The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-12-04 00:00:00

THE TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Town Council will
be held to-morrow. The proceedings, resolutions, and
reports of the Finance Committee comprise the follow-
ing recommendations :—To increase the salary of Mr.
E. Roberts, assistant clerk to the clerks to the magis-
trates, from £l3O to £2OO per annum. To appoint Mr.
Robert Mason as an assistant book-keeper, in the trea-
surer's office, at a salary of £l2O per annum, and Mr.
James Lewtas, clerk, at £2O per annum. To increase
the salaries of Mr. H. M. Hutton, chief clerk in the
treasurer's office, from £2OO to £250 per annum ; Mr.
B. J. Owen second clerk, from £l3O to £l6O per
annum ; and Mr. D. M. Brown, clerk and collector,
from £l5O to £175 per annum. To suspend the stand-
ing order of the Council, numbered 45, and to sell the
piece of land on the south &de of Dale-street, between
Sir Thomas's-buildings and Crosshall-street, by private
contract. To purchase a piece of freehold land upon
the west side of Ilackin's-hey, for the sum of £1,750.
To purchase a piece of land on the west side of Logan-
street, opposite Thackfleld-terrace, having a frontage of
784 yards to that street, for the sum of £735 10s. 6d.
Also to purchase a piece of land on the west side of
Netherfield-road North, containing 25 yards, for the
sum of £25. And also to purchase a piece of land, on
the south side of Paddington, between High-street and
King-street, containing 51 square yards for the sum of
£5l. To approve of a revised scale of pew rents for
St. Michael's and St. Luke's churches.
The proceedings, resolutions and reports of the Gaol
and House of Correction Committee, comprise a recom-
mendation to accept the tenders of the following parties
for articles required at the gaol during the ensuing year:
—Messrs. G. Lloyd and Co., for great coats and oil-skin
caps ; Mr. William Evans, for frock coats and trousers ;
Mr. Thomas Milner, for blankets, and scarlet, blue, and
white flannel ; Mr. John Phillips, for white and brown
bread, and oatmeal ; Mr. Charles Whitfield Harvey, for
milk; and Mr. Thomas Close, for butchers' meat.
The proceedings resolutions, and reports of the Audit
Committee, comprise a recommendation the increase the
Salary of Mr. P. S. Rhind, the corporate auditor, from
£3OO to £4OO per annum.
The proceedings, resolutions, and reports of the Special
Committee to consider plans for new public offices, Dale-
street, will also be submitted.
The Mayor's communications comprise an application
from Mr. James Cooper, surgeon to the constabulary
force, for an increase to his salary.
The following motion, of which notice has been given
by Mr. Stitt, will be brought forward :—" That, in view
of the continuous and rapid growth of the town in the
direction of Everton and Kirkdale, the unprecedented
multiplication in those districts of habitations specially
for the working classes, and the great increase of the
population, the Baths Committee be instructed to
prepare plans and estimates for the erection of baths,
on the land belonging to the Corporation in Cresswell-
street (purchased for that purpose in the year 1848) at a
cost not exceeding £4,000, and that the said baths be
erected at the earliest possible time."

CHARGE OF FORGERY AGAINST A TEA

MERCHANT.

At one o'clock yesterday the police-court was crowded
to excess by mercantile and other gentlemen, who came
to hear the details of a charge of forgery preferred
against a respectable looking young man named Richard
W. Powell, of the firm of Scott, Powell and Co., tea
merchants, Pekin Buildings, Harrington-street. Mr.
J. Aiken sat for Mr. Raffles, who had to attend at St.
George's-hall. Mr. Robinson, of the firm of Lownies,
Bate:son, and: Robinson, appeared for the prosecution,
and Mr. Cobb for the prisoner.
Mr. Robinson, on opening the case, said—l appear
on behalf of Messrs. Absolom, Crocker, and Townsend,
tea merchants in the City of London, who charge the
prisoner with the forgery of a guarantee for £5,000, and
also of three bills of exchange, one for £452 16s. 3d.,
one for £482 25., and one for £482 Is. 61. The facts are
these. The prisoner was in partnership with J. Scott,
jun., as tea merchants, and some time ago that firm
opened an account with my clients in London. In May
last they were anxious to extend their business with the
London house, and to procure teas to a larger amount,
and Mr. Scott went up to London for that purpose. He
saw one of the partners in London, and he wished to
have some further security for the extended account,
and Mr. Scott proposed to give the guarantee of his
father, Mr. Scott, sen., he being a man of substance.
Acco-dingly it was proposed that- his guarantee should
be given for £5,000, and it was given ; and teas to the
amount of £4,500 were accordingly sent. Bills for that
amount were given. When the bills became due, in
August, the firm was not able to pay them, and it was
proposed to renew them by getting the endorsement of
Mr. Scott, sen., on them, and also a guarantee. This
was accomplishd ; but when the bills became due again
they were not paid. The London firm then applied to
the father, but they got no reply. After several appli-
cations he was served with a writ, and a few days ago T
got notice from him that the bills and the guarantee
were forgeries. I will call such evidence as will enable
you to grant a remand, for which I will ask, until we
are further prepared to proceed in the case.
Mr. Aiken--Is there anything about a robbery in
this case ?

Mr. Robinson—No; but young Mr. Scott went away
about a fortnight ago, and has not returned since. Mr.
Powell was arrested on Saturday, and he then made a
statement that will be given to you, and of course you
will take it for its value. _ _ _

Detective-officer Laycock was then examined, and
said—l arrested the prisoner ois Saturday and told him
the charge, when he said, "I have nothing to do with
it, and I cautioned Mr. Scott about it before." In con-
sequence of two tickets that I got, I went to Lime-street
station, and there I found two portmanteaus containing
a large quantity of new clothes and other property • and
in one I got 100 sovereigns, two revolvers,_ a medicine
chest, and other things, such as would be used by a
person going on a long journey. He acknowledged
that the property belonged to him, but did not say any-
thing very particular. I got, altogether, the sum of
£465 15s. with bins.
Cross-examined by Mr. Cobb—Where did you arrest
him ? In his own office.—Mr. Cobb : And where was
the money ? I got £lO on his person, and £270 in his
safe, in notes, and the,rest in ;old.
William Rollinson, a youth,' who was in the office of
Messrs. Scott and Powell, was examined, (a letter was
handed to him, purporting to be the letter of guarantee).
He said,—l made a copy of this letter, by 11Ir. Scott's
directions in the private office. Mr. Powell, the pri-
soner, was there at the time. The name was not then
to it, or I would have copied it. 'I witnessed it by Mr.
Scott's direction, and then gave it to Mr. Scott. Mr.
Powell was there all the time, but did not interfere in
it at all. He was cross-examined by Mr. Cobb, but
nothing material was elicited.
Mr. George Absolom examined—l am the representa-
tive of Absolom, Crocker and Townsend, in Manchester,
and was directed to call' on Scott, Powell and Co., in
reference to the guarantee. I called, and saw Mr. Scott,
and he said he had received a letter from his father, say-
ing he would not sign one, as it would be useless, he
having signed one already, but that he would endorse
bills for them.
Mr. Cobb—l object to this.
there at the time.
The Witness said he was there at the. time. I tele-
graphed to London for instructions, and then the second
guarantee was abandoned, and the bills agreedtobe
taken. Mr. Scott told Mr. Powell to get the stamps
and draw the bills. I got the bills that evening. Powell
wns there then, and had a book and checked off the
i lulls with me. I got three bills—one dated the 21st
August, for £452 16s. 3d., at two months; one dated
2Sth August for £484 25., at two months; and one, the
same date, for £482 ls. 6d., at three months.
To Mr. Cobb--The bills were accepted before they
were drawn. I got them accepted, and sent them to
' Absolom. Crocker, and Townsend, London.
Mr. Aiken—Are you one of the firm ?—Witness
am the representative of the house in Manchester.
To Mr. Cobb—Mr. Scott, sen.'s endorsement, was on
the bills at the time. . •
Mr. Aiken—l see that Messrs. Absoloin, Crocker, and
Co. have endorsed the bills twice ; how does that
bUppen ?—I don't know about that.
Here some discussion took place about the endorsement
of Mr. Scott, sen., on the bills, and it was explained
in this way :—The witness got the bills from Messrs.
Scott and Powell, who accepted them in blank, they
having the endorsement of Mr. Scott, sen., on them at
the time. The bills were then sent to London, and
filled up by Messrs. Absolom, Crocker, and Co., who
then endorsed them above Mr. Scott, sen. 's name, so as
to make him their endorser, and then endorsed below his
name to pay them into the bank for discount.
Mr. Aiken (to Mr. Robinson)—Do, you allege that
the endorsement of Mr. Scott, sen., on the bills is a

The prisoner was not

forgery ?
sir. He then called
Mr. Robinson—We do, mr.
Price, of the Union, and he stated that Scott, pow„,,"
and Co„ kept an account there some time ago, and 4r.
Scott, seri., guaranteed the partnership to the bank.
Saw him sign that document. The bills and guarantee
given to the London house was handed to witness, and
he said, on comparing them with the genuine signature
•of Mr. Scott, that the writing was not his handwriting,
Mr. Robinson said he had given Mr. Scott, seri
notice to attend there that day, but he said he would

not attend.
Laycock saw Mr. Scott, and he said he would
not attend here, unless compelled to do so.
Mr. Cobb then submitted that there was no evi'ence
of forgery against Mr. Powell. All the evidence went
to show that it was Scott had done everything that was
done
M.
r. Aiken called the youth, Rollinson, who, in reply
to him, said, when he copied the letter of guarantee for
Mr. Scott, if the name bad bee toret he would have
copied it. The prisoner was the at the time, and
heard all that passed,
Mr. Aiken said in a partnership like this, it was
unlikely that one partner would not know that the other
had given a guarantee for £5,000 for the use of the
firm.
Mr. Cobb said—lf Scott chose to make use of his
father's name, that was no reason Mr. Powell should-
be now left to bear the brunt of the charge.
Mr. Aiken—ln my mind there is plenty of evidence
given for me to remand him for the present.
Mr. Cobb—Will you admit him to bail ?
Mr. Aiken--I think it is rather by accident he is here
to-day, and if I allowed him out on bail, some accident
might happen
_to prevent his appearing here again.
' —The mone found on him does not form
any part of the proceeds of these bills, and I have to
apply to you that a sufficient sum be allowed to him out
of it, as the value given for the bills was not money.
Mr. Robinson—The prisoner has filed a declaration
of insolvency, and •1- bankrupt to-day, at
three o'clock.
IMr. Cobb—Oh, then that further appli-
cation prevents my
on this point.
The prisoner was then remanded to Friday next.

OPENING OP BROWN'S FREE LIBRARY TO THE.
PIIBLIC.—The library, as announced in the Daily
Times on Saturday, was opened to the public yesterday.
The number of visitors was, in spite of the inclemency
of the weather, very large, but not so overwhelming
as was generally expected. Thousands, however, turned
in and rambled through the building in the course of the
day, and great admiration was evinced at the tasteful
manner in which every department of the building is
laid out. The number of volumes given out to readers
was 1,632, the daily average at Duke-street being 600.
The greatest number of readers who sat down to their
books in the reading-room at any one time was estimated
at from 300 to 400. An extra number of persons will
be in attendance to-day to give out books to the visitors,
who are expected to outnumber Own of yesterday.