The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-10-25 00:00:00

sukatY SEASI—ONS.
.7.40...—
John Baker and Jqnset Bradley, two boys, were
convicted, and sentenced to seven years transportation
for pickinn• vodka in the Borough.
Hannah' Ford was indicted for feloniously atealingi
on the 25th of August, some money, the properly, of
her master, Mr. Jennings, a butcher, at Walworth. The,
prosecutor stated, that the prisoner was in his service,
and had been so for nine months. He had repeatedly
missed silver, and in order to discover the thief, he
marked a crown piece and other monies, which he put
into a bowl with other silver, and placed in a cup-
board ; having occasion to go out on the day men-
tioned in the indictment, he left the prisoner in charge
of the house. On returning the next evening, be
:aissed some of the marked money; be taxed the pri-
-1
soner with the theft, and sent for a constable, who
opened-the prisoaer's box, where he found some of the
marked money in a bag, and a key that opened the
cupboard. The prisoner declared at the time she had
not done it. Snow, the constable, corroborated the
evidence of the prosecutor.
The prisoner, in her defence, denied the robbery,
and called some persons to character, who did not ap-
pear. The Jury found her guilty.
The CHAIRMAN—In order to prevent depredations
of the like nature, which, he was sorry to say, were
very prevalent, and to deter others from committing
similar offences, sentenced the prisoner to transporta-
tion for seven years. She was removed from the Bar
in convulsive fits.

POLICE.

----sos---
OcitrtnaLL.—Entous Pratt, a very intelligent look,
jog child, scarcely eleven years old, was brought up
yesterday before Alderman Charles Smith, the sitting
Magistrate, upon a charge of felony.
The girl, it appeared, from the statement of Mr.
Stevens, cheesemoncer, No. 45, Fetter-lane, was em-
ployed by one of his lodgers to assist in taking care
of an infant, and since she bad been in the how many
mail articles of ditretent descriptions had been miss-
ing, a circumstance which had never happened before
she came there. They bad suspected some time that
she was the thief, and Tuesday afternoon, one of the
lodgers having gone down stairs on some errand, pa
her retarn into her own room missed a petticoat, upon
which the child was at once charged with the theft.—
She denied it stoutly some time, but at length, in con-1
sequence of threats, and the actual sending for an of-
ficer to take her to prison, she confessed the fact. The
petticoat, however, was no where to be found, nor
could threat or promise, for a long time after she had
confessed stealing it, induce her to give any account
what she had done with it. Story after story was
trumped up by her to the number of four or five, some
of which destroyed their own credit by their improba-
bility, and others were detected to be false by imme-
diate inquiry. At last she said she would tell the
truth, and with every appearance of contrition ac-
knowledged having taken it to her mother, who lives
at No. 12, Richards's-buiidinss. Shoe-lane. The in-
stances of parents tutoring thwir children to theft are
unfortunately too numerous to render such a story im-
probable, and thither the parties accordingly went
with the officer, when to their surprise they learnt that
the mother had been out at work the whole of the day,
and that her character was hi:rlily exemplary. No re-
liance being therefore to be placed on any thing the
child said, she was taken to the Compter, and kept
from all communication till brought before the Ma-
gistrate yesterday.
Mrs. Pratt, the mother, attended, and appeared
greatly agitated at the obstinacy and depravity of her
child ; but all her tears, threats, and persuasions, were
unable to get from the prisoner any new or satisfactory
account of what she had done with the petticoat, she
persisting in the repetition of one of the improbable
stories which bad already been ascertained to he false.
The endeavours of the Magistrate were equally
fruitless. The prisoner was wholly indifferent and
unmoved by his threats of punishment, though he tried
to alarm her, by giving, with a grave countenance, di-
rections in her bearing that slie should be taken hack
to prison, and whipped every day till she told the
truth. Even this, however, produced no confession,
the child remaining obstinate to the very last. The
Magistrate accordingly remanded her until Tuesday
next, with directions that she should be kept in a se-
parate room by herself, and subjected to such little de-
privations as might be deemed proper to bring her to
a proper sense of her wicked and obstinate conuct.
Bow-sramr.—FlNAL EXAMINATION OF MR.
BLOOM rtELD.—Yesterday at two o'clock Mr. Benjamin
Bloomfield was brought to the office in the custody of
Avis, and Westbrook the gaoler, from the Marquess of
Anglcsea public-house, where he had been confined
since he was brought from the House of CorrectiOn in
the morning. He was very genteel}- dressed, but his
health appeared to have suffered from his confinement
in the prison. Sir R. IltitNlE and G. R. Mtseut:LL,
Esqrs. were sitting to bear his further examination.
Another gentleman attended to prefer a charge; but
his transaction with Mr. Bloomfield not amounting to
any thing criminal, it was not proceeded upon.
The investigation of the charge of "tr. Win. Shear-
ley, of Rockingham-row, New Kent-road, which has
hitherto appeared the most serious, was then called on,
but Mr. Shearley did not appear; a letter, was banded
to the Magistrates from Mr. Shearley, Stating that be
begged to withdraw the charge which lie bad pre-
ferred against Mr. Benjalnin Bloomfield, 'having had
since reason to believe that his suspicions as to the non-
payment of the money were premature, and in conse-
quence by the advice of his alto: ey, he was satisfied
to make it a debt.
In addition to the letter, Mr. CHARLES PHILLIPS,
the Barrister, attended, and addressed the Magistrates
at considerable length on behalf of Mr. iliootOplti,
and contended that he had no intention, nor was there
any evidence to prove that he inteicled.tatiefrend Mr.
Shearley. As to the 2001. which er. Bloomfield had
received of Mr. Shearlef, he had glien his bud • for
it ; and after that Mr. Sheailey so' inCeasently.gestered
him to be put in possession of the 'p• fade or ausant-
meat, that he scarcely missed a day Without calling
upon him. One' day when Mr. plostntleld Was SiinF
e his bids, he having two 1001. ..Botts in hip desk,
tendered them to Mr. thearley, on
.61ndition pf t
gibing' up Ili, itOnd ; 'bit NW.' Sheit7l ~ lit "iliviffi. it
Abou
t,s.
t hiin preeesiteti the hAfaa 00
i:blus% .0. at 444,
time. -
The Magistrates, notwithstanding, ordered Mr.