The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-10 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

_ .
The February general Quarter Sessions for the county of
Middlesex commenced this morning, before the Assistant-
Judge and a full bench of magistrates, when the number of
prisoners for trial was 90, of whom 83 were charged with
felony.
The Learned ASSISTANT-JUDGE charged the grand] ury in
the usual form, and, in allusion to juvenile criminals, said it
was with exceeding regret he perceived that out of the 90
criminals whose names appeared on the calendar, no less than
33 were children, in the true sense of the word—their ages
varying from seven to fifteen years.
John Williams was indicted for stealing two blankets and
a counterpane, value 10s., the property of Thomas Page,
Esq., of Hyde Park-gardens.
it appeared from the evidence of two constables of the D
division of police, that on the night of the 2d inst., about
ten o'clock, the prisoner was seen coming out of Mr. Page's
stables carrying a large bundle, and upon being challenged
by one of them as to what it contained, he immediately
threw it down, and succeeded for the time in effecting his
escape, but was eventually taken into custody at a low
lodging-house in St. Giles's. Upon examining the bundle
it was found to contain the articles charged in the indictment,
which the prisoner, with a daring and adroitness showing
him to be an experienced hand, managed to take from some
of the rooms up stairs, which were unoccupied, Mr. Page's
family being out of town at the time.
The prisoner, who cross-examined the witnesses for the
prosecution with a lawyer-like tact, was found Guilty, and
sentenced to six months' imprisonment with bard labour.
Matthew Murphy was indicted for stealing a watch, the
property of Jean Rodrigues, who gave his evidence through
the medium of a Portuguese interpreter, and stated that he
was at a public-house in Wapping, called the Jolly Sailors,
when the prisoner came next to him, and managed to abstract
his watch from his waistcoat pocket.
To the evident surprise of the prisoner himself, he was
Acquitted.
Mary Anne Nicholson was indicted for stealing a purse,
containing 9s. 6c1., the property of Thomas Carpenter.
The robbery was one of the ordinary street robberies by
females, and a verdict of Guilty was returned.
The Learned ASSISTANT-JUDGE, in passing sentence, re-
marked upon the great increase latterly of this species of
robbery, and sentenced the prisoner to six months' imprison-
ment.

SURREY SESSIONS.
BURGLARY.—WiIIiam Adams and Henry Parker were in-
dicted for breaking into the dwelling-house of James August,
at Beddington, near Croydon, and stealing therefrom a waist-
coat, some cheese, and other property.
It appeared from the evidence of the different witnesses
that on Sunday night, the 31st ultimo, the house of the pro-
secutor was entered, and the property stolen therefrom. On
the following morning the prisoner Parker sold the waistcoat to
a man named Wright, a beer-shop keeper at Croydon, who
afterwards pledged it. The prisoners on being apprehended
denied all knowledge of the robbery, but Adams afterwards
said that both of them went on the Sunday night to Au-
gust's house, being familiarly acquainted with him, but not
finding him at home, he (Adams) broke a square of glass in
the back kitchen, and took away the property, not for the
sake of stealing, but for a lark. Adams further added, that
he gave the waistcoat to Parker for the purpose of
selling it.
It appeared-in evidence that both prisoners held respectable
and responsible situations at Croydon, and were on familiar
terms with August, who had on the same Sunday night
been drinking together at a public-house at Beddington,
where they separated at nine o'clock. August said that on
his arrival home he heard a noise of some persons leaving the
house, therefore it was alleged that it could not be the pri-
soners, but some other persons, as they were known to be at
Croydon at the time.
In defence, Adams said that he received the waistcoat from
a man at 'W right's beer-shop on Monday morning, and asked
Parker, who was with him, to dispose .of it. He denied that
they were at August's house on Sunday night. He made
that statement not knowing what he said.
Both prisoners received excellent characters for honesty
and general good conduct.
The CHAIRMAN briefly summed up, and the jury returned
a 'verdict of Acquittal for both prisoners.
William Pollard, a farm labourer, aged 33, was indicted
for feloniously stealing at Cranley one live sheep, the pro-
perty of Thomas
Thomas Killick, the son of the prosecutor, said that about
seven o'clock in the evening of the Ist inst.' he counted the
sheep belonging to his father, and found the number (70) all
safe in the fold. On the following morning, about eight
o'clock, he again counted them, and missed one. He then
looked about the fold, and in a ditch, at the lower part,
found the skin, entrails, and head of the missing sheep.
There were footsteps of hobnailed boots, and near the skin
the marks of corded trousers. The whole of the sheep were
marked with pitch, and the skin corresponded with the others.
William Henry Biddleton, superintendent of the Godal-
ming police, said that on the morning of the 4th instant, he
went to the prisoner's house, at Cranley, near Mr. Killick's
farm, and searched it. He there found an old frock, covered
with blood, a chopper with mutton fat on it, and a sack with
small pieces of fat sticking to it. Ho then went up stairs,
and on ascending perceived a curious screw on the top of
the eighth step. He procured a screw driver, and having
extracted the screw, discovered a secret cupboard, in which
a portion of a sheep had been deposited. His attention was
afterwards called to a well at the rear of the house, and on
looking into it perceived lumps of fat floating on the surface
of the water. He procured grapnels, and succeeded in pull-
ing out the carcase of an ewe sheep, excepting two ribs,
which had been cut out, and the head and skin. The carcase
corresponded with the skin in every particular. He then
took the prisoner into custody, and found the trousers he had
on, and his boots, to correspond with the marks near where
the skin was found.
Mr. Whitburn, a farmer, residing near the proseentor said
that he saw the prisoner, at 10 o'clock of the morning
of the
4th instant, carry a large bag to the well at the rear of his
house, from which he took several pieces of mutton, and
throw it into the well. He afterwards gave information to
last witness.
William Street, a labourer, said that on the night of the
Ist instant he saw the prisoner, in company with three
others, proceed towards High Hillocks (the prosecutor's
farm) with a sack under his arm.
The prisoner, who was undefended, said that he knew
nothing about the sheep, it must have been placed there by
other parties. lie declared that he was innocent.
The CHAIRMAN summed up at some length, and the jury,
Without the least hesitation, returned a verdict of Guilty.
The CHAIRMAN sentenced him to be transported for the
term of fifteen years.
Mr. Biddleton received a high compliment from the Bench.
for the activity he had displayed in furthering the ends of
justice,

NFORMATION UNDERf THE METROPOLITAN BUILD-
INGS Aar. case
of Referees importanc47 Carnet oen yes-
terdayt in a Court o
held under the Metropolitanreesi3ullz, wAectbeftrevae, h
breach of
the ptovisions of this Act. The Court was held at the office
of the district surveyor, Bermondsey-square, Mr. Simmonds,
the registrar, presiding. The information was promoted by
a Mr. Boulanger, a Frenchman, occupying premises in the
rear of Bermondsey New-road, and there carrying on the
business of a japanaer. A Mr. Sugden, a builder, having
thought fit to form a new street in the vicinity of his pre-
mises, had built several houses, leaving but ten feet space
between them and Mr. Boulanger's property, whereas the
Act requires that no alley shall be constructed less than
twenty feet wide, and no street less than fifty. Several wit-
nesses were examined, and these facts were sworn to in evi-
dence. The defence set up was; -that the land was private
property, although it was admitted that it had been a public
way for a great number of years. The official referees said
they knew of no private interests, and that the Metropolitan
Buildings Act was never intended to serve private purposes,
but the interests of the public at large. After a very pro-
tracted discussion the proceedings were brought to a close,
it bAng understood that the informant had folly made out,
his case, which will require the demoii,lui: of the, houses, or a
sufficient compensation to Mr. Boulanger. The official award,,
however, will be wade in a few days.