The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-13 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.-July 11.

(Before Mr. Past,ley, Q.C., Assistant Judge.)
John Chescoe, 30, was indicted for unlawfully
and indecently assaulting a girl 'lamed Margaret
Curley.
Mr. Sleigh appeared for the prosecution, in-
structed by Mr. Shaen ; Mr. Cooper, by Messrs.
Humphreys, for the prisoner.
The prosecutrix, a girl 14 years of age, was ser-
vant in the prisoner's house, No. 2, Itheidol-t,x-
race, Islington, where he carried on the business of
an artificial florist, and had a number of young girls
in his employment. The case for the prosemtion,
and which was clearly made out upon the evidence
of the girl, wag, that one nig,tt, when excited by
drink, the prisoner left his wife's bedroom, and
went to the kitchen, where the girl was sleepin,
and committed the assault charged in the first
count. Nexr, morning the girl toll Mrs. Chescoe
what had occurred, and she to4l prisoner of it in
her presence. He sa;d he was drunk and knew
nothing about it. The prosecutrix then infoimed
her father and mother, and they caused the prisoner
to"be apprehended. He then made a scarcely in-
telligible statement, partly admitting some mis-
conduct. The prosecutrix was subjected to a severe
cross-examination, but she gave her answers with-
out-the least hesitation, and gave minute details of
the offence. A medical gentleman gave evidence,
from which it appeared that a more serious offence
than an assault had not been committed.
Mr. Cooper, for Vie defence, urged that the girl
was utterly unworthy of belief, and that her flip-
pant and immodest manner in the box, and her
evident familiarity with such details, as exhibited
in her answers, would justify the jury in coming to
the conclusion that there was no foundation for the

charge.
Two witnesses, speaking from a knowledge of
the prisoner for a number of years, gave him a high
character for morality and propriety of conduct.
The Assi,tant-Judge told the jury that the only
question in the case was, did they or did they
not believe the girl's evidence ? _ _

The jury at once returned a verdict of Guilty
upon all the counts.
At the rising of the court the prisoner was
brought up and sentenced to 18 months' hard
lab a ur.

William Bristow, 38, labourer, and John Hamil-
ton, 52, a Customs weigher, were indicted for
having stolen a ham, the property of William
Robinson. This was a case postponed from last ses-
sion. Hamilton now surrendered in court.
Mr. Metcalfe. instructed by Tyrell and Co.,
prosecuted ; Mr. Sleigh, instructed by Mr. Hodg-
son, defended Hamilton. Bristow pleaded
" Guilty."

It appeared that the prisoner Bristow took a ham
from a ship in the East and West India Dock 4,
and a portion of it was found upon his person as
he was about to leave. When questioned he said
a ship's steward had given it to him' but ultimately
.he admitted having stolen it, and
who at
andd made a state-
ment implicating the prisoner
that time was acting as searcher's cooper, as re-
ceiver of part of the ham. Hamilton at once ad-
mitted that he had received a piece of ham from
the prisoner, who told him it bad been given
to him by a steward. Hamilton had been in the
service of the Crown altogether about 40 years,
and several Customs officers of higher rank than
himself were called to give evidence of his having
borne an unblemished character up to the present
time.
The jury interrupted the Assistant Judge in his
summing up and said they ware satisfi-d there wa,3
no case whatever against Hamilton, whom they ac-
cordingly Acquitted.
Bristow- was sentenced to nine months' hard la-
bour.

(Before Mr. Creasy.)
Win. Vincent, 26, was indicted forhaving stolen
a watch and chain, value 101., the property of
Thomas Gilbert. He sunendered.

Mr. Poland was for the prosecution, Mr. Ribton
for the prisozier.

The pi osecutor stated that he was a commercial
rave!ler, lesidiug at 37. Stockwell-park-road, and
on the 19th of May he was accosted at Charing-
cross by the prisoner, txho asked him the way to
the Horse Guards. He directed him, and stepped
on, but the prisoner forced a conversation upon him,
and ultimately, upon an invitation to take some re-
freshment, he accompanied him to a public-house.
They went into the parlour, and in a minute or sa
the prisoner wont out and was away some time, but
witness waited for him as he had left his stick, and
oa his return they had a bottle of lemonade and a
glass of ale. They then went ta the Horse Guards,
and on seeing the clock the prisoner said he was too
late for his business that day, and, they might as
well, therefore, go and have some more refreshment.
Accordingly they went into another public-house,
and the prisoner went out as before, and when he
came back he said there was a better house further
on. They then went to a house at Milibank, where,
on going into the parlour, they found a gentleman,
and in a short time a person dressed as a farmer
joined them. They talked about testing the quality
of a glass of ale by sugar, and the farmer said if ale ,
was not good sugar would " resolve" in it. Tie
prisoner said he had used a wrong word, it should
be ", dissolve." The farmer said he was sure he was •
right, for he had heard the parson's clerk of his pa-
rish say so—using a broad country dialect. Witness
suggested that "Johnson's Dictionary" should be
appealed to to decide the question, aud the "gen-
tleman" who was in the room. when they, first went
in said he would go and get one, and left. The farmer
then showed something which he said • were bank-
notes, and-said he would bit 10 guineas that " re-
solve" was the right word to use. The prisoner said:
he had only 11., and asked witness to lend him his .
watch and chain to stake against the 10 guineas,
but he refused, saying that the watch had belonged
to his father, who was dead. The gentleman came
back with a book, whic:a he said was a dictionary,
and they all then agreed to bet. Witness staked
his watch and chain against the farmer's 10 gui-,
nem, and the prisoner made a bet that it was " dis-
solve." The book was handed to the f firmer, who
looked into it and said that the definition given of
" resolve" was "to melt—to analyse," and there-'
upon he claimed forfeit of the watch and chain.
Witness wanted to see the book, to look for the,
word " dissolve,", but they refused to let
saying the bat was decided, and the prisoner took
the watch and handed it, with the chain, to the
farmer. The prisoner said he would give a bill to
the farmer for the amount, so as to get the watch
and chain back, and he asked witness to go with
him to get a bill stamp. They went out together,
and prisoner sent him into a shop for a a amp,,
saying he would wait for him at the corner or
' the street. While he was in the shop the pri•
Boner gave him " the slip," and when 1
went back to the publiehouse the 4‘ farmer''
and the "gentleman" were not to be found, On
the 18th of June he saw the prisoner in Westmin-
ster-road, and gave Lim in charge. The prisoner
whispered to him that he had pledged the watch
and chain, and would give him back the propertri
if he would not lock him up; but witness, wh°
seemed to have profited by his experience, per.
sisted in charging him, and he was taken .to the
station-house.

The counsel for the prosecution opened the cal
as one of conspiracy on the part of the prisoner and
his friends, the supposed "farmer" and " gentle
man," to-rob the prosecutor.
The policeman who took -the prisoner into as'
tody stid he heard him offer to restore the watch
and chain if the prosecutor would withdraw the
charge. He told him he could not allow it to be
settled in that way, and took him to the station.
Mr. Rihton address,id the jury, contending that
"the farmer" was a cunning rogue who had
swindled all the others.

The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
Mr. Creasy sentenced him to six months' hard
labour.

James Cutting, a middle-aged man,, was indicted
for having exposed his person in the Regent's
park.
He surrendered.
Mr. Poland was for the prosezution, which
instituted• by the Board of Works • Mr. lowa
was for the prisoner, instructed by Mr. Herring.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty on the first
count, and
Mr. Creasy sentenced him to one year's liar'
labour.