The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-17 00:00:00

BANKRUPTS.

James Carter Dalton, trader, Coleman-street, city, to
surrender Aug. 25, at two, and Oct. 2, at twelve, at the
Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee. Ba-
singhall-street; Linklater and Hackwood, Size-lane, Buck-
lersbury.
John Withers Taylor, hosier, Nottingham, Aug. 28 and
Sept. 18, at ten, at Nottingham. Harris, official assignee,
Nottingham ; Wells, Nottingham.
Thomas Earle, railway contractor, Parliament-street,
Westminster, Sept. 1, at eleven, and Oct. 2, at one, at the
Court of Bankruptcy. Nicholson, official assignee, Basing-
hall-street ; Jerwood, Ely-place.
William Leedham and William Alfred Wild, opticians,
Sheffield, Sept. 1 and 29, at twelve, at the Sheffield Dis-
tiict Court. Brewin, official assignee, Sheffield ; Ryals,
Sheffield.
John Browhhill, shoemaker, Tipton, Staffordshire,
Aug. 31 and Sept. 21, at eleven, at the Birmingham Dis-
trict Court. Christie, official assignee, Birmingham;
Coldicott and Canning, Dudley; Motteram and Knight,
Birmingham.
William Backhouse, timber dealer, Lathom (not La
tham, as in last Tuesday's Gazette), Aug. 27, and Sept. 27-
at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court of Bankruptcy,
Morgan, official assignee, Cook-street, Liverpool; Harvey.
Falcon, and Harvey, Castle-street, Liverpool.
William Bartlett Wbiteway, miller, Kingsteigston, De-
vonshire, Aug. 30 and Sept. 20, at one, at the Exeter Dis-
trict Court. Hirtzel, official assignee, Exeter ; Stogdon,
Exeter.

Elward Willes Knight, dealer in china, glass, and
earthenware, Bath, Aug. 28 and Sept. 25, at eleven, at the
Bristol District Court. Acraman, official assignee, Bris-
tol ; Trenerry, Bristol.
Gustavus Gidley, share broker, Torquay, Devonshire,
Aug. 30 and Sept. 20, at the Exeter District Court.
Hirtzel, official assignee, Exeter; Carter, Torquay; Stog-
don, Exeter.

'Charles Henry Wall and Christopher Holt, cotton spin-
ners, Samlesbury, Preston, Aug. 28 and Sept. 18, at
twelve, at the Manchester District Court. Fraser, official
assignee, Manchester ; Aacroft, Preston ; Cobbell and
Wheeler, Manchester.
• Samuel Lewin Walter, coal merchant, Manchester, Aug.
29. and Sept. 17, at twelve, at the Manchester District
Court. Fraser, official assignee,
.Manchester; Faulkner,
Manchester.
Joseph Whittle, piovision dealer, Saint Helen's, Lan-
caster, Aug. 28, and Sept. 18, at eleven, at the Liverpool
District Court. Cazenove, official assignee, South John-
'street, Liverpool ; Haddock, Saint Helen's, or to Evans
and Son, Commerce-court, Lord•street, Liverpool.
Elwin Latham and Wilfrid Latham, merchants, Liver-
pool, Aug. 30 and Sept. 21, at eleven, at the Liverpool
District Court. Turner, official assignee, Liverpool ; Lit-
tledale and Bardswell, Liverpool.
George Wharton, furniture broker, Manchester, Aug
28,: and Sept. 17, at twelve, at the Manchester District
Court. Stansall Pott, official assignee, Manchester ;
Boote, Manchester.

Joseph Whitehorse and William Jefferies, ironinasters,
West Bromwich, Staffordshire,- Sept. 3, and Oct. 1, at
half-past ten, at the Birmingham District Court. Bittle-
stop, official assignee, Birmingham ; James, Birmingham;
Stubbs, and Smallwood; Birmingham.

BANK OF ENGLAND.
An Account pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth Victoria, cap, 32, for
the Week ending on Saturday the 11th day of Aug, 1855.

ISSUE DEP,

I,TEENT.

Notes Issued 29,650;275

Government debt.... 11,015,100
Other securities.... • . 2,984,900
Gold coin and bullion 15,650,275
Silver bullion ...... • . - •

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCIIIT.-CROYDON, AUG. 16.
_ _ _

(Before Mr. Justice Wightman and a Common Jury.)

STEPTOE V. ARMSTRONG.
This was an action to recover damages for the breach
of a promise of marriage.

Lush was for the plaintiff, and Mr. Hawkins was
counsel for the defendant.

Mr. Lush, in opening the case to the jury, said that
the plaintiff in this case was a young girl of 18, and the
defendant was about 30. They were both in a humble
position of life, but the defendant be was instructed was
in possession of 7001. or 8001., and the present action
was brought to compel him to make some compensation
to the plaintiff for the injury he had done to her feelings
by breaking a solemn promise he had given to marry
her. The defendant, it appeared, lived as a sort of bailiff
with his uncle, who was a farmer at Brentford, and the
plaintiff was employed as a servant on the establishment.
An intimacy sprung up between them, which was not dis-
eovered for some time by the uncle, but when he did so,
he immediately discharged the plaintiff, and she went to
live with her father and mother, at Ham well. The de-
fendant, however, went there and renewed the promise
of marriage, which, it appeared he had before made to the
plaintiff, and by bis..desire she was removed to the house
of an aunt at Notting-hill, and after a short time had
elapsed preparations were made for the wedding, the
ring was bought, the banns were put up, and a fly was
orthired to take the parties to the church, but while the
carriage was standing at the door a letter was brought
from the defendant, addressed to the plaintiff'a father, in
the following terms
"The enclosed is for your inspection. Let it be for-
warded immediately. Also two sovereigns for expenses
you have been at."

The letter contained nothing besides two sovereigns,
and as it being clear that the defendant did not intend
to perform his promise, the present action was brought
against him.

William Steptoe, the father of the plaintiff, said that
his daughter was 18 years old, and in the beginning of
the present year "she was in the service of the uncle of the
defendant. After she bad been dismissed from the ser-
vice, the defendant called upon him, and asked his leave
to have his daughter. Witness said to him, "Thomas,
if you like my daughter you can have her." (A laugh.)
The defendant replied, " Well, I would have her if she
had not got a second shirt to her back." (Laughter.) The
defendant then told him that he had saved 350/., and
that he was entitled to the fourth share of 2,0001. under
the will of his grandmother, and after that be was mar-
ried he should go into some bustness. The defendant
continued to visit his daughter after this, and, on ac-
count of his objecting to her living in his house because
a young man lodged there, she was sent to the house of
an aunt at Notting-hill, and she remained there until
the day appointed for the wedding. The marriage was
fixed to take place on Sunday, the 27th of May, but the
night before the defendant called upon him and told
him that his uncle had found it out, and that he hail
threatened him that if he married his daughter he
, would turn him out of doors, and he therefore said he
• did not know rightly whether he should be able to come
the next day or not. (Laughter.)
Mr. Lush—Did he say anything more?
Witness—Yes. He said that he should very likely
go to Brentford and get drunk, and then we should not
care for either his uncle or aunt. The witness went on
to state that on the following morning he received the
letter above alluded to, containing the two sovereigns,
and he immediately went to where his daughter was
staying at Notting-bill, and found the fly at the door,
and all the bridal party ready to go to church. He com-
municated the intelligence to his daughter, and it gave
her a great shock, and she had been very " molloneolly
like" ever since. (A laugh.)
Cross-examined—He did not take the trouble to give
the uncle of the defendant any information of what was
going on. He was not to have been present at the
marriage, of course. They did not want him. The defend..
ant was very much afraid of his uncle, and said that he
would turn him out of doors if he got married, and wit-
ness said that if he did he would find him a job at
gravel digging. (Laughter.)
Mr. Hawkins made a very humorous speech to the jury
on behalf of the defendant in mitigation of damages, and
he urged that but for the rapidity with which the action
had been brought, the defendant would in all probability
have fulfilled his promise. He also said that the defend-
ant would not have acted as he had done if he had not
been afraid that his uncle would, as he termed it, have
turned him " neck and crop" out of the house if he had
carried out the marriage.
The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff—damages,
351.

NORTHERN CIBCIIIT—LivERron, Atm. 15.
CROWN COURT.
BIGAMY.

Thomas Bentley, 64, was indicted for baying inter-
married with Ann Bond, in Oct., 1851, his former wife,
Mary Bentley, being still alive.
Mrs. Catherine Spencer, sister to the first wife,
proved that she bad gone to the Old Church in Manches-
ter on the 20th August, 1844, and there her sister, Mary
Lathery, then a widow, was married to the prisoner.
They lived together nearly six years ; he making bricks,
she making pies. (Laughter.) They had no family.
He was married under the name of Thomas Betterley,
stating that to be his true designation—the other being
used for the sake of shortness.

Ann Bond, the second wile, was put in the witness-
box. She stated she bad been married in 1851 to the
prisoner. She knew nothing about getting up the pre.
sent prosecution. When the present affair was over,
she would have no objection to go and live with him
again, if he pleased. She knew, she believed, a good
man when she got one. (Laughter.) The fact of the
first wife being alive was fully proved by a police•ofiicer ;
and the jury brought in a verdict of guilty.
Court (to prisoner)—You seem to be pretty well off
—no less than three wives, eh ?
Prisoner—Nay, I hadn't three wives, as I know.
Court—You were described as a widower at the first
marriage, so you must have had one before.
Prisoner—Oh yes, I had.
Court—This act of Parliament was passed for the pro-
tection of women ; and the only woman who could be
affected by your conduct is unwilling to prosecute you.
The proseution is ordered by the board of guardians,
who have nothing on earth to do with it. In considera.
tion of this circumstance, the Court pass upon you but
a mitigated sentence, viz., that you be imprisoned for
seven days.

The leniency of the sentence appeared to give great
satisfaction to Mrs. Bentley No. 2.

REWARD OF FEMALE COUEAOE.
His lordship called up Mrs. Chappell, and ordered her
to be rewarded with 51. as an acknowledgement of her
courage and activity in securing a burglar.
[George Marsden, who broke into her husband's house
in Manchester, on the 3d of April, pleaded guilty to an
indictment charging him with the offence on Monday.]

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. Aug. 16.

ROBBERY OF 2001. BY AN ITALIAN.

Benedetta Spinola, 24, an Italian, well dressed and
described as of high education, was indicted for baying
stolen the sum of 2001. sterling belonging to Ermene-
gildo Giuntini, in a dwelling-house.
Mr. Metcalfe was for the prosecution, Mr. Sleigh for
the prisoner. '
The learned counsel, in opening the case, said his
client, the prosecutor, was a timber merchant, and had
carried on business as such in Tuscany. Having occa-
sion to come to London, he went to Florence, and there
he became acquainted with the prisoner, who repre-
sented himself to be the Marquis Spinola, and they tra-
velled together. to Paris, and thence to London. They
stayed at the Sablociere HoteL in Leicester-square, and
one day, the prosecutor, who had about 20,000 f. in his
possession, asked him to get some foreign notes changed
into-English money. The prisoner brought him back a
sealed packet, which he said contained English money
equivalent to the amount of notes he had been desired
to exchange, which packet the prosecutor was about to
examine, when the prisoner made an exclamation
tantamount to, " Why, you don't doubt me, surely,"
upon which the prosecutor placed it in a leathern bag
without ascertaining the nature of its contents. About
the 3d of July the prosecutor and the prisoner went
down to Brighton, and while there the prosecutor con-
verted about 5,000 f. into English money, and on their
return to town he placed the amount he received in ex-
change in the bag where he bad deposited the packet,
and for security he secreted the bag between the mattress
and the bed in his room, at the Sabloniere. He and the
prisoner lived on an equality and upon terms of confi-
dence and friendship, so much so that the prosecutor did
not hesitate to tell the prisorier where he bad deposited
his bag of money. In the evening of the day on which
they came up from Brighton they went to the Argyle-
rooms, but the prisoner did not join in the dancing,
which the prosecutor did. While he was so doing
the prisoner made a pretext for leaving for a short
time. He wept out and did not return. When the,
prosecutor left be repaired straight to the Sahloniere,
'and oh his bed he found a letter in Italian, written
by the prisoner, to the effect that he had taken part
of his money without asking leave, to embark in a pro-
fitable speculation in Scotland, that he need not fear, as
he should soon return from Edinburgh with double the
amount, which would be at his service. The letter stated
that the writer had thought it better to take the money
without asking permission, becau.e he was quite sure
that even if he put himself to the trouble of asking, it
would be of no avail, and that his friend would give a
decided reftisallo any such request. Instead of proceed-
ing to Scotland immediately, as the letter said he was
about to do, the prisoner remained in London, and was'
apprehended on the evening.of the following day as be
was alighting from a cab at an hotel in Panton-street.
He handed over to the officer who took him 631. in
money, and a valuable gold watch and chain, and a ring,
which he had purchased at Dent's in the Strand. -So that,
instead of speculating in Scotland, he was spending the
money he had abstracted as fast as he could in London.
The evidence having been given,
Mr. Sleigh, in a short address to the jary,furged that
the prisoner might have taken the money without
the felonious intention. With respect to the prisoner's
connexions and his title of Spinola, the learned counsel
assured the jury that he was a member of a mostrespect-
able family in Sardinia.
Mr. Bodkin then summed up.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty.
Mr. Bodkin said this case, whether judged of by the
laws of this or any other civilised country, was a serious
one, and the conduct of the prisoner deserved severe
feloniouslyof
jewellery re
Punishment. The sentence was that he be kept to hard
labour in the House ofigorrection for one year.
William. Faulkner, 39, jeweller, was found guilty of
having
wceeivlledktnweewing
gold_twheamtchtese a4nadvea largeten
variety
stolen, Sentsuce ti6ferred.

e.w t.v`~ota;x ci:

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

--- --t--=- :_~

CLERICENWELL.--A woman, who gave her
name Elia Beth Simms, and who had an infant in her
arms, applied to Mr. Come for relief.
From the woman's statemert, it appeared that her
husband bad joined the Land Transport Corps, and
since he had left the country, now 12 weeks since, she
had received no money, and had consequently been in
the greatest distress, herself and child being in a starv-
ing state. Application had been kindly made by Mr.
Morant, one of the ushers of the court, to the Secretary
of the Central Association for the Relief of the Wives of
Soldiers and Sailors engaged in the War, but the appli-
cation was refused in consequence of the man being
neither a soldier nor a sailor. She now applied to the
magistrate for a little to enable her to make a respect-
able appearance, and to go home to her husband's rela-
tions, who resided at Stroudwater, in Gloucestershire,
and who were fully able to give her a home. If they re-
fused, her intention was to go into the workhouse. Her
wearing apparel was kept by a poor widow living in
Bermondsey for a trifle she owed her, but she had no
doubt that she would be enabled to obtain it.

Mr. Corrie said that he would grant her the money to
enable her to go home, when he trusted that her hus-
band's relations would do something for her and her
infant.

The applicant thanked the magistrate and retired.
James Eduard Smith, a private in the East Middlesex
Militia, was brought up in the custody of the police,
charged with violently assaulting Mr. Nathan Meyer,
licensed victualler, and proprietor of the Rising Sun
public-house, in the New-road, with assaulting the
police, and otherwise creating a riot in the street.
Mr. Nathan Meyer stated that he was the landlord of
the Rising Sun. He said that the prisoner, in corn.
pany with his sergeant, entered the house about eight
o'clock last evening, and was served with a pot of
ale in the parlour. They conducted themselves very
well, and the sergeant went away. The prisoner
shortly afterwards became very outrageous, and inter-
fered with the business so much that witness tried
to get him out. He answered by stripping himself for
a fight, and challenged several customers for a " go
in." This not being attended to, he was becoming
more violent, when Mr. Meyer was bliged to call in the
aid of the police, and the prisoner was removed in cus-
tody.

Police-constable 368 S proved taking the prisoner into
custody, with the aid of other constables. When they
got into the street, the brave soldier very soon attracted
a crowd. As he was passing through Somerstown, he
called out that he had just returned from the Crimea,
where he had been "fighting glorious battles, and would
they permit a man to be taken away to a vile prison for
declaring that he had been spilling his blood for his
country." There were several hundred persons present,
and the mob attempted a rescue several times.
The prisoner, a_ .loutish-looking man, who was recog-
nised as not having been long separated from the'coster-
monger's barrow, said that he was in liquor, and he knew
nothing about it.

The magistrate said that his conduct had been very
bad indeed ; and, in order that he might prepare for the
Crimea, he should be fined 10s., or seven days' imprison-
ment, where it was hoped that a little bread and water
would be of service to him.
The prisoner was then removed.

GREENWICH.—John. Grt:fitin, 20 years of age, a
costermonger, was brought before Mr. Seeker, charged
with stealing a barrowful of fruit, value 305., from the
garden of Mr. Gale, an extensive market gardener, Blue
Anchor-road, Bermondsey.
It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner was
observed passing down Blue Anchor-road at about 11
o'clock last night with an empty barrow, and at about
two in the morning he was again seen returning with the
barrow laden with beautiful fruit, consisting of Dutch
codling apples and jargonelle pears. There was in quan-
tity about 3 bushels. The constable, believinc, it was not
all right, questioned the prisoner, who said he had bought
them. Not feeling satisfied, however, be took him to
the station ; and in consequence of complaints hitherto
made by Mr. Gale of having been repeatedly robbed, and
only, too, the night before, he went there, and found the
trees bore evidence of having been recently stripped, and
the marks of the barrow directly under them. The bar-
row, it appeared, had also been stolen, but the owner
was unwilling to appear.
The prisoner, on being asked what he had to say to
the charge, said he had nothing to say.
The magistrate said it was a very aggravated case,
and he should therefore inflict the full penalty allowed
by law—namely, six months' imprisonment, with hard
labour,