The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-12 00:00:00

THE SUN. LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 12, 1864.

CHARGE OF SWINDLING.

Yesterday afternoon, at the Justice-room of the Mansion-
house, Alderman Waterlow was for some time engaged in
investigating the circumstances connected with an extraor-
dinary charge of swindling preferred against Henry Horace
Linguarde, described as an actor, and as residing at Butler-
street-buildings, East Smithfield, who had been remanded
from the previous Monday.
The case excited considerable interest, and the court was
crowded during the examination,
To render the proceedings of yesterday intelligible it is
necessary shortly to recapitulate the evidence given on the
first examination:of the prisoner before the Lord Mayor. It
was then proved that on Saturday week the prisoner, alight-
ing from a carriage, entered the shop of Mr. Thos. Mills, a
clothier in Aldgate, where he was an entire stranger, and
selected clothes to the amount of £2l 175., for which sum
he wrote on a sheet of note paper a check on the Provident
Savings bank in St. Martin's-place, Trafalgar-square.
From among the clothes he bought ho selected a full suit,
which he put on at once, including an overcoat. He then
went to the hosiery department, and selected goods to the
amount of £5B 145., which he directed to be sent to No. 4,
Ovington-square, Brompton. He complained of being
thirsty, upon which the attendant, Joseph Millhouse, gave
him some wine and a cigar. He then asked if he could dine
in the neighbourhood, and the shopman mentioned the name
of a house a few doors off. The shopman, whom he invited
to dine, accompanied him there. After dinner the prisoner
asked him to pay the bill, Bs. 7d., and place the amount to
his account, which the shopman did, and they returned to-
gether to the shop. By this time a messenger who had been
sent to get the check cashed had returned and reported
that the bank was closed for the day, and he had not got
the money. Upon that the prisoner said he had no money
about him, but that if the shopman would ride with him
in his carriage to Cvington-square he would pay for
the elothes he had on and hand him a check upon
Messrs. Coutts for the balance, amounting to £69
odd, The attendant went with him there accordingly,
and the prisoner asked at the house No. 4 for some one by
name. The reply was :hat no such person resided there,upon
which the prisoner, still attended by the shopman, drove to
some livery stables near Russell-square, where he had hired
the carriage. Arrived there he was going away without
paying for the use of it, when the proprietor presentedhim-
self, and, in the result, the prisoner, who had stated he had
no money about him, left the undercoat he had shortly be-
fore selected at, Mr. Mills's shop in pledge for 255., the hire
of the carriage, the shopman Millhouse strongly remonstra-
ting, on the ground that the garment had not been paid for,
and eventually giving the prisoner into custody.
On that evidence the prisoner had been remanded, and
yesterday Mr. Wontner, solicitor, of Bucklersbury, who at-
tended to conduct the prosecution, said it was necessary that
he should state some circumstances in the prisoner's career.
He had, in the first instance, given an address at the Goat
Inn, Farnham, but that statement was incorrect. He was
certainly known at Farnham, and that to the cost of some of
the inhabitants, but the landlord of the Goat disclaimed his
acquaintance altogether. In November last he was convic-
ted in 40s, and costs for riding to Aldershot by railway
without a ticket, and refusing to pay the fare, and in default
of payment he was sent to the House of Correction for a
month. That ought to have hid some effect in improving
his morals, but not so, as was shown by the fraud he had
since practised upon Mr. Mills on Saturday week. With
respect to his transactions with the livery-stable keeper,Mr
Hicks, he, in the first instance, wanted to buy a horse and
carriage there, but a servant whom he saw declined, in the
absence of his master, to undertake the sale, and the pri-
soner contented himself with Wing a carriage for the day.
He went to the shop of Mr. Meiwin, in Regent.street,:and
bought goods to the amount cf £3 13s, which he took
away in the carriage, paying for them with a sham cheque
and thinking it beneath his dignity to take either the
invoice or receipt, which was tendered him. Thence he
went to the shop of a tailor at the west end of the
town, and, representing that Ls was about to be married,
selected a smart overcoat, tendering a similar check in
payment, which, however, was declined, and " my lord,"
taking umbrage, drove off in his carriage. He next pre-
sented himself at the shop of M. Dent, the jeweller in the
Strand, and ordered jewellery to he amount of £6O, for which
he gave a check on the Provident Savings Bank, but that
was refused, and the prisoner took nothing by the transaction.
Since his arrest the result o' inquiry at the Provident
Savings Bank in St. Martin's-place showed that in March,
1860, the prisoner, who then described himself as an actor,
and resided in Nicholas-equare, Hackney, deposited £25 in
the bank, but drew it out about ten days afterwards, and he
had never had any transactions with the bank since, though
many of his sham checks had been from time to time pre-
sented there to be cashed. Probably the Court would think
it would be for the benefit of the public that this man's ca-
reer of fraud should be put an end to, and that the proper
course would be to send him to the Old Bailey, where ajury
would deal with him and his checks in an exemplary
manner.
Mr. James Down was called, He said—l am a tailor and
outfi ter in the Strand. On Saturday, Jan. 2, the prisoner
called on me about 12 o'clock it the day in a carriage, with
a servant, and selected a light brown overcoat, the price of
which was £2 is, for which he offered to give a check. I
said it was not usual with me to take checks from strangers,
but that if he would write a check I would get it cashed
and then send the coat to his address, or he could call again
That he agreed to do, and wrote the check produced on the
Provident Savings Bank. In less than hour he called again.
I had presented the check in the meantime, and it was dis-
honoured. I told him it was an ungentlemanly transaction;
my father, who 'teas present, went further, and called him a
swindler. The prisoner merely said something about " en-
other man in the Strand having taken his check," and then
entered his carriage and drove off. He had mentioned Mr.
Dent, and I supposed it was he who had taken the check.
Robert Verity, foreman to Mr. James Medwin, of 84
Regent-street, bontmaker, deposed that on Saturday, the
2d of January, the prisoner called there in a phaeton, be-
tween 12 and 1 o'clock, and said he wanted to be fitted with
some boots. 'Witness showed hint some, and he selected
four pairs of beets, one pair of leggings, and a pair or
slippers, which cattle to £3 13s. He made out a bill and
gave it receipted to the prisoner, who then wrote the check
produced for the amount on the Providence Savings-bank.
On being asked for kis address, he said, " Goat's Head Hotel,
Farnham." He took the goods away in the phaeton, leav-
ing the bill and receipt on the counter. Later in the day
the check was returned to witness dishonoured.
John Lovel Den ng, clerk at the Provident Savings-
bank, St. Martin's-place, Trafalgar-square, said the pri-
soner had no account there, and that the directors of the
bank never paid by checks, Since March, 1860, ho had had
no money there at all.
Alderman Waterlcee—What did you then know of him ?
Witness—He attended at the bank on the:l7th of March,
1860, and paid in 12.5, which he drew out on the 30th. He
had been there since in connection with another account
which was not in his name but in that of a minor.
Alderman Welerlow—Had he any power to draw on any
other account?
Witness—No.
The prisoner said the minor referred to was his son.
Witness said money at the bank belonging to a minor
could not be touched by a third party, unless with the
minor's consent indicated by a power of attorney.
Mr. Charles Hicks, a livery stable-keeper in Koppel-street,
Russell-square, said,---ten the 2d of January the
prixproner
had a phaeton from my establishment. I was not home
when it was hired, but I was when he brought it back. The
charge was 255., including the driver. H. was getting into
a cab to go away without paying or returning the phaeton.
He said he should require a carriage next morning, and he
would pay then. I asked for payment at once, he being a
stranger. He replied that he had got no money about him,
and then walking into the counting-house with me he said,
uele
" Give me some paper and I'll write you a check." I said
aid
a check was no use to
must leave
enoughthat
he
e couldwith
tp
already,a yu pwithout
whicht hhias:
check.
had
some deposit with me for the charge. He said ho had got
nothing to leave. I remarked that he was wearing a good
greatcoat, upon which the tailor who was with him stepped
said
haldie trreo p lbid
forward and said, "That belongs to me." The prisoner then
took off his under coat and handed it to me. Thlor,
interposing, said "That belongs to me also," (A. laugh.e tai
) I
said I would take care of it until I was paid. The tailor and
he then wont away, and just as they were leaving a cabman
drove up and said to me, "Mr. }licks, I want to see you.
I drove Ws gentleman (pointing to the prisoner) to your
yard this morning, who came to hire a carriage, and on
leaving the cab he told me you would pay his fare.
(A
laugh.) I said I would not. The prisoner, who was then
standing by my side, heard that.
The prisoner—That is rather a high price for your trap
for half a day, Mr. Hicks, is it not ?
Witness was told by the Court ho need not answer that
question, and he did not.
Mr. Wontner said it was right be should state that a few
weeks ago the prisoner was taken before Mr. Norton, the
Lambeth police magistrate, as a common cheat. Ha was
then charged with obtaining provisions from tradesmen in
Lambeth on various pretences. The evidence, however, did
not quite establish the offence, and Mr. Norton discharged
him. On that occasion a number of cabmen, whom ho had
defrauded, attended, and it then appeared that. he was well
known to their fraternity, and went by the soubriquet of
" The Ghost." A gentleman from Farnham also said that
recently the prisoner got up an entertainment there, at
which he was announced to play " The Ghost." A number
of people went and paid their money at the door, and when
the time arrived for the commencement of the performance
The Ghost was nowhere to be found, hence the cognomen
of " The Ghost."
Police-constable Back, in whose custody the prisoner was,
sail in searching him at the police-station he found nothing
upon him but an empty card-case, a bill for refreshments
and some cabmen's tickets.
A. cabman named Chas. Woolley, stepping into the wit-
nees-box, said he recently drove the prisoner to the Oxford-
rooms, and paid ss. for a lobster supper and cigars for him
there. (A. laugh.) He afterwards drove him to a place in
the neighbourhood of the Tower, where the prisoner got
oat and went up a court Witness never saw him again un-
til now, so that he lost the price of the supper and his fare.
He hoped the prisoner enjoyed his supper. (A. laugh.)
Mr. Anidjah, looking-glass manufacturer in Bishopsgate-
street-without, said the prisoner, who was a stranger to

him, walked into his counting house lately, and saying he
under stood he (witness) was famous for the mirrors he
supplied for the entertainment of "The Ghost," ordered
one for £l6, and asked at the same time for a loan of £2,
which witness was to add to the bill. During the conver-
sation the prisoner took witness's umbrella from a stand
and began twirling it about. Witness asked to be excused
for a moment and went out, raying a gentleman wished to
speak with him. On his return to the counting-house the
prisoner was gone, taking the umbrella with him, and
witness had not seen him since until now.
This being the case against the prisoner, he received the
usual caution from the Bench as to anything he might say,
upon which he said that at every place where he gave an
order it was on the distinct understanding that he was to
forward the money either by cheque or by Post-office order,
on the receipt of which the goods were to be sent to him.
Alderman Waterlow—But you took Mr. Medwin's goods
away with you and had a bill and receipt, having given a
worthless cheque for them.
The prisoner said the boots fitted him very well, and it
was arranged that he was to have more. He confessed it
was an error to give the cheque, but he should have sent
the money on receiving the rest of the goods. He could
pay every penny of the money he owed. There was no
intention on his part to swindle anyone, or to do anything
dishonest. When ho was apprehended he gave a cot rent
address and the names of two respectable persons for pur-
poses of reference. A swindler would not have done that ;
and, by the way, when the proper time arrived he should
bring an action against the witness Millhouse for giving
him into custody. He might add that an accident had oe-
, curred while he was performing "The Ghost," by the
1 breaking of a looking-glass which had cost him LZO. That
; was all he had to say.
Alderman Waterlow was afraid the prisoner was too well
known about town.
Prisoner (interrupting)—Net in the sense in which you
think; but when misfortune befalls a man there are always
people ready to run him down.
Alderman Waterlow said he had not the slightest hesita-
tion in committing him for trial. The defence he had set
np was wholly ridiculous. He had obtained possession of
the goods of Mr. Mills and Mr. Medwin, and had given in
payment checks which were utterly valueless, not to men-
tion the poor cabmen whom he had defrauded. He stood
committed to Newgate for trial.
Several cabmen stood forward to prefer charges against
the prisoner, but the circumstances were not investigated.
One of them, on being told by Mr. Goodman that his remedy
was in the County Court, said that ho had never been able
to find the prisoner.
Alderman Waterlow said the applicant knew where to
find him now. (A. laugh.)
The prisoner was then removed from the bar.

Defalcations of the Lambeth Rate Collectors.

Last evening a public meeting of the ratepayers of the
parish of St. Mary, Lambeth, was held at the Horns Tavern,
Kennington-park, for the purpose of considering the serious
defalcations which have recently been discovered in the case
of two of the collectors of the parish rates, and to devise
means for the prevention of such occurrences in future. As
the matter had given rise to much commotion in the parish
the meeting was crowded by respectable ratepayers, who
evinced much interest in the proceedings.
Mr. Webber having been voted to the chair,
Mr. GILES then moved the following resolution :—" That
defalcations having occurred with two of the rate collectors
of this parish to a very considerable extent, this meeting
deem it of the highest importance for the protection of the
ratepayers that immediate steps be taken to ascertain and
inquire into the management of the collectors and the sys-
tem of check adopted with the accounts, and that the Poor-
law Board be requested to institute an inquiry forthwith into
the whole of the circumstances and report thereon." In
support of the resolution Mr. Giles entered into a detail of
tha manner in which the business of the parish was con-
ducted. There was the board of guardians, who had the
management of the poor, but who had nothing to do with the
collection of the rates. Then there was the burial board and
the vestry, with the churchwardens and overseers, the
latter having the management of the rates. The number
of assessments in the parish was 23,000, and the rateable
value £550,420, the amount assessed as poor rate being
£93,000, and the total amount assessed for all purposes was
£152,221, for the collection of which there were 12 collec •
tors, and the cost of collection was £3,240, an average of
£270 to each collector. Under such circumstances, there-
fore, when there was such an amount of money to be dealt
with, the most rigid supervision should be exercised over
the collectors. _ _ _

Mr. MERCER having seconded the resolution,
Mr. STRATTON said he had the misfortune to appearboforo
them as one of their churchwardens, and he could assure
them no one regretted the state of matters more than did
the churchwardens. He admitted the system was bad, and
that more supervision was necessary, and in order in some
degree to remedy the matter they had called in a profes-
sional accountant, who was making a strict investigation of
the books. He was churchwarden in 1855, and they had
then a staff of arrear collectors, who, coming after the re-
gular collectors, operated as a check upon them, and it was
almost impossible for them to.have cheated the parish, but
in 18.56 the Poor Law auditors had refused to sanction those
arrear collectors, and over since they had little or any check
unon the collectors.
After some further disclssion Mr. Buckton moved as an
amendment that the meeting abstain from expressing any
opinion in respect of these defalcations until the account-
ant now examining the books gave in his report thereupon.
Mr. GoDFREY seconded the amendment, but' the mover
of it having ascertained that the accountant who was in-
vestigating the books had been appointed by the church-
wardens and overseers, and not by the Poor-law Board,
withdrew the amendment, and the original resolution was
carried amid much applause.
Mr. PHELPS then moved that a memorial, founded on
the resolution ju,t adopted, be proposed and presented to
the Poor-law Board—such memorial to be signed by the
chairman on behalf of the meeting.
Mr. BATLEY having seconded the resolution, it was
unanimously adopted, and the proceedings terminated with
a vote of thanks to th. 3 chairman.

Frightful Accident at Woolwich Dockyard,