The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-22 00:00:00

British Fisheries Society.

The annual general meeting in pursuance of the
Act 20 and 21 Vic., c. 93, was held yesterday, at
Willis's Rooms, King-street, St. James's. Mr.
George Loch occupied the chair, and was supported
by Sir Graham Montgomery, M.P., Major M'Leay,
Capt. Tudor, R.N., and others. The report, which
was read by Mr. Macleod of Mableod (the secretary),
stated that the directors, finding that the cost of the
harbour works in Wick Bay would exceed the
amount they originally contemplated, had resolved
to apply for an additional loan, and had accord-
ingly addressed communications to the Board of
Trade and to the Public Works Loan Commissioners.
The Board of Trade formally approved of the fur-
ther loan of £20,000, in addition to the sum of
£60,000 already applied for. The reply of the Loan
Commissioners was as fol'ows :
South Sea House, June 19, 1863.

Sirs,—l am directed to inform you that this board hav-
ing had under consideration the application of tae British
Fisheries Society for a loan of £BO,OOO under the Harbours
and Passing Tolls, &a., Act, 1861, for the purpose of car-
tain harbour works in the Bay of Wick, have resolved so
far as regards £60,000 of that sum to grant a loan to that
extent in aid of the expense of constracting the eastern
breakwater, such loan to be advanced as follows :--£20,000
in 1864, £ 10,000 in 1865, and £lO,OOO in 1866, by such in-
stalments and at such times as may be arranged between
this board's secretary and the British Fi3heries Society, the
first advance to be subject to the production of evidence to
the satisfaction of this board of the expenditure out of the
funds of the society of £lO,OOO upon the works, and the sub-
sequent advances subject to the production of similar evi-
dence of the expenditure of the preceding advance ; each in-
stalment to be secured by a mortgage of the harbour re-
venues, and all tolls and other income derivable from the
undertaking, and to be repayable by 45 annual instalments,
the first to be paid at the expiration of the fifth year from
the date of each advance, interest at 3,1 per cent. to be paid
annually on the principal sums from time to time remaining
unpaid. The due application of such advance is to be
secured by a bond to her Majesty from the directors of the
society, or the major part of them. lam further to ac-
quaint you that the consideration of the application, so far
as relates to the sum of £20,000 required for the transverse
breakwater, is postponed, until the eastern breakwater and
works shall have been completed, or until the plane for
such transverse breakwater shall have been approved by the
proper authorities, and submitted to this board.

On the receipt of the letters from the Board of
Trade and the commissioners, immediate directions
had been given for entering into arrangements with
the contractor, and Mr. Hunter having withdrawn
his tender, that of Messrs. Macdonald, of Glasgow,
had been finally accepted ; the sum agreed upon for
the various works being £105,704. No time had
been lost in preparing the contract, and it being
understood that the inhabitants of Wick and Pal-
teney-town were desirous of showing their interest
in the construction of these works, it was resolved
that there should be a ceremony on the occasion of
laying the first stone of the eastern breakwater.
The necessary arrangemsnts were made by the
contractor, and on the let of October the first
stone was laid by the Countess of Caithness, in
presence of a deputation from the board of directors
and a large assemblage of persons, an imposing pro-
cession of trades with banners, proving (if any proof
were wanting) how much alive the industrious com-
munity of Caithness were to the importance of the
undertaking, and the benefits it would confer upon
them. The contractor had since that time been en-
gaged in the arrangements necessary for carrying on
the works with vigour. A number of men were em-
ployed, and the directors hoped that during the
ensuing summer he would be enabled to make good

progress. The gross receipts from the society's
estate in 1863 had amounted to £2,448 5s 6d, and
the expenditure to £917 is 4d, leaving a balance of
£1,531 4a 2d ; out of which the directors recommend
that a dividend at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum
should be paid on each £5O share.
The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report
and accounts.

Major M'LEAY, in seconding the motion, spoke of
the great number of respectable tradesmen and
artisans of Caithness and the surrounding villages
assembled on the occasion of laying the foundation
stone of the eastern breakwater, and of the extreme
good humour and good order which prevailed on
that occasion.

The motion was agreed to, and the retiring direc-
tors, the Earl of Caithness and Mr. Loch, and the
retiring auditor, Mr. W. Miller, were re-elected.

A communication was read from Messrs. Steven-
son, the engineers, to the effect that there had now
been deposited in the line of the breakwater 3,138
tons of atones, that the contractors had sent to the
ground a large quantity of plant and timber for
staging, and another cargo was now on its way, and
that other plant was being proceeded with, and
would shortly be sent to the works; so that they
hoped soon to report that the works had been fully
organised,

A vote of thanks was then accorded to the chair-
men, and the meeting separated.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS—March 21,

The March adjourned general sessions of the peace for
the county of Middlesex commenced this morning at the
Sessions-house, Clerkenwell-green, before Mr Bodkin, As-
sistant-Judge, and a bench of magistrates.
The calendar contains the names of 122 prisoners com-
mitted for trial, of whom 104 were indicted for felony, and
18 for misdemeanor.

The Grand Jury having been sworn,
The Assistant-Judge briefly addressed them on the na-
ture of their duties.

Jane Element, 16, was indicted for abandoning a female
child under the age of two years, whereby the life of such
child was endangered ; there was a second count charg-
ing her with unlawfully exposing a child under the age of
two years, whereby the health of such child was endangered.
Mr. Cooper, who appeared for the prosecution, said the
charge against the young woman at the bar was founded on
the 24th and 25th Vict., c. 27, which enacted, "That who-
soever shall unlawfully abandon er expose any child being
under the age of two years, whereby the life of such child
should be endangered, or the health of such child shall have
been or shall likely be permanently injured, shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor, and being convicted thereof, shall be
liable at the discretion of the Court to be kept in penal ser-
vitude for the term of three years, or to be imprisoned for
any term not exceeding two years, with or without hard
labour. This was one of these melancholy cases which
often came before them, and it was to be regretted that the
prisoner's place was not supplied by her seducer; but that
was a question with which they had nothing to do, and if
the case was made out it would be the duty of the jury to
find her guilty, leaving her then in the hands of the presid-
ing judge, who always tempered justice with mercy. He
should call the witnesses, and then leave the case for the
consideration of the jury.

Robert Fry said he lived at No. 39, Goodge-street, Totten-
ham•court-road, with his aunt, Mrs. Baker. On the 14th
February, at about halfrpabt 12 o'clock at night, he heard
a noise in the back yard, and it appeared as if something
heavy had fallen. In consequence of hearing that noise he
went out to see what it was, and in a sink in the middle of
the yard he found a child. The sink was in the middle of
the yard, and was used to let off the water. seeing this he
went immediately for the police. The prisoner lived with
her father at the next house. The wall separating the two
houses was between 9 and 10 feet in height.
Edmund Gall, police •constable 25 E, said early on the
morning of Sunday, the 14th of February, ho was called by
the last witness to the house No. 39, Goodge-street, and in
the centre of the yard he found a new born child, quite
naked and screaming. He took it to Middlesex Hospital,
where it was attended to, and in about half an hour after-
wards he returned to Goodge-street. He knocked at the
door of the next house, having observed marks of blood on
the wall. He went to the third floor back room in that
house, which was opened by the prisoner's father. He asked
him if there was any one in the house sick, and he replied
that there was not that he knew of. The witness then went
into the front room on the same floor, where he found the
prisoner sitting on a sofa with her clothes on. He asked her
what was the matter with her, but she made no answer.
The father then said to her, " Jenny, whatever you say,
speak the truth."
Police-sergeant John William Ingerson, 6 E, said he went
to the prisoner's house with the last witness, and on going
into the yard belonging to Mrs. Baker he saw blood. He
afterwards went into the prisoner's house, and on looking
out of a window saw marks of blood about. He saw the
prisoner sitting on a sofa, and he told her he should charge
her with attempting to destroy the life of her child. She
then said she had delivered herself in the watercloset, and
that she had thrown the child over the wall into the adjoin-
ing premises.

Mr.. George Ross, divisional surgeon to the E division of
police, said he was called on the morning of the 14th of
February, about five o'clock, to No. 40, Goodge-street, and
there found the prisoner sitting on a sofa in a very excited
state. He asked her if she had bem recently delivered, and
she said she had at half-past 12 o'clock. Two days after-
wards the child was taken to the prisoner. He had attended
her ever since. The child was only injured by a slight bruise
on the forehead.

Mr. Besley addressed the jury, who found the prisoner
guilty, but recommended her to mercy on account of her
tender years.
The Assistant-Judge directed that the prisoner should be
liberated on bail, and be brought up again next sessions.
John Cotter, 15, and William Thornton, 16, were indicted
for stealing a copper scoop, the property of Benjamin Hart.
Thornton pleaded guilty,Cotter was found guilty by the jury.

Police-constable 207 H said that Cotter was the associate
of thieves, and Thornton was a teacher of them. If they
did not do what he told them he beat them.

The Assistant Judge sentenced Cotter to be imprisoned
and kept to hard labour for two months, and then to be sent
to the Cornwall training ship for three years. With regard
to Thornton he would be kept in penal servitude for three
years, not merely because he was a thief, but because he
was a trainer of thieves,

George Cooper, 44, was indicted for stealing seven live
tame fowls, the property of Enoch Dukes, and assaulting
John Carter, constable of the metropolitan police force,with
intent to prevent his lawful apprehension.
The prisoner pleaded guilty.
The prisoner was stopped by the constable Carter with a
quantity of fowls in his possession, and not giving a satis-
factory account of them he sai ; he should take him into
custody. Upon this the prisoner struck him a violent blow
on the head with a plasterer's hammer, which most seri-
ously injured him, and it was nothing less than a miracle
that the officer survived the injuries he received. He had
been ever since, and was still, unfit for duty.
A previous conviction of 12 months' imprisonment was
put in against him, which sentence was passed upon him at
the Central Criminal Court in Sept-, 1852, for endeavouring
to obtain admission to the city police force by means of a
false character.

The prisoner said he was driven to the commission of his
present offence through starvation, being unable to obtain
employment for the support of his w;fe and family.
The Assistant Judge sentenced him to be kept in penal
servitude for three years.

John Merchant, 17, was indicted for stealing 13 silver
spoons, value £7, the property of William Matthews. He
pleaded guilty. . _

7 -
The prisoner was in the employ of Mr. Matthews, chemist,
4, Wigmore-stnet, as porter, and on March 1 he left with-
out giving notice. On that morning he was admitted to the
house by Sarah Re‘ves, the servant, at half-past 7 o'clock,
and in a quarter of an hour after he was gone the spoons
were missed from the back dining room. He was after-
wards found in custody for another offence, but was detained
on this charge.

Police-constable 76 D proved a previous conviction
against the prisoner for burglary at the Central Criminal
Court on the 24th of November, 1862, there being then a
previous conviction against him. At the time of the rob-
bery in 1862 the prisoner and another boy went to Margate,
where they hired two horses and rode them to Gravesend,
where they were apprehended on suspicion of stealing these
horses. At the time of their apprehension at Gravesend by
Sergeant White, 16 D,
on each of the prisoners was found
a brace of pistols loaded with bullets, and with property
the result of another burglary at Mitcham, in Surrey, for
which they were not prosecuted. When the prisoner
was apprehended on this charge he had just been
discharged from Marylebone Police-court on a charge of
passing a bad five .shilling piece.
The Assistant Judge sentenced him to be kept in penal
servitude for four years.
Edward Baptist Noel, 25, baker, was indicted for embez
zling various sums of money received by him for and on ac-
count of Goo. Wright, his master. Ho pleaded guilty.
The prosecutor is a dairyman, and the prisoner was in
his service and received the money for milk supplied to the
customers, which he appropriated to his own use.
The Assistant Judge sentenced him to be imprisoned and
kept to hard labour for twelve months.

Wm. Pearce, 41, was indicted for stealing a leather bag,
containing a handkerchief, a comb, a brush, a pair of gloves,
and oiler articles, the property of Elizl Collett, from her
person.

On the sth of March, at about a quarter-past eight at
night, the prosecutrix was walking- in Russell-square, hay.
ing a leather bag on her arm, Suddenly a man sprang out
from some place behind her, and seized the bag with such
violence that the handle of it was broken, and he ran away
with it. She screamed out and followed him, calling out
" Stop thief." He was afterwards stopped by a man named
Wm. Bellew, a gasfitter, who struggled with him and got
his clothes torn in doing so. He, however, held him until a

policeman came up, and gave him into custody. The bag
was found near where the prisoner was taken.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
Lockyer, the prison officer, put in 12 previous convictions
against the prisoner, ranging from Oct., 1856, to Jan., 1861.
The Assistant Judge sentenced him to be kept in penal
servitude for four years.

Geo. Farmer, 62, was indicted for fraudulently obtaining
by false pretences, from Evan Evans, the sum of ss. There
were many other indictments of a similar nature against
him. He pleaded guilty.
Lockyer, the prison officer, said the prisoner had already
been sentenced to four years' penal servitude for obtaining
money by false pretences, representing himself to be sent by
the commissioners of sewers to examine the drainage of
houses, and thus obtaining admission he exacted money
from the inhabitants.

The Assistant Judge sentenced him to be kept in penal
servitude for six years.
(Before Mr. Payne.)

William Ford, 25, hawker, was indicted for breaking and
entering the dwelling-house of Frederick Spong, and stealing
therein six coats, two waistcoats, and other articles, the
property of the said Frederick Spong.
The prosecutor is a coachman in the employ of Sir Fre-
derick Halliday, and on the night of the 2d of March, be-
tween seven and eight o'clock, he returned home to For-
chester mews, and found the stable-door open, the lock
having been forced. He then examined the stable, and
there found a bundle, which, on opening, contained six
coats, two waistcoats, a pair of trousers, a dress, and other
property, worth about £l2, which he had left in a chest o
drawers in a room over the stable, and soon Later he saw the
prisoner run out. He pursued him, calling out " Stop
thief," and a person named Charles James, a stableman,
tried to stop him, who received from the prisoner a severe
blow on the eye with his fist. He continued to follow him
and never lost sight of him until he was stopped and given
into custody. On going to the stable-door and comparing
the marks where it had been forced open with a jemmy
found in Leinster-gardens, and where, no doubt, it had been
thrown by the prisoner during his flight, it was found they
exactly corresponded.
Mr. Collins addressed the jury, who found the prisoner
guilty.
Mr. Payne sentenced him to be imprisoned and kept to
hard labour for 18 calendar months.

Richard Curtis, 29, and 'William Alfred Clarke, 29, both
privates in the Marines, stationed at Wcolwich, were in-
dicted for stealing a watchguard chain and silver watch,
value £6 105,, the property of Philip Purcell, in a dwelling-
house.

From the evidence of Mr, James Brennan, inspector of
the F division of police, it appeared that at about half-past
nine o'clock on the night of the Bth of March, from infor-
mation he received, he went to the Seven Dials, and saw
the prisoners enter the Grapes public-house there. After
being there for a few minutes Clarke came out, and went
in company with another man to Little St. Andrew-street,
to which place he followed them. He there saw Clarke show
this man a watch and chain, upon which he (the witness),
went up to the place and stood near enough to hear him
ask the man to buy it for £3. The man asked him to let
him look at it, and he (witness) also made a similar request.
Clarke said it was all right, but after some difficulty the in-
spector got the watch and chain from him. He asked him
where he got it, and he said in Union-street, Plymouth, six
six weeks before, when he was paid off from his ship. He
was asked for his pass, and he said his mate had it. He had
directed Curtis, who had came out of the public-house, to be
taken to the station-house, aul afterwards Clarke was taken
there, both being drunk at the time. He there told them
both that he should charge them with being deserters, and
also with having the watch and chain in their possession
and not giving a satisfactory account how they became
possessed of it. Clarke said he was six weeks on furlough,
and Curtis said he had leave on that afternoon, and that
his time would be up on the following morning. Clarke
gave the name of Smith, but Curtis gave his right name.
The prosecutor, Philip Purcell, was then called, and he
said he was a sergeant of Marines at Woolwich, and be-
longed to the same company as the two prisoners. He
had known them for about nine months, but he could not
tell how long they had been in the corps. They were
quartered in a room opposite to the room he occupied, toge-
ther with 16 other men. On Saturday night, sth March,
he remembered going into their room, and he remained
there for about five n:unutes. He was certain that he saw
his watch at about twelve o'clock that night. The next
morning his watch wat missed, and Clarke went to his
room to take a cap and a key, which he said had been left
in his room. but ho said nothing to him about a watch.
Some other evidence having been given,

Mr, Wharton addressed the jury on behalf of Clarke,
cont nding that there was no proof that he had stolen the
watch, and that Curtis had given it to him, stating that it

was found on his bed.

The jury found both prisoners guilty, but recommended
Curtis to mercy on the ground that he had spoken the truth
as regarded his term of leave.
Mr. Payne sentenced Curtis to be imprisoned and kept to
hard labour for 8 months, and Clarke for 12 months.
William Regan, who, with his two bro'hers, was tried
and convicted last session of an assault on policeman 167 F,
was brought up and placed at the bar.
It will be remembered that the two other prisoners were,
on their conviction, fined each in the s.,m of Xi, and had to
enter into recognisances in the sum of £2O to keep the peace
for 12 months ; but the other prisoner, William Regan,
being insolent in his manner, was ordered to be imprisoned
for four months, and to pay a fine of £5.•
To-day Mr. Payne ordered him to be imprisoned and kept
to hard labour for 14 days (which will expire on Thursday),
to pay a fine of £lO, and to enter into his own recognisances
in the sum of £2O to keep the peace for 12 months. The
reason of this
.estra fine, coupled with the circumstance
above alluded to, was that there was a second indictment
against Wm. Regan for inflicting actual bodily harm on
Police constable Hargreaves whilst in the execution of his
duty.
At this session there are an unusual number of prisoners
committed for assaults on the police, and a special day has
been named when those offences will be disposed of.