The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-29 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

NEW COURT.
Peter Griffiths was indicted for stealing a dingy sheet
and blankets from a nocturnal hotel in th back slums of
St. Giles's, the property of Thomas Grant.
John Thomas, a Patlander, and valet de &mare at the
hotel in question, stated that the proprietor lives at Camden
Town, and witness sits up nightly to admit lodgers, as they
have apartments for " single men." The prisoner went up
stairs to one of the ladies' apartments, and when he came
down again, witness thought he was big to what he was
when he went up, so he called a policeman, when he was
delivered of the sheet and blanket from his belly under his
shirt.
Mr. PAYNE, seeing he had a droll fellow to deal with,
cross-examined him at length, and kept him in a roar of
laughter. The witness said he did not admit single wo-
men, if he knew it They always came with men, so they
could not be single. Ths rooms of the house were al-
ways dark when no light was in themt—(Laughter.)
The prisoner's defence was that the women who enticed
him into the house, afrer " bilking" him of 2s. 6d., went
away, so he took the things out of spite.
The Jury returned a verdict of—" Guilty."
One witness said the only guilt of the prisoner was his
attachment to the ladies.
S. Martin was charged with stealing nine ounces of tea,
value Bd., the property of the St. Catharine Dock Com-
pany, to whom he was a servant.
Several highly respectable witnesses gave the prisoner a
most excellent character. _

A gentleman from the docks said the Company merely
prosecuted for example.
The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty, but recommended
mercy.
W. Wilford was convicted of stealing a pair of trousers,
and, being an old offender, he was sentenced to nine months
imprisonment in the House of Correction and hard labour,
partly in solitary confinement.
07. Avis, G. Moore, and J. Hunter, were convicted of
a robbery on Mr. Rutter at the late Charlton Fair, under
circamstances of great aggravation.
Moore and Hunter, being known as expert marauders,
were sentenced to seven years' transportation beyond the
seas. Avis, being supposed a dupe to the others, and not
a hardened thief, was ordered to be kept to hard labour fur
12 months in the House of Correction.
Jane Shore, a miserable-looking being, who brought to
memory her once degraded namesake and prototype, was
convicted of stealing a bit of bacon, value Bd., the property
of William Wynne.
The poor woman, whose appearance confirmed her state-
ment, declared that hunger was the inciting cause of theft.
A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE.---ElearlOr Gibson was in-
dicted for stealing a coat, waistcoat, a pair of breeches, a
Si. note, three sovereigns, and other monies and articles, the
property of Joseph Parker.
The prosecutor on the evening he met the prisoner came
up from Hertford in his gig. Although late he was
obliged to go upon some urgent business, and he was com-
pletely drenched with rain. He met the prisoner near the
Magdalen, who took pity on him, and proffered to find him
a snug room. He went with her to No. 55, Friar-street,
in Blackfriars-road, where he went to bed, and did not wake
until five the next morning, when he found an empty house,
money, notes, watch, and apparel, even his unmentionables,
were gone. In this miserable plight he got assistance as
soon as he could.
The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty.
The prisoner said a gentleman of Dorking gave her the
money.
The COURT told her, unless she produced him, she would
be transported.
The prosecutor was told that the Court never allowed
the expenses to " men of pleasure" like him.—(Laughter.)
He was well off to have recovered some of his property.