OLD BAILEY SESSIONS.
These sessions commenced on Thursday. The caSes are numerous, but not aggravated. The only trial of interest on Thursday was that of a boy named Charlton, an apprentice of Sewell and Cross, in Comp- ton Street, Soho. It appeared that this boy (lie is described as under fourteen years of age) had been in the habit, of driving out in a gig, with a mantua-maker of his acquaintance. Ilk was attached to a shop which Messrs. Sewell and Cross keep at KeDsington. It was stated in the Police examination, that he was the caSh-keeper; but this did not appear on the trial. He was found guilty. The case iS not so im- portant in itself, as in its connexion with others. Within the last five years, one young man has been banished for life from this establish- ment; one hanged : Charlton is the third ; all for the same crime— stealing from their masters. What is the nature of that supervision which prevails in an establishment where such offences so frequently occur? The state of our criminal laws goes to destroy all attempts at the prevention of crime. The merchant takes no care—he trusts to the hangman ; the banker makes no inquiry—he trusts to the hangman ; in every department of business, acts, which the most moderate atten- tion and the smallest expense would render impossible, are left to be done or omitted, as the profligate and the necessitous and the strongly- tempted shall incline—from a strong trust in the hangman. If matters must ever go on thus, the better way will be to revive the privilege of "pit and gallows," and let every merchant and trader execute their thieving journeymen and apprentices at their own cost.
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