The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-22 00:00:00

POLICE.

GUILDHALL.
The examination of Thomas Gray, who stood charged with oil,
taining goods of the value of upwards of 2001. by fraudulent pre, tences, was yesterday resumed, and the inquiry WAS limited to
rte
question whether the bill was not altogether a forgery, by bear;
drawn upon a fictitious firm.
JAMAS Martin, clerk to Mr. Amstead, of Clements-lane. silk. noted the bill, now appeared, and stated that about seven o'cl
in the evening of the day the bill became due he went to Me:n Bond's office in Leatienhall-street, but found the door fist. and en.
inni
gq uh
ti i
adt h ekport porter,
rdheerswaabsotuotldptahyemcelneet
.k s
kiwere
irate far fire
in Fenchurch-street at all.
On the part of the prisoner, Frederick William Rutledge, bin.
broker and general agent, of 115, Lucas.street, Commercial
was called. Ile stated that he let William Bond, the isec epee, en
this bill for 100/. the offices in the East India Chambers, Lewdeb„
hall-street. Bond was then lodging somewhere at Camberwell, bin
he was never at his lodging; had seen him write a dozen times,
and believed the acceptance on the bill produced to be in his own
hand-writing. Bond was alive in August last, and in the habit
coining to the chambers at tine date of the bill. When he fowl
Bond letting the chambers to other parties he thought the ei
stance suspicious, and broke off all connexion with him.
Mr. MILLER, the solicitor for the prosecution then called
William Bond into the witness box, who described himself to be
living at Newington-causeway, and a foreman to a builder. He
stated that he knew the last witness well, having accepted bills for
him, while he (Bond) kept the Half 3loon in Broad-street, Wan.
ping. That in the course of the year 1823 he (Bond) was aree,44
and thrown into Itillitecross-street Prison, where he remained me.
fined until April, 1825. While in the prison Rutledge waited upon him, and proposed to give him a sum of money if he would amp
bills, and allow him the use of his name at some chambers, but he
declined having any thing to do with the businvos. The last bill
transaction lie had with -Rutledge was about November. 1822.
Being shown the acceptance on the bill, " Wm. Bond and Co." he
declared he knew nothing of that signatute. His reel name yea
William Thomas Bond, but he never used the "Thos." He
never had chambers so Leadenhall-street or Fenchureii-sireet.
Rutledge was re-examined by Mr. Butler, Mr. Harmer's clerk,
who attended for the prisoner. The NVillians Bond now in Coen,
he said, was not the William Bond of whom he had before spoken.
The William Bond who accepted the bill in question was a general
agent, and not a bricklayer.
Mr. :HILLER now gave up the charge of forgery, but thought there
was such an evident intention to defraud apparent all through the
transaction, that tl.e Alderman would feel no difficulty in commit-
ting the prisoner for obtaining goods under false pretences.
If. BUTLER insisted that there had been as complete a enetract
and sale of the goods as there could be, and that the complainer:
mild not be relieved from the consequences of his want of Cantina
by a criminal proceeding.
Mr. Alderman J. J. Surest said, if the charge of forgery was st
an end he must discharge the prisoner; for although there could be
no doubt that the prosecutor hod been cheated out of the value for
his goods, yet the law would not protect a party showing such great
want of caution, such inattention to his own interests as B;.
Westrup had done.
The prisoner was accordingly discharged.
31A RLBOROUGH-STREET.
PoLYGAIIT.--resterdey Joseph Aferchuo, alias Mitchel wee
brought up for re-examination, on the charge of having roared a
third wife during the lives of the two previous ones. The meaner
appeared much dejected, but upon seeing none of the females whom
be had injured, a ray of hope returned to his countenance.
Smith, the officer, who took the prisoner into custody, In addi-
tion to the statement which we have already given, stated that Le
had, since the last examination, called on Illerms. Briggs and
Mende, solicitors, in Lincoln's Inn-fields, at whose house he had
apprehended the prisoner. They stated that he had come, io the
name of Emberton, to draw 2001. belonging to the young WY
whom he had married : but her maiden name was not made knoet.,
and all he could learn upon the subject was, that she had an uncle,
who was of high dignity in the church, residing Hear Eton. Mr.
Briggs was not present, because he had to attend at Mews.
Williams, Burgess, and Co.'s, the bankers in Birchio.lane, but
if the prisoner was remanded, witness had no doubt but that he
could procure some evidence in the course of a few days.
Mr. Corraw T—That I cannot do, as there is no evidence before
me that lie Is married to snore than one female. Although a certi-
ficate, stating him to have been married to another young woman,
has been given me, yet there is no person present who can identify
him. Under those circumstances I ant afraid that I must dis.
charge him.
Mr.Giet, the eub.overseer. of St. George's parish, said that as
the charge of felony could not be substantiated, lie should proceed
against the prisoner for refusing to support his wife. Mr. Gist
was then sworn, and stated the necessary facts.
Mr. Co:weir—What do you say to this charge?—Prisoner, I
have had nothing to do since last July ; it was necessity which
compelled me to do it.
Mr. CONANT—It was a most shameful thing for you to leave
your wife and child starving, and deceive an innocent femalemerely
for her money ; pray have you now any objections to inform me
whe she is ?—The prisoner refused to give any answer.
Mr. CONANT—As you do not seem inclinable to say anythinst
upon the subject, there will be plenty of time for inquiry, is I
shall, upon this charge, commit you to the House of Correction Pc
three mouths to hard labour.—Prisoner, three months, Sir. I
suppose that I can have bail ?
Bad, replied the worthy Magistrate, when you are going to lit
tread-wheel !
On hearing this last piece of information the prisoner Demme
quite chap.fallen, and was removed without saying another word.
J. Combrs, the young man whose case we gave fully in the
British Press of Saturday and Monday last, was brought up tot
final examination.

111 r. Brookes and the different witnesses re-stated their farmer
evidence, and the prisoner was fully committed to take his trial lot
the misdemeanour at the Westminster Sessions.

LAMBETH-STREET.
Yesterday Samuel Parr, a carter, late in the employment of a
Mr. Griffiths, of Tabernacle-place, City-road, was brought up fer
final examination, charged with having stolen a large and valuable,
quantity of plate-glue, rosewood and mahogany veneers, and look.
ing-glasses, framed and unframed, from the premises of 3lr.
ward T. Loather, an upholsterer and looking-glass manufacturer
in Tabernacle-place.
The prosecutor was burned out of his premises on the 12th of
September. During the fire the prisoner had carried away dr pro•
petty in question. He was taken into custody on Friday sight,
with a bag of plate-glue in his possession, for which he could a•:
satisfactorily account. His lodgings were searched, and the gala
goods found there concealed. Ile was fully committed fot trial.

YORKSHIRE ELECTION.—The friends of the Anti•
Catholic cause have been occupied, in tIIIS city and is
neighbourhood, in engaging inns, horses, carriages, &C. fe;
the use of the electors favourable to their interest in thi=
county, against the ensuing election.—York Cou►ant.
The mamilacturers 01 sovereigns have not been irutten•,
tive to the prevailing rage for these articles. At one chop'
of extensive business in this city, five counterfeit sotereirs
were offered on Tuesday Int.—Bristol Mercury.

BIRTHS.
At Paekington, Coventry. the Countess of Aylesfora, of s sm•
On the 19th instant, at Denmark Hill, Mrs. Henry Blacker,
a ton.