The Express.
London, England, 1860-10-03 00:00:00

THE ELOPEMENT AND ROBBERY PROM
LEEDS.

On Monday, at the Leeds Town Hall, Thomas
Bamford, engineer, and Benjamin Bamford, his brother,
were placed in the :lock.
Thomas Bamford, who, it will be remembered, eloped with
a Mn. Barker to Hull, on the 18th ult., was now chva•
with larceny in having in his possession when apprehended
a considerable amount of money, the property of Mr. Bar-
ker ; and Benjamin Bamford was in cuatody on the allega-
tion of receiving moneys, well knowing the same to have been
stolen.

Mr. Granger, of Leeds, who appeared for the pro-
secution, took the case against Benjamin Bamford the
first. He said the younger prisoner was in the Leeds
court house last week, wheuThonme Bamford, the engineer,
was charged with felony, and ha was then allowed to have
certain intercourse with his brother, who was in the dock.
It would appear that the mutt of tide conversation was the
journey of Benjamin Bamford to Hull last Tuesday morn-
ing, in which town he obtained, on the same day, about
O. in notes of the Bank of England from his sister, Mrs.
Ripley, of the Founilene Arms Inn. Benjamin Bamford
appeared subsequently to have gone to a public-
house, where he became intoxicated, and displayed
his money freely to the assembled company. A
policeman was sent for, it being the opinion of some one
in the house that Benjamin had not come by the money
honestly, but as soon as the latter saw the officer he ran
away. He was pursued and overtaken by the policeman
upon which he pulled a bundle of notes out of his breast
pocket, and attempted to swallow them. As be was biting
away, however, at the bank paper the officer seized it,
and then found it to consist altogether of notes of the
Bank of Foglsed to the value of 751., and upon the
person of the prisoner was also found 141. in gold and 21a.
in silver. He (Mr. Granger) should show that these notes
were the property of Mr. Barker, the prosecutor in the
elopement case, for they bad certain initials on them, sod
the prisoner must have known from the circumstances
under which he obtained possession of them, that they
were Barker's property. Evidence in support of the charge
was then riven, and the nusgistrAtes adjourned the case
until Wednesday, in order to allow time for the production
of Mr. Ripley. Bail was refused.

The charge against Thomas Hamford was next called on,
but as Mr. (infuser was lacking a material witness from
Harrogate, his further examination was also postecl to
the same day. When Mrs. Barker, who was elegantly
dressed, entered the court, she was loudly hissed y the
crowded.court, but any repetition this manifestation of
feeling was checked by the magistrates saying that if it
again occurred the Alines were to clear the court.

THE HOP HARVFET.

With reference to the remarkable failure of this
year's British growth of hops and to its coww-
gumless, a circular issued yesterday by Messrs.
Woolloton and Bon has the following :

After five crops, large beyond precedent; an almost entire
failure of the British growth of hope has occurred, arising
from the long clintinned cold, rainy reason, and from severe
blight Laving attacked the plantations at a period later than
usual. The parishes generally producing the best quality
base suffered the most *merely, and of the fine hope grown
this year in Eugland, bf far the greater proportion come
from the Weald of Kent and Sussex. More than once
during the summer there were marked signs of improvement
is several districts, but these hopes were disapponited ;
blight followed up the new shoots, and weather of the most
nogenial character told against every effort of the already
weakened bine. The result is that the duty is estimated at
ouls' 40,0001., and whether or not that amount is exceeded
no material difference can, from that cause, accrue Ito the
value of bops. With malt at a high price, and English
hops so lamentable a failure. the future might be regarded
by brewers with apprehension but for one or two important
considerations. The first we reckon to be the fact,
that at the present moment there must remain
unconsumed and available for all ordinary beers'
• stock of old hops, of ages dating from 1854 to 1851,
equal to not less than about 375,0001. duty, or more than
eighteen months' consumption, rendering the high prices
which existed for a short time in 1854.5 no argument what-
ever for similar rates this season, because 1854 was preceded
by five years with an average growth per annum of only
182,0001., and few good Old haps were left on hand,
whereas the average growth of the last five years has been
295,790/. duty. Another most important alleviation for
brewers is the well-timed reduction of the Customs duty on
foreign imps from 45e. to 210 s. per cwt., to take effect on
let January next, which we trust will be followed at no
very distant period by the abolition of all duties upon
either homes-grown or imported hops. We believe this to
be the course of events, and that it will be not more advan-
tageous to the consumer than to the producer of all good
hops. The crop this season is very limited in Bohemia and
some other parts of Europe, but in several important dis-
tricts the quantity grown is quite equal to their average
produce. In years of great abundance the crop on the
Continent is so much in excess of the demand for home con-
eumption, that in 1847 floe sew Bavarian hops
were selling at 10s. per cwt. Foreign hop markets
are for the moment greatly excited, from the
erroneous notion that brewers here most forthwith
purchase new hops, but we shall, without doubt, receive
considerable consignments of European hope directly. pr
have found a reasonable level. The crop iu lane ica
abundant, and the quality greatly improved since 1854,04
that very large shipments will be made to this country both
of new and yearling hops, for their surplus stock of likats
is greet and of very film quality. From the ungeniul
weather during the summer, the consumption of beer has
been lessened, sod brewers of pals ale and store beers gene-
rally hold larger stocksthanisusual. We believe that brewers
sass; have fair stocks of 1859 hops. If, therefore, they will
avail themselves of the good brewing properties of sound
well kept old hope, now offering in great quantities at
moderate priced, and will not too eagerly purchase either
English or foreign hope of 1800 growth, we feel convinced
that they will out manuhicture their beers undue the great
disadvantages which the fears of some, Yid the interest of
others, would lead them to expect.

READING Hor FAIR. —Yesterday this fair com-
menced in the Corn Exchange, and the building was littad
up with stands, in an exceedingly convenient manner
for the purpose, under the direction of the corpoiatiou, to
whom the niausgenient of the fair had recently been traps-
tarred by its promoters. The attendance of factorsal
growers was pretty good considering the dulness of the'
mown, but many of the stands were unoccupied. About'
100 pockets cone to hand, and a large quantity was repre-
sented by sample. There was very little business doing.
221. per cwt. was asked far this year's oeuutry
and Wt. was refused. The trade to-day will prububly
be inure brik. Among the growers were Mr. Hewett,
Seale, Mr. Merriman, Lanwrish, Mr. Tarsal, Hartley, Ito.
while the factors represented were Mews. Woltou and
Cit. Meats. Baker, White, and Morgan, Banger andCw
and others. A cheese market was ao held ih the general
market in conjunction with the fair, and there was a good
quantity exhibited. Sales proceeded but very slowly.
Cheddar was nut much inquired after, realising about 78s.
per 112 ; Wiltshire sold at 58s. For skim there was
scarcely any trade. The fair and cheese market close this
day (Wedneeday).
EPPS'S kiubtOfOPATHIO COCOA. Its delicious
aroma, psberal saanetaaasa, and larteratkkg power bare re-
crawl its gissieral adoption se • breakfast bewaress
MutlD. Seekers. of M. Perak. triLbebtariwribwi Moira
"Jams ihaawspailiks Landes.`—Ad

CLERKENWELL.
A dissipated looking woman between 40 and SO years of
age, who gave the name of Harp Ann Parker, a married
woman, residing at 2, Leopard's-court, St. Andrew's,
was charged with attempting to commit suicide by taking
poFromison.
the evidence of Police constable WlCay, 234 G, it
appeared that on Saturday night he was called to the
residence of the prisoner, where he found her apparently
suffering from acute pain and foaming at the mouth. He
took hor to the hospital, and after the medical men had
seen her and applied restoratives she wa, still so bad that
she had to be detained there until she was brought to this
court.
. .

The prisoner, in answer to the charge, said that she was
sorry for what she had done, but she had been driven to do
it through drink and money matters.
The husband of the prisoner said his wife wee unfortu-
nately in the habit of a Saturday night of getting the worse
for liquor. He spoke to her ou :iiaturday, when she rushed
out, returned with a bottle, drank the contents, and then
told him it was poison. If the magistrate would discharge
her, he (the husband) would again take her home and
look after her. lie was certain that she repented of her
rash act. . . . .

The magistrate, who said it was very wicked to attempt
to take away life, discharged the prisoner. This was
another of the fearful results of intemperance and he did
hope that this would be a lesson to the defendant foe the
future. . . .

•--- .
The prisoner, who had been weeping bitterly, then left the
court.