The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-18 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, Dec. 17.

(Before Mr. Sergeant ADAMS, Assistant-Judge.)
Henry Pepper was indicted for keeping a cununon
brothel in lie parish of Saint Luke.
Mr. Parry prosecuted; Mr. Metcalf &fended.

Oa the part of the prosecution evidence was given
to show that the house, or rather the houses in ques-
tion, Nos. 21 and 22, Beltic-street, St. Luke's, were
frequented at night by prostitutes and men, and In-
spector Brennan, of the G division, and two police•
officers gave evidence of their having seen prostitutes
enter the houses at all hours of the night, and of their
having repeatedly been to the houses in search of
prostitutes who had committed robberies, and other
parties who were charged with felony. One prosti-
tute who lived in the house was tried in this court in
the name of Ward, and convicted of robbing a man
about twelve months ago.
The defence was that the houses were not brothels,
and a number of witnesses were examined to contra-
dict the case for the prosecution. They asserted that
the houses were let out to lodgers, mostly respectable
married persons, and that they were never known to
be the resort of prostitutes. One of the witnesses,
who looked a mere boy, and who said his name was
Hubbard, stated that he was married and lived with
his wife in one of the houses in question. He had
been married twelve months, and was by trade a
pocket-book maker. The house was not a brothel.
Mr. PARRY—Are you a pocket-book maker or a
pocket-book taker ?—(A laugh.) Witness—A pocket-
book maker.

Mr. PARRY—You say you are married ; now, he
careful ; where were you married ? Witness—Yes,
I am married, and have been twelve months.
Mr. PARRY—Upon your oath, sir, where were you
married ? Witness (hesitatingly)—Where, did you
ask, sir ; what does that matter ?
he JUDGE—Answer the question, or I will com-
mit you.
Witness—lt was at Cripplegate Church.
Mr. PARRY—Now, I caution you. Will you swear
that you are married at all ? Come, we happen to
know something of you, Mr. Hubbard. Witness—
Well, then, I aint married at all, I live with a young
woman.

Mr. PARRY—Then you told a lie when you said
you were married ? Witness—That's it, sir.
Mr. PARRY—Have you ever been in trouble, Mr.
Hubbard ? Witness—l don't understand you.
Mr. PARRY—Have you ever been in prison ?
Witness—What's that to do with this ?

Mr. PARRY—Have you ever been in prison ? If I
asked you if you now steal pocket-books you might
decline to answer, but you are not protected from
answering my question. IVere you not sentenced to
six months' hard labour for picking a roan's pocket of
a watch ? The witness refused to answer. He was
threatened with committal if he did not, and he then
said—" Yes, that's right, sir.
The JUDGE—Were you tried in this court ? Wit-
ness—Yes.

The JUDGE—Before me ? Witness—l don't know,

Mr. PARRY replied, and contended that the evidence
for the prosecution was not at all shaken by that fur
the defence.

The jury found the defendant Guilty.
The COURT sentenced him to six months' bard labour,
and to find sureties, himself in 1001. and two sureties
of 251. each, to keep the peace and to be of good be-
haviour for six months further.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
GUILDHALL.

Mrs. Dawson, alias Phabe Blakeney, a lady rather
advanced in years, residing near Maida-hill, was
brought before Alderman Challis on a warrant charged
with having committed wilful and corrupt perjury in
1533, by making affidavit in Doctors' Commons that
she was the daughter and only next of kin to Mrs.
Eliza Elam, the late widow of Lieut. Joseph Elam, of
the Bth Garrison Battalion.

Mr. Huddlestone, instructed by Mr. Cotterell, ap-
peared for the prosecution ; and Mr. Lewis for the
prisoner.
Mr. Huddlestone said he was unable to produce
witnesses trom Doctors' Commons at that moment,
and would therefore only show sufficient to justify the
Alderman in remanding the prisoner.

Mr. Lewis submitted that in the absence of evidence
to substantiate the charge of perjury, his client would
be entitled to ask for her discharge ; but as a full and
searching inquiry was courted by her, he would only
ask that her own recognizances might be taken for her
appearance on a future day. His client was the owner
of two houses at the west end of the town, and highly
respectable.
Mr. Huddlestone said he should certainly oppose
such an application, and, in the event of bail being
taken, require that it should be substantial.
Mr. Lewis said under these circumstances he should
ask for the immediate discharge of his client, as the
course adopted by his friend Mr. Huddlestone was
altogether unnecessarily severe. Mrs. Dawson had
been brought up on a warrant when a summons would
have answered the purpose, and now they were about
to detain her in custody without producing any evi-
dence as to the crime alleged against her, and which
he was confident of being able to rebut.

Alderman CHALLIS said in this case be could not
get over the fact that he held in his hand the state-
ment upon oath on which the warrant was granted,
and he could not think of allowing the prisoner to go
at large, but upon very substantial security.
Mr. Lewis said he must then press for the discharge
of Mrs. Dawson, for the Act of Parliament required
that when a prisoner was taken into custody he should
be brought before a magistrate and viva vase evidence
should be produced, that the witnesses might be sub-
jected to a cross-examination, and that if such evi-
dence was not produced the prisoner must be dis-
charged.
Mr. Huddlestone thought Mr. Lawis could not be
fully acquainted with the nature of the charge, or he
would not imagine the alderman would be justified
in discharging her without receiving good bail for her
appearance. Mr. Huddlestone then briefly narrated
the facts of the case, stating that in 1827 a Miss Eliza
Good married a Mr. Joseph Elam, whose regiment,
the Bth Garrison Battalion,was at that time quartered
in Athlone. In 1828 Miss Georgina Elam was born,
and in 1829 Lieutenant Elam died. In 1833 Mrs.
Elam died, leaving a daughter, who was taken charge
of by Mrs. Dawson, the prisoner, who was at the
time under the protection of Lord Portarlington, and
had been in the habit of visiting Miss Elam's mother.
The daughter was then put to school with the
prisoner's daughters, at a Mrs. Rubinson's, at Ealing.
Prisoner represented herself as the friend of the
" dear child's" mother, and that she would take care
of her. Accordingly Miss Elam's education was
conducted under Mrs. Dawson's observation, until
she went to Rouen, in France, about two years ago,
for the purpose of `nishing her studies. In June,
1851, an advertisement appeared in the Times that if
the neat of kin of the late Mrs. Elam would apply at
a certain place, they would hear of something to their
advantage. Miss Elam saw nothing of this advertise-
ment until her attention was called to it by her friends
in October last, and, on application to the place, was
referred to Doctor's-commons, where she found that
Pheabe Dawson had taken out letters of administra-
tion to Mrs. Elam's property as the daughter of that
lady, and only next of kin. She took the necessary
oaths, and became the possessor of the property, then
sworn at under 5,000/, but after wards at under
4,0001.; and subsequently, having obtained possession
of, she sold out the stock. It was under these cir-
cumstances that he asked for the bail to be fixed at
a heavy amount, and he did not consider he was un-
reasonable in so doing.
Miss Georgina Elam having been sworn, said she
was 24 years of age, and lived at 3, Torrington-street
Torring'ou-square. She did not remember her
mother's features ; but recollected living with her in
Cutzon•street, May Fair, and afterwards in Clarges-
street, Piccadilly. Shen membered her mother's death;
but could not call to mind having ever seen Mrs. Daw-
son before then. She was at Brighton when her mother
died, and Mrs. Dawson went down, removed her from
there, and ultimately placed her at Mrs. Robinson's
with her own daughters. She remained there till
1834, and was brought up :as Georgina Dawson, and
used to call prisoner her mother. Mrs. Dawson
brought her up as one of her own children, and was
very kind to her, and she had no fault to find with
her for the manner in which she did so. She had
ceased to live with Mrs. Dawson for the last two
years, and bad passed that time with her friends at
Rouen. She was at Mrs. Robinson's at intervals as
far back as 1841. Mrs. Dawson took her away from
there, and always speaking of her (witness's) mother
as Mrs. Elam, frequently asked if :she recollected her.
In 1848, previous to going to F ranee, witness ob•
tained her baptismal certificate. Sne was not baptised
until she was three years old, and therefore remem-
bered being called Miss Elam. Lter friends applied
with her to Mrs. Dawson to know under what name
she should be married in France, and prisoner then
said " in her own name, Eiam," ai id offered to pro-
cure the baptismal certificate, but 7rt ascertaining it
had been already obtained she became very much
annoyed. Witness's reasons for olitl lining it arose in
the first instance from a feeling of pride that she
might know who and what she i!ez.lly was; and, in
the second, because in France you ng ladies cannot be
married without the production of their certificate of
baptism.—(Laughter.) Mrs. Daw su n never said any-
thing to her about her mother having property. She
had made inquiries at Doctors'-co in mons, and found
that

Mr. Lewis here objected to ver ba 1 evidence being
given as to the contents of any written document
which might be produced.
Mr. Iluddlestone asked the wi( :nem if from what
she saw at Doctor's-commons she tad reason to be-
lieve she could establish the charg a against Mrs.
DAwson, in the event of a remand be ing granted.
Mr. Lewis objected, on the groan d that it was for
the magistrate to be satisfied, and la° t the witness.
Mr. lluddlestone then tendered i3:l evidence a veri-
fied copy of the warrant of admit iistration, wherein

Mrs. Dawson represented herself as the deugilter of
Mrs. Elam.

Mr. Lewis objected to any but the original docu-
ment being received as evid-nee.
Mr. Huddlestoue said he would then swear Mr.
Henery Cotterell as to whit he saw at Doctors'.
commons, and then apply for a remand, to enable him
to produce all the various books and documents that
would be required.
Mr. Cotterell was then put into the witness•box,
but his examination was not proceeded with, on Mr.
Lewis intimating his consent to an adjournment if his
client was to be admitted to bail, which Mr. Huddle-
stone agreed to, proviiing it was fixed at such an
amount as would ensure Mrs. Dawson's attendance
on a future day.
Mr. Lewis then offered two respectable parties,
who were bound in the sum of 2501. each ; and the
prisoner having entered into her own recognizances
in the sum of 5001., was liberated, and the case re-
manded.