The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-06 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, Aug, 5.

'Before Mr. Sergeant ADAMS, Assistant Judge, and a
Bench of Magistrates.)
A SCENE IN COURT.

William Winfield was indicted for having stolen a
half•sovereign and other moneys, the property of Char-
lotte Cooper, from her person.
Mr. Rebtcn appeared for the prisoner.
It appeared that on Monday week the prosecutrix was
walking down Hanover-street, when she was pressed
closely by the prisoner and another person as they
passed by her. Directly they were gone by she was
spoken to by a person named Bennett, when she put her
hand into her pocket and missed her purse. The priso-
ner had been seen to put his hand into the prosecutrix's
pocket, take something out of it, and hand it over his
shoulder to the mau who was then in his company. The
witness who had seen this was about to lay hold of the
two men, but ho was immediately followed by two other
men who detained him, but he got free from them by
knocking one of them down. Ho then caught the pri-
soner and gave him into euttocly.
Mr. REBTON then addressed the jury for the prisoner,
and contended that it had not been proved that the pri-
soner bad a purse in his possession.
As soon as Mr. Robton had finished his address,
_ _

Mr. WITHAm (who presided during the temporary ab-
sence of the Learned Judge) recalled the prosecutrix,
and elicited from her the colour of the purse she had
lost.

Mr. REBTON rose and said, with some warmth—l
think your Lordship has no right to put any such ques-
tion, the case for the prosecution having closed; and it
is most unjust towards the prisoner to re-open it again.
Mr. WITHAM—Don't interrupt me, sir.
Mr. REBTON—But I will; and I object to your doing
so, and I am convinced that your Lordship would enter-
tain the objection if I were to pursue a similar course.
Mr. WITHAM persisted in putting the question, and
then called the witness Bennett; and also inquired of him
the colour of the purse.
Mr. REBTON—I claim a reply to the jury on the ques-
tions put by the Court, and I roust say that the Learned
Chairman has taken a course which could not be pursued
in any other court of justice in England, and which no
superior judge in any of the courts at Westminster would
suffer counsel to pursue. Mr. Witham has gathered the
weak points of the case from my speech for the defence,
when he re-opens tho case, putting such questions as
would tend to strengthen the case for the prosecution,
but operating most unfairly against the prisoner—a
course which, with all respect to the Court, I beg to
say is highly improper and unjust to the prisoner. A
few days since I was myself stopped by Baron Alderson,
at Maidstone, on the Home Circuit, for endeavouring to
put a question on cross-examination, after having con-
cluded my case. That Learned Judge would not allow
me to do so, and said that it was so highly improper that
he would not tolerate it.

Mr. WITLIA3I—It shall be done by me.
Bennet was the❑ called, but he could not tell the
colour of the purse.
Mr. REBTON then proceeded to address the jury,
commenting with sem° earnestness on the conduct of
the Learned Chairman, in having put questions that
were likely to prejudice the case against the prisoner
after the case for both prosecution and the defence had
been closed.

Mr. WITIIA.M—Sit down, Sir.
Mr. REBTON—I shall not.

Mr. WlTnex—l say you shall.
Mr. IlnisToN—l will not.

Mr. WrrnAm—l will not allow you to comment upon
me personally.
Mr. REBTON—WeII, then, as I have done comment-
ing, allow me to proceed with my objection. The
Learned Counsel then briefly proceeded with his address
to the jury.
The jury, after a short consultation, returned a ver-
dict of Guilty.
William Combe, a police-constable, proved that he
had known the prisoner as a member of the " swell
mob" on the Surrey side of the river for the last three
years, and he had detected him endeavouring to pick
the pocket of an intoxicated man in the pit of the Surrey
Theatre. _ _

The CHAIRMAN said he should have sent the prisoner
out of the country for seven years, but for the assistance
he had received in the commission of the robbery from
his two companions.
Prisoner—l hop© you will not do anything of the
kind.
The CHAIRMAN—The sentence of the CAirt is, that
you be transported for ten years.

SURREY SESSIONS, Aug 5.
(Before TuoMAs PUCKLE, Eq., and a Bench of
Magistrates.)
FREAKS OF CABMEN.—Thomas Humphries, cabman,
was indicted for stealing a half-sovereign from the person
of Jane Smith.
The prosecutrix, an old female, said that she obtained
her livelihood by washing, and on the 16th of July she
proceeded with a half-sovereign to a public-house near
the Elephant and Castle, and as she entered she saw a
number of cabmen standing in front of the bar. The
prisoner was one of them, and said that he had plenty of
silver, and could give her change. She handed him the
half-sovereign, which he put in his pocket, and on her
demanding the change, he again put his hand in his
pocket and returned her what she considered to be a half-
sovereign; but on looking at it she instantly perceived
that it was not the coin she had given to him—in fact, it
was a counterfeit. While she was endeavouring to get
her own money back the prisoner decamped, but she gave
information to the police, and caused him to be appre..
hended.

The jury found him Guilty, and the prosecutrix
having recommended the prisoner to mercy on account
of his family,
The COURT sentenced him to three months' hard
labour at Brixton, at the same time intimating that had
not such a recommendation been given he (the Chair-
man) would have punished him with great severity.
ROBBING A FOREIGNER.—Amy Clark, a brothel-
keeper in Granby-street, Waterloo-road, was indicted
for stealing a purse containing three sovereigns and some
silver from the person of Joseph Amable Perron, a
French gentleman.
Prosecutor said he met the prisoner near the house,
and believing from her statement that she was in dis-
tress, he accompanied her home and gave her halt-a-
crown. Another female came into the room, end while
he was standing talking she caught hold of his arms
while the prisoner robbed him of his purse and money,
and they both decamped out of the house. He went in
search 0, them, and not being able to find them out, ho
gave information to the police, and the prisoner was ap-
prehended on the following night sitting on the step of
her door. The other voman has not been found.
Who jury found ber Guilty, and