The Express.
London, England, 1862-04-24 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION•BOUSL

Jana Plannaphon a labourer, was charged with steal-
ing a copper coffin-piste from a vault in Barking church-
yard, Tower-street.
Mr. Whitehurst appeared for the prisoner.
John Baker, detective officer, said that from information
be received he went to No. 9, Gill-street, where the pri-
soner keeps a marine store shop, between 12 and 1 o'clock
on the previous sight, and saw the prisoner there, and
pointed out to him a capper ooffin.plate which was in the
shop. The plebe was produced and bore the ioscriptios
Mgrs. Annie Boohoo, wife of Oaptain, Itichd. Boohoo,
died April 13, 1726, aged 56." He asked the prisoner
where he got it from, and he mid he had bought it of a
man. He thee asked him who the man was, and be said he
should decline Menem, that question. He thee told the
besteeling
i
COD!
pubs bram s midwargi!..ekinakeirtelinua
vbousiody for
yard.
searching
the shq he found scam theme et mother copper coffin-
pith% • pinie of lead, remearently a portion of a coffin,
mei four Inman slcnlla
Maloney Riley said he was employed et Barking-church-
path as an excavator, 1/11/44. Mr. /towhee, the contractor,
and the prisoner was employed there in the suns capacity,
and was at work on the minims day up to half-past Ave.
Mr. John Medhurst, ower churchwarden of the parish of
Allhallows Barking, stated that some alterations were going
on at the churchyard, which bed bean transferred to the
Onamissioners of Sewers, and that there was a tawny for
removing the bodies. He had been there during the pro.
peer of the work sod bad been shown the plate produced
by the clerk of the works.
On being cross-examined„ be said he did not see it on the
coffin, but it was in the hands of the clerk of the works at
the time.
Mr. Hain, the chief clerk at the Sewall-office, was in at-
Madam* and stated that the churchyard had been placed
temporarily in the hands of theCornmissionen of Sewers,who
were carrying on some improvements by widening the
thoroughfare, and a portion of the churchyard was being
taken for that purpose, under the sanction of the Bishop of
London, and the Rev. Mr. JohnThooms, the vicar, and the
churchwardens. He was extremely sorry that the occur-
rence should have taken ethos, and said that the removal of
the remains had been mode as quietly as possible, and the
feelings of those concerned had been studied as much as pos-
sible.
Mr. Whitehurst said be had been only then instructed,
and asked that the prisoner might be remanded at that stage
of the proceedings.
The prisoner was amordingly remanded, and admitted to
bail, his own recognizance) in 201. and one surety in 901.
Robert Gorman, clerk, sad Edward Chorrimans, meatier
were brought up cm remand charged with uttering a forged
sit. emote on the Union Beak of Australia, at the in Old
Bradstreet.
Mr. Beard appeared for Garman, and Mr. Lewis attended
ea behalf of the mummer Charringtoa.
The facts of the cam were given on the last ammination,
and yesterday, as there was no miasma to matradiet the
statement of the prisoners that the note was found by
Charrt ugton in a cab, the Lord Mayor said though the circum-
stances were surrounded with suspicion, still he did sot think
the prisoners were parties to the forgery of the onto, and
the auspicios was not strong enough to justify him in de-
taining them. It was therefore his duty to discharge
them.

BOW-£.STREET.

George Osborne, an;lderiiiian: of " @hobby -genteel "
appearance, was brought up on remand, charged with ob-
taining a quantity of barn and baoon, to the vides of 241.,
by false sad fraudulent pretences, from Mr. Potter, a
butcher, lee, in Bath.
In the early part of the present month the prosecutor
received by post a circular, purporting to come from Mr.
Osborne, a well-known cheessenonger, and purveyor of
haws, butter, Sc., tarrying on business is Ludgate-hill.
Mr. Potter supposed at the time that this circular had
nay come from Mr. Osborne, but in point of fact Mr.
Osborne had never issued any such prospectus. A few day.
later Mr. Patter received (also by post) a second circular, as
from Mr. Osborne, stating that his premises had been
demeged by firs, which had taken place at the adjoining
home, and that he bad removed his business, temporarily,
to 51, Stashopeatteet, Clare-market, until the former
promisee should be properly repaired. After • further
interval of a few days, Mr. Potter received a letter
signed " George Osborne," and dated from 51, Stanhope-
street, ordering a quantity of hams and bacon. In com-
pliance with that order Mr. Potter forwarded to 51, Stan-
hope-street • hamper containing 56 hams and four middles
of bacon, and weighing about 7 cwt. Subsequently Mr.
Potter ascertained that Mr. Osborne had never ordered the
goods at all, bet that the use of his name was • forgery.
Mr. Osborne had never issued any Mien/as similar to either
of those received by the promoter. He had riot changed
his place of business • his premise, had not been damaged
by any casualty. There bad been no Sr. in any adjoining
house ; and if there had, he would certainly not have re-
moved to Stashopaetreet, or soy other place in the neigh-
bourhood of Clare-market. Inquiries were made at 51,
Stanhope-street, which turned out to be anew/vender's shop,
kept by an elderly woman named Anne Baker, and her
son, Tames Baker. These persons were apprehended and
brought before Mr. Henry on W edoesdav of last week, when
they were remanded on bail till yesterday (Wednesday).
They stated that a man (who turned out to be the prisouer
Osborne) had called at their shop some weeks
past, and requested them to allow him to have
his letters addressed to their house, stating that he was a
cbeesemonger at Woolwich, and that it was not convenient
to him to be in town at the home when letters were deli-
vered by post He also mid that his letters had hitherto
been taken in by • persoe (known to the Bakers), who re-
sided in the same street, but as that person was about to
remove it was necessary that he should And a new address.
From day to day they received letters addressed to " the
old gentleman" as "Mr. George Osborne," receiving from
him a small remuneration for their trouble. On Saturday,
the 12th inst., calling for some letters. " the old gentleman'
said he expected a hamper from the country, and should be
obliged if they would let it remain io hoot of the howistillhe
came for it. Not suspecting anything wrong, they agreed,
and a few days after the " hamper," which wee, in fact, •
large railway hamper, containing Mr. Potter's 84 lams, Sc.,
was delivered by the railway carter, and left on the we-
went for • short time, when the " old gentleman " called
for it with a horse and cart and removed it. Mr. Henry re-
mantled Mrs. Baker and her son on bail, and on the follow.
big day (Thursday) "the old gentleman " (the preterit pri-
soner), calling for his letters as usual, was given into cuts
tody. 'The following day being Good Friday (on which dap.
the police courts are closed), Osborne was brought before the
magistrate on Saturday, sod remanded till Wednesday (yes.
Mr. Henry discharged the Bakers from custody, sad ad-
mitted tiles. Duel. as a witness against Osborne, when she
repeated in evidence the statement she had previonaly made
in her own defence.
Mr. Osborne, of Ludgate-bill, attended with his son (who
assists him in *Moms) to see the prisoner Osborne, in order
to state whether they had say iniewisige of him. After
seeing the prisoner they declared that he was a perfect
stranger to them.
The prisoner admitted the general facts, but said he
not written any circular alien • WanaLi" with Itviit
borne. He dislinged Mir. Potter to produce the
statiog that Mr. Osborne bed removed. from imeigateB4ll*
staub
Mr. three?
that attaching at the time no importance
to the sitter ha bed sat preserved the circular.
"—I lever wrote It.
ilbr!Aris yes certain It nonleined that statement?
Mr. Potter—Quite awe, Mr.'
The princeer—l admit I. sobs*** the whole charge
agaksid
He was committed for trial.