Star.
London, England, 1818-03-30 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER SESSIONS.

4mong the persons put to the bar on Saturday as
reputed thieves, was the celebrated Bill Soames.—
He had been apprehended by Oddy, a police officer,
who had a warrant against him, in the gallery of the
Surrey Theatre. Humphreys, a Bow-stseet officer
stated, that he had known Soames as a reputed thief,
organizing gangs of pickpockets for the last tan years
with unceasing activ!ty.
Soarnes—Don't believe a word of it, Mr. Chairman; I have
sot been four years in the country.
ilumplareys.—lle's right enough, Sir, for he returned from
transportation within the last four yes;ar but I knew him before
lSis tr.tvels, and I have constantly seen him since picking pockeu
about the Strand, with others of the gang.
Soames put in a written paper, containing a de-
fense not dissimilar to that of Barrington at the Old
Bailey. He complained that his character was blas-
tNi from past indiscretions, and that he could find no.
one to give him what he sought, an honest livelihood.
He candidly confessed that the Police were his most
uncompromising enemies, for he could not appear in
the streets to look after an honest situation without
being immediately recognised and attacked by them.
He declared himself innocent of the charges made
against him, and said, that he had obtained the Prince
Regent's pardon for his last conviction, which was
obtained at the instigation of Vaughan, and others of
the same description.
. . .

lie rustansx.:—Sosaies, it Is a shocking tßieg to see you
continuing this career, after rep.itc.l cunvictions, punishments,
escapes.... . . .

Soaan;s.—Slr, I am most ar.xions to get an honest NvelUtood,
but the Police (Hikers stop me the mament I go out to look for it.
When I was taken I was in the act of seeking a stewardship in
an East Indianian—a situation I once held, and could hare got it
is 't were not for this arrest.

The CUM/AUL—You have abilities, and it is a pity they are
wit honestly employed; it would La very desirable if you could
find some situation out of the country, whzre you might retrieve
your character. Can you get the situation you allude to now? I
kr iw you have friends.---Suarnes—l think I can, Sir.
The CHAIRMAI4.—Then let the sentence stand over until the
d A f of adjournment.
A man, named Joseph Garrot Carr, was indicted
by the parish of St. Martin In the Fields, under the
lowing circumstances :—He had surrepticiou sl y
obtained a permissive travelling pass, originally gran-
ted to a man of the name of Smith, upon which the
prisoner had collected money from the Overseers of
several parishes, and amongst others he presented
himself, with a woman and three children, to an over-
'ter of the above-named parish, from whom he re-
e tived one shilling and sixpence ; he then applied to
bt. Uiless, shewing the pass, with the figute " one"
a'tered to a " two, making tile relief appear to be
two shillings.and sixpence. The pass-master of St.
Giles's, to Wnom he applicator relief, suspecting the'
application to be fraudulent, detained the man, and
sent him to Marlborough-street Office, where his sus-
picions were found to be correct, as it was proved that
the prisoner was not the person named in the pass,
nor was the woman his wife, nor the children his ;
but in order to impose upon parish officers, the words
his wife and three children," had been inserted.--
The Magistrate, of course, committed him for the
fraud, and he was this day brought up for trtaL--Mr.
ALLEY, Counsel for the parish of St. Martin, opened
the case, and proved the facts ; upon which the Jury,
without hesitation, found the prisoner Guilt?.—The
CHAIRMAN stated that cases of this species of fraud
were now so common that it was necessary to-make
public examples of such impostors, and sentenced the
prisoner to twelve months imprisonment in tie 'false
of Correction.

At the Old Bailey Sessions, which commence on
Wednesday, two hundred and sixteen prisoners were
committed for trial up to Saturday night ;—among
exem are twelve for forgery.
A melancholy circumstance occurred at Lincoln,
on Thursday morning last, during the execution of
four culprits on die New Drop there. The number
Of people assembled to witness their awful exit was
so immense, that befote the unfortunate wretches were
launched into eternity, a sudden pressure of the ctowd
took place, and forced an aged female and her
daughter, a young woman about 16 years of age, into
an adjoining well nearly 20 feet deep, and before the
necessary apparatus to render assistance could be pro-
cured, the 7 both become the victimsof their curiosity.