The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-07 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WitDik/ESDAY EVEI4ING, JANUARY 7, 1863.

I We Claahruten, Yortudre, worsted sphimes-11.
Units sat ltaidn, Mloseler, baildera
SCOTCH fiItQIIIIITRATIONA.
DOMAN MOuncet, Boabare. War Inverness, Mum. J. 13, at
the DMus Hotel, Inverness.
JAMS 11•111113, fiatleoato aldpowner, Jan. 9, at the Famdt7
abligow.
JAI= Donlideoll, Cried, plumber, Jan. 10, at the Drummond
Arms Hotel, Cried.
0/0141111 8/111177. Peebles, farmer, Jan. 14. at Ma County and
Commercial Hotel, Forfar.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
OLD COURT.

- - -
(Before the Recorder.)
John Croule :it described as an engineer, was charged
with feloniously and milicionaly setting fire toe stook of
bay, the property of Thomas Jelly.
Mr. Daley conducted the prosecution.
The prosecutor in this case oocnpies a farm wiled the
Grove Farm at Kentish Town, which is managed by his son,
and it appeared that about half-put two o'clock on the
morning of the let of January a stack of hay that was upon
the farm was discovered to be on fire, before the fire
could be extinguished about four lords of the hay was
destroyed. A polies-constable of the S division, named
Thomas Edwards, in comexpence of information that be
received, went after the prisoner and stopped him, and told
him be believed that he was the man who had set fire to the
stack. The reply he made was " Yes, I did it, and it wee
through want."
The prisoner, when called upon for his defence, banded in
a written paper, in which he stated that he bad been em-
ployed ic. her Majesty's dockyards at Portsmouth and Wool-
wich, but was discharged in consequence of the Admiralty
order, with a number of other men. He had a wife and two
children, the latter being in &dying state, and he was re-
duced to great &area, and was compelled to apply to the
parish, and they put him to stone breaking, but this employ-
ment hurt his bands so much that he was obliged to pre it
up. On the day in question he had gone to Kentieb Town
to endeavour to find a relation, and while he was in the field
be lighted his pipe clots to the stack, and accidentally set it
on fire, sod he was frightened and an away.
The Recorder, in summing op, said that the story now
told by the prisoner was very different to the statement be
made to the policeman, and it was for the jury to consider
which was the more probable tale of the two.
The j found the prisoner Guilty.
The stated, In answer to a question put
by the learned judge, that he had made inquiries at Wool-
wich-dockyard, and he had reason to believe that the pri-
soner's statement that he had been employed there was
not true.
The Recorder, in passing sentence, said that eases of this
description were difficult to deal with. There was no mali-
cious motive undoubtedly, but at the same time a consider-
able quantity of property was destroyed, and the prisoner
did not derive the slightest advantage from it. It was •
serious offence, and he felt it his duty to order the prisoner
to be kept in penal servitude for four years.
Charles Fur, 25, sailor, was charged with feloniously
smutting. and wounding Franamoo Placido, with intent to
do him grievous bodily harm.
Mr. Langford conducted the prosecution.
It appeared that about half-put eleven o'clock at night
on the 13th December, the prisoner and a number of other
sailors, some of whom were foreigners, bad been drinking
at • public-house near the docks, when a quarrel took
place between the prisoner and an Austrian seaman, and
they fought. After • abort time the prisoner left off fight-
ing and went to the house where he lodged
and procured a knife, and then ran again into the
street, no doubt with the intention of assaulting
the man with whom he bad previously been in conflict with
the knife. He had, however, got quite out of the way, but,
meeting the prosecutor, who was also a foreigner, and who,
it was stated, had some resemblance to the Austrian, the
prisoner made • rush at him and stabbed him in the
shoulder. Hewes taken to the London Hospital, where it
was ascertained that the injury was not of a very serious
character, but this, swatting to the evidence of Mr. Apple-
yard, the surgeon, wasprmapally owing to the fact diddle
knife had entered the body of the prosecutor in an oblique
direction, and If it had entered in • straight line, the life of
the prosecutor would haw been placed in imminent danger.
The jury found the reisomerGeifty of unlawfully wounding.
The Rworder said that the use of the knife must be dis-
couraged, and there was this aggravation in the case of the
prieoner, that after the fight was over he had deliberately
provided himmelf with the weapon for the purpose of inflict-
in; injury upon his opponent. He then sentenced the pri-
soner to be kept to hard labour for twelve mootbs.
- - -

John Brown, 21, hawker, was charged with a similar
offence upon Henry Ricketts.
Mr. Daley prosecuted ; and the prisoner was defended by
Yr. Collins.

In thee case it appeared that the prisoner and the
prosecutor end a number of other persons were at •
public-hones in the Hackney road, and there was no
doubt that the whole of the party were more or less the
war for liquor, and the prisoner and the prosecutor quar-
relled and proposed to fight for • sovereign, and money was
produced by them The landlord, very properly, would not
allow any fighting to take place in his hour, and he turned
the whole the party into the 'lnst. The moment they
got out of the house the prosecutor received several slight
stabs upon different pans of the body, but none of them
were of a serious character. The evidence as to the prisoner
being the person who inflicted the injuries wan somewhat
refused, but it appeared that the pruner ran away after
the occurrence, and it wee pretty clear that the prosecutor
could not have been wounded by anyone else.
The jury again returned • verdict of Guilty ot unlawfully
wounding, and the rme punishment was awarded as in the
former case, namely, twelve months' imprineameat and bard
labour.

Mr. Brett, qc., who is specially retained with Mr.
M'Culloch to conduct the prosecution against George
Rll.llOll, the owner of a merchant vessel, and James Bettie,
the captain of the mime vessel, form • • together torte-
fraud the Universal Marine Company of 8001. by means of •
fraudulent policy of assurance, applied to the coat that the
one might be taken on Thursday.
Mr. Sleigh, who is instructed for the defence, said he had
no objection to make to the application, and the Recorder
consequently appointed Thursday for the trial.
Harry Boss, 52, desortled u an agent, was indicted for
misdemeanour, in having unlawfully obtained • quantity of
table cloths, value 1081., from Richard Bell and others, by
false pretences, with intent to defraud.
Mr. Sleigh and Mr. F. Seeley conducted the prosecution ;
Mr. Kemp was counsel for the defendant.
From the opening statement of the leveed counsel for
the prosecution, it appeared that the prosecutors carry on
business as merchants at Glasgow, and the offence imputed
to the defendant was that he had obtained • considerable
quantity of property from them under the pretence that
be was engaged in trade in the City of London, and that
this property was to be used for the boot fide purlieus of
trade, whereas in point of fact his pretended place of busi-
ness was • mere sham, and that his object was to defraud
the prosecutors, or any one else from whom he could
obtain property. It appeared that in the mouth
of June last the defendant engaged offices in Laurence
Pountney-lane, and he stated that his name was
Lovell, and that his business was that of a general
merchant, and very shortly afterwards the name of
Lovell, Son, and Co. was painted on the office door, and the
prisoner and another man from this time came to the office
almost every day, and the latter appeared to act as clerk. I
On the 22nd and 26th of September it appeared that • letter
*old Lovell, Son, and Co., was pent to the prosecutors at
Belfast, requesting them to send some samples of damask
table cloths to the 015001 in Laurence Poontney-lane, as
such articles were required by that firm to complete a
shipping order. In consequence of this letter, Mr. Moor.
bead, the London agent of the prosecutors, went to
Laurence Pountney-lane, and inquired for Mr. Lovell, and
a person who was in the outer office, and who ap-
peared to be acting as clerk, told him that be was in
the inner office, and be went there, and saw the defendant,
who said that his name was Lovell. Some conversation
then took place, and iu consequence of the representations
made by the defendant it appeared that • small quantity of
goods was sent to the office. Shortly afterwards some
further negotiations took place, and the defendant expressed
a desire to have a larger quantity of goods, which he re-
quired to be pecked for shipment, and it was arranged
that these goods should be supplied, but Mr. Moor-
head distinctly told him that as he was a
and this was the first bilabials transaction they manger
dtrii
together, be most insist upon receiving cash for
the goods. The defendant agreed to these terms, and the
articles that were ordered by him were sent in, but when
application was made for payment the defendant required a
delay of ten days. He was told that this was contrary to
the arrangement, and that cash must be given, upon which
the defendant said he could not pay for the goods until they
were shipped. Mr. Moorhead told him that if he did not
pay for the goods, se it had been agreed be should do, be
should insist upon bevies them back, and he left, and a
person was sent to fetch them, but he was unable to obtain
pcseessiou of the goods, and it appeared that within • very
short time afterwards nearly the whole of the pro-
perty that had been obtained from the prosecute!'
coder the circumstances above narrated, was pawned by the
defendant at the shops of different pawnbrokers. It also
appeared that the defendant left the offices in Laurence
Pounteey-lane without paying any rent, and nothing was
left behind but the empty cases in which the goods had
been peeked for shipment in oonsequeece of the instructions
of the defendant. When he was taken into custody by
Reggae; the detective officer of the City of Ludes police,
upon a warrant greeted by Mr. Aldermaa Homphery, the
defendant •le informed that he was charged with obtain-
ing a quantity of table cloths by false pretences under
the pretence that he was carrying on business as Lovell
sad Co. ;he said that he was not " Lovell," but he was
merely the servant of the firm. He was then asked where
Lovell was, and he replied that he did not know ; and when
be was asked what had become of the property, be mid
that it was pawned, and he at the same time produced a
somber of duplicates referring to it.
Mr. Kemp addressed the jury at some length on behalf
of the defendant, sod the answer be endeavoured to esta-
blish to the ‘-it arse against him was that he was not the
prioeipal is the affair, but was acting under the instructions
of other parties.
The Recorder h trine summed
The jury shout immediately retuned • verdict of Guilty.
Huggett, the detective, informed the court that from
inquiries he bad made respectiog the defendant, he had no
doubt that for several vears he had been Nipped, with
other persons, in carrying on • most extensive system of
swindling by establishing fictitious firms and obt•lnjigg
goods as a large amount farm dirforost trachoma.

The Recorder, in psmiag sentence said that the defendant
had been convicted of a most mischievous offices in a com-
mercial community, and he ordered him to be kept in penal
servitude for three yearn.
Direr Moore 18, pleaded guilty to two Indictments,
chargingSl I 1
mhim wt. tit forging orders for the payment of mall
Mr. Me e urged in mitigation of punishment that the
prisoner was very respectably connected, but he had become
his own master at a very early age, and this had probably
led to his being placed in his present posttion. He added
that the prisoner was at present a ward in Chancery, and
would upon coming of age be entitled to a sum of mousy
which would probably be forfeited by his conviction.
The Recorder sentenced the prisoner to twelve months'
hard labour.

2/07dosioole, 42, pleaded guilty to two indictments,
ftrhim with forging acceptances to bills of exchange
respective slims of a and 51.
Hr. Metcalfe was counsel for the prosecution ; and Mr.
Linton appeared for the defence.
The render, it appeared, was employed by a loan office
to make inquiries se to the position of penona who offered
themselves sa borrowed or sureties for loans. He took ad-
vantage of this position to introduoe fictitious promissory
notes to the society, and forge the names of the parties to
these instruments, and it was stated that the prisoner had
done this in eighteen or twenty instances.
He was sentenced to four years' penal servitude.
_ THE 1,011012 T UPON TEI HANK OP 113 GLAND.

In the course of the day the grand jury came into sourt
and returned true bills against the whole of the prisoners
charged with this offense.
Just before the rising of the court the prisoner, George
Buneher, Robert Cummings, William Burnett, Richard
Brewer, James Griffiths, and Henry Williams, who are
charged with the robbery of Bank of England note paper,
and with forging and having in their possession forged Bank
of England notes, were placed at the bar to plead to the
several indictments that bad bees found against them.
The indictment, extended to very great length, and
were twenty-nine in number. The prisoners Burnett and
Griffiths pleaded guilty ; the items pleaded not guilty.
The trial, it is expected, will come on this morning.

NEW COURT.
(Before Thomas Chamber, Esq., Q.C., Common Serjeant.)
John Lowe, 43, painter - Maltids Lour, 26, married, and
Jane Francis, 32, married, were indicted for having in their
possession • mould for oofning.MlM kaigolog.
Mr Poland prosecuted ; Mr. OPPeabsins daenaed the
male prisoner ; and Mr. Thompson, the two women.
Inspector Brennan stated that having been directed by the
Mint authorities, he went on the 13th of December to 27,
Union-street, Lambeth, where the prisoners lived, and
there took them into custody, and found in the room a
mould for making bad shillings, and in different parts of
the house the constables found 20 base sovereigns, four half
sovereigns, and • quantity of counterfeit sixpences ; and
upon the mile prisoner was • good florin which bad been
used for the purpose of making a mould. 't/1
Mr. Webster, the inspector of coin to the Mut, mkt that
the florin found upon the male prisoner bad formed the
mould, in which • florin taken from • prisoner tried at
these sessions in December had been cast, and the bad sove-
reign produced in • case tried yesterday was from the same
die as those now produced.
The jury returned a verdict of Acquittal as regarded
the female prisoners, and convicted the man.
Brennan said that the prisoner had been for twelve year
known to the Mint authorities as an agent for disposing of
bad coin, and the women were most expert coiner.
The Common Berjeant sentenced the prisoner to 10 years'
penal servitude.
Joseph Whitehead, 22, watchmaker, was indicted for
stealing a cash box and 181., the property of William Hol-
land. _ .

Mr. F. H. Lewis proem-sited, and Mr. Pater defended.
The prosecutor in this case is a distiller at Deptford, and
upon the 28th of November the prisoner, in company with
another man who bad called at the prosecutor's premises on
the previous day came to the diatillery and ordered two
gallons of gin to be sent to Albany-road, Old Kent-road.
He then asked to see the distillery, and the clerk was
about to show the prisoner, who then said be could
not stop, and left with the other man, and the
prosecutor's clerk soon afterwards found that the cash-
box containing the gold in question and about 4001.
in valuable securities had been taken and an emptylone sub-
stituted. The clerk some days afterwards meeting the pri-
soner in town gave him in custody.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and the sentence was
deferred.

In the ease of W. Wood, tried the day before yesterday
in the Third Court, we are requested to Mate it was not the
learned oommisioner who tried the nese that uappod it,
but the jury, suer hearing some remarks from Mr. int
Ballantine.

THE LACE PA& 'SIRE IN SOHO.

•
Yesterday afternoOti Mr. Bedford resumed and
coooluded hie inquiry Into the circumstances attending the
deaths of Breslin 'ming childreu, namectSpesoer, who died in
mhoe oldie firs is Portlaadstreet, Bobo, on Friday,
the 26th of December. In consequence of the great interest
which has been excited in the parish, the adjourned inquiry
was held in the Vestry-hall, Piccadilly.
Samuel Joseph S the father of the deceased
children, was first alled. His said that he and his farad
.1
had resided in the top room of the house, No. 6, Portla
street., Soho. About four deleck ea the afternoon of Dec. I
26, being ill, ha lay down in bask The children were then
in the one room they occupied, and that wee the last he saw
of them prior to the outbreak of the fire, although while
lying in his bed he heard them ay their prayers and sing •
little hymn before they retired to rest. They had bees told
that they were to get rep early is the morning, as some of
them bad to return to the parish schools on Battersea.
common. He was awakened by the alarm of fire. He west
to the room door and the smoke almost knocked him down.
He flew to the window, opened it, and remained there five
or six minutes. The &mei were then terrific, and mine up
into his face. There was no engine there at that time. He
went to the bed when the children were lying, and felt
them, but he was so thoroughly exhausted that he could
render them no assistance. Samuel, one of the boys, 141
yearn old, was paralysed and idiotic, and slept by himself in a
' little bed in the corner.
A Juror—How did you maps?
Witneas--Over the parapet. of three houses.
A Juror—Did your wife make her escape in the same way
that you did?
Wittiess—l don't know. I certainly was not aroused
by her.
Sarah , the mother of the deceased children, was
then and gave her evidence under painful feelings al
agitation. She stated that on the afternoon of Friday, Dec
26, her husband lay down, and she went with a friend and
her children to the Lowther-arcade to buy them some
trinkets, u they were to return to school on the following
morning. The children went to bed about half-past nine or
a little before ten. After she had put them to bed she
made up • fire, as she was •going to sit up tall night, her
husband being ill. She sat in a chair by the foot of the
bed towards the fire-place. She supposed she fell asleep.
bat she could not remember. She knew no more until her
husband exclaimed, " There is • fire !" He opened the
window and exclaimed,l" Good God, Sarah, it hour house!"
She knew nothing about taking up her baby, although she
appeared to have done so. Three of her children lay at the
foot of the bed in which their father was sleeping, the
others at the ride, with the exception of the elder, who had a
little bed to himself.

A Juror—How did you make your escape?
Wittman said she remembered going down the first flight
of dairy, but nothing more until she reached the street door
which she found fastened. The smoke was so dean that she
could see nothing.
A Juror remarked that neither of the parents appeared
to have dote anything in the way of attempting to save the
children.

The Coroner deprecated such a remark, and thought it
would be better for the juryman M wait before he expressed
ansntrong opinions on the case.
Pearce, of Little Dean-etrest, who had been in
the habit of taking care of the she and parlour, which were
occupied by Mr. Chard, a jeweller, and her ace, and Mr.
Chard himself, were then examined.

Mr. Geom.:l.olnd was called, and said he lived at 9,
Leiioi-ezeet, Burton-crescent. He said he was in the house
in Portland-street between nine and half-past on the even-
ing of the 26th December. The premises were then in their
usual state. He merely looked about for a ring that he bad
mislaid, but he was not there more than ten minutes. He
had made every inquiry as to the cause of the fire, sad
should very much like to know how it occurred. He left
the place quite safe, and that was all be could say.
A Juror (Mr. Cox)—You have lost all your property, I
believe?

The Juror—Were you insured for the property ?
Witness—Yes ; for 2001. for Portland•etreet. I am also
insured for the property at my other house.
The Juror—When did you insure for Portland-street ?
Witness—About five months ago.
The Juror—ln what office ?

Witness—The County.
William Lobb, police-oonstable C 73, raid that about a
quarter.past eleven on the evening of the 26th December he
was on duty in Portland-street, and saw the Are at No. 6.
He saw the flames rising through the shutters. He found
the front door leading into the passage pertly open, and he
closed it. Sergeant Allen soon afterwards arrived and burst
open the door, upon which six or seven people rushed out.
Witness then went up stairs to the second floor and brought
down an elderly woman, who, however was very anxious
to go up again to get her bonnet. He searched several
other rooms and the kitchen, but found no more people.
There wee great heat and smoke. There was no
appearance of fire in the kitchen. In a few mo-
ments after this the whole house was in flames.
When he came out be saw the fire-esospe and
two engines, but neither of the engine. was at work,
the turnoock not having arrived, and no water therefore being
obtainable. Five or six minutes elapsed before the engines
pot into play. He was not aware that there were children
in the top Boor of the house ; but if he had known it he did
not think he could have reached them, on account of the
smoke. The fire-escape did not arrive until a quarter of an
hour after the outbreak of the fire, although the station was
only 300 or 400 yards off.
Some conversation took place on the subject of reward'
given to the police for saving property, and some of the jury
said that similar encouragements were not held out for

wing life.
Superintendent Hannent put in the instructions which the
police received, and which appeared to be very explicit.
The Foreman of the Jury said that the raring of life
should be the first object, and the saving of property the
second. He thought the police ought to be directed to send
for the fire-escapes in the first instance.
The Superintendent said it would be impossible on all
occasions to send for the fireescape first.
Mr. Low, the Secretary of the Society for the Protection
of Life from Fire, mid the children io the second floor were
saved by the escape.
Sergeant Allen, 20 C, said the police were matured that all
the people were out of the house, otherwise the fire-escape
might have been put up to the top floor.
The Vestry Clerk mid that, by direction of the parochial
authorities, a professional gentleman had made a close sur-
vey of the premises, but he had ascertained nothing more
than that the fire began under the board in the trout of the
shop, near the gea-meter.
R. H. Gatshoum, an engineer of the London Fire Brigade,
stationed in Wellsetreet, mid he was called to the fire by
a little boy about twenty minutes past eleven, and was there
in about five minutes afterwards. At that time the flames
were mounting up into the air. There was no water. He
found a lace and pulled up the plug, but no water could be
He sent off for the turooock, who arrived in
about seven minutes afterwards. He did not know of any
other plugs, as there were no marks to inform firemen
where they were. The turncock found one where there was
water, and immediately set the e 'nes to work to ex.
Magni& the fire. Captain Shaw and himself went in and
masted to Ming the people out.

Curtain Shaw, the superintendent of the Fire Brigade,
rid that about half-put 11 o'clock he was called to the fire
by telegraph. The tire-escape was up to the top of No. 8
bona.. He took a look round, and, thinking it wee the
most important part, went up. Having got in by the
window he tried to make his way by the back door, and in
his way he pot his hand on the bead of one of the children.
He then put his hand round and found three more children
on the bed. He then bad to go to the window for a mo-
ment to get some fresh air, and then one of his men who
had entered called his attention to another body on the
floor, and then to another in a little bed in • corner close
by. All the children lay as they slept. The flooring in
that room was very little burnt, but the whole of the floor-
ing io the room beyond was burnt away. The front room
dr. which the children were was alight all round, but the
flooring had not been destroyed. Undoubtedly the fire
began in the front put of the shop, but he did not think it
was possible to discover the origin of the tire.
By a Juror—The beds in which the children were lying
were nut much buret. The children were suffocated rather
than burnt. The outer clothing of the beds was scorched,
but not burnt through. He beard a very good aooeunt of
the fire-escape men. The first be knew of the children being
in the room was when be put his hand on them.
By the Coroner—At present every plug did not represent
a supply of water. If there could be a constant supply of
water it would be better in cases of tire, but he did not know
that it was practicable. As a general rule the turncocks ar-
rived before the engines. There were a great many turn-
owls and very few engines.
Thomas Clarke, the fire-escape man stationed in Oxford-
street, said he had grestdifficulty in gettiog to the fire. There
were a vast number of people about the place. Most of them
were half-drunk, and he never saw so disorderly a crowd.
Directly he put his escape to the windows, the crowd got on
to it, and he had to get over their backs in order to getup.
Had it not been for these obstructions, he might have saved
the children in the top floor; as it was he very nearly lost
those in the second floor.
Newman, the turocock of the district, said he came
directly he was ealloi.
Lazarus Howe, police-constable 95 C, said he went to
Dreyer, the turnoock, in Naylor's-yard, Silveretreet, St.
jimmies, and rang his bell. A woman threw up the win-
dow, and he told her of the fire. Sean; DO signed any one
moving, he rang again, and Denyer put his heed out of the
window. He told him to come directly, as there was a fire
in Portland-street, Soho, on which Denyer said, "A
good job, too ; it's not in my district, and I shan't go." An-
other constable came up and heard him use the words.
John Darling, 152 C, confirmed Howe statement, and
said Denyer exclaimed, "A good job, too; it's not in my
district, and I shan't come."
Denier, who was called, said the police told him that the
lire was at the top of Great Portland-street, which was
near the Regent's-park. He declined to go because it was
far out of Ins distnct ; and if a fire had broken oat in his
own district while he was away he should have been
charged with neglect of duty. Portland-street, Soho, was
not even in his district, nor was it supplied by the Grand
Junction Company to which he belonged.
Both policemen denied that they said anything about
Great Portlandetreet. They said Portland-street, Soho. '
Dr. Buzzard, who on the previous inquiry impugned big
opinion that the children died from the shock el bane sad
sot hat voiloostios, was milled, and said be adhered to

that opinion, notwithstanding the evidence of Captain
Shaw.
Mr. William Darlington, limped victualler, of 42, Wm-
dour-street, said he witnessed the fire, and complained of
the want of water. If there bad been a proper and early
suppl...he believed the fire might have Men confined to
the
Tbeoroner having summed op, the jury retired.
After an abeam* of about 20 minutes. they returned into
court and found that the children died from the @fleets of
the fire, but considered that 110 evideoo• had been adduced to
account for the origin of the tire. They severely censured
the conduct of llenyer, who, they considered, ought to
have given his assistance, as it wen the duty of every man to
do on such occasions.

—Mr. hoz, the senior churchwarden of St. James's. thanked
the coroner on the part of the parochial authorities for the
patience with which he had conducted the inquiry. _

. -
The proceedings were then brought to • class shortly
before eight o'clock.