The Press.
London, England, 1854-05-20 00:00:00

TIE PRESS.

--
Messrs. Allsopp, the well-known pale-ale brewers.
It appeared that the defendants had sold some 100
dozens of bottles of ale which they represented to
be Allsopp's, but were in reality of spurious and in-
ferior quality. The charge being proved, and a ver •
diet of Guilty returned, Lon} Campbell observed upon
the gravity of the offence, which had a tendency to
upset all confidence in commercial dealing, and
sentenced the defendants to a year's imprisonment
with hard labour.

THE dextrous, but happily unsuccessful, attempt
of a thief to purloin a large amount of notes from a
banker's clerk was investigated at the Mansion-
house on niesdiy. Charles Roberts was then
charged with having stolen in the London Joint-
Stock Bank two Bank of England notes for 1,0001.
each, two for 3001. each, two for 201. each, one for 501.,
one for 101., and two for Si. each, and a draft on the
Bank of England for 31,0001., the property of Messrs.
Barnett, Hoare, and Co., bankers, of Lombard-
street :
Mr. H. Tasker, a clerk in the house of the aforesaid bankers,
stated : On Saturday I was it the London Joint-Stock Bank, and
had In my hand my leather note-case. A great many other per-
sons were present. My case was open, and I was holding it la
my left hand. Something attracted my attention for a moment,
when some one called out, " This man has got your notes." I
turned round and saw my parcel of notes on the ground. The
prisoner was the nearest person to me. I took him into the pri-
vate room of the bank.
Mr. H. L. Whitelock, clerk to Messrs. Sapte and Co., bankers,
of Threadneedle-street, said: I was in the London Joint-Stoek
Bank at the time specified, and saw Mr. Tacker there. I saw
hia leather case In his hand open. The prisoner was there.
He was at first standing by the counter doing nothing. He
walked from the counter when the amount of Barnett'e charge
*its asked for, lend stood by the side of Mr. Tasker. He put his
hat over Mr. Talker's case, and with his left hand took the par-
cel out of the case. I directly called out, "He has got Birnett's
notes," and I took hold of his wrist. Immediately afterwards I
saw Mr. Tasker pick up the parcel from the ground.
Other witnesses deposed to having noticed the at-
tempt at stealing the notes, and the consummate
dexterity with which it was made. The prisoner was
committed for trial.
MR. E. BULLER, of 23, Belgrare-square, applied to
Mr. Broderip, the magistrate of Westminster police
Court, to prevent a breach of the peace, of which he
was apprehensive, in his own person. He produced
a letter written to him by Mr. R. Williams, a partner
in the bank of Ransom and Co., in Pall-mall, chal-
lenging him to a hostile meeting
Mr. Williams, being summoned to attend the court, admitted
that he bad sent the letter in question, and begged to say that it
had been caused by Mr. Buller having made an insinuation of a
most improper character against a lady to whom he was nearly
related. The insinuation was of a most unjustifiable descrip-
tion. He bad written to' r. Buller in order to give him an op-
portunity to retract. bitt had received a reply from him declining
to enter into any explanation; and, although he communicated
with bitn again, Mr. Buller still refused to enter into an expla-
nation. As he could obtain no satisfaction, he had tent a friend
to Mr. Buller requesting him to adjust the usual preliminaries,
and naming his friend.
It appeared that the original complaint on which Mr.
Williams's letter had been founded was at present the
subject of an action at law. Mr. Broderip pointed
out the unjustifiableness of the step he had taken,
under any circumstances, and especially petulente lite.
The worthy magistrate endeavoured to reconcile the
parties, and wished them to consent to his burning the
letter of challenge. His efforts, however, proved un-
successful, and he bound over the defendant, Mr.
Williams, in recognizances of 1,0001. to keep the peace
for twelve months.

SPECIOUS ALLUREMENTS have been lately thrown
out with increased activity by persons connected with
German lotteries for the purpose of inducing the
British public, or certain members thereof, to pur-
chase tickets, from which it seems the buyer could,
under no possible contingency, derive benefit. The
trick was exposed in the Mansion-house Court by
Sir W. Carden, who stated that among other corre-
spondents on the subject a lady, with whom he was
well acquainted, had enclosed to him the printed
letter and prospectus of a " Grand Money Distri-
bution," from which fortunes were to be handed over
to the British purchasers :
The letter held out peculiar advantages to the purchaser of a
number of shares, the price of a single sbare being 21., but a
large allowance being made to extensive speculators. It
stated that the equitable principles on which the distributions
were based, and the management of the drawings by Govern-
ment authorities, gave a perfect security to the shareholders
whether they resided on the spot of ;he drawing or not ; and the
amount of the order might be sent in bank-notes, bankers' drafts,
or post-office orders. He hoped that the public would not
venture into such a speculation, and, as he believed the only
mode of noticing the enterprise was by giving a public caution
upon the subject, he had taken the opportunity of doing so, in
the hope that the press would assist in putting the British pub-
lic upon their guard.
Mr. Goodman (the chief clerk) said that the subject bad been
often noticed In the justice-room, and upon more than one oc-
casion it was represented that, although the tickets held by per.
sons in this country bad been drawn prizes, the holders never re-
ceived one farthing for them.
Alderman HurrEn had frequently heard of similar complaints,
and was surprised that customers could be found here for such
articles.

Sir R. W. CARDEN said it appeared that the distribu-
tion speculators contrived to get the names and ad-
dresses of respectable women who visited watering.
places, and directed against them the full power of
their artillery of prospectuses and promises.

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