The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-05-18 00:00:00

BMUS COMPANIES-IN THE BANKRUPTCY 01 (i.

MAELIT-BINGULAR CASK.

The bankrupt, who was described u a ship owner in
Great Queen•street, mine up on the question of passing
his last examination.

The bankrupt was opposed by the assignees and the
revelations elicited were of an unusually ainiular cha-
racter. On his examination he said he was • member of
• project called the " Northern Continental Shipping
Company." That was what wee painted upon the con-
cern to which he belonged.
Commissioner : How long were those words painted
there?

Bankrupt: Not quite two years.
Solicitor to the Assignees : Were there not cards
printed " Northen Continental Shipping Company."
Bankrupt : There were.
Solicitor • And what besides was on the cards?

Bankrupt: Frewen and Co. appeared on the cards as
managing owners. I never represented that the company
had been formed.

Solicitor: Did your name ever appear on the door-
posts or on the windows?
Bankrupt: No. It was Mr. Augustus Collingridge
who recommended Frewen to me. He gave me a paper
showing that Mr. Charles Frewen was in business in
Paris—that he was • merchant there. After some time
I wished to have an interview with him' and went to
Paris for that purpose • but when I had got to Paris, Mr.
Augustus Collingridge told me he was gone to Frank-
fort. Mr. Collingridge is • brother-in-law of Mr.
Frewen. I made frequent efforts to see Mr. Frewen,
but I did not succeed. I had a paper prepared for Mr.
Frewen to sign, so that I might be relieved by the disso-
lution of partnership from the unpleasant position in
which he had placed me ; but it was not signed. The
paper is in the hands of the assignees.
Commissioner: What are the debts and liabilities?

Mr. Hart (chief clerk to 3:lr. Nicholson, official
assignee): About £5,000.
Commissioner : And what are the assets?
Solicitor to the Assignee.: Not one farthing. There
is what he calls a pantographic machine, patent, which
he says is worth a great deal, but which we count

Commissioner : The bankrupt states that • Mr. Dale
is largely indebted to the estate, and that he (Mr.
Dale) was worth £17,000 in landed property, &c. How
is this?

Solicitor: Mr. Dale is a bankrupt, and has not one
farthing of assets.
Commissioner: And upon looking into his proceedings
I find that he is not only a bankrupt, but has not surren-
dered to his petition. Who was Dale?
Bankrupt: He was • builder.
Solicitor: Why, was he not a cabinet-maker?
Bankrupt said it was his brother that was the cabinet-
maker.

Commismoner : And who is_hir: Charles Frewen

Solicitor to the Assignees : He is • sheep-shearer.
Commissioner: A sheep-shearer?
Solicitor: Yes, • sheep-shearer.
Commissioner: How do you know that?
. .

Solicitor: Why, I mina him at it. •
Commissioner: At what?
Solicitor: Sheep-shearing. I went clown to where he
lives, at Little Melton, in Oxfordshire, and saw him
shearing sheep.
Commissioner : What! The Paris merchant, the
manager of the Northern Continental Shipping Com-
pany? Was there such a person at all?
Solicitor : Oh, yes, that was the man—the sheep-
shearer ; but he declares he knew nothing whatever of
his having been mixed up with these transactions.
There never was a inure flagrant or outrageous fraud.
There was no such firin ever in existence; and I ask
your honour to adjourn the examination sine die.
Commissioner : Of course, it was all • mere fiction ;
and as for the accounts, I believe there is not one word
of truth in them. It seems, however, to be the opinion
of the Lords' Justices that the bankrupt should be per-
mitted to finish his last examination, but without any
prejudice to any question raised at the certificate meet-
ing. It is certainly • matter of doubt whether such a
case, where there are no assets, should be permitted to
proceed further. My opinion is that the whole thing is
• fraud. The merchant and shipowner at London and
Paris turns out to be an Oxfordshire sheep-shearer. It
Is , I repeat, • fraud, a grou fraud. This Dale, worth
1217,000, turns out to be • bankrupt without anything
for his creditors.
_ .

--Bafaii-oTt; the Assignees : It is • ease of the molt
deliberate fraud.

Commissioner : It is. Dale has never surrendered.
Ought there not to be an indictment?
Solicitor : We will oonsider that, moit certainly.
Commissioner But how le it that before creditors
parted with their goods they did not asoertain that the
merobant and ship owner vu an Oxfordshire sheep.
shearer?

Solicitor : Because reference was given to creditors to
I Mr. Lowe, who said the firm wee most respectable,
and that he had entrusted them to the extent of thou-
sands. Mr. Lowe Is now • bankrupt too.
The bankrupt was allowed to pass, all questions being
reserved for the certificate meeting, his tionour obser-
ving that he believed the accounts furnished, instead
of being fall and true, were false and full of emptl-
neow.

The solicitor to the assignees oonsented to the bankrupt
passing on the condition named.
Pulsed,

MARYLEBOXF.—Louigs Moutet, who had born
remandod on the charge of having in • must adroit
manner poseessed herself of a diamond bracelet of the
value of 1:320, from Hunt and Hoskin, of Bondatrest,
under the pretence that it wail for Lady Campbell, of
14, Itadnor•plaoe, Hyde Park, was re-examined.
Dir. John Paypus said,-1 am clerk to Meters. Cooks
and Biddulph, Charing-cross.
Mr. Humphrey..—Have you at your aNtabllahmeat an
account in the name of Conetanoe Brown?
Witness.—We have.
Mr. Broughton,—Where does she, as fuse your
knowledge extondi, reside?
Witness.—At fit. Leonard's•on-Bes.
Mr. Broughton.—Have you any other account at
your establishment in the name of another Coma/mos
Brown?

Sir,
Mr. Broughton.—llo you know the prisoner?
Witness.—l do not.
Mr. Broughton—Do you know personally the Miss
Brown who keeps cull with you?
Witness.—l can't say that I do.
Mr. Broughton.—There is another charge against you
for obtaining jewelry fradulently from another house.
The prisoner made no remark.
In reference to • banknote for £lOO, alluded to in the
previous examination? it was now shown, by the evidence
of Mr. Jenkinson, solicitor, of Cletnent's•lnn, that about
• month. ago a lady named Muddel lived with the prisoner
while at Dawlish. She requested the prisoner to call
upon him (the solicitor), who, by virtue of • power
of attorney, received her dividends at the Bank. She
was paid by him (Mr. Jenkinson) £lO2 18e. 3d., and a
check was given her upon the London and West.
minster Bank. This matter was not looked upon as •
criminal charge, and Inspector Whicher, who, with
Sergeant Smith, another detective officer, has been
most active in this inquiry, by the sanction of the magis-
trate gave up the LIM note to Mr. Jenkinson. The
odd £2 and shillings Mr. Jenkinson gave to the pri•
sonar.

In • second charge against the prisoner the following
evidence wee adduced, the prisoner having, as it was
shown, obtained jewelry to the amount of about £5O
from Mr. Ray, jeweller, Itc., of Great Caitleatreet,
Oxford-street.
_ . .

Edwin Stewart Harrison, assistant to Hr. Ray, de.
posed that on the 20th April, between 2 and 3 in the
afternoon, the prisoner came to the shop and asked to
look at some diamond rings. He showed her some, and
she selected one of the value of 30 guineas. She also
examined some brooches, and chose one the price of
which was five guineas. She gave her name as Min
Constance Brown. and said that she would pay part of
the money in June, and the rest in July. He was
satisfied with the reference given and the representation
made, and the jewelry was delivered us directed.
Edward Henry Lane, assistant to Hr. Attenborough,
pawnbroker, of 33, Piccadilly, stated that on the 21st of
April the prisoner came to the shop and brought with

her the bracelet and ring, whir, in reply to questions,
that she was Milli Brown, Bing at Bt. Leonard's-on-
Bea, and that she was staybg for a few day. in
town. The articles, as she alked, bad been presented
to her, and as she had no ocosion for them she wished
to dispose of them, and witnsis purchased the lot for
215. .

Miss C,onstanee Brown said that in this as in the
other case the prisoner was nol authorised to make pur-
chases of jewelry or anything ace by her.
After some further proceedings the prisoner was com-
mitted for trial upon both charges.
EXTENSION OF THE Dlvolicc Am.—A Bill to amend
the Divorce Act has been presinted by Lord Cranworth,
the late Lord Chancellor. It enables the Judge
Ordinary of the Court of Divone to alt in Chambers for
the transaction of the ordinarybnsiness of his court I it
empowers persons abroad to itstitute proceedings, and
allows all wives deserted by thsir spouses to apply to the
judge for an order to protect tleir earnings. The object
of the Bill is to extend the Isnefits of the Divorce Act
for the relief of all classes of sufferers under the mar-
riage bond.