The Express.
London, England, 1860-10-19 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.

A subject of grave importance to the mercantile corn-
munity will shortly come on for trial before the Superior
Criminal Court at the Hogue.
It will be recollected that in January lad a Dutchman
named Charles Van Gables, who was employed in • con-
fidential capacity by Mr. Stubbs, the principal of a firm in
Ormiltearstreet, absconded with money and other property
belonging to that gentleman, and it turned out that be had
also committed forgeries to a very considerable extent, and
had obtained dismount upon bills purporting to bear the ac-
ceptance, of City firm., some of which upon inquiry it was
discovered were non-existent, and others were forgeries. A
reward was offered for Ills apprehension, and the matter
warn placed in the hands of the City detective police,
who lust no Ume in endeavouring to trace the
offender. It wee amertained that be had in the first
instance made his way to Brussels, where, it appeared, he
obtained some messy by falsely representing that he was
still in the service of Mr. Stub. He then went on to the
Hague, where he was taken into custody through the in-
strumentality of her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary, and
an applicatioo wee made by Huggett, the City detective,
who ad been in search *thins, that he might be given into
his custody, but Van Golden !menet; declared himself a
Dutch subject, the Dutch government refused to deliver
him op, and as nu treaty for the extradition of criminals
exists with the government of Holland, it appeared probable
that the prisoner would not be rendered amenable to the
law. The charge that was first made against the prisoner
was the fraud that he had committed in Brussels, but even-
tually be was charged with Laving committed various forge-
ries in England, and the Important question then arose
whether the Dutch criminal courts would take cog-
nisance of a criminal offeececommitted in • foreign country.
The question, it will he seen, is precisely the same as that
which was involved in the trial of Simon Bernard at the
Central Criminal Court, for being concerned In the attempt
upon the life of the Emperor Napoleon with Orsini ; and
through the interference of the British minister the law
officers of the Netherlands government were, at length, in-
duced to take an interest in the matter, and to see the very
grave importance of the question, and they resolved that
the matter should at all events undergo • solemn judicial
consideration by the law officers of the OrOWO. With this
view Mr. Stake and all the other witnesses required to
support the Mee were summoned to appear and they gave
their evidence, and the prisoner himself, in accordance
with the law of Holland, underwent several interrogatories
by the judges, and after • long inquiry, and • strenuous en-
desvour on the pert of the prisoner's advocate to prevent
such a course being takes, be has at length been sent to take
Ins trial before the Supreme Court of Justice at the Hague,
upon the charge of forging acceptances to certain bills of
exchange, the alleged offence leaving been committed in
Freeland.
The ow now, therefore, stands fortrial before the judges,
when the point of law will be discuesed, whether a subject
or alien committing forgery or fraud in a foreign country
can be convicted in Holland. Should this point be decided
in the affirmative, the comparative immunity which Las
bees available to persons absconding to that country,will be
destroyed, as a conviction out of England would not only
generally entail far greater pusialinient than under the laws
of this country, but would also probably constitute a prece-
dent which might be adopted by other countries.
A young man, named Frederic/.- Watson, wee charged
with steeling 3WIbI. of iron, the property of Messrs. Ken-
nard and Co., iron merchants, Upper Thames-street.
It appeared that the prisoner went to the wharf of the
prosecutors with a horse and cart to purchase some old bar
irou, and that it was weighed in the presence of one of the
prosecutor's servants, named Astbury. The quantity the
prisoner actually purchased was about Burt., and it seemed
that he took 3 ewt. more, mad endeavoured to induce
Astbury not to say anything about the matter by promising
to give him three or four shillings. He, however, very pro-
perly gave information of the prisouei's proposal to the
manager of the establishment, sod the prisoner was takes
into custody._
He was fully committed for trial.

lUGH.STREET.

Edward ditty'll, 27, Newmau-street, traveller, and
Samuel Gecorge Kipp., 3 Norfolk-street, Middlemen Hos-
pital, house decorator, grove charged with wrenching the
knocker otf the dour of the house No. 17, Dean-street,
. .

—Howes 95 C, said that at 90 minutes past four that
morning he was standing at the corner of Itichmond•build.
Dean•treet, Soho when be saw the two defendants
go into • doorway, and Attwell tried to wrench off a
knocker, Kipps, who was behind him at the time, say-
ing, "The
• little farther, and went into soother doorway,
where he saw Attwell wrench off the knocker pro-
duced. He then crossed over the rood after them,
and Attwell dropped the kuucker into the road,
and on bis saying they had wrenched a knocker
off, Attwell replied, " No, it's only my pi.." They bed
both been drinking. At the station Kipp. admitted Attwell
weeded it off. Kipps said he wus well acquainted with
!mockers, and it not been wrenched off.
Henry Veiling., in the employ of Messrs. Young, Jones,
and Manning*, 2, St. Mildred's-court, Poultry, agents for
the owners of the house, the Rev. Henry Gloom, and
another, said the knocker belonged to the houseinquestioe.
Sergeant Stephens (acting inspector) said—At thin station
Kipp said it was dune by his friend Attwell, and Attwell
said it was.
Mr. Tyrwhitt said he was bound to inform them that it
wu a felony. It was • very awkward thing, and a jury of
housekeepers would find it felony.
The defendants, preferring the case to be dealt with by
the magistrate to its going to the sessions, Mr. Tyrwhitt
lined them 2s. I3d. each.
SOUTHWARK.

Mary White, a masculine-looking woman, well known as
a street thief, who has been tried and committed on more
than one occasion, was brought before Mr. Burcham,
charged with the following daring highway robbery.
UttSAM Baldwin, an elderly man, living in Mount's-
gamiest, Bermundmy, said that about 12 the previous night
Le was passing up Kent-street towards home, when the
prisoner accosted him, and asked him to treat her to some-
thing to drink. Kuowisg the dangerous locality that he
was in, he refused to have anything to do with her, cud en-
deavoured to pus her. Iu doing so the prisouer snatched
his watch from his waistcoat pocket, broke it from the
chain, and ran off with it. Be pursued her, Lolling out
"Stop tiller!" and " Police !" and shortly afterwards he
new her in custody.
Mr. Burcham asked whether he was sober!
Witame replied that he was perfectly sober, awl he en-
deavoured all he could to avoid the prisoner, as he wanted
to get home as quick as he could.
Polioi-coustable 176 H said be was on duty hi the Dower-
road when lie heard cries of " Police" and " Won thief" pro-
ceed from Kent.street. As lie was going towards that
pore he met the prisoner followed by the peseater. who
sold, "Stop that wow; she hen row ire el ormeleh...