The Sun.
London, England, 1828-09-03 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS.--(THIS DAY.)

John Skinner, a sea-faring man, was indicted for fele-
niously stealing, ou Saturday, the 30th of August, a silver
watch, the property of a fellow-lodger.
It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner engaged
a bed on the Friday night preceding the day eharged the
indictment, at the Griffin public-house, Church-street,
the Borough. He slept in the same room with another
person who had a watch, which he placed under bl. Pil-
low whoa going to bed. When the latter awoke ig the
morning he missed his watch, and on making his. l's 3,
knoWn to the landlord .the latter proceeded up stair* a"
knowing that no one but the prisoner had been in the
room, he desired him to get up that he might be, searched.
The prisoner refused, but was compelled to rise, and °ll
searching the bed the watch was found concealed between
the ticking and the mattress.

The prisoner, in his defence, most strenuously declared
his innocence, and said that the prosecutor must himself
have put the watch there.

The Jury found the prisoner Guilty, and the CHAIR-
MAN sentenced him to six months' imprimament and hard
Labour iu Guildford Goal.
Win. Briant, Thomas Grainger, and Edward 56714
three young boys, were indicted for stealing, on the 10th
of August laet, at Wandsworth, a work-box and other ar-
ticles, the property of Hannah Baker the younger.
It appeared from the eyidence, that the prisoners ptPhel
open the door of the prosecutrix, and seeing no one inside
stole the articles in lueetion. They were, however, al-
most immediately secured.
The prisoners admitted facts which it was tiseleas to
deny, and said, in extenuation of their guilt, that thil
were going to Portsmouth, and went to the house to gat
drink of water, and seeing no person within, they were
tempted to commit the felony for which they were in-
dieted.--Verdict, Guilty.
The COURT sentenced them to be impri.soned for tbrea
months, and kept to hard labour, and to be-whipped be-
fore their departure.

The sessions are likely to terminate this evening. A..'
the commencement of the sessions the Citatasuor stud"
that the crime of stealing from the person bad so erizw-:
piously increased, that it was necessary to put it down
exercising the utmost severity of the law. In aocorsian'*'''
with this intimation, almost every person convicted of atm),
ing from the person has been sentenced to transportatio'
These delinquents were principally pickpockets from Cam-
berwell fair, some of them adepts, and a few only )L1
initiated, but all were transported, with acaroaly aII
exception. This is, to all intents and purposes, lee'
lating upon expediency without regard to relative degreda
of criminality. The punishment for picking a pocket of
a silk handkerchief is usually two or three months' impri-
sonment, and perhaps a whipping ; but because there bar
pens at a particular period to be several pickpockets, the
.individual culprit is sentenced to traaspottation, not b&
cause he is snore guilty, but because there are otherairtalli''
as well as himself. We are aware that the usual apologY
may be offered, that punishment is only inflicted for the
sake of example' to the rest of the community ; but tile°
comes the question, have we a right to benefit the cons-
munity at the expence of an individual? for it is unjustly'
at his expence you benefit them, if you punish him bo'
yond the extent which his moral guilt demands. The
Surrey Magistrates, however, are not very subtle lo-
gicians iu these matters, though it might strike ,
even their 'Worships that if the same punishment
apportioned to stealing a handkerchief that is also appor'
tioned to stealing 201., the thief will naturally abandon tile
silks, and take to the more profitable occupation, to tbs'
still greater detriment of the public.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.--(THIS DAB`•

EXAMINATION OF AUSTIN.

All the official prints of yesterday, stated with
pry
greatest confidence, that the examination would take pus'
at the Hospital, Greenwich, and thither, in consequenc°'
most of the Reporters sped their way in " the pitils°
pelting shower."
The good people of Greenwich, however, were found in
a state of the moat provoking quiescence. No more 0:
peared to be known of Mr. Austin than if such a peil°'
had never existed.

On enquiry at the Hospital we found that the Depot/
Treasurer and his books had departed for town, where lkir'
Austin was to he examined.
At Bow-street a gentleman applied, in a low tone,
Sir R. Birnie on something relative to the examination.
Sir Richard told him in reply that he knew nothing ab,.,4°11
it, but if any examination took place to-day at that ou''"
it would be public. Shortly afterwards, this Magigtrate
proceeded to re-hear the case in the private room, There,
porters applied to the officer guarding the doer, for ad;
inittance, but were informed that he was ploca.
there to prevent the entering of any one. A ver-
bal request was sent in to Sir Richard Dirn!e'
who returned for answer that the ease would not be helm-,
to-day, although the officer admitted that the depaiu
were then being taken. Another Reporter for an event
paper applied by note, and was answered. that 6' No
deuce would be taken to-day ;" and another sentence
the
that " there was merely a talking as to the offence; „t
Magistrates, perhaps, being unaware at that moment
the talking was the very thing they wanted to get held!!!
Mr. Adolphus went in, and the Reporters stopped out
It,
an hsur which prevented the possibility of our reporting

THE MARKETS.-(THIS DAY.)