The Express.
London, England, 1863-10-28 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION•HOIIBS

Janes Smith, a saisean7tieeTtribeelas au engineer, was
brought before the Lord Mayor, charged under the 140th
seat o of the Merchant Shipping Act with having trades-
Toured to obtain by false pretences from the Merchant
Seamen's Office, Board of Trade, a certifthate of services as a
first.class engineer.
Mr. Baud appeared for the prisoner.
Mr. Coleman, from the Merchant Seamen's Office, Board
of Trade, Adelaide.place, Loodon.bridge, stated that the
prisoner presented himself at the office on the previous
day and brought a claim foe a firet-chias certificate as an
engineer. He showed the prisoner the claim, and asked
him if the signature to it, James Jenkins Smith, wee his,
and if be hail served in the Mauritius from May to Sep•
tember, 1859, and the prisoner answered in the affirmative,
sod said when he left the Mauritius a discharge, which be
produced, was given to him. Mr. Coleman, knowing the en-
gineer who served in the Mauritius during the time specified
was named James John Smith, and that the prisener was
not the man, told him he bad stated an untruth,
and the prisoner afterwards acknowledged that he had
not served in the Menritius, but only in the Chester and
the Victory, both of which were under a nominal tonnage,
sod in eoesequet.ce of that the prisoner would not be enti-
tled to • best-class certificate. The certificees of discharge
which the primmer produced he also said was not his. He
mid he knew that hie services in the two vessels would not
entitle him to a first-clam certificate, and having had the
certificate given to him he had made use of it.
Mr. Coleman said be did not wish the matter pressed
severely ; bat the prisoner bad made a fraudulent use of •
certificate which belonged to another man a practice to
which the board were very much subject:ed, and if not
found out often enabled those whose abilities were not
adequate to the position to obtain a certificate.
Mr. Beard said, having heard the facts he would not
struggle against them, sod the prisoner admitted having
made a fraudulent use of the certificate, but at the same
time the prisoner was not aware of the seriousness
of the offence be was committing, and of the penalties to
which he was liable. He had served in two vessels, and,
beyond doubt, hie capabilities were such as would entitle
him to a certificate had he served in such a vessel u the
Mauritius, which was above the nominal tonnage specified
by the statute. The prisoner bad merely dose it with a
view of raising himself to • position for which his abilities
qualified him, and taking into consideration that the
prisoner had a wife and family, and was nut very well off,
be hoped his lordship would deal as leniently as possible
with him.
_ . _

The Lord Mayor said it was • very serious aflame, and one
by which those who were uot qualified might obtain • cer-
tificate nod • position, to the olotriment of those who
were qualified. As it was, however, he thought the jostle,*
of the cue might he met by the infliction of a floe of iil.
The priemer's water, who was hi court, paid the money
immediately, and the primmer was discharged from custody.

WESTMINSTER.
Riehard O'Shea appeared for final examination, charged
with threateeing to shoot Baron Brunnow, the Russian
ambassador, under the circumstances already reported in
our column..

A gentleman who was in attendance observed, that the
baron had mo wish to cony the matter any further as far
as he wan concerned, belisviog that the man could not have
given vent to such ridiculous expremioua if he had not hems
very much under the induence of liquor.
Mr. Arnold said those might be the Baron Brunoow's
views, but this was a public matter, which could not be
passed over without some further inquiry, as the accused
might offend again in a like mariner, and then asked whe-
ther any so* were present who knew asythiug about him.
Mr. Joseph Hawking, clerk to Mr. Resole, the contractor,
said that prisoner was in their employ, and had always
hitherto been an exceedingly quiet man and bore as excel-
lent chmacter, although unfortumitely he drank very much
at times. _ .

Mr. Anoka resserked, that under those oirrumstaucee I
the pitman's bad cooduct was oo doubt framable to drink
only ; end harts' pointed out to hire that be bad oonunitted
a very foolish act and might have dope fowl ennoble', or-
dered Isim te ester into lus rec.:solemness to keep the peace
for sir melba