The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-19 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

The sittings of the Court for the January Quarter
Sessions were resumed yesterday morning at the
Guildhall, Westminster, by adjournment from
Clerkenwell, before Mr. Pashley, Q. C., assistant
judge, and a bench of magistrates. There were 61
prisoners for trial, 56 for felony, and five for mis-
demeanour.

Thomas Moore, 33, clerk, pleaded guilty-to an
indictment charging him with embezzling the sums
of 81. Gd., and 10/. 10s. received by him on account
of Frederick Jones, his master. It was stated that
altogether the prisoner had robbed the prosecutor
of upwards of 100/., and that he had tampered with
books. The court sentenced him to hard labour
for one year.
_ _

Mr. Foote was for the prosecution. Mr. Cooper
for the prisoner.
_..

James Fitzgerald, 20, was indicted for stealing
the sum of 86/., the money of Hypolite Dahor, his
master.

Mr. F. H. Lewis prosecuted ; Mr. Payne was
for the prisoner.
The prosecutor was a lamp manufacturer in
Gerrard-street, Soho, and the prisoner, who had
been in his service about three years, as porter,
was entrusted with 10 sovereigns, and sent to
Messrs. Prescott's to get a cheque for 761. cashed.
The prisoner absented himself, and sent a letter
stating that he had lost the money, and that was
the defence now set up, but a witness was pro-
duced on the part of the prosecution, who deposed
that the prisoner told him he bad "planted" it.
The jury found him Guilty, and the Assistant-
Judge sentenced him to hard labour for one year.
(Before Mr. Creasy.)
John Herbert Turner surrendered to take his
trial upon an indictment charging him with having
been guilty of conduct of an abominable descrip-
tion in the Adeiphi arches. The case stood for
trial at the last session atClerkenwell, but through
a mistake be did not surrender, and his recogni-
sances were estreated.

Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Cole appeared for the pro-
secution, instructed on behalf of the Treasury ;
Mr. Sleigh was counsel for the prisoner.
After a long trial, the prisoner, who was a pub-
lican at Hounslow, was found guilty.
Sentence was deferred,

John Rolfe, 19, was indicted for stealing eight
spoons and other articles, the property of Stephen
Bourne.

Mr. Metcalfe prosecuted ; Mr. Cooper was coun-
sel for the prisoner.
This robbery was committed by the prisoner and
two others, who were convicted. He was let out
on bail and decamped, and was subsequently ap-
prehended on a bench warrant. One of his accom-
plices was brought up by habeas from the House of
Correction to prove his guilt, which he did clearly,
and from his evidence it appeared that the adage
"Honour among thieves" had been quite disre-
garded in the sharing of the plunder, for each of
the three cheated the other two, or did his best to
do so.

The prisoner was found guilty, and sentenced to
six months' hard labour.

POL CE ISTELLIGENCE—Jan. 18,

MANSION-HOUSE.—Captain Thomas Daukin
was summoned before the Lord Mayor upon the
complaint that be did unlawfully and knowingly
fraudulently attempt and endeavour to obtain by
divers false pretences, from the secretary to the
Maritime Passengers Assurance Company, 138,
Fenchurch-street, a sum of money with intent to
cheat and defraud the company.
Mr. Edward Moss, of Moorgate-street, solicitor
to the company, appeared for the prosecution; Mr.
Lawlor for the defence. The case appeared to ex-
cite a great deal of curiosity.
Mr. John Geary, secretary to the Maritime Pas-
sengers Assurance Company, formed under the
Joint Stock Companies Act, said—Mr. G. F. Young
and Mr. J. A. Durham are the trustees under the
act. On the 17th July last the defendant effected
the policy produced for 1501., on chronometer, 311.
10s.; nautical instruments, 421.; charts and books,
101.; watch and wearing apparel, 651. 108.; and in
the beginning of the present month I received the
claim produced for 1101. It was handed to me by
a clerk, who brought in the defendant, to whom I
spoke upon the subject. I afterwards received a
letter with the declaration in support of the claim
which declaration the defendant admitted to be his.
The declaration stated that the defendant was
the captain of the ship Hibernia, on a voyage from
this country to Quebec, and that as the vessel be-
came waterlogged, and could not be moved, the
captain and crew were compelled to abandon her,
having succeeded in saving only a portion of the
goods insured.
Cross-examined—l was not aware that the de-
fendant's solicitors made the first claim. I had no
suspicion on the subject of the correctness of the
claim until I received information, which I laid
before the board. Our solicitor was then instructed.
William Higham—l was carpenter on board the
Hibernia, of which the defendant was captain, on
her voyage from London to Quebec. On that voy-
age she became waterlogged on the Ist Dec., as
near as I can judge about 500 miles from the West-
ern Islands, and we were picked up by the Her-
mann, of Bremen, on the 6th Dec. The captain
told us to look after his things and to save them,
as they would pay us a great deal better than our
own, as he was insured and did not care anything
about them. The captain's things were taken out
in two chests, and a bag, and a small deal box, and
put into the long boat. I went into the cabin and
looked round before I left the vessel. The medi-
cine chess was put into the long boat. The bin-
nacle lamps were packed up by the mate. The long
boat made two trips, and was to have made a third.
The second mate and some of the crew made the
first trip ; the captain and I made the second. I
afterwards saw the two chests, the bag, and the
box on board the Hermann, and in about ten
minutes or a quarter of an hour after we got oa
board the Hermann, the defendant got on the poop,
pulled out some things, such as linen shirts, threw
them down on the deck, and said any one might
have them who asked, for he was insured and cared
nothing about them. I got some shirt 4, three pairs
of stocks, and a flannel shirt. The other seilore,
and also the mate, got some of the things. The
larger of the two chests was afterwards brought by
us to London in the care of the chief mate, with
some charts and some shirts. I was to take care
of the other chest. The captain afterwards got
possession of the chest entrusted to my care. There
were in is the sextant and quadrant; and a rug and
some books. The steward opened that chest in my
house.

Cross-
he xe abm oxi n ef
odr—hTi
mh e. c alp taai n
nasoktetdakme eantyothtinkge
out of the chest, but the steward took out the rug
care
at my house. The box was in my custody, and I
refused to give it up, as the captain said he would
give me something to make up for the loss of my
tools in the Hibernia. I saw the large chest in
Queenstown. It had two barometers in it. The
captain told me they belonged to him, and he told
me to save them. I hadsaveda portion of my clothes
and blankets and bedding. The weather was cold.
The men had clothes. They had not all saved their
kit. There were 22 men on board. The clothes the
captain distributd were wet with salt water. The
captain told me not to waste time in saving my
tools. It was not a very heavy sea. The captain of
the Bremen ship sent word back by the first boat
to make all the haste we could, as he was anxious
to get home. The water Was Spoiling everything
below. I know the shirts belonged to the captain,
because I hung them up to dry. I saw his name on
some of them.

Re-examined by the Lord Mayor—l heard most

of the men say they bad lost some of their clothes.
All the things thocaptain gave away wore saturated
with salt water.
The Lord Mayor—Have you had any quarrel
with the captain?
Witness—No, my Lord.
The Lord Mayor--Had you not a disagreement
about his promise to give you something to make
amends for the loss of your tools ?
Witness—Yes, we disagreed on that subject.
The Lord Mayor—Would you have gone to the
company if the captain had given you the recom-
pense you expected ?
Witness—l would not.
The Lord Mayor—Had you any claim upon the
captain
Witness—No.
James Dawson—l was steward on board the Hi-
bernia. On Dec. 6 the captain gave me orders to
pack up his clothes, and I packed them all up. I
had charge of them before. I also packed up the
sextant, the quadrant, the double glasses, and a
large hair rug. All the captain's effects were packed
up by me in two large chests and a bag, which I
helped to put in the long boat, and I saw them safe
on board the Hermann, of Bremen. I saw them
afterwards at Queenstown and Cork, and finally in
London. After we had been on board some time the
captain had the two chests taken into the poop and
opened, and took some of the clothes out. They
were damp. He said on board our ship that he was
insured, but he did not say so on board the Her-
mann. He said on board the Hibernia that we were
to have what clothes we could, as he did not want
them, as he was insured. The clothes he took out
be hove down to the crew on the main deck, and
be said they might have them. All the captain's
things were saved.
Cross-examined—l was in want of clothes. I lost
some of my own. The captain told me I might have
what I liked. He told me to have everything I
could. 1 was promised my share of the things,
but did not get it.
The Lord Mayor—lf you had got your share,
would you have come here ?
Witness—No, my lord, I would not.
Mr. Moss said the company felt the greatest re-
pugnance at prosecuting, and were in the constant
habit of paying claims without the slightest ques-
tion, but he submitted that in this case the defendant
had made a claim for effects which were all proved
to have been traced to Loudon, and that there was
no ground at all for sueh a demand.
Mr. Landor contended that his client had in this
instance, as well as upon every other occasion, ex-
hibited the conduct of an honest, sober, and intdl-
ligent man, and that he had made no larger claim
for the losses he had sustained than he was perfectly
justified in making.
The Lord Mayor—l consider that cases of this
kind are of the greatest importance to the public.
I am of opinion that the company are perfectly jus-
tified in making a searching investigation into the
particulars, but I do not think th it these is suffi-
cient evidence to sanction me in sending the de-
fendant for trial. It is quite right that before the
company decide upon the payment of the claim' the
fullest investigation should be made into all the
particulars of the case, and I dare say such investi-
gation will take place.
The case was then stated to be at an end.
Alfred Hill was charged with having stolen a pair
of trousers, the property of Timothy Cronin, a
county Cork man.
The complainant said—l was in Petticoat-lane on
Sunday, and this fellow and several other fellows
of the same kind got round me, and the prisoner
put his hands in my pocket, but he took nothing
out, because it was empty. I had a pair of trousers,
which I had just bought, under my arm, and some-
body whipped them away. My bat was dashed off
my head, but I did not see by whom.
A witness, who does business in Petticoat-lane,
said—[ saw the prisoner and several of his compa-
nions surround the complainant, and the prisoner
struck him about the head. I thought they would
have killed the man amongst them. The prisoner
snatched the trousers from the complainant, and
handed them to another man, and I gave informa-
tion to a policeman, who watched him coming out
of the mart, and took him into custody.
The Lord Mayor—There are innumerable com -
plaints made of the people who congregate in Petti-
coat-lane on Sundays. It is the duty of the police
to look particularly to that district, for scarcely a
Sunday passes without being marked by some case
of robbery there.

It was stated by several persons, that there was
danger to every respectable person who ventured
into Petticoat-lane from the crowds of thieves who
infested the place.
The. Lord Mayor—l sentence the prisoner to im-
prisonment and hard labour for three months.

George Webb, who was charged with having
stolen a handkerchief on Saturday, was put to the
bar. He had been seen in the act of taking the
handkerchief. He had on Saturday refused to give
his address, but he assured the Lord Mayor that he
had never been guilty or accused of dishonesty
before, and his lordship directed that particular
inquiries should be made about him.
Several policemen said they knew the prisoner to
be always in the company of thieves. Here the pri-
soner laughed.
The Lord Mayor sentenced him to be imprisoned
to hard labour for three months.

W --Mary Ann Richards, better
knßowOnatTßongEsEtTber companions as Poll Rickett,
was charged with being drunk and assaulting
Policeman Nixon, F 24.

The prisoner is a prostitute, and one of the most
drunken and disorderly of her class. She has been
brought to this court over and over again for
drunkenness and assault, and indeed has of late
spent the greater part of her time iu prison. After
midnight on Saturday night she was found by the
constable in Drury-lane, where she was siting on
the doorstep of a pawnbroker's, at the corner of
Broad-court. She was quite drunk. He desired
her to go away, which she refused to do, and on
his attempting to remove her she struck him in the
face. He then took her into custody, upon which
she threw herself upon the ground, and struggled
so violently that he was obliged to call two other
constables to assist him.
The prisoner, in defence, made a long and bitter
complaint against the constable, who she said bad
she should be taken up for spend-
roughly handled her in taking her in charge. She
Mr. Jardine sentenced her to a month's imprison-
g
ment.
idni
hn
colt.
ownsee
At the moment that the gaoler was about to re-
why
money.
/love her, she produced from under her clothing a
pint mug, such as is used in the coffee shops in the
neighbourhood of Drury-lane, and flung it with
great force and precision at the constable's head.
He, however, guarded his face by throwing up his
arm, upon which he received the missile. It fell
and was broken. The prisoner then burst out
in a torrent of invective and threats of violence
against the constable, declaring that she had been so
often in prison that it did not matter to her whether
she went for a long or short period, but she would go
for something more than " spending her own
money."
Mr. Jardine said that however such persons as
the prisoner might feel towards the witness, they
must be taught to behave themselves before the
magistrate. In addition to the month's imprison-
ment, she must be bound over in two sureties of
101. to keep the peace for six months.

CLERKENWELL.—Henry Elliott, aged 52, of
8, York-buildings, Somers-town, a butcher, John
N eaves, aged 31, of 24, Charlton-street, Somers-
town, a carpenter, and Edwin Probers, aged 36, of
Equity-buildings, Somers town, a boot-closer, were
charged before Mr. Corrie with working an illicit
still at 36, Equity-buildings, Somers-town.
It app:ared from the evidence that the elder pri-
soner, who has been before convicted of a similar
offence, was suspected by the Excise officers of the
district, Messrs. Bray, Bartell and Cartmell, of
carrying on the same illicit trade, and they therefore,
iu conjunction with Sergeant Hill, 39 S, eff:cted an
entrance into the house, 36, Equity-buildings. In
the passage they found the man Neeves in the act
of coming out, and upon entering the parlour they
saw Probed at work at boot-closing. Upon going
to the back of the house one of the officers saw the
prisoner Neeves kneeling down preparing some j
wash for the still, which was in full operation, and
was running off spirits at the time. The officer
said, " Hallo, old fellow, you are at your old tricks
again," when he said, " Oh, it is you ; I suppose it
is all right. The prisoners were then taken into
custody, and the whole of the apparatus, wash,
molasses, he., seized and conveyed to the Excise-
office. Owing to the resistance of the prisoners, it
was found necessary to call in the assistance of police
Qergeant Billinghtirst, 44 S, when they were safely
lodged in the police station.
Elliott said he was guilty, and that the other par-
ties knew nothing whatever of the transaction.
The other -prisoners said they thought Elliott
ms making ginthe outhouse for.
ger beer, that being what he took
Mr. Corrie lined Elliott the full penalty of 3,4.,
or in default of payment three calendar months'
hard labour in the House of Correction, and, giving
the others the benefit of the doubt, discharged
them.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—Mr. Beadon gave
his judgment in a case relative to the purchase or
pawning of soldiers' medals, which was looked for-
ward to with much interest by the pawnbroking
trade.

This case arose from Lieut.-Colonel Grant, com-
manding the Tower Hamlets Militia, now on per