The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1861-01-15 00:00:00

THE MURDER NEAR BRISTOL.

The prisoners Matthew and Charles (not George, as
previously stated) Wedmore, charged with committing
the atrocious murder at Dundry, were on Friday taken
into the presence of the poor old man, who has suffered
so severely at their hands, and he distinctly identified
both the ruffians. He also identified the pistols found
in their possession as his property, as also the watches
pawned at their request. The coroner then opened his
inquest, and received evidence fully confirmatory of the
circumstances already detailed. It is considered neces-
sary to hate a pest mortem examination of the deceased,
and the inquiry iti consequence stands adjourned. The
two prisoners during the course of the inquiry were
apparently perfectly indifferent—langhing, yawning,
and,whispering to each other in the most unconcerned
way possible.

COMMISSION AGENCIES AND ACCOMMO-
DATION BILLS.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE AT LEEDS.
At the Leeds Town-ball, on Saturday, a young man
of respectable appearance, named William Worthington,
was brought up on remand, on a charge of forging and
uttering a bill of exchange, with intent to defraud Mr.
Thompson Binns. The prisoner is one of three brokers
who have been carrying on business as commission agents,
in an office in the Corn Exchange, Leeds, under the style
and title of "Worthington Brothers," and purporting
to have branch offices in Huddersfield and London; and
the allegation was that he (William Worthington) being
indebted to Mr. Thompson Biuns, cloth manufacturer, of
Yeadon, near Leeds, in the sum of £424 19s, had paid
to the latter, on account of the said debt, a bill of
exchange for £9B 15s, drawn by " C. Preston," and
accepted by "T. Hanlon, Durham-street, Manchester."
'the dogrt on Saturday was crowded by manufacturers and
othersi who bad sold goods to "Worthington Brothers,"
but who had not yet got paid for them,
The first witness examined was Thomas Hanlon, of
15, Tamworth-street, Manchester, a town traveller for
Mr. John Wilkinson, jun., of that city. Thomas said
that] his brother, William Hanlon Hanson, carried on
business in Bank-buildings, Manchester, under the name
of " Hanson and C 0.," commission agents. The signa-
ture "T. Hanlotii" of " Durham-street," to the bill
which Mr. Thompson Binns held was in his (witness's)
handwriting. The "C. Preston" who had drawn the
bill was, he believed, a clerk in a commercial house. He
(witness) had no dealings with Preston, but he accepted
the bill in order to oblige his brother. There were only
present in the counting-house himself, his brother, and
Preston. Witness lived in Dunham-street, not Dur-
ham-street, about two years and a half ago.
William Hanlon, or Hansom on being examined, said
he had been called indifferently Hanson and Hanlon.
Lived at 231, Cambridge-street, Manchester, and had
offices as a commission agent in Bank-buildings in that
city. He had a lad called Preston some few, months in
his office, but what wages he gave Preston he could not
tell, as he did not keep a cash-book. The bill held by
Mr. Thompson Antis for £9B 158., and of which the
following. is a edpy, wags draitti by the boy Preston in
his (lIanlon') presence :
£9B 15s. Od. 15th August, 1860.
Four months after (late pay to my order in London the
sum of ninety-eight pounds fifteen shillings, for value
receifed. 6851
Londan. C. PRESTON,
To Mr. T. Hanlon, Durham-street, .Manchester.
(Across, the note was this endorsement)--
;Accepted. Payable at Smith,, Payne, and Smith, bankers,
London. T. MAW,/

Mr. Ferns—Did you tell Preston how to fill up the
bill?

Witness—l shall not answer that question. lam
not bound to criminate myself.
Mr. Ferns—By whose direction was "Durham-street"
put upon this bill ?
Witness—t don't knotr I can't speak to it positively.
Perhaps your worships are aware there is no "Durham-
street" in Manchester, and the name in the bill was in-
tended for • " Dunham-street," and not Dutham-street
My brother, who accepted the bill, was not living in
Dunham-street at the time. Witness had had business
transactions with Worthington Brothers to a pretty
large aniount, to the extent of about £7OO or £BOO,
within the last six months. Sometimes he had bought
goods cf the prisoner, and sometimes the latter bad con-
signed goods foil sale. /toe* lobn and Edward Worth-
ington from having seen them once or twice, but all his
transactions were with the prisoner, Wm. Worthington.
The magistrates at this point stopped the case, inti-
mating that they did not think there was the slightest
evidence of forgery against the prisoner (Worthington),
in respect of this bill. There might be other charges
against him, but as to that of forgery they should acquit
him on the point.
Mr. Ferns—Very well, gentlemen. I shall now charge

the prisoner Itith totispitacy, and I shall ask you also
also for warrants against William natilon Hanson and
his brother.

The Court—Let the informations be applied for in
the usual way, if you have any grounds for preferring
them. What is your case ?
Mr. Ferns—l hold in my hand a bill purporting to be
a banker's bill, and dated the Ist December, 1860, No.
597, for £l4 165., and which instructs the Union Bank
of London, 30 days after date, to pay that sum to the.
order of " Worthington Brothers, Corn Exchange,
Leeds," for Value realized,
The Court—ls that bill accepted
Mr. Ferns—No, it is not ; and it does not require
accepting. I also produce a letter from the Union
Bank of London, dated October 24, declining to dis-
count bills for any other persons but its own customers,
this letter being addressed to the Messrs. Worthington,
Yet, six weeks after Worthington receives this refusal
from the Union Bank, he draws upon that -corporation,

thereby leading his creditor to imagine that he has
money there deposited.
Mr. Barr, magistrates' clerk—lf you can show that

the prisoner distinctly said he had funds in the Union
Bank, and obtained goods and property on the strength
of that assertion, then you will have a charge against
Worthington.
Mr. Ferns then proceeded with the charge of con-
spiracy, He said—l will show to you that the prisoner
and Hanlon Hanson have been playing into each
other's hands for some time. The business in Man-
chester has been really conducted by both as partners, as
I shall be able to prove. I shall also be able to show
that Hanson has been referring to Worthington, and
Worthington to Hanson, in letters in which they respec-
tively declare themselves to be firms of great respecta-
bility, and that parties have, in consequence of such
reference, supplied both of them with goods, and are
now left in the lurch with respect to payment. I want
to show you upon what I place this matter.
In reply to Messrs. Oppenheim and Co., of Bread-
street, respecting Hanson's commercial character, Wor-
thington wrote : " I have known the firm for two years,
and should not hesitate to trust them £5OO, for we know
the house to be A 1." (A laugh.) In reply to Messrs.
Roberts and Co., who referred to Hanson's about Wor-
thington's credit, Hanlon, or Hanson, thus wrote : " I
have done business with the firm to a considerable amount;
and the account has been always conducted to my satis-
faction." Thus these firms managed to obtain goods.
To establish the fraud in the case, I have only to say
that at the time Worthington and Hanlon were thus
recommending themselves as creditable persons, the bills
of both parties were due and unpaid, and they had no
means to pay.
The Court--As far as Hanlon is concerned, Mr.
Ferns, if he can at any time be found, the better course
for you is, to consider what specific charge you have
against him,, and then apply for a warrant. As for
Worthington,. the case against him is a little different,
and, though we discharge him from the charge of forgery,
yet we think there is sufficient evidence against him to
warrant us in remanding him to a future day, on the
charge of obtaining goods by fraud. We remand him
until this day week ; and. as to bail, we are willing to
accept his own recog,nisances in £5O, and those of two
respectable householders in £25 each. Of the respect-
ability of this bail we shall require three days' notice to
satisfy ourselves.
The various parties in the case then left the court.

The. parishioners of St. John's District Church,
Bradford, Yorkshire, are about to present the incumbent,
the Rev. H. L. Willis, D.D., with a purse of 500
guineas, which was collected in the short space of one
week, as a token of respect and esteem for his personal
character, as well as to mark their sense of his zealous,
able, and unremitting ministration during the last ten
years. This tribute is the more honourable and note-
worthy from the fact that many of the subscribers had
previously contributed liberally towards the building of
new churches, of which there will be no less than ten in
Bradford, one half of which are already finished, or in
process of completion.