The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-20 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS—Jan. 19.

Thomas Ward, 40, George Fenner, 43 ; and Michael
O'Hara, 31, were severally indicted—Thomas Ward and
George Fenner for feloniously embezzling the sum of £8 re-
ceived by them for and on account, and in the name of, the
Agricultural Hall Company (Limited), their masters and
employers; and Michael O'Hara being present did feloni-
ously abet and assist the said Thomas Ward and George
Fenner to do and c !mit this felony.

Mr. Cooper prosecuted, instructed by Messrs. J. and T.
Wakeling. Mr. Orridge defended Ward. Mr. Poland ap-
peared for O'Hara. Fenner was undefended. Ward pleaded

guilty.
Mr. W. Cooper, in opening the case, said the prisoners

belonged to the Corps of Commissionaires, a very useful
body, selected from men who had borne a good character in
the army, and were discharged with a pension. These men
were employed in situations of trust, and especially at the
International Exhibition; and were also employed at the
Smithfield Club Cattle Show, which. was held on this occa-
sion at the new Agricultural Hall, at Islington, as money
takers, and on a certain day, which would be stated in evi •
deuce by the witnesses, Fenner and 'Ward were stationed at

a turnstile near the eastern entrance, for the purpose 01

taking money of those persons who paid for admission.
Suspicion had previously existed as to the honesty of these
men, and they were removed from the turnstile where they
had previously been to the one in question, and Devitt, a
constable of the N division, was engaged to attend in plain
clothes and watch their proceedings. He accordingly kept
watch upon them, and while so employed he saw Ward take
several shillings in one hand, and with the other transfer
them to his coat pocket. Ward then went away, leaving the
turnstile to Fenner, who in hi, turn also abstracted some of
the receipts of the exhibition. When these men were asked
the amount they each had in their possession their answers
did not at all agree with the money actually found on them.
It would also be proved that several persons were allowed to
pass through byopening a gate, which should only be opened
to exhibitors, instead of passing them through the turnstiles,
when the instrument would have recorded the number of
admissions against them. He should then call the witnesses.
Peter Devitt, 92N, said on Dec. 12 he was on duty at the
Agricultural Hall during the Smithfield Club Cattle Show,
and from information he received he watched Wald, who
was money-taker at the east entrance, and Fenner was at
the stile to let each person through. When the money was

put on the plate of the stile, Ward drew it along the plate
into a money-box. About four o'clock he saw several per-
sons going in, and as the money was put on the plate he
saw him pick up some with his right hand and put it into
his left. He saw seven or eight persons pass in, and every
shilling he picked up that way he did not put into the box,
Fenner stood by his side, and as he looked at Ward he
put his hand under his coat to his pocket. Ward said
something to Fenner, left his post, and then went into the
street, leaving Fenner in his place as money-taker. O'Hara
then came from the cloak-room adjoining the turnstile and
spoke to Fenner. He leaned on the turnstile to the right of
Fenner, and every shilling that was put down Fenner passed
along the plate to O'Hara, who took it up. He held it in
his right hand, and with a piece of wood he thrust it into the
slit in the money-box as though it was blocked up. He did
not put the money-box back, but went away with it to the
cloak-roam. Ward then returned to his place as money-
taker, and Fenner and O'Hara afterwards went into the
cloak-room several times together. While witness was
standing near he heard Ward tell Fenner to pass about nine
or ten people through a gate where there was no turnstile,
saying that the style had gone round by mistake. After
that Fenner returned o the stile and put money for about
ten minutes into the box. Twice after that he saw Ward
keep several shillings, which he put under his coat and
went away, when Fenner acted as money-taker, and
O'Hara was talking to him. He then eaw Fenner take
several shillings up and slip his hand into his pocket,
which was done repeatedly. Be saw several persons
passed by Fenner and O'Hara through the gate where
there was no turnstile, by Ward's direction. The pri-
soners were eventually taken into the cloak-room, and he
asked Ward how much money he had about him, and he
said he thought he had about Li or £5, On searching him,
in his waistcoat and trousers pocket he found £7 17s. 3d.,
all in silver. He then asked Fenner how much he had,
and he said about £1; and £l7s. 4d. in silver was found.
The jury found Fenner guilty, and O'Hara not guilty.
In answer to questions from the Assistant-Judge,
Captain Peach said that the prisoners had hitherto borne
a good character in every respect, or he should not have re-
commended them to the secretary of the society. They were
employed in the same capacity at the International Exhibi-
tion. These men were recommended to the Royal Commis-
sioners, who employed them as they pleased, but Ward and
Fenner were employed as money-takers.
The foreman of the jury said they wished to recommend
the prisoners Ward and Fenner to mercy.
The Assistant-Judge said as these men had had each a
pension of ls. lid. per day for a long period he supposed
they would lose it.
Captain Peach said they would, and as they had always
borne a most excellent character, this charge had altogether
taken him by surprise.
William Hays, sergeant-major in the Coldstream Guards,
said he had known Ward ever since 1855, and he had always
borne the strictest character for honesty. He had been
trusted with from £5O to £7O at a time, and during the
whole period with thousands, and there was not the slightest
stain on his character.
The Assistant-J udge,having commented upon the offence,
sentenced the prisoners to be imprisoned and kept to hard
labour for six months.
Thomas Hemmings, 56, Amelia Hemmings,4o, and Jacob
M'Laskey, 18, were indicted for unlawfully keeping a cer-
tain disorderly house.
Mr. Taylor prosecuted on the part of the authorities of
the parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and Mr. Ribton and
Mr. Park appeared for the prisoners.
From the evidence it appears that the two elder prisoners
on the 4th of November opened the house No. 39, Leicester-
square, ostensibly as a refreshment-house, under the new
act, but it was resorted to by men and women of the worst
character, who, under the pretence of being supplied
with refreshments, went there for very different purposes,
so much so that the house in a short time became a
great nuisance to the neighbours. One of the neighbours
stated that girls not more than twelve years of age accom-
panied men to the house besides numerous others and older
prostitutes. The former occupier of the house, which was
then of an infamous character, was indicted at the beginning
of May, convicted, and sentenced to be imprisoned for 12
months or to pay a penalty of £lOO, and the reopening of
the house for similar purposes, after what had so recently
transpired, took the parish authorities by surprise, and steps
were immediately taken to put a stop to it. As soon as the
character of the house was made known a policeman waited
upon the male prisoner, and told him that if he intended to
keep the house open as it had hitherto been, most assuredly
an indictment would be lodged against him ; but this in-
timation he received with the utmcet contempt, and said as
he was a licensed refreshment-house keeper, that he did not
care anything about the parish. He only sold refreshments,
and having been paid for them he had nothing to do with
whit was done by customers while they were in his house.
The practice was, in some instances, to charge persons as
much as 4s. each for a cup of coffee, and other articles in
similar proportion. Sergeants Appleton and Horsey, of
the C division,bore testimony to the character of the women
who used the house, and said that, on a particular evening,
they found the rooms upstairs occupied by men and women
of the worst character. The younger prisoner, who ap-
peared to have been on the premises,was employed as errand-
boy, but it did not appear that he took any further part in
the business carried on.
The Jury found the elder prisoners guilty, and the boy
M'Laskey not guilty.
Sergeant Appleton said he had known the elder pri-
soner for some years, and was, at the time ho was taken
into custody for this offence, the proprietor of three other
bad houses.
The Assistant-Judge animadverted on the infamous con-
duct of the male prisoner in receiving into his den young
females for the purposes of prostitution, but he thought
that, by a clever arrangement he had made, he could carry
on these offences with impunity, and set the parish autho-
rities at defiance. Only in May last a man had been con-
victed of a similar offence for the same house, sentenced to
12 months' imprisonment, and to pay a fine of £lOO. Now
that was the sentence the Court would pass on him, viz.,
that ho be imprisoned for 12 months, that he pay a fine of
£lOO, and that he be kept in prison until such fine le paid.
As to the woman there was a difference in her case, and
the sentence upon her was, that she be imprisoned for six
months.
William John Ricketts, 43, porter, pleaded guilty to
stealing 800 ounces of silver, value £2OO, the property of
Hyld, Holden, Betts, and Co., his masters and employers.
The prisoner was in the employ of the prosecutors, who
have a town agency in Long-acre, but the manufactory is at
Birmingham. The prisoner was employed in the shop, a d
had access to the drawer containing fine silver. On the 6th
January, on the assistant going to the drawer and weighing
the silver, a deficiency was found of 800ozs. The prisoner
on being spoken to afterwards weighed it, and it appeared
to be all right, but on examining 20 of the parcels, instead
of containing fine silver, they were found to be iron, and
merely covered with silver. The prisoner was subsequently
given into custody for stealing the silver.
The prisoner said he was driven to do this to support a
large family.
The Assistant-Judge sentenced the prisoner to be kept in
penal servitude for three years.
(Before Mr. Payne.)
Neal M‘Hugh, 19, was indicted for unlawfully and ma-
liciously cutting and wounding Francis M'Hugh.
The prosecutor is the brother of the prisoner, the mother
of them living in Northumberland-street, Paddington. On
the afternoon of the Ist of January the two brothers met
there, and a dispute arose between them. The prisoner said
his brother had been giving hi: mother some liquor, which
he denied. The prosecutor shoved him aside, upon which
the prisoner took up a knife, with which he struck the pro-
secutor two or three times, wounding him on the ear and face.
His coat was also cut through. He afterwards struck his
father two or three times with the knife.
The prisoner, who pleaded guilty,' 6xpressect his contri-
tion for what had occurred, and said he did this in the heat
of passion, and was drunk at the time. He said further,