The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-11 00:00:00

IS DAY.

r CRIMINAL COURT--T

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Mellor.)

Henry Joseph Walker, aged 21, a private in the Royal
Artillery, was indicted for a rape on a young girl, aged 15.
There was also a second indictment against him for steal-
ing 10s. from her person,
The case rested entirely upon the credibility of the pro-
secutrix, who deposed that on the evening of the 4th of
March, about half-p%st eight in the evening, she was pro-
ceeding on her way from Greenwich to Woolwich when she
met the prisoner and another soldier named Jonathan
Leather. She walked, with them to Woolwich, as they
offered to show her the way over the common, and on their
arrival at the stables of the camp, at Woolwich Common,
the prisoner and the other man asked her to enter the
stables, and on her refusing they dragged her in, and they
eaoh committed the offence charged, the prisoner taking
from her 10s. and 214. She resisted as much as she could,
and she was so far corroborated that one of the
sentries heard cries of " help" and " murder," and
also that at half-past eleven at night both men were
found absent, and on another sentry going to the stables
he found the prosecutris lying on some straw. She com-
plained first of the loss of her money, but afterwards of ill-
usage. She went to the Shooters-hill Police-station, and
in consequence of her information the man Leather was
taken into custody.

The prosecutrix gave a very unsatisfactory account of
how she obtained the money, whic'l she said she carried in
a paper bag with some biscuits, and which was the remains
of the proceeds of a cheque, of which she refused to tell how
she became possessed.

The learned judge here summed up the case, remarking
upon the unsatisfactory statement the prosecutrix had given
of herself.

The jury, after some deliberation, returned a verdict of
guilty with intent.

Jonathan Leathers, aged 19, a private in the Royal Artil-
lery, was indicted for a similar offence.
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and at the same
time one of them expressed regret that both prisoners had
n
as it would greatly have assisted
themot
hb
The
Learned i
ne
the
r i
performance
together,of their duty.
Tsaid that could not have been done,
as they were for two distant offences. If, however, the
jury wished to make any recommendation in the former
case, as he had not yet sentenced the prisoner, he was quite
ready to give effect to it; at the same time he must observe
that the former case was different from that they had just
concluded, as the prosecutrix's statement had been con-
firmed by the sentry.

The jury however made no recommendation.
The prisoner Walker was then called up for sentence.
The learned Judge said, under all the circumstances
of the case, he thought that justice would be satisfied in
passing a very lenient sentence. lie therefore ordered the
prisoner to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for three
months.

NEW COURT.
(Before the Recorder.)
A NEST OF ILOUSEBREAICERS.

William Farrow, James Parsons, John Fellows, William
Grant, and Thomas Henderson, were indicted for burglary.
The evidence was not conclusive by the jury, and a
verdict of not guilty was returned.

The whole of the prisoners were again indicted for being
found at night without lawful-excuse, in possession of cer-
tain housebreaking implements with intent to commit a
felony.

gstang about Holywell-
ces that became
From the evidence of a number of police-constables, it
as
tprpe ee at: e
Shore
htohraetdi thetchp, rain- odn efrrso
from
were
chuazin
known, they proceeded to a house in George street, Heaton,
and a wholesale stock of housebreaking implements were
discovered corresponding with a number found on the per-
sons of the different prisoners.
The jury touad all the prisoners guilty,
Previous convictions were proved against Farrow,
Fellows, and Parsons.

The "tools" were then handed Up to the bench, for the
inspection of the learned Recorder and the aldermen on the
bench.

The Recorder said he had no doubt about the system the
prisoners had been carrying on, and he very much regretted
the conviction had not been for the felony instead of the
misdemeanour, because then he would have sentenced them
to a punishment commensurate with their deserts. As,
however, three of them had been previously convicted, he
should make a difference as regarded them. The learned
judge then sentenced Farrow, Parsons, and Fellows, to
three years' penal servitude, Grant to eighteen months, and
Henderson to twelve months' imprisonment.

After the prisoner had left the dock, Mr. Orridge called
the attention of the Recorder to what was called a " Life
preserver," as being a most frightful instrument. It dif-
fered very materially from the instruments hitherto used
by desperadoes, by having four projecting iron points fixed
to the leaden head.

The Recorder looked with astonishment at the weapon,
and said—" Why, this is meant to kill I"

_ .
lhe police have received orders to transmit the weapon
to the Home-office, to afford the authorities an opportunity
of inspecting the newest pattern of housebreakers' life-
preservers.