Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1852-11-17 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

INCORRIGIBLE THIEP.—A PRECOCIOUS YOUTH. --Heyward Shaw Greenwood, a little boy, 11 years of age, neatly dressed, was placed at the bar, charged with stealing four half-sovereigns, the property of his uncle, Mr. Thomas Stuekbury, excise officer, of Llatigyfelach. Mr. Stuckbury said he felt exceedingly sorry that he was ' obliged to appear under such circumstances against the prisoner, who is the son of his wife's sister his father was dead, and his mother and step-tether Lad gone to Australia. In August last lie (witness) was asked if he would take the boy to live with him, and lie consented to take him into his house. For the first two or three weeks be was a well-behaved little boy; but witness soon discovered that lie was dishonest, and he had himself acknowledged that at various times lie had gone upstairs to his aunt's purse and stolen various sums of silver, amounting altogether to 12s. Tuesday week he (witneEs) was satisfied that he had not spent the whole of the money so stolen, and he requested Ile would give him the remain. der. The prisoner absolutely refused to "°dye up a single farthing, saying be had only a shilling, arid would return it Oft the following morning. On the following morning be (witness) asked him for the shrilling, when lie said he would fetch it, and slipping on his boot, went oat; he Subsequently found that his cap was concealed under his coat. Ile did not sec him afterwards till the following Friday, when he returned and assured witness lie would not do anything of the kind again. On Saturday week however, tire boy was caught at his ci!d tricks. flaying obtained some false keys, he opened witness's cash box, and took therefrom sixteen sovereigns. Fortunately these were found in his pocket, and lie recovered them. On the following Monday morning again Ire was found stealing. Witness's little girl had sixpence given her on that day to pay fur her schooling, which she placed on the bible till she was ready to take it with her to school. lhi wus missed, and the prisoner had taken it. On another occasion the prisoner was found concealed by Mr. Ivey under his (witness's) bed. evidently for the purpose of robbing. Ott Tuesday morning, he again went to the CSutr box with the keys and stole four half-sovereigns, but lie was detected by the servant girl, when tire money Was again recovered, lie would not g,ive any account Whatever as to hcw lie obtained the keys, or anything vespectiug them, although the little girl had seen them with him. .  answer to questions from the magistrates, Mr. Stuckbury further said—There were two £lO notes left by the father for the maintenance of the boy ; he had not, b"ever, received any money as yet. Young as he was, he ,s also wicked in other respects, and he wits afraid he vio.uld corrupt his own children. Attwood (to the prisoner) have you anything to say in defence ! Prisoner o, air •it is all very true what they eay about rue.  In answer to further questions the boy at first said he could not tell where he got the keys, but afterwards said, "I have had them a long time • they did not belong to any boys in the school; I found time; on the road leading. to Clydaeli ; they must now be in the room somewhere, as I did not leave the room at all." Sarah Evans, the servant girl, corroborated some portions of the evidence, Mr. T. E. Thomas: Why did you leave your father and mother?  Prisoner: It was in consequence of my own bad conduct I left them. I did not know they were going to Australia when I left them. The Magistrates: Do you intend, Mr. Stuckbury, to press the charge? Mr. Stnckbury said he was afraid if he did not press the charge he would only be as bad when he returned. lie wished the magistrates would inflict a light punishment  Tlie prisoner was then arraigned on the charge of having stolen the four half-sovereigns, and pleaded guilty. Before the magistrates gave their decision, a discussion took place as to the future destiny of the boy. Mr. Stuckbury stated lie could not possibly keep the boy longer. It was arranged that as the boy belonged to Manchester he should be conveyed to that city, and the remainder of the £2O given up to the parish authorities for his maintenance. The bench sentenced him to be imprisoned in the house of correction for the term of three months, and to be once privately whipped. After the prisoner had been removed from the dock the magistrates said they bad never, in the course of their experience, met with a parallel case of juvenile depravity. Orders were given that the boy should be kept separately front the other prisoners. [Tiießsnar.—Before the Mayor, R. Aubrey, Esq., and Dr. Bird.] John Leyshatn was charged by p.c. Harris with having been found drunk and disorderly on the previous evening in High-street. . .  Owen Jones' a sailor, was charged by p.c. Brown with having. created a disturbance in the public streets. Discharged on paying costs. Chas. Lowey and J. Frazer, two sailors, were charged by p.c. Lewis with being drunk and disorderly in Highstreet. Discharged on payment of Is. each and costs. Airs. Frances Lewis appeared to press for sureties of the pence against Mary Sullivan and Mary Leary (in custody) for using threatening language towards her. Ordered to find two sureties of £5 each for three months. John Roberts, a man who had signed articles on board the "Llewellyn," and then absconded, was remanded to next day. [FttinaY.—Before the Mayor, C. 11. Smith, and R. Aubrey, Esqrs.] John Roberts and Wm. Alexander, two seamen, were brought up charged with deserting the ship " Llewellyn," Petrie master, now lying in the Mumbles roadstead. The prisoner Roberts, in defence, stated that the ship was not in a proper condition to go to sea. Captain Petrie said she would be properly surveyed. The prisoners were committed to the house of correction for six weeks.  Paris Watson, charged with an attempt at suicide, was brought up and discharged, there being no evidence adduced against him. Itenah Morgans appeared to take sureties of the peace against a son of hers, who on the preceding day had seriously beaten her, lie had enlisted as a militia mon, and the bounty probably enabled him to get drunk, after which he went home and could find no other vent for his martial propensities than abusing his poor old mother. The bench complied with the application.