The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-12-24 (London, England)

TRIALS AT THE MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.  Martin Grice, forty, porter, was indicted for stealing two Bank of England notes for the payment of 201. each, and other moneys, of Ambrose Smith, from his person. The prisoner pleaded Guilty. On the 14th day of November the prosecutor, a blacksmith, was in the Duke of Clarence, in Greenfield-street, Commercial-road, having at the time 124/. 13s. in Bank of England notes and gold in his possession, where he met the prisoner and treated him to drink. They came out together, when the prisoner caught him round the waist and forced him up against a wall. He then gave him a violent blow on the head which almost stunned him, and he then pitched him on his head into the road, but before doing so he put his hand into the prosecutor's pocket and took away the purse containing his money. The only steps the prosecutor took, on coming to himself, and finding how he had been robbed of money, was to give notice to the Bank of England to stop the notes. One of these notes was cashed by Mr. Richards, of the Town of Ramsgate public-house, at Wapping Old-stairs, presented by the prisoner. Porter William Dunaway, 11 H, afterwards went to Dublin, and there found the prisoner with one of the stolen notes in his possession. He afterwards learned that the prisoner had placed other notes in the hands of a Father Kelly, a priest, but a large sum was still missing. The Assistant - Judge sentenced him to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for two years. William Macdonald, nineteen, midshipman, was indicted for stealing two gold rings, value 325., the property of Emily Capp. There were two other indictments against him. He pleaded Guilty. The prisoner went to the prosecutrix's house, 16, Bower-street, London Docks, on November 29, and took lodgings there. Having slept there one night, the next morning he told the prosecutrix that he had 150/. coming to him, and wished her to go with him to the Bank of England to receive it. She went with him, and he desired her to wait for him a few minutes in Leadenhall-street, but he never came back. On her return home she found she had been plundered of the articles named in the indictment. The other two indictments were almost identical with this.  The Assistant-Judge sentenced him to six months' hard labour. Sarah Williams, 21, was indicted for stealing a silver watch and chain, a purse, and other articles, also three sovereigns and other moneys, the property of Benjamin Hansell, from his person. Mr. E. T. Smith prosecuted, and Mr. Pater defended the prisoner. The prosecutor was a sailor belonging to the Norfolk, of Yarmouth, lying in ,the West India Export Dock, and on the morning of the 17th inst. he fell in with the prisoner, and he accompanied her to a low house in the neighbourhood of RatclifT-highway, but he had not been long there when she put her arm round his neck and nearly choked him. He called out "-Murder r. but she managed to rob him of his watch and chain, and took his money from his trousers pocket. He went downstairs, and having found a policeman he gave the prisoner in charge. The policeman went upstairs and searched the room in the presence of the prisoner, when she took the prosecutor's watch from her bosom and threw it on the bed.  Mr. Pater addressed the jury for the prisoner, who returned a verdict of Guilty. William Kennedy, 370 K, said he knew the prisoner well, and she was in the habit of taking drunken sailors to houses for the purpose of robbing them. .  The Assistant-Judge said the trade of a prostitute was bad enough, but when it was accompanied by robbery, it became a very serious offence. The Court felt that this was a case in which they ought to make an example of those who robbed drunken sailors, and the sentence upon her was, that she be kept in penal servitude for five years.