Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-30 00:00:00

with once, in 1846; and from that time afterwards I believe not at all. The deed provides the bank state ments should be signed by three directors, and it was only once complied with, namely, in December, 1316. The statement of general balance is this :—" Vie have ex amined the account, and approved the same. Signed, .W. RATHBONE, ROBERT CROSTIIIVAITE." The state ment is sigzed by William Cross. A balance-sheet fo .. 1347, is signed by two directors, as auditors; and affer . 1847 the statements are never 'again - certified or, signed,. but only recorded in the director's minute-book. Now, we have. been told that the directors were ignorant of what was going on in the bank ; but I .find .tilere was .a discussion, and a resolu tion passed, and secrecy. signed on more than one occasion. On the 30th of June, • 1846, William Rath bone and Richard Rathbone addressed a lettar to the directors. A second committee was apßointed,which met those gentlemen, and which reported'as folloW4: " That in - order to prigvent the public discussion arising. out of the present. state of the bank, which under other circumstances would be inevitable, and in order tl mike way for other arrangements, that MI% Rbtherhana be requested to retire from the direction." .Now, gentle men, if the proprietors had been informed at that early period of the real state of the bank, of which they were then in, full possession, do you suppose for one moment that I, and the other shareholders, would have allowed matters to go on front had to worse till they arrived at the culminating. point of losing the whole of your capital and a. call upon your shares? No man in pO,Ses:3iou of his common senses would have allowed anythinf; of the kind. But so far from giving that information which .was (14e to you as shareholders, here is a resolation • which is calculated to bark all information. .There Was a minute that all advances . slionld be limited to 1,20,001 in 1840, but that Was found so inconvenient that it was rescinded in 18.53. Why was it rescinded ? Then:Fe it • had been trair;gre,sed, not (ily twofold, or threeal, but I will not undeotake to say to :What extent—it had already been violated to such an enoituous extent,, On _Nov. 20th, 1856, there was a minute : "No open account to exceed £lO,OOO, except the following," and then follows a list of gentlemen, comprisfng some hundreds of thousand of pounds, every one of whOni haS' gOne; . (Cries of "Name, name ") Why,: I don't think it necessary for rue to name them. (A shareholder : "It it due - to.the sharehohlorsl But if, as we go oa, it is thought desirable that, the *meeting should be furnished with sonic lames, I t all have no objection; but I Wish to avoid it in'eVerY case . Where it' is possible. I promised you, gentlemen ; that I would be very brief indeed ; .and . I therefore pass on from th's to an ;ther part of the subject: I' Will' only just observe here : that the original founders 'of. the bank were wide . awake - . ennugh, and knew their interest . . too ,well to continue in 't, and le't it in 1316. The next point to whielt I ... would just advert, as we go along, - 14 that the balances dearieounts were carried on from year to year as- good, there they figured for years after lc 3, when it .Was'intieisible, as slicill'Sb.ow ire''. I 1 ',y, that 013 atiOttirg'etjuld be ignorant of their ortlilessnes3 - •'llenaVhbai.) There is the , . ' 4il . nce:l'llai&no delicacy in menti::,.: as it is a name knoWn to everybody ; : 1846. That balance ,Was not ~ written off ti I (densation.) shall now, gentlemen, rive ;cv; iintatices of the - good managerinf; tuid i - ).1-.1..2r in ~ v!lich your. pro ' pertyhas been deAlt•With: are sel , , , eted, with:one or two exeqtfotiS;-Iwilll6t.it any plrticul.ir .are taken out of tbOtftts,. and I c:c.:::crtalce to - say, bat I could furnish'ycyn,' ,, ,Tse.o , V.l , , , i• one I shall quote, if I wire to tilak6 '.election carefully from them. The tfrSt on the'.liSt - is .C28';078 to aai•ewer. The security deposited -.titg the hank waS a lease; - and , that lease, gentlemen, ':cati: tell you, was worse than Worthless. The next is 't34,600, to a person well known never to have been worthy' of credit for a tithe-of . that ' ' aMou.nt; and he gaVe no security whatever. - :(•t*llatnei name?" A voice, " Those names . wonld - be' , /tty Thctery.to The next is .X 31,898, 'Dal ihrior skurity. 4 .l.llto'noxt is £33,000,- with a security of •y..l.m.eed not tell you was not worth anythistg at thotime; , The .next is .845,247. • Interest (11 that account wa'; charged to the end of Ixsl, and then, to mend matters, airectorsliou g ht other debts belonging tO that :vidual: in 'order' to get the mamtgernent into their own • hands. There it remains, gentlemen, to thii d.zy. The next i 5129,174, which wasutterly worthless, andtbio was nut a man on !Change, if he had known it at thq tune, .44 wou,bl have told (lireotors so; in fact, there was not a man ou 'Change, except the directo!..s, that did • 'inet know that account to be worth not a farthing. .' • " - Next there is .144,859 to a - surgeoil.` (Laughter.). Why, ,•;.: gentlemen, the security held in this case was of such a eharacter. that, reallyl am afraid to desiti,•nate it :i• - r it ouglit . to be,desiganted. I presume•they took his .ppts'as secucity, aut that they were depoj.ted in this f'6l.• tliat.enermoussum of money. The ur‘xt is £4'4183, with the. deckqf ,romo iron works not worth • , half the 'money. Thete.' Of Doherty { de Wolff, arid Others 'are well kuown„qua over 1.1teta...0 other ad , io 454. ,y 6 Lb viater, at, aria ;4n.yrFd ; fliat;i a I f;;?1;:'1:a-4 . eVited £13,010, but it ~ .4114e on increasing. l l . thei,aillitiO of intereA, ird: If., now. stands,nt £17,030. 'Then Jl%O is £33 133, with a *burif,x stated to be :£s;oo. r ' ; The next is X 48,638, . had the,: , security said to b,(18,300. . The next is £73,74.?, with h.security stated t0.b0 . .410,000, a . policy of 42,00, very I.leivy annual p rem i tit . The next i5 . 40,030,, m shot no security at m arke all. This ac count, it is red l vas very small at its comence ment, aid rose to its "present amount by advances on various occasions to su,stain - there. That the utnark male. in the report. The nest' account is 450,585, That :is .110.. 1 . account of the t but there is accent:it ) : :' V. 1.240-1, securi ties par ' Aicular aCeoriht 'if amiirrhtl:i infer Med F 4t steri of Japer • •‘• ,r • • • 174 S 2001C0 ' beA real those part rl pan d the to an es#Til tli'Ahafelielder.4 •:;. • - fernething 1.14 t, :hear:) .. The next is one familiar to. you U4 - 547'itlias•beon in courL there sari be to delicacy' in .. nicifiefilUg the name, and that i"s the name of Er...eles. It account 31.6,634.1 1 Thcife is a In Inu te in . " the book - that the whole *Of the the' bookS'ld' i the 31st December, 185.3 be' placed in the -- rthias' of Banner. Mr. ~11aiiiiiteil-=-I ( Epi•essions 'Of - dissent.) if I am stating anythipthere,Whith I ought not to state, I will willingly ,;.forego,alr4ding tOWbat.:ll . r. Balmer reported. (No, :2 o.) Mr. Th .do not:object. .1-• Air.- BR AJILEY- MOORE —Mr. Banner reported that • there was a deficiency in the cash account of 474,000. ••' lie wOnld haye . thonght that would have been a caution .".. to the .gentlerrien managing-the affairs of the bank "as G.- they would look into their own affairs." (Hear, bear.) • On July 25th, the position of affairs was discussed ; a. - balance-sheet was to Ire got and orders were given to • realise the property. And then comes a memoiandum, • Aug. 3rdi 1850: ".Along conversation about the affairs; in consequence of the grave inconvenience which a - public exposure of the affairs might occasion, to say nothing of the damage to the bank; Ilesolved . that the . • manager be authorised to make advances to new firms .)1‘ such an amount as the necessity of the case requires." (Sensation.) • •• • • Sr:mitt - Is —That was in 1857 ; I am aware of , that myself. • • . • Mr. Ba.k.mmw-Moolu—Well, it is in the Minutes of thb report if 1856. Mr. SELZ, here are •a groat many inaccuracies. • That is one I can tell, 'because - it was after I became manager. it was in' August, 1857. Mr. BitikmLEY-Moon. - E -, lestead of mending the mat ter Mut makes it worse. SELLA.IO--Possibly ; only I want to correct you. Mr. litumr:ey-MoonE—The next account to whi c h I would call your attention,. is that of a firm, comprising - . three other firms under one head-I believe I'may very, - 4• safely say that. The aggregate. balances of those. firms in 185* were--£214,341; in . 1855,'£21,722';' in-1856, 311,912 ; in 1857, £324;319;- and the united balances • when the bank closed were £817,167. Now, gentlemen, - T will show you that they knew the condition of those accounts as early as 185:1, and that, afterhaving had warn ing by a letter from one of the parties themselves, - stating his position at that time, they increased the account be tween June 1856 by 06,000; and yet, at that very time we were assured in the report to the shareholders, and mgratulated on the continued success and soundness of the bank. (Hear, hear.) Connected with this; I don't think it necessary to read these letters, bat here they are, showing the position of the parties_ at that 'time. • A Shareholder suggested that the letters should be • read. Mr. Bitsmuly-Mooun---I have no objections. Well, they, had been an interview. Then this - letter was written, in which he nearly .admits having . acted un justifiably in purchasing so many ships with inadequate I neani,.mul burde n i ng the bank ; and f;tati. , ,:i that " after Oliver's failure he did not see how •they were to finance in. the . .midst •of the distrust which was existing', and which was likely to- continue to exist ; and if lithey liked Co continue with they would rind that to carry . .9a would infme'a burden on the bank ; and he:thought it right for the bank to stop advising hills." They were told to go on without fear, as the bank was able and willing. lle says "he was struck with the noble way in which they were treated." So will you be, gentlemen. (Laughter.) "And he would make the interests of the batik his special duty, and whenever he.could serve it he would do so." (Laughter.) He fives over the valuation as £BO,OOO, and states that "the course of the bank had been good for itself;" and thinks a change ofTeeling with"referenee to trade would be to the best interests of the bank. • "He was justified iii thinking 'that nothing but gross mismanagement would prevent his estate from paying at least 20s. in the pound; but that in other hands than his own, the hank miftht make it as bad as Oliver's." He-Condudea thilsol--" I think you can make enough out of the above to inspire Confidence. 'lf .not, I must submit to the worst." The next letter is of the 29th December, in which he admits his nneueeessful management ; and says he had dime all "he could to relieve. tiled:mak ; the bank mint be aware of hii et!'n - ts to a certain extent, bet it could not know, the wholc,sfur whenever lie could enforce payment without the bank's interference he did it, eager to avoid bringing too many instances before it, for he knew Mr. Smith 'had enough to think of otherwise. He does not fear now telling Mr. Smith that he sup pose:i he has had not lcss,if not a great deal more, than a quarter of a million bills payable and receivable, that were of a character,of the fhrmcr, to get through since Oliver'sotoppage ; and however anxious Mr. Smith was to prevent such: a state of things, it was only in Unison with his own determination, as he had no 'desire to buy what he could not pay for." (Laughter.) He alludes to the unpleasantness of meeting Mr. Crosby, Mr. Croat, and I,lr. Smith. With the above letter was a further note, as follows :—" I may add, as I consider my affairs virtually to be in liquidation, it wOuldrelieve me of responsibility, perhaps, :if took into my office a clerk from your appointment." The next is dated January, 18.55. In that letter he said "ke ought now to enjoy some comparative quiet. He fancied he saw some indications on their part to interfere with matters which 'would only end. in mutual loss, but in that tie hoped lie was mistaken." . The next letter, of 23rd of - March, 1.856 states, " When it was decided at the time of Oliver's failure that my accounts should be kept good, 1 may mention I individually was- disappointed, beeause though I felt at the time, and feel still, that any other course would have been fearful to - the bank, yet I would gladly have escaped from gaining your confidence, as I knew better than any one many complications I had to unravel, and . how • much money it would take. At that time ray affairs were desperate—almost more than desperate—if the slightest passe had taken-place ; awl how many others may stoppage would heve,readered-eadally so, I will not stop to enumerate.. On a review of all that ha taken place, I belie've you will -find .you began (here are names) on paper ; and as they were rained up to euell'an amount, if a _stoppage had taken place, a most contemptible dividend, not only on all the paper, but - on those parties, whose tame is legion, who •• are implicated them, w-37 - dd have Wen the result." I'li . i next letter s dated • the 13th of March, -1856. It refers to the letter of the 23rd, and to "the peacelhaviag deranged his: affairs. " Had the war•gone on for. a year, all would have been right. If the receipts were stopped, and if the Government did: not keep the steadiers, there would be such an accumulation of interest and bum-k charges as would 'swamp the account before the end uf December, even if he had :L51,000 realisable surplus; But at all events, sash being hip conviction, he Considered it thee to lira ei cc well as to them, to state these things." Now, gentlemen, in giving yon this epitome, with, the accounts, I have only given you the skeleton ; because, as is -justly obserteed in one of those letters, 'their - name is legion; and In go- then and understand them properly,- and •to edeeote• the time I - have. devoted to them, tto'n'ld ocelq)y not only, the rem:lin:ler of this day y64r4igle, on a future oceaskn. This bfings,me to a uStem..whieh -I have to advert to in conneeti 'With the'statement 'T have •made—to a system adopted fur. the Krs6 ...time in 13: 3—that 1)4: - and I might say ruinous.oyetern,•Whicb alwayi rinds ie ruin, as far as our expeeicacegoeserthe system ofere s discounting.• (Hear,. bear.) That 'system ±coinenerenetln 1853, and it come , menced at that.time•eeeve know vc . ey•well why—because the bank vise in ;straits - and difficaltiee, and in want of money, And may not be uninteresting to you to' know to what extent this. part of the banking bnaines§ had been carried' on. I' think the shareholders are entitled to every information • that it is in our. power to hive who have ..obtained information, because it has been studiouslyswithheld , from you hitherto, and you have •notbr been. able to obtain - any particulars at the meetings helrl in.thh; - rO ,(Applause) That system began, as I have said, in 1853; It went on; because when the ball once begin, in that, manner, it . meet go on, and like a snow:l - 34i inexe*. In 1856, the re-discouats amounted to £l-1,224,533 19s. lid. In 1857, the arnotrat was £1•5;216,999 lse n and from. . . • . . Mr. SELIAM—That last one would,be•lBs6.: Mr. Bas. - 7.ler.y-Moene—No ; "to - June, 1857. From June, 1857, to the - 37th of. October they amounted to £3,70,292 les. ld. NoW, commentary upon that is altogether bunecessary. It is a dry fact which - I lay before you, and, as you are men of biesincee, you' will know -how to appreciate it, and what importance to . rlttech to it. -Bat - there is one subject in connection - with it which I have ex tracted from the balances of June, 1858,: and they are pretty much the same in. December, 1854. There were about forty accounts, involving at the time about £1,600,000. In Octbber 1857, when the bank closed—l have : taken the laa4r.ces - of the same viduals, and then they show about X 1.70.0,000. (Sea cation.) Now, I will put to-you, With such a balance 611oki . t. in December, .1853, and June, 1854, 'and the balanees of 1857--the;whole of those parties have failed and gone to nothing—l put it to you, with the infor mation the - directors'possessed, willa.the; caonmeue sums I have already_ read, whether ignorance could prevail in this building on the part of any , man connected with the- Management as to the rotten state of the, bank so - far back. 'as that ?' - '(Applause) . . I don't ; believe the bank had a .shilling at *at time. have, been us brief as I possibly could, because you Must bo well aware,lii making statemeifts such as Lame doing, that if I .Were , disposed-lo make .a runnine..cem mentary upon them, much, might be said'; but I con strain myself frOm doing anything of the `kind, knowin g , that I speak to men of business, and that the dry facts are sufficient for"-you. A SHAREHOLDER—Can you tell us whether those parties are - retatiens or friends of the directors ? Mr. BeAsteEv-Moorit-Well T could answer e that, but I think I had better not. Mr. SF:LIARS—Is there one ? I think it should be .• answered. • Mr. DIXON—I -think Mr. Draehley-Moore should - • answer the:"question. It had better' be answered. Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE ,—I have mentioned no natnes yet ; and as I have not mentioned names on one side, - I don't' feel callel upon to mention names_ on the other. Therefore - at present, et all events, I shall leave that-- Mr. Dixon—This is net a question of mentioning names. It is a question of whether or not the parties by whom the bank has lost money were or were not connections of the directors.. No names are mentioned. Mr. Bietereely-M00n..- 7 For the . present I decline to answer.' . Mr. DixoN—Then allow me to answer. As far as I have been..able to see, or know— , Mr: Bakeri.E - t-Moont —I rise to or•ler. Last year I experienced a great deal of interruption—some of it.. rather unseemly. '(Bear, hear.) Now, sir, when I have finished what I have got to say it will be competent for ally gentleman in this room to make any remarks he pleases, asd to answer anything I may have stated. The CHAIRMAN—Mr. Dixon will have an opportu nity,afterwards.' IJr. 'the nest • point to which I shall call attention, or rather for your informa tien, is the shareholders who are debtors to the bank And I need not tell you, gentlemen, that no shareholder, according to the deed of settlement is entitled to receive dividends for - one thing, and that the shares at all events ought to be paid for. I now briase. before you twenty of them who are debtors to the bankas shareholders. The first" is a smell amount, 38 shares, on which -he • - • appears tohe•debtor £lO7. " Mr. Berrxe—Debtor on account of calls ? Mr. BRAMLEY-,MORE.—No. The next is 30 shares, debtor - account £655; next, 143 shares, with. a debtor account of £1,634. In that case the calls -were paid, and dividends credited to his account, and he had been debtor for mauy years for the above amount. The next is .the holder of 1,000 shares ; and that you have already had the particulars of. .It was one of the direc tors, and the case is notorious---4 mean Mr. Crosby's case. The next is 702' 'shares,. with £1,607. The next is -90 shakes; debtor £722. The next is one of 200 shares, debtor £19,355 .10s, 3d. ; .and. of • course you' are; aware ,_there will. be a call made upon you- to add to this. These were required lin 1851-2-3-4, and Li was paid on them. NORTHERN DAILY 'TIMES. A working account was kept for the first year. The calls were debited to • the -account, and the dividend regularly credited. The balances were as follow : June, 1853, £10,054 9s. 2d..; 1854, £9,473 ; 1855, £11,326 ; 1856, £19,422 ; and 1857, £19,355." If that account had gone on for a series of years, it would have been wiped off with the interest of the dividends applied to the credit of thc•account every year, without any calls at all being paid. The next easels 208 shares, £470 1 ls. 6d. debtor; with the calls debited and the dividends credited. The next is 385 shares, debtor £8,992. :The next is 76 shares, debtor £256 18s. 91 ; the next is 114 shares, debtor £623 15s. 9d., the dividend iirthis case being credited; the next is 1,000 shares, debtor £l5B 135.; the next is 100 shares, debtor £1,394 I.os. • the next is 115 shares : in this case ten calls were debited periodi-• ellly to account, and the dividenls were paid in money, excepting only the one for July, 1857, and that was placed to the credit of the account. - The next is 232 shares, £392 debtor. The next is 191 shares, debtor £1,855, the balances composed of shares, and interest, and dividends credited. The next is 190 shares : this account opened with a debit of call on shares," and .the balances are composed of call on shares and in terest." The next is 45' shares, which were similarly situated. Now, you see there has been a systematic violation of the deed of settlement. - A SHAREHOLDER—Can you give the full amoant ? Mr. BnAmrny-Moonn—l have not got the total amount. Weil, I think, gentlemen, I'llavegiven you a very tolerable insight into 'the affairs of the bank, and how they have been managed--(applause)—and that you will agree with me that nothing could be worse, and - that no other result than the termination which came ...upon us could have been expected by any one who was acquainted with the facts I have detailed to you. (Applause.) It will be in the recollection of „the • meeting, that last year indignation was expressed by more than one gentleman in this room at my making use of the words " delinquent dii•ectors." (Applause.) Now, whatever unOct be.`the appro priateness or inappropriateness or s that term twelve months ago, we have- , since then seen a trial in a court of justice, and .I think that what occurred there will not only sufficiently justify the expression I .made use of, but will also show you that the liquidators have been in possession •of -information which, Ithink;• would have warranted them in.taking.initiatory measures against the directors. (Applause.) • I should be sorry to apply or to use any harsh • term towaris any gentle men, but there was evidently a manifestation of 'feeling to put me down on that occasion.' (Hear, hear.) The indignation was strong and warmly expreSsed ; and I appeal to van now, gentlemen, whether, after the statements I • have laid before 'yen—Whether the ap plication of the term "delinquent directors": is not a proper, nay, even a mild one. (Hear, hear.) - In sup port'ot this, might quote from the LOrd Chief Justice, . when certain eharges Were'made in an appeal which was made to - him. He says this— The declaration imputes. to - him that he - - knowingly . eencerred. in a report which he knew to be untrue, and that be did so - with aa in tention of deeeiVing. I am sorry to, say i think that in this case that has been proved acrainSt_hlat.'. lordship goes on to say e that, " this declalation is not agaiast him for concurring and. chlyising merely, bat it is also for repreeenting that a dividend was paid out of the profits, and that - the bank was a situation safely to make such dividend. Eye and '.bye he was asked was that - the . - time state of the affairs of thTbank..: decided - Vit. was not. Upon that there is no dispute that that was incorrect—that it was uiatrae." • Ho goes cn to say, '"Mr. Dixon by his frankness had brought this upon himself. Still Mr. Dixon is acting the part of a cautious'.and honest man." (Applause.) He ralds,• " why did he not like it? (That is the report.) It would alarm those who might be in clined to become shareholders;' they did not• like it because it spoke ,he the truth tooplainly." The Lord. Chief Justice goes On to say, "I - say the fair • inference is this : that he concurs in it because' . he believed it would - no - thilerm them ; 'that it could nOt - pnvent - people continuing their deposits in the bank ; that it could not prevent people baying shares in the hank: Is not that a fraud ? (He means of course a 'legal fraud.) Although he might believe that if the . hank went on proverohsly, and made £,103,000 a year, ultiMately it might prosper, add feral a • successfal speculation ?" He then g oes on to .show the, danger of the directors ; and to that I wish to call the 'liquidators' attention, as the chairman has..told us they see no ; reasou to takeany .other view than and one they took last year, about the responsibility and liability of the directors, both in a moral paint of view and also in a criminal point of view. I have little doubt that the chairman has carefully read those Inagatents, .L.tiel the opinion of the judges who sat on that occasion; mid I think the paragraph I am about., to read cannot. have escaped_bis attenti:en :—" In the case of the directors of the British Bank, I had occasion to lay down, I believe--and that was not considered as a misdirection in .point 'of law - to the inry—that if it was thesintention of the directors to publish What they knew to be untrue, for the purpose of inducing persons . 'to hut shares- in the bank, that they were guilty of - doing what was Wrong and might he indicted for a conspiracy. Although - they. might have belieYed at the time that by a successful career the bank might ulti mately be solvent, by publishing an untrue statement of the condition of the' bank for the purpose of inducing persons to become purchasers 'of shares and running the risk'of the bank becoming bankrupt, that was what the hw would.not allow, and those Who did so - were subject 'to both civil and criminal proctiedings." (Hear, hear.) 4s a matter of duty, .if I had filled the chair, to exonerate mySelf I would have taken a legal opinion upon it--to exonerate myself from a liability ao.feaeful. 'Because, when we,come to look at the consequences, from the stoppage of.a hauls like this '—the Misery, the ruin, that it has spread abroad—cheer,. heary e -the inmates of lunatic asylums it his furnished, and bow many it has sent to the'grave, and the widows and orphans that have 'suffered 14 it,e(hear, hear)—it is a tesponsibility I would ...not have incurred without appealing to.the shareholders, or, at allevents, taking a legal opinion upon it. (Applause.) Mr. Justice .Wigh t iaaan--I•will not troablc you with reading much of this -"concurred entirely in the statements of its condition, —(hear, hear)—which he knew at' the time - of the report to be untrae, - , and which was untrue in fact." - Now, what , was the report. , -In point of fact it did not contain a true report, which appears from the testimony of gr. - Dixon himself; •in fact, onehhall of the capital was irrecoverably' gone at that time. • He goes on to say, "that Mr. Dixon, (these are his own words,) to pLvent disastrous cbneeneenCes.to the bank, had eon-' curred in a statement which he says in his own evidence he knew to be false. Now, that is the whole gravamen of the .charge; it is that he knew it to be Oilse." And he then goes on to say-- He did what was wrown_kuewing what was. right." I Can only say a s far as am pesonallyconcerhed, that I wish, with all my heart, that„Mr. Dixon had been a direat3r'in 1852' and. 1853. (Applause.) Because, I will say this, that I do believe if he'had been a director,. that; so far froin our being. the siuTerers that we now are, we should have eseaped with little, or perhaps no loss at all ; and he would have- been spared the position which he fell into: by acqiiiesino. ' with others in the report which was laid' before us. As Mr. Justice Wightinan very properly .observes—"l quite agree with the rest of the court that up to a certain time the elhduct of Mr. Dixon was net' honest,, but ieral.eeworthy" I give him credit that., he intenued to do what was right, and I shall have no hesitation in repeat- Mg, that I wish he had been a director- at a much earlier period.. Mr. Justice Hill concurred entirely in the opinion of the other judges. The judge defines the report as "a report published falsely, with the intention to deceive." The - -judges said "the jury had found the report to be a false and. fraudulent one, and they saw no reason for disturbing the verdict." Mr'. Chairman, I am sure I need not tell you what a' vary painful task I have undertaken' in making these statements to . the shareholders ;• but, sir, I think it is due to them, and due to the world, as a warning; that everything should be made known, and the more publicity is <riven to this matter the better it will be for all the ° banking establishments throughout the kingdom. I regret that it should have fallen to me to make this statement, but it does so happen that it has devolved upon rae, and I have endeavoured to do it with as few remarks and opinions of my own as I possibly can give. (llear, hear.) T have confined myself to matters of face which have come to our knowledge since we met here last year, by an inquiry which we obtained at great cost and trouble, and which you, sir, I think, might have given us with out any cost or trouble at all--(applause)---and I think, after what I have quoted to yon from the different judges in the case, that if you have not already perceived you ll . new percive and se the ncessity of in vin wi dication e of yourself, e and to e exonerate y ourselfy from responsibility, of taking some opinion -and some advice, and consulting the shareholders about initiatory proceedings being taken. (Hear, hear.) I wish to repeat that the statements I make I do not make on my own responsibility, but they are taken from : the report of the examination of the bank books made by the official reporter, and which report has been sub mitted, before it has been returned to our hands, to the inspection of the Master of the Rolls; and inasmuch as he saw no ehjeetion to that report being confided to the shareholders, I think I am amply jastlfied, - and those who have acted with me are justified, in bringing this knowledge before the body of the shareholders at large ; and if it had been so intended that the report should not be made public, •and the shareholders have the benefit of such information as it might convey, it would then have been returned to the liquidators to be kept secret by them, and' entombed, as everything else has been, from LI3 up to this 'day. I mast apologise for the great length of time I have occupied this meeting ; but I feel, at the same time, that although I have .occupied a large share of time, it has been a comparatively small space compared- with the matter the proprietors would like to be informed about; and it is, as I told you at the beginning, only a skeleton of the business: (Applause.) . - The 011.1/RMAN said that he had allowed Mr. Bramley- Moore to go on with the whole of his statement, although he considered it irrelavent to the - objects of the meeting.. All the information which he desired had bebn given to him by order of the Master of the Rolls, and the lieuidatore, so far from withho'ding any infor mation, bad l been conseeting parties to that order; and as soon as they had permission, they placed every-docu ment they touli consistently place in the hands of -the accountant. With reSpeet .to the liquidators taking . initiatory proceedin g s, there might be a difference of opinion..: If. • the. shareholders _certainly had .re ceived legal opinion, and that opinion was strongly iu favour of taking. legal proceedings, it - is possible that if such •an • opinion was placed in the hands of the liquidators, they might ask the Master of . the Rolls to give his permission for such pro . ceedings to he taken ; but without hii opinion they did not consider it their duty to take any proceedings whatever. He had allowed Mr. Bramley-Moore to make his statement, because he considered it was quite well that. it -should he ; made, but made at, the proper time, and the shareholders ought to haye. called a meeting. He did not know whether it was a propeiequestion, but • he would like to ask if .Mr. Bramley-Moore had taken counsel' s. opinion ? . Mr. BRAmenee-Moonn—l decline to answer. that. The ClIA11:31AN repeated that if he had taken counsel's opinion, and if .that opinion .was strongly in: favour of legal proceedings being taken, the , liquidators ''would communicate with the Master of the dolls upon the sabjeet., I • Mr. )3:No:se-I feel, on the whole, rather pained,' because I should have been , brought forward so prom inently in the remarks just now made. . The share- E. - holders who aro present are.pretty well conversant with the part that I have .taken ; and although I. feel the injustice that is done to me, do not. rise so much to complain , - .0f. : that as to complain of. the ;complexion. which is now sought to be pet•on the amount of mis representation that was; alleged to haYe.been made in. - the ',report of. July, 18:37. .The,wholesef the proceedings, of the , trial.. Dixon verse's Scott, and the proceedings.] before the four judges when a illation was macinfor a new trial, went to show beyond all question that £58,000 -,was the extent. of the .deteit that was then known to the (Erecters. It .is true that, Me.; Justice -Wright- . man' by some error, for which I cannot account, did seem to he under the :impression that then more than half the .ca p ital was gene ; and that• that fact was then, • known to the directors, and beingunder that impression he cominitted'n clearsuidiefinitelnistelse--ea mistake into, which he may, perhaps, have been led h the statements in the papers that the V. 5,000 was . .-1,!;k40A. Now, gentlemen, I ~wieb..to stand clear. NV it have been stieteet. to . and liable to, that I will bear as I well May; but I do complain, and I• do think that • in the position which I have taken in this bank which was forced neon me under circumstances which made me the necessary, person in the' bank, that it is highly unfair that stile ueuelency should be magnified from Vss a t•ooo to 1580,000. The dethit kneevn tile direc tors wasL5S,OOO. I , believe the report that .was issued I would convey the impression that the capital was net: whole—at any rate, confinires myself simply'to facts„ and not wishing to.eall for any more lenient interpreta tion than those 'facts .I . vill. warrant, .1. wish it to be cleaxiy me:ea:stood that £58,000 alone was the dcfiei ency ; fuel thet the state ef: the ! hank, .as after wards e: , :Liltecl , itself,,was. notknown to me-- 7 was not known to the dice3tors. Wiiatcv.er._cousure. in.r fail upon the , direct() k.s- . those ' who were raanagieg the concern, for. inipeedeno, for nceilgenee, for ignorance or incapacity is fairly due; but on behalf - of myself, and on , behalf of the directors, 1 do deprecate the great • injustice of assenting that they knew f.icts which they did not know, andswhich, as far as the,outeide direeto.rs -were ceneerned, they had not . the means of .knowing. • Now- it is universally known that the peactic.e,of the banks in Liverpool is to oentitap the knowledge of .the traneaeti)es, of private indiViduals in the, hank to one or - two individlials, namely. .the.manager and ehe managing • directors. :5Th ether the eyatten be right or. ,-strong that is the system, and. I say it is unfair, it is harsh, it is. unjuetiaable to • visit upon those who adhere to, the system,- the faults of ..the system itself. BesideS being the practice in the banks in Liverpeol, I.believe• it is the practice of a great many larger joint-stock batiks in this country. There is another fact of which many of.the •shareholders: here - are also aware that, at the commencement of-, the. cheer of this bank it was stated to the assembled shareholders that the knowledge of the private ace,onnte i of indixiduale Would. be confined to the. manager and two manseing directors, and the reason: this was done was:stated to be in oesler that•cus tomers might be willing to give the bank the benefit of their.husiness, knowing that their accounts would not be exhibited to .a board of twelve individuals, thus mak-. • ins public all their transactions. That feature in the policy of the hank was adduced ,as a reason why ells-, tourers would come to the bank. ~ That same statement, waFemade• at a subsequent meeting a year afterwards, and therefore condoned. by the directors.. .It .beeanse then a settled principle of the bank's management that" none. bet , : the manager and the • managing directors should know the private accounts of -Individuals. Now, I 'ask, , under that systom—and that system being the general system of the • banks .• in the town —I. ask is it fair, Is it justifiable to visit upon the outside directors the consequences ..of the want of Ithat knowledge which they declare they did not - have, and which 'the shareholders of the bank assented to. their not knowing). I. agree that the system is a bad ore; but there is the system, and it is upon that system -that the bank has been conducted. Ido not wish to detain you any furtherthan is absolutely nem , - sary, in:order to place myself right with:regard to the allegation's - that are now being made; and I do again repeat, and I wish. you earnestly to' bear in mind that the amount of misrepresentation that is alleged to have 'been made, does not exceed . V 58,009, and has no con nection whatever with the developments that were 'after - Wards made; as whht was thef-real and true position of the bank. The directors had before them a statement, and on a severe estimate of the balances • of certain accounts there was a deficiency after paying 'the - dividends of £58,000. The report was certainly vague ; and I can'only soy, that my appreciation of the effect that it would have upon the public, was justified by th 6 fact that after it was made public, no - shares were bonht at a price higher than would have , been paid had the deficiency been stated. A deficiency of VB,OOO .would have made the shares worth £9 10s. •, any such - was the impression, that no shares were sold aboVe £9, and the most were sold at £B. Therefore, I contend, that as far as . regards the impression upon the public, the public were not deceived, and it was not my Intention that there ehonld be any deception. If I had thought the report would deceive, I would not hive concurred in it. (Hear, hear, and applause.) It is very easy for gentlemen, after facts have been made. known, and disclosures have been made, and • a state of things has been realised, which the wildest suspicion would never 'have led peeple' to antici-'- ' nateit is very easy to say that this should have been done, and that should have been done t but there are difficulties of a position in which a man may be placed, and in . whiClehe has to consider a great many things; and the position of the directors and the position of myself at that time was one of great difficulty, and of difficulties which no one may . be ashamed of avowing, and of difficulties by which no one neeeLbe ashamed of saying that he was, to .some extent, influenced. There is not a shareholder of this bank who, under similar circumstances, would not have done precisely the same. I only wish further to make a statement which I think should be made, after the way in which Mr. Bramley- Moore left it open to suspicion-'-not supposing that he intended it—but still, after the way that he left it open to suspicion that the debtors of the bank were to some extent at least people with whom the directors were more or less directly or indirectly con •cerned ; now, I have to state that as far as I have been able to observe, and as far as I know anything of the business connections of the directors of this hank, and as flu- as I know anything of their personal connections and relationships, there is not in the whole list .of the debtors by whom the bank has Friday, Deeenaber 30. ISA. becalm manager on Saturday, August Ist, 1857 . , 3t which time Mr. Kershaw was sen i or c l er k an d nothing more. On the afternoon of that day he asked Mr. Ker shaw for a list of the clerks in the establishnient and their respective duties. The next morning he found upon his breakfast table, a letter from Mr. Kersha.vf stating,. in effect, that he was entering upon the duties of .the bank at a very critical moment, and he was going to give him (:%ir. Sellar) a lesson upon how he was to . manage the bank.. He asked them- wha t theTwould do if a clerk of their own attempted , to tell them how they. were to manage their affairs- He pitched the whole thing into the fire and told Mr. Kershaw • to mind his own business, and fronl that time he and Mr. Kershaw went on comfortably. Mr. Kershaw• bad stated that there • was a wholesale system of manufacturing bilk. If such was the casfi he was entirely ignorant of it. He would not enter into the detail; of charges made by. Mr. Bramley-Moore or others, but he would simply. say that he did not ac knowledge the accuracy of those statements, and, 64 far as he knew, the directors had possession of no informa tion inconsistent with,the report which they had issued , - Mr. IiIiSiTAW said that Mr... Sonar had alluded to the letter which he had written, and he • admitted that he stepped a little out of his way, but. he thought the irgency of the case rendered it necessary. As Ur. Sellar had alluded to the letter, he thought it right that it should be read. lost money one single person connected, in buSiness or relationship, with any one director •of the board. (Applanse.) • Mr. Bitaneray-MORE wished to. correct one point to which Mr. Dixon had alluded—the resolution - of 1837 to make that a private bank, and he wished to remind them that after Mr. Hope's death, two gentlemen were appointed to be united to the . others to look after the management of the bank, on behalf of Mr. Hope's estate. - That act, he contended, 'wiped away. and reecinded the Yresolution of 1837, and at a subsequent. 'period four gentlemen were appointed .to Serve with the . directors,' and - information was laid before theni on' occasions making the resolution altogether inoperative. • Mr. KERSHAW next rose to address the meeting, 'and at the opening, of his 'remarks alluded to a charge which had been made against him, that he was, a discharged' clerk. He was here interrupted by— The CHAIRMAN, who said he must rise to a point of order. He was not aware that the liquidators were there to be judged, or that any personal attacks must made upon them for baying done anything 'which they thought proper,; but if it was the pleasure of the meet ing to allow that gentlethan to go on be could do so, but •he will have no answer from me. (Cries of- t' Go on.") KEILSHAW said—l beg your attention, and the indulgence of the proprietors, while I ask'for soine-ex • planatien of thesoerse which the liquidatOra have pur sued towards me.. A short time ago, the proprietors' committee applied - to tale to take, part, alone., with Mr. Dickson, of Glasgow;' in the investigation for r which an order of the Court of Chancery had been obtained. I having commenced business as an accountant, accepted the offer, with the understanding, of course, that • I should be paid for this professional duty. I need scarcely tell you that if allowed by the, liquidators, I should have performed this shity faithfully and zealously.' When,. however, Mr. Dickson, their accountant arrived; the liquidators refused .to admit me to the books along with him, urging some informality in the Order, of the' ,ceur+ The evert was then . appealed .to .by the cone= mittee to have. my name specifically stated ; this was met in London by objections which now require expla e nation. I was injuriously designated by them." a disa charged clerk." Gentlemen, I. entered this bank a. boy of .fifteen, I left it de f,:zao sub-manager. airing thirty years I filled every post with such success, that when I left,..six mouths after the stoppage, I received from every manager, without, any exception, from the commencement. of that . establishment, a written teeimenial fox . integriti, ability,h and ducluatry., (Applause.) I was the _oldest servant of ~the bank. This was - the only situation of my life; and lam here, therefore, to defend my conduct, and to vindicate, my character from any personal imputation. - My friends .have urged, and my own mind is impressed with the - convietion, that the term " discharged clerk" implies the insinuatiOn,.and conveys the inuendo that. i was a dis graced servant ; if so, /indignantly require a disclaimers. , Gentlemen, -if it be a disgraee to have revealed to the • bank committee, the .Chairman, and .the managers, in a letter addressed to them with the manager's sanction, I and written by me on she 7tle July, 1857, stating the fact that, more than one-fourth of the capital was then lost, I plead ,guilty : to .the charge. This letter was ;. aenompauial hy a detailed statement of. losses, amount- . • - • . t_ c o a na l. ent; n i i r e i i r n e \ c ‘ e ' . 9 . p o t lt .o on eyo 2ir r l A e u tt g e u r s o t f , to X 600,000, verified by results, ;with -es trifling i h • exception, viz.,—Beattie's. If it be a disgrace to have laid. bare the same fact, polatine• out- the slO6ll clause in, I.l' fire *itlif , Tis re , din.s • clo.ai k.rre throwna,u I, have to 'eq - ats - t the you u-ill in futurz confine your CO -tue deed to . Mr. Stellar, in smother. 'letter of the Ist of manieiitioas to matter which immediately concern you. fir to reque-4, .tpot yo . o will tomorrow m0r03. 4 1. eAngust, 1861, the day. 9n w,hich he commenced his duties . tsee fete:a-se - moment, come to Me- and r:olo' , :tiO to fl Ci s N-Ait. , rin.rt , to „ire ma advice unasked: • A as :manager, then I am,not, innocent.. Ti time permitted, I could refer_ to the, wholesale..menufacture bills it sei I . oe my p :':;_1111) tory duty to Mug- your condust 130 01 '. having .n 0 value—mere accommodation paper—drasvn the pi , :. • et : or:3, sitould your apjlogy not be ample or Aieur 4 ) ; by desire cf the bank when short of funds, £50,060 or i firrl rc a in futttre• indu!gin g in the e xpr es si on o f an y sal J oa r i a:a i tii h t f ox i i c nions as to the affairs of-the Bank.--I anu i ' £lOO,OOO at once, such Ecelf . arid. others, paper t sasened) . T. SELLA • made expressly, for discount in the London market. na ks.- The'se letters- famish. sonic clue to the 'mystery. You Tlie next morning . he was brought before the direathr'' . must look to them as the true .cause Of my being thus and Mr. Rathbone pledged him to secrecy as to all the trampled upon: I knew too much; that was my only crime. a 23 airs of the bank. Bat the gentlemen holding the position of liqUidators, , Mr. SEnslan said, thatobea in common with zlr who were (ally aware .of these letters,-•Prged• before the NershaWilamlealrether clerks, took a similar declaratih il s .'court another objection to .my name being inserted in .. Mr. W3I..I 7 OiTER. said, that with regard to the affai rs •the order. I was " a partisan "—this I cannot admit. of the CastOrperi of the bank. being confinesd io f e l • I never. attended a proprietors' committee, nor made. persons; it was a rule that three of the directors, myself a party to the proprietors' movements; I merely unire by rotation.' accepted service -in my professional capacity as a public Mr. Dix.oN explained that that.referred to the out. isl e accountant, . and that conditionally !upon briefs duly dirQet9re, ilud not to the managing dire c t ors . There appointed.: In consequence of the leraidators sue- nlle down which was confirmed at two consecutiv e ecessfid opposition,. I e of course, telt bound to meetings of the shareholders, that the general. abstain from, all assistance to Mr. ...Disen, and' ha ve alieuld'itn ow eelthing of the state of the private account" tiro ‘misfortune .of offending .perhaps the .preprietoas ,Then what..poe4bility .was there of. an outside direeP.i on the one hand, and the liquidators . on th e o th er . knowing- what was thaposition o f th e .b an k ? L e t them, About the time in questiOn I hal not been able to they cliese, state that the managing directors were : o; pay. the call. • When a general meeting. Was held. at, capable men, and not merely- incapable of taking cha r g e the bank, convened by the chairman, 'ZIr. Bristow; at of the-interests of others, but of looking after their ow o which I attended ; for this offence •I was Finished (as - interests, for they were larse shareholders. Mr. Crhin .I intimated to an influential, proprietor, now present, owned £lO,OOO, and the other managing director ow . ° _would be the case) by: the liquidators' ScreW the next .over day• in the shape of a threatening letter f , ir the elit e . aelsedl if any business of importance followed . up - by other applications, although they- held . been - transacted siace.ther met there last. sseeurity :and. nadevenently arranged for tietee (Elear, o . The CrtairsataN. replied.that, since the sharehold 4 hear.) I ask,- was this coincidence cr persecution ? If met there a-sale had been made of a very considerate the latter, who 7 are the partisans ? I beg,. .y amount of property which was not expected to be realm therefore, to return the complimSnt, • asid with if realiae dat all, wit nin a very considerable period, and, ' i 'd .more justice than it was • applied' to me.. haPs, not for such - an amount as that obtained; and, nn t The pressure of the lie e nidators compelled nie to realise . that the. repayment on account of the loan had b e b c a their security for the call by thrhsting my debtor into made. Since then, .they had sold some property e goal. nearly causing . his death, and made me glad to payment for which they- had that (lay received, 5 2.. a ' `realise by:Compromise, incurring thereby a loss of £6OO with that amount and with other amounts, which 11 ';' h . 8 to obtain £760 for their call. Whilst I • recognise, falling: due about the end of this month and in, a s howeverothe legarclaim of the liquidators, I urge the course of January they hoped to be a ble to pay au ° , equally strong, moral obligation Of thendirectora to L 50,000 off. . • • repay every shilling of the £3,000 lost in their' cause by. Mr. BLYTHE wished . to know if any atteaipt had lir ° devotion and fidelity to them as my employers.. After made to sell the bank building? Doherty's failure, which, with others, I predicted long The QHAIRMAN replied that they had not dn lie .'f,; before it' occurred—the case of Eccles, for instance, three . lately, but that if they could obtain an eligible ogc r s n e ; years before,- when- discovered he was the only client it, they would not take long to consider about aheer . of a sharebroker whose commissions reached some £6OO it. in a year—the cases of, perhaps: it will be better to omit Mr. Baameny-MOORS, then moved a vote of 60 1 '1 9 ; names, some five or six others, by all of whom immense' -the chairman, expressing the pleasure he felt in (10• of losses are made, and a summary of whose balances; so after the impartial manner in which the basins' bills, and"'acceptances :was' regularly laid before: the the , meetingebad been conducted. • s ae committee of directors every week or so for a . The motion having been .carried by acclamation , , period of two years before the; stoppage. Thid chairman responded, and the meeting dissolved. mary wee .- commenced by air. Seller, as private t - director about- the end of 1855- The seven accounts enumerated were more than doubtful-s-they were despe rate-being exhausted estates, which paid an average of little more than a shilling in the pound, realising a nett loss of more than half-a-million, and without a farthing ' being written off to profit sr loss, and exclusive of Do-- herty's debt. , (Sensation.) I"feit like the officer of a': leaky vessel ahout to foander, and desirous to save his • effects. I• privately sold :out 150 shares; but, finding that I could not avoid the publicity of passing my name openly, anticipating such remarks as "the rats are leav ing the skip," and that I might afterwards be reproached with any disastrous consequences which should follow, I cancelled the sale, feeling hound by secrecv, pledges, and moral obligation, to do nothing by word or deed detri inettal to My -employers. (Applause.) I went - cloavn with the bank—situation, and savings, and all, —quitting the wreck with seriously shattered health some six months afterwards. Can any man now . estimate the mighty difference of a wind up in the com parative calmness of June and that occasioned by the terrific panic in the hurricane of October. But what, return has been made for all those sacrifices ? I will tell you, gentlemen; I appealed to my employers, the directors, by letters in vain. No reply was received from any save one, whose name .I cannot, therefore, tnention without respect—Mr. - Joshua Dixon. (Ap plause.) The chairman, Mr. William Rathbone, re fused even to peruse, and returned the respectful appeal unread twice over, although he had doubly pledged me to secrecy the morning after I wrote to Mr. Seller, who reprimanded 'and threatened me for having addressed him on the critical position of affairs in July, 18.57. Now, although expressly denied. all control and re sponsibility in . the management, I did no more than ray duty, and as long as I live shall be proud of 'the part "I' have played in those transactions—much • as I regret the loss which is now most deeply felt. (Applause.) The loss required by the deed to render liquidationimperative is £250,000, against £1,250,000. The figures now attained are a difference of one million sterling. As a • Man of business, these explanations are. necessary, to account' for my being a shareholder now. It is to be hoped the liquidators will feel it necessary, 'in justice to me; to make some amends, particularly as their interference .in this matter of .difference between proprietors and directors was uncalled for, and involves a pecuniary doss to me of £l5O at least. Can anything be more natural or proper than that proprietorS should all o' investigate deficiencies theirons i v ,e t a a ff n a y i rs, commercial when called aupon havingt to ay a single particle of common sense answer the question Then why object, in London, that I i wa i aa th p efer oir having pdnuetts to proprietor? assistlf fi n liquidators ancia interfere ot , a t(aAalllidlp, otherwise,ltsl ur s e e. l m y t s and not oppose th e e ) :is that actuates to their unfortunate proprietors. hitherto done so or n them, I leave all this for them to explain and thi s meet ing to determine. (Applause.) SELL AR Said lie felt called upon to make •an ex plarntion, and he would make a Clean breaet of it. Ile The CHAIRMAN—Ts it the pleasure of the meeting that he iihogl4,read the letter.. (Cries of "Yea, ,yes.') Mr.. litnsnAw then read the -following letter all statement Liverpool, 38th June, 1857. Thos. Sella:, Esq. • - Dear Sir,---1n ass„inini the office of manager I beg . rc'sPe=" fu'ly to hand Tot this document, in the hope you will deed is worthy perusal.- - • nano al position of : .• bank, 30th January, 1857 : '( ~s doubtful debts, L 500,000 0 ;a; • , , . p 109,000 0 0 In.. , 45,000 0 0 - • - £1,209,000 0 0 All r)i.' - v.:111:1 is Ic3iied up in dead bahuice, as per ledger " B.". . . . Or, in other w2n4, after wrillig off: Profit and loss,' ac Suspen , :.c, rx. li eberiE • _____-, £276,336 4 7 505,521 . 2 1 233,000 0 0 estimatsu ioss Z 3 per icheduleNo. 'lrtiere v..2l:enizti/ a lo.;s of the capital, see clause 106) Capital puiti up 034,500 10 0 , . . Leaving only 1,215 Ii ledger ; The whole of which, and CM O' • Capital' 500 -- ,: more, z.ce No. 3 and 4, is 'Licked 0 0 •• 715 • . .) in dead balances, or so placed L l 5 { to be unavailable, and to a great extent unprofitable. 3fr. iiiißea:...w added that, in respect to the manufac ture of paper, he ought to say-that that took place bcf.o o Mr. Seller took the management of the bank. lie 105 ' desirous, of clearing himself from the char , re of extra "ordinary.otficions:;ess, and he would now.real the le;ter he receivod from. Mr. Seller. - .. . . LIN , DtrooL, POLICE coußT.—YEstrs '''.'' (Before Mr. J. S. MANSFIELD.) • ire SHOFLIFTING.—Thomas Ash and Caroline Jones,:4 brought up on the charge of stealing three shim the the shop of Mr.,. James Williams, Scotland-r O4 pawnbroker appeared and deposed that one of the _ 5 _,., -- ,o' had been pledged there in the afternoon. Both v.- - nen were. remanded till Saturday. fel' A SUSPICHOIiti GHARACTER.—James MUITOI - „ot low well-known to the polile of Liverpool, was . hr°ler up on the charge of lingering in a suspicious iig about the delivery and money-order offices, and ina 0 , 34 an attempt to pick an old gentleman's pocket. 11c pot apprehended by Inspector "Smith, who,h o wever didp find any article of value - : on him. A n old purse,taip tainingsid. was .all the coin, and a card-ease 01 ' o ne AN UNNATURAL DAUGHTER. ing three pawn-tickets. lle was committed fin. month. -- ,±. was brought up upon the charge of • assaultin,";ll„l mother. It appeared that she perpetrated the un,i,351,311 crime about fourteen days ago. The old womaal..ose, was fractured, and she was conveyed to the lirorl.liiasea The daught( r was brought up, but her m other rt,', l eu ie, to prosecute her. She has since died in thelVo,rit,PAtei: and in consequence - of her dying deposition -the 0.17;00' has again been taken into custody. She nag r e till Saturday. • ( TO.) (Before SlessrS. R. GLADSTONE and llor o , our Fnir.NDLY SOCIETY CASE.---Nathan Belles, n tiae • ~,.. o . mooed Daniel Deveri'secretary of St. Patrick . _ oc ietl- Society, for mi.sappliing £l, the property of tlie D welt Mr. Cobb appeared for the complainant, and 3 1 -, r ia a fen ' —Caroline Brocklcbti-er for the defendant.—lt appeared that DevoY ' "f the °lil t; the pound to 'a person, with the consent 0 a _ iioso l, _ niittee of . the society, of which Bellew Was '_', le d kr member. Ile had since, however,' been exlw,',,, Ow society, and had laid this information under,wrojefs. and 19th of Victoria, cap. 63, sec. 64, whi,c s l i tt iole tm _ e the person lending the money of such a socil th i s 0; 4 the fine of 20s.—The magistrates said that 'IL', ,sou l there were . extenuating' circumstances, and to'z a m: 4 tyo was where found t h only impose a tine of os. and costs. • sir'ruin lO BURYING AN EMPTY COFFIN. A e"r l ors C' b e stance occurred atSandgate last week. It uPf e d bY t e j coroner. The coffin was supplied, and put l'A c . disci vg' se xton, ; o•l_;', e and careful man, took the hearse for the 01 3 ' saif t7 ;o inairy, was referred to the :died, wh ere _ hear se 'tlx: coffin, and, with assistance, put it in the .... re aa , ip e corpse lay. l o a n inTtehrement orde.... the s h et conveyed it to the cemetery; the c lergYruri s hed• _ to , service over it, and all was thought to h° IP! 50 t0P_,,, i l sexton at once saw his mistake — h e 11 ' u p, g i l l oo tie knowt he waswe N - er, coming.ki r . f Graves or th e sentcorp s t o e. I t a u t:v . : 1 1 t r il l ) e e corpse properly interred on the EGs:c,-,.; Gazt::e. coffin only.. The coffin was quick ji ly ex d t "g toy . -- , ~., 11 -.•'''