The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-16 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, Sept. 15.

4
The September adjourned general sessions of the
peace for the county of Middlesex commenced this
morning at the Sessions House, Clerkenwell-green,
before Mr. Sergeant Gaselee, Q.O , and a full bench
of magistrates. They consisted of Mr. Payne, Mr.
Marshall, Mr. Marten, Dr. Bateman, Mr. Longden,
Colonel Elsey, Mr. W. P. Bodkin, Mr. Bashford,
Mr. Sambrooke, Mr. Hogarth, Mr. Prance, Mr. C.
White, and Mr. W. Bird (of Hornsey).
The calendar contains the names of 82 prisoners
committed for trial, 68 being charged with felony,
and 14 with misdemeanor.
Mr. Sergeant Gaselee briefly addressed the grand
jury, and dismissed them to their duties.
William Buries, 60, stableman, was indicted for
stealing two saddles, a set of harness, and other
articles, the property of Lad Caroline Bathurst.
The prisoner pleaded guilt.
It seemed that the family were out of town, and
the prisoner had been left in charge of the stables
by the coachman, and of course had access to them
at all times. The result was he took advantage of
the opportunity thus afforded him to help himself
to the harness and everything else he could lay his
hands upon, which he immediately took to a pawn-
broker, and obtained several sums of money upon
them, on one occasion making two pledges in the
same day. When the coachman returned to town
he found that the stable had been completely
stripped of its contents, and the prisoner was given
into custody on a charge of stealing them, and they
were eventually discovered pledged.
The grand jury, on returning a true bill in this
case, severely commented upon the conduct of the
pawnbrokers in taking in so many articles within
so shurt a period.
Mr. Sergeant Gaselee concurred in the observa-
tions of the grand jury, and added that he was not
quite sure that this was not a case which ought to
be placed in the hands of a county solicitor.
The prisoner was sentenced to hard labour for
three months.
John Spurgeon, 62, described as a clerk, was in-
dicted for stealing two spoons, the property of
Thomas Mantle.
Mr. Tindal Atkinson prosecuted. The prisoner
was undefended.
This was a robbery committed in the refreshment-
room at King's.cross, and was prosecuted by the
Great Northern Railway Company, and the facts
as detailed in the evidence appeared to be these :
It appeared that on the 28th of August the pri-
soner was seen on the departure platform of the
railway looking at a book-stall, and afterwards he
entered the first-class waiting-room, where he re-
mained for upwards of two hours, pretending to be
asleep. He then got up and went into the refresh-
ment-room, and sat down at a table which a pas-
senger had just quitted, and had left some of his
coffee. The prisoner at once drank up the coffee,
and then pulled a newspaper out of his pocket,
which he covered over a cruet-stand and two:spoons
which were on the table, and having taken out an
eye-glass, appeared to be intently reading the news-
paper. A police-constable named Ramsley, in the
service of the company, who happened to be stand-
ing behind a t. lass door, which was partly covered
by a curtain, but not recognisable by the persons
standing outside, saw the prisoner deliberately
take up one of the spoons and put it into his
pocket. He then looked round with his glass, and
believing that he was unobserved, he put the other
spoon in his pocket. He then got up and went
away, and was followed by the policeman, who
asked him what he had got in his pocket. He said,
" Nothing." The policeman said he was not satis-
fied with his answer, and that he must search him.
He was then asked for his address, which he at first
refused to give, but afterwards he admitted that he
lived at the place the officer stated. He was then
searched at the railway station, and the two spoons
were taken out of his pocket. Ho was then taken
to the police-station in Platt-street, St. Pancras,
and charged with the offence.
The prisoner made a rambling statement, a great
part of it not having the slightest bearing upon the
case, but stating that if he had taken up the spoons
ho must have done so by accident while taking up
the newspaper. He called one witness, who said
he had known him for seven years, and he did not
know of anything wrong against him.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, and a pre-
vious conviction being proved against him,
Mr. Sergeant Gaselee sentenced him to be kept
to hard labour for four calendar months.
Henry Soper, 28, tin-plate worker, was indicted
for feloniously breaking and, entering the dwelling-
house of Thomas Palmer, and stealing therein 17
spoons and 'other articles, his property.
Mr. Rowden prosecuted; Mr. Dickie defended
the prisoner.
One of the servants of the prosecutor swore dis-
tinctly that she saw the prisoner in the drawing-
room, and that she had seen him trying the doors
some evenings before.
Mr. Dickie contended for the prisoner that his
identity was not so clearly. established as would
justify the jury in finding him guilty.
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.",
John Howard, 18, tailor, pleaded guilty to an
indictment charging him with feloniously breaking
and entering the dwelling-house of Thomas Banks
and stealing therein a coat.
The robbery was effected by raising a kitchen
window, by which he entered and took the coat,
but he did not succeed in getting off with it.
Mr. Sergeant Gaselee sentenced him to hard
labour for six months.
Wm. Eaton, 21, pioaded guilty to a charge of
stealing a pair of trousers and other articles, the
property of Andrew Payne.
Lockyer, the prison officer, proved that the pri-
soner had been five times previously convicted, and
sent to Coldbath-fieids prison, and the last time was
only discharged from there on the 27th of August,
having then completed a sentence of nine months'
hard labour.
Mr. Sergeant Gaselee sentenced him to be kept
in penal serviture for three years.
(Before Mr. Payne.)
Francis Sydney. Holding, a very
looking-man, was indic for_
ted
em respectable
John
master.
The prosecutor carries on the business of an
advertising agent at 32, Dean-street, Soho, and the
prisoner was in his employ as collector, at a salary
of 30s. a-week. It was his duty to collect moneys,
and to make a return of them to his master. The
charges against him were that he had received
divers sums of money and had not accounted for
them.
Mr. Pearce prosecuted ; Mr. Sleigh and Mr.
Kemp defended the prisoner.
The cross-examination elicited that the accounts
had not been kept in the clearest manner, and the
jury gave the prisoner the advantage of it by ac-
quitting him.
Thomas Kendall, 32, bootmaker, was indicted for
indecently assaulting Louisa Mooie, a little girl of
weak intellect, and only 11 years of age.
Mr. F. 11. Lewis. prosecuted, instructed by the
Associate Institution for Enforcing the Laws for
the Protection of Women, and the jury found the
prisoner guilty.
Mr. Payne, after commenting severely on the
atrocious offence committed by the prisoner, sen-
tenced him to 15 months' hard labour.
John Lewis, alias Taylor, 27, Frederick Walls,
24, and Henry Poplar, 23, were indicted for unlaw-
fully attempting feloniously to steal the goods and
chattels of a female unknown, from her person.
Of late numerous robberies from the person have
taken place in the Strand, and in consequence Wil-
liam Ackrell, 48 F, was placed there on special
duty. On Sept. 4he observed the prisoners closely
watching the ladies as they passed, their eyes being
directed to their pockets. At length he saw the,
whole of them follow a lady, and one of them put
his hand into ber pocket. Ackrell immediately
seized the whole three in his arms, and forced
them into a shop, calling upon the bystanders to
render assistance. An inspector coming up at the
time, the whole of the prisoners, who are notorious
Whitechapel thieves, were taken to the station-
house.
They were all found guilty, and Mr. Payne sen-
tenced them each to 12 months' hard labour.