The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-08-29 00:00:00

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I7bSOLWT DEBTORS.

SURREY ADJOUR %Et) SESSIONS. Ada. 1e...
I4mes Robson was oppose:l by Mr. N aan~ MoD,
behalf of Sarah Pickman, the Insulvent's sistesSisia

law, upon two ground:, first, under the 4itd clause
of thedACt, foi malCng a trauJulent conveyance
subsequent to his imprisonment ; and, secoadly, for
a defeitive schedule.
Mr. Nolan, in opening this case, stated it to he
one of the most mnlicious an,' wicked attempts that
ever was made, to defeat a fair and just creditor of
her demand ; but for whose kindness and assist-
ance, his urkrtuliate wife might have starved.—
Ile said, that the Prisoner formerly resided in Wal-
worth, wheie he carried on the bu.iness of a corn-
Who, and was 'also possessed (if five houses, in
Robson-row, Walwotth, which were a part of dal
stch.yet of this present discuscknn. Fur some lsngth
of time his wife and-he lived on the most h Try terms
of connubial affection, hut the introdation of a fe-
male samara, et the name of Matilda sowed

the seeds of dismrsi ; and, (tun. that time, the con-
duct of the husband to his wU= was totally changed,
and he treated her with the ;;reatest cruelty and
harshness ; hut she had the fort'tude never to com-
plain, wild he became so outrageously ernal, that
even this very servant ma J, Matilda, with whom
he was then etiminally contreted, had the hu-
manity to tell her siaer, who now opposed his
liberation. In consequence of this, she was taken
hoae by her taster, waii maintaired and protected
her. She implored to he restored to the bosom of
her husband ; but he ;trove tier from his d•mr, re-
flasi•ig nor admittance. except on the terms of be-
commg the servant of his maid, Matilda, who then
ope-ly cohabited with him.• At one tirn,.• when.
sit: was accomputied by her brother to the house of
het hitsband, the Luter threatened' to fire on them
if te.ev attempted to approach nearer ; and a.gually
seliarti.e•i a gun at his brother-in-law, we:: know-
ing it bo he was, and what his Istoiness. Front Otis
time, all attempts at teconcikation were in Valli, aod
she must have starved in the streets,' red not the
humanity of her sister rescued her froth so mi-
serahle a fat:: who afterwards maintained and sup-
I I her entittly at her own expence. The has.
band, in Multi 'or all this kinetics% to his wile, at-
tempted to salumniate the charaftets of both wife
and sister in-law; saying, tbat the one kept a brothel,
*bile the other walked the writs father.support.

The pretent creditor, Miss Pickman, was afterwards
under the necessity of bringing hat attion against
the Prisnter, for the maintenance nt his wife, (n 1
which trial we gave a full report in our paper of
that tiny). L pint that occasion, ale Prisoner had
the stud ici y to as a witness, to confront
the e v h k = Ct. 01 II e Plaintiff's witnesses, ar to his con-
Oa to his wife, he. the woman with whom he
then. in ripen adultets, the very identical Ma-
tilda, who, tne-h toter credit, although so circum-
stanced, when cross-examined, as to the terms on
which the lived wi:h her master, shrunk back
with shame, expremtd great agitirt,ua, and, after all
awlul parse of near five minutes. retired frosta:Cpurt
in contusion, declining any further questiops mpon
C:e gut jinn. Jury timid aVerdia for the
Platnt-
ifi, and npnu that alicti the Prisoner was now de-
tained. Iu order further to Show the 'Malicious in.
tentions of the Prisoner, the Learned Counsel qid
he would prove that hi had ampie means of paying
ail his debts since he wen• to prison, hid he but
chosen to ad like an honest man. He would spew,
that he I ail. received 5891. since his imprisonment,
in one wt.!. (by his own accona ), and the debts with
which 1 e ood chai-ged, only amounted to 26V1.
He shoul also sheer, thae2ool. of that sum was
expended in 41torntiy's bills of costs, the Prisoner
having emFloyed not ins; than five gentlemen of that
potvision witiaa these la,t two years. .!.4einhen ad-
verted to use fitst• ground of objection, that of
making a ti auduient ecmveyance of his houses in
ICAop row, which, the Learned Counsel Osbert-
b, CCIiI eyed to one Wm. J.:cars, since his
•inspilsonmeid ; yet, it was evident, he had eic•-rcised
varirus ails in ownership over those premises, not
.n.ty in receiving the rents, issu-s, and profits, but
in duelling sonic of the tcua,:ts to he disirained for
rent due, all which was done by his own direa
authority, 441C1 CollstilWed a fraudulent aft under
the statute. lie concluded, by observing, that it
was only necessary for him to lay there fads before
the Court, and it would be for the PI isomer to s.,ew,
that this conveyance was a fair, Lana jde transaltiun,
CA a valuable cuasideration.
The greater part of this statement being corro-
borated by evidence,
Mr. Morris, for tn. Prisoner, entered into an able
and spirited &tenet:, anti endeavoured to thew the
transaSiens between these parties, in a different
view. He col:tended, that the conveyance was a
bwra file transaction, for a valuable consideration,
which was expended aftawards by the Prisoner, is
payment of his feu Creditors. Mr. Jacket had taitly
purchased the premises, hut allowed the Prisoner to
reseiee the rents, xs his agent.
It appeared, upon the evidence of Mr. Jacket,
that he had paid the Prisoner, at sundry times, 3411.
for his interest in the premises, and suffered him af-
terwards, at the time he was confined a Prisoner is
the King's Bench, to continue his receiver.
Atter an able reply by Mr. Nolan,
The Learned Chairman took' a general view of
the case, as it came under the meaning of the 42,1
Clatnie of die Aft, and the intention of the Legisla-
tor in proviiin, such a Clause. The objet of the
Prisoner appeare3 to be, to frustrate the wishes of
his wife and family ; and, from the general tenor
of his condtia, it was evident he had done all in
his power fvr that purpose. The sums he had re-
ceived not being sufficiently accounted for in t.is
schedule, it was necessary he shoul.i amend it so
far; and as to the fraudulent conveyance to Jacks s,
that fait depended upon the credit which his brother
Justices gave to the evidence of Jackes himself.—
If they bclieved his testimony, the transaaion was
a fair one; but, it the contrary, it was fraudulent,
mad consequently came within provisions of the pat.
Having consulted the Bench, the Chairman de-
clared they were utianimously of opinion, that the
conveyance was fraudulent, and the Prisoner was sac.
sordingly remanded.
Samuel Francis Stephenson was opposed by Mr.
Laws, on behalf of Mr. Frece, a creditor, under the
S7th Clause of the Mt, for misapplying the money
of his employer.
It appeared, that the Prisoner bad been a clerk