The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-01 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.—Jan. 31.

The sittings of the court for the January, Adjourned
Quarter Session were resumed yesterday morning, at the
Guildhall, Westminster, before Mr. Serjeant Adams,
assistant-judge ; Mr. Witham, Mr. Baylis, Mr. Buchanan,
and Mr. Dodd. There are 69 prisoners for trial for
felony, and three for misdemeanour.

Jaynes Williams, 27, was indicted for stealing a silver
snuff-box, value 205., the property of William Henry
Austin.

The prisoner was potman at the Horse and Dolphin
public-house, and was in the habit of fetching pots from
the office of the prosecutor, a solicitor in Green-street,
Leicester-square. The box in question was stolen from
a desk in the back parlour, and after passing through
several hands it was traced to the prisoner.
The prisoner was found guilty. There was a second
indictment against him for stealing 201.
The Assistant-Judge sentenced him to one year's hard
labour.

Elijah, Eagle, 23, pleaded guilty to indictments charg-
ing him with having stolen 31. and embezzled Si., the
monies of W. H. Smith and another, his masters and
employers.

The- prosecutors in this case were the well-known
publishers and newspaper agents in the Strand, and the
prisoner was in their employ as clerk. It was stated by
lir. Saunders, who appeared for the prosecution, that
they prosecuted reluctantly, at the same time feeling that
they ought to do so, out of justice to the number of
otliFr young- men in their employ. Having performed
their duty in that respect, they hoped the Court would
Award. as small a punishment as was consistent with jus-
tice, the prisoner having previously borne a good cha-
racter.

The Assistant-Judge sentenced the prisoner to nine
months' hard labour.
Edward ragg, 27, was indicted for having stolen a
hook, valuße
55., the Property of the Great Western
Railway Company.
Mr. W. Digby Seymour, for the prosecution, sta£64.
that the Great Western Railway Company had some
time ago established a library at Paddington,- for the ex-
clusive use of, their officers and clerks who subscribed to
it. The company supplied the reading room, furniture,
&c., and the books were stamped with the arms of the
company, and in the rules there was a condition, that in
case the society, as, it was termed, should be dissolved
or broken up, the bobics were to be deemed the property
of the company, and not to be shared amongst the sub-
scribers. The prisoner had been a clerk in the com-
pany's service, and was a subscriber to the library, and it
would be shown that he pawned one of the books,
Scott's Life of Napoleon Bonaparte," having pre-
viously effaced the company's arms, and torn out the
rules of the society.
A witness was called, who proved that the prisoner
was a subscriber to the library, and that he had no au-
thority to sell or dispose of any of the books. He pro-
duced and handed in a copy of the rules.
The Assistant Judge having perused this, decided that
the property could not be laid as that of the Railway
Company. The society could not be dissolved except
by the directors, and it was not until dissolution had
taken place that the books were to become the property
of the company. The ownership, as he thought, was in
the subscribers until the company was broken up.
Mr. Seymour thought that under the company's act
of Parliament the books could he designated their pro-
perty as they were on their premises, and under the
charge of one of their officers.
The Assistant-Judge thought the clause referred to
did not apply to this particular case, and directed an
acquittal.

The prisoner was then tried and convicted on a charge
of having stolen a coat, the property of a fellow clerk.
T o Assistant Judge sentenced him to nine months'
hard labour.