The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-07-05 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL iNIIPSUAIMER SESSIONS

Before JAMES CLAKR, Esq., Recordey,

The Midsummer Sessions commenced yeiterday, before J
Clarke, Esq. Recorder for the borough.. There are 58 pri•
soners fOr felony, and 48 charges of misdemeanors and assaults.
Shortly after ten o'clock the court was opened, and the Recor-
der entered accompanied by the Mayor. ..
The MAYOR then addressing the court said, you are probably
•warp that under the new grant of Quarter Sessions which
has arrived, the Recorder is now sole judge. I have waited
here upon the Recorder out of respect, merely to•hand over to
him the grant, and 1 appear here solely on that account.
The RRCORDER then said, permit me, Mr. Mayor, to thank
von for your courtesy. The law has made a change which I
had nothing to do with in bringing about, otherwise, personally,
I should have been extremely happy to have sat with you.
The Recorder having taken the required declaration, the
following gentlemen were sworn in on the grand jury :
NICHOLAS ROSKILL, Esq., Foreman.
John Campbell, John Leyland,
Edward Chaloner, William Lowe,
George Lissant Cox, Alexander Maxwell,
John Deakin, James Muspratt,
Thomas Dodson, James Powell,
James Currie Duncan, Josiah Robinson,
John Hall, Richard Rathbone,
Thomas Hallowes, W. Fothet gill Robinson,
William Hill, T. Rowlandson Robinson, and
John Jerdein, Samuel Flemming Symonds,
David Sand, Esqrs.
Herbert Clayton Langton,

The proclimation agaist v
read,'
The RECORDER proceeded to deliver his charge, He said,
Gentlemen of the Grand Jury, I am happy to say that it will
not be necessary for me to trouble you with any lengthened
observations. The borough, as you are well aware, is now, for
the first time detached from the county for many important pur-
poses. The most important is for the better adminiatration of
the criminal laws. Whatever crimes may. be prosecuted, pro-
vided they arise within the limits of our jurisdiction, will be
prosecuted at these sessions, at the charge of the borough; and
no doubt the charge is a serious one. The exemption •to the
borough for that charge is, it is not to contribute to the 'prose-
cution of felons out of its jurisdiction at the assizes, whether
that will be an equivalent or not, it is not for me.to say. . I am
•of opinion this change will be of most benefi,:ial results. It will
make the borough look with more vigilance to the prevention
and prosecution of crime, which, perhaps was .not formerly ex-
ercised to a great degree, when the'county at. large undertook the
sole work. It involves.a principle which I hope to see extended,
for it does seem strange to me that village towns, as Lonsdale,
for instance, having in themselves little crime should pay largely
towards the prosecution of crime in other parts of the county. and
on that account I hope to see the principle carried further. The
calenddr, I am happy to say, though we are sitting here now
under the new jurisdiction, is by no means a heavy one. There
are two or three causes which have conduced to tills. The first
is your increased police for Ce. I have, this morning, had a con--
versation with your Superintendent of Police, and from what
his resources are, I have no doubt but that heavy offences are
put down by the increased t.i•ength of piititer.- As -ha very
properly observed, " we have not only a greater power to pre-
vent crime, but a better means of detecting it." The second
cuuse is the very judicious method in which the commitments
are made h the sessions. Formerly, the practice whieh pre-
vailed, and I don't blame those who acted on it, was, whatever
might be the charseter of the person charged, whatever might
he the circumstances under which the crime was committed, iu-
variably
to send the' prisoner for trial before a grand and petty
jury. Now, a more modified principle has taken place. Wher-
ever the !Sower is lodged in the hands of a discreet and intelli-
gent person it ought to be approved of, and I am. happy to ap-
ptove very much of the conduct of your sitting magistrate.
Another very intelligent stipendary magistrate in another part
of the county has also modified the principle of committing to
the sessions. This is one cause which has mitigated the num-
ber of prisoners on your calendar. I hope, also there:is ano-
ther cause; I hope holding the assizes here has had considera-`
ble effect : because the inhabitants must see how very vigilant
the government is in putting down crime whereverit arises,
and I think this will lead to that effect. These three causes, I
hope, operate strongly and forcibly in lessening the calendar,
and 1 hope that lessening will be permanent. The calendar it-
self contains very few cffences which call' for observation.
There is one case, No. 50, in the calendar, for child-stealing,.
That was an offence formerly of great difficulty, and there was
some doubt whether stealing a child constituted an offence;
but a late act, the 9th of George IV., c. 30, has enacted very pro-
perly, that taking a child amounts to a felony. Still, however,
the evidence .in that case that the woman was beginning to
strip the child in order to steal its clothes will be ample evi-
dence for you to find. There is also another case in time calen-
dar, No. 36, which perhaps, many of you being conversant with
trade may think a case of forgery. It was obtaining goods un-
der the name of a person whose hand-writing was Certainly
forged, and it requires a nice discriminating mind to say that
it was not a forgery. However, front circunistances in the case,
the judges would not have held it a forgery, but obtaining goods
under false pretences. I have looked at the depositions, and I
think the magistrate has taken a correct view of the Case. I
have no further observations, gentlemen, to make to you.

ice and immorality having been

William Hebblewkite, aged 40, pleaded guilty to having stolen
on the 13th of June, three watches, seven cases of mathemati-
cal instruments, and one pair of spectacles, the property of
Mr. Henry Frodsliam.—Sentence not passed.
William Hudson, (16,) who was remanded from last session
owing to the absence of a witness, was found guilty of having
stolen a hat, a coat, and a pair of boots, the property of Mr. John
Driver.—He was sentenced to be transported for seven years.
- - - -

Joseph Robinson, (15,) Robert Pugh, (17,) Frederick Turner,
(17,) and Moults: Finney, (17,) where charged with having
stolen on the 18th of June last, three silver spoons, and other
property belonging to Mr. John Pelting, of this town. Robin-
son and. Turner pleaded guilty, Pugh was found guilty, and
Turner was acquitted. There was another indictment charging
the same four prisoners with having stolen a quantity of plate,
the property of Mr. Robert M'Laren, of Seymour•street. The
particulars of both these cases have. lately appeared in full in
our police reports. The jury found all the prisoners guilty.—
They were each sentenced to be transported for seven Nears.
Jtihn Williams, (16,) was charged with having stolen some
silver and a quantity of copper, from the par of Mr. Robert
Wainwright, on the 15th of June. The prisoner had been.pre-
viously,convicted of felony. Ile pleaded guilty.—He was,sen-
tencea to be transported for seven years.
John Strain, (37,) was charged with lihving stolen a cashbox. a
watch, twenty half-crowns, arid other Silver, the property of Mr.
Joseph Taylor Hobson, chemist, of Bold-street, on the 18th of
June. The particulars of this case appeared in our police, re-
ports at the time. The prisoner pleaded guilty and begged the
mercy of the court. The RECORDER said that in this case he
had no discretion.—The sentence of the law was that he be
transported for the term of his natural life.
James Drennan, (25,) pleaded guilty to having stolen a num-
ber of prayer books, the property of Mr. Henry Lacy, Mr.
Alexander Thompsom, and others, from Great George-street
Chapel, on the 3rd of June last. He was sentenced to be im-
prisoned for two calender months and kept to hard labour.
Mary Boyle, (21,) was charged with raving stolen on the
14th of June last, two blankets, two sheets, one quilt, .and one
candlestick, the property of David Salisbury.
Mr. DOWLING stated the case. The prisoner and a man who
passed for her husband took lodgings with the prosecutor, and
whilst there took the things above-named from her room and
pawned them. Mrs. Salisbury having some suspicion went into
the room and found the things gone - She then sent for a con-
stable, who took the prisoner into custody, and, on searching
her, found in her possession several pawn tickets of the articles
mission-. The case-was fully proved. The prisoner, it' defence,
said the landlady knew of it, and permitted it.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, and she was sentenced
to he imprisoned for four calendar mouths, and kept to hard
labour.
Jane Ball, (19), was charged with having stolen fifteen shil-
lings in silver, on the 26th of May last, the property of Thomas
Lever.
Thomas Lever, an elderly man, deposed that on Thursday
the 26th of May last, he was walking down Mary hone, when he
met the prisoner and two other girls. They ask-ed him to treat
them to a glass of ale;, he consented and took them to the
" Still" public house. • The prisoner sat beside him. He had
fifteen shillings in silver in his pocket when he sat down, and
in a short time he missed it and saw the prisoner pass some-
thing to one of the other girls, who_went out. lie charged her
with robbing him, and sent for a policeman to take her into
custody. He was a stranger in Liverpool. The jury, after a
short consultation, found the prisoner guilty.
The RECORDER, in passing sentence, said he was obliged to
pass a sentence on the prisoner which he thought vastly too se-
vere, and he should take care to report upon it, and to have it
mitigated by the secretary of state. The prisoner was then sen-
tenced to be transported for life.
The liscounch, shortly after, :however, said .he had a dis-
cretionarypower, and the prisoner was recalled and sentenced
to be imprisoned two mouths.

The RECORDER then said that in this case
.he should not al-
low the prosecutOr's expenses, it was disgraceful for a man of
his age to be in the company of such females.
Patrick. Owen, (36) was charged with having stolen a ham,
the property of his employer, Mr. John Bristow. He was
caught taking it away from his master's warehouse. The pri-
soner had been previously convicted. He was sentenced to be
imprisoned for eight calendar months.
William Lofizis, (35), and John Morgan, (42), were charged
with having stolen thirty-seven pairs of shoes, the property of
Mr. Roberts, of Denbigh, on the 9th.of June. The prisoner
:(Loftus) pleaded guilty.
Mr. VEN.AI3LES stated the case. -
Mr. Roberts, of Denbigh, deposed to being a shoemaker,
and
having sent a hamper containing thirty-seven pairs of shoes di-
rected to Mr. Wilcox, of Tithebarn-street.
Robert Griffith, a carrier, deposed to having, received the
hamper and delivered it safely to Loftus, who rs. a porter, to
carry it to its address.
Mrs. Furnival deposed to living at the Park. and Loftus, on
the evening of the Bth of June, bringing a hampera,,n,dithaskhiining
permission to leave it till morning. Morgan was
After they had left she saw that it was open and felt uneasy
about it. Next morning Morgan told her to take a pair of
shoes and Loftus would be no wiser. She asked him how he
dared to make such a remark, and asked whose shoes they were.
Loftus then came in and said they were his his shoes. As soon as
they were gone she watched them to seethey carried the ham-
per to the right direction,
and when they arrived Opposite St.
Patrick's Chapel,
she saw Morgan take some shoes out and
carry them to a pawn-shop. She then gave information to the
police.
A policeman deposed to taking the prisoners into custody,
and finding a number of pawnbroker's duplicates for shoes on
them, and 20s. in silver. He produced some of the shoes,
which Mr. Roberts identified.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to
be imprisoned 12 calendar months.
Thomas Smith, (25) a noted thief, was charged tvith having
on the evening of the 11th of May last, stolen a purse contain-
ing some silver, the property of Dr. Patrick Joseph Murphy,
from the person of Miss Mary Woods, his housekeeper.
Mr. RA INCOCK appeared (or the prosecution, and Mr. VENA=.
BLEB defended the prisoner.
Miss Mary Woods deposed to being sent with a letter from
Dr. Murphy to Dr. Bradley's, in Richmond-row, and whilst
walking she was attacked and robbed by the prisoner and seve-
ral others, who all immediately after run off. The particulars
of this case have before appeared in the columns of the
STA NDATfb.

The jurl7expressed a wish to retire, and after an absence of
half an hour, found the prisoner guilty. He was sentenced to
be transported for the term of his natural life, his previous cha-
racter being as bad as it could be. A female in court, as soon
as the sentence was announced uttered a dreadful shriek, and
was carried out by the constables.
Mary Knowles, (28) was charged with having stolen two £5
notes and one purse, the property of Ralph Campbell.
Mr. MURPHY stated case, and Mr. CorriNc HAN de-
fended the prisoner. ..4.0°1
The prosecutor depaed to having been the master of the
brig " Planta," and arrived here on the 30th of
and Jim asked her
June last. On
going home he met the prisoner in Da e
the way to Williamson-square, and r s
some he took-s Dale-street,
to a room in
money to buy some
Tempests-hey, and asked him f
spirits. He gave her two or three shillings out of his purse ; he,
wai then, sitting at th's foot of the bed, and had two £5 notes at

the other end of h purse. He felt her polling at his trtmers,
arid imtnediatery after saW her--tift her. hands up towards her.
head, and sus.rected he had been robbed; he felt in his pocket
and found,his-purse and his money gone. He endeavoured to
get his money back, but not suceeed;ng, caged in a policeman,
who searched her and, the room, but could not find the money.
As she Was going to EirideWell he followed her, and saw apaper
fall from her dresS, which be found to be his two £5 notes.
Cross-exarnined.—He never told the girl to help, herself. He

had lost his ship in consecNe9ce,.
The jury found the prisoner guilty. She was sentenced to
be imprisoned for 12 calendar months.
Mary O'Hara, '(2tl) was charged with having "'Stolen thirty
soverergns, the property of Watson Aubrey.
Mr, Lawrence appeared for the: prosecutor, and staled trio
case, and Mr. Venables for the prisoner.
The prosecutor deposed to living at Abergenney, and had just
returned from America, where he had been for the last four
years as a pudler in an iron manufactory. He met with the
prisoner on the Bth instant, the day he landed, and was pro•
ceeding down Old Hall-street, when the prisoner asked him to
give her a half-penny, as she had a penny, and wanted a glass '
of ale. He finally accompanied her to a house in Presttm-
street, where he was A few minutes, when the prisoner said ne
must go, and left him. On exainning his pocket he found his
purse containing 31/soys. was gone. On being cross-examined,
he said it was his own money, and that he had earnectfl a-week
in America, as a pudler.
The jury found the prisoner guilty. She was sentenced to be
imprisoned for 12 'calendar months.
John Newton (28) was charged with having on the 31st of May,
stolen two sheets, 4 handkerchiefs, and a shift front, the pro-
pertys of Ann Grimshaw. The prinsOner'said he was guilty of
the sheets. He was sentenced to be imprisoned. 4 calendar
months.

Henry Thompson (18) was charged with having 'stolen a watch
on the 4th of June last, the property of his relative, Mr. Ovid.
Thomason. The prisoner pleaded guilty. lie was sentenced,.
owing to his previous bad conduct to I.e transported for 7 years.
Stephen Jones (26) was charged with having on the 2itth of
May last, stolen 501-hs. weight of lead, the property of Mr.
Richard Ginuell. He was met on the canal bank by inspector
Jones, carrying the lead whiCh he had stolen. The pritsuner
pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to be transported 7 years.
The court adjourned at 5 o'clock to 9 o'clock this morning.