The Press. — London, England, 1855-01-06 00:00:00

Sab3 ad olitt. THE AFFAIRS OF MR. OmNEB., the great Liverpool shipowner, have, after some litigation, and many a bortive attempts at arrangement, come under the jurisdiction of the Court of Bankruptcy. On Monday the fiat was ordered to issue by the Liverpool Court, and the estate will be wound up by official assignees. The debts, as already mentioned, exceed 800,0001., and the amount to be expected from the assets when realised in Bankruptcy, it is now estimated, will not exceed 500,0001. THE French Tribunal of First Justice for the Department of the Seine has pronounced judgment in one of the suits between Mr. and Mrs. Hope, in which its concurrence was desired with the decision of the English Court of Chancery. In an action respecting the custody of the children, who were domiciled in France, a French court had decided in favour of Mrs. Hope, but the Lord Chancellor, on hearing the same case, gave a contrary sentence, for whose execution, however, it was necessary to apply to the Paris tribunal. The case being argued, M. Mocguer, substitute for the Procureur-General, "ifered the following " conclusions," as they were f 'malty termed: — The French tribunals have declared that the mother should retain the custody of her two children, but added that the cus tody thus confided to the mother should be maintained only until the eoinpetetent tribunals should have pronoutced. What are the competent tribunals? In what character, and to what extent. have the French tribunals decided ? The French tribunal has not pronounced as administrator of the French law. It has decided between foreigners who were not subject to its jurisdic tion, and who could not become so. It has, therefore, confined itself withiu the narrowest limits of the narrowest exception re lating to foreigners residing iu France, and with reference to whom measures of protection are necessary. Mr. Hope has taken proeeediugs before the Lord Chancellor of England. The Lord Chancellor has decided that the children ought to be given up to their father, because, according to the English law, it is the father who is the guardian of the children ; and there must be very strong grounds before they can be withdrawn from this guardianship and protection. You are now called upon to carry into effect the decision of the Lord Chancellor. For our part we do not hesitate to say that we think the execution of the sentence ought to be immediately ordered. What is the question for the judge who is called upon to decide on the present application? Be has to consider whether the decision was pronounced by the competent tribunal—whether there is anything in it contrary to to the French law, or to public order in France ; finally, whether the judgment referred to him has, iu truth, the character of a judgment. As for the competence of the tribunal which has pro nounced, it is incontestable. The English law declares the Lord Chancellor the protector of all minors. Has the decision of the Lord Chancellor the character and force of *judgment? Clearly ves, since the Chancellor, with the law of his country before him, declares his decision paramount. Finally, is this judgment contrary to the French law? Clearly, no. We have no enactment to the etfett that in a suit of separation de corps, the children shall necessarily be given up to the party who institutes the suit. Consequently. there is no obstacle to your immediately declaring the sentence of the Lord Chancellor executory. It has, it is true, been said, " You are not a registry office; you do net merely register the decisions of foreign tri bunals which are submitted to you; you pronounce in some sort a new decision, and it is this which ought to prevail." When the question is of property situated in France, I can understand this; but, in a case of two foreigners over whom we have no jurisdic tion, are we to criticise the judgment which has been prounouuced and to say that the fudge has decided wrongly? Are we to enter into all the details of English law, with which we ere unacquainted ? Are we, a Paris tribuual, sitting in Paris, to amend a decision emanatiug from an English judge, residing iu England ? When the parties have appeared before the Lord Chancellor, when he has hoard both aides fully, when he has been able to appreciate, with a knowledge of the facts, the arguments which each has put forward, are we, a French judge, going to hear the parties anew? Aro we going tolieten to this dispute, when the Lord Chancellor has heard the opposite statements of Mr. Hope and his wife ? It is impossible. Each has his duty, his mission to perform. The English judges decide in England ; we French judges may be coutented to decide in France. To the English authorities be long disputes between English suhjecta, and when they have pronounced, it is to the French authorities to order the execution oftheir sentences, if they are not contrary either to the laws or to the public order of our country. In the matter before the court the principles have been recognised; there is nothing contrary to our legislation ; all rights are respected think then th the court will declare executory the sentence of the Lord Chan cellor. The President subsequently pronounced judgment to the following effect :--The order of the Lord Chancellor of the sth of August, last year, is declared executory in France. The boys are to be placed in some neutral domicile until the definitive decision (viz. in case of appeal to the Coure Imperiale) to prevent their being withdrawn from France or Pans. Articles belonging to Mrs. Hope in the house at the Quai d'Orsay are to be returned to her. The school in which the boys are to be temporarily placed not defined. AT the Leicester Quarter Sessions, on Monday, Richard Warren, who had been employed as a clerk in the Leicester post-office for between nine and ten years, was convicted of having embezzled Bd., the property of her Majesty, by gumming old postage stamps upon registered letters, and appropriating to his own use the money paid for registering them. He was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, with hard labour. A POLICEMAN THlEF.—Charles King, who for many years had been attached to the police-force in the C Division, and who was principally engaged as a detective in plain clothes, was charged at Bow-street, on Thursday, with having in a great number of cases ly-Tome himself an accomplice, or rather the insti gator of the crimes which it was his function to prevent or detect. Daring the detention of the pri• soner at the police-station, before the examination THE PRESS. commenced, he made a desperate attempt to escape from custody, but was speedily overtaken and se. cured. The prosecution, it is stated, had been directed by the Police Commissioners, in conse quence of certain disclosures which had been made from time to time by the young criminals confined in the House of Detention. The witnesses against him consisted of members of this class, several of whom were brought up in custody of the prison officials. The evidence they gave was sufficiently conclusive of the prisoner's guilt. A youth named Iteeves stated the most important particulars. In his examination he said : lam now a prisoner in the Westminster Bridewell. I was sent there on the 2nd of May last for picking pockets, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment. I know the prisoner King. He was a policeman. He first know me as a pickpocket. About this time last year I met him by appointment at the Luke's Head public-house iu Little Pulteney-street. Two other boys were with me, named Donovan end Arrendon. He said he would show us a place where we could get some money—a place white there were lots of ladies. It was a few days after Christ mas. King went with us through Berkeley-square to the Serpentine, in Hyde-park. King pointed out a lady to me in Berkeley-street, and I picked her pocket. I got a purse containing Si. 155., all gold except ss. King told me he knew I should get a skin from her. I got it by putting my hand into her dress. I gave the money to King, as well as two other purses which I succeeded in getting from ladies, one just before and one afterwards. The money was equally divided between King, me, and the two other boys about an hour after, at public-house where we took refreshments. After this we went to the Serpentine, and King took us up to the bridge, where a great many ladies and gentlemen were looking over at the skating which was going on there. He said there were plenty of people there that I might get something from. He pointed with his stick to a lady and gentleman who were leaning over the bridge, and I and the other boys went up to them. 1 picked the lady's pocket of a purse containing half a-sove reign and 7s. King was about four yards off at the time, and saw me do it. He then beckoned to us with his stick, and when we were a little way off he took the purse front ' me, emptied it, and put it into the hole of a tree. He gave the money to Donovan to mind till we could get some more. He told us it would not be safe to stop any longer on the bridge, but said we might do something under the bridges, where there were a great many people. We went down there, and I picked a lady's pocket of a handful of loose silver. I did not count it, but passed it over to Donovan. I could not do anything more there. King said it was a measley sort of place, and it was no use stopping. The money was divided about seven o'clock the same evening at a public-house in Chelsea. The next day we met again, by King's desire, and he took us to a bank, at the corner of a street in Pall-mall: Donovan and Arrendon stopped two or three ladies there, but I could not get anything from them. Mr. Hsu.: It seems that you were always selected to pick the pockets. Was that because you were considered the most expert hand? Witness : Yes ; I was more up to it, and had the smallest hand. Not being able to do anything at the bank, we went to a large print-shop, where crowds of people are always looking in at the pictures. King was with us there. I got a purse with '2l. Os. Od. in it from a woman. We divided it at a public-house, and the purse was thrown away. After that we went to the inclosure, in the park, but got nothing there. I was taken up in April, and committed tor trial by the magistrates. Up to that time, ever since January, King had been constantly with me He was with me the day before I was taken. My companions were not taken into custody with me. They escaped. Mr. HALL : What was the largest amount of money you ever obtained in this way in one week ? Witness : I have got between OW. and 1001. in one week by pocket-picking. King shared that money with me and the other boys. I picked from about one to five pockets per day generally. Mr. HALL.: What did you do with your share of the money? Witness : I did not keep it by me. I used to give it to Mr. Dunn, a tallow-chandler, who keeps a shop iu Short's gardens. I have given him as much as 171. at one time. I took the money to him because the other boys did the same. 1 always had it back again when I wanted it. Mr. HALL : How did you spend all this money. At penny theatres, I suppose ! Witness : Oh, no. At Astley's and Drury Lane. I laid some of it out in clothes, and so forth. Mr. BUUNNAISY : And didn't you buy a horse ? Witness : I bought a pony at Smithfield for 51. 155., and kept it for about six months, riding about with it. Mr. HAI.L : Where did you usually ride? Witness : In the Park mostly. ((3reat laughter.) I kept the pony standing in the Angel-yard, Broadway, and paid 2s. Bd. a week for it. I fed it myself. I sold the pony for rather less than I gave for it. I 1184 been a thief two years before I was apprehended. 1 have a mother, but I left her. Mr. IlAtf.: I never knew swore important inquiry than this. If there is any truth in the statement we have heard ( and I understand it is supported by other evidence), itis one of the mostfrightful cases of delinquency that can well be imagined. That one appointed to protect the public should be so associated with these young thieves—aiding, abetting and profiting by their crime—seems hardly credible; and yet I ant informed that similar disclosures have been made by other boys. It is due to the public that the matter should be thoroughly sifted. The prisoner (who said nothing to the charge) was remanded for further examination. AN ADJUDICATION IN BANKRUPTCY was made on Thursday against David Leopold Lewis, a general merchant, of Salters' Hall-court, Cannon street. 11 The liabilities are understood to be large, ranging from 150,0001. to 200,0001. The assets will also be considerable ; there have been already handed over to the official assignee a mortgage for 30,0001., also 1,500 shares in the Sunderland Dock Company. The adjudication is on the bankrupt's own petition. THE ARBITRATION Claiß between the Loudon Mis sionary Society and the Rev. Mr. Davies has been resumed during the past week, and evidence, touching principally on the past conduct, language, and letters of Mr. Davies, taken before Mr. Whateley, Q.C., at, enormous length. The case has already occupied several days, and does not, show any immediate signs of coming to a conclusion. EMANUEL BARTHELEMY, the murderer of Mr. George Moore and Mr. Charles Collard, in Warren street, Fitzroy-square, was tried at the Central Cri minal Court on Thursday. The case occupied several hours, chietly on account of the interest taken in the crime, for of the guilt of the criminal there could be no doubt from the lint. The jury returned a verdict accordingly, but accompanied by a recommendation to mercy, on what plea was not stated. Sentence of death was then pronounced in the usual form'. Last Sunday the Rev. Dr. M`Cul loch, one of the chaplains of the Roman Catholic church in Rosomou-street, Clerkenwell, solicited from the congregations assembled at the four masses or services of the day their prayers for the eventual salvation of one of the most penitent of sinners, whom lie was then spiritually attending in Newgate Prison. In describing his contrition, the rev. gentle man stated that the party he alluded to was one of the most repentant men he had ever met with. 4 .tribtuts anb emits. A FATAL ACCIDENT, resulting in the lose of two liver and serious injuries to many persons, occurred on Saturday night near Thetford, on the Eastern Couuties line of railway. The night mail train passed Thetford about 11 p.m., but mile to a stand still some two miles further on at a most dangerous point, being situated at the bottom of a decline, and in the centre of some sharp curves which shut out the view of approaching trains at very short distances. One of the guards was sent back with a lantern and detonating signals to warn the follow ing trains ; whether the man did not go far enough or use proper diligence is not known, but the driver of a cattle convoy perceived uo indication of danger until he was nearly close on the mail-train, into which he rau with a terrible shock. The persons killed are John Barton, driver of the mail-train, who was underneath his engine endeavouring to repair it, and a passenger named Mr. Meager, au under taker in Long.acre. ANOTHER SERIOUS ACCIDENT took place on Wednes day night on the great Northern Railway, at a short distance beyond the Leeds central station, to the train which leaves that town at 6.25 p.m. The train was passing over a crossing on one of the via ducts, when the first carriage behind the engine struck against the points, and was immediately detached from the train by the breaking of the coupling irons, and thrown over the viaduct, forty feet high. In the carriage, which was composed of first and second class compartments, was the Recorder of Doncaster, Mr. R. Hall, who was travelling to that town to preside at the ses sions on the following morning. His right leg and shoulder were fractured, and he was very much bruised by the fall of the carriage, which was smashed to pieces. There wero two or three other persons in the carriage, who were also much in jured. Mr. Hall is in a very bad state, and an order was forwarded to Doncaster to adjourn the sessions for one month. The other part of the train was after some delay despatched on its journey. A YOUYG Woms.N named Ardran was shot on Wednesday evening by a man named Daniel Hawks worth, and died, after lingering in great agony, on the following night. Hawksworth had been paying addresses to his victim, and expressed much exaspe ration on having his proffers refused. He was taken into custody without resistance or attempt at flight. JOSEPH Thiele was a day-waiter at the Albion Hotel, Manchester, and went home on the night of the 30th ult. in a state of intoxication ; a quarrel en sued between him and his wife, in the course of which he became much exasperated, and threw the tea-kettle at her head with such fatal precision that the spout entered the scalp on the left side of her forehead. She was afterwards conveyed to the infir mary, where erysipelas ensued, of which she died on Tuesday evening. A jury have returned the verdict of " Manslaughter" against Bruin. ON Wednesday night, about twelve o'clock, a sailor named William Steel was coming out of the Blue Anchor public-house in Charles-street, at the of the Theatre Royal, Liverpool, when he was attaa two foreigners--John Manhetti and Antonio . In the scuffle Manhetti drew his knife, and ed Steel in the left side, near the region of the heart. The unfortunate man died in a few minutes. JANUARY 6, 1855. „;t