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    754 THE LEADER. [Saturday,

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    <J R I M 1 NA h UK C () It I). Wis proce...

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    Curiosities Of Justice. Some Incidents O...

    specially bequeathed , and for the heir-at-law . In the case of Mathew Gosling , the nebulous nature of law language was powerful . The Master of the Rolls said , that even the lawver who drew the will would be utterly unable to explain'it . Tet "justice" was administered on such grounds . Two late Gretna-green . marriages were of men married before ; they have been severally imprisoned for twelve and four months , the latter light sentence being on a man who got leave frbm his first wife to marry the second . It was stated in court on the trial , that the toll-bar keeper ( the present priest of Gretna ) has so much to do , that if the run of business thus continues , he will have to . get assistants . The judge gravely condemned the facilities for marriage afforded by the Scotch law .

    Two courts are at issue in a simple case of larceny . Bridget Connor , a little Irish girl , was some time ago charged with pawning clothes belonging to the customers of her mistress , Mrs . Durham , a laundress . Bridget pleaded that she never stole the things , but that she pawned them at her young mistress' direct command ; and that the Durhams wer ein the habit of thus pawning their customers ' goods . On being investigated , the Hammersmith magistrate found that this statement was true , and the girl , unstained in character , was liberated . Her story was afterwards confirmed by several complaints against the Durhams for keeping the linen of respectable families , and a warrant was issued against them , but they could not be found for some time . The magistrate then heard

    that , instead of being a prisoner , one of the Durhams was going on with a second prosecution against the Irish girl . He sent to the Middlesex judge , informing him of his belief in the girl ' s innocence , and of the facts against the prosecutrix , Durham ^ But the Middlesex judge said , " The magistrate does not know so much about Connor [ the girl ] as I do ; if he did he would have a different opinion of her . " And so Connor was sentenced to three months in gaol . The magistrate , when he heard of it , said he did know all about the matter ; that he believed Connor to be innocent , and that at least he knew more about the Dunhams than did the Middlesex judge . The Durhams are in gaol , waiting to be tried for the illegal pawning for which the girl has been already convicted . Lieutenant Treven , of her Majesty ' s ship Vulcan , was charged with being asleep on his watch . " He did not

    anstver my call when I stood within five feet , and his face was resting on his knees . At the second call he awoke , and denied that he had been asleep . " Several witnesses who were with the Lieutenant on the watch , swore that he kept walking ^^ boutsave-for a few minutes'before being relieved ^ and the Lieutenant himself swore that he never slept , that for a few minutes he sat down to unbutton his boots , and asked was it likely that he should sleep on the open poop on a night when his clothes were drenched with rain , and within a few minutes of being relieved from his watch . A host of witnesses circumstantially corroborated this defence , and a crowd of testimonials from officers spoke to Lieutenant Trevens ' s unvarying vigilance . Yet the courtmartial formed the odd verdict of " partly proved" and adjudged the prisoner to be " severely reprimanded and admonished . "

    An odd case occurred at Liverpool . Gore forged a check , obtained on it 300 Z . belonging to Simpson , and was transported for the offence . Simpson was then charged with having stolen the 300 Z . in the form of gold dust from the ship Lady Flora . Tho warrant arresting Simpson was a London warrant , and Simpson , by counsel , contended that it had no force in Liverpool . But being backed by a Liverpool magistrate , tho warrant was held good , and Simpson is in gaol . A demure widow called on Mr . M'Culloch , who wanted a housekeeper , and after n few inquiries , the steady air and becoming deportment of the widow induced Mr . M'Culloch and his wife to tako " Mrs . Smith , " and place

    great confidence in her . Shortly after , Mrs . M'CuHoeh called on a jeweller to ask why " her brooch , " acnt by Mrs . Smith , " was not sent homo . " " I havo no brooch of yours , " replied tho jeweller ; "but . I wish you would pay mo for the plate you have hired . " " Plato hired !" said tho astounded lady . Tho fitafcemont was repealed , and Mrs . M'Culloch went homo to inquire of Mrs . Smith . TJmt demure lady admitted , after delay , that sho had pawned her master ' s plate , and had hired plate so like it that it passed for tho muno . "My God ! Mrs . Smith , " oxclaimert ( he lady , in the Usual English manner of introducing' sacred names on small occasions . A knock at tho door was hoard : it was " the master . " " Como into tho

    library , mu ' ain ; I'll explain all ; I did it for tho boat , but you had better not let tho master know of it . " Mrs . M'Culloch repudiated secrecy , and told her husband . Ho instantly ordered Mrs . Smith to quit his sorvico . Sho first begged forgiveness , but suddenly changed her tone . " I pawned tho plate for my mistress , and I pity you . " " What do you moan ? " asked tho angry gentleman . " With great distinctness and emphasis she thereupon " revealed " that Mrs . M'Culloeh was " no better than she should bo , " introducing as an accomplices of " the mistress" tho name of an East Indian gentleman visiting at the house , whom sho vohoinontly called " u black demon . " Noxt day nho box found 63 licates for

    was arrested ; and in her was -dup other property , showing that her system of pawning had noun extensive . On tho trial tho unwarrantable . insinuation against , the lady wan fully refuted by Mr . M'Culloch . 'Us truth was impossible : ho allowed his wife ' 200 / . n-year pin-money -morn than she expected before marriage ; and happiness mid affection had been tho result of their union . It was proved against " Mrs . Smith" that , so far from being a < Wcnt . widow , who is a porHon of bad life , having been the keeper of an infamous house at Paddington . "But wo cannot punish her for that , " said tho . Fudge , knowing in English law . For tho illegal pawning , bJio was sentenced to imprisonment for one yoar .

    754 The Leader. [Saturday,

    754 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

    <J R I M 1 Na H Uk C () It I). Wis Proce...

    < J R I M 1 NA h UK C () It I ) . Wis proceed to record aots of legal offence and of moral guilt , not that wo liko tho practice , but that it may bo

    useful to dissect those social sores which indicate deep disease . . . , ¦ ¦ ,.., A case , painful , but we fear not singular , was tried at tne Middlesex Sessions on Monday . A man named Harrison was convicted of obtaining goods under false pretences . After conviction the story of his life was told , lor a former offence of the same kind , he . was sentenced in 1848 to 14 years' transportation , and in 1853 a petition for his liberation was got up by his eldest brother , who promised in it that if the prayer were granted he would supply him with the means of leaving the country immediately he was restored to liberty ; upon the faith of this promise , combined with the excellent character he had borne while at the hulk , the Home Secretary caused Harrison to be released in March last . On arriving in London he found children

    a temporary home with his sister , a widow with six , expecting to leave England in a week or ten days at the most , but , to his painful surprise , on an application being made to his brother , he found him unwilling to perform the promise he had made to Lord Palmerston . Harrison then made every effort to obtain employment to support himself , but without success . His sister was too poor to afford him the means of support , and she applied to her brother , but he refused to keep his word , saying that he had procured him his liberty and should do no more . He found himself in consequence thrown upon the world an outcast , penniless , friendless , and without character , and , being in want , his health became impaired and spirit broken , his mind sunk under the accumulated weight o f sorrow and disappointment , and for weeks he wandered about in a state of semi-derangement , and he averred that

    he really knew not what he was about whenhe did thatwmch led to his being sent to prison . He has two other brothers who now , hearing of this late offence , undertake to provide him with an outfit and place a sum in the hands of the captain of a vessel to take him away from this country . He solemnly assured the Court that he should never have returned to London dep endent on himself , as his character was utterly gone , and as he had an excellent opportunity of being sent to Australia with good reports from the authorities of the hulks where he has been , and asked , " Is there not any philanthropic or other reformatory society in this Christian country , whereby an unfortunate outcast and true penitent may find employment and redeem his rharactpr P" He referred to the Home-office in

    verification of his statement about his brother and the promise made by him , and after imploring that his two other brothers . might have the opportunity of sending him with his wife and children abroad ^ he said , " andif your Lordship cannot , consistently with your public duty , listen or accede to the proposition of my two brothers , then , my Lord , let me earnestly pray and beseech of you to pass upon me the extreme penalty of the law—namely , . , the . sentence of death —and order the execution as early as the law will allow , for which I will offer up my prayers of profound gratitude and praise . " He was sentenced to be transported for

    seven years . A little drama in real life was acted in Hoxton on Friday . On returning from his official duties to his home in Clingerstreet , Mr . Wyles met his wife in an adjoining street . Sho told him that she had just left home , and handed him tho key of the street door , as it was her intention to " spend the evening with a friend . " On leaving his wife , Mr . Wyles , doubtless pensive as well as lonely , proceeded directly to his residence , and having admitted himself with the key , ho entered the front parlour . He had scarcely taken his seat when he distinctly heard the sound of footsteps in one of the upper rooms . Hastening to tho end of the passage , he observed " a man " in the act of stealthily

    descending the stairs . On asking him . who ho was , and demanding his business , tho strangor coolly said that he had been requested to wait for a parcel by a gentleman who had opened the door with a latch key , and who would , no doubt , return in a few minutes . Mr . Wyles timidly suggested that he had better step into tho back parlour to await the arrival of the gentleman , to which the stranger cheerfully assented , and having deliberately seated himself in an arm-chair , commenced conversing with an air of easy indifference upon tho current topics of tho day . After a short time Mr . Wyles , getting uneasy , requested to bo excused for a few moments , and tho cool stranger having politely bowed an acquiescence , Mr . Wyles quietly mado his way into tho street , whore ho remained till the arrival

    of a policeman , with whom ho roturncd to tho house , and gave tho intruder into custody . Ho then proceeded to search tho place , and on reaching tho landing where ho first encountered tho stranger , ho found several articles of dross , and personal ornaments , wrapped up in a silk apron belonging to his wife ; and on entering the front bedroom he discovered a largo bag upon tho floor , completely filled with wearing apparel , and other valuablo property , including his own watch , and two mahogany writing-desks , tho whole of which had boon abstracted from different drawors and boxes in tho apartment . Ho also missed a gold

    watch , two pairs of bracelets , and other property , from tho chamber of a young lady who was there on a visit , and ns neither of tho latter articles had been found in tho houso or on tho person of tho stranger , it was quito evident that tho robbery had been perpetrated with tho assistance of some of his confederates , who had escaped with that portion of tho booty . On being called upon in court for his defence , the arrested stranger smilingly replied that ho did not consider it at nil expedient , at prosent , to contend with tho ovidonce , and ho . should therefore decline ) saying anything . '

    A . dentist practised several impositions on tho inhabitants , of Kidderminster and Brotnyard ; getting money for furnishing teeth lie never made , and obtaining valuablo nets on pretence of repairing them . I To has boon sentenced to transportation for seven years to his great surprise and horror . At Monmouth Assizes a woman has been fiorileneod to two years imprisonment for concealing the birth of her child . Tho child was found dead , and that sho murdered it in strongly suspected , but it could not be proved . At tho same Assizes a curious caso of disputed

    property arose . An issue in Chancery depended on , the legitimacy of an ancestor of one of the present disputants . One party alleged that the parents , Andrew Aitchison and Eleanor Embleton , had not been married , while the other party asserted that a marriage had taken place . A search was made , but in the parish where Eleanor lived , the registers had been burned in a fire . The clergyman , however , preserved the half burnt fragments , and on prosecuting the search through these , a part of a leaf was found having on it the names , half obliterated , of Andrew Aitchison and Eleanor Embleton , with part of the word " married , " the date " 17- — , " the rest of the figures being blotted out . This was conclusive , and the olden marriage was established .

    The plea of a " promise " -breaker last _ weefc was that he was not strong enough to get married . This week Mogg , the saddler of Street ( a village in Warwickshire ) first courted Misa Frampton , the village milliner ; and afterwards refused to marry her , saying she was not strong enough . He has been sentenced to pay 1501 . A burglar broke into Bichard Holder's house at Aston , but Holder resisted bravely , even though fainting from the fierce blows given by the burglar , a most truculent fellow . Fifteen years transportation has been accorded to the offender , ' and 101 . reward to the man for his courage .

    William Maynard > a well-known waterman plying at the Lambeth-stairs , who has lost both his legs near the hip joints , heard a scream , as if from some one who had fallen in the water from the Lambeth-pier . He rowed towards the place , saw a girl sinking , and succeeded in . catching hold of her as she was about to sink for the last ; time . INot being able , from his crippled state , to drag her into his boat , he called out lustily . Fortunately he was overheard by a Mr . Lett , who , seeing the position in which Maynard was placed , jumped into the water , and aided in . saving the girl . She was removed into the "Star and Garter , " and the necessary means having been UBed judiciously ^ she was restored to consciousness . She was brought before the Magistrate , but was too weak and told

    exhausted to answer for her conduct . ^ Her story was by the gaoler . Her name is Clara Kibble . She has been seduced by a man who has been the cause of her losing three respectable situations in which she had been as servant . He afterwards robbed her of her money and clothes , and when he found she had nothing else to give him , he proposed that she should turn prostitute to keep him , and that he would act as her " bully . " On Saturday night she was so low spirited on account of this proposition that she-was determined to destrojrhers ^ Jf- ' ,- and although her seducer was with her when sne " threw heriself in the water , he did not attempt to save her . The fellow presented himself to the court . He admitted being present when the prisoner attempted to drown herself , and , with great effrontery , attempted to explain his conduct . The Magistrate ordered him out of court , and the poor girl

    was sent away with her mother . Such was the strict administration of "justice" in this case . An incident , similar in the main cause , occurred at tho Eegent ' s park canal , on Tuesday . Mary Anno Barnard jumped into the canal . The poor girl , late a housemaid at Gloucester-road , Hyde-park , was pregnant , and had been in a distressed state of mind . Some people at once leaped in to save her , and sho was brought to the Marylebono baths and wash-houses , where a surgeon did all ho could to bring her to life . Finding their efforts useless , he tried to save the child , by performing the Caesarean operation , but both tho mother and the child died . The inhuman conduct of Mr . and Mrs . Footo , the superintendent and wife , in delaying admittance to the baths , and in frustrating tho efforts of tho medical mon , has excitod groat disgust .

    _ ^ _ ... ... , , A terrible and disgusting crkno has been committed by a Jewess . She was delivered of a child , and immediately she murdered it by cutting up its limbs and placing the head upon tho fire . Her name is Lipman , and she ia in custody . The fortuitous concourse of knaves and fools is as frequent as ever . A Dutchman , a stranger in London , was accosted at tho London Docks by an agreeable , portly , middle-aged gentleman , who entered into an animated conversation about tho shipping . Tho friendly talk led to joint refreshment at a public-house , and two other agreeable persons joined tho pleased foreigner . Tho portly gentleman , in eourso of conversation , lot out tho secret of his own bonovolenco : ho was rich ; ho wished to give to tho poor ; would tho Dutchman bo his almoner for " tho

    poor of Holland ? " " Certainly , " said the Dutchman . Tho portly benefactor said ho would like to have security , or to bo fully satisfied of his almoner ' s rospoctability . " Havo you any monoy about you ? " Tho Dutchman showed seven Bovoreigns and a note for 500 guilders . " You keep that badly—the London thieves aro bold and cunning , " said one of tho English companions . " I'll givo you a purse to keep it . " Taking tho monoy , tho gonorous advisor stowed away tho cash in tho presented purso . A slight confusion somehow arose " iloro is your purso , said tho donor . But it was not tho purso with his money . Tlio Dutchman at once soized tho portly man , and accused him of robbery . A struggle ensued , but tho D utchman was tenacious , and tho intending benefactor of tho poor ot

    Holland ( William Prceco ) is in gaol waiting his trial . If tho " intelligent , foroigner" so often supposod to inspect England , accompanied SorgeantBell to Corpus Court , Shoroditoh , at ton o ' clock on Tuesday night , ho would have an opportunity of judging of the common treatment ot many English women . Ho would havo noon " a woman in ii fainting slate , bleeding from tho mouth , and comp laining of tho injuries sho had sustained from Jior lioau having boon dashed against shutters and again « t thopavomont ; her hair streaming loose , hor dress torn and disordered , and hor uppoaranco altogether p itiable Hor luwband had thus injured tho woman ; ami when anotnoT woman interfered lie beat hor aim , and kicked hor upon tno chest . It is not for want of punishment that such oilonoOB still increase . Tho husband was sentenced to twoiv « months' imprisonment" for both assaults . But romom-

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 6, 1853, page 10, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_06081853/page/10/