The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-24 00:00:00

BIRTHS 1N THE WEEK.

Frit e.

Price.

220
14%

Males ...
Females ...

... 709
... 689

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

gistrates.)

2104,

Price

Price,

13214

The Inspector of the N division now stated, that his
inquiries had resulted in his ascertaining that the wit-
ness Lane had not visited his niece in Wellington-place
for the last 10 months, and that the prisoner, who had
been admitted to bail, was afterwards seen in the com-
pany of the witness Lane, both of them making an exa •
urination of the locality of Victoria-grove. In the course
of this examination they were observed to measure a
portion of the road. lie had also discovered that Lane
had been present at the police court during the inquiry
before the magistrate, and, furthermore, that a very in-
timate acquaintance of the man Lane was a brother-in-
law of the prisoner, and had, in fact, come forward as
one of his bail.

The Learned JUDGE said the result of the inquiry
was very much like what he had anticipated that it
would be. The witness it was now proved had commit-
ted gross and wilful perjury in this case. Now, looking
at this fact—that the defendant at the time he had
committed this assault was one of the police force,
and, moreover, that he was also on duty, and that
he had called a perjured witness to speak in his
behalf, with the full knowledge that what that witness
was about to swear was altogether false, it was impos-
sible, under such a state of circumstances, but that the
Court should visit the defendant with a punishment of
some severity. The sentence upon him therefore was
that he be imprisoned for the period of three months in
the House of Correction, and that before his liberation
he find security for his future good behaviour.
William Langley, a well-known member of the "swell
mob," was indicted for having robbed a lady of the name
of Webber, of a purse containing three sovereigns, a
appeared
walking
in the neighbourhood of St. John's-
half-sovereign, and three half-crowns.
I were
that
the prosecutrix and a female friend
wood on the evening of the 28th of April, and upon
arriving at a lighter part of the road than they
had just been traversing, the former observed some-
thing glisten by her side. She looked round with
quickness, when she saw her purse, which was
worked with steel beads, in the hand of a person whom
she fully believed was the prisoner at the bar. As soon
as she turned round the man ran off, leaving the purse
behind him; but he was pursued by her friend, and even-
tually the prisoner was overtaken and secured by a young
man who joined in the pursuit.
The identity of the prisoner was proved, and
The jury thereupon returned a verdict of Guilty.
The Learned JUDGE, in passing sentence, stated that
the prisoner was a well known incorrigible thief, and
was one of those whose practice it had been to lurk about
dark corners and avenues on the watch for ladies. Ho
was very much too perfect, and too much accomplished
in his avocation to be allowed to remain in this country,
and therefore the sentence upon him was transportation
for ten years.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MARLBOROUGH-S7'REE T.
William Anstead, a person wearing mustachios, was
brought before Mr. Bingham for final examination,
charged with having altered a cheque for 3/. 133. into 63/.
13a., and received the money from the London and West-
minster Bank.

Mr. Vokins, coal-merchant, Wilton-road, Pimlico,
two tons of coal
said he knew the prisoner, who had an account of 81. 13s.
due against him for coals, supplied three years previ-
ously. In November last thes
prisoner called and ordered
creased the debt to 11/. 7s. In payment of the whole
amount the prisoner tendered a cheque for 18/. on
, which came to 2/. 145., and thus in-
Messrs. Cox and Greenwood, Charing-cross! signed "J.
N. Stevenson," and requested witness to give him the
difference. Witness had not sufficient change at hand,
and he gave the prisoner a cheque on the London and
Westminster Bank for 31. 13i., with 31. in money. This
same cheque was some time afterwards shown to wit-
ness, end then it was discovered that the cheque in body
and figures had been altered from 3/. 13s. to 631. 13s.
The alterations were made without the knowledge or
consent of witness. Witness presented the cheque for
181 to Messrs. Cox and Greenwood, but payment was
refused.

ster Bank,
Frederick Bower, clerk in the London and Westmin-
banked with the company. On the 22d November wit-
St. James's-square, stated that Mr. Vokins
ness paid a cheque to a women for 63/. 135., which pur-
ported to be drawn by Mr. Vokins for that amount.
Witness paid the money in four 101. notes, four 51. notes,
Witness had no recollection of
and the rest in cash. Witness took an account of the
number of thenotes.
the person of the woman who presented the cheque.
James Hooper, cleric to Messrs. Cox and Co., proved
that no person of the name of J. H. Stevenson kept an
acount with the firm in November last. I

Total ... ... ... . ...1,398
*ln this number are included 1 case of death by
Cholera, 35 by Scarlatina, and 42 by Typhus Fever.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEBA'S BENCH, May 22.
(Sittings in Banco, before Lord Chief Justice DErimor,
and Justices P - ATTESON, COLERIDGE, and ERLE.)
THE QUEEN (EX PARTE COBBETT) V. THE KEEPER OF
___

THE QUEEN'S PRISON.
A writ of habeas corpus had issued directing the
keeper of the Queen's Prison to bring up the body
of William Cobbett,
a prisoner there. The prisoner
was accordingly brought up this day, and the cause
of his imprisonment returned to this court. Upon
which—

Mr. Cobbett moved the Court that he might be dis-
charged from custody, on the ground that he had been
improperly removed to the class number one from the
side of the prison where he had formerly been con-
fined. Be contended that he was now illegally con-
fined, inasmuch as the different classes formed so many
different prisons, though disguised under the name of
classes ; and his removal by the keeper from one
class to another was a removal from one prison to
another, and, having been made without warrant, was
illegal, and entitled him to be discharged from custody
altogether.

Tile COURT decided that if the prisoner was pro-
perly in the custody of the keeper of the prison, the
mere fact that he had been confined in a particular
class, though improperly, would not entitle him to be
discharged from custody. It appeared to the Court,
however, that the applicant was properly confined in
the first class, as directed by an Act passed in the last
year, by which it was provided that the first class should
consist, among others, of those who refused to file their
schedule when ordered by fhe Insolvent Debtors' Court.
The applicant was cne of that class of persons, and
there was, therefore, no ground for granting the present
application.
The prisoner was thereupon remanded.

(Before Mr. Sergeant ADAMS and a Bench of Ma

These sessions commenced on Tuesday morning a,
flicks's
liall, Clerkenwell-green, before the usual au-
thorities.
The calendar contains a list of 68 cases for trial, of
which 57 are indictments for felony.
The Learned JUDGE, in addressing the grand jury,
said that the calendar for these sessions showed one of
those remarkable features in the history of crime which
had hitherto puzzled all the ingenuity of those who had
made the attempt to discover and to trace out its cause—
a characteristic which appeared and disappeared in a
manner as regular as it was unaccountable. They were
now in the summer months, and the number of male and
female prisoners was nearly equal; whereas in the
winter months the proportion of the female to the male
prisoners was usually about 8 or 10 to 50. Well, that
was the customary proportion in and about the month of
January, but as the warmer months approached that
proportion gradually increased in each succeeding ses-
sions, until about August, when the maximum had been
attained; but from that time the number commenced its
diminution, and so the proportion proceeded until Christ-
mas had arrived, and then the minimum of the troportion
as between the male and female prisoners for trial ap-
peared. This was a singular progression in the history
of crime. But so it was.

U'. Jennings,: one of the police force, having at the
last sessions been convicted of the commission of an in-
decent assault upon a little girl of the name of Win•
grove, was this morning brought up for judgment, which
had been postponed at the time of the trial, to afford an
opportunity for an inquiry to be made by the pclice as '
to the nature of the connexion which might have
existed, if such connexion had existed, between
the prisoner and a man of the name of James
Lane, who had appeared as a witness on his behalf. That
witness on the trial had sworn that he was a total
stranger to the prisoner. From the evidence it seemed
that this man had been close to the spot on which the
child had sworn that the offence had been committed,
and the witness accounted for his having been there by
stating that he was on his return from paying a visit to
his niece, who was residing in Wellington-place, Vic-
toria-grove, and that he had just asked the prisoner the
way to his own place of abode. He therefore said that
that was the way by which the prisoner must have dis-
covered where he lived.