The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-16 00:00:00

BOW-Si REET.

BOOK STEALING BY Two YOUNG LADIES.—This morn-
ing two young ladies, who had given the assumed names of
Long and Murray, were placed before Mr. Henry on remand,
charged with stealing books.
.. .

Mr. Humphries, on the part of the prisoners, said he
attended that morning before his worship on behalf of the
two young ladies at the bar, and he felt he had never before
been engaged in a more painful case. The two young
ladies were the daughters of a gentleman of great affluence
and the highest respectability, and no motive whatever
could be given for their acting in the manner they had
done. The names and addresses they had given were
fictitious ones, and as the name of the father had not trans-
pired, he did not think there was any necessity for him to
add to that gentleman's distress by making it public. The
young ladies had been resident and educated in India, and
that might in some degree account for their looking much
older than they really were. 'I heir sges were respectively
18 and 16.

Mr. Henry—They said they were older than that when
the charge was entered.
Mr. Humphries assured his worship the ages he had
given were correct, The young ladies had, up to the pre-
sent unfortunate circumstance, occupied a superior station
in society. They were not in want of funds or anything
that would induce them to commit a theft, and he could
only attribute what had taken placa to that unfortunate
malady which, unhappily for the perms attacked, rendered
it impossible for them to abstain from stealing articles
placed within their reach. It was altogether a most dis-
tressing case, and he hoped that it might bo dealt with as
leniently as possible.

Mr. Henry—Have you heard the evidence upon which
the prisoners were remanded ?

Mr, Humphries—No, your worship. I have read the
clerk's notes, and I hope you will take a compassionate
view of the case.

Mr. Henry—Then, Mr. Bass had better give his evidence
in your presence.

Mr. Bass said—l am foreman to 31r. Carter, bookseller,
of the Strand. On the 10th of October the prisoner Long
entered our shop and said she wanted some prize books for
girls about 16 years of age. A number were shown
to her, and she finally selected about £3 worth,
and gave directions that they were to be sent
to Southampton-row. After she had left the shop
I missed a book, and I immediately went out after
her. I went up the Strand and saw her in another book-
seller's shop. While I was outside watching, the prisoner
Murray came and looked into the shop where Long was,
and waited until she came out, when they both joined her,
and they both walked away together. I went up and told
them they must come back to Mr. Carter's shop,
as a book had been missed. ' Long then took a
book out of the black leather bag she had in her hand
and gave it to me, but I discovered it was not the one I
had missed. I searched the bag and found in it five books
which had been taken from the shop. A policeman was
sent for and they were given into custody.
Mr. Henry—That is one case, Mr. Humphries. There
are witnesses now to prove other robberies.

Mr. Edward Lacy, of 434, Strand, bookseller, said—
About dusk on the 30th of September, the prisoner, Susan
Long, came to my shop and selected two books, saying they
were for school prizes, and directing them to be sent to
No. 4, Southampton-row. They came to a guinea, and
were to be paid for on delivery. The young man who took
the parcel said he could find no such person at the address
given. On the 11th of October the other prisoner Murray
came to my shop--

Mr. Henry—That could not be, as they were that day
at this court.

Mr. Humphries—They were apprehended on the evening
of the 10th.

Mr. Lacy—Then it was the 10th. She selected out a
book, and, giving the name of Harris, she ordered the book
to be sent to No. 6, Southampton-row. I asked her
if she knew a lady who ha I given an address at
No. 4, as a person likely to have books sent to
her, but said she did not know. The same result followed
as in the preceding case. The book was brought back, and
shortly after she had left the shop a volume of Sir Walter
Scott's Poems, valued at 7s. 6c1., was missed.
Mr. Henry—Did you notice whether they carried a
black leather bag ?
Witness—No, I did not.

Police-constable A 581 said—l took the prisoners into
custody on the night of the 10th, in the Strand. They
were charged by Mr. Bass, foreman to Mr. Carter, with
stealing books from the shop of his employer.
Mr. Henry—Did they say anything ?
Witness—They begged to be let go, They said, " Oh,
sir, let us go, and we will not do so any more."
Mr. Thomas Hopkins, said—l reside at Camberwell.
The prisoner Long came into my shop and gave the name
of Delatour on the 12th of September. She said she wanted
an album and a purse. I sold her both, and they went to
the address she gave, 10, Vassell-road. I could not find
any person of the name she gave. On the following morn-
ing I missed a book of the description she asked for, when
I was looking over the property in the shop.
Mr. Henry—Several persons no doubt entered your shop
between the day on which you saw the prisoner, and that
on which you missed your property.
Witness—Oh, yes.
Mr. Henry—Then I don't think it will be necessary to
take your case, as it is not so clear as the other two that
have been taken against them.

Mr. Humphries—l can't dispute the evidence in the
cases that have already been clearly proved. I have
to ask you whether, if the prosecutors do not press the
charge, you could—

Mr. Henry—Oh, no, I cannot listen to anything of that
description. There are several cases brought against the
prisoners, and they appear to have been very artfully con-
trived.

Mr. Humphries—l am afraid I must also admit that.
But then, your worship, it appears to be an act of mono-
mania. It might happen to any family. lam prepared to
say, on the part of the father of the unfortunate yeung
ladies, that, if you could deal leniently with them, such a
watch would be kept over their actions that a repetition of
the offence could never take place.

Mr. Henry—l don't exactly understand what it is you
want.

Mr. Humphries—Well, your worship, in the event of
the prosecutors not pressing the charge, that—
Mr. Henry—Oh, no, I cannot listen to anything of that
sort. It is exceedingly painful for me to hear such a charge,
but I cannot listen to an application of that sort.
Mr. Humphries—lt is one of those cases which unfortu-
nately show that persons, however respectably placed, when
afflicted with the peculiar malady to which I attribute the
offence, cannot withstand the temptation to steal.
Mr. Lacy—As far as I am concerned I have no wish to
press the charge after what Mr. Humphries has said.
Mr. Henry—l cannot deal with this case myself.
Mr. Humphries—The father is afraid that in the event
of the young ladies going to prison a brand will be inflicted
on them which can never be effaced.

Mr. Henry—The case is one that must go to the sessions.
Mr. Humphries—l hope your worship will not adhere to
that decision.

Mr. Henry—Yes, I must ; my duty compels me. It is
no doubt a very afflicting case. I feet it so, but I cannot
allow my feelings to interfere on such an occasion. The pri-
soners must bo committed to the Middlesex Sessions for
trial.

All the witnesses then signed the depositions, and the
prisoners were removed crying from the dock.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY BY A BM-Wm. Charles Taylor,
errand boy, was charged with stealing a gold locket as
follows :

Miss Anne Pritchard, 19, London-street, said she was
walking in Tottenham-court-road, when the prisoner came
up to her and snatched the locket from her neck. A man
then came up and held the prisoner, and she told him that
he had taken her locket, but he denied it. It was, how-
ever, found on him when he was searched. The value of
the locket was 305., and the one produced.
The prisoner, a rough little urchin, said he had no ques-
tions to ask.

Costello, 248 E, proved taking prisoner into custody and
then searching him, and ho found the locket in his jacket
pocket. _ _

Mr. Beadon asked the boy and his father whether they
wished it settled by him, and they answered in the affirma-
tive.

Mr. Beadon said it was a bad case, and he did not know
whether it was his first offence. It was a felony of an ag-
gravated nature.
The father said the boy was only 12 years of age.
Mr. Beadon—He shall have one month's hard labour,
and be whipped,