The Portland daily press., 1862-12-11
Supreme Judicial Court.


CRIMINAL TERM.-Fox, j., PRESIDING.
WEDNEsDAY,-In the case of Daniel Ward
indicted for larceny of $40 from the person OF
Mrs. Donahue, the jury returned verdict OF
guilty, and the Court sentenced him to eight
months imprisonment in the House of Correc-
ton. The money was ordered to be returned
to Mrs. Donahue.
Bronchas Orceney, the Corsican, was put
upon trial for breaking and entering the dwell
ling house of Mr.. S. B. Gowell, in Cape Eliza
beth, and stealing therefrom a gun, pistol, and
pair of pants. The prisoner could not under
stand our language, and Prof. Henri Ducom,
was appointed by the Court as his interpreter,
and explained to him the indictment and the
evidence against him. The prisoner denied
the crime alleged against him. He had no
counsel. The jury returned verdict of gull
ty of larceny, and he was sentenced to six
months in the House of Correction. This
light sentence was imposed in consequence of
the prisoner being foreigner, and also being
lame.
Joanna McGrath and Ellen +. Murphy, were
tried on an indictment charging them with
stealing certain articles from the premises of
Joshua b. Stevens on Oxford street, on the It'll
of November. Mr.. and Mrs. Stevens identif-
ed the property found upon the prisoners, as
belonging to them, Deputy Marshal Heald
testified to the finding of the articles, and to
confessions made to him by the prisoners
No evidence was offered in behalf Of the &C
cused, but Mrs. Murphy persistently denied
committing the crime alleged. Mr.. O'Donnell
appeared as counsel for the prisoners. The
case was submitted to the jury, without argu-
ment, after brief charge from Judge Fox
The jury, after being out about five minutes,
returned a verdict of guilty against both of
the prisoners.
This is the first indictment found against
the prisoners, who are known as the clothes
line thieves and shop-lifers. After the ver-
dict was rendered, they retracted their pleas
Of "not guilty." on two other Indictment
one charging them with stealing articles from
Harriet M. Stevens, and the other charging
them with stealing articles from Luther ].
Hill-and pleaded guilty to the same. There
are three other indictments against them,
which will remain on file, the conviction on
the other three having stamped them as COM
mon thieves.
The Court sentenced Joanna McGrath to
six years, and Ellen Murphy to five years in
the State prison, remarking that the lowest
term Of imprisonment allowed by law is four
years, and the highest, fifteen years, and that
it was time our citizens should be protected
from this system of petty larcenies.
John R. Morrow of New Gloucester, was ar
raigned on two indictments found against him
at the July term-one for keeping a drinking
house and tipping shop, the other for being a
common seller of intoxicating liquors. He
pleaded not guilty to each indictment, and
Thursday was assigned for trial Of them.
John C. Stickney was tried on an indictment
charging him with uttering forged order in
the name of F. B. Rice & Co. of Etna, on w.
& c. r. Milliken Of Portland, thereby attempt
ing TO obtain three boxes of oolong tea, of the
value of $125, of the said firm of w. d G. r.
Miliiken. The prisoner had no counsel and
conducted his own defence, cross-examining
the witnesses for government. He made no
remarks to the jury, but put question to the
Court as to where the crime was committed,
stating that there had been no proof that he
put the letter, containing the orders, into the
Postoffice, thus raising the question Of jurisdc-
ton, and showing considerable shrewdness on
his part Judge Fox 10 his charge instruct
ed the jury thatif the letter was mailed at
Newport, and directed to Portland, the offence
was committed in Cumberland County. 1t
did not take the jury five minutes to agree, and
they returned a verdict of guilty. Judge Fox
then addressed the prisoner, saying that the
letters he had written shew great deal of in
telligence, and it was the duty of the Court to
punish him somewhat severely. He then sem
fenced him to four years in the State prison.
Court adjourned to o'clock Thursday mc-n-
ing.