The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-25 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK COURT LEET.

Mr. Payne, the new high-steward of Southwark,
held on Tuesday the first Court Leet since his ap-
pointment. It was held at the Town-hall.
On the old jurors' names being called, according
to custom, to make their presentments of offences
which had occurred during the past year,
The STEWARD said, that although he should receive
their presentments with all the respect that was due
to them, and with all the thanks they were entitled to
for the pains they had taken in the execution of their
office, he felt bound to tell them that he feared the
Court could not carry their presentments into effect.
It appeared to him that the proceedings of the Court
had been in error for some years past, in allowing
the jury who had been sworn the previous year to
make presentments of offences committed during a
whole twelvemonth subsequent to their being sworn.
This practice, he was of opinion, was not warranted
by law, and was contrary to the decision of the supe-
rior courts. The jury at the leet was like the grand
jury at the sessions or assizes ; they might present
any offence that had occurred previously to or during
their sitting, but they had no prospective power ; and
as soon as the courts broke up the duties of the jury
were at an end. It would be competent, however,
for the jury who were then about to be sworn to pre-
sent the offences of the past year if evidence were
given them upon the subject, and the Court would
then have an authority to levy the amercements
which might be inflicted.
The Foreman thanked the Steward for the infor-
mation, which was entirely new to them, and said the
jury were all of opinion that the examination of
weights and measures by them during the year was
quite unnecessary, as there were inspectors appointed
by Act of Parliament to perform that duty.
The STEWARD said that there were many other
matters which would properly come under the notice
of the jury for presentment, and it was most desirable
that the utility of those ancient institutions s'iould
not be impaired ; for they had also a power, as a
grand jury, to present all criminal offences, should it
be ever necessary to do so ; and he could not help
saying that he thought Sir George Grey never en-
titled himself more to the confidence of the public than
when he withdrew from the last Parliament a Bill
which proposed to abolish investigations by grand
juries, and to give power to a single magistrate, on
his own individusl opinion, to place any man in the
felon's dock for trial, a power which he (Mr. Payne)
thought could not be regarded with too much jealousy
by the community.
A jury of 23 was then chosen and sworn, instead of
31, the number of the previous year, an alteration
which elicited the highest satisfaction, as being quite
sufficient for the purpose.
The Court adjourned to Friday.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HO US E.
Ellen Olding, between 14 and 15 years eld, was
brought before Alderman Gibbs for final examination,
upon the charge of having robbed Mrs. Pugh, a very
benevolent old woman, of silver spoons and other
property.
Mrs. Pugh, it appeared, had been, while looking
at a shop in Bishopsgate-street, addressed by the pri-
soner in the following manner:—" I have walked op
to London from Norwich, 112 miles. and I have no
friends here, and am very tired." Mrs. Pugh asked
her whether she had no change of clothes and no
money; to which she replied that she had neither
I money, nor clothes, nor parents, nor place to go to ;
and that she had not been in town more than an hour.
" Then," said the complainant, " you shall hare a
bed at my lodging; but you must go in the morning
to the parish officers, and take their advice." The
girl was then taken the kindest care of by the poor
woman, washed, and fed, and combed ; and, after the
second day, she was introduced to the station-house.
On the third she returned to Mrs. Pugh, and said she
was going home, and that she would call upon her
benefactress on Sunday. " Oh, on Sunday," said
Mrs. Pugh, " I never see visitors, as I make it. a rule
to go to a place of worship on that day. " 'Why so
do I," said the girl, " I go regularly twice every
Sunday trom the Ragged Sehovl." They then parted,
and on the following Sunday Mrs. Pugh, upon return-
ing from chapel, found that her room had been en-
tered, and that the silver spoons, and her meat and
bread, and other portable goods, had been stolen, and
it was beyond a doubt ascertained that the prisoner
was the thief.