The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-12 00:00:00

BOUTHIVARIC.

IMPORTANT TO BREWERS AM) mcesatn vier/ALLEM.
William Edwin Ashley, n beerseller, of 71, Kent-street,
and Richard Hillier, carman, 23 Clarence-street, were
brought before Mr. iurcharn, charged with stealing twelve
cask*, value 12/., the property of Henry Furze and Co.,
brewers, Whitechapel,
Robert Duncan, a clerk in the prosecutor's employ, said
that in January last, they had a customer named Parrott,
keeping a beerhouse in the West India Dock-road, who
was supplied by them with twelve barrels of beer on credit.
He, however, never paid for theta but shut up the house,
and when they gained possession the casks had been re-
moved. Information was given to the police and the
twelve empty barrels were found in the possession of Mr.
Putley, a cooper, at Dockhead. Witness identified them
by the marks, but the name of the firm had partially been
erased.
Mr. Henry Putley, cooper, Dockhead, said that the
twelve casks were brought to the place on Wednesday
morning by Hillier, who said that he was desired to leave
them by Mr. Plant, of the New Kent-road. Witness was
not at home then, but previous to that Plant bad called on
him about the casks, and requested him to call at Hillier's
to see them. He, however, did not go ; so they were
brought to him. He had not purchased them or made any
bargain for them.
A detective officer said that the prisoner Hillier was
taken into custody near Putley's, and on him wan found a
paper produced. "Received of Mr. Putley 31. 121. for
12 barrels." It was ready to be signed when he was ap-
prehended.
John Hill, a broker, of Kent-street, said that Ashley
offered to sell him the barrels last week, but be refused
to buy them.
The first witness was recalled, and in answer to Mr.
Ilureham he said that the beer as well as the casks were
debited to Parrott. If he (lid not return them the value of
them was placed to his account.
Mr. Burcham, observed that If such was the case, there
was an end to the charge. According to the testimony of
the witness, Parrott had a right to dispose of the casks.
It was only a matter of debt. The prisoners must be dis-
charged.
In the course of the day Mr. Furze, one of the firm, at-
tended to contradict the testimony given by their clerk,
who had only recently been in their service, and had made a
mistake. .

He informed his worship that it was not the custom of
their firm to debit casks to town customers. They were
only lent to them with the beer, and sent for by their
men when empty.
Mr. Burch= told him that the clerk said in his evi-
dence that the cask+ were charged to Parrott, who bad not
returned them, and consequently be had no alternative
but to discharge the priponer.
Mr. Furze assured his worship that the casks had not
been charged to Parrott, and he had no right to dispose of
them. Unfortunately the clerk who attended was new to
the business, and did not understand the custom of their
trade in London.

Mr. Burchem after hearing Mr. Furze's explanation
observed that it was questionable whether it was more
than an unlawful disposal of the property, and he thought
it was not a case coming under the Ilaillee Act. It
appeared that Parrott sold his house to another man with
the casks in question, and the letter disposed of them to
some one else,and they came into the prisoners' possession.
The prosecutors, under the circumstances detailed to him
by Mr. Furze, could, however, proceed against the parties
under the criminal law for unlawfully disposing of the
casks.
Mr. Furze thanked his worship for his attention, and
left the court.

Sir John Pakington, First Lord of the Admiralty,
accompanied by Admiral Milne, arrived at the Admiralty-
house, Portsmouth dockyard, from London, yesterday
afternoon, and soon afterwards drove over to the new bar-
racks for the Royal Marine Artillery, at Eastnry, accom-
panied by Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Sabine Pastry, K.C.B.
Sir John and both admirals returned to the Admiralty-
house on the conclusion of their visit to Eastney.

General Peel, the Secretary of State for War, ac-
companied by Sir John F. Burgoyne, C1.C.8., finished his
inspection of the land and sea works of defence around
Portsmouth with • visit yesterday morning to the Ports-
down-hill forts. The gallant general left Portsmouth for
London on his return from Portadown.

Earl Granville, Lord Warden of the Cinque
Ports, will preside at the biennial dinner of the Dover
Sailors' Home, at the Lord Warden Hotel, on Tuesday,
the 30th inst. _ _

We (Ayr Advertiser) understand that our towns-
man, the Rev. John Mlturtrie, minister of St. Bernard's,
Edinburgh, has bad the honour of receiving the command
of the Queen to preach before her Majesty, at Crathie, on
the 21st current.

Dr. Henry Bryant, of Boston, United States,
has purchased and presented to the Society of Natural
History of that city the La Freanaye Collection of Birds,
one of the largest and most valuable in Europe, numb's.-
ing 8,989 specimens, all staffed and molested la Ike best
manner.