The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-08-19 00:00:00

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town's dues, are marked, and which the witness
.paid to Simpson on the 1.5111 of October last.
Crusi-e.ramitied... 1 do not recollect any thing
further than what niy book states of the money br-
ims paid; I swear, to the best of toy hAier, that the
money was paid."
By the JUDOII.--" i never enter any thing in my
hook as paid, but what I really paid, and have no
doubt at all but the money was duly paid."
Re examimed —" Look at that slip."—is It i,,
the cleurance-ticket of the Robert ; it was given me
by Simpsou, at the time that the auto stated in my
book was paid to the Prisoner."
Fenitick Pearson, agent to the Wallsend Coal-
Wier, deposed, that hr reineurbers making a pay-
ment of town's dues on the 25th of October Insts
for the ship Telesuaehios--witness paid those dues
to John Simpson, which amounted to 51. los. 4d.
and Rai eertain that he paid that sum to Sampson
him-elf.
John Liddell, first clerk to the Collector of the
Customs, deposed as follows :—" I was appointed,
in November, toil, to the situation of second clerk
to Mr. Ogle ; I know the three prisoners pertictly
well ; 1 succeeded Gibson in the office of second
clerk, when he was appointed tirst clerk to Mr.
04le; us anon as I obtained that situation, Gibson
stated to inc that it had been a nitiforiu practice to
deduct certain sums limn the towns dues, by him
and the two other del les, and, as a remtioeration
fur my acquiescence iii the setae system, 1 should
receive ma-third of the shuns so deducted; Simp-
son nod Brankstem WWI lf to have the other two-
thirds of such deductious betwixt them ; I peremp-
torily rejected the offer, sod would nut permit may
such deductioue to be made ; the same offer was
afterwards again made to me by Gibson, in couse-
quenee of receiving a note handed to ma by hint,
with the initials of Brenkston and Simpstni. This
was the paper I received :--
(Note pradased in C'oa't, wed read.)
" Ma. Gtasorr,
" stn—Have you hail any conversation with Mr. Liddell,
since ue were iu company, and what answer be snack you
Is it juin opinion we can place confidence iu him to speak
OW SellfiltlelltS without being injured by so dumb—N.B.
Your sooner will oblige " G B. aged. S."
Mr. Piukury called—" I believe that note to be
the lome-writing of Brailkston."
Mr. Liddell then continued his evidence--." The
note was received about three weeks after the first
proposal, and I in cousequeuce isa:itosantly said I
should have nothing to do with it. Hoenig been
tall by Simpson, that it was the practice when any
clerk got a slew situation to treat the others with a
glass, I stated that they might appoint Tiny place
they thought proper, and I should meet their' and
give them a bottle of wine. 1 accordingly did meet
them, when Simpson, addressing hiiii•elf to me,
sitid, be supposed Gibson had mentioned 'lie sub-
ject of deducting the sums from the town's dues.
Brankstim and Gibson were both present on this
occasion. Simpson stated that it had been formerly
practised by my predecessors. and he hoped I
would do the same—he stated also, that they never
considered it s fraud upon the corporation, but a
perquisite they were entitled to—that if 1 would
agree to the seine practice, they had no objections
to increase my proportion of the reward. I said, if
they considered it as a just perquisite, they could
have no objection to me applying to Alderman
Cluytou or Mr. Ogle for lbw approbation—his
proposal was rejected. but they st:9 uersisted in
saying it was their due. I soon after this ccmser-
sation left them, and aid I should inform Mr. Ogle
of the whole transaction. In consith ration of their
families, and of a promise from them to discontinue
the liratilire,, I did not iufurin Mr. Ogle, as• I had
then the power of preventing the fraud. In the
latter end of January, (SOS, Gibson returned to
the situation of second clerk, in consequence of his
incompetency to the duty of first clerk, when I
enjoined him to discontisme his former practice of
defrauding the corporation, which he said he cer-
trinity would attend to.—Conceiving it to be my
duty to ascertain if the practice was ihnewittioueds
about two months after I examined Gileon's books
unknown to him, and found them perfectly correct.
Jim the letter end of November I a,,,nein examined
them. and found they had renewed the practice.
The folloling tom • g after this discovery, I called
Situpson to liibion'sde,k, pointed out to them the
frauds they bad committed, and told them I should
immediately acquaint the collector—to whom I
made the communication the same eveniug. Simp-
son exprewni his regret that I had made such a
eotrimunicattons as be said it was their intention to
have aliscontmucil the practice entirely. I obsened
to him that as they bed formerly broken their pro-
inLe to me, I had no security but that they woult:
break it again."
By the Courer—" Look at dist paper."—" It ia
Gibson's haiiil-writing. and was 1.001111 in his desk."
The paper wits then read —'• 1 would recommend
you not to make lops to your s's, in order to pre-
vent evasurr, as the least appearance of that kind
would cause suspicion."
Nath.suiel Clayton, Es .deposed, that he was pre-
sent at the exa 000000 ation of Brankstuts iu the Nlayor's
chausher, and that he wrote the w:mle of the ea-
ausissation frimorlf. The esomination. which was a
coufeitaion or Braiikstoo, stated the following cir-
Cumot.tive• :—That Mr. Forrest, who was second
clerk to the collector, hail experieueed some de-
fieiency ies li s l ash account., Anil hid inquired of
Siimisoil to as-i-t boo tit enaking. the eirlicieitcy up.
Simpson agreed to do so, aa.l in order to accom.
plush at, Simpaiiii anal himself (Brmik atm) deducted
certain SUMS frees the Corpuratiim flue,..—This
practice cositiuliedi clueing Forrest'. tuna'. Whim
White suet-ceded Forrest, Simpson proposeil to I •
to adopt the some system, which White. after
sane hesitation, agreed to. Giberui succeeded
White, and entered into the same practice, which
was continued till Lithleil mieepedea Gitnion
%hen Liddell rejected the proposal, tied the prac-
tice was put * stop to,
rvlr. Sc aitt.err addressed his Loubhip iu favour
of the Pi lowers, igloo a point of law. lie argued
that so pert of the statute could imply to the breech
of dilly of whir+ the Prismier Gilmou was charged.
That clause of the act which relatis to embezzle-
ment from Their ernido).•ia, stairs, .. That if any
serval.? or dark. or any person employed fur the
parte:we, in the rapacity of a servant. or clerk, to
any person or persons whomeneter, or to any body
corporate of politic, shall, by virtue of .u. ii CM.
ployment, receive or take mitt his porieession a iy
• snone7. goods, lo.nd, tf't. %tee, liankeie draft, or