The Express.
London, England, 1862-09-24 00:00:00

lady, gamed phillips, residing io the /neighbourhood, into 1 have sine sees my name on the prisoner's subscription
the'bean, which the deceased, • very pure-miuded woman, list takes from him by the police. My name was put down
refused mallow.) . . for three guineas. I gave him nothing. He lin used my
This was the case for the prosecution. Dame to several persons I know, and among others to the
Mr. Giffard argued that the couuta of the indictment Rev. Mr. Driffield, the rector of Bow. He did so without
had not been sustained, and that then was no nee to go to my authority.
the jury. I Yr. :Nerd said he wished to ask a question of Mr. Harper
The Cannon Berjeant overruled the objections. Twelvetrees. Did not the prisoner refer him to • Mr.
Mr. Gifford said it was • deeply important thing that the Marsh, of Hackney, who was to build the chapel'
valuable privilege this oouutry possesaed—that of the liberty Mr. Twelvetrees—Yes, that was after he got the money.
of the press—should not be frittered away by persons being Mr. Marsh said. " All I know of the man is, be gave me en
able to punish a writer for • single expression in an article order for his new chapeL"
which on the whole was perfectly justifiable. The learned Mr. Beard was proceeding to put other questions to Mr.
gentlimanentered into' kegthened sad able historhalreview Twelvetrees, when the magistrate interposed, and said,
of the attempts which bad been made in times past to fetter " This is quite irregular ; Mr. Twelvetrees is not upon his
the liberties of the pew—s matter in which the juries of oath, and he is seated.
England bad often taught the judges law, having refund to Mr. Beard—There was • subscription list.
accept their ruling. Adverting to the precise circumstances / Mr. Selfe—And many sham subscribers.under coasiderstion, be held that if the charges avian Mr. Mr. Beard—The prisoner has been preaching at various
Phillips had been mere idle pulp Mr. Gray wouid Itave been chapels, and did intend to build a new one.
culpable in publishing them, but it was • very different Mr. Sells—l em very sorry such a fellow has been preach-
matter whea a woman on her death-bed accused her hue- Mg in any chapel.
band of murdering her, and that after her death her mother idr. Beard said the prisoner had been somewhat indiscret
reiterated those diaries, and upon her statement on oath and a little too zealous in representing that the ground wig
obtained a judicial inquiry. He pointed out man cases in taken and the budding about to be erected before he had
which the publication of such information had been of made all his arrangements, but it was the intention of the
nuptial service to the public in bringing great criminals to prisoner really to build a chapel. The names of persons
justice, and elegantly
their verdict the liberty of the press. Mr. Gray, if con- but that wan often done by persons and committees getting
wined, would suffer very little, but his convictroo might up subscriptions for public objects. Well-known names
hereafter lead to many results connected with the free- • were put down as decoy ducks to induce others to come for-
d= of the peen which it might take many severe ward. If the prisoner was really collecting subscrip-
struggles to get rid of. If • reporter might not publish tions to build a chapel and preach the gospel,
such en alleption, merely because the man implicated his object was a laudable one, though he
was a bone dadsr connoted with the-sovereiges of Europe, might have been a little irregular io his pursuits. He under-
we should not be able to say anything about the suppression stood the prisoner had an aged mother and sisters to main-
of the press in France, bean we ourselves should be sup- sad he hoped, on that account, the magistrate would
positing it in England with • much sterner band. I be lenient with the prisoner.
The Common Serjeant said it would be impossible to say I Inspector Griffin, of the A division, said the prisoner had
bow much this country was indebted to the freedom of the obtained two suite of clothes of tailors and pawned them
pens- politically, constitutionally,. in matters of science, • directly.
social life, commerce, and the administration of justice. At I Mr. Beard—Never mind ; they are not here to complain.
the same time every one had a right to seek the protection I Inspector Griffin—Oh yes, they are.
of the law if the press licentiously attacked him. The gun- A gentleman who sanded to watch the ease from
Con in this case was whether it was for the public benefit Stubbe's Trade Protection office said the prisoner bad de-
that this article should have been published. The learned • fronded some of Mr. Stubbs's clients and committed forgeries
judge submitted the whole bauings of the case to the jury on others.
with great clearness and impartiality. Mr. Selfe—The people are not here, and I can't take notice
The jury retired at five minutes past five, and returned at of floes charges ; where is Oberlin'
a quarter to six with • verdict of Guilty. The Rev. Dr. Hewlett— In America.
Mr. Gray was allowed to go on his own recogninnoss until Mr. Belie—Not the hew York Central College'
the morning, the Common Serjeaot stating that he would The Rev. Dr. Hewlett—No, sir, it is not Brockfield. I
meanwhile consider the matter. have received numerous complaints of the reverend gentle-
George ad ward Brown, 22, draper, pleaded guilty to an man from all quarters.
indictment for stealing 14 shirts, 30 engraved pante, sod Mr. Salle said no one could doubt the prisoner was an
other goods, valued at 41., the property of Charles Marking impostor, assuming the character of a dissenting minister
and mother, his masters, and going about collecting subscriptions fora new cougregs-
Mr. Bibtoo appeared for the prisoner. tinsel chapel which he never intruded to build. There was
The Common Serjeant said the prisoner's conduct wee also no doubt the prisoner came within the terms of the
very base. Such robberies were cruel in the extreme to
Vagrant Act, the sth of George IV. cap. &3. Among other
other servants employed in establishments where such definitions of a rogue sod vagabond, in clause 4, was the
plunder took place, as suspicion rested upon all until the following :—" Every person going about is a gatherer or
thief was discovered. The prisoner had not only plundered collector of alms, or endeavouring to procure charitable
contributions of any nature or kind, under any false or
his masters of their stock, but had cut from • journal, the
Art Union which the liberality of his employers had pro- fraudulent Pretence." He had no hesitation in *eying
vided for tit. amusement and instruction of their young the prisoner was • rogue and vagabond within the
men, some valuable engravings. He should sentence him to meaning of the Vagrant Act, and that he had
three years' penal servitude. falsely and wickedly represented to many respectable per-
Witham Holden, 18, clerk, was indicted for uttering a soon that he wanted mosey to build a congregational chapel
forged ch que for the payment of 121., well knowing the of which be was to be the pastor ;and such • pastor, too
some to bee forged. sad that he had spent the money received by him, and
Mr. Daly prosecuted, and Mr. langford defended. never intended to apply it to the purport for which it was
It will only be necessary to draw attention shortly to the
given. It was uo excuse for the pruner to say that he
fees of the reee, which were somewhat singular ne they placed aboard on a piece of ground with the inscrip-
tion, " Site of the intended new Congregational Chapel,
had already been given on the 00CRIl011 when the prisoner was
the Rev. T. A. Freeman, B. D., Minister. That was a Bub-
tried at the last sitting of this court ; the charge then spinet
terfuge. The prisoner had made out a fictitious subecrip-
him being that of stealing, in conjunction with a young man
lion list, and induced people to subscribe their money for
not in custody, a horse and gig. On that occasion he was ac-
quitted on two similar indictments, after the jury in the the erection of a chapel, which money was expended by
first had been locked up until twelve o'clock at night. In the prisoner in the maintenance of himeell and the
the case now before the court the prisoner sod •• you
ca with whom he cohabited. The prisoner
man, who gave the name of Horrocks, went together to the warn a disgraceful fellow, an impostor living by
premises of the prosecutor, Mr. Dome, who is a coachbuilder his wits. e sentenced the prisoner, as a rogue
and livery stable keeper in the Blackfriars-road, and hired and vagabond, to three months' imprisonment and hard
labour in the House of Correction. The prisoner had better
two gip and hones for the purpose of having aday's pleaoure.
The vehicles were supplied, end they tendered in payment take warning, aod not carry on his system of imposture in
the garb of religion, and Dot dements holy things by repro.
and for a loan of 10a. the cheque In question, which puss-
minting himself to be a minister of the Gospel going about
to be drawn by one Winsland on the Union Bank.
to raise money tO build a new chapel.
TZttratel evening the prisoner returned with big vehicle, but
his companion did not do so, and it was some days before The prisoner, who put on the appearance of • martyr,
wee then removed'
the gig and horse be had taken out had been traced and re-
covered. In the meantime the wife of the prosecutor had Brockfield said there was an important charge of felony
against the prisoner.
presented the disgust at the Union Bank, where it was pro-
nounced to be a forgery, and the old lady was in fact given Mr. Selfe—You can prefer it three months hence, when
he comes out of prison.
into custody, but of course released on giving an explanation
of how she became possessed of the cheque. The prisoner Several well-dressed women of all ages were lamenting
was subsequently apprehended, and committed on this and wringing their hands, when they heard the sentence on
charge. their "den minister," as they called bins.
Mr. Langford addressed the jury for the prisoner, contend-
ing that there was no proof of his complicity with the other
man Horrocks, who has absconded, while the prisoner bad
returned the gig and horse with which he had been en-
trusted.
The fury. after a long consultation, returned a verdict of
Not Guilty, and the Common Serjeant warned the pri-
soner to be careful as to his future dealing and conduct.