The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-21 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS, Dee. 20.

The December adjourned sessions for the county
of Surrey commenced this morning, at the Court-
house, Newington-causeway, before J. G. Johnson,
Esq., chairman ; T. Tilson, Esq., deputy chairman,
and a bench of magistrates. The calendar contained
the names of 54 prisoners for trial-48 for felony
and six for misdemeanour. The charges are of the
usual nature tried at these sessions. There are three
for' embezzlement, several for robbing employers,
shoplifting, housebreaking, and street, robberies.
=There is one singular charge, which is likely to take
up the time of the Court. A prisoner named Mat-
thews will be indicted by the parish authorities of
Stsaviour's, Southwark, for leaving the dead body
of an infant exposed on the steps of Southwark-
' bridge. The child was illegitimate, and was left
in the prisoner's care at his house at Woolwich,
where it died. In the early part of November he
brought up the dead body, and left it exposed on
the steps of the bridge. The offence was traced to
him, and he was committed for trial for the misde-
meanour.

On the names of the grand jury being called over
three of them were fined £5 each for not being in
attendance at the time. The Court expressed its de-
termination to enforce all such fines, as great in-
convenience was experienced by their non-attend-
ance at the time specified in their summonses. The
grand jury having been sworn, the chairman
addressed them as to the nature of their duties,
urging them as t.) the necessity of examining all
the witnesses at the back of the bills before they
ignored any ; also to send into court for the origi-
nal depositions, should they have any doubt. They
would then perceive whether the witnesses spoke
the truth.

John Dennis, 20, a clerk in the employ of Mr.
Swan, pen and quill merchant, 49, High-street,
Borough, was indicted for embezzling various sums
of money belonging to his master.
Mr. Robinson prosecuted, and Mr. Lilley de-
fended the prisoner, who pleaded guilty.
Mr. Lilley hoped that the Court would show
some leniency towards the prisoner, who sincerely
regretted having committed himself, and placed
himself in so disgraceful a position.
Mr. Robinson, on the part of the prosecutor, re-
commended him to mercy, when
The Chairman sentenced him to 21 days' impri-
sonment.
James M'Mahon, 22, was indicted for obtaining
a shilling from Sergeant William Kelly, Ist Royal
Surrey Militia, by means of false pretences.
Mr. Robinson prosecuted.
Sergeant Kelly said, that on the 26th of last
month he enlisted the prisoner at Wandsworth for
the 60th Rifles. Witness asked him whether he had
enlisted before and been rejected, which he answered
in the negative, and he gave him the shilling. He
since ascertained that he had enlisted in the
dragoons, and had been rejected.
Sergeant Storer said he had enlisted the prisoner
on the 20th of October, when he was rejected as
unfit for the service. He obtained a shilling and
a day's pay from him at that time. On the 26th
of November witness apprehended him in the Rose
and Crown.
Police• constable, 142 V, proved the prisoner to
be a constant associate of thieves, and he had been
twice convicted.
The jury found him guilty, and the court sen-
tenced him to six months' hard labour.
John Atkinson, 33, assistant to Mr. Walker,
wholesale grocer and tea dealer, Blackman-street,
pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly £lOO.
The prisoner had been nearly two years in the
prosecutor's service, as shopman and traveller. It
was his duty to collect orders and money from the
customers, and. account for the same daily on his
returx home. "Latterly he had been very irregular,
which caused inquiries to be made among the
customers, and he was found to have embezzled
over £lOO.

Mr. Charnock appeared for the prosecution.
The Chairman observed that depredations by
confidential servants had become so prevalent, that
the court must pass a heavier punishment on the
guilty parties than heretofore. He sentenced the
prisoner to 12 months' hard labour at Wandsworth.
Elizabeth Tatton* 30, pleaded guilty to stealing
a tray from the shop of Mr. Wood, Charlotte-
terrace, New-cut, Lambeth.
It appeared that on Friday afternoon, the 26th
ult., the prisoner visited Mr. Wood's shop, and
after she had left the tray was missed. She was
taken into custody for attempting to rob another
shop, when the tray was found in her possession,
as well as a piece of red cloth and braid, stolen from
Mr. Ackerman. She had also some spoons, stolen
from the Lowther-arcade.
The Court sentenced her to four months' hard
labour.

Elizabeth Young pleaded guilty to stealing a
bonnet and other articles, the property of Catherine
Jones.

Having been previously convicted at these
sessions, .

The Chairman sentenced her to twelve months
hard labour.

George Weller, 31, was indicted for stealing a
copper, the property of John Stone.
The prosecutor, a coffee-house-keeper in Lambeth-
walk, said he knew the prisoner, and on the even-
ing of the 4th he lent -him the keys of the wash-
house. Previous to that -he had seen the copper
safe, and nobody else had been there. Shortly
afterwards he the back gate open and missed
the copper, -and it had not since been found.
George Richardson, of Sydenham, said that on
the 15th he found, a piece of pipe, which he knew
had belonged to the prisoner, in the copper hole,
which led to his apprehension.
Police-constable 66 L said that the yard door
had been broken open, and he found in the wash-
house a jemmy, which had been used for the
purpose.
The prisoner denied all knowledge of the copper
or the4emmy, and
The jury acquitted him.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Dec. 20.

WESTMINSTER.—EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE
OF SWINDLING AT CHELSEA.—This extraordinary
case was brought to a close before Mr. Paynter.
Mr. Lewis, jun., again appeared for the prosecu-
tor, and Mr. Solomon for the prisoners, Thomas
Higgins and. George Davis, who were surrendered
by their bail.
Air. Charles Gruneberg's evidence having been
read over,

Mr. Lewis said that a very important circum-
stance had occurred since the prisoners had been
liberated on bail, which being new matter, he must
request the magistrate's permission to add to the
deposition of Mr. Denis, builder, the execution
creditor to whom these bills had been given, as
detailed on a previous examination.
Before proceeding to the additional testimony it
may be as well toremind the reader that the whole
of Mr. Gruneberg's furniture was unlawfully swept
off by Higgins, and conveyed to his house upon a
£3OO bill of sale, for which Mr. Gruneberg never
received any value.
Mr. Denis sworn, said—On the 19th the prisoner
Higgins called on me alone, and asked me if I had
sent an officer down to his house to try and get an
execution in on Gruneberg's goods. 1 told him I
had not, and I did not think it proper to take any
steps without the advice of my solicitor. He then
said that if I would send an officer down on the
Saturday he would let him in. to take away the
goods.
Mr. Lewis (addressing the magistrate)—You see,
sir, this is the effect of my being so indulgent as to
consent to this man's being set at large on moderate
bail.

Mr. Solomon—l assure you, sir, he was not act-
ing under my advice.
Mr. Paynter—l should think not, for he could
not have done anything more injurious to his case.
Cross-examined by Mr. Solomon—Higgins asked
if I had-sent a man, because one had got over the
railings. Did not say I had not better send any
sne down, because the goods were--secured. I am
quite clear he told me to come and take away the
goods.
_ _ _

Mr. Solomon--And why did not you do it under
your execution ?
Mr. Denis—Because I am not at pro,ent quite

fool enough to do sv .ch a thing. I did not feel jus-
tified in doing it.
Mr, Solomon—But. you were the execution cre-

ditor, and never LI-ot your money.
Mr. Denis—l did not feel that I should be
doing right in tot ..ching them. When Higgins
requested me to so nd an officer to seize the goods,
I told him I wou: 4 not do anything without the
advice of my solich or. I went to him, and he
told me I had better i'et the matter stand at present
lied at my house again on
as it was. Higgins ca.
I
Saturday night, but I dig not see him. My servant
heard part of what was 5e..41.
Re-examined by Mr. Lel4-is—l declined to seize
the goods while the matter wtis under investigation
at this court.

Mr. Solomon—You were very foolish ; you were
he execution creditor.

Mr. Lewis----It's a good job you didn't. They
would have set up their bill of sale, htrve said that
you had seized their furniture, and got you into a
law suit.

The depositions; in the charge of conspiracy were
then completed, attd the second case proceeded with
against Davis for uttering the cheque for £B.
The second case having been completed, and the
whole of the witnesses bound over—with the ex-
ception of Mrs. Gruneherg, who 'was stated to be
labouring under very serious illness through the
proceedings to which prisoner's conduct had given
rise—Mr. Lewis said he had to ask that Higgins's
bail should be increased in consequence of his hav-
ing used his liberty in a most improper way.
Mr. Poynter said he had a good mind not to take
bail at all; he had thought that to a certain extent
Higgins was the tool of Davis, but he now began
to think the other way. He would not take bail
unless a positivw'undertaking were 'given that no
further steps shou.ll4 be taken to oppress Mr. Grune-
berg.
Mr. Solomon said that nothing of the sort should
be done. Higgins hacl asked him previously whe-
ther he should go to the execution creditor (Mr.
Denis), when he told Mal he certainly should not.
Higgins's bail was increased to two sums of £BO,
with which he was unprovided, and he was sent to
gaol in default. Davis was bailed as before, but
some retainers of the Sheriff of Middlesex hovered
about the court to escort him to a debtor's prison
upon his liberation.
Both prisoners stand fully committed for trial at
the Central Criminal Court.

WORSHIP-STREET.—ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
—A respectable-looking, middle-aged person,named
Catherine Wray, housekeeper at a tavern in Union-
street, Spitalfields, was placed before Mr. Hammill
upon a charge having attempted self-destruction
with laudanum.
It appeared that on Sunday night a young lady
named Marshall, who was on a visit at the house,
found her sick and ill, and sinking into a state of
insensibility; and a small bottle which had con-
tained laudanum being found, it was gathered from
her that she had taken the contents of it, but she
afterwards expressed sorrow for what she had
done. Miss Marshall walked her about to prevent
her falling asleep until the arrival of a surgeon,
when more active measures were resorted to to
c•nnteraot the effects of the drug. The only reason
that could be assigned for her conduct was that she
fancied, without any foundation, that she was
blamed for some losses that had recently occurred
in the house.
Policeman 178 H produced a bottle labelled
" laudanum," and said that the prisoner told him
she had been in the habit of taking a little occa-
sionally as a remedy for a cough, but that on this
occasion she had taken the whole. It was consi-
dered probable that the excessive quantity had
operated so as to occasion speedy sickness and. the
ejection of the greater part of the poison from the
stomach, and thereby prevented a fatal result.
Her employer stated that he had latterly sus-
tained some losses, which caused him to make some
alterations in his arrangements, but he had. never
entertained the slightest suspicion of his house-
keeper, who was the widow of a friend of 25 years'
standing, the companion of his daughter, and. he
would receive h:r back and protect her.
She was discharged with that understanding.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE—DEC. 18.
At the market this morning there was a liberal supply of
home-grown wheat, for which the demand was steady at
late rates. In foreign and south country samples scarcely
anything doing. Most other articles maintained former
rates, there being a better demand generally.