The Potteries Examiner : — 1878-03-23 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

TRIAL OF PRISONERS.  CROWN COURT.-WEDNI:SDAY.  I" POTTERY GROWER " George Shaw, 27. well.known in the Potteries as "Pottery G,oige," rind who was at one time suspected by the police as the Hanford murderer, and complicity in the Old Hill tragedy, describing himself as a bricklayer, was placed at the bar on a number of indictments, the chief of which, however, were of housebreaking, committed during the last three or four months, but only five of these were pressed against the prisoner, no follows Ist. Inirglarimisly breaking into the house of Frederick Fielding. on the 511'. January, at Wolverhampton, and stealing one pair of trousers end one mufti ; 2nd, breaking into the house of John Jones, on the 11th Jemmy, at Coseley. and stealing two jackets and other art ties: Serl. breaking into th.• house of Edwin Taylor. on the 28th Deceinher. et Wolverhampton, and stealing therefrom the sum of -£1 2s. and w,str. ing apparel ; 4th, bricking into the house of John Crump. at Coseley, al; the (Ph January, and stealing a coat : sth, stealing 95.. liv.. boxes, and n pair of stocking. front a helm at West 11 oin Nich, the, proper`y of 'Photons Nicholls—Mr. Darling prosecuted, and characterised the prisoner as one of the inti.t notorious burglars in the country, and so expert was he in breaking into or out of places that he dry nearly made his escape from the gaol whist there awaiting for Ma trial.—ln. spector Hackney, being sworn, stated that prisoner on the 10th October, 1877, was discharged after undergoing seven years' penal servi(nde, he having he .n committed for that term on the 15th Octob.r, 1870. In less than three months after his liberation about twenty cones of burglary ,ere against him, these having been committed in various parts of the c lantry.—The Judge to witness: How in the world was be allowed to commit these burglaries without being sooner found out P—Witness : I do not know, unless it was through his travelling about from place to thee in North and South Staffordshire.—The Judge Has he tried to get en honest living since coming from his servitude ? Witness I think so, for a few weeks. Dot he soddenly I loft it—Hl, Lordship How wets it that be did not stay at his work F—Wituess I don't know. I think his em. player did not know that he Ran a consist—The Judge : And I hoe you did not tell him.—Witoess : Certainly I not —The Judge: You are sure the prisoner WWI rot Minted down by the police ?—Witness : I am —The Judge: Was the prisoner under police supervision ? , Not latterly; I believe he was previously no ander the 1 old Crirainel Act—The .Tadge, addressing prisoner, then said he meld not tell how it 991, that men like the pet. Boner found pleasnre and enjoyment in the kind of life , he had been leading. He could not give him s less ! sentence now than lie bad received before, but on the other hand he felt boned to give him a heavier one. I The sentence of the Court, therefore, would be that the prisoner be sent to penal servitude for ten years. The prisoner asked if he might be allowed to beg Vr mercy, hut being told it was too late tor that, he asked if his Lordship would listen to hire if he would toll why be committed the crimes be did. He begged the Court's attention for only two minutes. The Judge granted , the reqoest, and prisoner proceeded to say that when he was di-charged from his penal servitude belie bad only 54., with which he Wll9 to fare the world.—The Judge I stated that that was his own fault. Had he gained the f required number of marks, he would bare received a I good sum of mouey.—Prisoner said tbatif he had gained all the marks possible, he then would have been entbled i to only £3, and this was not sufficient to face the world with.—The Judge said he would not listen to his I abusing the law in this manner, which was only too kind to men like prisoner.—Prisoner was then removed : from the dock. 1