The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-18 00:00:00

OF THE ORDER OF DISCHARGE.

A rule nisi had been obtained in this cue at the instance
of the trade assignees, calling on Lord George to show cause
why his last examination should not be rescinded, on the
ground of concealment of property ; and the matter now
stood for argument. This was also a sitting for order of
disoharge.
Ur. it. Griffiths appeared for the assignee, and Mr. Bar-
good for the bankrupt.
Mr. Griffiths said he was instructed, on the part of the
assignee, to withdraw the charge made against Lord George
of having abstracted a portion of his property. It appeared
that the boxes which had been removed were not the pro.
perty of Lord George, but of somebody else. Sioce the last
sitting inquiries had been made, and they bad seen the
parties to whom the boxes really belonged.
His Honour said in that ease the proper course would be
to dischargethe rule that had been obtained.
Mr. &mood—This was not necessary, as the rule was a
dropped role through want of sufficient notice. The court
had so treated it, giving leave to the asaignee to take out •
froth rule if he were so advised. In the meantime he had
seen the affidavits filed on the part of Lord George, and
was fully satisfied that no fresh rule had been applied for.
On referring to the proceedings it was found that there
was no minute of the last sitting, and his Honour ob-
serving that it was most important that their proceedings
should be regular, directed it to be made nuns pro tune.
Before this was done the missing document was found, and
his Honour said he should make an order discharging the
rule.

Mr. Griffiths said he should not object to the bankrupt
having his order of discharge, but the assignee thought
that Lord George, being in the receipt of a fixed income,
should eet a portion of it aside for payment of his creditors.
Two years ago he had been insolvent, owing 3,000/., and sot
a farthing had been paid of those debts. He asked that the
order should be adjourned for six months, Lord George to
make a return of his income from time to time.

The Commissioner—W hat is the nature of his income?
Mr. Griffiths said he had 5001. a year, minus certain dr
ductions, from his brother, the Marquis of Townsheod.
His Honour doubted whether this was such an income as
could be made the subject of a coudition in the order el
discharge. The words of the act were " income due to the
bankrupt."
Mr. Griffiths cooteoded that the income was of a nature

to be brought within the act.
His Hooonr said there could be no doubt that the marquis
would do what be had hitherto done to help his brother ;
but this was a mere gratuity, and could not be said to be
due to the bankrupt. The court was bound to
deal equal justice to high and low, and would put to Lord
George the one question—What reasonable expectation be
had of paying the debts he had contracted, after being once
insolvent?

Mr. Sargood said he was quite taken by surprise by the
application of his learned friend. He bad been told there
would be no further opposition to Lord G. Townshend, and
Mr. Griffith,' had said that he ; did not object to the order
of discharge being granted. The course now taken was like
blowing hot and cold.
His Honour said that he always put the question as to the
expectation of payment in oases where there had been a
former insolvency ; and he did this whether the bankrupt
was °ppm& or not. The court was directed by the 159th
section to proceed to consider the conduct of the bankrupt.
Lord G. Townshend was here sworn.
The Commissioner—Finding that you were insolvent two
years ago--
Lord George—Four years ago.
Mr. Sargood said the petition was filed in October, 1837
a" TM'S ago.
The Commissioner—Not having paid any of your former
debts, amounting to 2,7001., what reasonable or probable
expectation had you of paying the debts you have since
contracted ?

Lor4 George—The debts were not of my oontractieg,
though I in responsible for them in law. My own debt to
Mr. fooling, the assignee. is only about 31. The debts were
contracted when i was not at the place.

The Commissioner—By whom were they contracted
Lord George—By Lady George.
Mr. Bargood asked if the allowance from the marquis was
paid to him personally.
Lord George—lt is paid to Lady George.
His Honour said he did not think that be could annex
any condition to the discharge affecting this income
he should be going beyond the act of parlie-
meat if he did so. The words of the act
• were, "salary, pay, emolument, profit, wages, earnings, or
I income, which may afterwards become due to the bank-
rapt." It was an act of kindneee on the part of his bmther
II the marquis, and could not be said to be due to the bank-
rupt Bat this was a clear case of contracting debts with.
oat reasonable or probable expectation of paying them.
Formerly insolvents were liable for their past debts , it
was so in this case ; and the excuse made by Lord George
that his lady had contracted the debts had something of
Wisner in it and was no answer M the question as to the
napeotation of payment. He had now contracted farther
debts to the amount of 1,1001. ; and for this offence, con-
; trading such debts without probable means of payment,
I the order of discharge must be suspended for six calendar
months from that date.
Mr. Sargood—Having regard to the fact that Lord George
has been some months in prison, may I ask your Honour
for protection
The Commimioner— Yes ; you have anticipated me. I
was going to say that I should give protection.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Baron Martin.)
Charlettc Jackson, 26, a miserable-looking creature, was
charged with the manslaughter of her child Margaret
Jackson, by starvation and ill-treatment.
Mr. Poland conducted the prosecution. The prisoner was
undefended.
It appeared that the prisoner was the wife of a seaman,
who was at sea following his occupation, and the prisoner was
in the receipt of 21. se. per mouth from the owners of the
vessel in which he was employed. In August the prisoner
took &lodging in the house of a Mrs. Howell, in Chapman-
street, St. George'ri-in-the-pact, taking with her the child
in question, which was about fifteen months old, and not
weaned. At first she appeared to treat the child kindly ;
but the prisoner was frequently given to drink, and about
November she began to neglect the child very much, and
used to go out and leave it four or five boars together, some-
time. locking the door of the room. On some occasion when
she happen to leave the door open, Mrs. Howell, the land-
lady, went up on healing the child cry, and often gave it
food. Sometimes on going into the room she found the child
and lying on the bed entirely naked. The child became
and)vaq GI rs. Howell urged the prisoner to have some me-
dical advice, as she was sure it would not live. She obtained
an order for the medical officer of the nolo" to visit the child,
and upon his doing so he directed the prisoner to go to the
Faand get some medicine, for which he gave her the
ption. This, however, she neglected to do. On
turdy, the Mid November, the child became so bad
that Mrs. Howell procured au order for the admission of
the prisoner and her child into the union. On the pri-
mmer presenting herself with her child she was quite in-
toxicated, andjthe child was taken into the house and pro-
perly taker' care of, and the prisoner was given
moo custody. It appeared that when one of the
witnesses, who had formerly employed the pri-
soner as a tailor's', persisted in fetching a doctor,
she told her to mind her own business, and threatened to
have her life, and after the doctor had seen the child the
prisoner put a poker in the Are and struck her with it over
the head, and upon her ann. Shortly after the child was
admitted into the workhoms it died, and upon a post-
mortem examination being made, was found to be very
much emaciated ; some sores were on the head, otherwise
the child was in a healthy state—at least there was no
apparent disease which could have caused death, and the
medical officer armored his opinion that the chill died
from venial noeut and neglect.
The prisoner stated that the witness, in whose employ she
was, was the very person who had led her on to drink, and
got her into all her trouble, and that she had never ill-used
her child.
The jury totted the prisoner Guilty, and the learned
judge sesteaced her to 12 months' imprisonment.
Book Moms, a respectable-looking roue, surrendered to
take his trial for the manslaughter of Edward Lee.
Mr. Liffey prosecuted. The prisoner was defended by
Mr. Ribton.
The facts of the case have recently appeared, and they
were of a very peculiar character. It appeared that on the
20th of November the prisoner and the deceased, both of
whom were the worse for liquor, dined together at the
Somerset Hotel in the Strand, and after dinner they
began to play with the cheese knives and convened
about fencing, and the prisoner proposed to show the
deceased the difference between carte sad tierce, and
they got up for the purpose, each having a cheese-knife in
his band. They then made several passes at each other,
and the deceased received a wound in the belly, which
sensed his death. There was, of course, not the slightest
imputation of malice against the prisoner, and the affair was
no doubt to a certain extent quite accidental, but the pre-
sent charge was sought to be supported by the suggestion
that the prisoner was guilty of criminal negligence in using
a dangerous weapon. While the deceased was lingering he
repeatedly stated that he completely exonerated the pri-
, sonar from any blame in the transaction, and that it was
' purely an accident.
The jury stopped the case, and said they thought it was
i an accident. They. returned a verdict of Not Guilty, sad
the prisoner was discharged.

NEW COURT.
(Before the Common Serjeant.)
Charles Lemma:, Ludwig Sygorern, Henry Lenmaa,
and John Winder, all German seamen, were indicted for
feloniously wounding John Peter Erichaen.
Mr. Bilden prosecuted.
It appeased that the prosecutor was upon the evening of
the 18 November in a coffee-house at Mherhithe, when
the prisoners, whom it appeared had been drinking at a beer-
shop close by, where they had been assaulted by some one,
came in, and mistaking the prosecutor for the man who
bad siaaulted them, fell upon him with their knives sad
cut him most frightfully about the head and face.
The jury found them Guilty, but recommended Leaman
to mercy as he had not taken so prominent • part iu the
affray as the others.
The Court thereupon sentenced him to nine months'
imprisonment, and the other three to eighteen months'.

THE POLICE COURTS.
(THIS DAY.)

CLERICEN WELL.
PERJURY SY CHILDREN.

Yesterday, a man, who gave the name of William Bran-
hell, a brazier, residing at 6, Great Warner-street. Clerk-
seawall, was charged with being drunk and umulting Ann
Jordan, 'lied 12, of 35, Eyre-street-bill ; and Martha Voller,
eyed 11, of 22. Back-bill, St. Andrew's, at Wood-street,
well, with intent to commit a rape.
Xr. Barker fully committed the prisoner to the sessions
for trial.
Last night the mothers of the two girls attended, and
stated that their daughters had informed them th►t
the whole of their statement was trumped up, and was
untrue.
The girls were called. and each accused the other of tell-
ing her to state what she had. There was no truth what-
ever in what they had sworn, and they had only done it for
a " lark."
Mr. Barker characterised the conduct d the girls as most
wicked, scandalous, and disgraceful, and stated that they
were the most depraved children he bad ever seen. Be
directed police-sergeant John Trawin, 402 A, to make in-
quiries about the children. and to ascertain if they had
been tampered with in any way. He remanded the pri-
soner until Tuesday next, to await the result
of the sergeant's inquiry. but he expressed his
determination to send the case for trial, so that
the judge might punish the children aa he thought fit
In ordering the children to leave the court he again cha-
racterised their conduct as most wicked and ban in the
extreme.
The prisoner said he had not tampered with the children,
and he was sure hie friends had not, for they were not
aware th►t he was in trouble. He said that he was drunk,
and did not remember what had occurred.
Mr. Barker said that this ma another of the mil effects
of drunkenness, and remanded the primmer.

DANGER Or PRACTICAL JOKING. Yesterday
(Tuesday) James Johnston,, a night watchman, was tried
in Dundee, before Sheriff Ogilvy and a jury, on the charge
of stealing three table-knivee from a house in Prospect-
place, Dundee. It was explained by Mr. Paul, writer,
for the accused, that on one OCCRiiOII be had left hie polio.-
man's cape in the garden of the house in question ; and that
it was carried off before he returned, the servant. having
done this, he believed, as a practical joke at his expense.
In order to retaliate, he had carried off the three knives
which he was charged with stealing, but intended to re-
store them honestly. The jury, by a majority, held the
explanation to be satisfactory, and brought in a verdict of
notiguilty.—Edinturoli Courant.
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.—The Atlantic and
Pacific Railroad is fair') launched. The route will be by
way of Sacramento, Washoe, and the Salt Lake. The
stock subscribed on the first day was 400,000 dollars. The
railroad will par over the Sierra Nevada, where there is an
unbroken ridge from base to summit, so that the grade will
not exceed 105 feet per mile. The expense of con-
struction is estimated at 88,000 dollars per mile.
In order to prevent the snows of the Sierra
Nevada from interrupting traffic, engines will be
kept on the summit, with anow•ploughs to run over the
line when snow begins to fall. The Indian title to all lands
donated to the railwav company will be extinguished. To
prevent speculation in land near the railway route, all lines
within fifteen miles will be withdrawn from pre-emption.
A grant of United States government bonds of six million
dollars is made to the railway company. These bonds run
for thirty years, and they draw interest at the rate of 6 per
cent.. tad are irredeemable for that period.