The Express.
London, England, 1852-10-19 00:00:00

THE POLICE COCIRTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.
John Gerard, a person of respectable appearance, was
brought before Sir R. W. Carden upon the charge of
having obtained, under false and fraudulent pretences, 140
tons of iron, value 300 f., from the London agent to the
Colwyn Iron Company, at Glasgow. Mr. Lewis appeared
for the prosecution, and Mr. Morgan, of the firm of Hunt-
libels, Morgan, and Co., for the prisoner.
Mr. Lewis, in stating the ease, said the prisoner had made
ingenious efforts to make the transaction appear to be • re-
gular commercial dealing ; but, although experienced, as it
would be proved, in rather sinister ways of trade, he had
made • mistake, which would fully and legally subject him
to disagreeable coneequenees.
Mr. Archibald arNochtuid —My °film is at 54, King Wil-
liam-street, Loedon-bridge, and I am agent to the Coldness
Iron Company, at Glasgow. In August, the prisoner, se •
comminied by. another man, called at my Ake and asked me
the price of pig iron. I told him the price, and that my
terms were cash on delivery. Ido not really remember
what the price was then, for it was then somewhat variable,
but in a day or two afterwards he called again and
told me he required • great quantity to be executed,
that he bad received some heavy orders for girders and
castings, and that be wished to know when I could erliver
the iron to him, and at what price. I said I had GO tons
in the river, and he might have them at 66.1.61 per tun for
cash on delivery, at his works, which he said were the
!'bionic Iron Works, Hackney, situate on the banks of the
canal, easily accessible by barges. He was te pay the canal
dues, and to pay cash on the delivery. of the iron. I agreed
to let him have the 60 tons at that price. On the evening
of the 27th the 00 tons were delivered. This is the receipt
signed by him. The prisoner called the next day and gave
me 401., stating that he could not give me stay more that
day, but in two days he would bring me the balance. He
had represented to me, on the fist day I sow him, that he
was an iron founder, and that he required the iron to exc.
cute the orders he tad received for the girders and castings.
I heard thata person named Paten, who had the character
of beteg an industrious respectable man, kept works in the
neighbourhood, and a thought occurred to me that the pri-
soner was • partner in that house. When be came and
paid me the 601. he said he had such extensive iron orders
he would like to buy some more iron as the market was
then advancing. I then bargained with him for 60 tons
more, at 6d. per ton less, he Lending his own barges for it.
On the 2nd of September • note came ti. me for the deli-
very of the second order, and the iron was accordingly
delivered.
Mr. Morgan submitted that there was no false pretence
used by the prisoner, and there could be no pretence fur
detaining him.
Mr. Lows-1 contend that he has obtained the goods
under false pretences. Ile pretended that he was the
owner of the l'hamix Iron Works, and that he wanted the
iron foe girders and castings, and I am going to prove that
instead of being the person he represented himself to be,
and wanting the iron for such a purple as he stated, he
is a convicted thief, and that lie sold UM iron immediately
after he received it for considerably lees than he was to
have paid for it.
Sir It. W. Carden said he knew there were sometimes
considerable ditSculties in proving the sort of false pretence
which even lawyers segued to be indispensable to the
untie? of a case. He would be guided by the whole of
the evidence In support of .any charge of the kind, and if
he thought it right to be submitted to a higher authority
he would not hesitate to act accordingly.
The witness proceeded—lnfore the 16th of September
the prisoner came to me and complained of the quality of
the second lot of iron. He said that it dal not run well,
land that it did nut mike geed outings. On my demurring
ke said there were one or two hlde founders in his neigh-
bourhood who could not afford to buy more than a ton at a
I time, and they made the same complaint. He then wished
' me to send him 20 tons additional of rafter iron to mix with
the other. On the 10th the 20 tons were accordingly deli-
vend. He sent his own barges or lightermen for it.
• In answer to question, from Sir 71.. W. Carden the wit.
' nen repeated the reams by which be was Induced to part
with the iron, and then proceeded thus :—I have been to
the'place which be represented 'sibs Phonic Iron Works.
I found there s little room, fitted as a countinghouse, 12 ft.
nun. There was no foundry sr works there belonging
to the prisoner. There was no factory fur working castings
there. When I found 1 was defrauded I went immediately
to the police. I had bath some of . the iron forcibly on the
20th of September, and 1 have been since that time codes.
enuring with the olice to find out the prisoner.
Sir R. W. Carden—Did he 441 you whether ho was
casting iron at the Phenix Inn Works ?
Witness-1 unditratcod him to say so; but I cannot
positively swear that he did.
Sir R. W. Cardoll—Did he tell you ho had • foundry
there ?
Witness—l uoderatood him so.
Olearmartained by Mr. Morgan—l knew nothing of the
.pnima before he called upon me about the iron. I wrote
• hen to him in consequence of a letter be wrote to me
ideuari tin pries of Iron.
Nan the letter was protheses). It wee addrened to the
peineser, utile manager of the Phenix Iron Works, Rose-
gibed, Pritchard'a-road, Hackeey:
ale IL W. Carden said he considered the letter just pre-
&UNA wes quite enough to fill lop an important chasm in
the Mince.
Mt. Lewis immediately impoended the letter.
Witnem—The prisoner was not anxious that I should
take back any of the iron. There ism ininfoundry in the
emighboarhoed of the priloner'e premises, but the owner of
Mt indignantly denied that he had any connexion with the
Jima Joaathea Howe --I am a charcoal-burner, and
haakander'e black manufacturer, at Rosa-wharf, Priich-
I iterre.rustl, Hackney. knew he prisoner about force
mistbs. I let him the premises. They co:ulster part of the
West a abed, end a loom for a conatiag house. There was
an foundry at that spit. lie told me he took it with the slew
of banding • foundry there. Doting the whole period he
had the premises be did net work any foundry, and there
was no place for castings er girders I knew the prisener
alien some pig iron was retelved by him, and I was em-
ployed by him to sell it. I sold ate Birch, to Simpson, to ,
Wood, to Sherwin, and to Monolog. I got for some of it
Pls., aid for more of it higher prices; and I was to hero tire
per teat. commission. I sold for nod y money, and the psi-
toner collected it.
Cross-examined by Mr. Morgan—About the 3rd of Sep-
teintx r I was requested to dap so of another sixty tone of
pig iron by the prisoner. One of the persona who bought the
iron of me said that b. should be glad to get back the mousy
he had paid for it.
John Carpenter, sergeant of the It division of the metro•
pulitrn police—l know the prisoner about two years anal a
half. Re has not carried on business as an iron-founder
within that period. Ho has been part of that time in
prison. Ile was in my custody on the 10th of October two
years. He was appreheeded at 'turban fair for ickiug a
lady's pocket of three halt crowns. He thee *lntended
till January the 9th of thin year, when he was taken into
custody, tried, and couviettal at the Central Criminal Court,
and sentenced to three months with bard labour iu Num-
'tome gaol.
Mr. Morgan said, that whatever might have been the
previous conduct of the prisoner, the matter which formed
the ground of the preemit charge was evidently iutended as
a cash transaction.

Sonic of tho officers in attendance said there were other
cluwgia of a 141601.1% nature agaluat the prisoner, particularly
ono for haring obtained 4001. under false pretences.
Sir It. W. Carder/said there was quite evidi nee enough
to justify the remand of the prisoner, who was accordingly
ordered to be brought up again in a week.

DIAILLBOROUGII-BTREET.
James nail" the saes who was charged on Monday
last With the wilful mania of his aunt, Ann Mathews,

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NitsFORTUNEA NEVER CoME SINGLY.—On Tuesafty
night, at a quarter past eleven o'clock, a man was attacked
on the liigh-strect of MusicMural' by two men, who broke
his nose by knocking him down, and robbed him of his
watch. The wind blew hie hat into the mill dam, and in
attempting to recover it he was carried by the water under
a 'ong bridge, the water nearly touching the keystone of
the arch. Ilia cries were heard by a moo named 1).
who ran to his assistance and getting.under the arch, drew
him out near ly He yrne carried to the limse of Mr.
J. Fitarerald, catechist to the free church, who got hint
brought rental again with great attention. Next day be
was so weak that a cab had to be got to take him home to