The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-11 00:00:00

nt it P. J. WAITL

The bankrupt was a merchant of Mining-lane. Birming-
ham, Sheffield, York, Bomb, Calcutta, and S. Peters-
burg. The liabilities are said to be very large, but the
amount cannot yet be ascertained. It is believed that the
mete. if carefully realised, will produce sufficient to meet
the claim in full.
A resolution wen now peered for a liquidation of the
estate out of court under the 185th section of the act of
1861.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

(Bofors Mr. Justice Mellor.)

William S7tirley,. 23, described as a lamp maker, was
charged with famously shooting at Hoary Huis, with
intact to murder him.

Mr. LiUey and Mr. Oppenheiro prosecuted, and the pri•
sone: was defended by Mr. Metcalfe.
The learned concept for the proomution ic opening the
ow to the jury, described it as one of a veryserims character,
sod having stated the facts, the following evidence was
adduced :

Mr. Henry Hui', the prosecutor, deposed that be carried
on the business of a lamp manufacturer, in Roupell-street,
Lambeth, and the prisoner had been his apprentice, and
was afterwards occasionally employed by him. On Saturday,
the 2nd of Dec., after the workmen had left the manu-
factory, the prisoner came to bim in the abow-room, and
asked him to give him a character, to enable him to obtain
employment with some railway company. Witness objected
to give the prisoner a written character, but said that he would
8U op any form that would be sent him by the railway com-
pany with whom he wished to obtain employment. He
then went into another room to wash his hands, arid the
prisoner followed him, and said that he was very sorry that
his father had ever apprenticed him to him. Witness told
Dim that he had better keep quiet, for no master had kept
him so long as be had. Shortly after this the prisoner
said, "So you will not give me the character," and witness
said he would not • and he was then about to leave the
place when he heard a shot, and fell that he was
wounded in the neck behind. He called the pri-
soner by his name, and asked him what he was
doing, and he then felt a second shot, but it
did not take any effect. The prosecutor then west
on to say that he seizei the prisoner and a severe
struggle took place between them, daring which he
sr.ocesdel in obtaining possession of the pistol and
tired two of the barrels at the prisoner in self-defends, and
wounded him in the neck. He called out "Murder," and
the prisoner got from him and was going away when he
threw the pistol of ter him, and he picked it up. He went
out of the house, and came back in a short time with seve-
ral other persons, and he then charged witness with having
shot at him, and wanted to give him into custody. It ap,
peered that the pistol, which was a five-chamber revolver-
was the property of the prosecutor, but he said be had
missed it several months before, and be believed it had been
stolen. _ . .

The prosecutor was subjected to a long cross-examination,
and it appeared that a sister of the prisoner had been in his
genies, and that she had a child by him. He also admitted
that he had been charged with acting violently to this
person. He was cross-examined upon • variety of other
matters, and apparently with • view to show that it was he
who first fired, and not the prisoner.
Some other evidence was adduced, and it appeared that
at the time the transaction occurred the prisoner bad dis-
tinctly charged the prosecutor with having shot at him, and
desired that he might be taken into custody. It appeared
that the injury on the neck of the prosecutor was oue of a
very serious character.
Mr. Metcalfe addressed the jury at some length on behalf
of the prisoner, and he argued that the prisoner's version of
the matter was the true one, and that it was the prosecutor
who had first shot at him.

Several witnesses of respectability were called, who give
the priaoner an excellent character for sobriety and inoffen-
gill demeanour.

Mr. Justice Mellor summed up the cue with greet clear.
nese and minuteness.

The jury retired at a quarter to 4 o'clock, end at a quar-
ter to ti returned with a verdict of Not Guilty.
- This was the last ewe of the sessions, and the cart at
its rising was adjourned to Sionday, the 29th January
instant.

(Before Mr. Thomas Chambers, Q.C., Common Serjeant.)
James Pridltant, 18, jeweller, and Edmund Cotlinandge,
58, refiner, were indicted for feloniously stealing two rings,
the property of Thomas Dempster Gordon. In a second
count the prisoner Collingridge was charged with feloni-
ously receiving the said rings well knowing the same to
have been stolen. The prisoner Pridham pleaded guilty,
and Collingridge, who surrendered in discharge of his bail,
pleaded not guilty, and was put upon his trial. After
several gentlemen who were called as jurymen were chal-
lenged by the crown and were ordered to stand aside, the
full jury was ultimately sworn.
Mr. Metcalfe, with whom was Mr. Bosley (instructed by
Messrs. Lewis), appeared for the prosecution ; and Mr, See.
leant &Bastin° (specially retained), Mr. Taylor, and Mr.
Straight (instructed by Mr. Wontner, sen.), conducted the
defame.
__

Ftom evidence adduced on the part of the prosecution
in support of the opening statement of Mr. Metcalfe, it sp.
peered that the prosecutor, Mr. Thomas Dempster Gordon
was a private gentleman, who early in December last was
staying at Long's Hotel, Bond-street, and who load-
verteutly left on the drershig-table in his bedroom two
valuable gold r:np which ;be had purchased at the shop of
Messrs. Hunt and Rooks% He saw them safe on the table
about 2 o'clock on the 4th December, but missed them at
6 o'clock the same evening, when he went to his room to
dress for dinner. Both rings were of antique gold, the one
set with a sapphire stone of the value of about 230/. ; the
second ring was set with a turquoise stone, and Ina et the
value of 35/. Information was given to the police, and the
rings were discovered wider the circumstances detailed by
Inspector Thomas Ambrose Potter, of the C division of
the Metropolitan Polite, who in reply to Mr. Metcalfe
stated that in consequence of information he re-
ceived of another robbery of 15 Asp from the
promisee of Messrs. Willis, manufacturing jeweller, of Red
Lion-yard, Clerkonwell, he went, accompanied by another
police officer and by Mr. Willis, to the shop of the prisoner
041ingridge, who carries on the Winans of &gilder and gold
refiner at a shop in Wilderness-row. At that time the
prisoner Priam, who Thad been in the employ of Messrs.
William a polisher, was in custody for having stolen the
fifteen rings mentiooect. The lapis on arriving at
the shop, found! that the prisoner Collingridge
was not at home, but he was traced by the wit.
sees to a publio•house in 81, John's-street-road. The
witness asked him if he had bought any jewellery on that
day. The prisoner replied in the negative. The wham
repeated the question in another form, namely, whether ha
had not purchased some unfinished jewellery on that day;
sad pantie; to a cab standing at the comer of Wilderness.
row, told the prisoner that in that gab there was a aria