The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-15 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

THE TRIAL OF SPENCER AND GRITTON.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

The case for the prosecution being closed,
Mr. Ballantine for Spencer, and Mr. Giffard for Grit-
ton, addressed the jury at considerable length, and called
witnesses to show that the prisoners were of excellent
character and.conduct. Neither on their persons nor in
their lodgings were there any evidences of their posses.
sing mc,re money than their lawful means would supply,
and they kept regular and early hours.

Alicia long —review of the facts by the Judge, the
jury deliberated for forty minutes, and returned a ver-
dict of " Not Guilty," at four o'cicck.
Thero are some other indictments against both pri-
soners, on which they arc detained.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
William Wilmhurst and George Cousins were
charged with having robbed Esther Hooper of a
watch. The prosecutrix, an old woman, keeps a
grinder's shop in Artillery-lane, and on Wednesday
Cousins walked into the place and asked for a half-
penny worth of nails. While she was serving the
nails she heard her kitten " bawl out and spit," and
looking into the parlour she saw Wilmshurat treading
upon little puss. Suddenly he darted out of the house
with the watch, which was in a stand, and was fol-
lowed by Cousins, who. left the nails behind him.
The poor woman in vain ran after the thieves. On
the same evening Cousins sold the watch for Bs. to a
porter, whom he and his companion met and told
they were tradesmen out of work. The prisoners
were two days afterwards apprehended by Jarvis, one
of the most active of the City detective police, and as
the officer was taking them to the Mansion-house,
Wilinshurst acknowledged that he had stolen the
watch while Cousins was occupying the old woman's
attention about the nails.
The prisoners were committed for trial.
GUILDHALL.
Catherine Samson, describing herself as an un-
fortunate young girl, was placed at the bar before
Alderman Sir R. W. Carden, charged with stealing
a gold watch, value 101., from the person of Mr.
James Malkie, of Cork.
Prosecutor said I was walking down Chancery-
lane last night, between 11 and 12 o'clock, when I
met the prisoner, and I lost my watch.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—A nd what do you charge the
prisoner with ? Prosecutor—Why, Sir with taking
my watch.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—Did. you see her take it ?
Prosecutor—No, Sir, but I know she is the person
who took it.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—Did she speak to you ? Pro-
secutor—Well, Sir, perhaps I had a little drop in my
head, for I do not recollect what she said to me.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—Ho vt do you know she took
your watch? Prosecutor—l could not swear to it.
I know the chain was round my neck, and the swivel
gave way.
Sir R. W. Ceeneri—Did you feel any jerk ? Pro-
secutor—Why, of course I must have felt it.
Sir It. W. CARDEN—That will not do ; did you
feel a jerk ? Prosecutor—Certainly ; but I don't re-
member it.—(Laughter.)
Sir R. W. CARDEN—Did you speak to the girl ?
Prosecutor—l believe I did.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—You said that perhaps you
had a little in your head—pray *what had you been
drinking ? Prosecutor—Some oysters (Great
laughter)—and some ale, Sir.
Sir'R. W. CA.RDEN—Hove much ale ? Prosecutor
—I don't know the name of it, Sir.—(Laughter.)
Sir R. W. CARDEN—I did not ask you for the
name. Did the prisoner drink with you ? Prose-
cutor—l am not sure ; but she was with me when I
was drinking at Pearson's, in Cursitor-street. I can't
remembeil how much I had, for I had been in a public-
house in Holborn previously.
Sir It. W. CARDER—What had you to drink there ?
Prosecutor—Some oysters also—(Laughter)—and
some ale, but I can't recollect how much.
Sir It. W. CARDEN— flow many public-houses had
you visited before that ? Prosecutor—l really can't
tell—(Laughter)—l had been all about town.
Sir It. W. CLEDEN—Then you do not know any-
thing of the affair at all ? Prosecutor—l do not, Sir.
Sir It. W. CARDEN—Nor the prisoner ? Prosecu-
tor—No, Sir. But I know the girl at the bar.
Prisoner—Did you not tell the inspector at the
station that you had never seen me before ? Prose.
cutor—l did say so.
Sir It. W. CARDEN—Then what do you mean by
swearing here that you know her ? Prosecutor—No
more I do know the girl—that is, I knew her then.
Sir R. W. CARDEN —YOU appear to recollect no-
thing of what has transpired Pray, are you sober
now ? Prosecutor—l believe I am.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—I suppose you are not sure of
tlast—are you ? Prosecutor—l C-a Sir.—(Leughter.)
Sir R. W. CARDEN—Hai-, yeti recovered your
watch ? Prozeautor—Ne, Sir. I wisli I had; I
wouldn't be here.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—And now tell me what you
are by trade ? Prosecutor—Nothing, Sir.

Sir R. W. CARDEN—What are you, then ? Pro-
secutor—l am a gentleman, living on my means.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—Then you ought to know
better.

The officer here said that he had found the handle
of the watch near the spot indicated by the prose-
cutor, who was so intoxicated that he was unable to
give any information as to the person who had stolen
his watch. 'Witness apprehended the prisoner merely
on suspicion. He had made inquiries, and found that
the prosecutor had been drinking at Pearson's, in
Cursitor-street ; but the landlady positively declared
the prisoner was not with him at all in her house.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—There is no evidence against
the girl, and I must therefore discharge her.
Prosecutor—Very well, Sir, I have no objection.
Sir R. W.CARDEN—And you will lose your watch.
Prosecutor—l suppose so.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—You see, Mr. /talkie, this is
all the effects of getting drunk.
Prosecutor—l admit it is very improper.
Sir R. W. CARDEN—It certainly is. However, the
loss of your watch is a good penalty for your indis-
cretion, ar:l I hope it will be a lesson to you, that
when you stray again from home you will not forget
that you are a gentleman of independent property, and
not get drunk.—(Laughter.)
The prisoner was then discharged, and the prosecu-
tor was seen inquiring most anxiously for the re-
porters, as he was afraid his friends in Cork would
hear of him through their means.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

lgnatz Griller, a printer, was yesterday charged
with defrauding Susannah Dixon of a half-sovereign
and 10s.
The prosecutrix stated that she was a national
schoolmistress, and resided at No. 42, John-street,
Tottenham-court-road. About six weeks ago she
lent the prisoner about 41., and on the 29th of Sep-
tember last he came to her and told her he was going
to pay her 10s. off the 41. He then gave her the medal
prodfted, which she thought was a sovereign, and
she gave it to her assistant to procure change, and
when she came back the prisoner took the change,
consisting of a half-sovereign and 10s., and left the
place without giving witness the 103. he had
promised.
Ann Austin, an assistant to the last witness, proved
changing the coin produced, and giving the change to
the prisoner.
Susannah Webb, 6, Little Howland-street, confec-
tioner, deposed that on the 29th of September the
medal produced was brought to her by last witness,
and she gave her a half-sovereign and 10s. in silver.
She put the medal, which she thought was a sove-
reign, in the teapot in the parlour ; no one went there
but herself, till about half an hour after, when she
required change, and took it to the Bull's Head, in
Tottenham-court-road, where it was refused.
Drake, 122 E, proved taking the prisoner into cus-
tody.
Hayes, 82 E, said, about fifteen days ago he took
the prisoner into custody for another offence. He
then searched him, and found upon him 16 medals
similar to the one produced, bearing on the obverse
side the Queen's head, and on the reverse a man on
horseback, surrounded by the words, " the way to
Hanover."
The prisoner, who seemed to treat the matter very
slightly, denied all knowledge of the coin being
worthless. He was a foreigner, and not well ac-
quainted with English money. The prosecutrix, to
whom he formerly paid his addresses, must know that
he did not intend any fraud.
The defendant was committed for trial.
WORSHIP-STREET.

Samuel Monsire and William Welch, two youths
of 15 or 16, both of whom were recognised as the con-
stant associates of thieves, and one of them numerous
times in custody and once convicted of felony, were
charged with robbery at the shop of Mr. Charles
Faulkner, a silversmith and jeweller in Catherine-
street, 41oxt on.
The prosecutor's wife stated that, while seated in her
parlour at four o'clock on the previous afternoon, the
prisoner Monsire and another youth suddenly presented
themselves at the window, round one of the panes of
which, opposite a jewel-tray, she saw the former ra-
pidly draw one of his fingers. This act excited her
suspicion, and she went to the door, but both boys
had then disapeared, and upon looking at the pane
where they had been standing, she was surprised to
find that in that short time not only had the greater
part of the putty which secured the glass been cut
away from it, but that the pane itself had been starred
in a very peculiar manner, though she had not heard
the sound of its cracking. She communicated this fact
to one of her neighbours, who expressed an opinion
that it had been done by shoplifters, who would be
sure to return, and she therefore kept a sharp
watch for two hours, but nothing more was seen of
them till half past six, when the prisoners returned
with a third boy, and, arranging themselves so as to
cover each other, Monsire went up to the glass,
rapidly touched the bottom of the pane, hande d
something to the third boy, and then all three has-
tened quickly away. The whole occurrence was so
dexterously executed that she had not time to get
near them, to interrupt their operations, but upon
again looking at the pane they had touched she found
that a portion of the glass had been silently forced
out, and two valuable gold rings abstracted through
the hole they had made in it.
David Howe, the neighbour referred to, deposed to
seeing the two prisoners at the prosecutor's window
at four o'clock, and then suddenly dart away. Upon
learning from Mrs. Faulkner the result of their la-
bours he also kept watch for them, and when they
returned, two hours and a half afterwards, he saw
Welch go cautiously up to the window, apparently
force something through it, and then, after band-
ing something to their accomplice, who
stood ready to receive it, all three ran off.
He hastened out to intercept them as fast as
he could, though not quickly enough ; but upon
noticing the hole made in the glass he pursued and
captured the two hindmost ones, Welch and Monsire,
whom he forced back to the prosecutor's, where he
held them till they could be given in charge, when
upon their removal to the station it was found that
they had left behind them in the shop a stout piece of
wire twisted into a hook, with which there could be
no doubt that the rings had been drawn through the
fracture.
Robinson, of the N division, deposed that upon
taking the prisoners into custody they indignantly
denied the charge, but upon taking them to the station
and searching them he found two strong clasp-knives
in their possession, the ends of the largest blades of
which were bent back in a peculiar manner, similar
to a farrier's paring-knife, and admirably adapted to
rapidly cut out any window to which they might be
applied. _

Morrell, of the II division, who was accidentally in
court upon other business, identified both prisoners as
old acquaintances in much the same terms as those
before given, and, the prisoners having confined them-
selves to a general denial of all that was alleged
against them, they were ordered to be committed for
the completion of the depositions.
SOUTH WART.

John Lucas, the driver of a cab plying at the South-
Eastern Railway terminus, was summoned by Mr.
Welch, a barrister, for refusing to take him as his
fare, and also with refusing to show his metal ticket
when requested so to do.
The complainant stated that on his arrival at the
London-bridge terminus from the country, being
anxious to get to his chambers as quickly as possible,
having an important engagement, he went up to the
stand, and, seeing the door of the defendant's cab
open, he placed his carpet-bag inside, and then got in
himself, and desired the defendant to drive him to
Stone-buildings, Temple. The defendant, however,
refused to take him, and he was compelled to get out,
and the detention he experienced before he could get
another cab put him to considerable inconvenience.
He added that he had been served in a similar manner
before, the cab-drivers imagining that they were jus-
tified in refusing to drive any but those from whom
they expected the longest and best fares. But his
(the complainant's) principal object in preferring the
charge was on public grounds, as he was convinced
that several travellers by railroad were put to the
same inconvenience. Although he had also summoned
the defendant for not exhibiting his badge, he should
forego that, not wishing to press that charge.
Mr. ATECSETT referred to the Ist and 2d of

Liam IV. which rendered it imperative on the driver
of a public carriage, if not previously engaged, to go
with any person by whom he was hired, under a pe-
nalty for refusing. The magistrate then asked the
defendant what he had to say in answer to the charge ?
The defendant said that he acted in conformity with
the regulations of the South-Eastern Railway authori-
ties by refusing to take the fare in question ; his cab
was not the one on the rank whose turn it was to
take up; and if he had complied he would have sub-
jected himself to a fine of Si. by the railway regula-
tions, besides being turned off the rank, and not per-
mitted to come there again.
Mr. Welch said, if such regulations were in cx.
istence, they were calculated to put the public to
much inconvenience by detaining passengers on their
arrival at the terminus in the manner he was detained.
Mr. A'BEcKErr asked a railway inspector present
if such regulations were made by the railway
company ?

The answer was in the affirmative, upon which the
magistrate said that the Act of Parliament to which
he previously referred made the charge against the
defendant an offence for which he was liable to a
heavy penalty, independently of the rules of the rail-
way company ; it was evident, however, he had acted
under a misapprehension, as he considered he was
justified by the regulations. On that account he
Should not inflict th:_, full rcnalty, hut on future cco/-
sions, if the cab dicers who plied at the railway
te;nuau:; did nct wit'a the Act, and ',lie.: they
were justified in picking their fares instead of going
with those by whom they were hired, if not previously
engaged, he should in that case put the law in force.l

The magistrate then inflicted a nominal penalty on the
defendant, together with the costs.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
DUBLIN AND KINGSTOWN.
The half-yearly meeting of this company WAS held
on Saturday at Dublin, Mr. J. Magee in the chair.
The report stated that the revenue account for the
half-year ending the Ist of September showed a small
decrease in the receipts of 4441., as compared with
the corresponding period of last year, which was
nearly compensated for by a reduction in the expendi-
ture to the extent of 4301. Including the balance
from the ,last account, the result of the half-year's
working produced an available sum of 15,0701., being
1,4691. more than the corresponding period of 1850.
The engineer reported that the works on the line were
in a perfectly efficient state of repair, and that the
bridge over the Dodder was completed in the most
efficient manner, without having occasioned any ma-
terial interruption to the ordinary traffic, and with no
extra charge for the ironwork beyond the sum con-
tracted for. The directors stated that the application
to Parliament for a Bill to enable the company to treat
with the Waterford, Wicklow, and Dublin Company
for a re-assignment of the powers for making the line
from Kingstown to Bray had failed through the
opposition of the other parties. The Dublin and
Kingstown Company made a proposal to the Corn•
mittee on the Bill to construct the line from Kings-
town to Bray, as the company were desirous of secu-
ring its formation, which they believed could be done
within a period of twelve months, and that if the
powers to make the line to Bray were transferred to
them, they could on the completion of the Waterford,
Wexford, Wicklow, and Dublin line from Bray to
Wicklow, within a given period, and on repayment
to them f the sum expended in the formation of the
line from Kingstown to Bray, retransfer the line to
the three W.'s Company, subject and without preju-
dice to any agreements now subsisting between the
companies. The proposal was at first favourably
received by the Committee, but was resisted by the
other parties, and finally rejected. From the available
balance before stated the board recommended a di-
vidend for the half-year of 4 per cent. on the paid up
capital of 260,000/., leaving a balance of 4,530/. to be
carried to the next account. The income of the
railway for the past sir: months amounted to 27,0441.,
and after paying working expenses, rates and taxes,
together with the interest on borrowed money, the
sum of 15,070/. remained for dividend.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the re-
port, observed that the next half-yearly meeting was
the one at which a detailed account of the receipts
and expenditure would be given. The rolling stock
was in perfect order, and considering that they bad a
dividend of 4 per cent. for the half-year, he thought
they were in a satisfactory position.
Mr. KANE seconded the motion, and it was adopted
unanimously.
It reply to a question it was stated that the atmo-
spheric line from Kingstown to Dalkey did not
yield a profit of itself; but it was looked upon as a
feeder to the main line. The fares were exceed-
ingly low—namely, 2d. per passenger by the first
class, and ld. per passenger by the second class car-
riages. The gross receipts on the atmospheric line
during the half-year amounted to 1,1341., and the ex-
penditure to 9191., leaving a profit of 215/. ; but this
amount would be absorbed in the expenses during the
winter half-year, at the end of which it would be
found that the receipts and expenses would balance
each other, and leave neither profit nor loss. The
first year the Dalkey line was open for traffic the
receipts on the Kingstown line were increased by
5,000/. over those of the previous year, and although
the extension to Dalkey showed no profit on the work-
ing, it was profitable as a feeder to the Dublin and
Kingstown line.
A resolution approving of the dividend was then
passed, and the meeting separated.

NORTH DEVON.
It appears that, after considerable exertions on the
part of the directors to induce the inhabitants of North
Devon to subscribe 50,000/., the proportion of capital
allotted to be raised in that district before commencing
the works, they have succeeded in obtaining subscrip-
tions to the extent of 41,0001., leaving a deficiency of
9,0001. The line is to be constructed on the broad
gauge, and to join the Exeter and Crediton line at
Crediton, and thence passing through the valley of
Taw to Barnstaple. The length of line to be com-
pleted is about 36 miles, and the directors hare
pledged themselves not to resume the works until the
whole of the 50,0001. is subscribed for by the land-
owners and other parties in the district through
which the line is intended to pass. It is expected
that the line when completed will be of considerable
advantage to parties locally interested, and from the
arrangement with Mr. Brassey, the contractor, that it
will yield a moderate dividend to the shareholders.