The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-12 00:00:00

THE POLICE COU.RTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.
Williams Johnson was brought before the Lord Mayor
for final examination upon al charges of having ob-
tained money under false pretences
Mr. D. C. Gardiner, appraiser, of 17, Hatton Garden,
said, on the 14th of February I received a letter purporting
to conic from Mr. W. Jones, solicitor, High-street, Graves-
end, and I directed my clerk to leave some money with the
housekeeper to pay for umpirage, to which it alluded, when
it should arrive. Next morning I found an inventory en-
closed in a letter which had been taken in by the house-
keeper. It purported to appertain to some household fur-
-1 niture, fixtures, and other effects at the Canal Tavern,
Gravesend, and the letter is as foUows
"Gravesend, 14th February.
" Sta,—As umpire you are requested to value the effects
orinsprised in the foregoing inventory. See lease (on the
premises) as to sale of fixtures, estimate windows damaged,
gni beer measures, and let your award and charges be
ll* by 3 o'clock Wednesday.—We are, Sir,
" WY. Fite%
" JOHN SMITH."
Addressed Mr. Gardiner, appraiser, &c; Hatton Garden.
Umpire., per bearer, 10e.
Jane Troughton, housekeeper to Mr. Gardiner, said, in
February last the paper parcel produced was brought to the
premises by the prisoner, who said it contained the " um-
pirage," and there was 10s. to pay. I had received 7s.
from one of the clerks to pay for the umpirage, and I put
3s. to it and save the whole amount to the prisoner, who
said the solicitor and the lease were at band, and Mr. Gardi-
ner would have very little trouble.
One of Mr. Gardiner's clerks said that he went to the
Canal Tavern at Gravesend and found that the whole of the
statement about the inventory and the umpirage was files,
and that there were no such persons as those named in the
letter in existence.
The prisoner, in answer to the charge, said the papers had
been given to me to take according to directions, and I de-
livered them accordingly.
Mr. J. J. Greeted, clerk to Messrs. Bullock, of High
llelborn, auctioneers, said, about the 26th of February the
prisoner brought a parcel containing an inventory of effects,
the property of W. A. Lee, Esq., on the: premises, Old
Steyne, Brighton, to our office, and asked to see Mr. Bul-
lock, who was out at the time. He said he brought an
impinge from Brighton, and he produced a letter inclosing
an inventory of goods, which Mr. Bullock was requested to
value. The document was signed James Ridley, W. Aust.
The prisoner asked me for 10a, which it is the usual prac-
tice to pay the messenger on such occasions when stated on
the outside of the papers. I gave him the money, and he
gave me a receipt signed " St. phen Wall."
Brown, one of the City detectives, said that he had gone
to Brighton, and ascertained that no such persons as those
mentioned in the letter were known there.
The prisoner—l can say no more than I have said before,
that the papers were given to me to take to Mr. Bullock.
Mr. J. J. Close, auctioneer, of 33, Clemenes.lane, stated
that the prisoner called upon him with a parcel addressed
" Mr. S. Close, senior, Clement's-lane. llmpirage. Pay
bearer 7s. 64." I opened it in his presence. The letter
was read. It purported to be an umpirage from Mr. It
Tenfold, solicitor to the estate, and was dated Croydon,
March 25th. The witness refused to let the prisoner
have more than a shilling to pay the fare back to Croydon.
The prisoner returned with a second letter, but by that
time it was ascertained that the whole of the statement was
false, and an officer was directed to take him into custody.
The prisoner said he could assure his lordship that he
had been regularly employed to &liver the message.
The prisoner's son said his father hod been very unfortu-
nate of late years, after having gone through considerable
property, and there was no doubt as to his having been em-
ployed in these affairs by a treacherous person, to whom he
had fallen a victim.
The Lord Mayor—l commit him on the three charges.
Mary Gryfin, servant to Mr. Green, clothier, of Beek
Marks, was committed for trial on the charge of having
committed robberies in her master's house by means cf a
stolen key.