Preece Family Tree

GUILDHALL.

SATURDAY. - Present: W. R. Bradbeer, Esq. (in the chair), the Mayor (W. Brown, Esq.), W. Brock, W. Davy, and H. Hughes, Esqrs.

Ada Annie Sweetland, a respectably dressed girl, aged 16 of Blackboy-road, was charged with obtaining 1s under false pretences. It appears that defendant went to an old woman named Elizabeth Northam, living at Lant's Almshouses, and stated that she was the daughter of Mr. E. A. Sanders, Stoke House, and had just returned from school. She promised the old woman that she would send her a fowl or a rabbit, and asked her to lend her 1s to pay a boy who was holding her carriage horses. Neither the money had been repaid nor had the rabbit or fowl been received by Mrs. Northam. - Mrs. Sweetland, who was in Court, said she thought that her daughter's mind was affected. More than one of her children were so afflicted, one being in an asylum. - Inspector Symes asked that the case might be adjourned until Tuesday for the production of further evidence. The Bench remanded the prisoner, accepting bail in the sum of £10.

SINGULAR CONDUCT OF A GIRL AT EXETER.

At the Guildhall, Exeter, on Saturday morning, Ada Annie Sweetland, daughter of a widow of respectable position, residing in Hopkins-place, Blackboy-road, was placed in the dock on a charge of obtaining money by false pretences. Sufficient evidence was given to justify the prisoner being remanded, the effect of it being that on the previous day she called on an elderly woman, named Elizabeth Northam, the occupant of an almshouse, stating that she was the daughter of Mr. Edward Sanders, banker, and had been sent by him to say that a fowl would be sent by her father in the afternoon. In the course of conversation she asked Northam if she could change half a crown. While the latter was looking for the change the prisoner said, "Oh, never mind, you can let me have a shilling, and I will send it back with the fowl." She added that she wanted the shiling to give a boy who was looking after her horse and carriage, which was just round the corner, and further explained that the coachman and groom had gone to get some refreshment. The shilling was advanced, and the prisoner had not been seen again until the fraud was discovered. - Inspector Symes said there were other charges of a similar character against Sweetland. - Prisoner's mother, who was in court, and appeared very much distressed, said she had several children, and they were all more or less afflicted. Her eldest daughter was in an asylum, she had another in the Western Counties Idiot Asylum, and two boys at home who ought to be sent away. - The Bench admitted prisoner to bail on her mother's recognisances, the case being adjourned until to-morrow.