The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-14 00:00:00

TBB IXTRAORMNARY FORGAWIES AT

MAPoassra&

The Manchester police court was much crowded
yesterday before the prisoner was brought up for examina-
tion and there was • large attendance of gentlemen on the
magistrates' bench. When the prisoner was brought into
the dock, he appeared to be completely overcome by the
wretchedness of his position, covering his face with his
band, turning %way from the court, and sinking into
• seat, where he was allowed to remain, and continued to
met his head on one heed, apparently shrinking as much as
pomible from observation. He did not utter • word, and
both on entering and leaving the dock trembled so violently
as to require assistance in walking. He seems to be be-
tween 40 and 50 years el age, and to have all the external
aPC.F
nos of • gentleman 61 high respectability.
F. Robinson' of the firm of Hisson and Robinson,
soliciton, appeared on the pert of the mosecution ; and
Mr. Bother, barrister, instructed by Mews. Bale, Worth-
Mateo, Shipman, and Seddon, appeared on behalf of the
around.

Robinson, after some introductory remarks upon the
extmordinan and painful nature of the cam, proceeded to
state the facts ea follows :—On the 24th December, 18030,
the primmer wrote and sent a letter to the office in London,
which I will now read, as the foundation of the present
accusation, for I shall confine myself today to one specific
them against him. It is addressed to ILiglutm, Eaq.,
am fob sirs :

" Maaaarmier, Des. 24, 1860.

" Elir,—l repot to inform you that os Saturday , about
midnight, the brigade were ennunooed to attend upon a
fire, the property of Mrs. Moon, aimed bp.policy No.
629,799 ; the mouperme by policy No. 640,806.
Mr. Robinson hen explained that both owner and mai-
Owe were assured is Ws officer. The letter proceeded :
" The premises were loft, supposed to be safe, on Saturday
shames at four o'clock. The only Si, (which' is a common
grate) in the premises is confined to the imunting•liouss.
Near this fine the fire him eartainly commenced. On of
the Ana was the last on the premier. After further lime-
bistros no doubt the cause of the disaster will appear.
The stook on the premises was only taken last
week. It amounts to the value of upward; of 8,0001.
Being not considered inflammable, and only susceptible of
damage, a small insurance was thought sufficient. The
engross were early at the wane, and poured forth sadly too
much water. The damage to the buiMinc,l think, wall not
exceed 501. ' • the stock, Mr. Hodgson thinks, will be about
4001. Men have been set to work to clean and take airs of
the stock. I hope it may ultimately be found that the
damage is sager than at present emisiderod.— I am, sir,
your most obedient servant, EDWARD WiLLimenow."
Perhaps the bench will be astonished to hear that the whole
of this letter, circumstantial m yen have heard it
to be, h from begbisieg to ead a pare piece
of Action, exempting the mere fast that the owns=
and women lamed really have an insurance in
this firiroMea. Bet when a heed of Ai sort is commeoced,
it is nsomeary that the fennel parte al it should carry out
the corrupt intestiee, and se yes will find all the requisite
documents for sorrobeastiag thisfehelmod are carefully me-
seated to the slice is Leadan. Oa the 12th January, 186 L,
the prisoner eddremed a Inter to the office, in which be
nye r—" Informal:km wee conveyed to you on the 22nd ult.
of a fire ou premien Woggle, to Mrs. Moon, assured by
ofNo. 409,7911. The nosh andsscperty of Maseru
and Co. amused * No. 640,806.
Thh leesis owbg to a • flue aosseeted
with the wientiVms
imam
.1.
...14 so geckos the
tire claims-'the to 621. 10s. ;
sad the sleek (with Mr. Hoderate shame) to 5321.95. ed.
I bane the amoral drags' es be manaidale, sad the seer
seal claims correet." Arosespraying this letter is a detailed
account of the setiamied less, and astailly of "the sideep
from fire on the Zed December 1800 of the stock of
Messrs. Moon sad 05.," as valued by Maims W. Halves,
sad then follows a list of and figures, cm :new
with, " 140 boxes Ma LO.LC.W. 14 x 10, 30"..•
2101. ;" and sees, with shavesteatial manatees's. Whet
is most extracedbary, the lees to the mewed is first put
down at 7824 fa ; dna $lll. 14 is deducted as "
mold." leaving a baba." of 4741. Is., and afterweras
several items of "sawed damage" are isserted, which
*lug up the amens{ to the sum wad is the letber—j

2281. 18s. This valuation purports' to be dined by Mr. T.
W. Hodgeoe. At this stage of the csee lam sorry to say
that Mr. Hodgson is very unwell, and cannot now be here,
hot he has an explanation to give of this, sod so far as we
are concerned, there is no charge of fraud, or connivance,
or knowledge on the part of that gentleman. He is really
unable to attend, because this affair has seriously affected
him. We come now to the cue of the lady owning the
building, Mrs. Frances Moon. Here is a letter purporting
to be written by • gentleman named Samuel Delves to Mr.
Williamson :

" Manchester, 27th Dec., 1860.—Royal Exchange Assur-
ers:. Company.—Mr. Williamson,—Air,—To repair the
damage done by the late fire to the house and property of Mrs.
Frances Moon, situate in Lever-street, carpenter's work, for
the timber, glaring, plastering, painting and cleaning, as per
statement sent in, the work to be done to the satisfaction
of the aeaured, will cost 62f. 10s. —I am, sir, your obedient
eetrant, 13.9tuut. Dxyza."

Mr. Delves would prow!, he never wrote that let-
ter. But the office, relying upon the truth of all
theme statemente and documents, the claims were
ordered to be paid. On the 21st January, 1861, the pri.
sonar drew a bill for 5261. 18e., payable three days after
sight, to Messes. F. Moon and Co., or order. The bill was
drawn on Mr. Hoor, the cashier
.of the fire-office. The
prwner
Mesta Moon andog the
f e endorsement
forging t
heir
Iname to a receipt for the sum of 526/. 18s. ; and further
with forging the name of Mrs. Frances Moon to a receipt
for 621. 10c, for damage to her property, purporting to be
paid on the 23rd January, 1861. 1 shall prove moontestably
that this lady died on the sth November, 1859. But on.
happily the fraud does not stop here, for it really seems
as if the prisoner had carried it on under the influence of a
sort of mania. Mr. Riclgs?tescharge for valuation was
2/. 11.. 66., and the figure • 1,,, has been inserted before
the " on the account rendered, making the amount
12/. lls. Od., so as to defraud the office of an additional
10/. in this item. As to the certificate of valuation, Mr.
Robinson explained that he believed the facts to have been
that Mr. Hodpon was too unwell at the time to attend to
business, and save Mr. Williamson his signature to a form
of return in blank, which the prisoner afterward), filled up
minutely as above stated.
Several witnesses were called who substantiated the
above outline of the case.

The iiiiherbeanng—' Of the use was then adjourned to
Thursday next.
In reference to an application from Mr. Holker, as to
bail, which, he said, would no doubt be forthcoming to
any amount, the stipendiary magistrate (Mr. Ellison) inti-
mated that the learned gentleman might make hie applica-
tion when he was actually prepared with sureties, though
the court could not promise to accede to it