Saturday 16 Jan 1819 (p. 2, col. 6) CITY SESSIONS. The Quarter Sessions for the City and Liberties of Carlisle, were held at the Town Hall on Monday, before William HODGSON, Esq. Mayor, and Thomas BLAMIRE, Esq., and the Rev. Dr. LOWRY, Aldermen. Mary GRAHAM and Jane Jackson COWEN, two hardened women of the town, were indicted for stealing one five pound and five one pound bank notes, from the person of William HODGSON, a farmer, advanced in years, who resides at Fauld, in the parish of Burgh. Mr. John FAWCETT, solicitor, conducted the prosecution, and he detailed the circumstances of the case to the Jury, as they appear in the following evidence:—William HODGSON, the prosecutor, having been sworn, said that he lives at Fauld: he was in Carlisle on Thursday the 7th instant, and about four in the afternoon, as he was going down Irish Brow, pretty much intoxicated, he met the prisoners at the bar; each took hold of an arm, and led him to the Fox and Grapes public-house, where they had three noggins of Gin, for which he paid in silver, out of his breeches pocket; he is quite sure that he did not take out his pocket book. GRAHAM proposed to go into the Sorceries (fields near Carlisle), and taking hold of him by the arm, they went thither, COWEN following at a small distance: he did not remain there a quarter of an hour. Is quite certain that he had his pocket book before he went to the public-house. In the Sorceries, the little one (GRAHAM) wanted him to pull off his coat, which he refused; she then made an attempt to unbutton it, and did loosen two or three buttons, in doing which she had an opportunity of ascertaining that he had a pocket book in the breast pocket. COWEN, all this time, was five or six yards off, and did not assist GRAHAM—she never had hold of him at all, at that time, and was only in company. While he was at the Fox and Grapes, he did not unbutton his coat. After having been in the Sorceries, he met with a friend of the same name as himself, William HODGSON, and in consequence of what fell from him, was induced to feel for his pocket book, and it was gone. He had been with nobody else. There were in the book, a five pound note, and five notes of one pound each. He afterwards found the pocket book in another pocket, but the notes were gone, and the book was torn. Questioned by the Mayor.—He does not know that the house where he went is the Fox and Grapes, he was only told so—he was never there before—he was told that one GRAHAM keeps it. On the prisoners being asked if they had any questions to put to the witness—GRAHAM said, his statement that the house where they went was the Fox and Grapes, was "a lie for the first thing—it was the Joiner's Arms." Mr. John SOWERBY, butcher, deposed that he was with the prosecutor on the 7th inst. in the afternoon; he then had a pocket book, with a five pound note in it; and witness gave him five one pound notes in payment for cattle, and saw him put them into the book, which he safely deposited in his left side breast pocket. Witness did not see him again till after he had lost the money—he was forward in liquor—the book was empty and torn. Mr. FAWCETT said he would here leave the case to the Jury: he felt assured that the facts already detailed, would induce the Jury to find the prisoners guilty. The Jury, however, after a very short deliberation, found the prisoners Not Guilty. When they were discharged, the Mayor admonished them to beware how they placed themselves in a similar situation: should they be convicted, their punishment would be exemplary. Thomas MULLEN, of Carlisle, labourer, was put to the bar, charged with stealing a Silver Watch, on the 1st of May last, in the dwelling-house of Joseph ALDERSON, his property. Joseph ALDERSON, the prosecutor sworn. He knows MULLEN, but is not certain that he ever went home with him; he was very drunk at the time. Nancy ALDERSON, the wife of the prosecutor, sworn. She knows the prisoner at the bar; he came home with her husband one night in the beginning of the Summer, who was very tipsy. The prisoner sat himself down upon a chair, and said he would not go out again—it was 2 o'clock in the morning. Witness requested him to go: he replied that he would lie down upon the hearth, and would not disturb any thing; it was so late in the morning, he said, he had no place to go to. After further endeavours to induce him to go, her husband desired her to go to bed, which she did as soon as she had locked the door; the watch was then hanging over the chimney-piece; she left the key in the door. About 2 or 4 o'clock in the morning, she was awakened by the opening of the door; she got out of bed, and the prisoner was gone—the watch had disappeared also; her husband was fast asleep in bed; nobody else was in the room. There was also some money stolen out of her husband's pocket: she saw that he had some silver the night before, because he took it out, saying he had not spent all his money. The prisoner made no defence, and the Jury instantly found him guilty. Being of very bad character, he was sentenced to seven years' transportation. A true bill was found against him at these Sessions for another very serious offence. After the Prisoner was found guilty, his mother appeared, and stated that she had compounded the felony with Mrs. ALDERSON, by the payment of £3, the value of the watch. Of course, the Mayor told her that this, if true, was nothing in favour of her son: if she had compounded a felony, she rendered herself liable to a prosecution, for it was a very serious offence. Mary M'WILLIAMS, from near Annan, an old offender, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing printed Cotton from the shop of Mr. Thomas HEWITT, linen-draper, in this City. Mr. HEWITT stated, that he had detected this woman attempting to steal, three different times before the present offence. He told her, when he turned her out of his shop the third time, that if ever he caught her again, he would punish her as severely as the law would allow. Unless such incorrigible persons, he observed to the Bench, were rigorously prosecuted, the shopkeeper had no protection. The prisoner, on being asked, said she had five children, three of whom resided the other side of Annan.—She was sentenced to seven years transportation. Mary GOWENLOCK, wife of J. GOWENLOCK, charged with stealing 5 yards of printed, and 3 yards of white Calico, the property of Mr. Oliphant M'CANE, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment in the House of Correction. The Mayor, in passing sentence, observed that she had no claim to the mercy of the Court. Notwithstanding that she had an industrious and respectable husband, who supplied her with every thing necessary for her station in life, she had been frequently detected in thieving for the purpose of indulging in another vice equally odious, that of drunkenness. Catharine SMITH, and Eleanor COUCH, disorderly women, were discharged, with a proper caution against being again found in the same situation.