The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-19 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

On Saturday Francis Bedford Smith, solicitor, of No. 17,
Bethnal-green, who was convicted of a violent assault, in"
conjunction with his groom, appeared in Court. The parti-
culars of the case we gave on Saturday. The defendant was
sentenced to three months' imprisonment, but afterwards of-
fered to compromise the matter by paying 501.
Mr. BALLA.NTINE said that the defendant having paid the
501., had done all that the prosecutor required, and therefore,
perhaps the Court would discharge him.
The CHAIRMAN—I think then that I must not send the
man to prison after the master has been set at liberty. The
Court having agreed to alter the sentence passed last night
on the defendant Smith, and the other man having already
passed one night in prison, we must pass a nominal sentence
upon him. The sentence upon you, Smith, is, that you pay,
a fine of is., and be discharged, and we shall send for Skel-
lington from the House of Correction.
At a subsequent part of the day Skellington was placed at
the bar, and the Chairman, addressing him, said that the
Court had thought fit to alter the sentence passed upon him
last night, and the sentence now was, that he pay a fine of
405., and be imprisoned until the fine be paid.
Mr. Crouch, the barrister, hoped after Mr. Smith had paid
50/., a smaller sum would be imposed upon the prisoner.
The CHAIRMAN (angrily) told him he might think himself
very lucky to be let off so easily.
Mr. Smith then paid his groom's fine and walked off.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(SATURDAY.)
BOW-STREET.

Some little excitement was occasioned at the door of the
station-house opposite the above Court by an omnibus being
driven up containing some passengers, among whom was a
young man of respectable appearance, and who was immedi4
ately handed over by the conductor into the custody of the
police. He was soon afterwards placed at the bar before Mr.
Twyford, and charged with having stolen a purse containing
6s. 6d., the property of a Mrs. Inglis, one of his fellow-
passengers.
That lady stated that she resided in Hardwick-place, Com-
mercial-road, and that yesterday afternoon at two o'clock
she got into an omnibus in Regent-street, and took her seat
near the door. Her purse was in her pocket at the time. The
prisoner got into the omnibus soon afterwards, accompanied
by another person. The prisoner remained in the vehicle
but a very short time and then left it, and the prisoner was
no sooner gone than the conductor asked witness if she had
lost anything, adding that he suspected that the prisoner was
one of the swell mob. Witness immediately felt her pockets
and found that her purse, which contained the sum of 6s. 6d.,
had been abstracted. Witness did not perceive anything
suspicious in the conduct of the prisoner previous to his leav-
ing the omnibus, but havinginformed the conductor of her
loss, he at once went in pursuit of the prisoner, and gave
him into custody.
Edward Morgan, the conductor, stated that he took up the
last witness in Regent-street; the prisoner, and another
young man, entered soon after, and they subsequently de-
sired to be set down opposite to Somerset-house. Witness,
suspecting that they belonged to the swell mob, inquired of
the lady whether she had lost anything, and on being in-
formed that she had, went in pursuit of the prisoner, whom
he eventually overtook in Newcastle-street, and gave into
custody. On searching him 2s. 4d. in money was found, and
a valuable gold pin, which he wore in his stock.
The prisoner declined saying anything in answer to the
charge in the absence of his legal adviser
Mr. TWYFORD said it was a suspicious circumstance that
the prisoner refused to give his name and address.
The prisoner in answer to this observation, said that his
agi
name was withheld because he did not wish his friends to
tpori admisone r
know of the situation in which he,
was
stpralatece refusing The
himwas t
then
aiebnrl.emanded, the worthy 3

LAMBETH-STREET.
Thomas Buckmaster Proctor, a well-dressed
man, was
placed at the bar, before Mr. Norton on a charge of being
concerned with a gang of three or four others in carrying on
for some time past, a most impudent system of fraud, by
which they had obtained, from various persons, principally
poor struggling persons, property amounting to over 5001.
Mr. Payne, toe barrister, appeared on behalf of the pri-
soner.
From the evidence adduced, it appeared that the prisoner
occasionally enacted the part of a servant to a person named
Melsam, not yet in custody, and in that character used to
property—such as horses, carts,
s,efouto where
r wsale,
sin ere wasof u
and
there
calling
want
supon the owners, represented that
h findi mastereh articles, and was not particu-
lars
as so price when he got an article to suit him, and next
took his master as he called him, to look at the property, or
had the property tsken to some house where he had just
taken lodgings.. The master, who certainly was not particular
to ten shillings or a pound, always purchased the property,
and this done, he invariably gave ten or twenty shillings
in cash, and a bill of seven days' date for the remainder.
The Court was completely crowded with the victims of the
gang; and after one or two of the charges against the pri-
soner were gone through, Sergeant Teakle, who apprehended
the prisoner, informed the Magistrate that the prisoner stood
indicted, with two others, in a clear case of horse-stealing, at
Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire, and in which the evidence
against him was perfectly conclusive.
Mr. NORTON, on hearing this, thought the best course
would be to send the prisoner into Buckinghamshire to be
tried at the next assizes, and if acquitted of the charge of
horse-stealing, that he should be brought back and tried,
with other parties now in custody, for a conspiracy to defraud,
or any other charge which the offence might amount to.
The prisoner was then remanded to a future day, prepara-
tory to his being sent to Aylesbury for trial.
CLERKENWELL.
Thomas Tarren was charged under the following circum-
stances
Mrs. Philipps, of 31, Frederic-street, Gray's Inn-lane, was
going to bed, between one and two on the previous night,
when she heard a noise at the back of the premises. She gave
the alarm, and police-constable 121 Gwent to the back of the
house, and in the water-closet found the prisoner, who had
been labouring to make a passage for himself from the closet
into the dwelling-house, and had taken out a portion of the
brickwork. A dark lantern, a screw-driver, two chisels, a
knife, a bunch of keys, and eight lucifer matches were found
on his person.
It appeared that the prisoner's mother had been working
with Mrs. Philipps for the last four or five years, and the pri-
soner used to visit the house occasionally himself.
Mr. GREENWOOD said the prisoner was very nearly com-
mitting the crime of burglary. He came within the mean-
ing of the Vagrant Act, and should go the House of Correc-
tion for three months.
QUEEN'S-SQUARE.
DESTITUTION.—TWO decent-looking, but wretchedly
clothed persons, Thomas and Charlotte Cotter were, charged
before Mr. BuitnELL, with the heinous crime of being in a
state of destitution, and begging.
The policeman who arrested the prisoners stated that he
found them begging in Sloane-street, at half-past 6 o'clock
last night, and that, on being conveyed to the station-house,
and searched, the sum of one penny was found on the person
of the male prisoner.
came from Ainsworth,
Cotter, with tears in', his eyes, stated that he
in Hampshire, a fortnight
ago, to endeavour to obtain employment in Lon-
don, being by trade a carpenter, and that, with that in-
tention in view, lie had walked nearly 200 miles. He had sold
everything that himself and his wife could spare from their
apparel—that they were starving—and had only resorted to
begging when driven by stern necessity. He also said that
if the Magistrate would look over the offence they had com-
mitted against the laws of their country, he would-pawn his
coat, which would 'probably realise 45., which sum he thought
would take him home. lie was afraid to go to the place
Where he and his wife lodged, being unable to pay their land-
lord.

BURRELL discharged the prisoners, telling them
that if they were starving they should have applied to the
overseer. Surely at this inclement season of the year
funds ought to be placed at the disposal of the magistrate
to relieve perm in ouch neceeeitoue ammitapea a Cotter

and his wife. The actual want of bread, or a place of shelter,
drove thousands to beg from door to door, thus violating the
law and rendering themselves liable to imprisonment. The
distress existing in this district, which frequently leads to
the commission of petty theft and intemperance, requires
only to be known to the benevolent to be ameliorated.