The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-05-03 00:00:00

THE EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF CON-
SPIRACY.

COMMITTAL OF THE ACCUSED.

At the Dailey Police Court, on Monday, Joseph
Sheppard, broker, of High-street, Tipton, and Gwen
Wilson, machine clerk, of Hall Street, Du Hey ear-
rendered to their bail, gild underwent further examina-
tion before Mr. Charles Cochrane, on the charge of con-
spiracy to defraud Messrs. Budd and Co.
Mr. Stokes again appeared for the prosecution ; Mr.
Motteran (instructed by Mr. shaliespeare) attended on
behalf of the prisoner Sheppard ; and Mr. Barrows de-
fended Wilson._ .

The case excited much interest, ad during the pros
ceedings, which lasted several hours, the L;ourt was
crowded.

Mr. Stokes said it would be his duty to intimate that
he proposed on that occasion to prefer another eloiro
against the prisoner Sheppard, cud it would be that of
attempting to obtain from Messrs. Budd and Co. money
upon the bid which he delivered. He had hither eel•
dence to adduce, but suggested that the cross-exainina-
tion of the witnesses already heard should be proceeded
with. •

Cross-examined by Mr. Motteram, the first witness,
Mr. Wiiliams, stated that before the transaction in
question he had bought a few tons of scrap iron from the
prisoner Skeppard. He could not say whether it was
within ten years ago, whether the quantity was within
50 tons. Ile owed Sheppard money for iron, the subject
of the present inquiry. He bad a contract with Shep-
pard, but it was not in writing. It was for 100 tons, at
tti 10s per ton. Prisoner asked if he might send two or
three truck-loads more than the contract, and he told
Mtn he might. That would represeot from twelve to
fourteen tone additional. The account was for 187 tons.
They had received iron, but he did not think to that
amouut. He had suspicion that there was something
wrong from the first day he delivered iron to Brockamor.
The reason of his suspicion was that the prisoner Shep-
pard was seen to be " dodging about." and sending the
greater quantity to Brockmoor. He had no suspicion
that the weights were wrong before he commenced send.
Mg iron to Brockmoor. The prisoner Sheppard began
ti Lind the iron to Twit'sle in the middle of February.
He delivered to Brockmoor soon afterwards. He had
no other grounds of suspicion than those he had named
until Tuesday, the lat April, when he met Buckley in
Manchester. lie had suspected that there would be
something wrong in the weights. He took no means to
prevent the fraud, for be intended to get the weights
from the sending station after the account was sent in.
He had used part of Yneppard's iron at each work, bat
he could not tell he much, because then was heavy
iron from Buckley on the top of it. He had now no means
himself of testing the weights of the iron at the Brock-
moor Works. Though he had suspicion at first, he took
no means of ascertaining whether it was well founded.
the weights are correct he owed Sheppard £1.313 17e
101. Last Friday he applied for the weights from the
sending station at Maucuester. lie could not tell any
other sending station from which Sheppard's iron was
seat. He had heard the names of other sending stations
from Buckley. lie did make haste to diseuver the
frauds when he received the account from Sheppard.
He ascertained that the weights send in by Buckley to
Sheppard. That related to Sheppard's iron and to
Buckley's. He learnt from Beckley Cast every truck of
Sheppard's iron sent to Brockmoor was wrong. He had
ascertained that not &matinee of iron bad been bent from
Miechester to Brockinoor to the order of Sheppard. He
was relying upon Buckley, and also opou intormatiou
his attorney yet had, for proving the charge against
Sheppard.
By Mr. Barrows : He seat • man named Briitain to
request Wilain to weigh for him. Slittain del not say
anything to the effect that Wilson was anxious to have
nothing to do with the weighieg. lie did not say that
Wds in pot didiculties is the way, ailegin,i that the
machine was out of order. He might have had mis-
takes in his own machine. Ile gave Willson no oppor-
tunity ef testing the weight. He had not ascertained
thst the machine which Wilson used had been out of
repair for some time.
Sawuel Brittain, cross-examined, stated that the
machine at Biockmoor weighed correctly. They might
have weighed the iron over that machine, but it would
have caused great inconvenience. It was sixty or seventy
yards from the machine to the nearest part of the rail-
way siding. Sheppard came to him for the weights
before he scot in ilia bill. He refused to give them, and
referred him to Tividale. He had been informed that
Sheppard could neither read nor write.
By Mr. Barrows: When he applied, Wilson did not
refuse to give the weights. Ile said that Mr. Thompson
had given him orders not to weigh iron for anyone. In
March, when he asked the prironer to weigh Sheppard's
iron, he did nut tell witness that he would have nothing
to do with it. He said he would weigh the iron, and Oil
struck was offered him. He knew that Wilson's services
were at the exclusive disposal of the company, and that
he was paid for what he did in the company's itine. He
,hd not know how it was that Sheppard learnt that
Wilson had been engaged to weigh the iron. lie had no
suspicions at first of anything wrong, and he had better
opportnnitiee of judging than Mr. Williams. It was his
practice, before allowing trucks to be unloaded, to in-
quire of Wilson if they had been weighed.
James Buckley was then called, and upon his appear-
ance there was somti.sensation in Court.

Mr. Motteram : Now, Mr. Buckley, what were you
originally ?
Wane,. : I do not understand the question.
Mr. Motteram : Well, what are you now?
Witnrss : A metal merchant.
Mr. Motteram : Have you been so all your life ?
Witness : I have been also in the profession at inter.
vats. . . .

Mr. Motieratu : What might be that profession ?
Witness : I folioned the profeesion of a bookmaker.
Mr. Motterain : What bort of a book did you make?
Wane,. : I made a book t the best of my ability—
. .
llaughteri.

Mr. Motterion :Dii you make a book up in horse-
racing ?
\\lances : Many a thou-and. I did no to the extent of
a doz,n.l day. .

Mr. Motterarn : What local.ty did you favour with
yolr profussiou ?
Witness : Ntanchester.

Mr. Moat:ram : After commencing bookmaking, when
dii you absent yourself from Manchester?
Witness : le four or live years after I commenced
the profession. I was then indebtol to people to the
amount of about £3OO.

Mr. Motterarn : Did you ever take a house out of
Manehest, ?
_

Witness: No Sir; I never possessed a portable one—
(laughter). Ile did rent a house at Dudley Port for
ab .ut a quarter. He was not what was ea :led a welaher.
lie was told by Mr. Williams on Friday week to bring
Le paper, Lnd hooks referred to at the last hm.ring. on
the Saturday he also received a telegram front Mt.
Stokes I..•qn sting litin to bring the documents. He had
nev-r, in seality, made an arrangement with Sheppard
not to sell iron to his customers. He meant to oa one
occasion. Sheppard asked him to promise ta pass
different firms, and he doubted whether he promised.
Ile made a contract with Budd and Co. about the end of
Mach After that he saw Sheppard, who complainod
that he was supplying iron to his en:tamers. It was after
that the prisooner Sheppard disclosed the course of cheat-
g. On the day followio ghe told Mr. Williams. He
always fou,d that the people he dealt with were correct
in their weights. When Sheppard saw him at Man-
chester he toll him that he was che sting several people.
He had frequ ntly told him that he was cheating several
firms. He told him this within the last five or six
months. He did not disclose it to the different firms.
lie had told it to Isis brother-in-law and to his sister,
hot could not remember that he had mentioned it to
anybody else. Since he had contracted with Budd and
Co. he had told Mr. Williams, who did not suggest that
he should communicate the matter to the other firms.
There were at least two firms besides that of Budd and
Cu. After Lome farther reforencesto the betting trans-
actions, the cross-examination ended.

Re-examined by Mr. Stokes: He produced the con-
signment notes, which contained the number of the
trucks and the weights sent from Manchester Station.
When he obtained them he sent them to Sheppard. He
hs I since compared the numbers and weights Co sent by
hint to the prisoner Sheppard in the invoice delivered by
Sheppard to Budd and Co., and be found there was •
great increase in every truck. The iron he sent in was
underweighted until the interview with Shepparl, when
it was considerably overweighted.
John Smith, foreman at the London and North-
Western Station at Manchester, said it was his duty to
superinten I the weighing of iron there. He received
front Buckley the comug.iment notes produced on the
26th February. He put the number of the tracks and
the weights upon the notes.
-

Othe; witnesses were called to prove the wei,:hts.
Mr. sfetteram thau applied that the cue might be
a ,ut to the Assizes insteal of the Se,sione.
. .

Mr. Stokes objected, on the ground that the case
c 1d be fairly and properly tried at the Sessions.

Mr. Motteram contendel that as a great number of
questions of law would arise. and a number of facts
would have to be dealt with, it was a ease which ought 1.
be carried to the Assizes. _

The Bench decided to commit to the Sessions. Bail
in the sum of £2,000 wss acceptel for Sheppard, and in
the sum of £3OO for Wilson.