The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-22 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS, March 21.

OLD COURT.
(Before T. Tilson, Esq., Deputy Chairman.)
Robert Davis, alias Drayton, 39, was indicted for
stealing a number of silver spoons, forks, and other
articles, the property of his master, Porter Smith,
Esq., of Mortlake, near Richmond.
It appeared from the evidence that, in November
last, the prosecutor, who is an invalid, was in want
of a butler, and among the applicants was the pri-
soner, who gave a reference to a party apparently
respectable, and believing it to be genuine, he was
engaged. A few days afterwards he came to his
duty, and the plate and other property was de-
livered up to him. About two months after he had
been in his situation his true character began to ooze
out, and his drunken habits called forth the censure
of his master. He however promised to amend, and
was forgiven. On the 15th ultimo he was so in-
toxicated that the prosecutor discharged him, and
directed him to bring up all the plate, Instead of
that he absconded, and then the whole of the plate
was missed. Information was given to the police,
and Mr. Smith, one of the Scotland-yard detective
officers, was employed in the matter, and a few days
afterwards he succeeded in apprehending the pri-
soner, and tracing all the plate to three different
pawnbrokers. The crest had been erased, and the
prisoner got a man named loath to pledge it for
him.

Evidence was given to that effect, and the jury
found the prisoner guilty.
Smith, the detective, informed the Court that the
prisoner obtained the situation by means of a false
character.
Mr. Tilson sentenced him to 18 months' hard
labour.

William Haley, 22, was indicted for stealing a
silver watch from John Annandale.

The prosecutor went to the bar of the Ship-
wrights' Arms, Bermondsey-street, at 12 o'clock
on the night of the Bth ultimo, to partake of a glass
of beer. The prisoner and a number of other young
men and some women were there, and while he was
drinking some one snatched his watch, broke it
from the ribbon, and ran away with it. Mrs. Conne-
way, the landlady, saw the prisoner go in front of
the prosecutor, and she ordered him a way. A few
minutes afterwards she observed that he had lost
his watch. The prisoner and his companions had
then ran out of the house. She gave information
to the police, and he was secured some time after-
wards.

The prisoner made a very rambling defence, bu
the jury found him guilty.
Sentence, 12 months' hard labour.

William Fisher, 20, pleaded guilty to embezzling
various sums of money belonging to his master,
Hugh Evans.
The prosecutor is a milkman in the Kent-road,
and employed the prisoner to carry out milk and
receive money from the customers, which it was
his duty to pay over each day on receiving it. He
was a defaulter to some extent when discovered.

The Court sentenced him to three months' hart
labour.

Charles Spurrett, 19, was indicted for stealing
three night-dresses and other articles, the property
of William Turpin. It appeared that the prosecutor
resided in Cooper's-read, Old Kent-road, and on
Thursday last his daughter hung out a quantity of
wet linen to dry. Between four and five in the
afternoon Mr. Weatherby, the manager of the
Windsor Castle Tavern, saw the prisoner run past
him with a bundle, and when he was pursued he
threw the bundle over some railings. He was then
taken into custody. The bundle was foiled to con-
tain the prosecutor's wet linen.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, and the
Court sentenced him.to 18 months' hard labour.

Henry Albert Hook, 36, a carpenter at Kings-
ton, surrendered to take his trial for stealing 23
glazed sash frames, the property of Thos. Foulkes,
at Thames Ditton.

Mr. Lilley prosecuted, and Mr. Laxton defended.
It appeared that a short time ago the prosecutor
purchased the Ember Court Estate, near Kingston,
from Sir Charles Sullivan, for £13,000, and among
the tenants was a gardener named Robertson. who
soon became in arrears for rent. Mr. Foulkes for-
gave him his rent on his giving up the premises.
At the time he was removing, Mr. Foulkes saw the
prisoner carrying away iu a truck the sash frames
which had belonged to a greenhouse erected on the
premises, and believing that they were his property
he gave Mr. Hook into custody, although the latter
said he had purchased them of Robertson, and
offered to produce the bill and receipt.
After considerable argument as to points of law,
and the production of the receipt and examination
of Itobertsou, who contended that the sash frames
were his property,
The jury returned a verdict of acquittal.