The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-04 00:00:00

Charge of Conspiring to Defraud,

At the Guildhall Police-court yesterday, John Maga-
rigle, having offices at Farringdon-road, and William
Broughton, were summoned before Sir R. W. Carden, :for
conspiring to defraud Edwin Groves of the sum of £3OO,
Mr. Lewis appeared on the part of the prosecution ; Mr.
Beard for Broughton ; and Mr. Buchanan for Magarigle.
Broughton did not appear, and Mr Beard put in a me-
dical certificate, stating that he was incapacitated through
" illness." It was admitted, however, that he was in town
on 'Thursday for several hours conducting his ordinary
basiuess.

Mr Lewis, in opening the case, said that the defendant
Magarigle was well known to the court, having been
brought before it no less than three times, and always in
connection with the most notorious gangs
.of swindlers in
London. He was known under several aliases, such as.
Thompson, Smith, Barry, and Co., and was at the present
time in connection with many other houses of the same
description as the agency which had ensnared his client—
one of which was carried on under the name of Vussal and
Co., 37, Essex-street, Strand.
Edwin Groves said—l live at Argyle-lodge, Upper Nor-
wood. In March last, in consequence of seeing an adver-
tisement in the newspapers, I went to No. 1, Farringdon-
road, when I saw the defendant, who calls himself an ad-
vertising and employment agent. I said I wanted a situa-
tion as traveller, clerk, or anything else that would suit me.
He asked me if I had any capital to deposit as a guarantee
for my honesty ? I told him no, and he then asked me for
a fee of ss. for registering my name, and said he would
write to me and let me know when he heard of a berth
which would suit me. I paid the fee ; he then said that if
I had any capital to invest as cash security, ho could soon
get me a place, or words to that effect. Afterwards I had
a letter from him, inclosing the address, consist-
ing of initials of a certain party who was said
to be in want of a clerk ; the letter also said
that if I did not obtain the situation I was to send the
letter back to them, and my name should still remain
on the list for the original fee which I had paid. I did not
obtain any answer, and I then returned the letter as
requested. In March last I went again to Magarigle's office
and saw him. I then told him that I had £3OO which I had
borrowed from my friends. In about two minutes he said
that he was connected with a Mr Broughton in publishing
a paper called the Sydenham Chronicle, and it would be just
the thing for me. He also said he had invested £5OO of his
own money in it, and he knew it was good. He informed
me that Mr Broughton was preparing offices at Norwood,
and had taken a house there for the house and estate agency
business. The defendants gave Mr Broughton an excellent
character; he said he was well known and respected by
the clergy and gentry within ten miles round the neigh-
bourhood where he lived. He also said he had known
Broughton for four or five months. He then proposed that
I should meet him at his offices in order that he might
take me to Sydenham, and introduce me to Broughton. I
met him as requested oa the 24th of March, and the pro-
mised introduction took place. During the interview
Magarigle left to visit a lady who wrote articles for the
paper, and after driving about with Broughton in a pony
chaise, I called for the defendant, and returned to town
with him, paying him £5 as a deposit before leaving him,
On the 31st of March I again called and saw Magarigle in
company with Broughton. During that interview I paid
the defendant £lOO on Broughton's account,and on the 14th
April I went again and paid £2OO more, an agreement being
entered into between myself, Magarigle and Broughton,
guaranteeing me £l5O and;two-and-a-half per cent on the
advertisements in the paper, and a further share according
to the profits. That agreement was only signed by Brough-
ton and myself. 1 was then advised to take a house at
Norwood, and let it out so that I might live rent free. On
the faith of the representations made to me 1. took a house,
and married, but up to the present time I have had neither
employment nor salary from Mr Broughton. He has often
put me off with excuses as to the house he was going to take
not being ready, but in fact he has no printing office at
Norwood, nor any agency business, neither has he taken any
house for the purpose of establishing one. 'When I remon-
, strated with him he told me that with the exception of £5
he had received nothing of the £3OO from Magarigle, who
was not a proprietor of the Sydenhain Chronicle, and had
not advanced any money to establish it. My salary was to
have commenced on the 21st of April, but I have not applied
for it, as there has been no work for me to do. On my say-
ing, when Magarigle and Broughton were at my house on
Sunday last, that I was determined to have my £3OO on the
Monday, an interview was proposed that day with a view to
an amicable arrangement, but when the time arrived
Broughton did not attend. Magarigle pretended great in-
dignation, and wrote a letter to Broughton, which he read
to me, saying he was disgusted with him. I afterwards
communicated with my solicitor.
Another witness was then heard, from whom £5O had
been obtained by similar means.
Mr Lewis then asked for a remand, and Mr Buchanan
applied for bail to be taken.
Sir R. W. Carden decided on taking the defendant's own
recognisances in £3OO and two sureties in £250 h
24 hours' notice of service.
Mr Wm. Henry Robinson said hew,
inquiry department of Messrs Stubbs masocrhcoieufticlieerAkgionutohye.
London ars n
s aonn d-
He
nettedh a knowndwlth tthe
thetri
udeeifpeonidsavt fordii lastsutghmegan g
in
laints against the de-
Fit
of all they possessed
there was scarcely a day without coou
fendant for swindling poor fellows
—in fact, in some days there were as many as five or six
ywr removed ohvaeadto collected New-
nonecomplaints.
Magarigle offered four persons as bailuduring the day, and
were accepted;
roans those
gate amidst the
outside the court to see him go.

THE CONVICT BRYCE.—Since his condemnation
the convict Bryce has conducted himself with great decorum
in prison, and has given serious attention to the religious
ministrations of the chaplain of the gaol. John Bryce, the
father of the prisoner, had an interview on Thursday with
his unfortunate 6011,•••400t3M4n.