The Express.
London, England, 1850-07-20 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 20, 1850.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—Yost, JULY 17.
Baroas Us. hem Wienius.

LIBEL.-THE ALLEGED RAILWAY PRAMS.
RICII•VDVON V UDSON.

In this ease, briefly chided to la yesterda) • Express, but
which pries of matter enfiladed from that del's paper, the
plaintill complained that ha was an amine/ and solicitor,
awl carried ea Cultism is portassildp with Healy Richard-
eon mad N. C. Gold ; and that the dshadaat published •
libel ea him la that capacity.
Mr. Muds, Q C., stated the cam for the plaiatiff. The
affair arose out of the Ualon Bank here, of which plaintiff
sad his pumas were solicitors jointly with Mr. Wood.
limn. George Hudson sad Buses Weft acing directors.
Mr. Wilkinson was the manager, and ia that capacity hag
giving • bond, with three suretlee, for the due performance
of the duties of his °Mee. Two of the nestles of that baud
had died, sad the third wished to be relieved from hie res-
ponsibility, ea which a new bond was given. Mr. Welkin
eon, it is supposed, engaged in railway speculations, and
largely overdrew his amount with the bask, and became a
serious defaulter. But with ale the plaintiff bad 'meth.,
whstever to do, except that his partner drew up ens bond fn
the ordinary business of the dam. Yet this gave rise to the
following libel in the Yorkshiremara of the 91 February
last, • newspaper published in this city of which the defen-
dant is the registered proprietor: The Union Bark:-
Curious exposures.—Then were sundry carious and start-
hag revelations made at the annual meeting of the pro-
pitiate of the Union Bank on Thursday last. It cer-
tainly would appear as if there existed • charter for
miernanegersent, artifice, and defs'astions in every
joint stock company over which Mom. G. Hud-
son and James Richardson have had oostrol. 'everybody
knows that the late manager of the Union Bank left that
establishment, havieg overdrawn to the tun* of some 20,0001
or thereabout• Circumstances reduced this sum to tome.

thing like 16.0001. It unfortunatelihappects,l7Ar7v;,l;
the shareholders, that they must make up their minds to
lose this money. Either by 'realm, or nealigenoe, or fraud,
or some other cause, the original bond given by the late ma.
eager, as security for his integrity, is now eat inoerstas, while
a woad bond, which was intended to be rubstituted for the
first drawn up by Mr. J. Richardson, or his partner, may Im
considered as so much waste paper, if we are to accept as
true all that tratepired at the meeting. Nobody knows
when the ceiginal bond was gone to--everybody, Creston
and solicitors, profess entire ignorant* of its whereabouts.
Most probably A is destroyed, and it is for the shareholders
to say whether, by dismissing the putative author or anthem
of this extraordinary sod mysterious transaction, they may
not fortify themselves easiest farther mischief. Our own
opinion is, that no man should be trusted in a resronsible
situation who was narrowly associated with Mr. Hudson.
That man is not only corrupt himself, but cor-
rupts every ono around him. We point out no
particular culprit—that we leave to the shareholders. A Co..
mitt*, of investigation into the affairs of the bank—prosperous
though it be—might turn out advantageously to the share-
holders." This, he submitted to them, was a libel upon the
plaintiff in his professional capacity, for it was only to that
capacity that he was connected with the bank.
r. Anderton, the attorney for the plaintiff, produced sad
proved the newspaper containing the libel.
Mr. N C. Gold, attorney and partner in the firm el J.
H. Richardson and Gold, rzensieed—They and Mr. Wood
were solicitors of the Union Bank. Witness received in-
stractioas to prepare the bond in Nov. 1846. Mrs, Hesse
was to be surety. Witness prepared the bond. The plaintiff
had personally nothing to no with it. That bond was given
in lieu of one, two of the three sureties of which were dead.
Mrs. Hussy was a better surety than the three in the old
hood.

Circ!' examined by &want Wilkins—Mr. Wilkinson had
been a clerk in the bank. Mrs. Hussy is his mothevin.law.
She is very old.
Mr. Pearson, a clerk in the Union Binh, proved the exe-
cution of the bond given by Mr. Wilkinson end Mrs.
Hersey.
CrJet--xemined—Mr. Hudson was the chairman of the
bank. He ceased to be chairman in 1849; witness aupposed
in consequence cf railway investigations.
Mr. Wilkinson said be became manager of the batik
In May, 1833, and gave sureties toe his good conduct.
Two of them, his father and Mr. Eyre, had died, and his
brother, the third, applied to be relieved, and he told Mr.
Hudson, who said, If your brother is at all afraid, I will
be surety." That was thought not right. and he propcsed
Hessey. At that dram—November, 1846—he conceived
himself worth a good deal. Ih 1848 he had overdrawn hie
account, and when he left he gave up property which had
one him 20,0001., and insurances for 4.0001.
Cross-examined—He had been clerk of the City and
Country Sink, and bad a salary of 2001, and was worth
about 1,5001. when he became manager of the Union Bask.
Hs had, by permission of Mr. Hudson, taken the money out
of the bank to pay fur the 20,0001. worth of property. Mr.
Stowell, the other director, knew nothing about it. He first
dircovered he had overdrawn his account twelve months
before he left, and draw out 16,0001. more en that time. He
traffieked is shares.

Mr. J. Brooke, a rolicitor for SO years in York, had known
pliintiff 30 years is the profession. The libel applied to
him. It was known before the publication of the libel that
Mr. Hudson and Mr. Mbikioem had ceased to have con-
nection with the bank.

That was the plaintiff's case.
Mr. Serjeant Wilkins (Mr. Atherton end Mr. Price with
him) addressed the jury for the defendant, with great form
and at considerable length.
The following witness". were then called :
Mr. Seamen mid be had been a shareholder from the c. m.
nteccement of the bank, and mourning director from 1841,
sad George Hudson was the chairman. Mr. Hudson was •
d rector when Mr. Wilkinson was appointed manager. The
latter left in Megmber, 1848, and withera first saw the new
bond is Jan., 1849. He had never heard of it before. He
(Wilkinson) owed when he left upwards of 20,0001., of which
witness knew nothing till Jan , 1849.
Mr. George Hudson remsrishered the establishment of the
bank, and was a bolder of 100 shares. Mr. Cooper waachair-
sea. Oa his death, in 1841 or 1842, witseas became chair-
man. He was director before. The advances to etstonsen
were made under his direction, jointly with Mr. Seawen,
and sometimes the board. 11e had always made known to
him when he (wimess) had sanctioned any large advances.
He had concurred in Mr. Wiikineon's appointment, at a "L-
-imy*/ 4001., which was advanced to 6001, then to 8001 , then
la 1,0001. He knew he was engaged in speculations in shares
but only to the extent of about 5,0001. Witness had had share;
Wilbierion's name to the extent of 400 or 500 shares. He
never bought or sold in his own name except once, and it sp-
zin an all the newspapers,d fur that roues he bad always
it, and sold in the name of his broker or some other
person. Musses consented to cancel the old bond, and
g.o up Wilkinson's brother as &surety. Wilkinson might
then owe 3.0001 or 4,0001, but he might be a creditor. Wit.
did not recollect. Witness did not know that he was over.
drawing his accounts till his attention was drawn to it in
October, 1848, by dr. Seawen. Witness received notice cf
the meeting in February last, but did not attend. He was
chairman of the York and North Midland, the Newcastle
and Berwick, the Midland, and the Eastern Counties. The
plaintiff was a director of the Newcastle and Barwick. Wit.
new bargained for 20,000 tons of iron nee, at 61. 10s. per
ton, with Mr. Thompson, in October, 184 f, and completed it
is January, 1846. On the 30th of January, 1845, there was
a meeting of the committee of the Berwick railway, and en
advertisement was issued for tenders for 111,000 tons of rails
for the Berwick Company, and Mr. Tnompeon's tender at
121. per ton was accepted, and 7,000 toes of witness's con.
tract was aupplisd, and he benefited by that bargain to the
extent of 38,0001. There was entered In the construction
book as money paid for land, in December, 1845, Lord Tan-
kervillit, 4,0001 ; Duke of Northumberland, 10,0001.; Earl
Carlisle, of 7,0001. ; L•rd Grey, 6,0001.; Sir M. W. Ridley,
3,0001 ; and Lady Stanley, 2,0001. Witness and Mr. Davis
sinned a claque on the Union Bank for 4,0001. in December,
1846. The money was not paid to Lord Tankerville but to
witness. A cheque of the same date, in favour of the Duke
',Northumberland for 10,0001. It was not paid till May,
I WO. A cheque of Fame date, in favour of Lord Grey,
I signed by Lines and plaintiff, for 5,0001. ; it was paid in
January, 1848. A cheque in favour of Lady Mary Stanley,
for 3,0001., same date, paid in May, 1849. A cheque same
dot for 7,0001., in favour of Lord Carlisle, paid in May
1849. Thins eheques were drawn oat of the funds of the
/Own wwimay, at the time they bear date, and placed to
wham% winant. He repaid those sums back in May 1849,
end paid hthweet upon them. On the 31st of December,
1847, there were saw entered In the book of the Berwick
Company to the amount of 40,0001. as paid to contractors of
the Berwick Railway-26,000. was_paid In January, 1801,
and the remainder in May, 1849.—From the entries in the
books any one would have supposed the money bad bees
paid on the day stated. Witness paid the money back, sch
upwards of 1,8021 for interest. Hie private amount with
the bank was never overdrawn. Whether it was overdrawn

between 1844 and 1849 he conM not esp. He did not tsU
any of the landowners or contemners that he had received a
cheque for him. The (Earl of Carlisle wu not aware that
witness had received the 7,0001. ft, him.
Croes-examined —He held still 100,0001. in the Ber-
wick line. When he left he held 40,0001. In the Beaten
Counties be held 12,0001., which had eolt him 26,0001.,
and he sold them the other day for 8,0001. In all the
lines he was a large holder when he ceased to be chair-
man. The plaintiff knew nothing of witneee's transaction
with Wilkinson. At the time of the contract with
Mr. Thompson, the Berwick Company did not exist.
The bargain was entirely on his own unmet, and he was
entitled to the difference beeves* the contrast price sad the
market price. The plaintiff had nothing to do with the
transit:ideal with the landowners. Witness had received
more Utmost from the Berwick Railway than he had paid.
Plaintiff was kis private Wiener.
Reexamined—ln M, 1849. or helm the committee of
inquiry, be had 46,0061. la Nevem* sad Darling/tea;
12,C001, Bantam Counties; 91,0001., Yoh sad Nottli
land, and 18.0001. la the Midland. Is Met, Mt Iwildiveltd
liabilities at that time were between 2110,Med sad
Of the differences with the Barwick Compeew 070.1
40,0001. They cannot stria mare than 10.nekt mom cad
it his setoff be allowed, net mere than 4,0001
Other witnesses were immelwed ea behalf of the de.
fondant, and Mr. Mods havkirragliad.
The jertretired at half-peat eve Abe (the ease haviee
osenpied ell day, and excited inteua Imarad), and were so
till put wan, whoa they retuned, Salikas for the defend.
uco the int question, that it waa w khal • end ea to tim
mond, that the shine were set i•kai
but under eirmusetmeese of peas ; mei *is CA,
wasetudes, 1MUM61181.11.8.4 ha the saaaga-
seat of the railway isegamisi wit whieh the plaistiM and
Hodson had *astral

Armless's? HALL.—Neatee of platinum who
peeped their reanimate le the skeet, sad meth* at soli-
else, sad Teethed wallow to paved*, ea Thema. July
16 : Jena Masai Tailed,
Beg Oilbeeleco, Pantie, WOWHosea,
" Umehibir.l