The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-26 00:00:00

WEST MINSTER SESSIONS.

(Before Mr. Sergeant ADAMS and a Bench of Magistrates.
The Grand Jury having been sworn, the Chairman
briefly addressed them on the nature of the duty they
were called upon to discharge.
The calendar is a very light one, there being but 16
prisoners charged with felony, and out of that number
seven pleaded guilty on being arraigned, and were sen-
tenced to various terms of imprisonment.
SHOPLIFTING —Ann Smith, aged 18, a young girl of
very respectable appearance, was indicted for stealing a
printed cotton dress of the value of 17s. 6d , the pro-
perty of Messrs. Griffiths and Co.
The prisoner went into the prosecutor's shop to pur-
chase some trifling article, and while there was observed
by one of the shopmen, who saw her take the dress in
question off the counter, and conceal it under her shawl.
Mr. Payne addressed the Jury on her behalf, and
sailed several witnesses, who gave her an excellent cha-
racter.
The Jury found her Guilty.
As the Court believed it to be the prisoner's first of-
fence, and as some kind friends had undertaken to take
charge of her and watch over her future conduct, the
sentence of the Court upon her was that she be kept in
solitary confinement for ten days.
One of the prosecutor's shopmen received a severe
reprimand from the Court for the very pert and flippant
manner in which he gave his evidence.
After disposing of rveral other cases of no public in-
terest, the Court adjourned.

- _
MIDDLESEX COUNTY COURT-

KINGSGATE-STREET.

AN ANGEL !—Mrs. Patty Angel was summoped by
Mrs. Jane Skrimrish for 11. 9s. 6d. for the rent of an ap-
partment in the neighbourhood of the Savoy.
The plaintiff, Mrs. Skrimrish, was an ancient little
dame, whose entire anatomy could have been domiciled
in a snuff-box. She wore a bonnet in perfect keeping,
with her stature. It had evidently, at one time pos-
sessed large pretensions, but it had been shorn of its
diameter, 4t reduced to the simplicity of a " cottage."
Mrs. Skrimrish was no less remarkable as regarded the
rest of her habiliments. Her dress fitted not "as if it had
been made for her," for she seemed to have been made
for the dress, and not the dress for her ; she appeared
to have grown into it ; it was put on (to express one-
self as an artist) in oil colours ; it was plastered on.
Mrs. Skrimrish was mild and retiring in her manner,
and took her place at the table as if she had been about
to perform an act of unostentatious charity. Good old
soul, she felt that a debtor is an unfortunate creature.

But Mrs. Patty Angel was " quite different." In
truth she was but a fallen angel. In size, Patty was a
perfect Patagonian, and, according to her own confes-
sion, she could " tongue-thrash" any woman in Billings-
gate, old or young. What Mrs. Skrimrish's bonnet
lacked in size, was made up by Patty's. It would have
supplied (bad it been a chip one) sufficient materials for
12 months for a modern " timber-merchant." Under
its flopping front all the locusts that were ever drowned
in the Red Sea might have found shelter ; and as to her
dress, though it did'nt " float as wild as mountain
breerss," there was almost canvass enough in it for the
mainsail of a 74.

" Where's Angel?" cried the crier.
" Here she is," vociferated Patty, shaking her head
and folding her arms with desperate energy ; " here,
she is," stamping her foot, " and where's the other
finiking little -?"

01, dear me !" ejaculated Mr 3. Skrimrish. " Oh,
dear me ; she'll certainly do me some mischief."
" Mischief! you little wampire ! I'll massacree you, I
will," and Mrs. Angel swung her arms about like a
couple of flails, asseverating " as she was a hooman
she'd thrash the very soul out of the wizzened faced
little wretch."

The Ct4er of the Court (to Patty)—Be quiet my
good woman ; do, pray.
Patty (taking hold of her ample skirts, and spreading
them out transversely)—Hoch, hoch, hoch ! (twistinc,
herself round and round) let me get at the little wretch.°
I won't be quiet ; I never will be quiet till I have my
spite out of that wampire ; I won't. Let me have the
---'(and again her arms went to work with a windmill
velocity). Give me the --, and I'll spifflicate her.
Hoch! hoeh ! hoch ! where is she, (shouted Patty, as
Mrs. Skrimrish i herself libhind a portly cook who
was waiting to have her summons called on). " Where
is the nattomy, I'll nihilate ‘i.er, I will !
The Crier of the Court—Stand forward, Mrs. Skrim-
risli, and state your case.
Patty—Let her, if'she dare !
The COMMISSIONER—The woman's tipsy.
Patty—No, she isn't. Ah ! (said she, catching sight
oF Mrs. Skrimrish, who, encouraged by the observation
of the Commissioner, was about to emerge from behind
the human column)—rah, vampire ! (and she stamped
on the floor with a vehemence that made the little
woman once more vanish behind the cook like a flash
of lightning), pull your very arms cut of their
sockets, I will ; and Patty ground her teeth as if she
ti Id been studying the part of an ogre in Jack the Giant
Killer ; but the crier having constrained her to " be
easy," Mrs. Skrimrish once more stood forward and
stated her case. She was very sorry to bring the mat-
ter bt)fore his honour, but she had waited two years for
her money, and poverty had now driven her to take out
a summons.

Patty—That's a thundering lie, it aint poverty, not at
all. She didn't summon me (fording her arms, and look-
ing -fierce), because she was afeard. I told her I'd
nihilate her, and may I he —if I don't ; and Mrs.
Angel spregd her sails and " swung round" upon Mrs.
S!crirnrsh, swearing that she'd beat her into a hatter di-
rectly she got out of Court, " that's what I will," shouted
Patty, " if I die the next minute."
Mrs. Skrimrish went on to detail, amidst the frequent
interruptions of Mrs. Angel, the circumstances under
tlle debt was incurred.

=rile result was that Patty was ordered to pay the de•
mand, which she swore she would'ut do if she was to
eat bread and cheese and drink water for three months,
and " go to the mill into the bargain."
" nibilate you," said Mrs. Angel, " mediately I
get you out, you viampire, I will," and thereupon she
sallied out of the Court, muttering direful vengeance
upon Mrs. Skrimrish.

POLICE INIELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HO USE.

On Saturday several fishermen were charged before
the Lord Mayor with having been unlawfully fishing in
the Thames at night, with nets of a smaller web than
allowed by law. The prisoners were taken in the fact,
and math: considerable resistance, as it appeared they
thought the officers were merely persons employed by
the Thames Angling Preservation Society. The pri-
soners, in their defence, said, that it was quite impos-
sible for them to earn a livelihood if they worked by
day.—The Lord Mayor said he would put a stop to the
night work, and for that purpose would appoint extra
officers, for it was no wonder the fishermen complained
of a scarcity of good fish, when some of them destroyed
the stock. He should tine them in the sum of 50s.
each, and for the next offence .5/. each. The fines were
immediately paid.