The Express.
London, England, 1847-12-24 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24, 1847.

Ainslie, Ade Ramon y Carbonell, and the Rer. James Wil-
liams (clerk), at the ri optetim suits of Charles Horiley,
W. H. Vardy, George Webster, Henry Brook, sad J. D.
Brown and another.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.

Before Mr. Commissioner Fonbasnque.
IN 111 TE.MAS BUSToN, A RAILWAY CONTILACTOIL—
This was a meeting for choice of usignees. The bankrupt
was described so a builder, of Commercial-road, Lambeth,
and also a railway contractor, and had (it was understood)
at the present time ► contract with the London and Birming-
ham Railway Company, to prepare 20 miles of rail, at a cost
of about 170,0001. There were upwards of 300 creditors,
whose debts amounted to about 60,0001. A short time since
the bankrupt proposed to pay them 20s, in the pound and
interest within 12 months, but certain creditors refused is
accept the proposition, and hence the present bankruptcy.
After some discussion assignees were chosen.

Before Mr.

TN RI lENAPP.THB ABINGDON BANC—This bankrupt,
daeribed an of Abingdon, banker, came up to pass his las.
examination. Several proofs were tendered during the day,
and the meeting was adjourned to the audit meeting, on the
ground that the bankrupt hal not as yet filed his balance•
sheut.

the prisoner's deficiencies upon the last quarter's accounts
amounted to 581. 10s., and that the signature to one of the
orders produced was in his handsritiag.—A man named
Green proved having been employed by the prisoner to pre-
sent the order or cheque in question to Mr. Clark, the trea-
surer, the amount of which be afterwards left, pursuant to
an arrugement between them, for him at the bar of a tavern
in the City. Hs had received money for the prisoner upon
similar documents on 28 different occasions.—Some further
evidence was than entered into, which went to substantiate
two clear cases against the prisoner, who was remanded.
CLERK EN WELL. SANITARY MOTIDINNTS. Mr.
A. Langton, of No. 27, Clerkenwell.green, and Dul-
wich, appeared at the instance of the commissioners
of paving of St. John's, Clerkenwell, for having
suffered a nuisance dangerous to the health of the in
habitants. Mr. Bartholomew, of Gray's inn, clerk to
the commissioners, said the defendant was the owner of nu-
merous houses in the neighbourhood of Turnnifflistreet,
Clerkenwell, which were in a most filthy state. The accu-
mulation of noxious filth was so great es to be highly dan-
gerous to the health arid safety of the public, and the com-
missioners felt it to be their duty to institute these proceeding*.
—Mr. W. Taylor, surgeon, stated that he had seen the pre-
mises, No. 38, in Turemill-street, where he found an accu-
mulation of noxious matter running over the floor, and
flowing into the yard. The effluvium arising from it was
injurious, and calculated to cause fever and diseasc.—Mr.
Goddard, surgeon, confirmed this evidence, and added that
he had attended the poor in this house, and had 'hued
cases of fever. He had called upon the defendant,
who used a broom to clean the place. Typhoid
feur was in existence, and typhus fever would
inevitably ensue if the nuisance was not immediately put
down.—Defendant said the statements of the medical gen-
tleman were true, but he attributed the nuisance to the filthy
habits of the people who occupied the premises.—Mr.
Tyrwhitt said it was the duty of landlords to see that such
nuisances did not exist. Ha made peremptory order for the
nuisance complained of to be immediately put down by the
defendant, all expenses to be paid by him.—Mr. Bar-
tholomew said he had another case against some houses in
Lamb-court, Clerkenwill.green, where the Ragged School
was situate, and in which upwards of 100 children were can.
gregated every. day. The backs of the houses were in so
filthy a condition, that it was dangerous to the health of the
children and the inhabitants. Nearly a dozen houses were
in this state of filth.--Mr. Lengdon drnitted the fact, and
a similar order was made in that instance, as also in two
other oases of a like nature.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET. CZARGI or Steno-
ottno.—Mr. J. Distard, oil and Italian warehouseman,
was summoned for having in his possession a quantity of
vanilla, which had not paid duty E. G. Weale, an officer
of customs, said on the Ist of December, pursuant to in
formation he received, he went to the defendant's warehouse
is King-street, and said he called in consequence of an
application to the railway company for the alleged lois of
four baskets of vanilla. The defendant said he ought to
have received CO parcels, and he only received 66 parcels.
The defendant distinctly said the vanilla which he produced
was smuggled. The defendant produced an invoice from
his correspondent in Paris. The amount of the invoice was
upwards of 2,000 francs, but this was exclusive of duty.
Witness seized the vanilla.—Mr. Beverley, excise soli-
I eitor, said the duty on vanilla was 6s. per lb.
The value of the prop rip would be about 1501.—Mr. Bing-
: ham, on the part of the defendant, contended that his client
was not cognisant of the fact of the duty being unpaid. The
defendant was too respectshle to desire to defraud the reels-
nue. Re could not contend against the fact of the property
being found in the defendant's possession, but as he had
I erred through mistake he hoped the bench would allow this
circumstance to operate in mitigation of the very heavy fine.
—Mr. Bingham did not know how far he had authority to
mitigate. He believed an application of that sort must be
made to the commissioner*, who were always inclined to
receive a reasonable explanation with indulgence.—Mr.
Beverley said the bench had power to mitigate to no: less
than one-fourth of the penalty, but he apprehended a magis-
trate would cot use this discretion without sufficient grounds.
—Mr. Bingham said, as this was the first offence, and the
defendant was a foreigner, he should reduce the fine to one-
fourth of 1001.

SOUTHWARK.—Cmanire.—The magistrate acknow-
ledged the receipt of a 51. Bank of England note from
" E. C." for the poor-box.
LAMBETH.—ALLHOID CONVICTION OP AN INNOCENT
PERSON.—The mother of the lad, J. W. Ward, who bad
been convicted at the Old Bailey, and sentenced to seven
years' transportation for stealing his grandfather's watch,
and who was also the proseentrix in the case of Mary Ann
Turpin, who had been unjaatly sentenced to six months'
hard labour for the same offence, asked the magistrate's ad-
vice under the following circumstances : She stated that that
day a letter had reached her, which her son had written to
his late muter, in which the boy stated in the most solemn
manner that it was his uncle, H. Wenman, who bad ins iced
him to steal the watch ; that out of the 50s. received for it
he bad only got 55. ; and that his uncle, who had kept the
remainder of the money, had told him to admit receiving the
whole of the 50s , else they should be both truseported. This
avowal on the part of her son completely confirmed the ap-
plicant's own opinion, that her brother was really the guilty
pety, though her bey was sacrificed. lier brother, though
and over to give evidence against her son at the Old
Bailey, did not appear until after the trial was oven—Mr.
Norton could not help expressing hie surprise that the appli-
cant had not, when giving her evidence against her son,
stated the whole circumstances against her brother. He
should read over the letter put in by the applicant, and give
the matter his bent consideration by the following (this) day,
when he requested the applicant to attend again.
THAMES —DESECRATION or ems DEAD.—T.
a labourer, was charged with having entered Stepney church-
yard, broken up • number of leaden coffin'', and unlawfully
offered the said lead for sale, and C. Butler, a marine store
dealer, was charged with receiving it —On the previous
evening, Barnes, a detective officer, saw the prisoner climb
over the palings of the churchyard and go to Butler's shop.
He then returned to the churchyard, and alter a short inter-
val again went to the same shop. Barnes went in and asked
what Ellwood bad brought for sale. He appeared confused,
and said " only a piece of old iron." Barnes searched the
premises, sad found 2 cwt. of lead, which had evidently
formed part of the coffins ; several of the inscriptions are still
legible, one of which he produced in court. The part of the
inscription legible was—. Rich. Good, 1624, aged 60." Ell-
wood war taken into custody, and on his way to the station-
how's confessed having broken up the coffins in the church-
Bard.—Mr. Ballantine, before he adjudicated, directed
arnes to proceed to the parish authorities and ascertain if
they intended prosecuting, and, in the meanwhile, he
ordered the prisoners to be locked up.
CRUELTY TO A GILL.—E. Bally was re-examined charged
with ill-usage to a girl named Martha Mitchell, who
ban been in the hospital a fortnight. The girl now
appeared, and detailed a long course of ill-usage on
the part of her mistress, who was in the practice
of pulling her about the room by the hair of her head, and
beating and kicking her.—Mr. Vidal, surgeon of the Lon-
don Hospital, said the girl was in danger for several days in
consequence of an attack of pleurisy, caused by the injuries
she received. Several witnesses deposed to the barbarity of
the prisoner towards the girl. The woman, in defence, said
she did not intend to hurt the girl, who was a pilferer, so
much as she had done.—Mr. Ballantine committed the pri-
soner for trial.

MONEY MARKET.
THUHADAY Evxetso.
It was not till about two o'clock to-day that the
final determination in the Bank parlour—this being
the weekly board day—to reduce the minimum rata of
discount to five per cent., was made public. At the
same time it was ascertained that the rate of charge
for loans upon stock and Exchequer-bills would be
reduced to the same standard. This resolution took
the Stock Exchange, as well as most people out of
doors, by surprise. In the early part of the morn-
ing indeed such a result was rather speculated
upon, and consols in consequence were done at
651 for the opening, with a steady market. But
a little past mid-day the report was current, and the
fact positive], asserted indied, that the directors had
decided against any change for the present, upon
which Consols declined to 85 to 1 far a short time, re-
viving only upon the announcement of the final deci-
sion
of the board. Upon this Consols advanced again
to 851, but left off 852, to 4, with apparently a strong
market. Reduced Threes, 84.2 to 5. Three-and-a-
Quarter per Cents., 861 to 1. Long Annuities,
81 to 11-16. Exchequer Bills, 9s. to lls. premium.
India Bonds, 18s. to 1 ls. discount. Bank Stock, 18811
to 81. Money was in demand in the stock exchange,
where it was worth 5 per cent, for short periods, bat
the Bank measure to-day can hardly foil to render it
more abundant.