The Sun. — 1854-04-04 (London, England)

OLD COURT.  ' The April sittings of this court commenced this morning, before the Recorder, the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Mr. Alderman Kelly, Mr. Alderman Farncomb, Aldermen Carden and Salomons. The calendar contains the names of 147 prisoners, one of whom stands charged with murder, one for manslaughter, three for cutting and wounding, one for feloniously shooting with intent to murder, and no fewer than 47 for passing bad coin, and three for coining. The Grand Jury having been sworn, The Recorder said, it was with much regret he saw that the calendar before him was a very heavy one, heavier in point of numbers than any that he had ever had before him, but still he was glad to find that the crimes charged were not so very heavy. Although there were some cases of cutting and wounding, he was glad to find that the crime of violence to the person was diminishing, a circumstance he attributed to the spread of education. With regard to the case of murder, there could be no doubt that the unfortunate woman met her death by the act of the prisoner, and although a question might arise as to the state of the prisoner's mind, their duty would be to find the bill, and leave the petty jury to decide that issue. All the cases in the calendar had been 'investigated by the magistrates, but doubtless some bills would lie brought before them that had not passed that ordeal, and those bills they -hould look upon with jealousy, as, generally speaking. the course was an objectionable one. Stilt he did not say but that in some instances it was a proper one. Another case which he would draw their attention to was, that of a person who, charged with embezzlement, had fired a pistol at the prosecutor, and the act was attributed to an accident ; that would also be a question for theni to leave to the petty jury. He now came to a case of which they (the grand jury) had doubtless heard through the press, which was that of two persons named Harrison and Desaux, which would come before them as a charge of conspiracy, with others not in custo6y, to obtein the prostitution of a Belgian girl. The only difficulty that arose in the case was, that part of the transaction took place in Belgium arid part in France, for which parts they could nut be charged in this indictment ; but if they conspired in this country to commit any part of the offence, that was an offence at common law. He did not know of any case in point, but it was certain that the act known as the Bishop of Oxford's would meet the case, and said, that he should recommend them to find the bill, and leave any point of law to be discussed in court. He thought it likely that durir g the session there would be another bill preferred, for an assault and false imprisonment arising out of the same transaction. There was also another case which was one of the most paramount importance to the adininietration of justice in these courts. It was one where two men, named Jones and Pull, had obtained, by an order at the Middlesex Sessions, the sum of 2/. 55., alleging that they had been engaged lo prosecute a man charged by Mr. E. Smith, the lessee of Drury-lane Theatre, with robbery. The man had, it appeared, pleaded guilty, and Mr. Smith had never employed the prisoners to conduct the prosecution, It was by this fraud they had imposed upon Mr. Serjeant Adams, a gentleman not generally easy to deceive. The grand jury then retired. Mr. Clarkson applied to the court upon the part of the Bank of England, to withdraw from the prosecution against the wife of the late Frederick DJ Molyns, who stood charged with having uttered a forged power of attorney for the transfer of stock. De Moiyns had since died in Newgate, and it was clear that the wife had acted under his directions.  The Recorder said they had better not go befure the grand jury with the bill.