The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-11 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

The September general sessions of the peace for the
county of Middlesex commenced yesterday morning at
the Court-house, in Clerkenwell green, before Mr. Bod-
kin (presiding for the Assistant Judge), Mr. Witham,
and Mr. Turnley. The number of prisoners for trial
was 65, of whom 58 were charged with felony, and seven
with misdemeanour.
Mr. Bodkin, in his address to the grand jury, after
adverting to the nature of the duty they were summoned
to discharge, observed that the calendar for the present
session was somewhat lighter than usual, when viewed
with reference to the period which bad intervened
since the last—a fact attributable in some degree,
no doubt, to the operation of a recent Act of Par-
liament, which gave magistrates out of session the
power of disposing summarily of cases of larceny of a
particular class, and under certain circumstances. The
question of that power being given had been long
under consideration, and at length (by the way of ex-
periment, perhaps) the Legislature had approved of
the principle, and now magistrates were empowered to
act summarily in certain cases of larceny. It would be
premature to express any opinion as to what might be
the result of the operation of such a change, but, un-
doubtedly, considerable inconvenience bad arisen from
the fact that old thieves, men who had been before con-
victed, bad been summarily convicted of some trivial of-
fence, and sentenced to short terms of imprisonment,
through the magistrate having been uninformed of their
previous history, whereas if their former character had
been known, a sentence of penal servitude, or one of
long imprisonment, would have been appropriate to
their case. There was no doubt that notorious thieves
had been dealt with very leniently under this act, and
perhaps some endeavour would be made to remedy such
an evil, for it was a detriment to the interests of public
justice•that a person of bad character, and a convicted
criminal, should be treated lightly, through his real
character not being known to the magistrate before whom
he was taken. The grand jury then retired.
Joseph Curtis, a respectably-dressed man, who was
found guilty last session of a daring garotte robbery,
and who was remanded that inquiries might be made
into his character, was brought up for judgment.
The policeman stated that he had made inquiries, but
could not ascertain tbat he had been convicted. He was,
however, known as an associate of well-known and de-
sperate thieves.
Mr. Bodkin said the charge against the prisoner was
one et a very serious character. Street robberies in the
open day were becoming very numerous, and must be
put a stop to. In this case the robbery was committed
in open day in the City-road, with violence, and he
should therefore mark his sense of it by sentencing the
prisoner to twelve months' imprisonment with haid
labour in the House of Correction.

Joseph. Whitehead, who was found guilty last session

on a charge of embezzlement, was brnught up and sen-
tenced to one month's imprisonment, with hard labour.
Thomas Day, convicted at the last session with
another man who wds sentenced to three years' hard
labour for robbing a woman in Liquorpond-street,
Gray's-inn-lane, at a late hour at night, was brought up
for judgment, and the court sentenced him to one year's
hard labour.
William, Boston, 28, whitesmith, was indicted for
having stolen a pound and a half of brass, the property
of Richard Griffiths, his master.
Mr. Payne prosecuted ; Mr. Horry appeared f, r the
prisoner.
The prosecutor was a brass founder, in Hatton-wall,
and the prisoner had been in his service some time. On
the 2d inst. some brass was found secreted in a hole, arid
it being known that metal was constantly missing, the
hole was watched, and the prisoner was seen to take the
iirass away. As he was about to leave the premises at
night he was stopped, and a pound and a half of brass
W2S found in his pocket. All he said about it was that
he intended to ask his master to give the brass to him.
The jury found him guilty.
The prosecutor's father said he superintended the busi-
ness. There was a boy now in custody for robbing them,
and the prisoner bad been tampering with another boy.
A short time ago a man was discharged from their em-
ployment on suspicion of robbing them, and on that oc-
casion the prisoner went about the neighbourhood preach-
ing what a scoundrel a man must be to rob his employer,
and how seriously a master must suffer in the end if a

servant took only a quarter of a pound of metal a day.
At the last taking of stock there was a deficiency of
metal to the amount of 2001.
Mr. Bodkin sentenced him to nine months' hard la-
bour.

John Cratelqh. 22, and James Gilson, 21, labourers,
were indicted for stealing a quantity of lead, the pro-
perty of the East and West India Dock Company, from
some premises belonging to them, adjoining the East
India-road. The evidence did not carry the case beyond
suspicion, and the result was an acquittal.
Mr. Clarkson prosecuted ; Mr. Platt was for the de-
fence.

(Before Mr. Withatn.)

Lotan Lucas, 40, described as a bricklayer, was in-
dicted for having stolen one sixpence, the money of
John Niner.

The mode in which the prisoner committed this of-
fence was rather an ingenious one. He was in the habit
of frequenting shops, and asking for some trifling article
of the price of a penny, which being supplied him, he
tendered a shilling or a sixpence, which was placed in
the till in the usual way, and he received the change.
He would then appear to suddenly recollect that he re-
gnired another small article, for which he paid, and
when the till was opened for the reception of the coin
for the second purchase he managed to draw out the
shilling or sixpence, as the case might be, which ho ha,l
just before paid, by means of a long hair attached, one
end to his finger and the other to the coin. When he
was taken into custody, seven sixpences, each with a
hair attached, were found upon him, and there was no
doubt he bad been carrying on this system of plunder
for some time. The "dodge" is not a new one, but it is
some years since a similar case came before the court.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, and
Mr. Witham sentenced him to two years'ihard labour.

Idea Jacobs, 44, was indicted for a robbery in a
dwelling-house, and he was further charged with having
been previously convicted. He pleaded guilty, and
begged hard to be sent out of the country at once, inas-
much as he bad tried to the utmost t• get an honest
living, but • could not, as being an old thief the police
had dodged him about from pillar to post, and had regu-
larly hunted him down.

kr. Witham sentenced him to six years' penal Berri.
tulle.