The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-06 00:00:00

THAMES.

Mary Ann Johnson, a little woman, aged 35, who
carried a fine child in her arms, was brought before
Mr. Yardley, on remand, charged with uttering base
coin. Mr. Powell attended on the part of the Mint
to prosecute.
The prisoner's career is a very remarkable one. She
has been known to the authorities of the Mint as a
smasher for twenty years, and has been convicted four
times. Iler first conviction, under the name of
French, took place at the Central Criminal Court in
1839 ; the second, when she assumed the name of
Allen, in 1836 ; the third, when she adopted the name
of Lane, in 1839 ; and the fourth, in the name of
Anson, in 1842. On the first and second convictions
she was sentenced on each occasion to a year's impri-
sonment and hard labour ; in 1839 to eighteen months'
imprisonment; and in 1842, when she was found
guilty of a felony, and the convictions for smashing
were produced in evidence, to two years' imprison-
ment, to the great surprise of the Mint solicitor, who
expected that such an expert and dangerous offender
would have been transported. The prisoner was for-
merly remarkable for her strength and agility, of
which she has given many and serious proofs. In
1836, while she was being tried, she amused herself in
the dock by pitching fragments of rue (usually placed
in front of the dock during the sessions) into the bar-
risters' wigs.
and She casttthe
i
so me very suspicious glances
at Mr.
Powell,
inkstand,
using
ds, whichanAdir•
heput
Cope,
the Governor of Newgate
was
it out of her way, and advised him to' look out, on
which the prisoner declared that Mr. Powell was a
gentleman, and she ;obtained justice from him, and
that the inkstand was intended for the head of another
person. After the Common Sergeant had passed sen-
tence upon her, she uttered the most dreadful threats,
and the Learned Judge directed the turnkey to re•
move her. " That's much sooner said than done,"
exclaimed the prisoner, as she felled one turnkey, six
feet in height, by a tremendous blow with her fist.
A. second and a third who attempted to secure her •

were knocked down in succession, and a fearful strug.
gle took place in the dock before she was overpowered.
In 1842 she was apprehended in Chiswell-street, and
she knocked down the police-constable who laid hold
of her, and then, with affected politeness, said, "My
dear Sir, you are not strong enough to take me ; pray
send for another officer." A second policeman made
his appearance, and he was soon laid alongside his
comrade. The prisoner looked at them coolly, and
said, " Good gentlemen, don't disturb yourselves,
for if you get up again, down you go." She kept
her word with them, and also knocked down five
other strong men in succession before she was se-
cured and carried on a stretcher to the station-
house. Some riband was then found upon her, and
she told the inspector that Mr. Powell wanted a good
case against her, and he would be enabled to match
the riband in High-street, Islington. This informa-
tion was sufficient, and the officer ascertained that she
purchased the riband in the street mentioned, and that
she had tendered in payment a counterfeit half-crown.
Since her last conviction she had made a professional
tour in the provinces, and has been frequently in cus-
tody for uttering base coin, but, owing to the diffi-
culty of proving two utterings within ten days, and
other causes, she has escaped. The officers of the
court expected a scene with her yesterday and Mon-
day, and preparations were made for a csntest, but
the prisoner was quiet. She said her child was at the
breast, and that the last two years in the " steel"
(House of Correction) had taken all her strength
away, and that two men might conquer her now.
In this case three utterings were proved against
the prisoner, which all took place in Stratford and
Bow, adjoining parishes, on Saturday. The first was
at a grocer's shop, where she purchased two ounces
of sugar-candy, and tendered a base half-crown,
which she succeeded in passing. From there she
went to the King of Prussia public-house, called
for a pint of porter and passed another counterfeit
half-crown. On leaving this house with the change
she was seen by a person, who knew her well, and
he gave such information to Andrews, a police-
constable, No. 60 K, as induced him to follow her
until he met with another constable, named Benton,
No. 381 K, who was in plain clothes, who was
directed to track her footsteps. He saw her enter the
Coach and Horses public-house, in Bow, and he'went
in at the same time. The prisoner called for a half-
pint of porter, and tendered in payment a sixpence.
After it was put into the till Benton desired Mrs.
Middleditch, the landlady, to look at the piece. She
did so, and found it was a bad one. The prisoner
was then given into custody, and she abused Mrs.
Middleditch in a most dreadful manner, and so terri-
fled her that she was ill for some time afterwards.
On the policeman searching the prisoner he found
upon her two genuine half-crowns, a sixpence, a
shilling, and the halfpence she received from Mrs.
Middleditch.

The prisoner defended herself with great energy,
and said, that although she deserved all she got
before, and had spent five and a half years of her time
in prison, she was not fairly treated this time. There
were several half-crowns in the till at the first public-
house she visited, and it was impossible for the wit-
ness to swear that she gave the base half-crown
found in it. There were also plenty of sixpences in
the till at the Coach and Horses, and the one she
gave could not be identified. After cross-examining
the police-constables, she directed the magistrate to
order them to withdraw while she put a question to
the grocer's shopman who gave evidence against her.
Her wish was complied with, and she then asked him
if the police-constable who introduced him into the
cell at the back of the court did not point her out, and
say, " That's the woman ?"

The shopman admitted the policeman had done so,
but he should" have identified her if the officer had
not pointed her out.
The prisoner—No, you would not. There were
three other women in the cell, and you were looking
from one to the other.

The shopman—l was looking for your child, which
you had with you when you came to our shop. You.
very artfully gave it to another prisoner when the
gaoler was unlocking the door. I knew you when
the policeman said, " That's the woman." I should
have known you without. There is the child.
Mr. YARDLEY said the conduct of the police-con•
stable was highly improper. The woman ought not
to have been pointed out, and the constable ought not
to have spoken a word. lle desired that such a thing
might not happen again. It was most unjust, most
unfair to the prisoner to point her out to the witness,
and he would take care the judge should be made
acquainted with the misconduct of the officer by in-
serting the fact in the depositions.
Mr. Powell also disapproved of the conduct of the
police-constable, who had acted contrary to instruc-
tions repeatedly given to the police force in similar
cases.

The priscser was then committed for trial for the
felony.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
LIVERPOOL, Ocrosint 5.
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The share market has been better
to-day, but only a small amount of business has been trans-
acted. The sales are-Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire,
31/. Shares, 5% dis.-East Lancashire, New, Quarters, 11,E
dis.-Lancashire and Yorkshire, Fifths (late West Riding
Union), 2% dis.-London and North-Western, 152-Ditto,
40/. Shares (late L. and M.), 20 p.-Ditto, New, Quarters,
714 p.-Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, Eighths, 334
dis.-Ditto, 101., Preference, par-Midland Stock, 1104-
Ditto, New, Halves, p.-Ditto (Birmingham and Glou-
cester), 120 -North British, New, Thirds, 114 p.-North
Staffordshire, % p.-South-Eastern and Dover, Thirds, No. 4,
dis.-York, Newcastle, and Berwick (G. N. E.), 1% p.
-Ditto, New, IU, p.
MANCHESTER, Ocroßai, 5.
STOCK EXCIIANGIC.-The sales are-Ambergate, Notting-
ham, Boston, and Eastern Junction, 1% c. dis.-Birken-
head, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction, 51% dis.-Lan.
cashire and Yorkshire, 321. (late Extension), 54 c. dia.-
Ditto (West Riding Union). 2% dis.-Leeds and Thirsk,
Preferential, I.'s c. dis.-London and North-Western, Quar-
ters (C), p. -Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire,
Preference, par-North Staffordshire, par-Shrewsbury and
Birmingham, (A), 334 c. dis.-South-Eastern and bover,
No. 4, 214 c. dis.-York, Newcastle, and Berwick, Preference
(guar. 6 per cent. till 1850), 11,E p.
LEEDS, OCTOBER 5.
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-East Lancashire, New,
54 dis. -Ditto, Quarters, 1% dis.-East and West York-
shire, 64 dis.- Great Northern, 5% dis.-Laucashire and
Yorkshire (West Riding Union), 2% dis.-Leeds and Dews-
qury, 24 c. dis.-Ditto, Branches Scrip (blue), 15s. di&
-Leeds and Thirsk, 184 dis.-North British, Thirds, Is.
p.--Ditto, Quarters, 3s. 9d. dis.-York, Newcastle, and Ber-
wick, Preference (guar. 6 percent. till 1850), 11,E p.-Ditto,
No. 2,21 s. p.-North Staffordshire, 3s. 9d. p.
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, OCTOBER 5.
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Caledonian, New,
21/s dis.-Great Northern, 54 dis.-North British, Thirds,
ls. 3d. p.- York, Newcastle, and Berwick, New, No. 2,1 p.
SHEFFIELD, OCTOBER 5.
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-East Lincolnshire,
p.-Great Northern, 514 dis.-Lancashire and Yorkshire
(West Riding Union), 2% dis. -Midland, Sheffield, and Ro-
therham, 31.
EDINBURGH, OCTOBER 4.
STOCK EXCIIANGK.-The sales are-Aberdeen, 321.-
Airdrie and Bathgate, 3/. 10s.-Arbroath and Forfar, 261.-
Ditto, Halves. 131.-Ayr and Galloway, 2/. lOs -Caledo-
nian, 391.-Ditto New, IL-Caledonian and Dumbarton-
shire, 10s.-Clyclesdale Junction, 534 -Deeside, 31. Bs.-
Dunblane, Doune, and Callender, if. 65.-Dundee and Ars
291. 105.-Ditto, New,
N. 2,
,2, 391. -Ditto. New,
71..-5sD.-rooitto No. 1,
New, No.
3,3/. 75.-Dundee and
Northern Junction, li. 10s.-Dundee and Perth,.334 53.-
Ditto, New, Reg., 171.-Ditto, Quarters, 2/. 15&-Eastern
Counties, 171. ex div.-Ditto, York Extension, 84, 103.-
East of Fife, 4/. 55.-East othian Central, 1/. Bs. 6d.-
Edinburgh and Bathgate, 64-Edinburgh and Glasgow,
521. ex div.-Ditto, Halves, 15/. 15s. ex div.-Ditto, Quar-
ters, 13/. ss. ex div.-Edinburgh, Leith, and Granton, 171.
-Ditto, Preference, 204 -Ditto, New, No. I, 31. 195.-Ditto,
New, No. '2, 24-Ditto, Quarters, Reg., ss. 9d.-Ditto,
ditto (scrip), 75.-Edinburgh and Northern, 171. 105.-Ditto,
New, Reg., 11. 128.-Ditto, ditto (scrip), 21. 128.-Ditto,
Newport, 71. 55.-Ditto, ditto, New, Reg., 15s. 3c1.-Edin-
burgh and Perth, 14 2s. -Ditto, Halves, ss. ed.-Glasgow
and Ayrshire, 1051.-Ditto (5 per cent. guar.), 1191.-Ditto,
New Stock, 411. 10s.-Ditto, Halves, No. 1, 71.-Ditto,
Halves, No. 2, 81.-Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, 84-
Glasgow and Garnkirk, 381. 158.-Glasgow General Termi-
nus, 114-Glasgow and Greenock, 17/. 2s. 6d.-Ditte, Halves,
81. 175.-Ditto, Preference, 8/. 2s. 6d.-Glasgow, Kilmar-
nock, and Ardrossan, 3/. 12s. 6d.-Great North of Scot-
land, 17s. 6d.-Morayshire, IL 7s. 6d.-North British, 25/.
10s.-Ditto, Halves, 13/. 246(1.-Ditto, Quarters, 4/. 12s. 6d.
-Ditto, Quarters New (scrip), 9s. 6d.-Ditto, Thirds, Reg.,
11.-Ditto, ditto (scrip), IL 2s. 9d.-Ditto, Fifths, 51. ss,
--Scottish Central, 25/. 15s.- Scottish Grand Junction, 105.
6d.-Scottish Midland, 171. Bs.-Stirling and Dunfermline,
44-Stirling and Midland, 71.-Wishaw and Coltnesa,
451.-York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 137/.15x.-Ditto (Ong.
New. and Ber.), 31/. 2s. 6d. ex div.-Direct Bombay and
Madras, Is. 9d.-East Indian, 1/. Os. 3d.-Great North
of India, 2s. 6d.-Great Southern of Madras, Is.-Madras,
Nellore, and Arcot, 15. 6d.
GLASGOW, Ocronza 4.
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Caledonian, New,
195.-Dundee and Perth, New, 1614-Ditto, Quarters, 465.
-Edinburgh and Glasgow, 513/4 ex div.-Edinburgh and
Northern (Newport) 74-Edinburgh and Perth, Halves,
ss. 6d.14-Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, 1004 ex div. ex
new-Ditto, 404 Shares, 391,4 ex div. ex new-Ditto, Halves,
No. 1, 61. ex int.-Ditto, ditto, No. 2,8% ex int.-Great
Northern, 575. 6d. ex int.-Great Southern of Madras, fid.-
Manchester and Southampton, 7s. 9d.-Monkland and Kir-
kintillock, 204-North British, Thirds, 205.-Ditto, New
Quarters (scrip), 10s.