrier, and one evening
be met the prisoner %Vood in Whitechapel, and accom-
.panied her home. The other prisoner shortly after Carne
in, and dcmatideJ money from him, which he refused
to give. The two prisoners then assaulted him and took
uway his money.
Cross-examined by Mr. Law.—He lost 27 sovereigns,
10s. in silver, and a check for t4l. 19s. 2d. The pro-
perty was not his,but entrusted to his care. Ile was above
five minutes in the room, but had never seen the prisoners
before. He saw Wood about half an hour after the rob-
bery, and Trayer the following morning.
Brown, an officer, said, that the prosecutor told him
he had torn Wood's gown, but he found her gown was
not torn.
The prisoners declared they were innocent.
Mr. II iron Garrow summoned up the evidence, and
the Jury found the prisoners not guilty.
THURSDAY. Dec. S.—STEALING IN A DWELLING
liouse.—Thomas Speake stood indicted fur stealing a
piece of leadeu pipe and a copper, the property of Count
San Antonio.
The pipe and copper happened to be in an unoccupied
house belonging to the Count, in Duke.strtel, St. Jame's,
which was in the care of Mr. Abbott, an auctioneer, to
Ca•ale.court, in the Strand.
The pri,wier was met in Jermyn-street, with the cop-
per and a crow bar, on the mornifig of the 20th of Oct.
Ile was taken up on suspicion, and when in custody,
he contrived to slip his arms out of his coat, and by tin.
means he effected his escape. I lowever, he WaS stopped
by a watchman coming Irons his beat, and was filially
secured. These circumstances having been satisfactorily
proved, the Jury returned a verdict of guilty, without
hesitation.
The Recorder sentenced him to seven years trans-
ration.
JOllll Powell stood indicted (Or stealing two pieces of
ark timber, the propt rty of John Vorcey ; and Charles
Lyres was indicted lon reedit tog the same, knowing the
same to be stolen.
'1 he prosecutor was a c irpenter, residing In Crouch
End in the early pall of November he missed the tut.

_THE NATIONAL RECIT

pieces of timber from his yard. Some days after one of
his tot oilmen saw them at the house of a wheelwright in
Hornsey-road, who proved that they had LA en left in his
care by the prisoner Powell, aml he had some suspicious
they had been stolen. lie immediately sent for Vincey,
who stated the timber was his pmperty. Eyres happened
to be in his shop when the prosecutor entered, and im-
mediately effected his escape.
This was all that was charged against Eyres, and the
Judge did not call upon hint fur his defence.
Powell alleged in his defence that he had found the
timber, and brought them to the house of Grinder, the
wheelwright, to have them cut in shafts for a cart.
One witneu gave Powell a good character down to
this time.

The Jury, after a few minutes deliberation, returned 1,
a verdict of Guilty against Powell; fait on account of his
good character he was recommended to mercy. Eyres
was discharged.
FoacteitY.—Samuel Corney, aged 31, was capitally
indicted for feloniously putting away a certain bill of
exchange for the payment of 371. Rh. well knowing the
same to be forged arid counterfeit, with intent to defraud
Henry Walker.
Henry Walker was the first witness called. He stated
that he was a farmer residing at Enfield, where the pri-
soner had mills. Some time ago he sold prisoner some
wheat, amounting, with another debt to 481. 35. 4d.—
The prisoner, on the 17th of June, sent him a note, ett-
closing a bill of exchange for 371. Ins. purporting to be
accepted by Mr. William Mead. The endorsement to
the bill was in the hand writing of the prisoner. The
bill was not endorsed when he first received it, but sub-
sequently. It was endorsed," 11 r. William Mead, Pope's
Head-alley."—Aboot a week after the prisoner called for
the balance of the bill, and witness refused to give it to
him, until he had made enquiry who the acceptor was.
—The prisoner said he was a very good man, and was a
' flour factor in Mark-lane. About a week after this
witness saw him at Waltham Abbey. when prisoner
asked him for the balance. as he was short of cash.—
Witness, however, refused, he having, in the interim,
made enquiry after the person said to be the acceptor,
arid been unable to find any such man. When the time
at which the bill became due had nearly arrived, the
witness gave it to his son-in-law, to present it for pay-
ment. The letter enclosing the hill was certainly in the
hand-writing of the prisoner. The prisoner was not
arrested for two mouths after the bill because due, be-
cause the witness did not think the acceptance was a
forgery, until the prisoner had deceived him several times
in toot ke,ping his appointment to go in search of the
acceptor.

Cross-examined by Ms. Adolphus.—The bill has been
one night out of his possession.
Mr. Ruiner, son-in-law to the prosecutor, said he
presented the WI at No. 2, Pope's Head-alley. The
answer he received was, that Mr. Mead was not known
there at all.

John Adam Elliott, clerk to Mr. Guillonneau, of No.
2, Pope's Head-alley, knew the different persons who
resided in the upper part of the house. There was no
such person as Mr. Mead resident there in June.
The prisoner said nothing in his-defence, but called
a number of witnesses, who gate hint a most excellent
character.

Mr. Justice Bayley in his address to the Jury, said
there were two charges against the prisoner ; the one for
forging, and the other fur uttering the bill, knowing it
to be forged. The Jury were assembled to try offences
committed in the county of Middlesex, and a question
might arisl as to whether, if it were a forgery, that
forgery had tint been committed in the city of London,
and consevently if the charge had ended there, great
difficulty wvtild have arisen; hut here, if the charge of
tittering was, in their 01/1111011 brought home, it was
clear they were competent to dlecide on it, as the resi-
dence of the prosecutor at Enfield, was in the county of
Nliddle9ex.

The Jury retired for three quarters of an hour, and re-
turned with a verdict of—Not Guilty.
FRIDAY, DF.c. 6.—Catherine Bayliss and Susannah
NVelsby were indicted for stealing, and Mary Nlumford
for receiving, knowing them to have been stolen, several
articles of wearing apparel, the property of Harriet John-
son. and three coats, the property of Henry Coe.
The Jury found the prisoners, Bayliss and \Velsby,
guilty, and acquitted Mumford.
James Rayner was indicted for stealing a shirt, a pair
of trowsers, and a razor, the property of Thos. Banner;
and John Riley for receiving the shirt and rszor, know-
them to have been stolen.
The J tiry acqiiitteil Riley, but found Rayner guilty,
and strongly recommi•nded 111111 to mercy, because they
believed him to have been driven to the commission of
the ()Hence by extreme distress.
Ile was in a vet), had slate of health, and Mr. Baron
Garrow sentenced niiii to be e .()tined for six months in
the house of correction and to be kept in the infirmary
during his confinement.
Thomas \loothy was indicted for stealing six sovereigns
and live shillings, the property of William Parker.—
Veidict, not guilty.
Thomas !rigs was indicted for stealing 7 cwt. of lead,
the property of Francis Davey Bacon, and John Druce
was charged with receiving the same, knowing it to have
bten stolen.
An accomplice, named Jordan, was the principal wit-
ness.—The Jury found both the prisoners guilty.
James Hellewell, aged '2, a y g 111311, rather fa-
shionably attired, was illdletvd under the recent act of
Parliament, for that lie, being a servant to Thomas
Thwattes, did feloniously steal two boys' dresses, his
'novelty.
The 'prisoner had lived for a considerable time in the
sP,rs ice of r. Thwaites, who is a tailor, in Blackinoor-
street. Mr. Thwaites having occasion to suspect the
prisoner, searched his apartment, and found in his trow-
sers pocket some duplicates relating to the articles men-
tinned in the indictment, which the prisoner hail pur-
ist:lied flow his •hop and pawiled.—lle said, when taken
v ,Antudy, that he INaS about to be married, and

having occasion for a sum of money, he had pawned
those and other things to make it up, and he intended
when the marriaae had taken place to have redeemed
and returned them to Mr. Thwaites.

Several respect lisle persons spoke highly of the previous
good character of the prisoner. The Jury found him
gui
lty.
BIOAMY.--John Geyner was indicted for feloniously
intermarrying with Phoebe Lanning, in the month of
Oct. 1818, his lawful wile, Lydia, being at the time
alive.—The case was clearly proved.
The prisoner, when called upon for his defence, threw
himself upon the mercy of the court. Ile called no wit-
nesses. Mr. Baron (farrow stnnmed up the evidence,
and the Jury found the prisoner guilty. His Lordship
intimated, that the full punishment authorised by the
law would be inflicted upon the prisoner.
FORGERY UPON THE EAST INDIA COMPANY.—
Duncan M•Cullum, a middle-aged man, of most respect-
able appearance, was brought to the bar, on the motion
of Mr Holland, who stated, that the prisoner stood com-
mitted for a capital felony, in forging a warrant for the
delivery of certain goods belonging to the East India
Company, and that he (Mr. 11.) had to apply to the
court, that the prisoner might be remanded until the next
sessions, in consequence of the absence of a material
witness, a Al r. Sterling, without wh, se assistance the
prosecutor felt that it would be useless to prefer the bill
of indictment before the Grand Jury, and that the recog-
nizance of Mr. Sterling might be esti-cued. In support
of this application the learned gentleman Read long
davits, front the contents of which It appeared that Mr.
Sterling, who was the most important witness, had
waited upon Mr. Fenton, who was employed by the
' East India Company in the prosecution, and expressed a
wish that the Company would withdraw the charge of
forgery, and he (Sterling) would prosecute prisoner for
fraud. Mr. Fenton said, such proceeding would be ex-
ceedingly wrong, and refused compliance with it, and
Mr. Sterling then withdrew himself, and had not since
been heard of.

Prisoner—My Lord, it is extremely hard upon me,
that I should he detained. lam ready to take my trial.
Mr. Baron Garrow—There are ineiniveniencies which
must sometimes be Buffered, if the furtherance of public
justice demand it.—Titis appears to me to be such a
case, and 1 feel myself justified, upon the affidavits that
have been read, in ordering that the recognizance of Mr.
Stilling be ewer led, and that you be remanded until the
next sessions. This application was delayed until the
latest moment, and was made now only because the
Grand Jury have no further business berare them. if
Mr. Sterling comes forward now, the prosecutors are
ready to present their bill.
Prisoner—My Lord, there is no collusion between me
and the witness, and knowing my own innocence, I
wish to take my trial now.
Mr. Baron (arrow —The delay is not occasioned by
the prosecutors, who have dime all they can, and I Call.
not reverse the order I have made.

The prisoner asked if bail would be taken, and was
answered in the negative. He was remanded.
The indictments from Clerkenwell having (about four
o'clock) been put into the hands of Mr. Shelton, Mr.
Justice Bayley desired to see the person who had brought
them from the Session-house. A young 111411 was ac-
cordingly pill into the winless box.
Mr. Justice Bayley —Did you bring these indictments
from Clerkenwell .1 did. _ _

Mr. Justice Bhyley.—Who gave them to you!—Mr.
Richards, the crier of the court.
Mr. Justice Bayley—And in thts state?—(They were
merely tied up with a string.)—Yes.
Mr. Justice Bayley—And you carried them in this
way through the streets in the dark !—Yes.
Mr. Justice Bayley—Such 3 practice is a most impro-
per one, and the Court has frequently here had reason
to complain of it. The hills when found ought to be
locked up in a box, and sent by some responsible person ;
not open, exposed to the chance of loss or the possibi-
lity of alteration.
Mr. Baron Darrow was astonished how such a prac-
tice could be coutinued after the Court had spoken of it.
Every man acquainted with legal proceedings trust see
the great impropriety and great danger of suffering the
bills of indictment to he carried about at the leisure and
at the mercy of an ordinary messenger. Interpolations,
or many oilier malpractices, to which he (the learned
Judge) would not now adtert, might arise out of such
a SVSICIII. It would be well, too, that the hills should
be sent down as soon as the Grand Jury at Clerkeuwell
rose; and not as was frequently the case now, at nine
or ten o'clock at night.
John Barton was tried for picking the pocket of Mr.
Grattan out London-bridge, on the 22d of Nov., about
the middle of the day.

A constable saw the robbery committed; there was a
second person concerned in it, who escaped.
The prisoner. in his defence, said, that he picked the
handkerchief off the ground, and called several wit-
nesses to his character. These persons spoke well of his
general conduct, and said that he could earn (although
hr was only a lad) to 3s. (id. a day as a shoemaker.
The Jury found the prisoner guilty.
The Recorder said that it was scandalous for a man
to steal, who could earn 3s. a day ; he might save mo•
ney out of such ways to put him in business. Such
peerstn should he made examples of; and he (the Re-
corder) sentenced the prisoner, on the spot, to be trans-
ported for
Richard Thompson was tried for picking the pocket
of Mr. A. V. Oven, of a silk handkerchief on 'Change.
—The primmer was taken in the fact. The Jury town!
him guilty.
Mr. V. Oven said, that he had felt it his duty to mo-
secote the young man—but he now begged to say, that
he had heard much lately in favour of his character—
and that a tradesman of respectability was ready to take
hint into his service. _

The Recorder said, that could not Ix. It was a ter-
rible !hula if merchants were to have their pocktts
picked on 'Change.