The Express.
London, England, 1851-11-08 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

GUILDHALL.
EXTENSIVE FRAUDS IN COALS.
John /lei'', a coal merchant, carrying ou business under
the firm of " Reid and C 0.," of IS, Adam-street, Adel*,
was summoned on the complaint of Mr. Standish Grore
Grady, a barrister, of I, Pump court, Temple, for deliver-
ing one ton of coals in ten sacks, purporting to contain,
by verdor's note, 221:bs. weight uf coals each sack, but
neither of which sacks did or could contain 22ilbs. lie
was also summoned at the instance of Mr. George Alex.
Knott, inspector of weights and measures for the City, f,r
selling a ton of coals to Mr. Grady, which were delivered
from a cart, not haying in, on, or under the same • perfect
weighing machine—there being nut sufficient weights to
weigh a sack of coals, and the weights being unstamped
illegal weights.
Mr. O'Brien, a barrister, attended on behalf of Mr. S.
G. Grady ; and Mr. Lewis, of Ely-place, appeared for the
defendant.
Mr. O'Brien briefly stated the facts of the case ; and,
after a few technical objections made by Mr. Lewis, the
complainant was put into the witness.box and sworn.
The ca-e for the complainants and for the defence basing

been concluded,
Alderman Lawrence—This case has been gone into at
very great length, and it is admitted on all sides that there
is a great deficiency in the weight of the coals delivered to
to Mr. Grady. The question. therefore, that is now before
ns is, whether or not defendant is the vendor. It is
true that the names of other parties are on the door-post,
but none are present to answer this charge but defendant,
who represents himself as John Reid. Ile it was who
culled on Mr. Grady to explain and compromise the
matter, and thereby identified himself with the
coals. Ile, however, further identifies himself as the
party selling the etals, by fetching the horse and
cart, notwithstanding the name of Wm. Smith. Therefore
John Reid is before me to-day, and though I cannot tine
him upon every sack, right of them having been emptied
before being properly weighed, I shall convict him upon
the remaining two in the full penalty. I therefore tine
John Reid 101. on each of the two sacks, with coeds. With
regard to the charge preferred by the Inspector of Weights
and Measures it would be useless to go into all this evi-
dence again, as it was admitted by defendant that the ma-
chine and weights were incorrect, consequently it will rest
with me now to tie the penalty in this cue.
Mr. Lewis pleaded in mitigation.
Alderman Lawrence—The carman and vendor are equally
liable to WI. each. The former we have not got, so I shall
dismiss the summons against him, and remain satisfied with
the principal. There are cases in which respectable and
honest tradesmen may be placed in a similar position with
regard to the machines: and weights through the negligence
and dishonesty of their servants. Such I would call miti-
gating circumstances, but here is a case of the most un-
doubted fraud, and without a single mitigating point to in-
time me to reduce the penalty, and I shall accordingly in-
flict a tine of 101. ou John Reid for sending out an illegal
machine and weights, with costs. The machine, sucks,
and weights of course are forfeited.
Mr. Lewis said he should appeal against this decision.
Alderman Lawrence—lf you do you must give security
when you give notice.
The parties then left the court.

. MANSION-HOUSE.
Alderman Wilson presided during an examination
which, un account of the notoriety of the prisoner, ex-
cited a great deal of interest.
The person charged was Eckert Calinywood. alias the
I:eo. Doctor Bloomfield, formerly curate of Albany, alias
the !tee. J. &tattle, All., alias the Beo. J. liemehloeturer

on natural philosophy.
The rev. prisoner was stated by a gentleman who attended
for the Metropolitan Amociation for the Protection of
Trade, to be in the lucrative enjoyment of a great many
other names, and to have appeared in some places us a
surgeon, iu others us a echoulmaeter, in others us a sur-
veyor, and iu others as an attorney, and to have cumulated
trawls in all these and other characters.
Joseph 11. Burley, constable, of Sheerness, said—l took
the prisoner iu custody in Sheerness, on a charge of receiv-
ing sonic goods which had come into his possession disho-
nestly. 1 took him before a magistrate there, by whom
the charge was partly investigated, and I produce the ex•
amiiiationuf the witnesses there taken, and was bound
over to attend at the Mansion-house.
The following is the substance of the examination taken
at Sheerness, beture the Bev. Mr. l'oure.
Mr. W. B. liilpin, of 21, Friday-street, Cheapaide,
trunk and portmanteau manufacturer—On Monday, the
13th, or 20th, of October, I received by post a letter, pur-
porting to come from Mr. Cullingwood, of 1, Chapel-street,
Blue-town, Sheerness, solicitor, enclosing en order for a
portmanteau, a railway rug, and a carpet bag, and by the
Same night's post 1 sent a letter, addressed as the letter
was, containing the prices of the portmanteaus, and asking
him what size he required. By the uext poet 1 received a
letter addressed from the same place stating the price. 1
did not execute the order fur the portmanteau immediately,
and in the meantime I received other letters, urging me to
forward it. I sent a bag and a rug on the 'Lids of October,
and I received a letter acknowledging their receipt, but
complaining that the bag was not large enough, and request-
ing that one a size larger might be *tut, and at the same
time pressing that the portmanteau might be sent. Ou There-
day last I sent off the portmanteau, addressed as the letters
requested. On the previous night 1 sent en invoice of the
^hole of the goods addressed to Mr. Collingwood,
Chapel-street, Blue-town, Sheerness. The invoice and
envelope pruelneed by the constable are those I sent, and
the goods produced are also those 1 sent. The fact of his
calling himself a solicitor had some considerable influence
on me in executing the order. 1 believe that he is not a
solicitor.
Burley, the constable—ln consequence of information I
received 1 told Hempen, of Sheerness, to watch a parcel at
the toll-gate on the pier. About two hours afterwards a
young man, named James Martin Bradley, came and
fetched it away. llogpen and 1 saw Bradley and Culling-
wood talking together at the back gate of the Royal George,
at the back of which Bradley says he is the manager of a
concert. About half au hour afterwards 1 searched the
room and foiled the portmanteau, the rover, and the carpet
bag I produce under the stage amongst a quantity el rubbish.
Bradley came in soon afterwards, and I asked him whether
he knew what the parcel contained. lie said he did not,
and that his father asked hint to go with him and fetch it
front the steamboat. I did not know at the time wbu his
father was. lie told me be did not know where his father
lived. lie has since acknowledged that the prisoner Cul-
, lingwood was his father. I told him 1 should take him
into custody, on suspicion of stealing the articles. lie said
he was innocent, and that he knew nothing about it, and
that it was his father. 1 asked why his name was different
Teem his father's. lie replied his father's name was Brad-
ley, and why he had altered it was his business. 1 then
went to the prisoner's lodgings awl was told by a female,
who called herself Coiling...K:4's wife, that be had been
gone out a few minutes. I went upstairs and found him
behind the door. 1 Woks letter from him which contained
the invoice of the goods specified. Ho has passed in Sheer-
ness for about three weeks as a solicitor.
James Martin Bradley, comedian—On or about seven or
eight days ago 1 pawned, a carpetbag and wrapper at
Arthur Jaeoll'i, a pawnbroker at Sheerness, fur six shillings,
iu the name of James Collins, by direction of my father,
James Bradley, who was yesterday ordered, in the name of
Hubert Collingwood, to be conveyed to London on a charge
of obtaining goods under false pretences. I was not aware
of my father going by the name of Collingwood until about
sever weeks ago, when I received from hint, at Chatham,
at post•ottice order, and he desired me to use the name of
Collingwoud, from May's-pond, in the Borough, should
any questions be asked when 1 applied at the Post-office foe
the amount of the order.
In answer to questions from Alderman Wilson,
James Martin Bradley said—l believe the writing iu the
letters produced to be my father's. My father is not a
solicitor that I know of. Ile was a dyer and a school-
master. I have known hint to go by several names.
Alderman Wilson—Have you been known to go by the
name rf Sinclair ?
Witnesa—Yes.
Alderman Wilson—By the name of Watson?
Nitres—Yes.
Alderman Wilson—By that of Humphrey ?
Witness—Yes.
Alderman Wilson—By that of Kendall ?
Witness—No.
Alderman Wilson—By the name of Bloomfield ?
Witness—Yes.
The property produced was then identified.
The representative of the Metropolitan Association fee
the Protection of Trade said that if the prisoner was re-
manded, vast numbers of victims would attend to charge
him with plunder. It was well known that he had sdgpted
the names of highly-respectable clergymen for the purpose
of carrying on tile war amouga the tradesmen of the me-
tropolis, and the association had been the mews of appre-
bending him at last.
Alderman Wilson said the evidence was quite sufficient
to justify the prisoner's committal for trial, and if it should
be coosidered necessary to proceed with other cases at the
OM Bailey against him, the association might bring for-
went the witnesses there.
The prisoner, upon being asked whether he wished to say
ao=r, replied, " I decline to say anything."
tted for trial.