The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-22 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

The adjourned November sessions commenced yester-
day at the Court-house, Clerkenwell-green, before Mr.
Sergeant Adams, assistant judge, and a bench of magis•
trates. The calendar contained a list of eighty- nine
cases for trial, five of which were misdemeanours, and
the remainder felonies. It appeared from the column
describing the state of education among thie prisoners,
that forty-nine could read and write imperfectly, three
were able to read well, fourteen could read only, whilst
twenty-three had never been instructed either in reading
or writing, and not one was put down as having supe-
rior qualifications.
The RUNDE told the grand jury in his address that all
the cases to be tried at these sessions were of a very
ordinary character. This, indeed, he added, was most
frequently the case, so much so, that several grand
juries had made presentments to the efftct that their
services seemed to them to be totally unnecessary.
With this question, however, neither they nor the Court
had anything to do ; and so long us the law required
them to fulfil the duties which it laid down in the ad-
ministration of public justice, so long were they both
bound to discharge those duties, whatever might be
their opinion of their utility or their necessity. He
admitted, however, that there were grounds for the im-
pression that in this court, at least, grand juries might
very properly be dispensed with; and he was enabled to
state that returns of the several presentments made by
successive grand juries at these sessions were in course
of preparation for presentation to the House of Commons
during the next session, and some legislative enactment
affecting these sessions might probably be made in con-
sequence.

Among a number of persons who appeared to claim
exemption, upon various grounds, from serving upon the
petty jury, was Dr. Reid, the inventor of the system for
ventilating the Rouses of Parliament. The doctor, it
appeared, was described as a " grocer," residing at No.
24, Cheyne-walk, in the parish of St. Luke, Chelsea.
The name being called, Dr. Reid immediately claimed
exemption on the ground that he was a professional man.
The ASSISTANT-JUDGE—A professional man! What's
your name ? Dr. Reid—My name is David Boswell
eid. lam a medical man—a physician, in fact—and I
have never been engaged in any other pursuit except the
professional management and superintendence if the
ventilation of the new Houses of Parliament.
The AessisTANT-JuDGE—Oh, you are Dr. Re;d, are
you? Dr. Reid—Yes, I am.
The ASSISTANT JUDGE—But you are summoned hero
as " David Boswell Reid, of 24, Cheyne-walk, gro,,er."
Dr. Reid—All I can say is, I am not a grocer, and
never was.

The ASSISTANT-JUDGE—If you aro a physician, and
hold the appointment you have spoken of, which I have
no reason to doubt, how on earth came you to be de-
scribed as a grocer ? Dr. Reid—l don't know how it is.
There must be some mistake ; and all I know is that I
am a professional man and no grocer.
The ASSISTANT-JUDGE—You are certainly put down
as a grocer, for hero it is. I don't mean to ask you an
improper question, Dr. Reid, but will you inform me if
" No. 24, Cheyne-walk," where you say you reticle, is a
grocer's shop ?—(A laugh.) Dr. Reid—Oh dear, no;
there's no shop of any kind there, I assure you.
The AISISTANT• JUDGE—ICS a very singular thing, and
I can't tell how it has happened ; but it's clear there is
a mistake somewhere. I would recommend you, after
this, Dr. Reid, to get your name off the list immediately,
or you may have to corns here again as a grocer.
Di. Reid—l never heard of its having been put on the
list till I got the summons; and though I am not a
grocer I felt bound to obey it.
It subsequently appeared that the mistake had arisen
from the transposition of the two words, " gentleman"
and " grocer " in the list.
Lewis Foster and John Wilson, the two parties con-
victed at the sessions on the I4th October last, of a for,
cisuiebtellelitfe, entry into certain premises in Milford-lane, Strand,
thebelonging
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prisoners, both of whom were now convinced that they
bad acted most illegally.
The ASSISTANT-JUDGE. said lie could not be a party
come
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IF, however,ethe prosecutors were
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appear to receive judgment when
cca°llnedilauToens.in Wilson was then discharged upon pay- ,
meat to the Queen of a fine of Is.