A Hundred Years Ago
THE " SPECTATOR," JANUARY 17TH, 1829,.
THE MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.
Samuel Probin was indicted for a nuisance. It Appeared that he had possession of two houses in a court that turned out of Holborn, and kept there a host of rats, bears, dogs, and cats, all of which were set to fight together, for the amusement of an audience, who paid sixpence a piece for admission, to see what was called the sport. In consequence of this, the most dreadful uproar took place two or three nights every week, by which, independently of the brutality to the animals, the whole neighbourhood was placed in a state of alarm. The sentence of the Court was six months' imprisonment. Probin, in mitigation, urged, that he had a wife and sixteen children, and that he had already sold off all his bears, dogs, rats, and cats, with the determination of giving up the concern. The Chairman said, that if this was found to be true, the Court had the power of mitigating the Sentence.
OLD BAILEY SESSION.
Mary Rice, a widow, was indicted for having stolen a watch, Arc. value 9/. The charge having been proved, Sir J. A. Park observed that the- principal question for the consideration of the Jury was the value of the property. If they were of opinion that the watch and its appendages were worth 5/. the offence was capital. He believed that juries were often accused of tanipering with their consciences by finding the value of the property to be less than it really was, from humane motives; in the present case he thought that they could not find a .verdict short of-the capital charge. The Jury found the prisoner guilty of stealing to the value of 4/. 198. only. The Judge shook his head.
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