The Sun.
London, England, 1837-08-16 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Sergeant ARAM.)
STEALING NEWSPAPERS.—Two lads of the names of
Mills and Cormack were convicted of stealing newspapers,
the property of their master, the respectable newsvendor,
Mr. Thomas, of Finch-lane, Cornhill. The boys were in
the employ of Mr. Thomas, for the purpose of co-:ring
the newspapers to his different customers, among whom
was Mr. lzant, an eating-house-keeper, in Bucklershury.
The boys had.taken the papers to the eustcm!rs in tie
morning, and fetched them away in the evening without
giving their master any intimation of it.—Joigment de-
ferred.

(Before the Lord Chief Justice DENMAN and Mr. Ju•fce
WILLIAMS.)
William Gilbeit, a sawyer, aged 20, was indicted 'or
assaulting Ann Pike, and stealing a bag and 2s. from her
person, on the 11th of July.
It appeared from the statements of the prosecutrix that
she was in King William-street, in the City, on the night
of the llth of July, when Gilbert came up to her and stole
her reticule, containing a lawn pocket handkerchief and 2s.
The case was clearly proved, and the prisoner found
guilty.

DiSPEItATE ASSAULT.—Richard Fisher, aa
fellow, aged twenty, was indicted for aiding and abetting
his brothr, Charles Fisher, to commit a rape on Elizabeth
Barlow, a married woman.

From the statements of the prosecutrix, it appeared that
on the 19th of May last she had occasion to go to Strat-
ford, for some money that was due to her husband, a silk
dyer. On her return she lost her way at West Ham, and
meeting with the prisoner and his brother, she asked her
way of them. They told her they were going in the same
direction, and would show her. They had proceeded
as far as the Harrow bridge, when the prisoner's brother
Charles threw her down. The prisoner put his hand upon
her mouth to prevent her from screaming, and Charles
effected his object, the prisoner all the while holding his
hand upon her mouth. Afterwards the prisoner said to the
prosecutrix, " Mind I have not done anything ;" to which
she replied, " I'll mark you." The prosecutrix then pro-
ceeded to the first house, knocked them up, and told the
proprietor, a Mr. Jeffries, what had taken place ; he pro-
ceeded with her to the station-house. She did not reach
her home till nearly twelve o'clock.

The prosecutrix, in a long cross-examination by Mr.
PAYNE, denied that she had ever agreed to compromise the
matter for 2/. ; but acknowledged that she had been drink-
ing with a sawyer named Richard, but she was perfectly
sober at the time.

William Jeffries, a labourer, residing near the river Lea,
confirmed the statement of the prosecutrix, that he accom-
panied her to the station•house. The prosecutrix appeared
greatly frightened. Her clothes were very dirty, and she
was crying very much.
Several other witnesses were examined ; and

Mr. PAYNE addressed the Jury on behalf of the pri-
soner calling upon the Jury to weigh most cautiously the
evidence that had been given against the prisoner. Lord
Hale had stated that accusations of this nature " were
easily made, hard to be proved, but still more hard to be
defended, although the party against whom they were made
might be never so innocent." The Learned Counsel, after
strongly commenting upon the evidence that had been ad-
duced, concluding by expressing a hope that the Jury would
acquit the prisoner.
Mrs.Winnaker, Denzel-street, with whom the prosecutrix
had previously lodged, stated that she did not consider her
a chaste woman. She came in at all hours of the night,
and was never sober. Witness had taken out a warrant
against the prosecutrix for striking her, and she would not
believe her upon her oath, in consequence of the numberless
falsehoods she had told. The prosecutrix left the witness's
house on bad terms with her.

The husband of the last witness gave similar evidence.
He considered the prosecutrix the worst woman he ever saw.

The prosecutrix here said that Mrs. Winnaker had given
the policeman an excellent character of her.
Mrs. Winnaker was recalled, and denied that she had
given the prosecutrix a good character.
The policeman stated that Mrs. Winnaker said to him
that the prosecutrix was a poor harmless thing, and she
hoped she would not appear against a poor fellow, as she
would not do it. Afterwards she wanted to make the prose-
cutrix out a bad one, but her husband told her to hold her
tongue, or he would knock her down. She said something
about the prosecutrix being out late.
Mr. Justice WILLIAms summed up the case to the Jury,
who, after retiring for nearly an hour, returned a verdict of
Not Guilty.
The ,prisoner's brother Charles was tried last session,
found Guilty, and received sentence of Death, which was
afterwards commuted to transportation for life.