Star.
London, England, 1830-04-28 00:00:00

GLOUCESTER SPRING ASSIZES.

Selina Smart, a very handsome girl, 23 years of age,
and Emma Smart, her sister, a girl aged 20, were charged with
stealing a necklace, a silver thimble, two jelly glasses, and a con.
siderable quantity of wearing apparel, part being the property of
W. Stone, and the remainder the property of Emily Stone, his
daughter.—Mr. Carrington stated, that the prosecutor was an inn-
keeper at Westbury, and Selina Smart had been in his service, the
other prisoner being a servant out of place, whom prosecutor al-
lowed to remain in his house till she could get a situation ; after
midnight on March 16th, the prosecutor was alarmed by the bark.
Ing of his dn, and on getting up he discovered the two prisoners
and their father in the bed-room of the prisoners, with a bottle of
beer and three lighted candles on the table; the prosecutor ordered
them all to go to bed ; and next morning insisted on searching the
boxes of the prisoners, and in a box which was locked, and of
which Selina Smart had the key, the various articles were found.
Both prisoners begged Mr. Stone to forgive them; and he having
called a Mr. Hancock to see him pay Selina Smart her wage., be
I paid her 61. 10s. and said, " Take away all that belongs to you ;
I leave all that belongs to me, and get out of my house." Mr. Stone
left the room, and the prisoners gave un to Mr. Hancock the goods
mentioned, and two sovereigns, and all the money paid by Air.
Stone to Selina Smart, saying, " they had robbed their master to
more than that amount," and then left the house; however,on March
21, the two prisoners went before a magistrate, and charged Mr. S.
with compounding a felony, but that charge the magistrate dismissed.
The prisoners again went before a Magistrate, to complain of Mr.
Stone for non-payment of wages, and that charge was dismissed.
Mr. Stone then thought he ought to take some advice, and he came
to Gloucester on the first day of the A seizes ; and, preened the pre.
sent indictment. Understanding that the prisoners meant to prefer
some charge against him, he did not have them taken into custody
ion the Learned Judge's warrant till they had preferred their
against him for an alleged compounding of felony, he having
rectal the constable to watch them, to prevent their escape. With
the charge against Mr. Stone the Jury would have nothing to do. as
that would be tried at the next Assizes.—W. Stone said; I keep the
White Lion inn, at Westbury. Selina Smart was in my service.
Her sister was out of place, and I allowed her to stay at my house
till she could get a situation. On the night of March 16, 1 was
alarmed. I got up and found the two prisoners and their father in
the bed-mom of the prisoners, with a bottle of beer, and three candles
lighted. I ordered them to bed, and put out the candles. Next day I
insisted on searching their boxes; and in a box, which was unlocked
by Selhia Smart, 1 found a variety of articles which were my property.
Emma Smart said" We own we have been robbing you, but hope you
will forgive us." Selina Smart said that all the things were ours. Both
begged to be forgiven. I then consulted my wife • and on my re.
turn I called in Mr. Hancock to see me pay Selina gmart her wa..
It was 61. 10s. I paid her, and then said, " Take every thing that
is your's, and leave all that is mine, and then get out of my louse."
left the room. Since that I have been twice summoned before the
magistrates, but the eases have been dismissed.--1111r. Stone pro-
duced a necklace, a silver thimble, half-a-pint of brandy, and a
good many articles of wearing apparel, which he stated to have been
found in the box.]—Cross-exarnined by Mr. Philippics: The pri.
senor, Emma Smart, fainted when the things were found. She did
not say she hoped I would forgive her sister ; she said she hoped I
would forgive them both. The money 1 had paid Selina Smart I
found left with the things in the rool.i, after the two prisoners had
left my house. I think Hancock and my son were there, but I did
not tell Hancock to receive the money back from the girls to settle
the matter. When I returned into the room, about a quarter of an,
hour after the prisoners went away, I did not know that she had left
the money.—Emil y Elisabeth Stone, an interesting girl about 18,
with beautiful black eyes, said : I went up Into the room when the box
was searched. The necklace and thimble 1 know to be mine, and I be.
lieve the other articles all belong to my father. Both the prisoners I
begged to be forgiven. The prisoner Selina Smart, in her defence
said, my master and John Hancock came up to see the money paid
to me, and my muter left the room for Hancock to settle with us ;
the other prisoner declined saying anything in her defence.--John
Hancock said ; 1 was at Mr. Stone's on the 17th March ; there had
been a search of the prisoner's box, and I was called in to see Mr.
Stone pay Selina Smart her wages; Mr. Stone put the money on
the able; I don't know that Mr. Stone said anything ; he ordered
the girls to go about their business, and leave all that belonged to
him ; the money was put by Selina Smart into a cap, and left when
they went away ; no money was paid to me by Selina Smart.—
Cross.examined ; both the prisoners said they had robbed their
master, and they begged me to intercede with air. Stone to forgive
them; they offered me 10s. if I would interfere for them. Mr.
Baron Holland said the only question for the Jury was, whether
the prisoners had stolen the property' and of that there seemed to
be no doubt.—Verdict, Guilty. The prosecutor recommended the
prisoners to mercy. Mr. Baron Bolland sentenced each of the pri-
soners to be imprisoned for three months, observing that the sentence
would have been much more severe but for the recommendation

of the prosecutor, and the fact of their having delivered up the

property.

On Monday night the premises of Mr. Cook, White's-
grounds, Bermondsey, fur-dyer, were entered, and furs,
consisting of seal, racoon, and other skins, amounting in
value to 1301. stolen.
DEVONPORT, APRIL 24.—A story has acquired cur-
rency in the naval circles here which affects the charac-
ter of an officer commanding one of his Majesty's ships
now on a foreign station. The tale is said to have ori-
ginated with a mariner who was sent home from the same
ship, and who some months since made affidavit to the
effect that a youth, belonging to the vessel in question,
the son of parents residing at Devonport, after receiving
five dozen lashes for some offence, was the next day, his
wounds being still fresh, sent on shore on a small island
in Catherine's Bay, on the coast of Brazil, very thinly
inhabited by Portuguese, and there abandoned by order of
the Captain. This affidavit was forwarded to the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, who have ordered an
investigation into the whole of the circumstances. Mean-
while, we have great pleasure in stating, for the satis-
faction of the friends of the gallant officer, that we have
seen letters from the ship, dated in December last, which
give a very different version of the affair. It appears by
these letters that the whole ship's company had signed a
paper attesting the fact, that the young man had volun-
tarily deserted from the ship, when sent on shore with a
boat's crew for sand, be being then off the Doctor's list,
and that search had been made for him in the woods with-
out effect. That so far from the discipline of the ship
being enforced in a cruel and tyrannical manner, this was
the first instance on board of any of the crew being flog-
ged. We further learn that the runaway was a most
incorrigible offender, had been reported for his bad con-
duct thirty times on the voyage out, and twice for theft
. in the very week on which he received corporeal punish.
ment.—Denonport Telegraph.