The Sun. — London, England, 1858-03-01 00:00:00

TRIAL OF TIIII ROYAL BBITISII BANK DIRECTORS. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, GUILDHALL. (Sitting at Nisi Prius, before Lord Campbell and a Special Jury.) TEE QUEEN V. BROWN AND OTHERS. TNIRTEENTI DAT. 'The fallowing appeared is SIICCOI4iTO editions of The SUM or Saturday :--1 The trial of the information against the directors and manager of the Royal British Bank for conspiring by false pretences to defraud the shareholders and cus tomers and the public, was this day resumed. The same counsel appeared as before. The interest in these proceedings was greatly increased this morning from the fact that they would be this day brought to a close ; and long before the time for opening the court the avenues were densely crowded, and by 12 o'clock every available space was occupied by an anxious auditory ; amongst whom were many respectably dressed females. On the bench were the Hon. Misses Campbell, his Lordship's daughters, Lord Overstone, the Hon. Miss Jones Loyd, and several of the ladies of the families of the jury. Punctually at 12 o'clock his lordship took his seat on the bench and commenced summing up. He said the anxious task now devolved upon him of summing up the evidence in this remarkable and very important case ; and he said it most unaffectedly that his anxiety was greatly diminished by considering the character and qualifications of the gentlemen whom he now ad dressed. If it had been his duty to have tried this came at the Assizes in the country before country gen tlemen and farmers, he should have been much more embarrassed, for he probably would have known more than the jury, and it would have been his difficult and irksome task to have tried to communicate informa tion to them which they stood in need of ; but the jury now trying this case knew more_ of the subject under investigation than he did , and it was most satis factory to him to think that they were so well qualified to decide and do that justice he was sure would be done tee the country and the defendants by their verdict. After the long and laborious trial he thought they were ~now at the thirteenth day, during which time they had devotedly attended to the evidence as it proceeded, and they seemed to him to thoroughly understand it as it proceeded step by stop and therefore his task was now comparatively easy, and he should only feel it his duty to state to them the ques tions of law as they arose, and to direct their attention to what he considered the principal points for them to determine. It had been his fate on the trial of a cause as judge to occupy two days in summing up the evidence, and if he thought that he could do any good, or at all assist them by going through the whole of his notes, page by page, he would not hesitate a moment to do so, nut he thought that in this case were he to do so he should be perplesing them rather than assisting them, and he thought ha should be best dis charging his duty by bringing the few plain points of the case before the e, and upon which their verdict was to pass between the Crown and the defendants. They were aware this was a criminal information filed by her Majesty's late Attorney-General, a gentleman of great learning and high honour, and who had filled the office of her Majesty's Attorney-General with great distinction and benefit to the country, but whatever might be the result of the prosecution, no one could for a moment impute the slightest particle of blame to him for the course he had adopted. After the disaster of the failure of the bank, the ruin it had brought upon hundreds, and the scandal it had caused, it was essen tially necessary a judicial investigation should take place; and he had only put the defendants on their trial or what was termed an ea officio information, which was a course of proceeding of an eminent character and perfectly constitutional, The information charged the defendants with having conspired together to repre sent falsely and fraudulently that the Royal British Bank and its affairs had been during the year, ending Dec. 31, 1955, in a sound and prosperous condition, producing profits divisible among the shareholders. That was the alleged conspiracy, and there were several overt acts alleged, the principal of which were the report of the directors to the shareholders of the state of the bank up to 31st Dec., 1855, the issuing of new shares ; the balance sheet of which they had heard so much which professed to give a true account of the condition of the bank at that time; the payment of dividends of Q per cent, out of supposed profits, and the buying of shares to keep up the price. It had already been stated to them by the learned counsel for the prosecution that by the law of England the crime of conspiracy may be com plete without any overt act being committed, but at the same time overt acts were material to be looked at by juries, because from them they might draw inferences whe ther the alleged conspiracy ever took place. It had also been truly stated that it was not necessary to prove conspiracy, that evidence should be given of the formal cousulta tion of the parties accused, or their having deliberately resolved that they would commit some illegal act, or resort is illegal means to gain any object, but if, as reasonable men, a jury could say there was a common design or acting in con cert to do what was wrong, it would be a ground upon which a jury might suppose and reasonably draw the inference that such a conspiracy was actually formed. The manner in which the prosecution proposed to prove the charge of conspiracy, was first to show that the bank was in a state of insolvency at the end of 1955 and the beginning of 1356, and that being known to the defen dants they entered into a design to represent that the Lank was then in a flourishing condition, for the pur pose of deceiving and defrauding those who were shareholders, or the public who might wish to become I shareholdere or have dealings with the Royal British Bank. It would beyfor tam to say whether, on the part of the prosecution, they had established their case. He must, however, caution them against supposing that, although one or several of the defendants might have done what was improper, it would not be sufficient to establish the charge against then for example, if any of this went on after the reserve fund had been exhausted, and they had lost more than one-fourth of the paid-up capital without their know ledge of the fact of it, would not establish the charge of conspiracy to misrepresent for the purpose of deceiving and defrauding the public, fur there must be a , joint act with a guilty knowledge. He should first call their attention to whether there had been generally such a conspiracy as was alleged on the part of the Crown, and then he would draw their atten tion to the case as it practically affected the defendants. He. had already had occasion to observe there was a considerable difference with regard to evidence against them, leaving the jury to discharge their duty in distinguishing between them, and pronounce their guilt or innocence. The great point for their consideration was the real state of the bank at the end of 1355 and beginning of ISsfi, or, more strictly speaking, the 31st Dec., 1855, the date of the baiance-sheet which Wa , published on let Feb., 1856, by which the bank was represented to be in a flourishing condition. The pro secution had undertaken to prove it was false and frau dulent, and the noble lord recapitulated the evidence that had been given on that point with reference to the debts owing to the bank. The exact amount of the debts, nor the manner in which they were contrected, were material, because they were not taxing them for imprudently granting advances to those who had dealings with them, but only to look and see the actual state of the bank in a pecuniary point of view at the time to which he had drawn their attention. He should therefore spare them from entering into there. The directors may be blamed for it, but that would not support the charge against them, unless as a leading disaster contributing to bring about that state of insolvency which they wished to conceal. Having referred to the cha racter of the debts, the past due bills, &c., and the credit taken for 100,0001. of bad debts, with only a reserved fund of 309/. ls. 7d. for bad debts, his lordship said it seemed to him it was strong evidence for their eonsidera then that there was credit taken in that balance sheet for sums of money for which credit ought not to have been taken, and had a certain tendency to deceive those who read it. The learned judge then read the evidence of Mr. Barnard and Mr. Crawford, which he said went to prove that although Mr. Cameron was not a director, he was answerable for the balance sheet as made up and rinted. It was for them to say, from the general view of the case he had laid before them, whether the direc tors must have known of the bank's insolvency, and knowing it, they entered into a design to deceive the public and the shareho'ders by misrepresenting the state of the affairs of the bank, and were guilty under the information. The information contained the names of eight defendants, but only s e ven had surrendered, Mr. Cochrane having been outlawed. He should go through the c ase as the evidence affected them, but in a different order He f rom 'c that adopted by the ?pro secution. should begin with Mr. Stapleton s case, and th e others in the following order :—Mr. M'Leod, Mr. P ae c e, ara Merr. Kennedy, Mr. Esdaile, Mr. Brown and Mr. blame appeared to be imputed against Mr. Stapolnelonl,ltohough it was right his conduct should be inquired inttol,aeancd he had hoped that at the close of the case for an intimation would have been riven that there wrown n nA at suffici en t evi aaselearnetdhat gentle dence to be submitted to the jury men ; but it was not for him (the' Staplejtoundgevs) interfere. He thought that Mr. was more of a victim than a victimiser of others, and the ju r y s h ou ld agree with him, Mr. Stapleton would leave the Court without a stain upon his character, and h . e g. ( .s t!e lear ne d j u d ge) should be glad to see Lim hack In practising in that Court over which he presided . bituthan wa.,, case the evidence was stronger against Mr. McLeou's ga T t int:t Mr. Stapleton. Ila found no positive proof a thoughthimae rather slight cas4B had 11‘,:ier,: MiaLdesodo,,,taan:lailriiest Was, no apeculat.,r, nor ha n d so, and, what wa s /n or , e bad ; any advanc9ii to do settled on his w;{® on Ast, i 7r al 4 rr v i e ' t " th e mo n° ri:v -aa:nTlneetir:!t7;:vtiikiebthrainiukty;.• Against, Mr. 0 men there cane from his having been longer c still it appeared to him there was a 'ant of direct evidence of his knowledge of the exact state of the bunk, though from his having been an original director it might have been presumed so. No corrupt motive had been attributed to Mr. Ower., who when the bank failed was a creditor. He next came to two pain ful cases—those of M r.4..Esdaile and Mr. Al Berman Kennedy, and the ev i dence in referents to them was of a most serious charaeter, evidence enc required the Mr. most A a l t d t e e r n m t i a v n e g consideration. Kennedy went to ri sh e ow e that he was aware of theifnasiosle contributed to the vent state of the bank, and sentaonstate, sof its ti q uestion for their reprebut the • consideration was his guilty knowledge. Mr. Alderman Kennedy, like the others, had received an excellent character, and had introduced many of his friends to TFIE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING ' that such practices ;are not only illegal, but that no length of investigation, no device will shield those who commit such practices from punishment. In consequence of this being the first information of the kind I pro nounce on you a much milder sentence than I otherwise would, and that sentence is, that you Humphrey Brown, Edward Esdaile, and Hugh Inner Cameron, be impri soned in the Queen's Prison for the term of one year, amongst the first-class of misdemeanants. Richard Hartley Kennedy, the jury have recommended you to mercy, and I most respectfully attend to that recom mendation. I think there are grounds which justified that recommendation, though there is strong evidence against you in that last paper for which the jury sent, and which shows the diligent attention they have paid to your case. It shows that though you might have been a respectable member of society, and filling with credit the office of sheriff, you lent yourself to this scheme, although you did not derive any personal advantage. It appears to my mind, that when you last joined the bank you knew it was insolvent, and that the state ment of its affairs to which you lent yourself was a false statement. The sentence of the court upon Richard Hartley Kenaedy is, that you be imprisoned for nine months in the Queen's Prison, also in the first class of misdemeanants. (Here the defendant shed tears.) William Daniel Owen, the jury have likewise found you guilty—that you knew the insolvent state of the Lank before you concurred in that reportand balance sheet. You had long been a director, and had ample means of information. Several papers read in evidence disclose that ; and therefore, though your guilt is miti gated, I think the sentence of six months' imprisonment is the sentence which the court ought to pronounce. Henry Dunning M‘Lsod, the jury, who are the proper judges of this case, have likewise found you guilty. You were a member of the Royal British Bank, and bad means of information as to the state of its affairs. The jury have found that you had that information, and that you bad that guilty knowledge when you concurred in the balance-sheet. The sentence of the court is three months' imprisonment in the same prison, and also in the same class. John Stapleton, the jury have found you guilty, but I cannot conscientiously sentence you to a severer punishment than that yon pay to the Qaeen a fine of one shilling, and then be discharged. Mr. Stapleton here bowed low to his lordship, and there were some manifestations of applause, which proved that the sympathy of the public was in favour of this defendant. Mr. Kennedy—My lord, on behalf of Mr. Brown, I have to ask your lordship to defer the execution of the sentence until Monday, that arrangements may be made. Lord Campbell—No ; I will not delay the execution of the sentence one moment. (Loud applause from the spectators) Mr. Atherton here mentioned to his lordship that he had said, with the concurrence of counsel on both sides, that he would decide what remuneration the jury should receive. Lord Campbell—l most willingly undertake the ,luty ; but when I am called upon to say what is a fit recompense for the jury, I regret that it is not in my power to award them such a recompense. I can only go on the principle on which the payment to special juries is awarded, and that is a guinea a day to each juror. Therefore the sum that I award to each juryman is 13 guineas, bat that sum I say is a most inadequate recompense ; but in addition to that, gentlemen, you have the thanks of your country. There is one thing more which I wish to say. As far as I have observed, my recommendation that the public should refrain from all comments on this trial until it was over has been strictly observed. That is highly creditable to the press ; and I rejoice the time is now come when it will be open to all her Majesty's subjects to freely comment on this trial. Mr. Atherton—My Lord, there are two informations against other defendants, and I have to apply to your lord.l lip to make them remanets. Lord Campbell—Certainly. His lordship was making some further observations to the jury, which we were unable to hear owing to the noi-y interruption of the man who serves the subpainas on the special jury in requesting them to take his as surance, as an "officer of the court," that he was to call on them with their fees on Monday. All the defendants were subsequently passed through a private door, from whence they were conveyed in cus tody to the Queen's Bench Poison. Now that this protracted trial is over we have again to express our acknowledgments to the officials of the court for the excellent arrangements made for the press, and thecourtesy with which they afforded any fa cilities in the discharge of our labours. THE CHARGE AGAINST MR. ISAAC BUTT, M.P. PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE. [The following appeared in our late edition of Satur day evening The Committee reassembled this morning at 12 o'clock. Sir J. Graham in the chair. Sir W. Codrington said previous to the re-commence ment of the inquiry, he begged to state that he had re ceived a visit from Mrs. Parr. She seemed very anxious that means should be afforded her of rebutting that part of the evidence aspersing her character. He told her he would mention the subject to the committee, and inform her what was their decision upon the subject. Sir James Graham said it had better be done at the end of the inquiry. Mr. Vernon Smith, examined by Mr. Roebuck, said, during the whole of Lord Palmeraton's Ministry he was President of the Board of Control, lie frequently saw Mr. Butt on the subject of the claims of Ali Moored. In 18'id he remembered a memorial being presented to the Queen from the Anseer. In March, 1857, he remembered papers being moved for. He recollected a conversation he had with Mr. Batt pre vious to that motion. The substance of the conversation was that Mr. Butt urged the justice of the claims of Ali Moored. He did not recollect that Mr. Butt said any " compromise" was entered into. Mr. Butt wished that the turban lands should be re'tored to Ali Moored. Dying one of the conferences Mr. Butt stated that the matter would be brought before the house, bat he did ❑otremember Mr. Butt saying " he would bring the subject ferward." He (witness) considered that such a course would be inadvisable, and he agreed with Mr. Bu't that at that particular time it would have had a bad effect to proclaim to the public that there was disaffection among the native princes. He recol lected a draft letter being sent to the Board of Control by the Court of Directors ; it was altered and returned to the Court. When he came into office he looked upo❑ the case of Ali Moored as settled. He believed that the Ameer had been guilty of the offence of which he had been charged—that of forgery in the treaty ; but he considered that the punishment inflicted upon him was excessive, tied 2a the Atneer had behaved well fur seven or eight years some mitigation should be made in his sentence. He had an interview with Mr. Butt, and told him such was his opinion. He also had an interview with Ali Moored, and he believed that he went out to India under the idea that the authorities there would listen to his rase. By Mr.Deasy—He recollected Mr. Butt telling him he should move for certain papers at the time of the Indian budget. He told Mr. Butt he thought the standing orders would prevent his taking such a course, This conversation took place in the House of Commons. This took place in 1856. Mr. Roebuck—Did you ever give Mr. Butt authority to say to the Ameer that he must dismiss Mr. Coffey ? Mr. V. Smith—No, as he had nothing to do with the subject. At a subsequent time Mr. Coffey wrote to him to ask him to vindicate his character from certain aspersions. He merely acknowledged the letter and declined to interfere. The assertion that be gave autho rity to discharge Mr. Coffey was untrue. He had no authority to give such a direction. Cross-examined by Mr. Deasy—He thought for a long time that the case of Ali Moored was in the heeds of Sir F. Kelly. He certainly suggested to Ali Moored, when he set ont for India, that he should go as quickly as possible ; and, moreover, told him to exert himself in suppressing any disturbance he might find on his arrival there, and do all he could for the support of tie tot hority of the English Government. By Sir J. Graham—When he gave an official interview to Ali Moorad he had not bad any conversation on the subject with Mr. Butt. He introduced the Queen of Oude contrary to the wishes of the Court of Directors. When he went to the Board cf Control he considered ;!e had a right to exercise his own judgment, and he be lieved he was the first president who ever thought o remitting a portion of the sentence on Ali Moorad. lla considered the punishment infl.cted on Ali Moorad as exce , sive. He never went the length suggested by Mr. Butt with respect to the Aineer's case. He con sidered the Government of India was the proper tribunid to deal with such a subject. He did not know whethtr the committee wi4ied him to review the decision ho had already arrived at. Sir J. Graham--Certainly not. By Mr. Sergeant Kingiake—He made known his opinion that the Government of Bombay was the prop,r tribunal to deal with the Arneer'a case to Mr. Butt. By Mr. Wilson Patten—He bad h ear d, l ike other persons, that members of Parliament had rece i ve d pre sents for advocating the claims of Indian princes, b ut h e had never been officially informed of tha fact. lie never under stood that any of the persons who had cal • 1 upon him had any pecuniary interest in the result. By Sir J. Graham—lf you had known that any per son had called upon you with respect to the Atneer's claim, and had had a pecuniary interest in the settle ment, would you have broken off the interview at once ? Mr. V. Smith—Certainly. I should never have allowed any pressure to be placed upon me to advocate certain claims in Parliament. By Sir J. Graham—Mr. Butt said he was going to Vienna in order to a-certain whether the Atneer was going to India or not, and he (witness) gave him a letter of introduction to Sir H. Seymour. The right hon. gentleman having answered a few other unimportant questions, retired, and the room was ordered to be cleared, in order that Mr. Deasy's proposal for the production of the bill of costs of Messrs. Hunt ano Esdaile might be decided. On the room being reopened. Mr. E,daile was called, and the chairman informed him that be was only required to give dates and names of the parties who attended certain consultations, The witness then, in answer to Mr. Deasy, said there eu w asa consultati on on J u l y 27 , 185 6, at w hi c h Si r F . Y, Mr. Butt, and Mr. Ayrton were present. There woe also a -..-0.. consultation on August 13, at which Sir F. zh- itY arta u r R ,- present. * Mr. R oo: , Untt att .ue...Langloak: attended. Mr. end In 1856 many consultationsßu Butt was not did Mr. 1 -Witness -0 4 e • _ El the 2U • 0 of F e bruary, 1857, there was a consultation; Mr. Butt's name was not down as attending on that occasion, but he believed he was present. On the 21st of July there was a consulta tion, at which Mr. Butt was present. Neither he nor his partner, Mr. Hunt, ever paid Mr. Butt any fees for attendance on those occasions, Mr. Deasy—Can you say, from a reference to your books, whether any resolution was come to on the part of those acting for A.ll Moorad, that Mr. Butt should take no further steps in Parliament in the Ameer's case, excepting moving for papers. Witness—l object to answer that question. Mr. Bright—l don't see how you can object to answer such a question. Sir J. Graham—lt is the opinion that you must answer that questior. Mr. Esdaile—ln May, 1857, it was resolved that cer tain steps proposed to be taken with respect to the Ameer, should not be taken unless with the direct sanction of Sir F. Kelly. Mr. Bright—Was it objected that Mr. Butt should not move in Parliament on the subject because he was the confidential legal adviser of the Ameer ? Mr. Esdaile—Ne. M r. D eas y—Were the names of other persons men tioned I Mr. Esdaile—Yes, certainly, the names of other parties were mentioned. Mr. David Coffey was recalled, and in answer to Mr. Deasy said he coald not say whether, in reference to the answer he gave yesterday, the consultation fee he gave to Mr. Butt had reference to the prosecution of the Ameer's claim in the English court. By Mr. Roebuck—He knew that it related to the Ameer's ease. Mr. I3utt informed him that a sum amounting to 45,000/. had been held out to the Ameer as an inducement for him to go out to India. By Mr. Bouverie—Mr. Butt told him he was to re ceive 2,0004 , aed that a further sum of 8,0001., was to be paid to him in bills, two at short dates, and the other at a Fang 3ne. One was to be paid immediately. Mr. Butt said he bad arranged with Mr. Edward Coffey. Mr. Butt purchased the bills, and he (witness) filled in the dates and the amount, and sent them to his brother e ndorsed in the usual manner. By Mr. It rehuck—Mr. Butt told him there was a condition affixed to those bills, namely that he was to have the amount mentioned fo r procee di ng to I n di a. There was no stipulation that he was to do anything previous to his going to India. By Mr. Deasy—He did not become acquainted with the circumstances of the case of Mr. Butt's going to India until he arrived in London. Sir G. Clerk, secretary of the Board of Control, examined by Mr. Roebuck, was next called—He said he recollected reading two letters complaining of the detention of Ali Moorad on his route to India by Mr. Coffey, and his alleged misappropriation of funds, the property of the Ameer. The sul•jec'; mentioned in the letters was no affair of the Board of Control, and he pent the letters to Mr. Butt to get rid of them. The lettere were sent to Mr. Butt as he was a member of Parliament, and had taken great interest in the case of the Ameer, and was on the point of proceeding to Trieste to make inquiry about it. Sir J. Graham —Although the document was officially received it was forwarded to Mr. Butt Witness—Yes. Mr. Roebuck —Although it reflected very severely on the conduct of the person who had no means of answering it ? Witness—Yes. It was represented to the Board that the Ameer was b e i ng detained, and that Mr. C o ff ey was eating up his money. Sir W. Codrington—Was the document forwarded officially to the board t Wits ass—Yes. • Mr. Roebuck—That closes the case for the petitioner. Mr. Isaac B u t t, M.P., Q.C. Mr. Sergeant D easy. He wa' was then examined by s member for Youghal, and bad eat i n P arliament since the year 1852. He was first introduced to Mr. Edward Coffey, in 1356, either by James or David. He had been acquainted with Mr. James Coffey for some time, as a barrister going to cir cuit. He was not so well acquainted with Mr. David C`f y. He way residing in Cleveland-road when Mr. Coffey called upon him and asked for a conference. The subject discussed was whether the Ameer's case was a fit one to submit t o the Judicial Comm i ttee o f t h e P r i vy Council. After reading the papers, he was of opinion there was no redress for the Ameer in the Courts of law is this country. If the Ameer had been an independent soverei g n, he thought there might have been a chan ce f or him. He afterwards said he thought the case might be laid before the House of Commons. That observation was made in consequence of Mr. Edward Coffey asking whether the subject could not be laid before the house. He (witness) said he must again read the papers with that view. He afterwards drew up a petition to Parliament, which he ps.. sented. On Friday, the 4th of July, he put a motion on the paper to bring the matter before the house on the presentation of the Indian budget. On the 21st of the same month the Indian budget came on, but he was prevented from proceeding by the Speaker, on a point of form. On the 24th the motion was made, and the papers were granted. Mr. Deasy--1 Did a conversation take place between you and Mr. Edward Coffey, that you were not a very rich man, and that as you would have to incur enormous ex dense the Ameer must reward you for your services? Mr. Butt—l am not on my oath, but before my country and this committee, I declare, upon the honour and comhience of a gentleman th a t no s u c h converea t ion ever took place. Mr. Deasy—Did Mr. Coffey ever communicate to you any proposition to which you replied that it was not very satisfactory or kind of the Ameer? Mr. Butt—. No. Nothing of the sort ever took place. Mr. Deasy—lVas there ever any contract or offer proposed to you by Mr. Coffey of any pecuniary pay toent or other reward to be given to you for any services to be rendered to the Ammer, either in Pal lia. went, the East India Company, or the Board of Control? Mr. Butt—Ccrtainly not. Mr. Deasy—Had you any other motive in moving for the papers mentions', other than a sense of the justice of the case Mr. Butt—My only motive was that I thought the case offend a good opportunity of Parliamentary distinction. Mr. Deasy—llad you, in taking up the case of the Auieer Ali Moorad„any hope of ultimately receiving reward Have , you been p resent at consultations Mr. Butt—Not the slightest. Mr. Dewy—Have to the Arneer s case I Mr. Butt—l have , Mr. Deasy—Have you ever be en pa id for those con sultations Mr. Butt—Never. In answer to further questions the hon. gentleman said he told Sir F. Kelly he was about to open a nego tiation with the Board of Control, but that he would take care so to conduct it as not to compromise him, and that be would not take any steps without his sanction. He saw Mr. V. Smith, who said h e was disposed to take the same view of the A.rneer's cas e as h e h a d d one , and Mr. V. Smith gave him au th or i ty to state that to the Court of Directors. He told Mr. Smith that, al though he had the strongest faith in the Board of Coe ! red, h e h a d n ot the Came confider:ea in the Court of Directors, upon which Mr. Smith advised him to com municate privately with Mr. Mangles, under the assur ance that that gentleman would not reveal the eorres pondence. lie did so, and Mr. Mangles received a communication ire confidence, and that confidence was kept from the fact given in evidence that ththetters bad been destroyed. As he proceeded in the transaction he submitted the letters to Sir F. Kelly, not in confer ence but in the course of private conversation. Mr. V. Smith said the matter ought to be submitted to thelndian Government, and it was at that time that Mr. Coffey ir. hCeuff would give him 10,0001. to go to India. Ile suggested that he (Mr. Butt) sh ou l d go to India to settle then introduced the , t l h m e eeekrmtoeerh'ismc,laainmd. he A said Ile said it would n•,t be worth his while to go for that sum, and that he was quite certain it would be for the interest cf the Ameer that h e s h ould go. He afterwardsfa he said it wa on the su bj ect, an d nce to him t o ascerta i n iEmt.opoCrotffey carrya out such a n arrange ment, ant Asr ableocoff and willing said there cou ld h e no doubt of its but on sp e aking to other friends wit ness was advised on i s e the o a ke utmost to Mr. no account to quit England without he bad 3,000/. eo sn and the remainder well secured, and that was the spe cific arrangement ho bad with Mr. Coffey. It was arranged that he was to have a cheque fur 300/. on account, and Coffey promised to get it for him on the following day. On that day C , ffey came to him and said, " I have not got the cheque ha. you. The Ameer was about drawing it, when a red-headed man came in, and he sail it would be unlucky to draw the cheque atter seeing such a pers:n." The reason he objected to the crossed cheque was, that having immediate demand for money, it could not so easily be made available as an open one. The further examination of the hon. gentleman was adjourned until 12 o'clock on Monday. The Birmingham Triennial Festival is fixed to take place in the autumn of the present year. The days for holding this great musical celebration will be August 31, and Sept. Ist, 2'l, and 3d. The Earl of Dartmouth has accepted the office of president. [ADVERTISEMENT. eases, such as dysp eps i a (indigestion), flatulency, habitual con 1---Medicine always aggravates chronic dis stipation, nervous, bilious, and liver complaints, dic., but Du Barry's delicious Re valenta Arabica Food invariably cures them iu a very short tim e. We extract two out of many thousand expressions of gratitude from invalids :—From the Dowager Countess of Castlestuart. Cure 52,612.—Rosstrevor, County of Down, Ireland, December 9, 1854. The Dowager Countess of Castlestuart feels induced, in the interest of suffering hu manity, to state that Du Barry's excellent Revaleuta Arabica Food has cured her, after all medicines had failed, of indiges tion, bile, great nervousness and irritability of many years' standing. This food deserves the confidence of all sufferers, and may be considered a real blessing. Inquiries will bo cheerfully answer ed.—Trevagler, Gulval, near Penzance, Feb. 20, 1851.—Eighteen years' nervous debility, violent palpita tion of the heart, throbbing of the temples, violent pains cat the left side and back, shortness of breath, cough, numbness of the extremities, cramps, spasms, flatulency, retching, and such general weakness, that I was consequently fearful of fall ing when on mylegs; all these symptoms have been removed by Du Barry's excellent Re vtsl cnta Arabica Food. —Ma RY °ELBERT. Supported by testimonials from the following celebrated Pro fessors of Chemistry: Dr. A. Ure; Dr. Shorland; Dr. Harvey; Dr. Campbell ; Dr. Gattiker ; Dr. Wurser ; Dr. Ingram ; Lord Stuart de Decies; the Dowager Countess of Castlestuart; Major Gen. Thomas King, and many other respectable per sons, whose health has been restored by it, after all other means of cure had failed, Suitably packed with full instruc tions. In canisters, 11b. 2s, 9d. ; 21b. 4s. 6d. ; 51b. lls. ; 121 b. 225. The 121 b canisters are sent carriage free, on re ceipt of Post-office order. Early Du Barry, and Co., 77, Regent-street, London. Important Caution against the fear. ful dangers of spurious imitations.—The Vice-Chancellor Sir William Page Wood granted an Injunction on the 10th March, 1854, against Alfred Hooper Nevill, for imitating "Dn Barry's Revaleuta Arabica Food.", , • become ehareholders and depositors, who, with himself, had been loners by the bank. The conversations be bad had with persona to join the bank he (the learned judge) did not p!ace much reliance on, and the question for their consideration was, Mr. Alderman Kennedy's intention when he consented to the publication of the balance sheet. The case against Mr. Esdaile assumed a different character. Independent of the general evidence against him he was convicted, out of hie own mouth, by the production of the affidavit on a winding up order that he knew the actual state of the bank in every particular. In addition to that there was Mr. Esdaile's letter, dated Jan., 1856, a fortnight before the meeting at which the balance-sheet was published, addressed to Mr. Owen, the then deputy-governor, containing the remarkable passage, "Our highest policy is to present a solid front to the public; our greatest weakness to dangle a rope of sand before them ;" and he put it to the jury to say whether they considered the first part of the sentence meant a "solid balance sheet." After reading the other corres pondence, and the evidence in connection with it, the learned judge said it was for the jury to say that he consented to the false publication of the state of the bank with a guilty knowledge, and an intention to defraud the public. Mr. Esdaile was shown to be a respectable man and a man of substance, and had had no accom modation from the bank—circumstances which, he had no doubt, the jury would well weigh in cansidering his case. The learned judge next referred to the case of Humphery Brown, and in doing so he asked the jury to dismiss any prejudice that might have been created in their minds against him, and consider him an innocent man till he had been found guilty. Acomplete explanation had been given of his having been supposed to have opened his account with 181., but he was sorry to say a very serious case had been made out against him. He had borrowed largely from the bank, which it was his desire to keep afloat as long as he possibly could, without which he had the fear of destruction before him. He was well acquainted with the state of the bank and the many debts due to them, and more than all he knew of the exact state of his large debt to the bank, and the security he had given for it. The learned judge in conclusion said the legal case they had to consider was that of Mr. Cameron, who it had been proved had the sole management of the Bank. There could be no doubt Mr. Cameron prepared the balance-sheet of Dec. 1855, and the question for the jury to consider was, whether it was false or correct. If it was false he thought there could be no doubt it was done to deceive the public. Then arose the question did Mr. Cameron conspire with others to defraud tha public, and, if so, it was necessary to prove that he con spired with one or more persons. The evidence was before theca, and it was for them to say whether it proved a conspiracy against two or more or the whole of the defendants. He bad no doubt that it would give ►hem pleasure to acquit all the defendants if the evidence warranted it, but, at the same time, if they thought the evidence would not pet mit they would discharge their duty to their conscience az,d their country by finding part or the whole of the defendants guilty. The learned judge having completed his charge which occupied exactly four hours in delivery, at 4 o'clock, the tipstaff was sworn in in the usual form, and the jury retired to deliberate. Precisely at five minutes to six the jury returned into court and entered the box, the anxiety felt by all present for the result of their conference being most intense. The Foreman then, addressing his lordship, said—My lord, eleven of the jury have agreed on a verdict. I am the only dissentient ; but I perhaps may be permitted to say that I agree with my brother jurymen so far as their verdict affects three of the defendants. Lord Campbell—You see, gentlemen, there must he a unanimous verdict of the j tab , before any of the defen dants can be convicted. The Foreman—We are unanimous about three of the defendants- We find three of the defendants guilty. Eleven of the jury consider the remainder guilty, and from that I dissent. Lord Campbell—You see, gentlemen, I cannot take that verdict--in fact it is not a verdict. It must be the unanimous verdict of the 12, and I must therefore only ask you to retire and reconsider your verdict. A Juror—l am afraid, my lord, it is of no use, Lord Campbell—ls Mr. Atherton here ! Mr. Atherton—l am here, my lord. Lord Campbell do not know if the crown would consent that a nolli prosequi should be catered as to those defendants with regard to whom there is a difference of opinion, and take a verdict on the cases of the three defendants on which the jury is agreed. Mr. Kennedy—As counsel for Mr. Brown, I am in structed to oppose that, my lord. Mr. Atherton—l was just going to say, my lord, that is the diseharge of my duty I do not believe I can adopt that course. Lord Campbell—Then there is no other course to be adopted than for the jury to withdraw and reconsider their verdict. A Juror—l don't think there is the slightest chance of our agreeing. Another Juror—Could not a juror be withdrawn ? Lord Campbell—No. There must be the unanimous verdict of the jury. The Foreman—May I be allowed to say a word, my lord ? Lord Campbell—We must have no discussion in open court. It must be in private amongst yourselves. The Foreman—We wish to ask whether we are to be satisfied of the guilty of each defendant with regard to the balance-sheet. Lord Campbell—Oh yes, gentlemen, Before you can convict any of the defendants you must be fiatisfied that he was acquainted with the real stabs of the bank. You should not convict any one of them unless you are satis fied of his knowt3dge of the affairs of the bank, and that the balance-sheet was false. After that intimation, gen. timer], I think you bad better withdraw. The jury again withdrew at 6 o'clock, and shortly after f they sent in a written communication to his lordship, who said—The jury wish for the letter of the 15th of May, 1856, from Kennedy to Cameron. Let that letter be seat to the jury. Again at 12 minutes to 8 the jury returned into court ---and their names having been called over, The Associate asked them the usual queFAien—Gen tlemen, are you all agreed on your verdict 1 The Foreman—We are. The Associate—Do you find Humphrey Brown guilty or not guilty I ___ The F oreman—Guilty. The Associate—Do you find Edward Esdaile guilty or not guilty ! The Foreman—Guilty. The Associate—Do you find Henry Dunning Macleod guilty or not guilty 3 The Foreman—Guilty. The Associate—De you find Richd. Hartley Kennedy guilty or not guilty ! Toe Foreman—Guilty. The Associate—Do you find Wm. Daniel 0 mcn guilty or not guilty ! The Pore - man —Guilty. The Associate—Do you find John Stapleton guilty or not guilty ! The Foreman—Guilty. The Associate—Do you rind Hugh Lines Cameron guilty or not guilty ? The Foreman—Guilty. The Foreman then added—lt is the request of the jury that I should read this to the court, " We find all the defendants guilty, but we recommend the following to the merciful consideration of the court—Stapleton, Kennedy, Owen, and Macleod." After a brief pause, Lord Campbell said—Mr. Atherton, do you say anything ! Mr. Atherton—No, my lord, I do net. Lord Campbell—ls judgment prayed for—l am now ready to give judgment' Mr. Atherton—lf your lordship is ready to pronounce judgment on the various cases, I should certainly pray the judgment of the court. Lord Campbell—Perhaps it would be more becoming that I should take until Monday to consider the judg ment I will pass. Mr. Sergeant Shee—There may be many circum stances, my lord, that we m i g ht su b m it on a ffid av it s . Lord Campbell—N o ; there can be nothing of that sort. It is better that I should proceed at once. • Mr. Kennedy—There may be on the part of Mr. Brown very good cause fir a motion for a new trial. Lord Campbell—l will at once pronounce the lodg ment of the court. All the defendants were then ordered to stand for war 1, and took their place immediately below the bench in front of the Associate's desk in the following order : Mr. Brown, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Esdaile, Mr. Maclead, Mr. Stapleton, Alderman Kennedy, and Mr. 0 wen. Mr. Cameron and Mr. Brown appeared rather Alec:or:earned, the I ,rmer leaning his face on his hand and narrowly watching the learned judge 83 he deliberately marked the sentences he was about to award to each of the de• fendants in his note-book. Mr. Esdaile, Mr. Macleod, and Mr. Owen also kept their eyes fixedly on his Ind ship ; but Mr. Stapleton and Alderman Kennedy appeared to feel their position most acutely. The latter never raised his eyes from the floor during the passing of the sentence, and several times struck his breast con vukivaly, the tears on one occasion rolling down his cheeke. Mr. Stapleton glanced uneasily around, and his whole appearance indicated the great mental anxiety from which he was suffering. Lord Campbell then, amidst the most profound silence, proc ecled to pass judgment. He said—l will first pass sentence on Humphrey Brown, Edward Esdaile, and Hugh Incas Cameron. You three defendants, after a long, and I hope a patient and impartial trial, have been convicted by a jury of your countrymen of an infamous crime, the charge being of a conspiracy to deceive and defraud the shareholders of this bank by false misrepre sentations, and it i s c l ear , th oug h I still acquit you of originally planning the fraud of attempting to cheat the publ c in the foundaticn of the bank, yet it is now de. toowitrative that for a number of years you carried on a -ystem of deliberate fraud, and from year to year fabri cated documents for the purpose of deceiving the public, in the to illiciti,,sys otransactions. n tn..l tor your own benefit, directly or indirectly, engaged Itifwotuhilds were country crime for punishment. It is not a sereanotthis; with the shar,holder , b f to do thatt a breach of contract which i ., .a. a criminal conspiracy ischief, to the rui-r ofnfev"FAY orphans from a state . of a r .y to say that the onlyamuence too common practice introduced in certain com leads to great public amilteP, reducing widows and to destitulon, I am i rn i ttiga.tio n r. ortunately t 'azi of your offence is a i, . ty has been from the defect in the law n'e a r e e 'f at dea "u:4R, not so much has not been put in force; andr:umehtlaa fact that the law adopted without bringing the con scio P u r en et e i s een o have b e e ",, those who practise them, and I am afraid loss of character amongst those a wit E ll sh u ara - o with whom tl:myt m a ch c iate. it WAR fuly time that an end should be p ut such a system ;' and this information w as properly filed Attorney-General, by her Majesty 8 and th e j ury have come to A proper Ye rdic:7. I hope it will now be known 11tatiR Cll 1, 18,5 F. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. SOUTH WALES CIRCUIT.--SWANSEA, FEB. 27. :MURDER. —SENTENCE OF DEATH. Maneli Tulphanta and Hanagadei Haling, two Greek sailors, were indicted f or th e w ilf u l mur d er of Atanasio Mitropania, at Swansea, on the 16th inst. Mr. Giffard. and Mr. Brown prosecuted ; and Mr. T. Allen and Mr. Mills defended the prisoners. Mr. Giffard opened the case in a temperate speech. The prisoners were sailors on board the Penelope, in Swansea harbour, and the deceased was cook of the same vessel. The cook had re ceived some money from his captain on the Sun day before the murder, and amongst it were two Turkish sovereigns. On the night of the murder the deceased left his vessel and went into the town. Soon afterwards the two prisoners also left, and they would be traced in company of the deceased up to within a short time of the actual murder. At about half-past eight two persons watching a boat heard a scuffling and a sound of foreign lan guage on the side of the canal, and immediately afterwards a plunge in the water. They went up and found something floating in the water, which turned out to be the body of the deceased. It was got out of the water and was steaming. He was dead and had been stabbed in the body and through the lungs in several places. The skull was also fractured. The two prisoners were seen together again about nine o'clock, and one of them was seen to wash a handkerchief. A great deal of evidence was given to trace the prisoners in company with the deceased on the evening of the murder. Baron Bramwell reviewed the evidence carefully and occupied an hour in summing up. The jury, after retiring half an hour, returned into court with a verdict of guilty. His lordship then passed the awful sentence of death in the usual form, and the prisoners were removed. THE SOUTH WALES RAILWAY COLLISION. Charles White, late station master at Stormy sta tion, on the South Wales Railway, was charged on the coroner's inquisition with the manslaughter of Sarah Ann Harmer, near Pyle, on Oct. 14 last. Mr. Bowen and Mr. Hughes were counsel for the prosecution ; and Mr. Giffard for the accused. It will be remembered that on Oct. 14 two pas senger trains running on the South Wales Railway met at full speed on the same line of rails between Pyle and Port Talbot stations, causing the death of three persons and the maiming of 60 others. The deceased was one of the killed, and was travelling with her aunt in a third class carriage which was smashed. The cause of the collision was the sending a down train on the up line of rails by the prisoner, who declared that in consequence of a goods train having broken down between Pyle and Port Tal bot he had been telegraphed to from Port Talbot station to send the train on the wrong line of rails on the understanding that all up trains would be stopped in the meantime. The obstruction of the goods train, however, having been removed, the up trains were sent on and met the down trains on the same line. It should be mentioned that at a second inquest a verdict of manslaughter bad been returned against Evans, the clerk, and Burney, the porter, at the Port Talbot station, but the grand jury ignored the bill against them. Mr. Langdon, inspector of the railway police, proved that the printed rules had been placed in the hands of White. One of them related to the trains on the wrong line of rails requiring that a telegraph message shall be sent and an answer re ceived (or a written message where no telegraph is available) before any train is so met on the wrong line of rails. John Gunnell, the driver of the down train, proved that he was stopped at Pyle, in consequence of the breaking down of the goods train in front, and White came dawn from Stormy and gave him a written order to return back to Stormy, where there was a crossing, and proceed on his journey on the up-line of rails. He did so, and proceeded until they met an up-train, and the collision took place. Daniel Buckle corroborated the fact of White's authority given to proceed on the wrong hub of rals. Witness went on before the train, and seeing the up train coming put down a detonator, but too late. The collision was unavoidable. Edgar Evans, the clerk at Port Talbot, was then examined. He had been left in charge of the sta tion during the absence of the station-master, Mr. Turner, who had gone to look after the broken down goods train, and had left directions for him to telegraph to Stormy to stop all trains until they heard again. Witness telegraphed accordingly, but could not make them hear for nearly an hour, and then they got the answer, " Train left." Cross-examined—Mr. Turner started the up train from Port Talbot, as he came into the station with the broken down train, and before he had arrived actually at the booking office to communi cate with witness. Never received any inssaage from Stormy, asking, " Csn passenger train come on ?" There was a lady in the train (Miss Llewellyn) who said Mr. Turner ought to be there, but she did not say they did not understand the telegraph. There was no discussion between him and Burney as to any answer to be sent to Stormy. Nothing was said about, " Here's a fine mess." Mr. Turner was examined, but did not add much ' to the above. John Day, policeman at Stormy station, was di rected by Mr. White to telegraph to Port Talbot; but could not get them to understand him. Mr. White then came and tried the instrument, after which be got on the down train and proceeded with it on the up line. Mr. White was trying to tele graph to Port Talbot, " Can down train come on up line?" William Chapman, clerk in the locomotive de partment at Stormy, met Mr. White as he was going to Pyle to fetch the train back to send on the up line. Witness advised him not to send it until he had heard from head-quarters (Port Talbot) but he answered, " I shall telegraph and it will be all right." He did not say, " I have telegraphed," but " I shall telegraph." The deposition of the prisoner taken before the coroner, was then put in. He positively swore that he telegraphed to Port Talbot, " Can down train go to Port Talbot on up-line I" and received the reply, "Send, down-train on up-line." When he was about to start with the train he tried to telegraph, " Down-traiu now leaving on up line," but could not make them understand. He then gut ou the engine and proceeded with the train. Mr. Giffard, for the prisoner, contended that White bad done everything he could do in the dis charge of his duty, that he had been guilty of no culpable negligence, and if he had been in error it was an error of judgment. He contended that the ver sion given by the Port Talbot officers was an inn probable one, and called Miss Llewellyn, who deposed that she was wait ing at Port Talbot station to go by the up train, which was detained there on account of the goods train haying obstructed the line. While in the office on the passengers' side of the screen she heard the clerk inside telegraphing, and heard the message spelt off, " Can passengers cute on T' There was then a talk about whether the answer should be " Yes." The clerk did not seem to understand the telegraph, and she heard them say, " Here's a fine mess," and " What can they mean 1" Another witness was examined, but he did not carry the case any further. Mr. Brown then replied, and His lordship summed up, and left it to the jury to say whether the prisoner had been guilty of cul pable negligence—whether he bad despatched the down train on the up-line without taking the neces sary precautions to ensure its safety. The jury found a verdict of guilty, but strongly recommended the prisoner to mercy. His lordship, in passing sentence, said he did so with considerable reluctance, believing that the oc curt ence arose from excess of zeal on his part; but he had been guilty of most culpable rashness. He then passed sentence of a month's imprisonment. The prisoner s a id h e h ad been convicted by perjury. NORTHERN CIRCUIT—NEWCASTLE, FEB. 27. Mr. Baron Martin and Mr. Justice Byles arrived in this town from Carlisle yesterday afternoon, and proceeded at once to open the commission ; after which th-i r L or d s hi ps attended Divine service at the old church. This rn(;ri - iiri w g Mr. Baron Martin sat to try the town prisoners at the Guildhall, and Mr. Justice Bytes sat at 11 o'clock to try the county prisoners at the Moot Hal!, assisted in the latter part of the day by Mt. Baron :Viartin. The town calendar contained the names of five prisoners, the ch arges aga i nst th em tieing ordinary sessions ca: e 3. The county calendar contains the names of 10 prisoners, one of whom is ehargel with chill utur ' der, one with bigamy, the rest were ordinary lar ' cenies usually tried at sessions. The charge of murder against Isabella Murray was postponed until next assizes by Mr. Justice Byles, it being stated that the prisoner was too ill to be put upon her trial. One or two of the charges of larceny were tries, and the rest pleaded guilty and were summarily disposed of. James Jennings was indicted for bigamy at Tyne mouth, on the 25th of January last, in having then married a woman, his former wife being alive. Mr. Davi,on appeared for the prisoner. On the case being called on no counsel appeared for the prosecut on. H:s L dship inquired if any counsel appeared too prosecute ? Mr. Davison said thA a new practice appeared to be attempted to be set up ou the Northern Cir cuit. He understood that an attorney had been instructed to prosecute and had prepared a brief for counsel ; but as it was supposed from what the de fendant said before the magistrates that he would plead guilt y, the taxing officer, Mr. Compton, acting under the rules and directions issued from the Treasury, had refused to allow the attorney his costs for preparing a brief, or a fee for counsel. His Lordship—Does any one prosecute ? Mr. Blackburn said a brief wasjust then handed to him, but he was not instructed, and no ft e was marked. His Lordship—Do you appear to prosecute ? Mr. Blackburn said he did not, but merely held the brief. The Churchwarden of Tynemouth here stated that he bad been hound over to prosecute, and had in structed Mr. Kidd, an attorney, to prep:►re a brief for counsel and take the necessary steps to prove the case against the prisoner. A brief had been prepared accordingly, and was ready to bedelivered, when he had that day been informed by the taxing officer that under the new taxing rules, as the pri soner was expected to plead guilty, the costs of pre paring a brief and a fee to counsel would not be allowed. His Lordship then directed that the depositions should he handed to the junior counsel iu court, to examine the witnesses. The depositions were accordingly handed to Mr. Church. It was then proved that the prisoner had been married t o a woman named Parker in August, 1856, and that the woman he then married was still alive. Evidence was then given of his marriage at Tyne mouth on the 25th of January lasr. On cross-examination by the learned counsel for the prisoner it was elicited that the prisoner's first wife had been in a female penitentiary before his marriage with her, unknown to him ; that after she had been married to him a month she went off with another man, and had since led a dissolute life, and it was reported she had since married again; that the prisoner's second wife was aware of all the facts, and being under the impression that the second marriage of the prisoner's tir,t wife had freed the prisoner she had married him—tbit prosecution bad not been instituted by her. Mr. Davison on these facts left the case in his lordship's hands. His Lordship having summed up, The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and His Lordship said, he thought the justice of the case would be met by sentencing the prisoner to ono week's imprisonment. The whole of the criminal business was got through in tree course of the aftt-rnoon. The civil busines4, which consists of an entry of seven causes, will be commenced on Monday before both their lordships. The above discu , si , n about the allowance of costs has created a good deal of comment at the bar. It is understood that a Ecale of allowance for attor neys, fees for counsel, and expenses for witnesses is being prepared which is wholly inadequate to remunerate the former or to reimburse the latter. Is this a new scheme in order to make out a case far the appointment of public prosecutors ? Cut down the costs allowed to the attorney to such an extent that it is worth no respectable man's while to attend to a prosecution ; make the fees to counsel so miserable that they cease to care about criminal business ; pay the witnesses so little that they are out of pocket for their expenses, and will, as a na tural consequence, avoid coming forward on all oc casions to give information or tender evidence because to do so is to inflict a fine OD themselves in the shape of expenses which they will not get paid, besides loss of their time ; then, in all probability, a case will be ea•ily made out that the administra tion of criminal justice in the country is inefficient. Numerous instances will be ready to quote of crimi nals who have escaped justice because he attorney's clerks or constables sent with briefs to counsel (it not being worth while for the attorneys to come themselves), from ignorance of what was required to be proved to establish their cases, have not had the requisite proofs ready. Counsel for miserable fees will not throw that zeal into the cases which hey ought to do, and witnesses will not be in attend ance because they cannot afford to lose both time and money. When a goodly number of criminals have escaped justice through this careful economy (but real extravagance), then my Lord Campbell will be in a condition to bring these facts befog e the House of Lords as establishing an unanswerable case for the appointment of public prosecutors all over the country. The plan is an ingenious one, and, should it be carried out, the mind which conceived it way possibly be rewarded by one of these public appoint ments. The folly of such a course of proceeding, so far as the securing the due administration of jus tice is concerned, is but too apparent. MIDLAND CIRCUIT, NOUTHAMPTON,,Feb. 27. This being tho commission day and the Lord Chief-Justice Campbell occupied in trying the case against the directors of the R..yal British Bank, Mr. Justice Coleman proceeded to Northampton and opened the commission at 3 p.m. In the county gaol era 15 prisoners -2 charged with shootini, with intent to do grievous bodily harm ; 1 with burglary and stabbing ; 1 with break ing and entering a ohu‘ ch and molding a commu nion cloth ; 3 wan ar, , ou ; 1 with uttering false and counterfeit coin ; 1 with embezzlement, and 6wi h larceny. In the borough gaol are 9 prisoners, 3of whom have each two bills of indictment preferred against them. One of these is a solicitor charged will having obtained from the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury the sum of 381. 3s. by certain false pretences, with intent to defraud. There is a further charge against the same prisoner of having committed wilful and corrupt perjury in an affidavit wade and sworn before a Commissioner for taking oaths in Chancery. There are three other cases of obtaining money or goods by false pre tences, two embezaL.ments, and five larcenies. On the civil side no case has yet been entered. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—Feb. 28. BOW-STREET.—On Saturday Edward True low, who was remanded from Monday on the charge of writing and publishing "a false, mali cious, scandalous, and seditious libel of and against his ajesty the Emperor of the French, with a view to incite divers persons to murder his said Majesty," appeared before Mr. Henry for further examination. Mr. Bodkin again con , luc ted the case on the part of the Crowii, but Mr. Truelove was defended by his solicitor, Mr. Leverson, without counsel. Mr. Bodkin—Sir, I shall be satisfied with the same amount of bail for the defendant to appear to take his trial on this charge. Mr. Leverson—Allow me first to inquire what is the object of the prosecution ? Is it the suppres sion of the pamphlet ? Mr. Bodkin—The object is to show to the world that publications systematically recommending as sassination, by any person Englishman or foreigner, will nE t be tolerated by the English law. Mr. Leverson—ln tbat case I shall have a few objections to offer, but first I wish to ask Mr. Bodkin one other questi.m. It is, whether the pro secution; having been commenced under the late Goveriiment---. Mr. Bodkin could answer no question on that subject. Mr. Leverson—Will Mr. Bodkin point out the passages on which he relies ? Mr. Hoary—They wore pointed out to defend ant's counsel on the last occasion. Did you in ruct Mr. Sleigh? Mr. Lever-on—Yes and no. Mr. Sleigh was perfectly justified. My name was made use of, but I had no opportunity of communicating. Mr. Henry --A counsel does not act without the intervention of a solicitor. Mr. Leverson—Certainly not. Mr. Henry—Then did you instruct Mr. Sleigh Mr. Leverson—Y , s, sir ; but I had no opportu nity of communicating with Mr. Slel t h before he appeared at this court. But notwithntanding the strong feeling which you are reported to have ex pressed on the subject, I shall ask you to dismiss this frivolous but most dangerous prosecution with all the ignninitiy which it merits. I ask it not for the bake of my client but for the sun of the o rn munity whose best privileges are struck at by these proceFdingß. Tile surest satdguard of our rights is the liberty of the press, which, bung maintained, secures all other rights inviolable, but which being attacked, all our de tre,t p r i v il eges are threat ened. And though Mr. Truelove might, per h ips, have made his peace by apologising, and su m tting to a 'Joann *1 conviction, he feels that the &tort d rights of tne cetnin unity are thus strangely entrusted to him, and he will not betray th m though he may lose all his little property in defend ing them from aggression. But before I proceed, I caunot•help drawing your attention to what appe , rs to me a great stress of authority. Mr. Truelove, though a poor man, is highly respecta, ,, le, having kept for many years a small bookshop a few yards from Temple -bar. He could be found there, on any day of any week, and there was no doubt that he would have appeare Ito a summons. But, without any previous noise, a warrant was issued against him, having been granted with a facility Mr. Henry remarked that it was very inconve nient to have a change of advocates, and have the same observations over again. The points raised by Mr. Leverson were proper topics for comment before a jury, and, ultimately, the case must go to one. Mr. Leverson—Well, sir, I hope to be able to convince you to the contrary. Mr. Truelove, I may mention, did withdraw the n:mphht fr, m publica tion on Alonday last—not that he thought there WO any harm in it, but becAuo ho thought he was not in a position to fight The G ;yernment—if they would be contQnt with the withdrawal. It is be cause he cannot afford the expense of the trial that I am anxious to prevent his committal, by con vincing you that-- MI Hen y—t:ian yogi convince me that it is not a lib 1 ?—that it d. - )ca not recontwend assassination? Mr. Leverson—[ will address myself to that point. Defendant—l think, after the opinion the magis trate has expressed, it would - be advisable to reserve the defence. Mr. Leverson—After that expression of opinion I must, of course, accede, but I still think the in dignation of the public will be aroused. Mr. Bodkin—l quite are with Mr. Leverson, that the indignation of the public will be aroused by reading this atrocious publication. It would indeed be a disgrace to the English character, and to the English law, if the :promulgation of such doctrines did not excite indignation, and subject its authors to punishment. The securities were then renewed, and defendant was committed for trial. MEETING OP THE SEIIPW.RECKED MARINERS SOCIETY. SHIPWRECKS AND REWARDS. At the last weekly meeting of the above society the following interesting paper was read. His Grace the Duke of Marlborough, president, in the chair, and the follow.ng noblemen and gentlemen, members of the committee, w. re present :—The Right Hon. L-rd Ile..ry Cholmondeley, Admiral Sir H. Hope, K. C. 8., Capt. Bon. Francis Maude, R.N., Admiral Cat,r, Wm. Stewart, Esq., Rev. C. B. Gribb!e, Captains Heaslop, Westbrook, Young, Egerton, and Sullivan, R.N., Lieut. Gil more, R.N., and Capt. Lainber Perrott. • During the past year the following gold medal■ have been given as re warts for saving life, To Mr R. Grang,r, Cape of Good Hope, forwarded through his Excellency Sir George Grey, by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in testimony of the heroic disregard for his own lite exhibited by him in pulling'off in a small dingey to save the crew of the schooner Miner, capsized by a heavy squall in Table Bay. To Capt. A. 0. Clarke, for gallant xertions in saving the lives of the crew of the Eleanor Lancaster, wrecked in a terrific gale at Newoas le, New South Wales. To Mr. Sheard, of the Randolph, for his exertions in saving the lives of emigrants wrecked at the Mauritius, under cir cumstances of the most trying and perilous nature. To Captain J. Blampied, for resorting at the great peril of his life, the master and crew of the screw steamer Briton, which foundered at sea in a great storm. To Lieut. Jamieson, port-captain, Table Bay. Cape of Good Hope, for his gallant exertions in rescuing the crews (amounting to 64 persons) of the Newport, Isabella, Cristobal, and Ellen Rawson, wrecked at that place, forwarded through his Excellency Sir G. Grey, by the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The following have received silver medals, vii : —Assistant Port-captain, Table Bay, James Hop. son, the coxswain of the life-boat, and eleven men, engaged with Lieutenant Jamieson, as above; John Ronieril, mariner, engaged with Captain Blampied, as above ; Captain Syvret, with a crew of four men, manned a boat, and succeeded in saving the crew of the Adelaide off Richibucto Harbour, aft being lashed to the rigging without food for 40 hours ' • E. 0. Hayes, Esq., R.N., f or hi s exer tions and admirable behaviour, by which 5 of the crew of the cutter of the Cockatrice, capsized in the surf, were rescued from a watery grave ; Captain G. B. Lee, who gallantly, in his own boat, went to the assistance of the cre* of the Aphrogencia, wrecked off Cochin ; Mr. A. H. Johnson, and 7 men who were instrument a l in rescu i ng th e ' grant cord ship Martin Luther, having on board 49 8 passabgers, found disabled in the Bay of Biscay. The Society has ' in addition to th e a b ove , re lieved in the last year 1,114 widows and aged parents, 1876 orphans, and 4,133 shipwrecked ma* riners and fishermen, making a total of 7,123 per sons suffering from shipwreck, or other casualtieo of the sea, at a cost of 9,4001. ; being in excess of the year 1856, 928 persons, and 2,40/. Country Markets LEICESTER-FR. 27. An inactive trade in wheat to-day, and the transactions must be quoted at the rates of last week. Barley wile unchanged in value. Oats and beans as before. NOTTINGHAM—Fix 27. A good supply of wheat and a fair attendance of futons and farmers. Wheat a dul► demand ; fine qualities tally last week's prices; inferior, is.lower. Fib QUARTEZ. Pal QtriaTNll• Wheat, red (old) 428 to 49e Barley, grinding ... 27s to 310 Ditto (new) Ditto, white s6s to 57s Peas Ditto (old) Barley, malting ... 32s to 42:. Flour, per sack NORWICH-FIB. 27. Wheat in fair supply, and trade inactive. Business WO slow, and in some instances a reduction of is was noted. There was very little doing in other grains. Flour easier to purchase. White wheat, 48a to 50.4 ; red, 421 to 46a ; barley. 3 e t. 415. ; flour, 3 a 6d per sack; beans, 401 to 444; 42. to 43e; oats, 28. to 30e. NEWCASTLE—FEB. 27'. Farmers' wheat in large supply, with a fair sale at fulli is per qr. decline. Not much doing in South country and foreign. Flour a slow sale, at rather lower rates. Barley' in moderate request, at fully late rates. Oats oommand full rates. Beans and peas unaltered. DALSEITH GRAIN MARKET—FRI. 25. Qrs. Best. Current. infetio, 593 Wheat 45s 6d 37s 9d 1268 Oats 3 os Od . 24 s 3d 741 Barley 3ss Od 274 sid 2- 6d 43 01 116 Peas & beans 432 Od 3B. Od HADDINGTON GRAIN MARKET—Fss, 26• - - -.---.... -- - WHEAT. .I BARLEYI OAT*. I BEM./. First s2a Od I 40s Od 135 s Od 1 48s Od Secoad 39. 8d 1 30s Od 1 26s 7d j 39 rd Chird 32. 6d 1 21. 6d I 'zis 3d I 35s 0.1 Total quantity of wheat in market, 659 qrs., 566 1011 PP ~ barley „ 720 qrs., 648-soldl' Pl , oats .1 PP ~ beans .i. 223 qrs., 173 0 ° 1 " / 1210 qr5.,10 45 AVERAGES PER IMPERIAL QUARTER. Wheat, 1/. 19 8 9-12ths I Barley, ...11. 10 0 8-1 2411. Oats, ... 11. 6 7 0 12ths 1 Beans, 11. 19 7 9.120 0 s ABERDEEN-Fn. 26. Potato oats 19s 0,1 to 20s Od 1 401bs bushol Common oats 18s Od to 18 5 6d f Bore 23s Od to 25s Od I 531bs Barley 23 s Od t o 25 s Od f Wheat, red (spring)3os Od to 33s Od f 69110 I . , white 28s Od to 44s Od 'Oat ' meal 15s Od to 1 sOd per boll. Flour 38s Od to 39s Od per sack. PROVISION MARKET. Beef, per lb 5d to 8d Butter, p lb. s —(1 to ls OA I Mutton, per lb •5d to 8d Eggs, p doz. Os 8d to Os Y 6 l, Lamb, do., Os 5d to Of, &1 Hens, p pair 3s Od to 3s DI Veal, per lb ... 5d to Os 8 I Chickens,do.2s Odto Z. 6u Pork, perlb...os Od to Os Od Ducks, do: Is 6d tut' C id Salmon, per lb Os Od Duckli ngs, d'a s Od to 2P Q Grouse, per brace . , Os to Os Turkeys, each Os td to Oya Tallow, p stone, Os to —s 01 Potatoes, pr pock, —4 W Rabbits, each 7d to Bd. to 100' Butter for exportation (present cure) per cwt. Eggs, wholesale price, per d ozen RETAIL PRICES. IS I 8d F10ur,141b....0s Od to 2s 2d Barleyflour,l4lb.Os t o Oatmeal Os Od to is 7d „ dust, ..... Os to OA, nA 131‘; Beremeal ....Os Od to Is Gd „ per lb 2d to 7a Peasempal... Os Od'to Es 4d I Sidi. Cheese, per imperial stone, 4s. Od. to 4s 6d 4-Ib. 10af...6d. 12-Ib. 10af...3d. DUBLIN, FEB. 26. White wheat, 263 61 to 28s Oil , red ditto, 23s Od 0 , 26 d 5 . 01 ditto new, 0,1; barley, malting, 13s to 18s 01; gr lp iag, —8 to —s ; oa.s, old, lls Oil to 14a; ditto, 01 to —s al, oatmeal, 14e to 1530 d; bore, new, 14 1 ° Via Od , rape, d, 233 Od to 253 Oil per brl ; 6° ll per Oil to 203 Oil per cwt ; corn. 31s (n to 33 4 480 lbs. BIRTHS. • DENISON—On the 25th Feb., at Roundhay Lodge, asst L-eds, the Hon . Mrs. William Beckett Denison, °"' daughter. HARNIES--On the 2Sth tilt , at 11, Waloot-parade, Nstli° Mrs. Hanks, of a son. PACK—On the 26th ult. ' at 41, Harley-street, the WU. of Lieut.-Colonel Rey nellPack, C. 8., of a daughter. MARRIAGES. BARROW — GLOVER—On the 25th ult , at St. joll Church, Lewisham-road Mr. George Barrow, la te Glover, Basinghall- s t ree t , to Julia, fifth daughter of the Glover, Esq., of Iligh•etreet, Southwark. ELL-0 0 the 24th ult., at the Parade, D EAT DUR J • B. Durell, Egg age3') li'y " - "" C• LEit---On the 24th nit., , p j* h Devon, James a,. aw is , . Fyler, Esq., of Woodlands, Surrey, aged 68. HI e ller LL On the 26th ult ,at 2, Osnaburg-terrace, Beg „_„,u_ nark Aud rey the wife of Haigh la . " G '. A , eorgiaus, tine, POOlO, Dorset, Esq., Q.C. SCOTT—On the26th nit. , hill. 11 0°D3as TtiORDIAN—On the 26th ult., at Hackney, Air; cul i, Edward Scott, Esq., d lu l " . Thorman, formerly of West•street, Finsbury-o'r big. TOOBR—On the 26th ult., at his residence, 31C43E:.‘g., gardens, after a few weeks' illness, Thomas TOW. F.R.S., aged, 84., - - ONDON PAuted and Published by MURDO YOU l f; f Noy 112, ;Arend. etint6r, at The Sun Office. COI2/211 112, Strand, in the Precinct o f the Savoy, of Mit:ldiom, Monday, March 1, 1863.