The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-06-09 00:00:00

PLUNDER BY PORTERS.

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A DRUGGIST.

Yesterday a case of importance came before Messrs.
Castellain and Preston, at the Police-court, when two
porters, named James Hesketh and Edward Burns, in
the employment of Messrs. J. H. Rayner and Co.,
Exchange-buildings, were brought up by officers Patrick
and Laycock, of the detective police, on a charge of
having stolen a large quantity of india-rubber, belong-
ing the above firm, and a large quantity of bees-Wax,
the property of Mr. F. J. Eaton, of the Queen Insu-
rance-buildings, Dale-street. The ease involved Mr.
Foulds, a druggist in Pitt-street, and Mr. Cobb said he
attended to watch the case on behalf of Mr. Foulds, as
well as to defend the prisoners. Officer Patrick said on
Wednesday week he and Laycock received information
that some porters in the employment of Messrs. Rayner
were in the habit of stealing india-rubber, and selling it
to Mr. Foulds, druggist, Pitt-street. Mr. Cobb objected
to this, on the part of Mr. Foulds, but Mr. Kehoe said it
was necessary to open the case fully in order to understand
it. Patrick went on to say that they watched the ware-
house iu MTiccar-street at twelve, when the men were
leaving, and at six in the evening again. The previous
evening he went along with Laycock a quarter before
six, and put themselves in a position to see any one
going into Mr. Poulds's shop, and soon after they saw
the prisoners go into the shop, with something bulky
about them. They went out of his sight in the shop, and
then he went in and asked for some cough lozenges.
(Laughter.) There was a glass case at the end of the
counter, that prevented him seeing behind that part of,
the counter ; but he heard Mr. Foulds say—“ It
is just nine pounds." He then went round the
counter, and got 9lbs. of India rubber on a scale, and
the prisoners, with Mr. Foulds, were standing there.
He then asked the prisoners what they had to say about
the rubber, and they said they knew nothing about it.
He then asked Mr. Foulds if he had anything to say,
and he replied, the men brought it there, but he had
not bought it from them. We wanted to enter the
cellar, but Mr. Foulds objected at first, but they went
into it, and found 601bs. of India rubber there. He
said he could produce an invoice for it, and witness
then told him he must go to the police-office and explain
the matter to Mr. Superintendent Kehoe. Mr. Cobb
objected to this line of evidence, as it had nothing to do
with the prisoners. Patrick went on to say that he went
into a room over the shop of Mr. Foulds, and there he
found 601bs. of bees-wax, and he said he could account for
that by an invoice. Took them all to the police-office,
and charged the two prisoners with stealing the pro-
perty from Mr. Rayner's, when they said they found it
amongst some rubbish in a warehouse in Cooper's-row,
where they were working amongst palm oil. Mr.
Foulds then said he purchased the india-rubber from
Mr. Edwards, an oil-cloth manufacturer, in James-
street. Went there with Foulds, and Mr. Edwards said
he never sold him any such thing. He said he bought
the bees-wax from a Mr. Adamson, who he said lived
in Kirkdale, but be could not tell any-thing more
about him. He did produce a bill for 161bs. of bees-
wax, but it was discovered that a large quantity of wax
had been stolen from. Mr. F. J. Eaton, of the Queen
Insurance-buildings, Dale-street.---Mr. Cobb cross-exa-

mined the witness at length, but his evidence was not
shaken.—Laycock was examined, and corroborated the
evidence of Patrick; and several warehousemen, belong-
ing to Messrs. Rayner, Brown, Shipley, and Co., and
others, were examined to prove the property.—Mr.
George Broadbridge was produced to prove the pro-
perty in the bees-wax, as that of Mr. Eaton, but Mr.
Cobb objected, as there was no charge against them on
that point. After some consultation, Mr. Townley,
warehouseman at Messrs. Brown, Shipley, and Co.'s,
was called, when Mr. Cobb objected to his evidence, as
he had not made the entries in the book himself. The
witness, however, said they had india-rubber in Rayner's
warehouse in MTiccar-street, and one of the cases was
found short. Mr. Kehoe then called on the bench to
have Mr. Foluds taken into custody, on a charge of
having received the property, knowing it to have
been stolen. Mr. Castellain said he wondered he
had not been already taken into custody. Mr.
Kehoe said : I would have done so yester-
day evening, but for a reason I told Mr. Garnett.
Laycock then took Mr. Foulds into custody.—Mr.
Cobb : Will you take bail for him ?—Mr. Castellaiu
Yes ; two sureties in £lOO each, and himself in £2OO,
as it is a very serious case. The prisoners were then
remanded to the 12th instant, but Mr. Foulds was
allowed to remain until this day in custody at the
bridewell until bail could be procured.

LIVERPOOL POLICE COURT.-YESTERDAY.

(Before Mr. CASTELLAIN.)
"ABDUCTION" OF THE PORTRAIT OF A
NAVAL OFFICER.

Gustave Nelson, described as a boarding-house keeper, of
Charlotte-place, was charged by William T. Wyatt, photo-
grapher, of Price-street, with having stolen the portrait of a
naval officer, value 6s. The complainant said, about nine
o'clock the previous morning the prisoner entered my studio,
and asked me to lend him sixpence to get a drink. I gave
him the money, and then he went away, when I missed the
in the evening he found him, with the portrait in his pocket.
Mr. Cobb, for the prisoner, cross-examined the witness, who
said, I know he keeps a boarding-house. He does not bring
sailors to me to have their portraits taken, nor do I give him
commissions. I did not promise him any commission, nor is
there any dispute about commission. Mr. Cobb : Did he ever
bring you any one to have a portrait taken'? Witness; Yes ;
a sailor, and he paid me 35., but I refused to give him
any commission out of so small a sum. Did he not say he
would keep the portrait of the naval officer until you paid
him No. I met him at a public house in the evening-
What were you before you became a likeness taker'? Oh, I
am a long time in the business. Mr. Cobb : But before that
what were you? A school-boy, I calculate. Mr. Cobb : What
did he say to you? He asked me if I would take his wife and
family, and the like'? (Laughter.) Mr. Cobb : And then he
took the naval officer ? Witness : Yes, he stole it. He was
pretty well up in drink at the time—he was drunk. Mr. Cobb :
There is no felony in this case. Mr. Castellain : I think not,
but I will fine him is. and costs for being drunk. Mr. Cobb :
Oh, he will pay that with pleasure.

APPLICATION FOR PROTECTION FROM A HUSBAND-
Mr. Bluck made an application to Messrs. Castellain and L.
Peel, on behalf of an elegant-looking person named Mary Ire-
land, for an order of protection under the act. He stated that
the lady (who appeared very juvenile) was married nearly •
twenty years, and is the mother of eight ehildren. Her hus-
band was a man in a respectable position in life, and WO
receiving over a hundred pounds a year, but for some year'
past he had not given her anything towards the support
of her children. She supported them by her own exertions•
For the last three months he had gone away altogether, and
lived over the water. This he took to be desertion under the
act ; and that, coupled with the fact of his not giving anything
towards the support of the children, would be sufficient
to entitle her to the order, as she feared he would come
and interfere with her when she had acquired something for
the support of her children. He then called the applicant,
who corroborated the statement ; but in the course of a con—
versation that followed, the lady said the separation wag
mutual, and she wished him to go and remain away from her-
The magistrates said, that under such circumstances, they
could not grant the order. She could proceed against
_biz'
by another process, if she wished.