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    !82 THE STAR OF fREEJOM. [Octob er

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    LAW COURTS.

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    —o—CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. Alleged Mansl...

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    POLICE COURT

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    MANSION HOUSED One who could not believe...

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    !82 The Star Of Freejom. [Octob Er

    ! 82 THE STAR OF fREEJOM . [ Octob er

    Law Courts.

    LAW COURTS .

    —O—Central Criminal Court. Alleged Mansl...

    —o—CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT . Alleged Mansl aughter . —Richard Perry , fifty-four ,-was indicted for the manslaughter of Jane Perry . —The circumstances of the case have already appeared in our columns . —The Recorder , in his summing up , told the jury that in this case there were two difficulties which must be got over before the prisoner could be convicted upon

    the present charge of manslaughter . In the first place it appeared to be very doubtful whether the injuries which caused the death of the deceased might not have been caused by herself , by falling about while drunk ; and even supposing they were the result of blows , there was no evidence whatever to show that the prisoner had inflicted a single blow upon the deceased . —The jury at once returned a verdict of "Not Guilty . "

    Burglary . —William Rix was indicted for feloniously breaking into and entering the dwelling-house of Mary Lamb , and stealing five coats , and other articles , her property . —Mr . Cooper prosecuted , Mr . Ballantine was counsel for the prisoner . —It appeared that the prosecutrix was a widow , and resided in a cottage at Twickenbam « On the evening of Sunday , the 17 th instant , she went out , leaving no one in charge of her cottage , and upon her return shortly afterwards , she was very much astonished at seeing a light in her bedroom . She gave an alarm to her neighbours , and some of them stationed themselves at the front door and others at the back , and in

    a short time an attempt was made by some persons inside to open the front door . The people on the outside held the door fast , and an endeavour was made to force it open with a poker from the inside , and finding they could not succeed in doing so , there was a cry of " —— your eyes ! shoot ! fire ! " This had the effect of intimidating the persons on the outside , and they retreated a short distance , and two men—one of whom was the prisoner—then rushed out of the house . A man named M'Cree laid hold of the prisoner ,

    who . immediately struck him on the arm with a crowbar , and he succeeded in getting away a Short distance , when he was secured ; but his companion succeeded in effecting his escape . Upon going into the cottage , the bedroom of the prosecutrix was found in a state of great disorder , all her drawers having been ransacked and the contents strewed about , and several skeleton keys were picked up in different parts of the premises . —The jury found the prisoner " Guilty , " and he was sentenced to be transported for ten years .

    The Result of Gambling . —Arthur Kendall , twenty-six , clerk , pleaded " Guilty " to two indictments charging him with embezzling money belonging to his employers . —Mr . Huddleston , who appeared for the prosecution , stated to the Court that the prisoner had been engaged in a confidential capacity in the establishment of a highly respectable solicitor ' s firm in Lincoln ' s-inn-fields , and he had taken advantage of his position to plunder his employers to a very large extent . In consideration of his former good character , however , and his respectable connexions , the prosecutors were desirous that the Court should deal as leniently with the prisoner as the

    justice of the case would admit of . —The Recorder said he could not help looking at this case as one of the very worst possible of this particular class of offence . The prisoner was a man of education , occupying a responsible position , and , no doubt , in the receipt of a good salary , with a prospect of advancement , and yet he had not scrupled to take advantage of the confidence that was placed in him to plunder his employers to a very large amount . It appeared that he had adopted the practice , which had been the ruin of so many persons in a similar position , of betting upon the turf— not for the pleasure of seeing the horses contend in the race ,

    but merely rendering horseracing subservient to gambling of the very worst description ; and there was very little doubt that he had become acquainted and mixed up with the numerous body of blacklegs and swindlers who made such proceedings the means of obtaining a livelihood ;• and in all probability he had been plundered by them of the greater part , if not the whole , of the large amount of money of which he had robbed his employers . He had been led into pursuits and habits totally beyond his means ,

    and he observed that he had been present at one entertainment at which the cost to each person was no less than £ 2 18 s . 6 d . The system of gambling upon horseraces was most pernicious in its consequences , and he trusted that the Legislature would , so far as laid in its power , interfere to check this detestable course of gambling , which was so rapidly extending , especially among the humbler classes and persons in the position of the prisoner . The learned judge concluded by passing a sentence of transportation for seven years .

    The Ruffian Sweep Capitally Convicted . —James Cannon , thirty-one , sweep , was indicted for the capital offence of feloniously inflicting upon Michael Dwyer certain bodily injuries dangerous to life , with intent to murder " him . —The prisoner is the man whose name has been so frequently recently before the public , and whose brutality on so many occasions appears to have rendered him the terror of the neighbourhood where he resided . He was tried on Tuesday at the Surrey sessions * and sentenced to two years' hard labour , ior a violent assault arising out of the same transaction , and was removed to the gaol of Newgate by habeas to take his trial on the present charge . —The jury gave a verdict finding the prisoner " Guilty' ' of the capital charge :

    The pr isoner was brought up to receive judgment on Thursday , when sentence of death was recorded against him . : Street Robbery . —Caroline Arnold , thirty-four , widow , was convicted of stealing two bank notes for £ 10 , and other moneys , from the person of Samuel Sterne . —The case was this : Prosecutor had been stopped by prisoner on Tower-hill , and , she having robbed him , a man came up and assaulted prosecutor , but the police coming

    up , she was secured , the man escaping . —The Recorder , -in passing sentence , said that he wished it to be publicly known , that if any men acting as bullies to the class of women to which the prisoner belonged were convicted before , him he should inflict the heaviest penalty the law allowed . There was scarcely a worse class of otience . He should not visit this prisoner wiib the full power allowed him , but transport her for seven years .

    House Breaking . —Edmund Hasker , nineteen , tailor , William unnrchiil , twenty-one , tailor , and George Langley , twenty , labourer , were indicted for burglariously breaking into the poorhouse of St . rancras and stealing a quantity of clothing , the property of the directors of the poor of that parish .-The jury convicted Churchill and Lang ey Hasker pleading " Guilty . " -Langley was again indicted with James Smith for a burglary in the dwelling-house of ^^^~^ WA *^ ed " Guiity . " -Smith , Hasker , and Churchill , were then sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment and hard labour m the House of Correction : and Langley , having been before convicted , was transported for seven years . MIDDLESEX SESSIONS . 'f .

    m Robbery . —Thomas Nicholls , aged twenty , was indicted for stealing a silver inkstand , value £ 50 , the property of Peter Brandon in his dwelling-house . —The jury returned a verdictof " Guilty . "—The Assistant Judge said he perceived from the return that the prisoner had been frequently m prison , and sentenced him to seven years ' transportation . J rS ^^^ i ? ^?* ^? 61111611 ' aged fifty-seven , John GriffitW aged thirty-eighfc , and Rebecca Griffiths , aged thirt ^ nine * ere indicted for stealing and also for receiving a shirt aird othe articles , value £ 4 , the property of the directors of the poor of th

    —O—Central Criminal Court. Alleged Mansl...

    parish of St . Pancras .-Mr . Metcalfe appeared to prosecute on the part of the parish authorities , and Mr . Prendergast to defend the two Griffithses .-rMr . Metcalfe stated that the prisoner Bennett was an inmate of St . Pancrasworkhouse , and was a superintendent of the workroom . Her duty was to hand over the work that was done there to the matron , and to look after the women employed in the room . Suspicion being entertained of her honesty by the authorities , they placed two police-officers to watch her movements , and they of the Griffithseswho

    followed her one morning to the house , were marine store dealers , at 28 , Brill-row , Somers-town ; and found some of the workhouse property oh her ; and on searching the house an immense quantity of goods was found , which would also be identified as the property of the workhouse . —The jury acquitted John Griffiths , and found Mary Bennett " Guilty " of stealing , and Rebecca Griffiths of receiving . —The Assistant Judge sentenced Bennett to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour , and Rebecca Griffiths to be transported for seven years .

    Police Court

    POLICE COURT

    Mansion Housed One Who Could Not Believe...

    MANSION HOUSED One who could not believe in his own Roguery . —A . Campbell was charged with having robbed Michael Barry , a young Irish tailor , of five shillings , the first money ever earned by the industrious boy in this country , in which he has been a very recent importation . —The prosecutor said : The prisoner , who is a tailor as well as myself , lodged in the same room , and before I went to bed about three months-ago he pressed me to lend him the money I had . but as I wanted it myself I refused , him , and I put it for safety under my head . In the morning I found that my money and my cap were

    gone , and that the prisoner , who had never got into his bed at all , was off along with them . —The landlord of the house in which the prosecutor and the pr isoner lodged said : I heard the prisoner ask the lad for the loan of money , and as I knew the poor boy wished to keep his first earnings in England , for good luck , I told my wife to lend Mr . Campbell a shilling , which she did . In the morning we found that , the robbery had been committed , and I was told by the magistrate to give the thief into custody whenever I saw him . We never laid eyes on him since till yesterday , and then he was charged , and had the impudence to deny that he was a rogue . —The prisoner said that there was not a word of truth in the statement that he had

    either wanted to borrow or to steal , and that the whole charge was mere spite against him because he refused to stay in the noisy quarter in which he had lately resided . —Alderman Hooper * . And what did you do with the boy ' s cap ?—The prisoner : That was not worth a bawbee . I don ' t know what became of it . —Alderman Hooper ( to the prosecutor ) : What was the cap worth ?—The prosecutor : A shilling , your honour . —Aiderman Hooper : We have the prisoner ' s own acknowledgment that he stole the cap . —The prisoner : No , your lordship ; I only clapped it on my head for fear

    of catching cold , as I was leaving the room . ( Laughter . )—Alderman Hooper : There is no doubt at all that you robbed this poor lad , and if you do not return him the money and pay him for the cap , you shall go to prison for seven days . —The prisoner : It ' s vara hard upon me to have to pay for what I didn ' t ever receive . I ' ve no objactions to pay for the cap , but not the money . —Alderman Hooper : Young man , I dare say he will procure the money you have lost ; and if so , it shall be sent to you . —The prisoner was then lockea * up .

    A Medical Man accused o ' e Uttering a Forged Cheque . — Gustayus W . Blanche , described as a medical man , residing in Queen ' s-place , Kennington , was brought before . Alderman Lawrence , in the custody of Daniel Forester , the officer , charged with having uttered a forged cheque for £ 5 . —The prisoner , it appeared in evidence , went on Saturday evening to Mr , Molineux , of 114 , Bishopsgate-street , and asked him to cash the cheque which seemed to be a cheque npon Spooner and Attwood ' s banking house . Mr . Molineux not having the money in his possession went with the prisoner to the Flower Pot public-house , next door , and was there

    accommodated with the change upon putting his own and the prisoner ' s names on the back of the order . On Monday , Mr . Lewis , the landlord of the Flower Pot , ascertained that the drawer of the cheque was wholly unknown at the bankers , and Daniel Forester , on Monday , went to the landlord ' s house and found the prisoner there talking to that person and Mr . Molineux about it . — Mr . Mullens said that innumerable fictitious cheques were passed upon publicans upon the pretence that the banks upon which they were drawn were closed for the day . —Tlie prisoner was remanded . The Fraud on the Coltness Iron Company . —John Gerard ,

    who was last week charged with having obtained £ 300 worth of iron under false pretences , from Mr . M'Knaught , the agent of the Coltness Iron Company of ' Glasgow , was brought up for a second examination . —The justice room was crowded with tradesmen , most of whom recognised the prisoner as having been concerned in defrauding them . Mr . Lewis attended for the prosecution , and Mr . Humphrey for the defence . Some additional evidence was given against the prisoner , who was again remanded . —It is expected that several new cases will be brought against Gerard , who had , upon being discharged from prison , after imprisonment for robbery , commenced business as a ' merchant with the most daring effrontery .

    An Incorrigible Thiei ; . —Alfred Hurst , aged thirteen years , was charged with . having stolen a pair . of boots from a shop in Bishopsgate-street .. The prisoner , -Avho has been frequently imprisoned and whipped for theft , was dressed like an errand-boy , and wore an apron , which was tightly tucked round his waist , but could in an instant be let down and used as a bag or cover for property of large bulk . —Alderman Lawrence : Neither whipping nor imprisonment seems to have any effect upon you ; but I must try them both again . You must go to Bridewell for twenty-one days , and be there soundly whipped .

    BOW-STREET . Assault upon the Police . —Michael and John Barry , Irish labourers , from the neighbourhood of Bedfordbury , were charged with assaulting Police-sergeant Pocock , and another Irish labourer , named Matthews , who assisted him in the execution of his duty , in suppressing a drunken row at St . Giles ' s on Sunday night . —The charge having been proved , Mr . Hall fined the first prisoner £ 5 or in default to be imprisoned two months , for the assault on Matthews , and fined theother prisoner £ 3 , or in default to be imprisoned one month , for a slighter assault on Matthews - , and for assaulting Sergeant Pocock , to be committed to the House of . Correction for one month .

    Fraud by a FRENCHMAN .-Jacques Salaman de Gjetan , a tall , stout , middle-aged Frenchman , was brought before Mr . Jardine , upon a warrant issued under the National Convention Act , charged with having forged several bills of exchange in France . —Mr . Lewis contended that the prisoner , in signing his Christian name only to the bills , had not committed a forgery , it being customary in France to trade in that way .-Mr . Jardine : If a man signs only half of his name , and gets credit thereby to a large extent for goods , there is sufficient ground to place him before a jury for trial . I can have no hesitation , therefore , upon the evidence of the notary and inspector , to sig ^ the warrant lor his committal—The prisoner was then removedfrom the bar , and the warrant officers , who had taken possession of the prisoner ' s papers and documents , were provided with authority to proceed with hini at once to France .

    Mansion Housed One Who Could Not Believe...

    Obtaining a Situation by False Pretences . —Ci i- ~^ a servant girl , was charged with having endeavoured ! * V < situation by false preiences . The prisoner pleaded gV ^ 1 '" i charge , alleging as her reason that she had been out of ^ % three months . Mr . Jardine ordered her to pay a fine 0 f iM I ) 1 ( Hr in default , committed her to hard labour for two month * ' ^ H MARYLEBONli . Fraud . —William Jarrett and Henry Keene were bror ^ i Mr . Broughton for final examination , charged with bavin i ^ e property to the amount of upwards of £ 120 from My p- ai , H flour-factor , residing at No . 1 , St . James ' s-terrace , ' Ha /" 1100 ^ The evidence , which has already appeared at some len n ^ 1011 ' ' journal , having been read over by Mr . Fell , the chief ii 1 ^ depositions were taken , and the prisoners committed for trH ^ M

    CLERKENWELL . , ' A Faction Fight . —James and Nicholas Quirke ( hr tl athletic Irish labourers , were charged with outrage and asV ?; s )» the police , & c . On the previous day . at about half-past onc " oM V ^ prisoners , with a gang of the lower order of Irish , armed wit ] - ^ pokers , brickbats , stones , & c , proceeded in procession to ^ " ' f ' buildings , High-street , Islington , when they called out for "p"fr Butler and Tim O'Connor , " who belonged to a different f y the"Munster . " Butler and O'Connor not answering to l \> an attack was made by the opposite party upon the doors »» ? ^' dows of the houses , which were speedily demolished , and a * ' ?' of a most desperate character ensued between the lnnip- , , ' -x „ . uvot . UiA > t / i «« . i . o uuoiuuioi wii > jui , u . vcovecu me parties wir f

    involved the neighbourhood in the utmost consternation and fusion . A great crowd assembled , when men , women , and cIum " " were knocked down indiscriminately and severely ' injured length information was communicated to the police of the V r ^ sion , when a strong body of officers repaired to the spot to quell t ?" riot . Their appearance had the effect of increasing the desperai of the Irish , and the violence and blows on e * ch side were must palling until a reinforcement of the police arrived , and the priso / t who were ringleaders , were tafeunto custody and locked up hi ? station-house . Several assaults were -proved against the prison- ° who themselves were severely ' punished through their violence vi resistance of the police , & c . Mr . Corrie said he could corona " them to nothing but savages . He convicted them on several chare ^ of assaults , and sentenced them to three months' imprisonment «§? with hard labour in the House of Correction . They were convew i to prison in the van . } U

    LAMBETH . Robbery ny Omnibus Coneuctors . —JohnChamberlain , a flashily dressed person , a conductor to one of Mr . Ball ' s Norwood omivi " buses , was charged with plundering his master . —Mr . Elliott re " marked that there could be no doubt whatever that the prisoner bad been carrying on a wholesale system of robbery , and he should therefore send him for trial . —George Wells , another conductor in the service of Mr . Balls , was also charged with robbing his master At the request of the prisoner ' s solicitor , the case was adjourned for a week , and the prisoner remanded .

    Extraordinary Case . —William French , a middle-aged , sharp . featured man , was placed at the bar on the very complex charge made in the following evidence : —Mr . Charles Lucas deposed that he had been formerly a gardener , and at present lodged at No , 3 Wyndham-road , Camberwell . In the month of March last he kept a heer-shop at Norwood , and at that time the prisoner , who was in the habit of frequenting his house , made a proposition to join him m the business of purchasing pigs and horses , with which he said he

    was well acquainted , and that witness should find the money and lie ( prisoner ) the judgment . His representations were so flattering that he ( witness ) had sold out stock in the Bank standing in his name to the amount of £ 143 13 s . J 0 d ., and also his goodwill in the beershop , amounting to £ 46 ,, and embarked all in the partnership . ine prisoner also purchased carts and other property , all of which had been taken to his house in Pitt-street and some time after his

    wife and the prisoner became so intimate and friendly that they actually turned him out of doors . This was about two months aeo , and in some weeks after his wife and the prisoner went away from the place , carrying with them all the property and every shilling ' s worth of goods in the place , even to his wearing apparel . After much time spent in discovering them , he traced them to Dcptfordlane , where they were living together - as man and wife , and all the produce ot his property about them . He had also discovered that his wearing apparel had been worn by the prisoner , and he gave him into custody for stealing it from his late residence . —Sergeant Godfrey said thatf . at the request of the last witnesshe went to the

    , premises occupied by the prisoner , and there saw in the yard a number of pigs and two horses and -two carts , all of which the prisoner claimed as his property . The prosecutor ' s wife was present at the time . " Witness told the prisoner he must consider him his prisoner on a charge of carrying away the property of the prosecutor irom his residence . On examining the room in which the prisoner slept , and in which was the prosecutor ' s wife at the time , he found a pair of trowsers and a waistcoat , which the prosecutor identified as His property . —The prisoner , when asked what he had to say to the charge , commenced abusing the prosecutor in the most scurrilous manner : —Mr . Elliott ( to the constable ) : Did you find any the

    money on prisoner ? Sergeant Godfrey : No , sir , I did not ; , out aiter I took him into custody , the prosecutor ' s wife , Mrs . Lucas ,, slapped her hand against her pocket , and said , "I have taken cares of the money . " The prosecutor , your worship , is very much to bes pitied , for he has not a penny to help himself , while his " wife and thee prisoner have robbed him of every sixpence he possessed . —Mr .. hilhott ( to Godfrey ) : You should have taken the money from thee wife , for it is quite clear the property was that of her husband ! Godfrey : I have no doubt , your worship , I shall be in time to sccuree the property yet . —The prisoner was then remanded , and whilcc locked up in the cells was visited by Mrs . Lucas , who ordered liinui refreshments in abundance .

    WORSHIP STREET . Continuous Robberies . —A young man named Alfred Cherryy was charged with a continuous series of robberies . On the 14 th obi this month the prisoner entered the shop of Mr . Charles Stilwelt , a a salesmen in High-streer , Shoreditch , and asked if he was in thcic habit of purchasing ladies' vietorines . The witness replied in time affirmative , and the prisoner went out , and returned the next nightoi with a victorine , which the witness purchased . On the following day he brought a teacaddy , which witness also bought ; but , suspects mg from his manner he had become dishonestly possessed of thdit property , had him watched . On the ISth of the month the prisoneiei

    sold him another victorine or lady ' s boa , and thinking it probable hflu would come again the next night , he sent for Sergeant Harvey ol ' Wh G division , whom he secreted upon his premises at nine o ' clock , audit in half an hour after the prisoner did come , with two more victoo nnes or boas , and offered to sell them . The sergeant , however ?! pounced out upon him , and , seizing the boa , demanded where m got them . The prisoner replied they were his sister ' s , and , on benign ? asked if he had ever sold snMi fronds tWa Wore , nnsitivelv demeoec

    that he had done so . Mr . Stilweli , however , at once contradictedec him , and as , on the road to the station , he accidentally letouttWW fact that he was in the service of Mr . Lloyd , a lhtendraper in extern sive business in the neighbourhood , that gentleman was comin ; municated with , and unhesitatingly identified all lhe articles as Mai property . —Mr . Hammill considered the case conclusively es ^ tabhshed , and , the depositions having been taken by Mr . Hurlstonene the second clerk , he was fully committed to Newgate for trial .

• Citation
  • Northern Star (1837-1852), Oct. 30, 1852, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_30101852/page/6/