The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-08 00:00:00

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And :XI 3-tinor Capitals.
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GUILDHALL.
Foaci caw—Andrew Thompson was brought before Mr. Alder-
man Wool) yesterday, charged with tinging a bill of exchange for
21/. 145., purporting to be drawn by Thos. Oakley, dated Nor. 11,
1824, at two months, upon and accepted by M. Bakewell and Co.,
and payable at W. H. Rawlins', I3,St. Dunstan's-bill, with intent
to defraud .Ir. Richard Bury, of Cdtrentry.
The prisoner was brought before Sir Claudius Stephen Hunter
on Monday, Feb. 28, and committestfor re-examination yesterday.
It appeared from the evidence produced at the former examina-
tion, that Mr. Bury, the prosecutor, Is a tuanufacturer of silk shags
at Coventry ; that lie also has a warehouse nt 311, King-street,
Cheapalde; and that 3lr. William Haynes is his agent. In the
month of August last prisoner introduced himself to Haynes, and
bought goods of him, which he paid for by a bill upon a person
named Oakley, and which bill was paid. They have since had
further dealings to the amount of nearly 2001. which have bean paid
for in bills, and amongst them the bill in question. since the first
examination, Mr. Haynes has made, and caused very particular
inquiry to be made, and it appeared that a counting house had been
taken near Londen-wall by a person representing himself as of the
firm of Wilson and Co., and that prisoner had told the owner of
the premises that the name of the person calling himself %Filson
was nut Wilson, but Oakley.
The additional evidence producedonsterday was that of—
Mr. John Denban—Deponent livid at Brentford, had kept the
Post-office there for nineteen years and a-half ; 'be knew of no per-
son named Oakley at Brentford. Some time back there was a Mr.
Thomas Oakley living at Ealing ; Baling was not within his dis-
trict. %Fitness bad made every possible inquiry, both himself and
by two assistants that he had under him. The bags always came
sealed to him, and he opened them, and sorted the letters. A letter
had come to the Postmffice, directed to Mr. Thomas Oakley,
which letter be had returned. The letter produced was the same
letter. If there was any person otthe name of Oakley, a lodger,
he must have found him.

Mr. Haynes stated. that the letter he hail produced was written
by him, and he had sent it by the Post, directed to Mr. Thomas
Oakley, and that it had been returned by the tame conveyance
to him.

Brand, the litarshalman, deposed, that after the last exa-
mination he was ordered to go to the connting-house, near London.
wall, occupied by Wilson and Co. ; he learned that Wilson and
Thompson were partners ; he found a quantity of papers, consist-
ing of bills of exchange, invoices, and orders for payment of
money ; one of them was a bill of exchange in the name of Oakley.
The invoices were all fictitious; and he believed the orders on Wil-
son and Co. fur payment of money also to be so.
Mr. Alderman Woo° called upon the prisoner for his defence,
if he had any ; remarking that his solicitor had intimated that he
wished to have another hearing, to give him an opportunity of
producing Oakley ; that Oakley must come forward to clear him
of ijie offence charged, was quite certain ; if he (prisoner) had any
thing to say, he would hear him.
The prisoner—As it appears that nothing but the production of
Oakley would do, he certainly wished to have time so to du ; he
could clearly prove that there was an Oakley—that there was a
Wilson—that Wilson wax at Brantford even yesterday—that Oak.
ley and Wilson were only out of the way, from fear of being
&nested.

Mr. Alderman Woo D.—l feel bnnnd to commit you for trial ;
you have had a week to bring forward any peesons that you could
to Cleft', you of the charge, and you will have the benefit of what
you have now stated on your trial, if you can produce the indi-
viduals. You stand committed for trial.

.......
(It is well koown to the public, that the metropolis is infested
with a gang of swindlers, who tale counting.houses, assume the
names of respectable firms near to the spot, mid impose on the un-
wary--nay, even the cautious. An instance is now before us of
another branch ; we are only waiting the opportunity to expose
them, and for which the maaufacturess of Hardware will be
mush indebted, prosperous as their trade now is.)

On Saturday morning, at ten o'clock, the inhabitants of
earshalton were thrown into a state of confusion by the alarm of
tire, on the oil mills of Mr. Non, used for the preparatcon of
leather, which are situate on tie estate of Mr. Sibley, near that
place. Front the extreme brightness at the atmosphere the con-
flagration was not perceptible at a distance, which prevented that
prompt assistance usually siren, and nearly the whole of the
premises and stock were rapidly conaumed, but happily no lives
were lost. The loss is estimated at 40,0001., of which about one-
' filth put is stat,,ll to be insured.