The Express.
London, England, 1865-10-05 00:00:00

SURREY SESSION&

(Before Thomas Mos, Fem., Chairmen.)
Thomas Payne surrendered in of his bail to
asswer an indictment charging hinidttirCing bailee of •
cattails quantity of wheat, bevies sold aid converted the
proceeds to his own use, defreuding the London, Brighton,
and South Coast •Midlway Oonspasy. In other counts the
property was laid variously as befog that of the consignor
arid consignee.
The prisoner pleaded see guilty.
Mr. L Haley and Mr. B. G. Clarke conducted (in.
strutted by Hewn. Faithfull) the prosecution; and the
prisoner was defended by Mr. Lille,.
The facts of the oue as opened by Mr. Bosley and sup-
ported by the evidenos adduced, which was somewhat of •
complicated character, appeared to be was
me
prisoner
had bete the proprietor of an hotel at South Norwood,
and he let some parties of hi premises to two parents
named Franks and Guider, who painted up the form of
" Franke and Co., corn and flour futon." On the sth of
December last, it appeared 46 quarters of wheat were poi.
chased from a Mr. Flesman, of Watford, by • Mr. Hu-
tease., a core merchant, auryieg on business et the Corn
Exchange, Mark.laue, sad residing at Lower Norwood.
The instructions given by the buyer were that the wheat
should be forwarded' to the Wakefield corn market,
but by mistake they were sent on to the Norwood
Junction Station. in two trucks, and there the property
arrived on the 12th of December. with • consignment not*
to Mr. auredane, who—be having only private resiatioce
there—was not known as a core merchant. On the 14th of
December, in consequence of the alleged eoesignee not
being found, Mr. Harold Bridger, the superintendent of
the goods department at the Norwood Junction station, set
out to make inquiries, and—calling on the prices: at his
hotel--eaked him if he knew Mr. Hamdsno as there were
some goods waiting for him at the station. In • few days
afterwards the prisoner
for
himself at the goods station
and claimed the goods for the firm of " Franks and C 0.," and
paid the amount of the carriage of the goods, ii. 19.. lid.,
cud not only directed the wheat so be conveyed to the
stores of the supposed firm of Franks and Co , bat actually
superietended the loading of the carte and the deposit of
the wheat into the stores. In consequence of the loss of the
wheat further investigations ensued, and this continued
until February hat, when Mr. Bridger again called on the
prisoner, and inquired what had become of the wheat in
question, when the prisoner declared that Franks and Co.
bad gone away largely in his debt, that he should never
obtain from them the sum he bad paid for the carriage,
sod that he knew nothing of what had become of the
property. Inquiries ware then isetituted by inspector
Carpenter, an oiliest in the company's service, when it was
ascertained that in April last the prisoner had directed •
Mr. Strickland. a con factor, to sell the wheat for him
that he effected • sale to Messrs. Kidd, of Brighton, and
that be bad received from Mr. Strickland a cheque for tail.
the amount of the purchase at the then market price.
Such were the circumstances under which the railway cam-
pity ou public grounds Instituted this prosecution.
The wittiness having been immunised,
Mr. Lilley addressed the jury for the prisoner, eonteeding
that his client was the victim of the pretended Min of
Franks and Co., who bad gone away largely in his debt,
and that he was • mere dupe.
The jury, after a brief cooanliatioe in their box, returned
• verdict of Guilty.
The Deputy-Chairman thereupon sentenced the prisoner
to be imprisoned sad kept to hard labour ia the House of
Correction for six calendar =oaths.