The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-19 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(Before the AssisTAXT-JUSGE.)
The Court resumed its sittings yesterday at the
usual hour, for the disposal of the remaining cases of
felony. This day was also appointed for hearing the
charges of misdemeanour and indictments fur nuisances.
A very respectable-looking young man, named Francis
Baggs, was indicted for stealing a coat, trousers, and
other articles of wearing apparel, and a gold ring, the
property of Thomas Chaplin.
It appeared that a person named Doughty was the
proprietor of one of those establishments styled " Tem-
perance Coffee-rooms," where balls used to be given, and
the admission to which was 3d. In his cross-examina-
tion the prosecutor stated, that although his house was
a Temperance-house, yet there were persons who
attended at the ball, if they desired a " small drop " of
anything stronger than coffee, might, upon handing the
money to the waiter, have whatever they wanted brought
in to them. The prisoner was one of those who patron.
ised the Temperance balls, and happened, on the night
when the articles named in the indictment were stolen,
to be at one of them, when he was perceived to come
out of the room where the articles were. Some time
after he was accused of the theft, and his lodgings
searched, when a portion of the property was dis-
covered there.
Mr. PAYNE, who appeared for the defence, commented
strongly upon the evils which arose from those gather-
ings, which were improperly called temperance balls,
where a number of young persons were assembled, and
where, although temperance was professed, there was an
unlimited supply of spirituous liquors allowed, by which
the unwary were intrapped. The Learned Counsel
called several witnesses to show that the articles had
been left with the prisoner's mother as a deposit for rent.
The jury retired, and, after about half an hour's con-
sultation, returned a verdict of guilty.
The Learned JUDGE said it was evident the prisoner
had, like hundreds of other young persons, been ruined
by these •" threepenny hops." The sentence of the Court
was, that he be imprisoned and kept to hard labour, in
the Honse of Correction, for three months.
Thomas Henry, a middle-aged man of respectable ap-
pearance, was indicted for stealing a quantity of mouse-
line-de-laine, the property of Mr. Alworthy.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and the Court
sentenced the prisoner to six months' imprisonment with
hard labour.

John Wall was indicted for stealing a quantity of car-
penters' tools, the property of Jacob Western.
The prosecutor and prisoner were fellow-workmen,
and during the temporary absence of the former to his
dinner the latter took away the tools, which he pledged
for a small sum at a pawnbroker's in the neighbourhood.
The prisoner, in his defence, said he merely took the
thing by way of "a lark," and intended to return them
again.
The jury having returned a verdict of Guilty, the
prisoner was sentenced to two months' imprisonment
with hard labour.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)

MANSION-HOUSE.

Richard Sargood, the driver of an errand cart, was
brought before the Lord Mayor, charged with having
been instrumental to the death of a man named Dean,
in Threadneedle-street, on the evening of Tuesday.
One of the City policemen stated that the cart in
which the prisoner had been driving, at a little after
five o'clock on Tuesday evening, came in contact with
some stones which had been laid in the carriage-way
of the street, and turned over upon a poor man who
was drawing a truck, and crushed his head in such a
manner as to cause his death. A boy, who was in
the cart, was thrown out with great violence by the
collision, and had been taken to the hospital in a very
desperate condition.
G. W. Home, a person employed in the Hall of
Commerce, stated that he heard the noise of the
collision, and upon going to the spot observed the
deceased under the cart. The head of the deceased
was completely smashed, and the prisoner was doing
all he could to render assistance, and appeared to be
greatly excited and agitated by the dreadful occur-
rence. The deceased was taken on a shutter to the
hospital, but after breathing about three times he died.
The LORD Masou--What stones are these with
which it has been said the wheel came in contact ?
Witness—The stones with which they are paving the
footway. _ _

The LORD MAYOR—Were they on the foot-way ?
Witness—No; they came off the kerb in the car-
riage-way.
The LORD MAYOR—Was the prisoner sober at the
time ? Witness—Certainly he was.
The LORD MAYOR—Was there room for the pri-
soner to pass where the accident happened without
touching the truck which the deceased was drawing?
Witness—There was.

The LORD MAYOR—How, in your opinion, did it
happen ? Witness—l am of opinion, that in endea-
vouring to keep clear of the truck, the prisoner came
in collision with the stones, which he did not see.
The prisoner stated that he was going at the time
at no quicker rate than about five or six miles an
hour, and not seeing the stones, which were piled up
in the carriage-way, he avoided the truck, and came
in contact with the stones.

Thomas Kyte, one of the labouring men employed
by Mr. Chadwick, the surveyor, to repair Thread-
needle-street, stated that he had placed the stones in
the street, and they might have projected into the
carriage-way about two feet, but there was a great
deal of room for all vehicles. _

The Loan MAYOR—I do not see that I can allow
you to be sworn, as your statement is calculated to
affect yourself.
Mr. J. K. Gallen', a gentleman connected with a
commercial-house in the City, stated that he witnessed
the collision. The prisoner's cart was going at the
rate of about six miles an hour—a quicker pace than
he should wish to travel in the City. He saw the cart
overturned, and thought at first that it was occasioned
14y the falling off of the wheel. My friend afterwards
thought the accident was occasioned by the wheel
coming in contact with the stones, about half a yard
higher than the pavement, and appeared to him to be
sufficient to eause the overturn.
The LORD MAYOR—Under the circumstances, I
am disposed to take bail for the appearance of the
prisoner on a futuie day ; but I must order Thomas
Kyte, Mr. Chadwick's man, into custody, for it apt
pears to me that he has been the cause of the death o-
this poor man. The boy, too, has suffered greaf
injury.

It -was stated to his Lordship that a summons had
been paned by the police on the preceding day to the
principal engaged in repairing the street, in conse-
quence of the obstruction, which had since been so
fatal.

The LORD Mmroa—yes, I know that a summons
has been issued.
Bail was then given for the appearance of Sargood,
and Thomas Kyte was taken into custody and re-
manded till Friday.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE POORSi.BOX.—The Lord
Mayor acknowledged the following contributions to
the Mansion-house poors'-box :—The Fishmongers'
Company, 10/. ; H. S., a lady, per J. Shaw, Esq., 51.;
he Mercers' Company, 101.