The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-06 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINALCOURT.-YESTERDAT.

OLD COURT.
OBTAINING WINN SAMPLES NT FORGBD ORDERS.--JO/0)
Hatton, described in the calendar as a " wine agent," was
charged with having obtained a number of samples of wine
' from the east vaults of the London Docks, by forged orders,
purporting to be signed by Messrs. Dingwell, Porter, and
Co., wine merchants, of Idol-lane, Tower-street, well know-
ing at the time that they were forged.—Mr. Ballantine ap-
peared for the prosecution, which was instituted by the
London Dock Company, and Mr. Doane for the prisoner.
—it appeared that Messrs. Dings-ell and Co. had con-
signments of wine in the vaults in question, and that the
prisoner produced two orders; the first, on the 17th, and
the second on the 21st of November last, to the clerk at the
vault, purporting to be orders for samples, which, after being
duly attested, were given to the cooper to draw the wine,
whack was done, and the wine delinred to the prisoner.
Two other orders were also delivered at the vaults; and the
wines to which they referred were delivered to a porter
named Elstead, sent by the prisoner, who was, however, in
the service of the company, and whom the prisoner directed
to say that the wines belonged to Messrs. Dingwell. The
porter was stripped by one of the constables of the dock.
The constable traced the prisoner to the Phienix' on Tower-
hill, who stated that he knew nothing about the orders ;
but subsequently a person named Wakes recognising him,
he admitted that he had delis,. red the first two orders, and
that he hod received them from a person named Dunks.
He did not mention the name of Dunks until he was in
custody.—Mr. Doane contended that there was nothing to
show that the prisoner was aware of the fact that the orders
were forgeries; if so, it was unlikely that he would have
employed one of the dock porters as an instrument to per-
petuate fraud. Dunks, whose attendance they had been un-
able to obtain, had employed the prisoner to obtain the wine
by orders which the prisoner could not have known were
forged —Mr. Smith, who stated that lie was a provision-
dealer in the Commereiahroad, said that he had known the
prisoner for twelve years, and that he had always borne
the character of a respectable man.—Mr. Bainbridge, •
perfumer in Somers-town, said he saw Dunks last Thurs-
day, and charged him with wishing to destroy the prisoner,
to which he replied, " What is that to you 1" He asked
him (witness) to forge him thirteen tasting orders, and
offered him rope for them. Dunks lived by getting wine
out in samples.—The Recorder left it to the jury to say
whether the prisoner uttered the order with • guilty know-
ledge, or whether he was made the dupe of others.—The
jury found tho prisoner Guilty.—The Recorder said the ex-
posed nature of the property of persons deposited in the
docks, and the facilities thereby afforded for fraud, called
for an exemplary punishment at the hands of the court. The
sentence of the court was that he be transported for the
term of seven years.
. .

NEW COURT.—Before the Common Serjeant
ASSAULT AND BATTlSaY.—Thonues Pickard, his wife,
and his sister, were charged with breaking the arm of
Thomas Elliot with a life-preserver. The parties were
neighbours living in the Kent-road, and some angry words
arose, which led to blows. The prosecutor proved the
assault; he said his arm had been for some time useless.—
The Court sentenced the prisoners to a year's imprisonment.