The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-04 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT'.--April 3.

OLD COURT.

' The April sittings of this court commenced this morn-
ing, before the Recorder, the Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor, Mr. Alderman Kelly, Mr. Alderman Farncomb,
Aldermen Carden and Salomons. The calendar contains
the names of 147 prisoners, one of whom stands charged
with murder, one for manslaughter, three for cutting
and wounding, one for feloniously shooting with intent
to murder, and no fewer than 47 for passing bad coin,
and three for coining.
The Grand Jury having been sworn,
The Recorder said, it was with much regret he saw
that the calendar before him was a very heavy one,
heavier in point of numbers than any that he had ever
had before him, but still he was glad to find that the
crimes charged were not so very heavy. Although there
were some cases of cutting and wounding, he was glad
to find that the crime of violence to the person was di-
minishing, a circumstance he attributed to the spread of
education. With regard to the case of murder, there
could be no doubt that the unfortunate woman met
her death by the act of the prisoner, and although
a question might arise as to the state of the pri-
soner's mind, their duty would be to find the bill,
and leave the petty jury to decide that issue.
All the cases in the calendar had been 'investigated by
the magistrates, but doubtless some bills would lie
brought before them that had not passed that or-
deal, and those bills they -hould look upon with jea-
lousy, as, generally speaking. the course was an objec-
tionable one. Stilt he did not say but that in some in-
stances it was a proper one. Another case which he
would draw their attention to was, that of a person
who, charged with embezzlement, had fired a pistol at the
prosecutor, and the act was attributed to an accident ;
that would also be a question for theni to leave to the
petty jury. He now came to a case of which they (the
grand jury) had doubtless heard through the press,
which was that of two persons named Harrison and
Desaux, which would come before them as a charge of
conspiracy, with others not in custo6y, to obtein the
prostitution of a Belgian girl. The only difficulty that
arose in the case was, that part of the transaction took
place in Belgium arid part in France, for which parts
they could nut be charged in this indictment ; but if they
conspired in this country to commit any part of the
offence, that was an offence at common law. He did not
know of any case in point, but it was certain that the
act known as the Bishop of Oxford's would meet the
case, and said, that he should recommend them to
find the bill, and leave any point of law to be dis-
cussed in court. He thought it likely that durir g the
session there would be another bill preferred, for an
assault and false imprisonment arising out of the same
transaction. There was also another case which was
one of the most paramount importance to the adininie-
tration of justice in these courts. It was one where two
men, named Jones and Pull, had obtained, by an order
at the Middlesex Sessions, the sum of 2/. 55., alleging
that they had been engaged lo prosecute a man charged
by Mr. E. Smith, the lessee of Drury-lane Theatre, with
robbery. The man had, it appeared, pleaded guilty,
and Mr. Smith had never employed the prisoners to con-
duct the prosecution, It was by this fraud they had
imposed upon Mr. Serjeant Adams, a gentleman not
generally easy to deceive.
The grand jury then retired.
Mr. Clarkson applied to the court upon the part of
the Bank of England, to withdraw from the prosecution
against the wife of the late Frederick DJ Molyns, who
stood charged with having uttered a forged power of
attorney for the transfer of stock. De Moiyns had since
died in Newgate, and it was clear that the wife had
acted under his directions.

The Recorder said they had better not go befure the
grand jury with the bill.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS-April 3.

The April general quarter sessions of the peace for the
county of Middlesex commenced this morning at Clerken-
well, there being 94 prisoners for trial.
The Assistant Judge, in addressing the grand jury,
said that during the last 12 months 2,500 bills had been
sent to this court, 75 of which were ignored through the
non-appearance of prosecutors. In six of the cases there
had been a full confession of guilt by the prisoners, and
in others women who had been bound over to prosecute
their husbands for assaulting them had de,,ied before
the grand jury that they had ever been beaten at all,
their object being to save their husbands from the con-
sequences of a trial. After soma general observations on
the cases that would come before them he dismissed them
to their duties.

THE ATTEMPTED FRAUD ON THE LESSEE OP DRURY.

LANE THEATRE.

Joseph. Perry, convicted last seigion, was brought
up to receive judgment. He was convicted of stealing
half of a 101. note from the offices of the Wesleyan Re
form Association. at-Exeter Hall, and was given into
custody hi consequence of having attempted to obtain
some money upon it froai Mr. E. T. Smith, the lessee of
Drury-lane Theatre, representing that he had been sent
by his father. Mr. Flexiinire, the clown.
The Assistant Judge said he considered the best cimrsa
he could take would be to sentence the prisoner to a
long term of imprisonment, with a view of being ad-
mitted into the Philanthropic Society's School at Red-
hill.

The prisoner was sentenced to two years' hard labour.
George Cooper, 14, pleaded guilty to a charge of having
stolen a handkerchief from the person of Abraham Sawn.
Some observations were made by the Assist Out Judge
with reference to this prisoner having, while in the
House of Detention on the charge of pocket-picking,
committed an act of wilful damage for the purpose, as
he afterwards informed the visiting justices, of getting
a long term of imprisonment, so that he might be
taught to read and write. This was a case, he said,
which showed the necessity for something to be done
in the way of instruction for these unhappy juvenile
delinquents, and he trusted that though all thought
was directed to war, they would not stop in their
career, which had been rapid and promising of late, of
improving the present system. He should sentence the
prisoner to two years' hard labour, with a special re-
commendation for his being seat to Redhill.
Sentence accordingly.