The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-15 00:00:00

SDAY EMIYG,

" Won't you let us go in, there are children there r I .
216 S called me to help . him keep JOINT STOCK DISCOUNT COMPANY.
would not have stopped them if 216 S had not told me to them back. back. They mid, THE CHARGE AGAINST THE DIRECTOR OF THE I
t
do to. I took ay directions from him. (This constable. Mr. James Freeling Wilkinson, the late managing
was a very rung man. I director of the Joint Stock Dieriount Company, at pews
By the Catoner— If I had been left to myself I would. in the course of being wound up under the authority ce
have let the people in. I only joined the force in July • the Court of Chancery, attended, at two o'clock yesterday,
laat. ' before the Lord Mayor, at the Matasicamlonse, to undergo
I
William Blundell, 216 S—When I got to the are the" . further examination upon a charge of misdemeanour, in
was aped crowd. The door was open, and a constable ' having unlawfully appropriated to his own use two cheques
came down. I did not use the *remote or 507 ! for the respective sums of 4,0001. and 8601., the property
other policeman but 54 S. I did not see any children taken • of the company.
Out alive. I did not refuse to let people in. Several people The defendant, it will be remembered, was apprehended
went in after I got there. _ Iby Sergeant Mom, of the City detective police, upon a
By • Juror—l prevented people from going in, so teat warrant, on Thursday, and he underwent a preliennery
they should not block up the stairs and prevent others examination last Friday before Sir IL Carden. Ths inquiry
coming down. The police have instructions about fllle. was adjourned, and the defendant was admitted tolesll,
We are told to keep the door. Su another are to himself in the sum of 3,0001. with two 'sureties in 1.5001.
break out to-night, I would neer eed;ga door shut if I each, and he now surrendered in disehame of his reeog-
thought I email save • life by opening it. We have no nuances. The case, from the position of the socused and
instructions to keep doors at all bawds. I heard no one .the circumstances connected with it, ato create
say that there were children up stairs till the fire-ecespe • very great interest, and • great number of influential mem-
ppcered
came. I will swear when I saw men going up stairs I did berg of the Stock Exchange and of the mercantile Dom-
not know the children ware up there. I did not know triunity were present during the proceedings.
what they were going up for. I did not tell the other I ldr. Poland conducted the prosecution on behalf of Mr.
constable to prevent people going in. I told him to keel . Harding, the official liquidator of the company, instructed
them off the pavement. I did not suppose the peoem by Messrs. Lawrence, Flews, and Co., of the Old Jewry
were running up and down for amusement. I baud 54 SMr. Sleigh appeared for the defendant, instructed by Kr.
say he was afraid it was no use trying to go up. I will not
Holt, of Bucklersbury.
swear I did not know there were children there. I knew I The learned counsel for the prosecution addressed the
there were children there. I heard people say children • Lord Mayor, and stated that on the former occasion he had
were there. briefly called the attention of the alderman who then pre-
The contradictory evidence of this witness was the sub. I
sided to the circumatances under which the charge was
ject of some comment by the jury. I preferred against the defendant, and it wee only neoeasary
Mr. Superintendest Lorton, of the S division, examined for him to remind his lordship that the specific offence um-
-The police who attend fires report themselves. I was at totted to him was, that on the 16th of August last year he
the place of this foe after it was out. Comber, 54 S, was Led appropriated a cheque for 4,000/., and on the 27th of
there. Mawley, 49 S, was first to hear of the fire, and
August another for 8601., the property of the company, to
went off for the engine. The instructions of the police his own use, and in payment for some shares that he had
are that on the first alarm of fire he is to arouse the in- purchased of Messrs. Capper, Focombe, and Lawson,
mates and the neighbours, and is to do all he an to rescue . stock and share broken, in Old Broad-street. At the
anybody. It is his duty to request other persons to go ! time in question it would appear that the de-
for engines and escapee. After he is satisfied that no one fendant was indebted to these gentlemen a
else is in the house, he is to take charge of the door to : 5,016/. for shares that they had purchased by his
of
dim
see that no improper . persona enter and rob the house.
direction, and on the 16th of August the defendant handed
When the firemen arrive, the custody of the whole of the i them • cheque for 4,0001., and on the 27th of the same
I
house is headed over to diem. Each man has a book with I
these instructions in, and they are read aloud to them month another for 8601., which, with some other items,
balanced the account ; and the oast on the part of the
once a month. They were read at Albany-street station prosecution was that the defendant had no authority for
on that particular night, but 54 and TM 'S were on duty
at the time. I have examined the circumstances, and do employing the funds of the company, of which he was the
managing director, for such a purpose, and that he had,
not think the constables were to blame. There are wit.
news I should like called who will throw a different light in point of fact, defrauded them of the amount. The de-
fendant appeared to have attempted to make out that the
on the case. I cannot give an opinion as to whether the
constables did their best to rescue the children. No money bad been advanced to Meads. Capper by way of
loan, and he should show that he had availed him-
doubt Mawley,49, acted against his instructions in running self of the power he possessed of manipulating the
for the engine instead of going to the fire. books of the company to make certain entries
Mr. Sampson Low—Have not the polioe instructions to Affecting to establish a somewhat extraordinary
send for the fire escape first? loan transaction with one of the customers of the
Mr. Superintendent Lorton—No, there are no such company in reference to the 4,0001. cheque, and to explain
instructions. i how it was advanced to Messrs. Capper; but he believed it
Mr. Low—That is the point. We maintain that the
earliest information should be given to the escapes, as life would be clearly made out that this was entirely • sham,
with the object of preventing the fraud that had been
is of more importance than property. The fire escapes are practised from being discovered. The learned counsel then
within a quarter of a mile of each other, and much time
need not be lost in.fetching them. stated that he should direct the evidence he now proposed
to produce more particularly to the 8601. because the
Frederick Marshall—l reside at 5, Henry-street, and 4,000/. cheque had by some accident been mislaid, and be
Mr. Watson, who lives opposite Mr. Lazarus's, called me to said that when he had completed the present charge he
the fire at 25 minutes past 9. I went into the house and
brought the three children out who were saved. (Great was instructed that be should be in a condition to substan-
tiate another case of misappropriation of the funds of the
astonishment, as the witness Reading had already claimed company against the prisoner.
to have done this.) The room doors on the first floor were Mr. W. Lawson was then examined. He said—l am one
locked. I went to the second floor, and also finding the
doors locked, I went to the third floor and found the bed- of the firm of Capper, &comb., and Lawson, stockbrokers,
and I have known the defendant for some time as the
room doors wide open. I took two children out of • bed, managing director of the Joint Stock Discount Company.
and the third out of a cot. In August last year I purchased for him 520 shares in the
The Coroner—lt is quite clear that either this witness or
Reading has been telling a groan lie. Joint Stock Discount Company for the ass:oust that ended
on the 16th of that'month. On the 16th I banded to the
Examination continued—l brought the children down to defendant 377 of these shares, and sent to him for a cheque,
the first floor, and some one took them from me. I did not and in consequence of what my clerk told me I went to the
see the man Reading, the two servants, or any policeman. defendant at the offices of the Joint Stock Discount Com-
I saw two night lights on the third floor. Ito -ce the doors pany, and told him that I wanted • cheque for 4,0001. on
on the first floor. They were both locked. The night
lights were in the name room as the three children. I left account of the shares. He told me the shares were for
another person, and that he would not pay him for them
Mr. Watson behind me on the stairs. I told some people
I reward. I carried the three children down at until the whole of the shares were delivered. I told him I
expected a
had paid for the shares and that it was a large amount,
once, and I must have a cheque for the amount mentioned. The
Mr. Solomons—l cannot see how you make that out. defendant then said that he would give me one of the
Three children were killed ; the servants brought one out company's cheques, and that it was to be treated as •
and loan,
with them, you say you saved three children. That but we were not to be charged any interest, and he said
makes seven children, and Mr. lamina had only six alto-
that be would repay the money when he received it
gether. You had better be carefuL from the person for whom the abates were purchased,
The witness persisted in his statement. when they were all delivered. I consented to the pro-
Mr. John Hopkins—l reside at 16, Tolmuasquare, and
was at the are. I knocked at the side door, but when the affirm, and on the same day I received a cheque for 4,0001.
It was one of the Joint Stock Discount Company's cheques,
fire-escape came the door was not opened. I neither saw
after the file escape came. I then and was signed by the defendant and Mr. Henry White,
police or servants till
one of the directors. It is not true that this cheque
saw Ann Wardell trying to get into the house and the was given as a loan to our firm, and we never treated
people keeping her back. She cried out, " Let me get in it as such, or gave any security, or paid any interest
and save the children." I afterwards saw children brought
into the street. I think last witness passed a child to for the money. On the 28th of August I handed the de-
fendant 143 more shares, making up the 520, and I after-
some one at the bottom of the stairs. It was after the
door was burst open I saw the young women, and after wards received a cheque for 8601., which sum, with 156/.
which was duo upon the shares for interest, made up the
this the police came and took charge of the door. Two or sum of 5,01 M which was the amount due to our firm
three minutes after this I think it was Marshall came out from the defendant upon his private share transactions.
with one child. When I beard there were children in the
We never refused the 4,0001. and the 8601., either on the
house I wanted to goup, but the police refused me, saying loth of September, as appears by the entry in the books of
there were plenty already up. I think the children might the company, or at any other time, and it is not true that
have been saved as to time, but I do not know whether the cheques were given to us for a loan.
the smoke would have driven people back or not. In cross-examination, Mr. Lawson said that their firm
Mr. W. P. Watson, of 47, Hampstead-road, draper, said had on several occasions had loans from the Joint Stock
his house was nearly opposite Mr. Lazarus's, and hearing Discount Company, but he could not say when these loan
of the fire he ran over with the witness Marshall, and on transactions first took place. In March, 1865, they had a
reaching the side door the eldest servant opened it. I said, loan from the company, and he said he believed
" Where are the children ?" and she said, "Go for the this was the first loan transaction in that year. He after-
fire engine." I repeated the question, and she gave the same wards, however, said he believed that they borrowed
reply. Marshall passed me on the stairs, but I saw no 2,0001. of the company in January, 1865; but this was for
children. I bad to retreat, as I was nearly suffocated by a customer. and some shares he had parchased were depo-
the smoke. The door was opened by the servant. sited with the company as security. Between the months
Radford, the fireman, was recalled and said the doors of of January and .Tune they might have borrowed as much
the first floor were not locked as stated by Marshall. as 14,0001. of the company, and they always deposited
Mr. Hart, one of the jurymen, said it was the witness shares or stocks as security. At the time the 590 shares
Reading who brought the child to his shop wrapped up in were handed to the defendant they were not worth more
a sheet, blanket, and counterpane. in the market than 4,2501. or thereabouts ; and the 377
A working titan named Edward Pink here tendered his shares, for which he said the 4,0001. were paid, were not
evidence, on which Mr. Young, another juryman, of 37, worth more than 3,1701., so that they received considerably
liarnpatead-road, identified him as a man who brought more than their market value when they were paid the
another of the children into his house wrapped in a 4,0001. cheque. The shares bad been purchased some
blanket ; he said he had received it from a man on the time before, but they had been carried over two or three
stairs. accounts.
I'ink was sworn, and deposed to rushing upstairs with The Lord Mayor inquired of the witness whether the
Reading and finding the two children on the third floor, °entracte for the purchase of the shares were made out to
and Reading called out, " I've gut one." and he (Pink) the defendant personally?
said, " And I've got the other," and they brought thein He replied that they were, and it so appeared in his con-
both down together. There were no lights in the room. tract book.
Saw Marshall in the room with a handkerchief in his The Lord Mayor said it appeared to him to be of import-
mouth. ance that this book should be produced.
Reading denied that Pink went upstairs with him, but Mr. Poland said that it should be brought forward.
took the first child from Lim at the first floor. There was The Lord Mayor staked the witness whether, upon
a small gas light burning in the room. former occasions when loans Lad been granted to the firm
Marshall swore there were two little lights with glasses and repaid, the shares which bad been given as security
over them on a table. to the company were not handed back ?
Mr. Solomons was instructed to say there was no table The witness said, of course they were invariably handed
in this room at all, and the light was a jet of gas. back when the money was repaid.
The coroner said these statements were of so conflicting The Lord Mayor then asked whether the defendant
a character, and the inquiry had Resumed such import- had ever given him back any portion of the 520 shares in
ance, that he was sure the jury would like further investi- question.
gation. It was now six o'clock, and as it would be hopes- The witness said he had not done so.
Bible to finish that night, he suggested a further adjourn- In further cross-examination, Mr. Lawson said that after
I ment. the company failed, an account was sent to them by which
The jury acquiesced, and the inquiry was further ad- they were made to appear to be debtors to it for 9571.,
journed. and on this account the 4,0001. appeared on both sides of
----- -- --- - it, debtor and creditor, and the 8801. was treated as a loan.
WORKING MEN'S LORD'S DAY ASSOCIATION.—A They objected to this account as being incorrect, and sent it
meeting was held at the National School-room, Lancing- back to Mr. Ball. the
Mr.eccountant. .
In re-examination, Lawson stud that it was a corn-
street, Euston-square, on Tuesday evening, to form a St.
Pancras branch of this association. The Rev. IV. W. mon practice for stock broakersto deposit shares or stock
Champneys occupied the chair. Mr. Le Bert moved, and tall securityht loansfothiamt iiisadbbee
but
been obtained
the timeobtainedtbyeZniirp;nyrm it
Mr. Charles Hill seconded, a resolution approving the „_ _
_n
object of the association, and resolving that a branch be neerepaid, and they bad received back the whole of the
sharesan tocks that they had deposited as security for
then formed. Mr. Salmon moved, and Mr. Stephens,
hairdresser, seconded, "That this meeting desires to express them. The shares relating to these supposed loans of 4,0001.
and s6o!.never returned. When the claim was made
its sympathy with the 500,000 shop-assistants, hair- for harere
of7f the
the ance .
.firm at once repudiated it, and
dressers, railway servants, postmen, cabmen, omnibusmen,
referred the matter to their solicitor, and he said he had
and others who are unnecessarily compelled' to work on
Sundays (or give up their employment), for the oonveni- not heard anything of the matter since.
ence and pleasure of those who are privileged to enjoy the Mr. Capper, the senior partner in the firm, who was
day of rest ; and calls upon Sunday buyers, Sunday examined on the last occasion, was re-called, and be con-
firmed the evidence that had been given by Mr. Lawson as
pleasure-takers, and other employers of Sunday !Omer, to
to the nature of
also
transaction that took place with the
discontinue depriving their fellow men of that weekly rest
which is so essential to their physical and moral defendant, and positively
. denied that there was any
fouwndayatoiofnlosforn.the suggestion that the money was advanced
well-being." Mr. Burr, journeyman upholsterer, b
moved, and Mr. Taylor, journeyman printer, seconded,
by way
witness alsosubjected to a long and searching
"That in the opinion of this meeting, her Majesty's go- -14 ."'" .
____.cross-examination by Mr. Sleigh, but nothing material ap-
vernment, having declared that the parks are designed for
, pm... to be elicitedt *met tended to support the conclusionyn
the peaceful and quiet enjoyment of the people, and having
prohibited the holding of public meetinas and preaching that
I that thtesinapoPnaerey°,4l. tlit'andebdiet°Othsrto
be
ame°
l'e
in the parks, ought, in common fairness, to prohibit the
defendantloan behalf of the witness'sfirm by t
Sunday bends, which are so obnoxious to an overwhelming Ir
14 ..oarelsthen ond
that he hisd"otrenrY•witn
majority of the people, and so injurious to the religion
attendance, but at that late hour (half-past 4) he did • point
which the state upholds, and that to allow the bands to be
supported by the illegal sale of programmes on Sundays, propose to commence their examination. He therefore
asked that the defendant might be again remanded.
when poor persons are taken into custody for selling other
articles in the parks on that day, is most unjust, and a
'defendant wauld.o.f.coune he. allowed. to be out on.bail.
Mr. Sleigh said he did not object to the proposal. The
dangerous example to place before the people." The above
~.r. Poland said he thought it right to inform his learned
resolutions were carried unanimously, and a vote of thanks
friend that he proposed at the next examination, when
to the chairman closed the proceedings.
the evidence relating to the present charge was completed,
IP.ISH ELECTIONS.—With regard to the repre- to bring forward another charge against the defendant.
sentation of Waterford a correspondent of the Cork Mr. Sleigh said he was obliged to his learned friend for
Examiner says :—" It is confidently stated that Mr. Ed- the information he had given him, and be would only
mond De La Poer, of Gurteen, intends offering himself in observe that " sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
the liberal interest for the representation of this county. (A laugh.)
Mr. De La Pcer, with Mr. T. Slattery, solicitor, were In
23rd of November, but he was liberated upon thesa
Dungarvan on Saturday, and bad a very hen hegtn ed inter-The defendant was then remanded until Friday, the
amount of bail as that upon which he bad now surrendered
view with the Very Rev. Dr. Rally, who will give his most
warm support to Mr. De la, Poer, and a majority is looked
upon as certain." The nomination for Wexford takes
----
place to-day, the only. candidateaheing Mr. Kavanaugh
ghand THE NORTH BRITISH RAILwAy.—At the meeting
White'sof this company, held at Edinburgh yesterday, Mr.
Dlr. Hennessy. An intimate friend of the latter gentle
of
approving of the. report of the coma
man has assured the Prronan't Journal that there is no
rai ttee of investigation
onty. Mr. Hodgson was unable to attend the meeting
ground for the statement that Mr. Heal
will not go .
consequence of illness. The new board of direc-
to the poll. On the contrary, he says he is determined towas carried by a large ma.
poll to the lad man, and that his committee has been 1
joined by Mr. Devereux, M.P., Colonel Tottenham, and Fl
Mr. A. Cuffs. Should titers be a contest, which Many ton
Ronald,
Orrconatituted as
Muirfnllows :—Messrs. Beaumont,
set t ont the Investigation committee ; Messrs.
think improbable, the polling will take place on Monday. Harrison, !II
Harv'eyt Harrison
ngilaxhahrtamweshar.ll 'an. anhoddidßobertemYoucgOrr, satClampprbell,ll:eltheectwed
The writ to elect a member of parliament for the borough
of Belfast, in the room of Sir Hugh Cairns, was despatched
ffroromm the
h English
; four to be afterwards selected
to the returning officer by Tuesday evening's port.
Quanwsroww, Nov. 14.—The Inman steamship
Yesterday afternoon a public meeting was held
atpink Li.viterrol.,
relative
tihe:o,r ehozplanahistirroonsposfroodm
railway
ny ledfteordin
Nicaragua between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The City of London, from New York on the 3rd ]net., arrived
meeting was attended by the chief local merchants ante- here at 5.45, n.re., with 281 passengers and 128,000 dole.
rested in the trade of the Central American cad Pacific ie Wane. miter landing 52 Pamengem the proceeded at
I port a. The chair was ossepied by Mr. Graves, M.P. 6.30 p.m. for Liverpool,