The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-07 00:00:00

have no answer to make to, the charge except that
1 deny it.

The depositions of the witnesses were then read
over and signed, and the prisoner was fully com-
mitted for trial to the Central Criminal Court.

GUILDHALL.--John Davis Cooper, a book-
hawker, was placed at the bar, before Alderman
Challis, charged with obtaining 100 copies of the
Christian Observer, of Messrs. Westley and Co., of
Doctors'-commons, upon a forged receipt, with in-
tent to defraud.

Mr. Wontner appeared for the prosecution, and
Mr. Beard for the prisoner.
From the facts already in evidence it appeared
that a practice existed with Messrs. Hatchard, of
Piccadilly, the publishers of the Christian Observer
and other works, of allowing the booksellers in the
City to draw such quantities of publications as they
might require at Messrs. Westley's, the binders .
At the end of last month Messrs. Piper, of Pater-
noster-row, sent a porter in their employ with an
order upon Messrs. Westley to deliver 150 copies
of the Westminster Review, but as not more than
50 copies were ready the man was told to call again
for the balance of 100 copies. Shortly afterwards
the prisoner presented himself, and asked for the
other 100 copies of the Westminster Review, for
Messrs. Piper, and on being informed that they
were not then ready, said he would take 100
copies of the Christian Observer, which were also
due to Messrs. Piper, and they were accordingly
delivered to him, when he wrote a receipt in a
fictitious name on the back of the order which had
been sent by Messrs. Piper. After he had gone
Messrs. Piper's porter came for the 100 copies of
the Westminster Review, and the books which
the prisoner had taken away. Information was at
once given to Gaylor, an officer well practised in
the detection of book robberies and apprehension
of book thieves, and he proceeded to the Physicians'
Arms, in Warwick-lane, where he found the pri-
soner, who at first tried to bolt him out of the
house ; but on getting in the officer secured the
prisoner, and then proceeded to search the place,
when he found 83 copies of the Christian Observer
in a cupboard under the stairs, with a number
various recent publications. The prisoner denied
the ownership of the property found in the cup-
board under the stairs ; but the landlord of the
house was called, and stated that the prisoner had
the cupboard in question for his own private use.
Mr. Beard said it would be useless to struggle
against the evidence at that stage of the case ; but
he should at a future time be prepared to show
that the prisoner was not the man who obtained
the books from Messrs. Westley's.
The prisoner,-who reserved his defence, was com-
mitted for trial.

WORSHIP-STREET.—Ann Williams was
charged on remand with having obtained by false
pretence of fortune-telling various articles of dress,
the property of Jeannette Myers.
Mr. Hammill—Are there any other charges
against the prisoner ?
Officer—Yes, sir; three.
The two following were then taken :
Caroline Loton, a buxom, comely girl, said—l
am servant at 9, Golden-terrace, Barnsbury-park,
Islington. This woman (prisoner) came to our
house last Friday fortnight, in the afternoon. I
was at the street door, talking to another woman.
Prisoner waited some time, and then asked me if I
had any business with that person ? I replied that
I had not ; and she then said to the woman, " You
can be off." That woman did go, and prisoner then
said to me, " Would you like to have your fortune
told ?" I answered that I could not then, for I had
not any money ; to which she replied, " Never
mind money; I don't take it at the time. My,
name is Baker, and I live at James-street, Clerken-
well."

Mr. Hammill—Well, did you proceed to business ?
Witness—l asked her into the passage. She
looked at my hand, and then said—" You will soon
have a gentleman and a great many children."
At this instant there came a knock at the door.
Mr. Hammill—You thought that was the gentle-
man, perhaps ?
Witness—l was frightened, and asked the woman
into the parlour. There, by her desire, I procured
a tumbler of water and a piece of writing paper.
She took a bottle from her pocket, which she said
was dragon's blood, dropped seven drops of it on
the paper, folded it up, and then told me to put it
beneath my pillow. She promised that some one
should give me a handsome present on the following
Wednesday.
Mr. Hammill—Had you ever heard of dragon's
blood before ?
Witness—lt was not dragon's blood. I found it
was only red oil.
This complainant then proceeded in her state-
ment, which was to the effect that the prisoner
induced her to wrap up about one pound's worth
of wearing apparel, her own property, and trust it
to her for ten minutes, on the representation that
she must convey it to consecrated ground at the
back of " a reservoir," and after covering it with
mould, read and pray over it. The prisoner, of
course, did not return ; and when the girl revealed
the facts to her mistress, on the following Sunday,
information was forwarded to the police.
Mr. Hammill questioned the girl, who in reply
stated that she was brought up in London, had re-
ceived schooling, was 17 years of age, and had been
five months in her present situation. This was
her fiist reliance on fortune-telling, and would be
her last.
In the second case, Mary Ann Ireson, general
servant to a lady named Bond, in Edward-square,
Kensington, recognised the prisoner as having
called at that residence on the 3rd of August last,
on which occasion she professed to mend china,
but on learning that the " mistress" was out threw
off the mask, and declared that her calling was "to
go about doing good to poor girls who were in ser-
vice," and promising that if the complainant would
do as she bade her it would be pounds in her pocket.
Here again a bundle of clothes was collected and
taken from the house by the prisoner for " conse-
cration ;" but as she stated that the heavier the
bundle was the greater effect would be produced by
the charm, three pounds' worth were placed in her
hands, nearly all the poor servant's wardrobe, among
which were enumerated a bonnet, boots, night cap,
and parasol. Not content with this plunder, the
prisoner boldly asked if there was not any plate or
satin dresses that could be got at, but failed in in-
ducing the girl to commit a theft, and having placed
a handkerchief in the bosom of her victim's dress,
which was tied in innumerable knots and alleged
to contain two sovereigns, she left the place un-
watched and unsuspected.
Mr. Hammill asked the complainant—Did the
prisoner say how long you were to keep the hand-
kerchief in your bosom ?
Witness—Yes, sir; she said till she brought the
things back. pinch laughter.)
Mr. Hammill—Ah, I thought as much.
Witness—And when, in about twenty minutes
after she left, I took it out, it occupied me ten
minutes in opening.
Mr. Hammill—And what did you find ?
Witness—Two farthings. (Laughter.)
Mr. Hurlstone (the chief clerk)—Yes, by untying
the handkerchief, you broke the charm.
Witness—She said she generally carried dragon's
blood with her, but on that occasion had not any.
She was going to tell my fortnne, but said it would
be better to wait until the clothes were consecrated.
Mr. Hammill—Now, prisoner, do you wish to
ask any questions of these young women ?
Prisoner—lt is all false as God is true. I have
two poor naked fatherless children ; be merciful
with me for their sake this time.

Gaoler—The young woman selected the prisoner
from others in the cell, your worship.
Mr. Hammill—There are already three charges
clearly proved against you, and a fourth is ready
if required, but that is needless. I shall send you
before a jury.
Prisoner—Oh, be merciful, pray do !
Hayward, warrant officer—A gentleman called
in his carriage at this court yesterday, your wor-
ship, and said he had come from Hastings to see
the prisoner, having mistaken the day of remand,
for the purpose of ascertaining if she answered the
description of a woman who had been tampering,
I believe successfully, with his servant.
Mr. Hammill—Very well ; the prisoner will be
remanded for a week for the completion of deposi-
tions, and on that day she can be seen.
The prisoner was then removed, crying for
mercy.
Bernard M'Kennin, 30 years of age, and appa-
rently a mechanic, was charged before Mr. Ham-
mill with the commission of a rape upon a young
girl whose name it is for the present deemed pru-
dent to withhold.

It was stated that the evidence was complete
against the accused, but that evidence of course
mainly rested upon the girl herself, and when
placed in the witness box and questioned respect-
ing the value of an 'oath, she could not give the
slightest answer that would permit her testimony
to be received.

Mr. Hammill observed that this was a frightful
fact in connexion with cases of this class brought
before him—within a very short period he had
been compelled to discharge two persons entirely
from lamentable ignorance of the attributes of the
Creator, on the part of those prosecuting—it was
impossible to believe that this was not the neglect
of parents, although it invariably happened that

So/tie excuse was made.
The mother of the girl said the child had been to
school, but not since her husband died, which was
two years ago. Her circumstances were such that
it was impossible to send her now.
Mr. Hammill was astonished to hear such an ex_