The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-08 00:00:00

prisoner shall be committed to prison to expiate his
fault.

Mr. Martin (chief clerk)—Have you had your at-
tention drawn to the Bishop of Oxford's Act?
Mr. Wontncr—Not with regard to this rattier.-
lar case. The difficulty of dealing with the case in
any other way is that the other child who inveigled
the complainant to the prisoner's house is only 12
years of age, and a sort of co-conspirator, and she
is not here.

Mary Bolden said—My mother is a widow, and
I live with her at 16. Fox and Knot-court, King-
street, Snow-hill. I go to St. Sepulchre's
Charity School, where there is another girl,
named Emma Knapp. On the 18th of last month
she asked me to go with her to a chemist's shop in
Smithfield. I consented, and. she took me to Mr.
Cayley's, and I saw the prisoner behind the coun-
ter. Emma Knap took me up stairs, and about five
minutes after the prisoner came up and kissed me,
and then crossed the room and whispered to Emma
Knap, after which he returned and set me upon the
table and Emma Knap put the sofa pillow under
my head. (Complainant here described the offence.)
He told me not to cry, and gave me twopence. I
did not give him permission to place me on the
table, and when he took me up I kicked my legs
about, but did not tell him not to do it. I did not
cry out very loud. My mother discovered what
had occurred about a week after.
Cross-examined—Emma Knap told me she had
been in the habit of going to see the prisoner, who
used to set her on the table and give her twopence
each time. She also told me that he would only
set me on the table. She was present all the time
I was on the table from first to last. She took up
her petticoats and told me to do the same, and I
did, and the prisoner then unfastened his dress.
When he gave me the twopence I thanked him and
went away. I have not been to him since. I did
not expect he would do anything more than put me
on the table.

Mary Ann Bolden said—l am the mother of the
complainant, who was 12 years of age on the 27th
of June last. She has al ways been a very well con-
ducted child, and never kept bad company. I dis-
covered the condition of my child in consequence of
observing portions of her dress in a peculiar state,
ard, upon questioning her, she told me everything
she has now sworn to.
Wm. Smith, a City detective officer, said—l appre-
hended the prisoner in Havelock-steet, Caledonian-
road, on Sunday afternoon, and when I told him
the charge he said the girl was over age. He said
he knew Emma Knap. but the name of Mary Bol-
den was not familiar to him. He said he had left
Mr. Cayley's service, and that he was on the point
of going to Doddington, in Cambridgeshire, when
I met him.

Alderman Mechi—How long has he been at Mr.
Cayley's ?
Smith—l believe about two years, sir.
Mr. Charles Mundy said—l am a surgeon in
practice at 86, Snow-hill. I examined the com-
plainant on Thursday evening last, and found she
was suffering from a complaint of a certain charac-
ter, and her person bore evident signs of violation.
I examined the prisoner on Saturday evening, but
could not find any trace of such a complaint upon
him ; but it is quite possible for him to have had
such a complaint at the time the offence is said to
have taken place.
Mr. Wontner said—After this evidence, sir, I
submit there is sufficient to satisfy you there was
resistance on the part of the girl to justify you in
dealing with the case as I have suggested.
Mr. English, of Coleman-street, said—Lcontend
that the evidence, on the contrary, is in favour of
the girl's consent having been obtained. Ido not
come here to defend the prisoner's gross and
abominable conduct towards these two girls, or to
deny that he has acted towards them in the man-
ner described, for if he has rendered himself
amenable to the law he must take the consequences,
and submit to the punishment he deserves, but it
must first be shown that he has committed
an offence against the law, which must not
be twisted out of its course to punish immorality
which has not been recognised as a criminal offence.
The girl in this case evidently knew the purpose
for which Emma Knapp took her to the prisoner,
and it was equally clear that she was perfectly
willing to earn the twopence in the way it had been
stated, for when she received the amount she
thanked him, and went away. With regard to
the offence alluded to in connexion with Emma
Knapp no charge will be made in that case either by
her or her friends, for she is not forthcoming ; and
Mr. Wontner's observations on that case, therefore,
fall to the ground. In conclusion, I must express
my utter detestation of the prisoner's disgusting
conduct, but at the same time I confidently submit
there is no case made out for you to act upon.
Alderman Mechi—l quite agree with your ad-
vocate, prisoner, as to his opinion of your conduct,
for he has not attempted to paint you fairer than
you are. If the capital offence had been completed
I should have sent you for trial, but knowino. what
I do of such cases at the Central Criminal Court, I
have determined to deal summarily with youunder
the act of Parliament suggested. I shall act only
upon the evidence before me, totally disregarding
the admissions made by your solicitor. I cannot
sufficiently express my abhorrence of conduct such
as yours, particularly when I consider the awfully
demoralising effect it must have upon these poor
children. The sentence I intend to pass upon you
is, that you be committed to the House of Correc-
tion for the term of six calendar months with hard
labour. (This decision was received with a burst of
applause from a verycrowded court, but it was quickly
suppressed bythe officials.) Alderman Mechi further
said--In conclusion, I must say that the conduct
of the committee in taking the case up in the man-
ner they have, reflects the highest credit upon them.
The prisoner was then removed.