The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-21 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, March 20.

Before Mr. Sergeant ADAMS, Assistant Judge, and a
Bench of Magistrates.)
JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

Thomas Connor, 7 years old, was indicted for
having picked the pocket of Mrs. Mary Ann Linth-
waite of a purse containing a sovereign and six shil-
lings, the property of her husband, Joseph Linthwaite.
The case was clearly made out, and
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty.
Mr. PAYNE said that this was another melancholy
instance of parental neglect. The boy bad no idea
either of how to read or how to write, and probably
the only instruction the father had ever give❑ the
child was how he should pick pockets, and so not only
tarn his own support, but also by that means of life
become a contributor towards the maintenance of the
family,
It was intimated by one of the officers that the
child's father was in court.

The Learned JUDGE, thereupon desiring him to
stand forward, asked him what be
was, and how it
had happened that he had not taken more care of the
child.

The father replied that he was a bonnet-presser,
and earned a guinea a week. _

The Learned JUDGE-With a guinea a-week you
ought to have taken more care of that poor little
creature.

The father—Oh, he won't do anything. Besides,
you some time since convicted another of my sons in
this court, my Lord.

The Learned JUDGE—Yes, and that was the system
of such men as this. That man, as the jury had just
heard from his own lips, had, through the instru-
mentality of a trial and conviction in that court, con.
trived to get rid of one child, and he was now there
again, in the hope that by a similar proceeding he
should release himself from the necessity of providing
for the maintenance of another of his children. That
was the way such heartless and depraved parents as
this man managed to cast the burden of supportiag
their children upon the State. That there was this
regular system in existence of getting rid of the bur-
den of a family amongst some of the lower orders of
society they had had in that court but too many
proofs. And that system would still be carried on
until a clause had been introduced into an Act of
Parliament by which power should be given to a
judge to compel the parents of these children to con-
tribute towards their maintenance so long as they
were in prison. He would now sentence the boy to
six months' imprisonment in the House of Correction,
Westminster, where they had an excellent school, in
which he trusted he would learn that
picking pockets
was not an act of honesty.
The child was removed from the bar amidst the
sympathy of all present, save and
except the father,
who stood by and saw him conveyed towards the
cells in the lower part of the Sessions-house without
any visible emotion.

POLICE 1N TELLIGENCE.
MAN SIOLV-1- 10 CS E.
Getorge Lyon, who was charged some days ago
with having committed forgeries upon the London
Joint-Stock Bank, was brought up for final examina-
tion, and evidence was taken upon the following new
cases against him.
Mullens, of the firm of Bush and Mullens,
solicitors to the Committee of Bankers for Protec-
tion against Felonies and Frauds, appeared for the
prosecution, and stated that in the case he was about
t?introduce detection took place under rather peculiar
circumstances—Bradley, the Mansion-house officer, in
whose custody the prisoner was placed, having found
in a purse in the prisoner's pocket a card containing
the number and date of a bank-note which had been
given in payment of the forged acceptance uttered.
Mr. J. L. Payton, clerk in the London Joint-
Stock Bank, said, Messrs. R. and D. Chambers, of
Bishopsgate-street, keep an account at our bank.
On the 20th of December the bill produced was
presented to me, and paid on account of Messrs.
Chambers. It is for 51/. lie., dated Birmingham,
17th September, 1849, drawn by Henry Broadhridge
upon, and purporting to be accepted by, Messrs.
Chambers, and payable three months after date. I
paid it in four 101. notes, all dated the 10th of Oc-
tober, 1849, No. 74,355 to 74,358, inclusive, and
11/. Ile. in money.
T. E. Bushnell, of Motcomb-street, Belgraye-
I.quare, licensed victualler, said—l know the prisoner.
In December last he gave me an order for some wine,
to the amount of 71., and on the 20th of December
he brought to me the bill produced, asked me to pre-
sent it myself, as he might want a reference from the
bank at some future time, and he did not wish them
to know that he had anything to du with bills. I
presented it, and received four 101. notes, and 11/.lls.
in cash. I gave the balance of the money to a
woman, who the prisoner said was his wife, and
would, he said, call for it. I gave her the four 101.
notes and 4/. I ls. in money.
Mr. Mullens said, it appeared from the testimony
following that the prisoner's messenger dropped three
of the 101. notes in the street, and that they were
picked up by a person who was afterwards engaged
in appropriating them:
Thomas 111‘Bride, a lad, said, on the evening of the