The Express. — 1866-01-30 (London, England)

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.  Edward Ballard, 22, barman, pleaded guilty to an indictment which charged him with stealing 184., the property of James Braun, his master. Mr. Metcalfe. who appeared for the prosecution, said that the prosecutor was a highly respectable licensed victualler at the east end of the town, and the prisoner was in him service as barman, and in consequence of missing money some coins were marked and placed in the till, and the prisoner was detected. The prosecutor bad reason to believe that the prisoner bad been lobbies him for a considerable time to the extent of 61. or 81. a week, and when he was taken into custody a sum of 701. wee found in his possession, as well as a diamond ring that was worth 501., and which there was no doubt had been purchased with the money he bad stoles. He was instructed, however, to state that on account of the youth of the prisoner and his previous good character, the prosecutor did not wish him punished with any severity, bat left the matter entirely in the hands of the court, Mr. Sleigh, who was instructed for the defence, urged in mitigation of punishment that the prisoner had yielded to a sudden temptation, and be said that his friends, who were very respectable, had made arrangements to seed him out of the country. The Common Serjeant told the prisoner that he was very touch indebted to his master for having instructed his counsel to state what be had done, and but for this he should certainly have passed a much more severe sentence. He then ordered him to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for eight months. Upon the application of Mr. Metcalfe the court made an order that the money and the diamond ring found upon the prisoner, and which be admitted were the proceeds of his plunder. should be given up to the prosecutor. Mr. Poised, who was instructed to prosecute on behalf of the Treasury, made an application that the trial of three prisoners, named Watson, Starr, and Stevens. should bs postponed to the next session, and the rocognissaces of the witnesses be respited in the meantime. The prisoners were committed upon the charge of baring violently assaulted several police constables in the execution of their duty, sad it appeared that since their committal one of the constables bad turned out to be so seriously injured that he is not expected to recover. In the event of his death taking place the prisoners would, of course, be amenable to a charge either of murder or manslaughter, as it might turn out. The court granted the application. Henry Lester, 18, a respectable-lacking young man, pleaded guilty to a charge of forging and uttering a cheque for 251. Si. 6d., with intent to defraud the London Joint Stock Bank. Sentence was deferred. Edward Smith, a young man, was charged with a robbery with videos*. Mr. Daly prosecuted. The prosecutor was walking along Lent-street, in the Borough, when he was assailed by three men, one of whom was the prisoner, and robbed of a small sum of money, the act being accompanied with a good deal of violence. The c espanions of the prisoner were convicted at a recent seelion and sentenced to penal servitude. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and evideoce having been given that the prisoner had been summarily convicted a great many times., he was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. Henry Jones, 33, clerk, pleaded guilty to two indictments charging him with embezzliog various sums of money, the property of Walter Spencer Chapman, his master. Mr. Metcalfe was instructed for the prosecution. The prosecutors are wholesale grocers, carrying on bruises* in Alderagate-street, and the prisoner was in their service as clerk and collector, and in these capacities he appeared to have received about 130/. which he had not accounted for. There was this great aggravation in the prisoner's conduct, that he appeared t 3 have gone to some of the customers of the prosecutors before the usual period of credit had expired, and represented that he was one of the firm, and that they were pressed for money and wished the account to be settled as once. The prisoner was sentenced to eighteen months' hard labour.