The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-02 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

The January meek* of this mat ammeseed yesterday
beim the Wit Hon. Francis Gish= Mesa, Lord Mayor
the Right Rea. J. B. Wortley M. P., the Recorder; Alder-
man Es C. Meashell, Sir R. W. Caries, and 'Meanie, Mr.
!heal llemedego, Yr.
_Shoat Croaky, Mr. Under Sherif
Fines, alr:Thedir fterW Croaky, Bs., Be.
In el the sheet plead that hen oared also
the lest anssist ef the sense, then is ea yam*
smell amber "(prisons,' fee teed at the present maim
the keg edition of the calendar 'attaining only forty-four
Akaseder .1t Darold, 40, described u a slip•broker, wee
indicted Ise feleabuly forging an endorsement to a bill of
Exchange in 163., with intent to defraud.
In a seem' meat the prisoner war charged with uttering
the asaament in question, knowing it to be forged.
Mr. Bodkin presented; Mr. Bantias was counsel fee
The circumstances under which this chugs was preferred
were of a very peculiar and unusual natters. It appearedl
that a person named Could Ross, who had formerly kept
a pablie-bease at Limehouse, having been unfortunate is
bedews, had gone with his wife and a little girl, his only
child, ten years old, to live at Walworth, and that a brother
of Ids named John, who had iron to California, bad re-
mitted to London a bill for 1601., upon the Ague Fria'.
Mining Company, for the benefit of the family. Donald,
it appeared, unfortunately died before the bill ar-
rived, sad about six weeks afterwards his wife war
seised with cholera, and she also died, after a
very short Wane, leaving the child above-men-
tioned entirely without a friend or protector. The prisoner,
it appeared was an intimate friend of Rose and hie wife,
and upon their deaths taking place under these melancholy
circumstances, he was sent for,and he took posseadon of
all the effects of the deceased, aid the f 1 expenses,
sad removed the child to his own residence. Before this
took place, however, he had made saltation of what he
called a California bill, and alter two eureka in a box
in the room of the deemed, he was seen to take the bill
in question out of a pincushion. It appeared that the bill
u usual in such cases, was made payable one mouth after
sight, to the order of Doaeld Ross, but there was no evi-
denee to show whether, when the prisoner first obtained
pouression of the instrument it bore the indorsement of
the demised upon it or not, but very shortly afterwards the
prisoner presented the bill at the offices of the
company, and in dee time he canned the whole
meant of the bill. The deceased persons, it ap-
poured, bad no relations in linked, but their friends
to Scotland having received an Uniting et of what had
takes place instituted some inquiries, and Aleasader Ross,
a brother of the deceased, and some other relatives came to
London for the purpose of inquiring into the affair. The
primer upon being questioned at first said that the de-
coated persons had net left sufficient property to pay the
expense of the funeral, and when be was asked what had
became of the bill he at first said that be did not think It
was of any value, but subsequently he admitted that he had
reesived the amount. and at the tam time said that he
could not be bun for what he had dose is the matter, r
Mrs. Ross had put her husband's name to the bill beiges
she died, sad there was some grad kg seggesief thae
this was really the cue. It was peeved that Ile eraser,
MPli.nearly the whole of the man simelved
bdill to hut own purposes, sad dr* ha w
ablest esastaatly hank for a esauldseetle time
ewer the Osuseaction, sad it appeared SO axle M
los bola Y ,syssasdy he Ise bed several mw
Male d aieleaa temitas. It spewed la the amine of
lie ewe. list dlts kismet bed written to Alexander Roes
spa the Wise ef tbe msg, sad bed maid that the child
Mead be *nil by him in speak utast where she would
la tea l awe of, sad that the messy she was entitled
le weal. be plead at her &peed when sit required it,
ad Ile led ems made a somakallin el a similar kind to
the antes. Mr. Campbell, the 'askew of the parish in Boot-
hs/ in Whisk Alexander Rots raideL _ . .

Mr. Baßeatles made ea unmet appeal to the jury on
bolsi! of the prisoner, end he muleadel that there was not
the slightest protease for eimeging Ms with forgery. He
mediae:sued to show that In all probebility the wire et she
deceased man, who wee really entitled to the money, had
signed her husband's name without any intention of de-
lineating any one, and he said that although the prisoner
.jbt afterwards nave improperly made use of the 1110•417,
It would be monstrous under such circumstances to find
him guilty of forging the instrument, or of uttering it
knowing it to be forged.
The Recorder, is summing up, after observing upon the
Len Ike mature of the charge, expressed an opinion that If
bnerrshould believe that the wife had signed her has.
eeme for the purpose of getting the money without
lasay expense, or preventing delay, and with no in-
.tejemili defraud any one, in that ease the prisoner ought
not to be etenieted; but if, on the contrary, they should
think that the galena, had pat the indorsement to the bill
himself, or hei prepared it to be done with the intention to
apply the massy to his own purposes, in that case they
would be jewelled in finding him guilty.
The jury, alter deliberating a short time, found the pri-
mer Hiahy of uttering the instrument knowing the en-
desemeat to be herd ; but es the verdict did not appear to
be as wandoess ow, they were requested to reconsider it,
and, after a shirt time, they returned the same verdict, one
of the jurymen observing that according to the prisoner's
own statement he was aware that the signature of the hus-
band wan written by the wife and therefore knew that it
wasa forgery when he uttered it.
Mr. Ballantine said there was another indictment against
the prisoner for starling a watch and other articles, that
were taken by him under the same circumstances as the
bill was, and he wished it should be tried, as he said he
should be able to show by letters that had passed between
the prisoner and the Rev. Mr. CampthU, that he had in
reality committed no illegality in the transaction.
Mr. Bodkin maid he should decline to proceed with the
other charge, and the Recorder paid he did not see that,
under the circumstances, he was called upon to interfere.

lw added, iiirover, that I;sitioho paosalisotosoo Iwo would
Look at soy ettommits that Wen be Imodloi to h., whit
true May W Wag hiaa Mies Midas to the Vi.
sato, ot tonsailisia. _ _ _

Some conversation then took place with regard to the dis-
posal of the child—the relatives of the deceased were, it
appeared, anxious to take her back with them to Scotland,
but the wu unwilling to leave the person under whore
charge she was at present, and who wu described as the
housekeeper of the prisoner. The Recorder at length said,
he thought it would be much better for the child to go with
her relations, but se she would not consent, he had no
power to make any order, and the parties must take their
Own course.- .

Goofy' Ross surrendered to take his trial for labia-
' .canon. - - -

Mr. Bodkin, who, with Mr. Parry, appeared for the pro-
secution, said that the prisoner had printed a mat
atrocious libel upon Mr. Robert Bignoll, the prosecutor,
but as he had promised to give information that would dis-
cover the authors of the libel, he should be content if be
pleaded guilty, and entered into sureties to appear and
receive judgment if called upon to de so.
The defendant expremed his readiness to assent to the
proposal, and he accordingly pleaded guilty, and having
entered into the required sureties he was discharged from
custody.