The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-24 00:00:00

late to other articles, which no doubt these li

fingered and fashionably-dressed " ladies," had—pil-
fered from other tradesmen's shops. -

Mi. Sleigh s :id this was not only an unaccount-
able but most extraordinary case. The prisoners
were the daughters of a most highly respectable
person, now dead, who had givin them the educa-
tion of ladies, and they were really not only.edu-
cated, but accomplished women. They were under
no pressure from want, they had no urgent necessi-
ties to contend with. Since they had. been out of
prison one had been in a situation as a governess,
another had been aiding a fourth sister in a school,
and the other had been dressmaking. But it seemed
that they had the penchant for stealing, which had
been termed Kleptomania. He could not possibly
understand the inducement by which they had been
led into such courses. All he could urge in their
behalf to the Court was, that the thefts they had
committed were to no very serious extent, and that
they had not paid their visits to jewellers or other
shops where much more valuable articles might
have tempted-them.
The prisoner Julia said it was she alone who took
the cup and saucer, her sisters knew nothing of it.
The others said that was true.
- A fourth sister, living at Brompton, Who seemed
deeply affected, was called, and bore out what Mr.
Sleigh had said. She could not account, she said,
for her sister's propensity for stealing. Julia, it had
long been suspected in the family, was not exactly
right in her head.
The learned Assistant-Judge said the Court
could make no distinction between this case and
any other, if it did, it would rather be to the dis-
advantage of the prisoners. They, by their appa-
rent superior condition of life had thrown
tradesmen off their guard, and had committed
theft in a way that showed they were not new
to such practices, besides they had each had the
serious warning of twelve months' hard labour.
As that had not deterred them a severer punish-
ment must be tried. In the opinion of himself
and the bench the suggestion of a mania fix steal-
ing was, at least so far as this case was concerned,
not to be regarded in the slightest degree. Here
were three persons, sisters, going about and plun-
dering shopkeepers in all directions. The respecta-
bility of the prisoners did not at all affect the opi-
nion of the court any more than if they had been
of the lowest class of offenders with whom the court
hed to deal. The duty of the court was to protect
the public and punish crime, and bhe sentence upon
each of the prisoners was three years' penal ser-
vitude.
The prisoners then affectionately embraced each.
other and were removed. The fourth sister was
allowed an interview with them.

COUNTRY MARKETB.

LEICESTER-OCT. 22.

There was a tolerable supply of wheat to-day, with a
fair show of other grain. Prices—White wheat, 44s to 48s
—red, 40s to 44s per 36 stone; a very good inquiry for fine
barley, grinding, 28s to 308 ; malting, 38s to 40s per qr. ;
the oat trade was dull, at quotations ranging from 25s to
33s per 24 stone. Beans a fair sale, at 48s to 52s per 38
stone. _ _

Fine flour, 31s I Seconds, 32s I Thirds, 30s per 20 stone.

NORWICH—OcT. 22.

Here, to-day, there was rather a full attendance of the
trade, and a firm feeling. There was a fair show of wheat,
and prices for both old and new were at rather better rates.
The supply of barley was moderate, and prices at about
late rates.

White wheat 46s to 48s I Red wheat 408 to 448
Malting barley....42s to 47s I New malting barley3BB to 44e
Distilling do .. ....22s to 27s I Oats.. 24s to 28s
Flour, 30s Od to —s per sack from the miller.

GLOUCESTER—OcT. 22.
At our market there was rather a large attendance, and
a firmer trade was done. Prices were at fully the curren-
cies of this day se'nnight—viz., English white wheat, 455
to 4711; red, 42s to 44s per qr. Foreign maintains its v,alue.
Barley is in free request for malting purposes, the season
having now, since the cold weather, set in in earnest.

NOTTING HAM—OcT. 22.
Wo had a small attendance at to-day's market, and a fair
supply of grain. The extreme prices of last week, however,
were maintained, in some cases rather higher. Malting
barley a small show, with no material change in prices
grinding sorts a fair supply, and is lower. Oats a small
show, and dull sale, at previous prices; beans unchanged.
Super. flour, 33s to 39s ; fine, 29s to 33s per 20 stone