Carlisle Patriot, 22 Oct 1825 - Carlisle City Sessions (1)

[petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk]

Saturday 22 Oct 1825   (p. 3, col. 1-2)

 

CARLISLE CITY SESSIONS.

 

The Michaelmas Sessions for the City and Liberties, commenced on Monday last, before William HODGSON, Esq. Mayor, John HODGSON, Esq., Thomas BLAMIRE, Esq., M. D., and the Rev. Thomas LOWRY, D. D., Aldermen.—Mr. Paul NIXSON was foreman of the grand inquest.

 

In consequence of a number of gentlemen who had been summoned on the Grand Jury not attending, the Mayor thought proper to give notice, that all those gentlemen who did not attend were liable to a penalty of 40s., and that, next Sessions, the penalty would be enforced.

 

GEORGE WILLIAMSON and JAMES MACDONALD were charged with having stolen from the shop of Mary SEWELL, of this City, on the 14th instant, 10 silk purses, her property.

 

Sarah SEWELL sworn.—I know the two boys at the bar again. I had received orders to make a number of purses, and had finished two dozen of them, eight of which were lying on the glass-case. I saw them there about ten minutes before I missed them. I looked over the counter at the time, and saw the lesser boy crouching out of the shop; the taller boy was at that time standing at the shop window. I caught hold of the little boy (MACDONALD) and accused him of the theft, but he denied it; and also denied all knowledge of the boy at the window. He told me that he came into the shop for the purpose of asking the price of something in the window, but had forgotten it, and was going to look for it again. MULLENDER, the constable, was passing, and I called to him: he came and took the prisoner into custody. I missed five of the purses at the time.

 

Thomas GRAHAM examined.—I had heard of the robbery on the Thursday, from MULLENDER, the constable; and on Friday (the next day) I saw the two prisoners at the foot of Gallows-hill, on the road, coming towards my house. The taller boy had one of the same kind of purses in his hand as those which I had seen at Mrs. SEWELL's the day before. The prisoners then came into my house and called for a pint of ale; I took them into the parlour, and having carried them the pint of ale, I closed the door, and accused them of the robbery. They both positively denied it. I told the taller boy (WILLIAMSON) that I had seen him have a purse, and on searching him, I found it. I then searched the other boy, and got one from him also. These are the purses; I have had them in my possession ever since.

 

Susan PATTINSON called.—I was coming on the road towards Carlisle, and the prisoner (the lesser one) came up to me, and held out five purses, the whole of which he wished me to buy. He said they were all he had left, and he asked 1s. each for them; but he told me he would let me have one for 10d., and I bought one. After I had come away, on looking back, I saw the other prisoner go up to him. I met an acquaintance, to whom I said, "If I thought the purses were honestly got, I would buy another, and I went back and bought another of them for 10d. I gave them both afterwards to Mrs. SEWELL, as soon as I heard of the robbery.

 

Mary SEWELL.—I got these two purses (producing them) from the last witness, and have had them ever since in my possession. I can swear to their being my property. They are worth 2s. each.

 

J. L. MULLENDER, constable, sworn.—I was passing on the street at the time, and observed Mrs. SEWELL waving her hand for me. I immediately went and took hold of the prisoner, and searched him, but found nothing. I then carried him before the Mayor, where he was examined, and ordered to leave the town in half an hour. In coming away from the Mayor's office, I caught hold of the other boy, who had followed us, and was standing in the street. I carried him back and searched him, but found nothing except a small pipe and some tobacco in one of his pockets. They were both desired to leave the town. I told GRAHAM of the robbery. The prisoners afterwards told me they were cousins.

 

On being asked what they had to say in their defence, the lesser boy (apparently not more than ten years of age) said he was going into the shop to tell about the robbery at the time, but another boy stopped him, and said he would give him a purse not to tell. He then told the Court that his father was dead; that he and his companion had come from Glasgow, and were going to Liverpool to his stepmother.

 

His Worship thought the evidence such as to require no comment, and the Jury immediately found both the prisoners Guilty.

 

The Mayor, in passing sentence, observed, that he never saw two more hardened boys in his life; and he feared, though they were young in years, that they were old in crime. In his opinion there was little hope in reclaiming them—he felt convinced that they had lived for some time by theft. Pipes and tobacco were found upon them; they went into public-houses and called for ale; and these things were unbecoming their years and situation in life. In hopes, however, that they might yet return to better ways, as they were both very young, and that the lesson they would this day receive would not be lost upon them, his worship sentenced them each to six months' imprisonment in Carlisle gaol, and to be kept to hard labour.

 

The total insensibility of these boys to the true nature of their situation, was indeed a melancholy spectacle of depravity. The deliberate manner in which the younger of them told his artful story, but too strongly corroborated his worship's opinion, that "though they were young in years, they were old in crime." Considering their youth, their want of feeling was almost incredible. They gazed round the Court, and looked upon what was going forward in the most undaunted manner; and having heard their sentence, they left the bar as careless and unconcerned as when they first approached it.

 

 

[to be continued]