The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-20 00:00:00

THIS DAY S NEWS.

CRIMINAL COURT.-,(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT
(Before the RECORDER.)
Edward Brown, a young man respectably connected,
was indicted for obtaining, under false pretences, on the
17th of April last, a sum of 3501. from a gentleman of
the name of Harding, a solicitor, of Gray's Inn. The
prisoner, who was out on bail, surrendered this day.
Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Ballantyne conducted the pro-
secution, and the Solicitor-General and Mr. Chambers
appeared for the prisoner.
Mr. CLARKSON having addressed the jury on the part
of the prosecution, called the followitg witnesses :
Richard Harding was a solicitor in Gray's Inn-square.
On tho 13th of March last was introduced to the de-
fendant by a person of the name of Morgan. Had pecu-
niary transactions with him. On the 17th of April the
defendant called upon him and produced a bill for
978/. 10s. and upwards, drawn by Potts, Baxter, and
Brown, and accepted by a person named Roberts,
which he asked witness to discount. Witness said he was
not in the habit of discounting bills, and disliked them.
He said, further, that he knew nothing of the parties.
Witness asked him several questions, to which the de-
fendant replied that the acceptor, Roberts, was a wool-
broker at Liverpool, very respectably connected, and had
dealings with their house of Potts, Baxter, and Brown.
To another inquiry the defendant stated the bill was a
good bill, taken in the course of business, that a bona
fide consideration had been given for it, and it would be
sure to be paid when due. Ho said also that he had a
large sum in the house of Potts, Baxter, and Brown, of
which he was a partner. He said, further, that his own
connexions and those of his wife were highly respectable.
He said ho possessed a good property, that he had a free-
hold property, was possessed of ample means, and
was in good circumstances. He said the house of which
ho was a partner was extensively connected ; that
they frequently required advances. When witness asked
him whether it was worth their while to obtain money
in the way proposed, he said that-he got 30 per cent. for
sending goods to Valparaiso, and that it was an object,
therefore, to obtain money in the way he required. Wit-
ness subsequently gave him a cheque for 3501. on the
faith of the truth of his respectability. The bill for 9701.
was then handed over to witness, and subsequently ano-
ther 3501. was advanced upon it. The whole of the re-
presentations of the defendant turned out to be false,
and the bill was dishonoured when due.
Cross•exaimined by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL—WAS
not bound by recognisances to prosecute before he went
before the grand jury.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL submitted that this was fatal
to the indictment ; added to this, the offence was laid in
the indictment as having been committed in London,
while, in fact, it took place in Middlesex.
Mr. CLARKSON at once consented to the indictment
being bad.
Some discussion then took place as to whether the in-
dictment should be quashed or the defendant acquitted,
the Solicitor-General and Mr. Chambers contending that
he ought to be Requited,
as he had been given in charge
to the jury, and pleaded not guilty.
TYNE submitted that
Mr. CLARKSON and Mr. BALLIN
the verdict must be quashed.
The RECORDER held that the jury must find the de-
fendant not guilty.
The jury then acquitted the defendant.
Wm. Butcher pleaded guilty to an indictment charg-
ing him with stealing a load of manure, and was sen-
tenced by the Court to one month's imprisonment and
hard labour.
Win. Hickey pleaded guilty to an indictment charging
him with stealing one pound weight of tea, the property
of the St. Katherine's Dock Company, and was sentenced
to six months' imprisonment.
The grand jury this morning brought in a true bill for
murder against James Cockburn Belaney, the surgeon.

NEW COURT.
Awell-dressed young man, named George Jessop, aged
23, described as a plumber, was indicted for stealing two
silver table spoons, and several tea spoons, the property
of James Last, a publican and horsedealer, residing at
Yarmouth.
The prisoner lodged in the prosecutor's house, and
while the prosecutor was out attending a fair, the pri-
soner took that opportunity of running away with his wife,
who carried with her the spoons in question. These
spoons were engraved with the maiden name of the wife,
and were her property before her marriage. The pri-
soner and the woman came to London together, and the
prosecutor, having followed them, found them in bed
together, at the Bell Inn, Old Bailey. The prosecutor
immediately gave the prisoner into custody, it having
been discovered that he, in company with the woman,
had sold some spoons to a silversmith on Ludgate-hill.
Several witnesses deposed to these facts, and in the
course of cross-examination it appeared that the prose--
cutor had taken his wife back again. He also admitted
having had several children by other women.
Mr. PRENDERGAST, who defended the prisoner, sub-
mitted that there was no case to go to the jury.
The COMMON- SERGEANT said he thought there was a
case for the jury, inasmuch as it was in evidence that the
prisoner had sold the spoons.
Mr. PRENDERGAST submitted that there was no proof
of identity with respect to the spoons.
The CoNatoN SERGEANT said that was a question for
the jury.
Mr. PRENDERGAST again submitted that there was no
case for the jury, and, in support of his opinion, referred
to the case of ltosenburg and Bohain, in which case the
Learned Judges gave it as their opinion that the qUestion
ought never to have been sent for trial.
The Comm oN SERGEANT said the present case differed
widely from that one. In Rosenburg's case the woman
left her husband's house, and went to the defendant's
lodgings. There could not, therefore, be any felony in
such a case as that. In the present case the prisoner
was living in the prosecutor's house, and left the house
with the wife.
Mr. PRENDERGAST then addressed the jury for the
prisoner, and contended that this was a case which
ought never to have been brought before them. Had
such a case been brought before them apart from the
adultery, there could be no doubt whatever that a ver-
dict of not guilty would have been immediately returned.
He thought it was evident that the prisoner had no felo-
nious intention whatever when he sold these spoons, for
the prisoner believed that they were the property of
the wife.
The CommoN SERGEANT summed up the evidence,
and said the only question the jury had to decide was,
whether the spoons sold by the prisoner were the same
spoons which the prosecutor had lost. If they were
satisfied that they were the same spoons, then a larceny
had been clearly committed.
The jury retired, and had not returned into Court
when our report left.

CLERKENWELL.—(THIS DAY.)
lad Y, alias Blaeklemore, well-dressed
and nn
aiesharp-looking,dildGen was° charged under the following
circumstances :
The prisoner, who is hardly more than fourteen years
of age, has been repeatedly convicted before at police-
courts, and has not been three months out of prison
during the last twelve. Last night Baker, police-con-
stable 108 G, observed him walking along Russell.
square and Charlotte-street, and trying several doors
with skeleton keys. It was about twelve o'clock.
After inspecting the area, windows, and gate of a house
in Charlotte-street, he put the key in the door, and was
just turning the bolt when Baker pounced upon him.
The prisoner struggled most resolutely to escape, and
brought a crowd to the place by his cries. He told the
mob that the constable had put the key in his pocket for
the purpose of having him convicted, and the policemen
were obliged to carry him to the station-house.
The prisoner boldly asserted that Baker put the key
in his pocket, but a person, who chanced to be in Court,
came forward and deposed that this had been the pri-
soner's defence upon two previous occasions at police-

courts.
Mr. BROUGHTON said he regretted he had not the
power of transporting him, and sent him to prison for
three months.

UNION-HALL.—(THIS DAY.)
Amelia Smyler, a well-dressed young female, was
charged with attempting to commit suicide on the pre-
ceding night.
A policeman on duty near Lambeth-stairs had his at-
tention arrested by seeing a young female walking along
crying and wringing her hands. He went up to her and
asked her what was the matter, but she made him no
reply, but quickened her pace and went towards the
river. Before he had time to get up to her she plunged
head foremost into the river, and he instantly- jumped into
a wherry alongside the bank, and with difficulty succeeded
in dragging her out, and brought her ashore to the
station house. From subsequent inquiries, it was ascer-
tained that the defendant lived with her uncle and aunt,
in the neighbourhood, with the latter of whom she had
a quarrel, which induced her to make the above attempt
upon her life.
Mr. Mali', said that it was surprising the slight
causes that often led young women to commit suicide ;
that the present was a very determined attempt of the
kind, and he should, therefore, call on the defendant to
find bail not to repeat the offence, and, in default, com-
mit her to gaol.

MARYLEBONE.—(THIS DAY.)
William Cooper, a ferocious-looking young fellow,
was charged with an aggravated and unprovoked assault.
An itinerant Scotch piper, named Alexander Hay, whose
face was covered with bruises, both his eyes were black
and swollen, one of them was dreadfully- lacerated, and
it is doubtful whether he will ever regain the use of it.
The old man said he had takeu a little to drink, and
because he could not play all the tunes a host of black-
guards wanted, they assaulted him, but it appeared that
the defendant threw him down, and brutally ill-treated
him.
A Mr. Cleasby, who witnessed the assault, corrobo-
rated his statement, as also did the police.
The poor old man could not see for some time after ho
was maltreated. He, however, told the Magistrate that
he did not mind his ill-usage so much us the loss he
should sustain from the injury which had been done to
his pipes. He said 2s. 6d. would repair them.
Mr. RAWLIVSON ordered the defendant to pay Hay 10s.

A HOPEFUL FamiLY.—At the last Wells Assizes
a most notorious character, named George CulHord, of
Ilchester, was tried on four indictments, three for bur-
s. The judge, in pa
bur-
glary and one for sacrilege, and transported for the term
of his natural life, jilaving only been liberated from gaol
about five days, duling which period he committed all
these offence
if the law had not been altered, he would most assuredly,
have left him for execution, which would have been car-
riedinto effect. This makes seven of this family in a
short period that have been sent out at Government ex-
pense.— Western Flying Post.