The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-14 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS•

(Before Mr. Sergeant ADAMS, Assistant-Judge, and a

Bench of Magistrates.)
The adjourned sessions for the county of Middlesex
lyre held yesterday at the Guilam% Westminsr.
The calendar contained a list of four feloni'a only, but
there were four defendants w'ao were indicted for a mis-
demeanour, whose names not appear in th© calendar.
The latter case had 'peen specially appointed for this
morning; but, as wit', be seen, it was again postponed.
The Learned' JrIDGE, in his charge to the grand jury,
said, he had the opportunity of congratulating them
that, upon the -present occasion, they really would have
GA many es seven or eight cases to try. They would,
in fact, hiave something to do, which was somewhat
miraculous. There were seventy-two of the jury, all of
whom had been brought to that court hitherto to do
nothing. Upon the last occasion the whole seventy-two
bad been in attendance, and on their arrival it had been
found that there was but one prisoner for trial, and
upon the bill of indictment being taken before the
grand jury, that body had thrown it out. There had,
therefore, not been any case for trial; so that the
county had been put to the expense, and the
jury and officers of the court had been put to
she trouble of coming there unnecersarily; whilst
had the party been sent for trial to Clerkenwell,
there would have been comparatively neither expense
nor iaconvenience. However, here they now were with
these seven persons to try, and their trials would cost the
county about 15/ each, whereas if they had been taken
to Clerkenwell, the expense to the county would not
hare been more than about as many shillings each. For
what reason or for what good purpose these sittings
were continued, it was impossible to conceive. The jury
were brought there, the Bench were brought there, the
officers of the Court were taken from the performance of
other, and, in fact, their regular duties. The duties of
those officers were in another place. In that other
klace, too, the record, and all the county papers were
ept ; so that if a magistrate at those,: sittings
required to see any of the papers, or wanted any infor-
mation, he was ur.able to obtain it, beeause everything
was at Clerkenwell. He sincerely hoped that ere long
the sittings in that place would be allowed to die away.
The maintenance of that Court was a heavy expense to
the county, and the salaries alone attached to the house
were not less than 5001. per annum. As he had told
them already, there were but seven prisoners for trial,
and-he need scarcely advise that they should dispose of
them as quickly as the nature of the cases would permit,
and then they would the more speedily be able to return
to their business.

In the gambling case,
Mr. CLARKSON applied for its further postponement
on the ground of the detention of Mr. Serjeant Shee at
Hertford, that Learned Counsel having been specially
retained for some of the detendants.

Mr. J3ALLANTINE, who appeared for the prosecution,
objected to any postponement of a case which had al-
ready been put off from time to time.
Mr. CLARKSON said, as a proof that the defendants in-
tended to take their trial, he was prepared to offer to pay
any sum to meet the expenses consequent on the delay,
and to appear on any day that the Court might think
proper to appoint for the case to come on.
A long discussion then ensued, which terminated in
the case being postponed to a future day.
The cases disposed of were of an unimportant cha-
racter.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
Yesterday, a young man, named Robson Harrison, was
brought before Alderman Farebrother, charged with
haring obtained under false pretences a quantity of
sherry wine, of the value of 871. Ils. 9d. from Jonathan
Cooper, of Stephen's-road, Highbury, Clerk to Messrs.
Corrie, colonial brokers in the city. The prisoner was a
person of fashionable appearance.
Mr. Cooper stated that he carried on the wine busi-
ness on his own account ; and that, on the 31st of April,
the prisoner was introduced to him as a gentleman who
wished to deal with him for wine. The place of intro-
duction was the corner of Mark-lane, when the prisoner
pointed at a person, whom he called Mr. Ckmentson, as
the acceptor of a bill of exchange which he had, and a
respectable man, capable of paying the amount immedi-
ately. Witness consented upon the representation to
take the bill, and to hand over the wine warrants for
some sherries lying in dock to the amount bargained for.
The bill was drawn by the prisoner, and purprted to be
accepted by Mr. Clemc-ntson, and made payable at Bar-
clay's banking-horse, but it was found that the acceptor
had no money at that establishment, and that the whole
business was a swindling affair.
Alderman FAREBROTITER—Did you make no in-
quiries before you parted with your wine warrants?
Witness—No z I made inquiries the day after I parted
with them.—(Laughter.) He told me the acceptor was
a highly reweiectable man, and I thought so too.
Aldermen FAREBROTHER—And you took his word ?
Witness--I did. Next day I made inquiry, and found
that it w as all wrong. I found that there had been some
days a distress in the house, and that a man had been
actually in possession for fifteen days.
Alderman FAREUROTHER—And you took the bill
upon the statement of the prisoner, who was unknown
to you, that the acceptor was a respectable man?
Witness—l did.
Mr. Goodman (the chief-clerk at the Mansion House)
—And how can you expect that the law will protect
a Ulan who does not exercise the necessary caution ?
Witness—l had no suspicion until the next day.
Here the solicitor for the prosecution stated that his
client was extremely inexperienced in matters in which
bills were concerned.
Alderman FARERROTITER—Was Mr. Clementson pre-
sent when the prisoner spoke of him as the acceptor.
Witness—He was.
Alderman FAREROTHER—Did he say anything?
Witness—Nothing at all. He was present when the
prisoner was introduced to him as a buyer of port and
sherry wines.
Alderman FARETIROTTIER—Perhaps the bill will be
paid.—( A 1 kugh.) Witness—lt has been presented and
dishonoured, the acceptor having no account at Bar-
clay's.
In answer to questions put by the solicitor to the pri-
soner, the witness stated that the transaction spoken of
was the only transaction which had taken place between
him and the prisoner. It was on the 22d or 23d of April
‘he took the bill from the prisoner.
The prisoner—l am the drawer of the bill, and it is e
bona Me transaction.
The Solicitor to the prisoner—l assure you, sir, there
is nothing like a fraud in this business.
Alderman FAREBROTHER—WeII, you had better take
ip the bill if that be the case.
The Attorney for the prisoner—Why, the complainant
and my client have been on terms of intimacy since the
transaction.
The prosecutor denied that he had any further ac-
quaintance than arose out of the transaction about the
warrant:, with the prisoner.
The prisoner—His wine, which wls passed upon me
for sherry, was nothing but aniseed and water, and not
worth 20/., although the price. was 841. It was totally
worthless.. I can bring forward a witness to prove that
it was bad.
Alderman FARERROTTIER said, he can bring forward
twenty q itnesses to prove that your bill was bad.
The policeman, in whose custody the prisoner was
brought up, said he had no doubt of being able, in a day
or two, to complete the evidence.
The prisoner repeated that the transaction was a re-
gular one.

Alderman FART:I:MOTHER—It appears to me to bear
strong marks of a conspiracy to defraud this young man,
who is evidently without experience in bill. 'transactions.
The prisoner—l have made an offer 'o settle it.
Alderman FAREBROTHER—I 'crw of no way of set-
tlement except that by payment, of the bill ; and I shall
hold the prisoner to bail to appeare here on Thursday,
himself in 2`,2/01., and two sureties in 1001. each.—Re-
mended till Thursday next.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
John Jones, valet and footman in the service of
General Grosvenor, of Lower Grosvenor-street, was put
tolebe bar before Mr. Maltby, charged with baying
ribbed his master of 951. in bank-notes, and a quantity
9f valuable jewellery.
Mrs. General Grosvenor said prisoner the had been in
the General's service as -valet and footmee; about two
months. Ile had been recommended by Lord, Chester-
field's house steward. On Saturday it was ascertained
that the prisoner was absent from his place, and that he
bad taken the hall-door key with him. A few hours
afterwards the police sent information that the prisoner
Ness in custody, with the stolen property on his person.
The 50/. bank-nete and some of the jewellery now pre-
daced witness tould identify as the General's property.
' The rise.ner's solicitor put some questions to Mrs.
General r;irosvener, and elicited that it was the duty of
the pri:ioner to have, occasionally, the keys of the two
desks out of which the property had been principally
stolen. The prisoner had an opportunity of seeing the
crhperty in question, in consequence of having been in-
trusted with the keys of the desks.
Police-sergeant Gray, C 10, said, in consequence of
information he received, he went to Grosvenor-street
on Saturday last, and found the prisoner in a cab quite
drunk. He took the prisoner to the station-house, and
On searching him 651. in notes were found in different
pookets, and a quantity oi jewellery, among which were
S ring and a seal ; there was a 501. b tnk-note amongst
the money.
Mrs. General Gr )syen ar identified the note, the ring,
.and the seal.
Police-sergeant Gray said, on making further inquiry,
be found a bunch of seals at the City of Hereford public-
house, and a miniature and other things at the Hercules
Pillars public-house, Greek street.
On cross-examination by the solicitor' Gray said the
prisoner was insensibly drunk when first taken into
custody. When sober, and told of the nature of the
charge, the prisoner said he could not tell what had in-
duced him to take the property from the house, except
to make himself " look big and flash."
The prisoner, in defence, said he did not intend to rob
his master. He had taken the property under the foolish
notion of making a show with it, and he had unluckily
got drunk before he could return home and replace it.
He had been taken into custody by two police-constables
in Bow-street, but had been released at the request of a
servant who knew him. He could not recollect any-
thing that happened until he found himself in custody at
the station-house. He was truly sorry for his conduct
• Ile attributed his folly to the eff..ct drink had had upon
'him ever since he had left the service of Sir George
. Clerk. lie had a good character, had never been sus-
woted of anything dishonest before, and he hoped the
'General would forgive him.
Frances Prior,
h .usemaid, said on Saturday morn-
-
;fig on going into the General's dressing-room, she found
p p s partly burnt. Witness also found
badOoffc-oirdearnd string up the chimney. This cord
bad been round then boxes which had been opened and
plundered.
A gentleman here said that a fragmnft of one cif the
burnt papers he mull 6'ear pr: c, ettcl which