The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-28 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 28, 1848,

stances of the present case, the City coroner was the proper
officer to held the inquest. is —H locdship gr anted the appli.
cation.

COURT OF EXCIIEQIIIIR.
steins in 14111:0.
WINDLS V. BIOOS.—EXTRAORDINART PROCRIDIHOS.—
ALLSOBD CONSPIRACY TO SUSTAIN ACTIONS roe TUB Pus:-
poem S GP EITORTION.—MT. Watson, Q.C., moved yester-
day for • rule calling on the plaintiff to show came why the
verdict obtained byliim for 61. 18s. should not be set aside,
and a new trial ha The action, which was tried before
the Lord Chief Baron at the last sittinp, was brought to
recover compensation for damage alleged to have been done
to the plaintiff's chaise by a collision with the defendant's
waggon. The grounds of the motion were disclosed in
numerous affidavits, which stated in effect that several
actions had been commenced, and are still pending, against
' the owners of carts and waggons for injuries alleged to here
' been done by the negligence of the drivers thereof, that there
ed
was every reason to believe those proceedings were concoct
for dimwit purpose of extorting money, and that the verdict in
question had been obtained by pi rjuvry, fraud, and conspiracthay,
of the most wicked and daring character. It appeared t
the defendant suspected, from the extraordinary nature of the
evidence adduced at the trial, that the whole of the injuries
complained of had been fabricated, end he, accordingly, in-
stituted the most searching and extensive inquiries to ascer-
tain the fact, if possible. Those inquiries resulted in the
detection of a most dangerous con-piracy. It was ascer-
tained that within 12 months previous to March last, no
fewer than 22 actions, similar to the present had been
brought against various persons by the
ast soame
me attorney who
appeared fur the plaintiff in this case; th these
Lone had had been compromised on payment of costs ; that several
terminated in verdicts for the plaintiffs for damages varying
from 61. to 71., together with costa which, in som
e in
tanin for
trial. The affidavits further stated,that the subject of collision,
which was altogether an invention, was always described to
be a gig or chaise ; that the attorney's name was Thos.
Wells, of Coldbath-square, but, that the person whoclerk really
acted in that capacity was one Jordan, a of
Mr. Wells, who was seldom visible, and was repre-
sented to be a man almost disabled by paralysis.
In this cue it appears ene of the principal witnesses for
the plaintiff was Robert Lindsay, who, on crom-examinstiosy
positively. denied that he had ever been examined before •
witness in a running down case, although be da
admitted that he had been examined in such a case only a
few days before in the Court of Common Fleas. Another
very remarkable fact disclosed by the affidavits was, rains[
tintiff
ia
the twenty-two actions traced by Idr. Biggs only one pla
could be discovered, and that was one Bennett, at whose
suit no lees than seven of them had been tried. The affida-
vits further stated that the parties who had been implicated
in this transaction had assisted each other in the other actions,
by assuming fictitious names, and acting alternately as wit.
noses and plaintiff., with a vine the more surely to sustain
their respective demands; while is truth and in reality no
grounds whatever existed for subjecting pties to legal pro-
-1
ceedings. The affidavits upon which the learned counse
the
moved had, he said, been made by parties in twelve of
actions to which be had referred.
The Lord Chid Baron—We should be merely wasting
time now to go into them. The defendant is clearly entitled
to a rule, and I think the case should not be pat into the
new trial paper, but that it should come on during the pre-
' sent term, in order that there should be no delay in remedy-
ing the injustice which seems trtio mconce o ha
e tve been done b
the plaintiff and the other paes rned. In the inter-
y
val I think it would be proper that inquiries should be made
respecting Mr. Wells.
Mr. Watson—l understand that he knows little or nothing
about the transactions. The whole of the proceedings have
been conducted by Jordan, whose name I have already men-
..

tieaea
The Lord Chief Baron—l remember the case very well.
It appeared to me at the trial to have been surrounded with
mystery, but I had no other course than to submit to the
jury the evidence brought before me.
Mr. Watson—l understand that the system is becoming
so general, that it has been in many cases extended evert to
personal accidents, such as falling through gratings, and for
accidents alleged to have been occasioned by negligence.
If such a system was permitted to go on, no person in
the country could feel safe. I have heard of one man who
hd been so ufrtunate as to fall through so man gratings
asa to enable him to bring actions in every one of the three
superior courts.
The Lord Chief Baron—l an only say that the public are
very much indebted to those wk.• have had the courage and
the perseverance to detest such frauds, but it is a great
hardship that private individuals should be left to ,offer for
exposing such practices. You can take your rule, and I
bops it is not yet to* late` to remedy the injustice which
seems to have been perpeated.—A nisi was accord-
ingly granted.

SHERIFF'S COURT.
PROCLMUTION Or OUTLAWST.—At the sitting of the
court the bailiff made proclamation in the usual manner,
and called upon the following persons to surrender into the
custody of the Sheriff of Middlesex, or stand severally out-
lawed: J. Hastings, It Peel, W. Kingelon, the Hon. W. F.
Ityng, It. Norman, W. Shairp, J. Bird, W. Platt, H.
Bromley, the Hon. H. T. Stanley, G. Fitch, J. Blunt, J.
N. yay.ler, F. A. G. Jorean, R. Power, T. Pymieul, and J.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
Before Mr. Osnimissioner Bram
811111.11111101,1 Or CZILTITICATLT. Willa:Lott, =mos,
of Upper Ratonotrest, applied for his certificate which was
opposed by a creditor, on the ground of the belkrupt hav-
ing obtained goods without the probability of paying for
them. After a short argument, the commiseioner said these
facts were sufficiently brought out on the proodings. In
consideration of the expenses being large, and the bankrupt
having been insolvent ever since 180, he should suspend
the certificate for six swath&

MIDDLESEX. SESSIONS.
Betors Mr. Besleant Adams.
Tea Henna= a N UNA NCB.—It will be recollected
that some time ago Mr. John Oore, a dust contractor,
ed •
was
convicted at these sessions of having kept and maintain
nuisance upon his premises in Hatfield-street, St. Luke's,
and that he his several times appeared to receive judgment,
he having been liberated on recognisance, agreeing in the
meantime to remove the nuisance complained of. He has
twigs obtained an extension of the time, and he now appeared
once more, in discharge of his recognisance of 6001 , to receive
the judgment of the court. —Mr. Serjeant Adams said that
he had felt en anxiety to make a personal inspection of the
premises where the nuisance existed, and, the day before,
be, as well as two of the magistrates, Mr. Ease and Mr.
Witham, had visited the premises, and the conclusion they
each had arrived at was the lame, and he really thought
that the defendant in this cue was treating this court with
great disrespect, and abusing the leniency that had been
shown him. In fact, he had never known an instance in
which a court of justice was so much set at defiance. When
he got to the premises he found about thirty men employed ,
sifting cinders, and there was an immense heap of rubbish '
and filth of all kinds, including a q lantity of cabbage leaves.
He asked one of the men how long these had been there ?
The answer was a month ; but he was qMte satisfied, from
the appearance of pieces of paper be found there, that within
a very fed days additions had been made to the heap. The
defendant had undertaken repeatedly to remove the nui-
sance ; still, however, there was no desire to punish the
defendant, the only object being to compel him to re-
move the nuisance, and to enable him to do that the
court would still further defer passing judgment; but
the court would take care that the recognisance" were
made heavier, and should the defendant persist in showing
defiance to this court, most certainly he wouldbe sentenced to
a very severe imprisonment. The defendant would be
find
re-
quired to enter into his own recognisance in 6001., and
two securities of 2501. each, to appear at the next bail day to
receive judgment. In the mean time polite would be sta-
tioned near the premises to watch the defendant's proceed-
ings, and if only one more load of filth was taken to those
premises, the defendant need not hope for further leniency
or for mercy when the court passed its sentence upon him.—
Mr. Ballantine, defendant's counsel, advised his client to
obey the wishes of the court.
AU...ULT.—E. J. Ward was indicted for assaulting
Edwin Martin Van Butcbell. From the evidence and the
statement of the counsel for the prosecution, it appeared
that the prosecutor, Mr. Van Butehell, was a surgeon in
Broad-street, Golden-square, where he occupied a portion of
a house of which the defendant was the recognised tenant.
There was some dispute in reference to the house' which led
to blows. The prosecutor admitted that he knocked one of
the defendant's teeth out, and that defendant summoned
him before a police magistrate, who dismissed the complaint,
and thereupon the present indictment was preferred. —Mr.
O'Brien, for the defence, said that in reality his client was
the person meet aggneved.—The jury acquitted the
defendant.
On swearing the jury in a subsequent case, one of the
jurors objected to be sworn on a testament having a cross on
the cover, alleging that he was a protestant and not a catho-
lic. The learned serjeant explained to the juror, that all
classee of protestants recognised the true as a symbol of their
faith, excepting catholic', and they. recognised only the
crucifix. Aa the book on which the juror was to be sworn
did not bear a crucifix but a cross, surely he could not object
to that.—The juryman be quite satisfied with this, and
1 the oath was admsnistered.

POLICE.---YESTEADAL
GUILDHALL:APPROPRIATING, PART OP A CHEOLE.—
J. W. Alexander was again charged with appropriating the
sum of 301., being part of the proceeds of a cheque far 421.,
the said 301., being the property of Messrs. Hopkins and
Wood, of Leadenhall-street, general agents. After some
further evidence had been taken, Ald. Finals said that the
charge of felony had not been sustained, and the prisoner
was therefore discharged.
WORSHIP-STREET.-, STABBING. Jane Mills was
charged with feloniously cutting and wounding her husband.
—Charles Mills stated, that he returned home with his wife
on the preceding night, the prisoner being in a state of in-
toricatson, while he was perfectly sober, and upon getting
in-doors asked her to prepare the supper. She refused to do
so, flew into a violent passion, and after smashing almost
everything in the room, and loading him with the foulest
abuse, seized a dinnerknife from the table, and declaring
that he should not be there much longer, for it was her in-
tention to do for him, made a furious stab at his head with
the knife. He put up his arms, and to warded off the blow
from the part she aimed at, but the blade in descending
struck his hand, and inflicted a gash the whole length of one
of his fingers, and penetrating the bone. On finding herself
thwarted in her object, she then mixed a large crockery jug
from a stsahhanddiad, sad hurled it with such force at his
head that the missile was shivered to atoms, and his head laid

open to the depth of half an inch. As it was evidently her
intention to renew tend ack with the knife, he caught her
by the arms and voured to wrest it from her, but
after a desperate struggle between them ha found
himself too exhausted from the blood he had lost
to obtain possession of the weapon, and after •
second fruitless attempt watched an opportunity to
escape from the room, and, running down stain, made his
way to • surgeon's in the neighbourhood, by whom his
wounds were dressed ; but be was so terrified at the vindic-
tiveness the prisoner hail displayed towards him that be was
afraid to return home, and having wandered about the
streets all night gave directions for her apprehension in the
morning.—Sergeant Dubois stated that having been sent for
that morning by the prosecutor, who appeared in a very ex-
hausted condition, he accompanied him to his house to ap-
prehend his wife who open being made acquainted with
the charge against her, so far from expressing any regret for
her outrageous conduct, declared her satisfaction at what
she had done, and that it was still her intention to do for
him. There appeared to have been a very serious contest
between them, as the whole place was in utter confusion and
covered with broken earthenware, and a large quantity of
blood remained on the floor of the apartment, and was
clearly traceable all down the stairs and into the street. The
witness produced • table-knife, which was pointed out to him
as the instrument by which the wound* bad been inflicted,
and was admitted to be so.—Mr. Hammitt ordered the pri-
soner to be remanded to afford rime for ascertaining the
result of the injuries her husband had sustained.
MARYLEBONE. DitUNILF.N CAWDILITERB.-IVM.
Brown, cabman, was charged, together with three other
men, and a female, named R. Howse, J. Gardner, C.
Clarke, and Jane Turner, with furious driving.—On that
morning, the whole of the prisoners, who were the worse
for drink, were riding in and upon • cab, which was pro
greasing at a most fearful and dangerous rate along Port-
land-town; Howse had possession of the reins, the cabman
being unable to hold them; and, at the corner of Henry-
street, the vehicle came in collision with a post ; the hind
wheels flew off into the road, and some police-constables
hastening to the spot, took the whole of the parties into
custody. On the way to the station-house they were very
disorderly, and Brown assaulted one of the police, by
striking him violently, and biting his linger. The woman
Turner, who had no doubt been decoyed into the vehicle by
the prisoners, who had made her drunk, was discharged ;
Brown was convicted in two distinct penalties of 20s. each,
or one month's imprisonment ; and Howse, Gardner, and
Clarke, 10s. or 14 days.
LAMBETH.—SwiNDLING.-11ZFECTIVE STATE OF THE
LAW.—J. Rawson, who has been in custody for some days
on various charges of obtaining goods by false represen-
tations, was again examined. From the publicity which the
apprehension of the prisoner and his mother bad obtained
the court was completely crowded with their victims. Seve-
ral cues, in which the prisoner had ordered pattern shirts
to be sent to different lodgings at which himself, his mother,
and timers, had been stopping, promising at the time to give
an order fur half-a-dozen of such as fitted and were approved
of by his mother and sisters, but which, it is needless to
say, were never returned, were taken, and en each was the
prisoner committed to take his trial. While the prisoner
was at the bar several persons in the court, and a number
of rescectablydressed females mated at the table, identified
Mimes the person who had engaged apartments at their houses
for himself, his mother, and sister, and who, with his rela-
tives, absconded, after living sumptuously at their
pence, for various periods. The police-oonstables
gaged' in the case represented that for several yearn,
at least six or eeven,tbe prisoner's mother, bin stepfather, and
their large family had not only subsisted but managed to lie'
in good style by swindling, and that they could bring,
least, 500 case., wherein they had succeeded in victimi-
', sing, and in some cases it was stated completely ruining
I their unfortunate victime.—Mr. Norton remarked that since
the apprehension of the prisoner and his mother he had re-
ceived, owing, no doubt, to the extensive publication which
those examinations before him had obtained, seve-
ral letters from Brighton and various watering places, from
persona who had been imposed upon by Mrs. Rowley
her family, so that it was quite apparent she did not
fine her practices of imposition to the metropolis alone.
After the last examination, he, Mr. Norton, bad consented
to take her own recognisance to appear there that day but
instead of Mn. Rowley complying with the terms of those
recognisance, and appearing, she sent him a note merely to
state that she was unwell and unable, to attend. Whether
she was ill as she represented or not he, the
magistrate, could not easy, but the usual course in
such cases was to forward a surgeon's certificate.—
One of the sufferers here remarked that much of the grow
imposition to which tradespeople were subjected, was owing
to the very defective state of the law with respect to
swindlers, and the facilities which it gave to turn a
swindling transaction into one of mere debt. Had the
prisoner, his mother, and friends, practised the same sort of
impositions in Jersey', they would have been at once committed
to pnson.—Mr. Norton confessed that it did appear to him
very extraordinary that in this country persons like the pri-
soner and his friends could go about and continue to live
year after year by false representations and various devices,
and the case, he thought, was one in which the evidence
should be drawn up and placed before the Home Secretary,
with the view of obtaining some alteration in the law. The
mode by which Mn,. Rowley and her family managed to get
into the houses of many of the complainants, was very in-
genious, and much calculated to throw unsuspecting people
off their guard. In the majority of cases it appeared to be
this. On • Sunday, one or the other of her sons called at
the houses of the complainants, and represented that
himself, his mother and sister, had just arrived by
railway from Worcester; that they had come to
town to settle • chancery snit and dispose of property
that had bean for some time litigated, and wishing to avoid
the extravagant charges of an hotel had determined upon
taking • privste lodging. Such a representation made on a
day on which the parties to whom it had been made had no
opportunity of any inquiries as to the truth or false-
hood was, as he had said before, calculated t throw unsus-
pecting people off their guard, and be doubted whether in
any case it had not succeeded. It was really distressing to
find that the number of persons in attendance, who were the
keepers of lodging-houses, and who he doubted not could ill
sustain their loss, had been so shamefully duped, and were
left comparatively without redrew from the law. In oases
where goods were obtained by false representations the law
gave ample redress against the offenders,] but, se in the
present case, when beard and lodging were o
btainedb d by
similar means, the law gave no such redraw. a
the law was different, and sufficiently strong to punish all
offences of this kind; and he (Mr. Norton) could not see why
the law should not equally protect a lodging-honee keeper
or a warehouse keeper, as well as equally punish those ob-
taining board and lodging as haberdashery by false pre-
tences. Mr. Norton then remanded the prisoner for a week,
and remarked that if his mother, Mrs. Rowley, did not at-
tend on that day, he should send his warrant for her.
SOUTHWARK.—BLOPEKENT.—Jonas Terrier, recently
in the Dover police, was charged with eloping with Mrs.
Sarah Silk, the wife of the landlord of the Tap attached to
the Ship Hotel, at Dover, and stealing seventeen sovereigns,
six half-sovereigns, • watch, and some other articles.—
A policeman stated that having received information of the
alleged robbery, he set about making inquiries for the fugi-
tives, and learning they had been at a lodging-house in
the Maze, with luggage, and had gone from thence, he
traced them to another house in Russell-street, Bermondsey,
which they M 3 also quitted in • very sudden manner, and
having lost an clue of them afterwards he heard no more of
them until the preceding afternoon, when he was sent for
to the house in the Maze, zed there took the prisoner into
custody. The policeman added that he saw Mrs. Silk ; that
she admitted having accompanied the prisoner from Dover;
and that when she found he was about to be taken into
custody she said that he had nothing to do with her
husband's property, and that whatever she brought '
away from Dover was done of her own accord, and
not under the directions of the prisoner, who had merely
accompanied her as • friend.—Mr. Seeker inquired if the
watch or any of the property had been recovered ?—The po-
liceman, in reply, said that Mrs. Silk had the watch then in
her possession, but that she refused to divulge where the box
containing the bulk of the property was concealed.—Mr.
Seeker inquired if the watch could be identified ?—The po-
liceman said that Mr. Silk described it to him—that it was a
plain silver eased watch with a silver dial plate, and that it
had • chain attached it —The magistrate desired Mrs. Silk
to produce the watch, which she did, and it answered the
above description. She however said that the watch was
her own property, that she had brought it away with her
from Dover, and that she considered whatever was
her husband's was also her property, and that the pri-
soner had nothing to do with any of the things.—
Mr. Seeker said that he must order her to deliver up pm-
session of the watch, which she reluctantly complied with.
—The prisoner said that it had been stated that the coat he
then wore was not his own property, but he could prove that
it was by • reference to the tailor from whom he purchased
it at Deal. That, with regard to the money and other pro-
perty belonging to Mn. Silk, and which he was charged
with stealing, he denied it ; and, although he had accom-
panied Mrs. Silk from Dover, yet that he was in total igno-
rance of the nature of the property she brought away with
her.—Mr. Seeker remanded the prisoner until Saturday.
WANDSWORTH. STEALING TEE Duna or CAW.
BRIDGE'S Baoom."—D. Ridgly was charged with stealing
• few sprigs of broom, the property of the Duke of Cam-
bridge.—A police constable proved that on that morning he
detected the prisoner cutting the broom growing in
Combo Wood, Kingston-bottom, which is a preserve belong-
ing to the Duke of Cambridge : 'the damage done amounted
to a shilling.—The prisoner said he was a very poor mass
with a family of four young children, and only just recovered
from • long and severe illness. He bad at present no work
and he only cut a little broom to make a few booms for
children, and had no idea that he was doing any injury.—
Mr. Beadon told the prisoner he was liable to a penalty of
51., but under the circumstances he should only fine him 55.,
with Is., the amount of the damage. The prisoner bad no
money,.but some of his friends mustered 4s. 6d., which the
magistrate consented to receive in lieu of the original fine.

RAILWAY NEWS.
We bad a rather marked improvement in the op- '
pearance of the share market yesterday, but morein the
greater confidence shown by dealers, than in the
actual advance of prices, though they were better and
in some instances higher, or the extent of business
done, which was but limited, as this was name day,
and parties therefore engaged chicly in preparing for
this day's liquidation.
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.—WetArtat.h, rotera-
TRAM, AM, Goot* AND OZZAT NOIIIIIIII BALLII•4II.—The result
of the resent visit of the chairman. directors, and engineer, of the
former railway to Donoteter * that the Astern branch of this line is
to be evened on or about the let of Jane neat' and it is ;eatable that
that portion of the Great Northern which premeds from that Manch
towards Damage will be opened on or stool the seine time to Bent-
ley Perk, a mile gads half tram the Wm tews.—Reitire Ceitnif as
Monad.