The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-14 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(Before Mr. Sergeant Antis, Asiistant Judge, and

a Bench of Magistrates.)

H. J. TVorrall, who pleaded guilty at these sessions
on Wednesday, to an indictment charging him with
a cruel assault upon four of his children, was this
morning called up to receive judgment.
Mr. PRENDERGAST, who appeared for the prosecu-
tion, which was at the instance of the authorities of
the parish of St. Luke, said that this was a most pain-
ful and lamentable case, for these poor children had
been found in such a wretched state that had they not
been discovered and taken away death must have put
an end to their sufferings. The children had been
carried to the workhouse in the most filthy condition,
and at that time they were completely covered with
vermin, whilst the eldest child was covered with
bruises. Hej was quite free to admit that the defen-
dant was in extremely bad circumstances at the time,
and that the pressure of those circumstances might
to a certain extent, perhaps, haveioperated upon his
mind, and that in that state he might have been
guilty of these gross acts of cruelty. The defendant
he understood was living with the sister of his first
wife, and the children were under her care.
Mr. BALLANTINE—Yes, that was :in consequence
of the present state of the law as to marriage, and this
was one only of almost numberless similar instances
of its results.
The Learned JUDGE remarked, that as the law at
present stood, these parties could not legally marry.
Where was the elder girl, who appeared by the depo-
sitions to have been so much beaten ?
Mr. PRENDERGAST—The girl was in the work-
house, where she would be well provided for. In-
deed, all the children were under the charge and
care of the parish authorities, and such had been the
barbarous treatment the poor creatures had received
from their father, that they could not permit him to
have the care of them.
Mr. BALLANTINE said he had but few observations
to offer on behalf of the defendant, nor would he in
any way attempt to palliate or excuse his conduct
towards these children. In the first instance he must
be permitted to state that his instructions had been
that the defendant intended to plead guilty, and that
in truth he had no defence to make in answer to the
charge. He could not but lament most deeply what
had occurred, but at the same time_ he was greatly
rejoiced to find that the parochial authorities of St.
Luke's were not blind to the distress of their poorer
neighbours, and that they appeared ever ready, ;as in
the present case, to afford them protection. As he had
already stated, the defendant offered no defence. He

was the son of persons of the highest respectability,
and had been himself in a respectable line of life ; but
some time since he had gone over to America, from
which country he subsequently returned in bad cir-
cumstances. With his difficulties he had struggled
unsuccessfully, until at length, heartbroken, he had
been induced to fly to drink for relief from thought,
and it was when in a state of drunkenness that he bad
been guilty of the ads of inhumanity with which he
was that day charged. Doubtless misery and poverty
would have an effect upon the mind of a man, and that
whilst that effect was operating upon him he might
commit some serious act. This unhappily was not
unfrequently the case. But still much as such a state
of matters was to be deplored, parties ought to know
that punishment would be sure to follow. Whatever
penalty the Court might deem it necessary to visit
upon the defendant, he trusted that a recollection of
the facts he had just urged might lead to a sentence
characterised by mercy. No doubt the parish autho-
rities had done no more than their duty in preferring
this prosecution, but having done so, their duty was
accomplished, and he should hope that they would
not now seek a heavy punishment in a spirit of ven-
geance._

- Mr. PRENDERGAST could not help directing the
attention of the Court to the fact that the case was
an unusually bad one. There were four of his own
children who, but for the timely discovery of their
wretched position, must have died very shortly.
The Learned JUDGE said that, painful as appeared
to have been the situation of the defendant, still that
was no palliation for his treatment of the children,
and therefore an example must be made. The sen-
tence of the Court was that he be imprisoned in the
Westminster Bridewell for the term of four months.
Lewis Fester and Jahn Wilson were indicted for
having broken into, and forcibly entered and seriously
damaged, certain premises in Milford-lane, Strand,
the property of the proprietors of the Illustrated
London News.

Mr. Ballantine and Mr. Wild conducted the case
for the prosecution.
The trial of this case occupied many hours, and
was not brought to its termination until nearly seven
o'clock. The facts, however, are in themselves very

It appeared that some two years since the defen-
dant Foster, who was described as an engineer of
unusual abilities, had entered into an agreement with
the proprietors of the Illustrated News to manufacture
a new patent printing machine, which had been
invented by their publisher, Mr. W. Little, and that
for the purpose of its construction he was allowed to
fit up the premises, No. 8, Milford-lane, which
Messrs. Ingram and Cook held under a lease from a
Mr. Taylor, of Essex-street. The machine was to
have been completed by October, 1847, and advances
amounting to upwards of 1,0001. more than the sum
specified (9501.) in the contract were made, until
early in February last, Mr. Ingram ordered the work
to be abandoned. The premises in question had
been fitted up under the direction of the defendant
as an engineer's place, and the dispute which even-
tually ensued arose out of the assertion of the defen-
dant that the premises had been let to him by Ingram
and Cook, which assertion those parties met with a
flat denial as to its truth, alleging that he was to have
the occupancy only with a view to the construction
and completion of the new machine. Matters went
on in a bad spirit until the arrival of the 30th of July
last, when the defendant, with assistance, broke into
and took possession of the premises, when he caused
every pane of glass (200) to be broken, and every
window-sash and frame to be taken away, and then
proceeded to unroof the building.
The above is an outline of the case.

The defendant, who defended himself, contended
that he had been the tenant of the premises, that he
had been badly treated by the prosecutors, and then
said that the question as to the right of possession
would be decided in another place.
The defendant, however, was unable to prove the
payment of either rent or taxes for the premises,
whilst, on the part of the prosecution, it was stated
that he never had made such payments.

The jury ultimately returned a verdict of Guilty,
but recommended the second defendant, Wilson, to
mercy, as he had only acted under the direction of
Foster.

The.„*Learned JUDGe ordered Foster to be com-
mitted to the House of Correction, Westminster,
until the next sessions, for the purpose of inquiries
being made in the meantime as to his power of pay-
ing any particular fine to the Queen. With respect
to the other defendant Wilson, he must enter into his
own recognizances to come up to receive judgment on
the same day.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
CLERKEN WELL.

Nineteen young women, evidently in great distress,
and whose appearance indicated starvation, appeared
before Mr. Tyrwhitt to solicit his advice and assist-
ance under the following circumstances :
In consequence of seeing bills announcing that
young women were required to work at ladies' cloak
making they were induced to apply at the address
named—in Goswell-street, Clerkenwell—where they
saw a person who gave his name Owen. He had en-
gaged an apartment of Mr. Draggins, at 60, Goswell-
street, in which were placed forms and tables for the
purpose of a work room, and the materials, &c., for
' cloak making were introduced. Twenty-four young
women were engaged at 9s. per week. .They
commenced their work on Tuesday last, and continued
at it from early in the morning till late at night until
Saturday night, when the forewoman took the cloaks
to the establishment of Mr. Pawson,• of St. Paul's
Churchyard, and on- her return she said she had not
been paid her bill for the work done, and the appli-
cants not being paid were left destitute . and starving.
She assured his Worship that whilst they were at the
work some of them bad had no more than a piece of
dry bread to eat during the day. Mr. Owen they
could not now find anywhere, and they could not ob-
tain any redress from the forewoman. They still
had their bilis up all over the City for hands at cloak
making, and they had no doubt that this WAS a sys-
tem carried on for the purpose of cheating poor
needlewomen of their labour, and hoped the case
would be exposed for. the protection of poor girls and
women who were willing to obtain an honest living
by their industry.
Mr. TYRWVITT sympathised with the poor crea-
tures, and said it was lamentable to find that they had
been so ill-treated ; he felt satisfied that Mr. Pawson,
whose, establishment was highly respectable, would
not sanction such a procedure with anybody in his
employ, or continue them in his service if the circum-
stances were made known to him. He felt satisfied
that he would do anything in his power to relieve the
distress of applicants who had been so egregiously
duped.

Mr. Bestow, of Vernon-place, Bagnigge-wells, and
one of the board of guardians of Clerkenwell parish,
who happened to be present, said that he was
Aware
of the labour and distress of such persons as
appli-
cants ; and knowing Mr. Pawson, he felt assured that
he would not sanction or encourage anything like
what had been stated. He was satisfied that if the
applicants waited upon him he would redress their
grievances.
Mr. TYRWIIITT said, unless the principal interfered
for them he, as a magistrate, was powerless, and he
suggested that if Mr. Bestow would take the trouble
of accompanying them to Mr. Pawson's and explain
the particulars he would be doing them a service.

Mr. Bestow instantly acceded and left the court
with-applicants, who were humanely assisted by the
worthy magistrate, and Mr. Bestow kindly gave some
of them instant employment.
The poor half-famished creatures seemed grateful
for the kind attention shown them and returned
thanks with tears in their eyes.