The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-12 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 Assiidant
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-
tend this Court, to inquire into the very trifling charges pre-
ferred against the several prisoners committed for trial wit!
presented the following resolution confirmatPry of that opihion
" The Grand Jury are of opinion that they are quite unne-
cessary in the examination et the t&tes that are tried before
this Court.

(Sighed) " 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 under the consideration of the authorities.

Mary Ann Bland, aged 20, was indicted, charged with
stealing a purse and the suet *f Ot,, the property of Mary
Barnes, on the 27th of August.
On the day in question the prisoner was observed by I po,
liceman to make several attempts to pick the po4ets of diffe-
rent ladies, whilst looking in through the *intlOws of various
shops in the vicinity of Leiettei,sqttare. He eventually de-
tected her picking the "peelet of the prosecutrix, who was
standing at the windbag of a shop it, Sydney-alley, and found
the purse in ',ler hand.
Mr. Ifoany defended the prisoner; Iha urged upon the jury
tie improbability there was the statement of the policeman,
when, as he wotthi trove, that the prisoner was moving in a
respecta.b?'s sphere of life, and the wife of a respectable man,
, eito, 'together with the prisoner, was engaged in the theatrical
( profession. The facts were, the prisoner en the day in ques-
tion was sent by her mother on butsittess to the neighbourhood
the policeman had Setae her, and had been, as well as other
ladies, Inoking throUel the shop-windows, and not out, as
stated by Ufa policeman, with the intention of picking pockets,
is her 'circumstances were such as left her far beyond a neces-
sity te resort to such means of obtaining a living. And the
very day she was taken she and her husband were to have
keen on their way te Dublin, to fulfil an engagement which
they had entered into at a theatre in that city ; and had 1.-
e4ntiv 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 bu.;ness. Witness herself was a dress-
maker, residing 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 JUDGIL 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-
eg him with assaulting Charles Nicholas and others.
The prisoner had been a very disorderly character, and fre-
qeently 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 had offered considerable resistance before he could be
secured.

The COUR2 sentenced him to twelve months' impt isonment
and hard labour.

Margaret Collins, 41, was indicted for stealing 60 yards o'
diaper, value 405., 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-
ence of a third partner, the goods having been laid in the indict-
ment as the property of Early and others.
Mr. O'BKIKN then submitted to the Court that the pri-
soner must be discharged upon the non-formality in the in-
dictment.—The prisoner was consequently discharged.