The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-16 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—Yoax, DEC. 14.
mown COOLT.—szyclaz no. 'OPTICS 00IXLIDGS.
CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD CRIDITOM AT RODDERATIZLD. I
William Booth, 21, George Booth, 47, and Esther Booth,
32, were charged with conspiring together to defraud the
creditors of the said George Booth and his partner William
Booth, at Huddersfield, on the 13th of Sept. last.
Mr. Hardy and Mr. Manic prosecuted; Mr. Overend and
Mr. Sykes defended the prisoners.
It appeared that the elder prisoner Booth was in partner-
ship with a relative of his also named George Booth, as
woollen manufacturers at Mytholus Bridge, near Hudders-
field. The younger prisoner Booth was son to G. Booth,
and was engineer to the firm; and the female prisoner was
sister to the elder male prisoner. On the 13th of
September last George Booth obtained two cheques, one
for 4891. 10s., and the other for 1201., from Messrs. Starkey,
of Huddersfield. These cheques were payable at the bank
of the Huddersfield Joint Stock Linking Company. On
the day named George Booth met his partner in one of the
streets of Huddersfield, and informed him that he had lost
the cheques only a few minutes before, and was in great
distress about them. It was suggested by a person named
Wade, who was parsing at the time, that the prisoner and
his brother should go at once to the bank and stop the
Payment of the cheques. They did so, and on entering the
bank they were told that the cheques had just been cashed
to a young man, of whom a description was given. It
turned out that the younger prisoner, William Booth, was
the person who obtained the 6001. odd for the cheques. A
week after this the firm was insolvent, and it was contended
that the father and the son, the two male prisoners, had
conspired together to defraud the creditors of the partnership,
by the false pretence that 6901. had been lost. The younger
male prisoner, at the request of his father, went to Man-
chester with the money, and at the house of a penes named
Wilkinson, where Esther Booth lived, the amount in gold
and notes was concealed in the coal-hole, by the female
prisoner, who was prevailed upon to do so b 7 her nephew,
William Booth. Handbills, giving a description of the man
who bad obtained the money at the bank, having been oil,
culated, and the younger male prisoner answering ex-
actly that description, he was apprehends d. lie then made
a statement, acknowledging that he got the cash for the
cheques, and detailed all the circumstances of his journey
to Manchester to secrete the money with Either Booth.
His statement led to the father's apprehension, and he also
made a similar confession to his son. Beaton, police officer,
of Hudderfield, proceeded to Manchester, and went to
Esther Booth, who after denying all knowledge of the
money for some time, at length took the officer to the coal
plate, where notes and gold amounting to 6061., were
found. The female prisoner also confessed as to the mode
she became possessed of the money, and she was also appre-
hended.
At the conclusion of the case for the prosecution, Mr.
Overend submitted that evidently there was no conspiracy
on the part of the female prisoner, she only at most having
received the money after the conspiracy had teen arranged
and completed.
'the learned Judge intimated that he was of the same
opinion, and decided that the prosecution could not be
sustained spinet Esther Booth. and she was Aerated.
Mr. Overend again contended that there was no evidence
that the son had conspired with his lather to defraud the
' creditors, inasmuch as he was only engaged as an engineer
' at the mill, and knew nothing of the affairs of the firm.
All that bad been proved was that the son had, at his
father's request, left the town with the money he had
I obtained at the bank. lie knew nothing whatever about
the firm being insolvent, being only an engineer.
His Lordship decided that there was no evidence to show
a conspiracy to defraud the creditors, but that there was a
case against the male prisoners for conspiring to defraud
the partner, George Booth, under the last count of the
indictment.
The jury found both the male prisoners Guilty, with a
recommendation of the son to mercy, on the ground that
he had been led into the affair by his father.
, George Booth to De imprisoned for two years, with hard
t labour, and Wm. Booth fez throe mouths.