the term "father-in-law" seems to have been used in place of "step-father" in the case of James Treeve; QUARTER SESSIONS, 4 JULY 1851, part 5 SECOND COURT - Before C. B. Graves Sawle, Esq., Chairman TUESDAY, JULY 1 JOHN BULLEN, 23, pleaded Guilty of stealing, on the 27th of May, one woolen shirt, the property of EDMUND WOODWARD, of the parish of Illogan. Two Months' hard labour. .............. JOSEPH NICHOLLS, 12, charged with stealing, on the 10th of June, at Redruth, a gold key of a watch, the property of JAMES THOMAS, was found Guilty. After the case for the prosecution was concluded, the prisoner acknowledged that he took the key, but stated that at the time he did not know its value; and that he afterwards went to the fair at Redruth, where a woman keeping a standing sold him a few nuts for the key. The woman, who gave evidence in the case against the prisoner, was cautioned by the Chairman against so purchasing articles of value. She stated, however, that she did not know the value of the key any more than the boy did, but she would be careful not to commit herself in the future. To be Once Privately Whipped, and Discharged. .................. JOHN TYLER, 19, was found Guilty of stealing, on the 22nd of May, at the parish of Kea, a cotton shirt, the property of JOHN HARRIS, miner. Three Months' hard labour. ................. THOMAS PYNE, 22, charged with stealing at Redruth, on the 10th of June, a second-hand waistcoat, the property of ANN OPIE, dealer in second-hand clothes. The prosecutrix stated that on the 10th of June, the prisoner came to her shop to buy a waistcoat. She took several waistcoats down from a shelf and showed him, including the one in question. The prisoner looked at them, and said he would send MARY to buy one. He then left. She did not miss the waistcoat, but on the following day this waistcoat was brought to her by her daughter. -CATHERINE BULGER, another dealer in second-hand clothes, stated that she bought the waistcoat in question on the 11th of June, of the prisoner, at Paddick's lodging-house. She then took it to Mrs. Opie's, and gave it to her daughter. TREGONING, constable at Redruth, produced the waistcoat, which was identified both by the prosecutrix and Mrs. Bulger. Verdict, Guilty. Four Months' hard labour. .............. JAMES RICHARD TREEVE, 21, was found Guilty of stealing a considerable quantity of wearing apparel, the property of JOHN SULIVAN, a boatman in the preventative service, at Cawsand. The various stolen articles were found by policeman RALPHS, part on the prisoner's person, at Devonport, where he was apprehended in a state of drunkenness, and part at various pawnbrokers and other shops in Devonport; and, on the prisoner's being charged with the robbery, he said "they may transport me if they like." A previous conviction against the prisoner was proved. At the Assizes in March, 1851, he was convicted of stealing a quantity of clothing and money, also the property of JOHN SULIVAN, the present prosecutor. Our readers may remember that, in consequence of the intercession of the prosecutor on behalf of the prisoner, his son-in-law, and of the prisoner's promises of amendment, Mr. Baron Martin dealt with the case with remarkable leniency and sentenced the prisoner to five days' hard labour only. Only a few days after the termination of that sentence, namely on the 11th of April, he renewed his depredations on his kind father-in-law, who had brought him up and cared for him for many years. Transported for Ten years. ................ ELIZABETH BOSANKO, 30, charged with stealing on the 30th of April, a stuff gown, the property of JANE CARTHEW, of the parish of Illogan. In this case, the prosecutor's daughter placed the gown out to dry about nine o'clock in the morning, and at twelve o'clock she missed it, She had seen the prisoner come out at the back door with something on her arm. The prisoner lived about one mile and a half off. The daughter of prosecutrix went with MARTIN WILLIAMS, a constable, to the prisoner's house, and the constable, on going upstairs, found the gown which had been stolen. The prisoner then earnestly begged forgiveness, and offered first 5s. then 10s to the constable if he would say nothing about it. Verdict, Guilty. A previous conviction was proved against the prisoner. Seven years'transportation. .............. THOMAS PETERS, 21, JOHN WARREN, 35, and THOMAS GILES, 23, three "navies" who had been employed on the West Cornwall Railway near Hayle, were charged with stealing, on the 10th of May, at the parish of Ludgvan, five ducks, the property of JOHN TREWHELA, farmer. Mr. Darke conducted the prosecution, Mr. Shilson the defence. NICHOLAS SYMONS, a lad in the service of prosecutor, stated he put nine ducks belonging to his master in their house and locked the door. -MARGARET NANKERVIS, another servant of prosecutor, went to feed the ducks the next morning and found all nine missing, but about eight o'clock, four of them returned to be fed. -JAMES KING, constable of St. Erth, employed by the Messrs. Harvey, of Hayle Foundry, to watch their premises at night, stated that about two o'clock in the morning he saw two of the prisoners, Warren and Giles, looking over the wall of a lime-kiln. He went towards the kiln, and as he approached, the men went to lie down. He struck Warren to make him get up, and, on striking him a second time, he rose up. Witness then put his hand under a board where Warren had just been lying, and there was a duck, half-roasted, quite hot, and with the feathers burnt off. Witness then took all the men in custody. As they were going over the kiln, Warren threw something out of his pocket, under a plank. Witness took the men in custody into Messrs. Harvey's house; and, on his return in about ten minutes, he found that what Warren had thrown down was only a frock. But, on searching where the other prisoners had stood, he found four ducks - three of them had been just killed, and one had been roasted, and, like the other roasted one, could not be identified. He took charge of the three unroasted ducks, and they were identified before the magistrates by the witnesses Symons and Nankervis. The heads only were now produced in court, and these were identified by those two witnesses. The prisoners were ably defended mainly on the grounds that the proof of identity of the stolen property was unsatisfactory, and that there was no proof of actual possession by the prisoners. The jury, however, found all three prisoners Guilty. Four Months' hard labour. WEDNESDAY, JULY 2 JOHN PAUL, 26, [aka WILLIAM WORTH] was charged with stealing a piece of shirting and other articles, the property of SAMUEL BILKEY. Bilkey testified on the 2nd of May, he was at THOMAS BRIDGE's beerhouse in Penpont, in the parish of Altarnun, where prisoner asked him to drink, and he drank once from his pint. Prosecutor afterwards went out, having a bundle or two with him. Prisoner followed, and coming up, walked by his side until prosecutor was about to turn in across some fields. Prisoner said he should not go that way, and caught away prisoner's bundles, with which he went on the road to Five Lanes. Prosecutor followed him, asking for his things, bur prisoner would not let him have them. At Five Lanes, prosecutor wanted to turn to the right; prisoner would not give up the bundles, and was going on with them towards Launceston; prosecutor laid hold of his things, and prisoner knocked him down. Prosecutor rose and followed prisoner, who would not give up the bundles, and knocked him down a second time. He followed prisoner to near Tredoll, the residence of Mr. KITTO, and before coming there made an alarm by calling "murder." He there came up with and had a scuffle with prisoner; they both fell to the ground, and Mr. Kitto's servant, MARIA HAINES, took away the bundles. Prisoner went on the road, but was brought back by a man called HOWARTH, and was afterwards given in custody to SANDERCOCK and PEARN, two constables of Altarnun. Other witnesses having been examined, prisoner in his defence said he had no intention of stealing the articles. Verdict, Guilty. A prior conviction for felony in 1849 was proved against the prisoner, who then went by the name of WILLIAM WORTH, of St. Austell. Transported for Ten Years. .......... EDWARD YOUREN, 27, was charged with stealing a sack of flour, the property of FRANCES BLAMEY, of Gwennap. Mr. GENN, for the prosecution, stated the case, and called JAMES WYNN, in the employ of Mr. Frances Blamey, flour merchant, Gwennap. [On the 13th of June, witness was at Devoran; had a tram waggon, and loaded twenty bags of flour. Left Devoran about seven in the evening; had to go four miles and a half to Mr. Blamey's stores. Saw Youren at Devoran. Youren afterwards overtook witness on the tram-road; he was driving an empty waggon. Youren followed witness all the way to Mr. Blamey's stores.] On his way home, witness looked behind to his waggon, and saw the prisoner lying on the flour sacks. Prisoner said "what is the matter, old fellow?" Witness did not reply. Prisoner came down from the waggon and said everything was all right. Witness reached his master's stores about half-past eight; found a sack of flour gone from the waggon; had seen prisoner about ten minutes before, witness being in advance of prisoner's waggon. When prisoner's waggon came up witness saw the sack of flour in it; the tail of the waggon was lying over the sack. Prisoner asked witness to go in and have a pint of beer with him; witness said he could not go directly, and asked prisoner why he did not stop his waggon if he wanted a pint of beer. Prisoner said it was no matter to let the waggon go on; he should overtake it at Lanner. He then left the witness, who took a horse and was going to acquaint Mr. Blamey with what had occurred. He met a man in Mr. Blamey's employ, and taking him behind him on the horse, he went in pursuit of prisoner's waggon, which he overtook about a quarter of a mile on. Prisoner was not up with his waggon, but the sack of flour was still in it; prisoner afterwards came up, and witness detained the waggon. Cross-examined: Prisoner was a little tipsy but not very bad. Re-examined: When they left PAUL's beer-house, the sacks were all in Mr. Blamey's waggon. JOHN VEALE, constable at Gwennap, apprehended the prisoner; told him what he was charged with, but used no inducement to lead him to say anything. Prisoner said he was very sorry this old thing had happened, but never mind, it could be no other now; when I get out of this, he said, I will never do so any more. Mr. HOCKIN, on behalf of the prisoner, cross-examined the witnesses, and submitted to the jury that the risoner was very tipsy at the time, and that the case was one of a drunken frolic on the part of the prisoner, or of a "lark" by some other person. He also called JAMES YOUREN, a constable of Gwennap, one of the mining police, who gave prisoner a good character as an honest and industrious young man. On cross-examination, he said it was only since this matter had transpired that he had heard of anything against prisoner; he added that he had heard of larking on that tramroad. The Chairman having summed up, the jury, after some consideration, found the prisoner Guilty. Two months' hard labour. ................. JAMES WILLIAMS, 35, was Acquitted of a charge of stealing two rabbits, the property of JAMES CORNISH THOMAS, of Falmouth. ................. JULIA CRABB, 18, was charged with stealing several pieces of ribbon from the shop of WILLIAM HENRY HENWOOD, of Callington. Mr. J. B. COLLINS conducted the prosecution. Prisoner was occasionally employed in cleaning the shop. Witness missed some ribbon from a drawer in the shop about the 8th of May, and some time afterwards saw prisoner in the custody of a constable, who produced to witness some of the lost ribbons. In reply to the court, Mrs. Henwood admitted that she had sold some of the same description of ribbons to persons who had come to the shop. Other witnesses were examined, but the jury did not consider the evidence conclusive. Verdict, Not Guilty. .................. CHARLES COLES, 19, and THOMAS TRAYS, 25, were charged with stealing a loaf from the shop of THOMAS WILLIAMS, Kenwyn-street, Truro. It appeared that prisoner Coles went into the shop on the 14th of May and asked for a sixpenny loaf, which prosecutor's daughter gave him, and asked for payment. On this he laughed at her, and went out with the loaf, and gave half of it to Trays, who was standing outside. They were afterwards apprehended. Coles now said he did the act because they were out of work, and in a state of starvation. Verdict, both Guilty. Two Months' hard labour. .................... MARIA SOLOMON, 21, pleaded Guilty of having obtained from CATHERINE BEST, by false pretences, on the 7th of May, a quantity of flannel, a quarter of a pound of tea, and other articles, the property of MR. RICHARD BEST, of St. Columb. In passing sentence, the Chairman said he was afraid the prisoner's crime was to be imputed to the love of dress, the evil effects of which were often witnessed at these sessions; but it should be recollected that no one was better dressed than those who were dressed according to the situation in life in which they were placed. Four Months' hard labour. ................. JAMES ARUNDELL, 40, was charged with stealing, on the 14th of May, a pound weight of leather, the property of THOMAS JANE, of Pentewan, in the parish of St. Austell. The leather was sold by prisoner to HENRY BLIGHT, in RICHARD BARKER's public-house, at Holmbush. Verdict, Guilty. The prisoner also pleaded Guilty of having obtained, under false pretences, from RICHARD AARON PARSONS, of the parish of St. Austell, one kip, two pairs of lasts, a paper of white flax, and a yellow basil, with intent to defraud Richard Aaron Parsons. For the first offence, Four Months' hard labour; for the second, Two Months' hard labour. ................. MARY ANN HARRIS, 19, pleaded Guilty to two indictments, charging her with having obtained, by false pretenses, on the 4th and 13th of June, a quantity of wheaten flour, butter, lard, soap, currants, and other articles, the property of FRANCIS JAMES, of Illogan, shopkeeper. For the first offence, Three Month's hard labour; for the second, One Month's hard labour. The jury were then discharged, and the Court rose. No Bills - the Grand Jury ignored the bill against MARY ANN WERRY, charging her with felony. END of the SESSIONS Julia Mosman, OPC for St.Austell,Charlestown, and Treverbyn Website at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~staustell W. Briton newspaper transcripts at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~wbritonad Please visit the OPC website at http://cornwall-opc.org