The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-16 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 16, 1867.

was enacted at the Old Bailey. A physical struggle,
the fictitious representation of which the fre-
quenters of the lowest theatre would not tolerate
on the stage, thrust the doomed man out of this
world. Screaming out protestations of his inno-
cence with his last breath, fighting with the
warders, and clinging with his tied hands to the
rope, the Limehouse murderer was at the last
simply the English animal at bay. The spectators,
at first paralysed by the scene, soon took their
side, and amid groans and hisses from some, and
cries of " Shame "—" Innocent "—" Murdered,"
from others, the drop fell.
Can any reasoning being believe that either of
these scenes, or any scene like them, is fraught
with good to bystanders and eye-witnesses ? A
vicious theatrical emotion in the one case, and
the tumult of excited animal sympathy in the
other, are the feelings which such displays most
naturally rouse. The spectacles which are in-
tended to vindicate the law are an outrage upon
decency and morals. The justice and expediency
of capital punishment rest upon grounds of their
own. We are not now discussing them. The
propriety of public executions is a question quite
distinct. They are doomed so soon as reason,
observation, and natural feeling gain their slow
victory over prejudice and habit.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAY.)

The Federal Council then adopted the budget
as voted by the parliament, the Postage Bill, and
the bill proposing a loan of 10,000,000 for the
Federal marine and the coast defences.

A communication from the president of the par-
liament, and a bill relating to the rate of interest
on monies lent were referred to a committee,
together with a proposal of Count Bismarck re-
specting a reform in the mortgage laws.
Herr Dellbruck proposed that the Federal pre-
sident should be authorised to conclude a treaty of
friendship, commerce, and navigation with the
republic of Liberia.

BADEN.
CARLSRUHE, Orr. 15.

At the sitting of the Baden Chambers yesterday,
Baron von Freydorf, the Minister for Foreign
Affairs, replied to a question respecting Prinoe
Hohenlohe's statement in the Bavarian Diet.

His excellency said that the negotiations for
union with the North German Confederation had
only reached the preliminary stage. The Grand
Duke of Baden had not hitherto expressed himself
as to his relation with Austria. Prince Hohenlohe's
views as to more intimate union with the North
were based upon an interpretation of the Treaty of
Prague, contrary to that of Baden. The govern-
ment believed that the time was approaching when
the Southern States might join the new Germany
in process of creation with equal rights. It would
endeavour to place the country in a position to
demand national union, and would be glad if it
could be effected in concert with the adjacent
States. The government would be quite willing to
agree with the other Southern States upon all pre-
paratory steps.

LAW INTELLIGENCE. •
(TEM DAY.)

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Winslow.)

nr itE HOCHES.—APPLICATION To axuovc PROcEEDINGS.
This was an application of a somewhat novel character.
The bankrupt, James Hughes. plumber, of Lbinfairfechan,
near Bangor, in Wales, made himself bankrupt in February
last, in the Bangor county court, where the proceedings
have since been carried on. When his schedule came to
be tiled it was discovered that his debts were considerably
over 300/., being in fact 8871.
Mr. Mums, on behalf of three creditors, now applied
for an order, under the 88th section, for the teenier of the
proceedings from Bangor county court to the Liverpool
district court. principally on the ground that the debts
were over 300!.

Mr. Lawrence opposed the application. All the credi-
tors resided near Bangor ; the bankrupt's property was
situate there. The case had been proceeding nine months,
and no benefit would be obtained by now removing it.
Mr. Munns called attention to the words in the section':
" With or without reference to the district in which the
bankrupt has resided or carried on business."
His Honour said it was a matter for the discretion of
the county court judge, and application might be made to
him to dismiss the petition on the ground of the debts
being above 3001.
Mr. Munna was understood to say that this had been
dote.

His Honour doubted whether he had power under the
88th section to transfer a petition from a county court to
a district court. Power was expressly given
to transfer from a district to a county court,
or from one district court to another ; but
the section was silent as to transferring from
a county court to a district court. But, assuming that
he had jurisdiction, he was of opinion that the application
came too late. The petition was in February last ; the
proceedings had since gone on in the county court; on the
face of the proceedings it was peculiarly a case to be
worked in the neighbourhood ; all the creditors resided
there, and the bankrupt's mortgaged property was situate
there. The application must therefore be dismissed.

IN RE Dmitri PAPPA.
The bankrupt was recently the manager of the Oriental
Commercial Bank (Limited), Threadneedle-street, one of
the numerous financial concerns now in course of liquida-
tion. This was the sitting for examination and discharge.
The accounts disclose some very heavy liabilities chiefly
arising from the bankrupt's connexion with joint stock
companies. He owes to unsecured creditors, 13,7a3/. ;
to creditors holding security, 7,326/. ;
174,499/. ; total, 195,579/. ; property given up, 1,1031. ;
good debtors, 1,0221. • property held by creditors as secu-
rity, 176,130/. This fast item represents shares in various
companies, the following being the principal :—Financial
Corporation (Limited), 50,7601. ; the Lisbon Oil Mills,
Company, 9,1701. ; Oriental Commercial Bank (Limited),
94,408/. ; and the Tyre Iron Company, 8,025/. In these
case, the shares in each company appeared to have been
deposited with the respective companies.
Mr. Bagley, for the assignees, said that the case was one
requiring considerable investigation, the liabilities being
upwards 'of 190,0001., and the assets very small indeed.
The bankrupt had left the Oriental Bank in May,
1866, when it suspended, and he had then
entered into most extensive speculations. He had re-
turned the shares held by the various companies
at their full value, though several of the companies were
in course of liquidation. This statement was wholly falla-
cious. Though the bankrupt professed to have given up
property of 1,1004, the assignee had received nothing. He
described himself as in receipt of a salary from the Eastern
Commercial Company, not more than sufficient foible main-
tenance; but he had omitted to state the amount. He bad
anticipated the requirements of the assignees by filing •
cash account, but it was very imperfect. It would have
to be amended, and the bankrupt would also have to ren-
der an aocount of his share transactions from the time of
the suspension of the bank with which he had been con-
nected.

Mr. Reed, for the bankrupt, entered into a lengthened
detail of the bankrupt's connexion with the Oriental Com-
mercial Bank, and claimed for him the credit of having
originated it, and being a man of high standing in the
financial world. Since the suspension differences bad
arisen between Mr. Cooper, the official liquidator, and the
bankrupt ; Chancery proceedings had been instituted, and
the opposition was now transferred to this court.
His Honour asked how the bankrupt arrived at the
values which he put upon the securities—for instance the
shares in the Financial Corporation (Limited), which was
winding up, were returned as of the value of 54',,400/.,
being li,ooo/. more than the cost of the shares.
Mr. Reed said he presumed that the values put down
represented the amounts that had been paid.
His Honour said it was perfectly absurd to return those
amounts as the present value of the shares. This must be
corrected ; the cash accounts must be amended, and addi-
tional accounts furnished.
The case was then adjourned.