The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-29 00:00:00

THE BRITISh

INSOLVENT DEBTORS COURT, sarT.. ts.
Walter M•Gregor Logan, a music arranger, was opposed by
Mr. HEATH', on behalf of Messrs. 'Welsh and Hawes, music
'Wets, of the Argyll Rooms.
The insolvent, in his examination, stated, that although he was
a music arranger, he neither taught nor played, nor did he com-
pose music. • Two years and athalf ago he lured a pianoforte from
the opposing creditors, Messrs. Welsh ■nd Hawes. Ile disposed
of the instrument, but did, not know who purchased it. It was
sold at an auction room in Vere-street. lie never pledged it no?
pnwned it, but he once lent it for two or three days to s person of
the name of Iloadby, who resided in Poland-street. This person
taught music. He let him hare it fora loan of money; the sum
he received was ISI. lie left it as a sort of pledge.
Mr. II Tat-11 call that pawning. Pray, Sir, don't you?
Insolvent—Allowed.

Adtation, Sir, If you please, Anuses me—
" Yea" or " No." • .

•
. Insolvent—l did not know that you were not aware of the mean.
ing of the word `• allowed."
Mr. Commissioner flaunts admonished the insolvent to be more
careful in his language.
Tbc insolvent continued. About six weeks after the hire of the
piano Mr. Hawes told him that he might keep it, and set off the
price of it against what was owing to him fur arranging music.
31r. Ilawes did not fix a price, but he was then in the insolvent's
debt for arranging the music in Der Freirchar.
Mr. Goadby, at this period, entered the Court ; and the Meal-
vent was asked whether it was to Oast gentleman ha lent the piano
for a sum of money.
The insolvent replied that that was not the Mr. Onadby. The
person to whom he alluded he met at the Hula-in-the-Wall tavern,
and had not seen him since. lie should be able to point oat his
house ill Poland.street, but did not know the number.
Mr. Ooadby was then examined, and stated that he was ac-
quainted with the insolvent about two years ago. He (Mr. Goad-
by) then lived is Poland-street. Ile had a conversation with him
in the month of March, 11124 ; and the insolvent then said he had
pawned the pianoforte, and showed him a duplicate for 131. It was
a regular pawnbroker's ticket, and not a private one.
John Wright stated that be was manager of the firm of Messrs.
NWelsh and Ilawes, of the Argyll Rooms. The pianoforte in
question was hired by the insolvent in September, 1923, and was
not purchased; if it had peen ever purchased he should have been
aware of the circumstance, as all purchases were made exclusively
through him. In the month of April last the insolvent came to
hint, and asked for his bill for the hire of the piano, which he then
promised to return. but never said he purchased it, or that any ar-
' rangement with reference to its purchase had been made between
him acd Mr. Ilawes. Ile said, however, that he meant to set off
his account for arranging music against the bill for the hire. Mr.
Hawn was now on a visit to the Duke of Argyle, or he would have
been in Court. Every arrangement relative to the business at the
Argyll Rooms was made through him.
The insolvent said that Mt. Wright had nothing to do with the
settlement fur arranging Der Frelschutx
Mr. Wright replied that he had written out a check for the
amount.

The insolvent asserted that the check was written by Mr. Hawes
himself, in his presence. The only conversation that had occurred
between him and Mr. Wright, in April last, was a request that a
bill of what he owed might be made out, anti sent to his lawyer.
He would swear to this. He continued on good terms with Mr.
Hawes, until Der Freisrhutx was performed at the English Opera-
house. Mr. Ilawes offered to make up matters with him, when in
prison, and employed for the purpose that person (pointing to one
of the attorneys of the Court.)
The Attorney denied that he knew any thing of such a trans-
action.

The Insolvent.—Oh ! that Is not the person.
11Ir. Commissioner HARRIS—We are trying a collateral issue.
The only question for the Court was, whether the pianoforte was
purehavd or not.
lITATtr, on the part of the opposing creditors, contended
that a Jury would not believe the statement of tho insolvent, con-
tradicted as it was by two respectable witnesses—one of whom had
distinctly sworn that he had seen the pawnbroker's ticket for the
piano; and the other, that no sale of the piano had ever taken
place. . . . .

Mr. Pora.ocr, who supported the insolvent, argued, that, not-
withstanding what the witnesses had sworn, it was by no means
Impossible that some arrangement relative to the purchase of the
piano had been made between Mr. Hawes and the insolvent. The
Court could scarcely believe that Mr. Hawes never transacted any
of his business without the knowledge of 31r. Wright.
Mr. Commissioner HARRts said, it was impossible that the Court
could reniandAis insolvent. A debt it appeared had been claimed
by hint for arranging music, and from him for the hire of a piano-
forte ; and where such (Imputes occurred, the Court would be doing
too much in remanding a debtor for having committed a fraud—
in the absence of satisfactory evidence. If Mr. Haswell* been
present, the ease might have been different; but as it now stood,
tt was wholly out of the power of the Court to remand the insol-
vent.

The insolvent was therefore discharged.
Mr. HEATH observed. that if Mr. Hawes pleased, he might
make an affidavit contradicting the statement of the insolvent, and
the order for his discharge would be revoked.
Mr. Wright replied that Mr. Hawes would certainly do so.

POLICE:
GUILDHALL.

Another instance of the continually recurring offence—robbery
by servants—came under the cognizance of Mr. Alderman Heygate
yesterday.
The prisoner in the present ease was an interesting young girl
scarcely 20, named IVinifrei Curartagh, nursery maid in the fa-
mily of Mr. Woollen. upholsterer, of Aldersgate-street. Some
short time since Mr. Woollen missed a couple of sovereigns, and
after making every possible search for them without success,
the prisoner was charged directly with the theft, which, after some
hesitation, she confessed, and with many protestations of contrition
gave up the money. Mr. Woollen was willing to hope that this
was her first offence, and, that the alarm she had been in on being
detected might operate to deter her from a repetition of such prac-
tices. he forgave her; but unwilling to have a servant in his
family whose honesty was doubtful, he determined to part with
her; at the same time, lest the turning her away immediately
on the transaction should tend to injure her character, and pre.
vent her getting another place. he thought it prudent to let her
remain for a few days, and Friday evening last was fixed for
the period of her leaving. Though no other property had been
missed, it was thought right to search her boxes before she
left, and on Mrs, Woollen intimating to her her intention so
to do, she showed strong symptoms of alarm, and ran hastily out
of the room up stairs to the kitchen. Her mistress followed her,
and heard her call to the other servant in the kitchen, " put out
the light—put out' he light," and by the time Mrs. Woollen got to
the kitchen. the light was extinguished, nor could she learn from
either of them this sudden reason why it had been put out. The
girl's buy: wan ultimately searched, without finding any thing in it
hut her own property, and she quitted the house, leave being given
her fur her box to remain till site should come for it..
. .

The other servant, Fanny Harrington, was strictly questioned
whether anything, and what had been done, by Winifred, that had
caused her eagerness to have the light putout. She, however, pro-
fessed to know of nothing. A new servant. named Elizabeth Col_
lies, arrived to supply the place of Winifred, and nothing further
was thought of the matter till slier Mr. and 11tu Woollen had
gone to bed, when Fanny, conscience-struck, came up into the
room, to confess all she knew of the matter. NVinifred, she said,
told her, that while the light was out she had thrown a bundle on
to the counting-heuse leads, under the kitchen window, and begged
her to find an opportunity of getting it away—to stand her friend,
and conceal it ; for if her mistress knew of it, it would cost her her
life. Not haring any opportunity of getting it without being
observed by the new servant, she told her what passed. They
then reached the parcel up with the tongs, and finding it to contain
a lace veil and a lace shawl of Mrs. ‘Voolletes, worth between M.
and 4!., she could not rest till she had brought it up to her, and let
her know all that had happened, and the prisoner calling yesterday
morning for her box, she was given in custody, and brought to this
office.

Befbre the Alderman the facts stated were given in evidence, the
new servant Collins corroborating the account given by Harrington
as to the finding of the I;4;mile on the leads.
The prisoner evinced up 91:optima of contrition for her miseon.
thiet, but oft the contrary, -nettled 10 the most. positive manner the
whole of the story told by Harriegtbn, declaring that she made no
such confession, and knees nothing of the bundle in question.
Her denial, of course, 'tinder such circumstances, was discredited
by the Magistrate, and she would have been committed for trial,
hut Mrs. Woollett rot being present to identify the property, the
prisoner was necessarily remanded.