The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-04 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS-•(THIS DAY.)

EXTENSIVE ROBBERY BY A SHOPMAN.
John Hooper, aged 22, and Jane Prescott, aged 25,
were indicted, the former for stealing a quantity of
silk, sundry silk handkerchiefs, and other articles, of the
value of 151., the property of Mr. Edward Lloyd, his
master ; also for stealing a number of silk handker-
chiefs, value 51., the property of Mr. Francis William
Lark, his master ; and the latter with feloniously re-
ceiving the same, well knowing them to have been
stolen.

The male prisoner pleaded guilty.
Mr. Sleigh appeared for the prisoners.

The case has already appeared in the police accounts
reported in the Sun newspaper, but we may as well
state that the female prisoner is blood sister to the male
prisoner; who lodged in the same apartments with her
and her husband. The prosecutor, having missed a
great quantity of goods, watched the male prisoner, and
seeing him leave his shop with his pockets rather bulky,
went, in the company of a police constable, to his apart-
ments, and there, in the female's boxes, a large quantity
of silk and other articles, belonging to the prosecutor,
were found. Upon searching the male prisoner, the
things named in the indictment were found upon him.
When Prescott was searched at the station-house, nine
duplicates were found, and she told the female searcher
to destroy the duplicates, for she had pledged the things
for her brother, who had robbed his master.
Police-constable Evans stated that, while he was
searching the female's rooms, she went and washed her
hands in a basin. After he had locked up the premises
he went back and searched the basin, and found
therein a duplicate, relating to some silk which had been
stolen.

The Assistant Judge having summed up, the jury
found the prisoner guilty, and the learned Judge sen-
tenced the male prisoner to 12 calendar months' hard
labour in the House of Correction upon the first indict-
ment, and to six calendar months upon the second in-
dictment. The female prisoner was sentenced to nine
calendar months' hard labour upon the first indictment,
and to be further kept in custody for one day upon the
second. '

SECOND COURT.
(Before Mr. Witham.)
Edith Stevens, aged 17, was indicted for stealing six
mantles, a book, a gown, and other articles of the value
of 81., the property of Mrs. George Haydon, in her
dwelling-house.

It appeared from the evidence of the prosecutrix, who
resided in Skinner-street, Cierkenwell, that on the night
of the 3d of November, she took the prisoner into her
apartments, and gave her a night's lodging. • The next
morning she left the prisoner in her room while she went
to Smithfield, and upon her return the prisoner was gone
away taking with her the whole of the property named
in the indictment. When she was taken into custody
she had on a silk gown belonging to the prosecutrix,
and which was new when she had taken it away.
The learned Judge having summed up, the jury found
her guilty of simple larceny, and she was sentenced to
four calendar months' hard labour in the House of Cor-
rection.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT-(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.
(Before the Recorder.)
Lionel George Thompson, a young man of gentlemanly
appearance, described in the calendar as a ship 'broker,
pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with
obtaining money under false pretences.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Parry prosecuted, and Mr. Ser-
geant Wilkins defended.

This is one of the cases of defrauding emigrants of
their passage-money, which have lately been so much on
the increase. From the statement of the learned coun-
sel, it appeared that the prisoner had constituted himself
an agent for the Black Ball line of emigrant vessels sail-
ing from Liverpool to Australia, under the title of
"Thompson Brothers," having•an office in Beech-court,
Lime-street. In this capacity he had had considerable
dealings with Messrs. Barnes and Co., the Liverpool
agents of the Black Ball line, and had transmitted to
them large sums of money received by him as passage-
money, from the emigrants who had engaged berths
from him in London, in their vessels.

About the month of August last, however, several in-
stances occurred of persons presenting themselves to the
agents at Liverpool, having engaged berths from the pri-
soner, and in possession of his certificates of payment,
but on whose account no remittance had been made by
the prisoner, who, it was afterwards discovered, had
used their payments for his own purposes. Of course,
under these circumstances, the passages were refused,
and the unfortunate emigrants found themselves de-
ceived in their expectations. Proceedings against the
prisoner were commenced by some of them, when at-
tempts were made to buy them off by refunding the
money, but they became so numerous that. the prisoner
was obliged to abscond. Diligent inquiry being made
after him, he was at length apprehended, and after se-
veral examinations he was committed for trial.

The case was proceeding when we went to press, and
would probably continue during the greater part of the
day.

NEW COURT.
(Before the Common Sergeant.)

The Court was occupied the whole of the day in try-'
ing Mint cases, none of which presented any feature of
interest.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET-( THIS DAY.)

ASSAULTING THE POLICE.—Robert Johnson, a solici-
tor's clerk, was placed at the bar before Mr. Hardwick,
charged with assaulting police-constables 4 A and 85 A
while in the execution of their duty.
Gatt, 4A, stated that on the previous night he was
on duty at the entrance of the Argyll-rooms, when the
defendant, who was very drunk, was ejected from the
rooms. Witness requested him to leave quietly, which
he refused to do, and said he was a lawyer, and would
leave when he liked. Defendant then so grossly mis-
conducted himself that witness was obliged to get the
assistance of Hand, 85 A, to remove him to the station.
On the way to the latter place the defendant was exceed-
ingly violent, and struck them in the face several times.
The prisoner, who said he was so drunk that he did
not know what he was about, was fuled. 405., or 14 days
in the House of Correction.

FEMALE PICKPOCKETS.—Catherine Larorney alias
Broderick and Lucy Walker alias Spencer, two well-
dressed women, were brought up for final examination,
charged with stealing a purse containing gold and silver
money, the property of Mrs. Radford, 9, Foxley-terrace,
Pembroke-square.

The charge having been proved, Sergeant Glass, 3C,
produced former convictions against the prisoners, who
were sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

AUSTRALIA.—The departures from the port of London
for the Australian colonies during the past week con-
sisted of three vessels to Sydney, of an aggregate burden
of 1,344 tons ; three to Victoria, of 945 tons ; and one
to Adelaide, of 341 tons. Exporters continue unusually
active, and freights have risen to 51. or Si. 10s., chiefly
in consequence of the uncertainty of ships being able ;to
return. On the whole, the extent of business going on
is without parallel in the trade during the winter
season.

ADELAIDE STEAMER.—The accounts received from
Plymouth regarding the Adelaide Australian steamer
state that she was ready for sea yesterday, and that the
rudder, after its alteration, works perfectly. She was
to start at 9 o'clock this morning, and if everything
were found right would proceed to sea at once.
THE STEAMER AIISTRALIAN.—The continued absence of
this steamer has caused insurances to be effected upon her
at high premiums. On Saturday as much as 10 per cent.
was paid, and yesterday 15 per cent. would probably have
been demanded. These rates, however, furnish no
indi-
cations of a corresponding degree of apprehension
re-
garding the vessel, but are simply owing to the indispo-
tion of the underwriters to extend, except under
extraordinary inducements, their present heavy liabilities.
STEAM TO AUSTRALIA.---The Harbinger, next month,
the antipodes, to be followed
will commence the General Screw
heavy tonnage and good power. by
Company's line to
REMITTANCES OF GOLD TO other vessels of
Those already named
are the Crcesus, Jason, and Golden Fleece.
of gold to Russia still continue,estimated that
the amount already dispatched,' andand thei quantity that
will be sent this week, RUSSIA.—The Tsheremittances
cannot altogether be less than
400,000/. At the same time the the letters from St. Pe-
tersburgh quote a further rise in the rate of exchange on
London, which is now 39 5-16 to 7-16,
so that at present
there is no indication of the supplies having been suffi-
cient. This state of affairs has chiefly been occasioned
by the very large purchases of wheat made at Odessa,
where the transactions have recently been to the extent
of nearly 100,000 quarters per week.
MORE GOLD.—The Phoenician has arrived from Syd-
neyg with 48,959 ounces of gold, worth 195,0001. Her
dates are not so late as those brought by the Marco
Polo. She sailed from Sydney one day after the depar-
ture of the mail steamer Australian, the non-arrival of
which vessel has givenoccasion to a good deal of anxiety,
as it is considered she ought to be home before now.
EXTRAORDINARY. FACT.—There is a farm-house at-
tached to one of the largest farms in the parish of
Dihewyd, Cardiganshire, called " Pontmarchog,” from
which no funeral has passed these 160 years, although
it has been occupied without intermission by different
parties for many years in succession.