The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-14 00:00:00

BILL DISCLOSURES.

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Yesterday, at Guildhall, Edward John Pickering
was again placed at the bar, before Alderman Muggeridge,
charged with obtaining a bill of excLange fur 6001. under
&be pretences.

tipon this occasion Mr. Hodge, to whom the prisoner
bad originally said he had taken, or intended to take, the
bill for discount, was called, and said he knew nothing of
the prisoner, and had spoken to him in his life.
Mr. J. C. Cooke, a commission agent, deposed that in the
early part of September the prisoner offered him a bill,
drawn by Scott and accepted by Micklekam for discount,
but he returned it to prisoner within an hour.
J. Collingwood Kerr, of Hans-place, said—l am • so-
licitor. The prisoner was introduced to me by Mr. Evans
as a very respectable young man, who was engaged upon a
work, for which, when complete, he would receive • large
sum of money. Evans said he had advanced prisoner some
money, who, having some gentlemen's bills to discount, had
arranged to re-pay Evans by dividing the commission upon
the transactions. The prisoner brought me the bill, and I
made terms with some parties in the city, which the pri-
mmer afterwards agreed to. The terms were 501. in cash,
and security for 5001. I asked him if he had full authority
to deal with the bill in this manner, and to assured me he
had, and instructed me to carry out the arrange-
ment. I then met the parties I had communi-
cated with, and they gave me 401., a bill for
291. 10s , and security for the balance. I also arranged
a sum of 101. I was indebted to the same parties. Inc se-
curity consisted of a bond for 5001., drawn by Dr. Wright,
and payable on the death of the Rev. Peter de Beauvoir,
who was at present 86 years of age. I gave the prisoner
201., and arranged to give him 301. in the course of the
week, or as soon as I got the 291. 10s. bill discounted. He
gave me this receipt, " Received of Mr. Kerr the sum of
201., on account of • bill for 6001. E. J. PICKERING." I
saw the prisoner sign this, and I believe I told him it would
be necessary to have the drawer of the bill present at the
assignment of the bond for 5001. I know the acceptor. I
believe his father war a man of large property.
Cross-examined—l only gave prisoner 201., and immedi-
ately after doing so be was given in custody, and I stopped
the Wane* of 301. and the assignment of the bond. The
prisoner said he was entitled to the 201. for his commission,
but he would give it to the drawer if he saw him.

Re-examined—The remaining 201. out of the 401. Ire
calved for the bill I kept for my commiuion, as my instruc-
tions from the prisoner were to give him 601. and the
bond, and keep all I could get over that for myself.
Mr. R. Voss, of the firm of Philips and Vow, solicitors,
of !Nee-lase said—l produce the bill in question (or 6001.,
which I have just received from a client of mine at
Brighton, who has a claim upon it for 1001., and will give
it up on payment of that sum.
Mr. Wood applied for the bill to be impounded.
Alderman Muggeridge—The witness's instructions were
very clear, and there was not sufficient to induce him to
impound the bill.
James Scott was then recalled, and said—l have never given
the prisoner any other instructions than these I have already
sworn to. He never told me he was going to take the bill
to any of the parties through whose hands it has since
passed. I never authorised him to do so. He never
brought me a shilliog back. I was aware Evans sometimes
discounted for him, and when he mentioned his name I told
him the bill for 6001. was too large for Evens to get dis-
counted. This paned at the same time that prisoner said
he would get Hodges, the distiller, to doit.
Cross-examined—l live at Gravesend in lodgings. I have
lodged there about three months. I have no place of busi-
ness in the city. I had an office some 12 or 14 years ago in
Little Diataff-laae, where I passed as Mr. Sampson, in part-
nership with Mr. Edwards, who is since dead. I assumed
the name of Sampson because a gentleman of that name ad-
vanced money and authorised me to do so in carrying out a
patent. I never carried on business under the names of
Cubed or Lampelow, and never had an office in Lau-
' rence Ponutney-lane or Knightrider-street. I have been
is custody twice, but not six times. 1 was once at Marl-
borough-street police-court, and once at this court. I was
also in custody a third time, but never on any other occa-
sion.. n-
sion. I was custody a fourth time, which I had for-
gotten. It was for stealing a bill, upon which Harris, the
person who charged me, obtained au advance of 11., and
could have had his hill uck long since upon repayment of
that amount. I generally transact my business at hotels.
When I called on the prisoner he did not tell me he had
the bill back. I have had other transactions with prisoner,
and he had always returned the bills; but I
received any money from him. On one occasion
when I was given into custody it was for stealing my own
bill, or at least, one of which I was the drawer and when
Harris charged me I was immediately discharged by the
inspector at the station; and when I was given in custody
for stealing Mile Chatten'a bill, Alderman Lawrence heard
the case and awarded me 11. for my expenses, which has
n been paid, and I still hold the bill for 1701.
Re-examined—The prisoner told me ha could get 6701.
front Hodges, the distiller, for the 6001. bill, and we were
to divide the 701. between us, and hand over 6001. to Mr.
Johns, of Dilates, who was to have 1001., and 4004 was
ultimately to be given to Mr. Mickleham, the acceptor. I
did not know Kerr until the prisoner was in custody, but I
did know Evans.

Mr. Wood said this was the case for the prosecution, and
he thought there was a prima facie case made out upon
which to send the prisoner for trial.
Mr. Wagtail addressed the magistrate for the defence,
and called the tollowleg witnesses:
John Henderson said—l am an uphohterer, of No. 27,
Gower-street. I know the prisoner, and was present when
Scott felled est him. I heard prisoner say that the 6001.
bill was in the hands of a Mr. Clark, but be could not get it
done theft& him, sad he expected the bill back on the
following day. Scott told him to do the best with it,
and get as mach cash as possible.
Cross-examined—l have been bankrupt, and I surren-
dered in Jersey. I was treated in the court as an abscond-
*henry 4bankruppturaith, of 16, Dowell-street, said the prisoner
was a photographic artist, and I was in his employ at the time
he was apprehended. About three days after the interview
spoken of by the lest witness between Scott and the pri-
soner, I went with a message from the latter to the former.
I saw him at a public-house in Abchurch-lane, and told
him Corbett took the bill, but prisoner did not let him keep
it, and was going to another party to get it discounted.
Scott said he hoped prisoner would not keep him in the
dark, but that he would either give him the money or let
him know what he was going to do with the bill.
Crossumnined—l was present at the interview between
Scott and the prisoner, but I do not recollect the name of
Hedges being mentioned ; but I believe it was, as he was in
partnership with Clark.
Re-examined—l have humidly taken money from
Hodges for bills he had chattounted for the prisoner.
Hodge, lives at Carlton-hill Rut, St. John's Wood.
Daniel May, the detective officer in the cue, said the
two last witnesses were in the house in which, slid at the
time, he apprehended the prisoner, and they betk denied
him ; and the last witness on one 0001111i011 disposed of a 2W.
bill that the prisoner had received from a man of the name
of Tills, for three feather beds, which he soon afterwards
pawned for 61.
The prisoner here said the Hodges that he was connected
with was three times Lord Mayor of Dublin, and he
trAttutdentood he was in some way interested in the
.-ITraodges, the distiller of Lambeth, said he never
heard of say lord mayor of Dublin or of any other distiller
of that name.

In answer to a question from the City Solicitor,
Scott said it was upon the representation that Mr.
Hodges, the distiller, was to discount it that I parted with
the bill to the prisoner.
Alderman Muggeridge said he should be very glad if
he could have been of any assistance in forwarding the
ends of justice, but having devoted all his attention to the
facts of this case, he had arrived at the conclusion that
there was not sufficient evidence to induce a jury to =win
the prisoner of obtaining the bill in question under false
pretences. All the parties concerned named to be mixed
sip together in a most extraordinary manner, and he did net
think he should he doing right in sending the case for trial
without then was a probability of a conviction. He these-
fore discharged the prisoner.
Daniel May here said there was a fresh charge of a similar
nature against the prisoner, but which he thought would be
made one of conspiracy.
Evidence was then given in a second ease, which was very
much like the first.

After hearing the principal witnesses, Alderman Mug-
midge discharged the prisoner, but bad scarcely done so
when

William Scott, the prosecutor, was placed at the bar upon
a charge of stealing • bill for 301., which had been entrusted
to him for the purposes of discount.
The prisoner said he could save the court some time by
stating that the bill in question was given up by Pickering
soon after he was charged with fraudulently obtaining the
6001. bill.

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Daniel May said—l bold that bill; but Evans, from
whom I received it, has advanced money upon it to Picker-
ing, whose name is upon it.
Primer—l gate it to Pickering, with the 6001. bill, and
Evans has given it up rather than come to this court; and
I am willing that it should be restored to the prosecutor on
payment of my expenses.
Mr. Robert Powell, the prosecutor, said—l want my bill,
or I must press the charge.
The prisoner said—The officer may give it op.
Alderman igmfte said—lf he does he will do it on
his owns spea, for he may render himself liable to
an Letitia from cane of the parties.
Daniel May said—l cannot see how I can give it up. It
forms the subject of a charge of felony, and es an officer I
am bound not to part with it until that charge is dis-
posed of.
Alderman Muggeridge said—Very well. It is not my
intention to become a mediator in bill transactions of thin
nature, so let the case proceed.
The prosecutor then produced the prisoner's receipt for the
bill in question, and stated as follows: On the 9th of Sep-
tember the prisoner brought a wine merchant's cart to his
door appropriately loaded, and in the cart was a gentleman
whom the prisoner introduced to me as a discounter of bills,
who would be able to assist me. I first knew Scott through
a swindler, who was in prison, and who undertook to
become my partner and advance 1,0001. ; but the only
means be had of doing so, I ultimately found, was by bill

• 1
discos:n:4.g, which I entirely scouted. Sc.itt, soon after
was intrcdueed to him, cams to me and prepriord to do
business in the hill line, and I suggested that I should draw
upon Lis frond Richard Nadler, who was then in White-
tress-street l'riaon. Stott subsequently informed na. that
Hustler wiadd do two bills for 301. each, and accordingly
on the following day I gave Scott one of the bills, and he
promised to bring the money in two hours ; be, however,
said he had not been able to see the party who we. to
dis-
eount it for him, and I have en him since, and the
' only clue I had of him was what I obtained through the
newspapers.
The prisoner, as a last resource, said the bill nas not
given to him in the City, and the magistrate thercl're had
no jurisdiction.
The City Solicitor Paid, the magistrate has you before
him, and, under all the circumstances, he has the power to
deal
with the ease, although it be a county one.
Alderman Muggeridge said—l shall certainly adjourn
this case, that I may ascertain in what manner the bill has
been put in circulation. I believe the bill has been oht.i:ned
upon false representations, and if the pri as will lend their
aid in giving publicity to these proceedings, I think it
extremely probable there will be other charges against
' the prisoner.
The prisoner objected to a long remand, and wi.l ed the
case might be called on again on Friday or Saturday, by
which time, he said, nearly all the world will hare read the
newspapers.
Alderman Muggeridge said—lf yeu can give bu,i, I will
accept two sureties in 2.51. each and your own recogosances
in 50/.
The prisoner was then remanded, and ultimately removed
to Newgate to await the next examination.