The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-11 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.
(Before the Assistant Judge.)
The grand jury having terminated their labours this morn-
ing (Wednesday), assembled in a body, before the Assistant
Judge, for the purpose of being discharged in the usual manner.
The Foreman, in strong terms, expressed for nimself and
brother jurors, their disapprobation of being compelled to at-
teed this Court, to inquire into the very trifling charges pre-
ferred against the several prisoners committed for trial, and
presented the follow infresolution confirmatory of that opinion
The Grand Jury are of opinion that they are quite unne-
eesssary in the examination of the cases that are tried before
this Court.
(Signed) " HENRY THORPE, Foreman."
A list of sixteen others followed.
The Learned ASSISTANT JUDGE expressed his concurrence
in their view of the case, and said that the subject was at pre.
sent ender. the consideration of the authorities.
Mary Ann Bland, aged 20, was indicted, charged with
stealing a purse and the sum of 55., the property of Mary
Barnes, on the 27th of August.
On the day in question the prisoner was observed by a po-
liceman to make several attempts to pick the pockets of diffe-
rent ladies, whilst looking in through the windows of various
shops in the vicinity of Leicester -square. He eventually de-
tected her picking the pocket of the prosecutrix, who was
standing at the window of a shop in Sydiaeysalley, and found
the parse in her hand.
Mr. HORST defended the prisoner, and urged upon the jury
the improbability there was in the statement of the policeman,
when, as he would show, that the prisoner was moving in a
respectable sphere of life, and the wife of a respectable man,
who, together with the prisoner, was engaged in the theatrical
pre'ession. The facts were, the prisoner on the day in ques-
tion was sent by her mother on business to the neighbourhood
the policeman had seen her, and had been, as well as other
ladies, looking through the shop-windows, and not out, as
stated by the policeman, with the intention of picking pockets,
as her circumstances were such as left her far beyond a neces-
sity to resort to such means of obtaining a living. And the
very day she was taken she and her husband were to have
been on their way to Dublin, to fulfil an engagement which
they had entered into at a theatre in that city; and had re-
cently concluded an engagement at one of the provincial
theatres, where they had been performing with considerable
success.
Mrs. Hall, the prisoner's mother, was then called to prove
the counsel's statement ; she deposed that her daughter had
been for some time engaged with her husband, Mr. Henry
Bland, in theatricals. Witness had sent her out on the day in
question on some business. Witness herself was a dress-
maker, Nsiding in Windmill-street, Haymarket.
The jury found her Guilty.
The prisoner burst into a flood of tears, and earnestly be-
sought his Lordship not to transport her.
The Junox having read her a severe lecture, cautioned her
as to her future conduct ; for if she appeared in that dock
again he would certainly send her out of the country. The
sentence of the Court was, that she be imprisoned for six
months, and be kept to hard labour.
Mr. Bland, the prisoner's husband, then entered the wit-
ness box, and requested his Lordship's permission to have an
interview with his wife as he was about to proceed to Birming-
ham in the morning.
The Learned Assistant-Judge granted the application.
Dennis Denny, 23, pleaded Guilty to an indictment, charg-
ing him with assaulting Charles Nicholas and others.
The prisoner had been a very disorderly character, and fre-
goer.* convicted for similar offences. The present charge, it
will be remembered by our readers, occurred a short time since
in Gray's .Inn-lane; it was a most ferocious assault, and the
prisoner bad offered considerable resistance before he could be
secured.
The COURT sentenced him to twelve months' imps isonment
and hard labour.
Margaret Collins, 41, was indicted for stealing 60 yards of
diaper, value 40e., the property of Wm. Early and others.
Mr. O'Brien defended the prisoner.
A witness was called to prove the charge, but in cross-exami-
nation by the Learned Counsel, he failed in proving the exist-
awe of a third partner, the goods having been laid in the indict-
ment as the property of Bally and others.
Mr. O'Bitiess then submitted to the Court that the pri-
soner must be discharged upon the non-formality in the in-
dictment.—Thy prisoner was consequently discharged.