The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-08 00:00:00

THE WINE FRAHM.

Charles Eaton De Witt and Duncan McLean
Wright, who are under remand charged with conspiring
together and attempting to obtain, and obtaining a quan-
tity of wines to the value of about 5,0001. from Messrs.
Garcia Rabet Brothers, by means of false pretences, and
also with uttering several forged bills of exchange to the
terms amount knowing them to be forgeil, were yesterday again
placed at the bar of the Mansion•house, before the Lard
Mayor, to undergo a further examination.
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Mr. Sleigh, the barrister, instructed by Mr. Chidley, sp•
peered to conduct the prosecution; Mr. Wavell, who is
assisting in the prosecution on behalf of the Universal Mer.
motile Association, we. present to watch the proceedings.
Mr. Beard appeared for the prisoner be Witt, and Mr. Miller
appeared to watch on behalf of Mr. Stannard, one of the
witnesses.

It will be remembered that on the last occasion the evi-
dence adduced was with respect to the second transaction,
which was conducted through Mr. Homage. who received a
letter purporting to come from Messrs. John Stewart and
Co., of Manchester, requesting him to negotiate for the
purchase of wines between them and Messrs. Garcia
BAWL The prisoner Wright, it will also be remembered,
was mot brought up originally with Do Witt, but was
apprehended subsequently by DetectiveSerge►nt Spital.
Mr. Sleigh yesterday alluded to several lettere which he
said had been received by Mr. Ramage, and which
purported to be signed Joo. Stewart and Co.. in respect to
the purchase of wines, and which enclosed the bills which
were sent to that gentleman, and handed by him to Mr.
Lopez. He should then call the person known as Taylor,
but whose real name was Wilding (the name of Taylor haw.
Mg been takes by him at the suggeation of Wright), and he
would prove that the letters be had alluded to were in the
handwriting of Wright. He would also produce evidence to
show that the prisoners were connected with and associated
with each other.

Mr. Ramage, Mr. Wilding, and other witnesses were thou
called.

This concluded the case on the part of the prosecution,
and the prisoners were committed for trial.

A CLERICAL SWINDLER. —At the Northampton
Quarter Sessions, last week, the Rev. Charles James, •
clergyman of the church of England, was found guilty on no
leas than three indictments of obtaining od, by false pre-
tences, and was seotenoed to five years' penal servitude.
The career of the rev, delinquent has been one of a most
extraordinary nature. He as • native of Oxford, and after
receiving his early education at the Grammar School con-
nected with Magdalen College in that university, he was
entered as a gentleman commoner at Cambridge. He was
subsequently ordained, and gradually relapsed into a course
of life *hien has brought disgrace upon his profession.
Some years ago, during the severe illness of the vicar, he
was engaged to officiate as • curate in • small pariah in the
North Riding of Yorkshire, sod being a good reader and
preacher be soon became a favourite with the coupe-
genet). The vicar, however, had to sooner left borne
than he began to show himself in his true colours. He
dressed himself in • drab wideawake hat with blue ribbons,
and eugaged in the undiguined calling of breaking in oohs
for the farmers. Ile made a point of dining at one farm,
drinking tea at another, and supping at a third, and gene-
rally returned to his lodgings in • state of intoxication.
Such conduct could oat, of course, be tolerated, and his
curacy was brought to • premature termination, but before
leaving the neighbourhood he managed to obtain a good
quantity of wearing apparel, besides leaving most of
his bills unpaid. The next thing he did was to
order a new clerical dress of Messrs. Smith and
Co., clerical tailors, Southampton-street, Strand, but the
character of the fellow was discovered before the order
was completed, and he then resorted to • more ingenious
method of raising the wind. A poor schoolmaster adver-
tised an organ for sale for 501., amid Mr. James opened
negotiations for the purchase of it, and eventually ordered
it to to sent to Paddingtoo station, to be left till called fur.
In the meantime be advertised the organ for sale, but the
design was frustrated by the owner taking the instrument
to London himself, where Mr. James could not be found.
He subsequently unders eat two months' imprisonment in
Oxford Gaol for leaving his wife and family chargeable to
the union, and was also imprisoned in Lincoln Gaol for
four months for • felonious assault on a butcher who had
asked him for payment of his bill. After spending some
time io Maidstone Gaol and St. Pancras Workhouse, be
returned to Oxford, and resorted to various expedient. for
raising money. About Cbristmaa he obtained a quantity
of blankets from a firm at Leominster, on the plea that
they were intended for distribution amongst the poor, and
then disposed of them for a quarter of their value. He also
obtained an harmonium, value Ix 2 guineas, from Messrs.
Evans and Co. musicsellers, London, on the ground that
it was required • village near Chipping Norton, where he
rid he held • curacy, but on the receipt of the instrument he
sold it for Nt. In the month of Augtnit last be took up his
quarters at • beer-house at Fenny Stratford, known as
Innbigh Hall. from which place he wrote a letter to Messrs,
Norman and Shepherd, drapers, Northampton, ordering 2u
yards of black silk and two half-mourning dresses. „adapted
to servants' wear," to be sent to him. Thinking that
Denbigh Hall was a gentleman's mansion, and not • beer-
house, Messrs. Norman and Shepherd forwarded the goods
to Mr. James, who immediately proceeded to convert the
silk into cash by selling it to the landlady. He also ob-
tained goods from two other tradesmen in • similar way,
for which offence he was found guilty, and sentenced, as
has been already stated, to five years' penal servitude.—
Birminylui In Post.

THE BCROLART AND ATTEMPTED MURDER IN
THE FOREST OF DEAN.—From information received by
Police-constable Tanner, of Blakeney. be succeeded. on Wed.
nesday evening, in apprehending one of the supposed burg.
lire in • puolic-house near Blakeney. Oa the day before
the attempted murder, two tramping fellows went into •
shop at Parkend and purchased some bread and bacon. One
of the men produced a loug black beg which be held for the
other to put the articles purchased into. It appears the
masks have been identi bed by the person who served the men
on this occasion, and thus suspicion at once rested on these
men. It has also further transpired that both of the men went
begging through Whitecroft on the saireday, and one of them
begged at the house of Mr. Wood, whilst the other remained
outside. The tenon apprehended gave his name aa Samuel
Fletcher, • native of Church Strettoa, Yorkshire, and said
he was employed for several yews by Messrs. Griffiths and
Son, at the Wolf Colliery, Oldbury, Staffordshire. On
Thursday be was taken before Mr. Alleway, at Lydney, and
was remanded until the following day. The prisoner's
appearance was anything but agreeable, while his clothing
was in • very ragged state. He protested hie innocence.
The other man has not yet been apprehended. We bear that
Mr. Wood, jun., who was shot, was not so well on Thurs-
day, the ball, which is still in his body, having 'kilted to
inside the shoulder blade.—Gloureater Journal.

Tau is choice and strong, moderate
In price, and wholesome to me. mess advantages ham segued
for this tea a genera preferenca lt la sold la pearls by MOO
sisal.—(AdvartleamaoLl