were roused, and he was taken out.  In his fright he acknowledged that a man had taken him from his mother, and induced him, upon a promise of reward, to steal into the warehouse; upon a concerted signal, he was to act as directed by the fellow on the outside; but becoming terrified at being confined so long in the dark, he had cried out and discovered himself.  His mother came forward, and received a good character as the wife of a hard-working man.  The Lord Mayor gave her son up to her, with an injunction to act carefully and strictly with him.  There was reason to believe, he said, that several considerable robberies had been recently committed by means of children like the prisoner, who stole in and remained concealed until midnight, when they gave admission to the robbers.  The police should have their eyes upon him.”

The other instance is from a report of one of the sessions in London:—­

“William Hart, an urchin seven years of age, was indicted for stealing twenty-two shillings in money, numbered, from the person of Mary Conner.  The prosecutrix stated, that on the day named in the indictment, she took twenty-five shillings to get something out of pledge, but as there was a crowd in Mary-le-bone, assembled to witness a fight, she was induced to join the mob.  While standing there she felt something move in her pocket, and putting her hand outside her clothes, she laid hold of what proved to be the hand of the prisoner, which she held until she had given him a slap on the face, and then she let him go; but on feeling in her pocket she discovered that the theft had actually been committed, and that only three shillings were left.  A constable took the urchin into custody, and accused him of robbing her of twenty-two shillings.  The prisoner said, ’I have twenty-two shillings in my pocket, but it is my mother’s money; she gets so drunk she gives me her money to take care of.’  The officer stated to the same effect as the prosecutrix, and added, that in a secret pocket in his jacket he found fourteen shilling and sixpence.  It was the practice of gangs of pickpockets to have a child like this to commit the robbery, and hand the plunder to them.  Witness went to his parents, who said he had been absent seven weeks, and they would have nothing to do with him.  Mr. Baron Garrow, in feeling terms, lamented that a child of such tender years should be so depraved.  He added, ’I suppose, gentlemen, I need only to ask you to deliver your verdict.’  His lordship then observed, that he would consult with his learned brother as to the best manner of disposing of the prisoner.  They at length decided, that although it might seem harsh, the court would record against him fourteen years’ transportation, and, no doubt, government would place him in some school; if he behaved well there, the sentence might not be carried into full effect.”