Borough Magistrates' Office - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

Borough Magistrates' Office

           BOROUGH MAGISTRATES' OFFICE
                                                                  TOWN HALL
            MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15.

Present - The Mayor (R. FERGUSON, Esq., ) and
               George RELPH, Esq.

              "JACK" IN TROUBLE.

Archibald PEDDY, a man-of-war's man, was charged by Mr. JONES, station
master, Citadel Station, with having been drunk and incapable, and also with
having broken a pane of glass one of the carriages.
    Mr. JONES said that on Saturday, about three minutes past seven, as a
mail train was about to start for Glasgow, his attention was called to a
carriage which the defendant occupied, where a pane of glass had been
broken. Defendant had a companion with him in the carriage, but he did not
seem so drunk as the defendant was. They were the only two in the carriage;
and, seeing the defendant's condition, he (Mr. JONES) put him in the police
office so that he might become fit to come forward. The Company wished the
defendant to pay for the glass broken; beyond that they did not wish to
press the charge.
    A witness, in the employment of the company proved that the defendant
had acknowledged he had broken the pane. The value of it was 6s.
    The policie found £5 17s 6d upon the defendant when given in charge.
He offered to pay for the damage, and on doing so was set at liberty.
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THE HIRINGS - FLEECING A SIMPLETON.

Mary WARTON, a middle-aged woman, a notorious prostitute and bad character,
was brought up in custody charged with larceny from the person of Joseph
SIMPSON, farm servant. This was the prisoner's thirty-second appearance
before the Bench. The case had been remanded from Saturday.
    Mr. OSTELL appeared to prosecute; the prisoner was undefended.
    The prosecutor stated that at present he lived on the Wet Walls;
previously he had lived as servant at Walton Mills. He came into the town
from the latter place on Thursday evening last. He met the prisoner that
evening about eleven o'clock near the "Bush". She asked him if he would
stand treat. He consented and went with her to a public-house in St.
Cuthbert's Lane, where they had something to drink. At that time he had
four sovereigns and two half-crowns in a purse in his pocket. They left the
house together and went to where she lodged in Rushton's Lance, Botchergate.
He last counted his money in the public house. She saw him do so. He had
been drinking before he went with her to the public house, having got some
on the road to the town. He was not quite sober. The money in the purse
was what he had got for his wages. After they got to her lodgings they had
a glass each. He knew he had his money after they got there.
After they had been there some time he began to doze. While in that state
he observed her take the purse out of his trouser's pocket, and taking it to
the window, he heard the sovereigns jingle. He was sitting on the bed side
at the time.

THE MAYOR - Did you say you were sitting on the bed?

PROSECUTOR-I think I would by lying down on the bed at that time (Laughter).
I was tipsy at all events.

MR. RELPH-Were you dressed or undressed?

PROSECUTOR-Well, I can't say as to that (Laughter).

MR. H. J. HALTON (officiating as clerk in the absence of MR. JACKSON)-How
did she get the purse?

PROSECUTOR-I felt her get it.

MR. RELPH-How do you know that, when you don't know whether you were dressed
or undressed? (Laughter)

PROSECUTOR-I heard the sovereigns jingle after she went to the window.

MR. OSTELL-Were your trousers on or off?
PROSECUTOR-I think they were under the pillow. (A laugh).

Examination continued. - After missing the money he accused her of taking
it. She said she had not got it. She said if he kept quiet and did not
make any disturbance about it, he might get it back again. He remained in
the house all that night and the greater portion of the next day. During
that time he threatened her repeatedly that he would give her into custody
if she did not return the money. While he was there she was out and in
several times. On the evening of Friday he followed her into a shop in
Botchergate to see whether she had anything with her, and to know what she
was going to get. She got some groceries. He observed something in her
hand, and wishing to know what it was, he seized hold of it, and in the
struggle she dropped a sovereign on the counter. He took it up and gave her
into custody. He gave the sovereign to the policeman. She gave him the
purse on Friday morning.

MR. OSTELL-I suppose we need not ask you whether there was anything in it?
PROSECUTOR-No; it was cleaned out .(Laughter).

THE MAYOR-What was your reason for staying in the house so long after you
lost your money?

PROSECUTOR-It was to try to get it back again.

Margaret IRVING, wife of John IRVING, grocer, Botchergate, stated that on
Friday last, about 11 o'clock in the forenoon, the prisoner came into her
shop. She put her hand into her pocket, and taking out four sovereigns, gave
them to witness to put by for her. She said they were from her mother, and
she said witness was to put them by, as she was going to buy clothing with
them. Witness took charge of them. About 7 o'clock prisoner came and got
one of them. While she was there the prosecutor came in, and asked her to
give him his money. Witness did not hear her say whether she had it or ot.
Prosecutor took hold of her as if to search her, and she dropped the
sovereign on the counter. A policeman came , and she was taken into
custody. She thought the prisoner had got a little drink then. Some time
afterwards she came again to the shop and asked for the three sovereigns,
which she received. Witness did not know then that there was a policeman
standing at the door while the prisoner was in the shop.

P. C. John STORDY, borough police force, stated that the prosecutor gave the
prisoner in charge on Friday evening in Mrs. IRVINGS's shop. Witness
charged her with having stolen four sovereigns and 5s from the prosecutor.
She said "What sovereigns? I know nothing about any sovereigns." Some time
afterwards he was ordered to go down to the shop in Botchergate with
prisoner. She refused to go with him, and said she would go with Serjeant
ANDERSON, who went with her. Witness produced a sovereign which he had
received from the prosecutor.

Serjeant Thomas ANDERSON stated that the prisoner refused without assigning
any reason to go with the last witness, but said that "if he (ANDERSON)
would go with her she would get the three sovereigns belonging to the man"
(pointing to prosecutor). He went with her to IRVING's shop, where he
remained outside while she went in and got the three sovereigns. She then
came out and gave them to him, saying "There's the money belonging to him"
(prosecutor). She said she had spent the 5s. He then took her back to the
station house.
    The prisoner was then committed for trial at the next sessions.
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ONE OF THE LIGHT-FINGERED GENTRY.

William WILSON, a young man, possibly one of the "swell mob", though there
was nothing swellish in his appearance, was brought up in custody charged
with stealing a veil, the property of Mary CREIGHTON, a young girl residing
in the Willow Holme.

MR. OSTELL conducted the prosecution; the prisoner defended himself.

The facts of the case were briefly as follows:

The prosecutirix left her home for the purpose of looking at the "shows" on
the Sands. She had a black veil and a purse ocontaining 4s in her pocket.
She had scarcely got upon the Sands, and was engaged looking at the front of
the menagerie, when she felt some one's hand in her pocket. She turned
round immediately, and observed the prisoner thrust his hands into his and
coolly look in another direction.

She observed a portion of the veil sticking out of his pocket, and charged
him with taking it out of her pocket. He gave it up and on returning it to
her pocket she missed her purse.

She told him that he had taken it, but he denied that he had. She was urged
by some persons standing by to give him into custody if she were satisfied
that he had his hand in her pocket.

Just then some persons who appeared to be confederates of the prisoner
pushed in between the prosecutrix and him, and he was making off, when a
witness named George BEATTIE, a watcher at the Caledonian goods yard, went
after him and collared him.

He was taken to the station house and searched, but only 1s 10d. was found
upon him. BEATTIE, however, said he had sufficient time to pass the purse
to his confederates before he was taken.

MR. BENT said he was a stranger in Carlisle.

The prisoner pleaded guilty, and, in reply to the usual question, said he
would rather be tried then as sent to the sessions. He said he had a mother
and two children to look after.

Sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour.

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