The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-07 00:00:00

A Lady Fined for Giving a False Character.

Jane Howard, a lady residing at Taunton, was
charged, at the Marylebone Police-court, yester-
day, with having, " on.the 13th of October, 1663,
a
falsely personated a mistress, and giving false
character to one Anne Wingate, a person cffering
herself to be hired as a servant to Mr. John Bol-
dero, contrary to the statute," C. Miss Howard,
as Mr. Sleigh said, is a lady of great respectability,
residing in Taunton with her brother, who has a
large farm there. She was well acquainted with
the Wingate family at Taunton, who are very re-
respectable people. Anne Wingate left Taunton,
and from her Miss Howard received the followine
letter Miss Howard,—l hope you will not
think I am taking a liberty when I ask you
for a great favour. I am married, and my
husband is going to Dublin for two years, and I
shall have to remain in London, and must get an-
other situation. I have tried to get one, but lam
always objected to on account of my being married.
I shall be thankful it you will give me a twelve-
months' good character. I shall always think
kindly of and be grateful to you," &c. The follow-
ing was the character sent by Miss Howard :
" Miss Howard presents her compliments to Mrs.
Boldero, and begs to say that during the long time
Anne Wingate was in her service elae always found
her strictly honest, sober, cleanly, and industrious.
She can truly recommend her as a good servant.—
Monckton, October 29." On the strength of
this character the girl obtained the situation
in the establishment of Mr. Boldero, of the firm
of Spencer, Turner, and Boldero, of Lisson-grove.
Shortly after she had been in her place robberies
became frequent. She was at length caught in the
act, and her husband was found to be the receiver.
They are now both waiting their trial. The defen-
dant pleaded guilty to the charge of giving the false
character, and Mr. Sleigh, at some length, spoke in
behalf of his client, who, he said, had sinned in
ignorance.
In disposing of the case, Mr. Knox said—ln a
simple matter of this sort I have only one duty
to perform—that is to protect the public
from being imposed upon by such recom-
mendations as that given by the defendrnt.
By this practice any thief, burglar, or house-
breaker, or cut-throat can get into a service where
any amount of depredation might be committed. In
this case she gives a character to a thief who gets
into Mr. Boldero's service, and there commits a
most abominable robbery. The offence is a most
direful one, and-I hope this will be a warning to
persons in her position against giving false charac;

- -
tern. I have the option of reducing the penalty,
but I shall not in this case. I cannot help saying
that the defendant has acted scandalously for one

in her position. I inflict the full penalty of £2O
and 10s. costs, with the alternative of three months'

imprisonment.

Alleged Desecration of the Dead in Whi
field's Chapel Burial Ground.

Yesterday at the weekly meeting of the representative
vestry of St. Pancras, Mr. Churchwarden Taylor in the
chair,
A report from the sanatory committee was presented, con-
taining a letter which had been received from the Home
Secretary, Sir George Grey, in reference to the recent al •
leged desecration of the dead in the burial ground attached
to Whitfield's Chapel, Tottenham-court-road. This com-
munication, which was in reply to a communication from
the vestry calling the attention of the Home Secretary to
the subject, stated that from a report which the Home Se •
cretary had received as to the proceedings of certain persons
in digging up the burial ground in question, received from
an inspector of burial grounds appointed to investigate the
matter, it appeared that the works directed to be done in
the burial ground by the order of her Majesty in Council
of the 11th of January, 1859, had not been performed.
That in accordance with the intent of such.order, the
Home Secretary proposed issuing a further order under the
provisions of the 22d Victoria, cap. 1, sec. 1, but before
doing so he desired to be informed whether the authorities
of St. Pancras were willing to undertake that all the ground
which had been excavated should be covered with a layer
of fresh earth, of 18 inches at least, and to undertake, in
connection with its surface, the maintenance of the growing
vegetation. The report recommended that the vestry should
notify to the Secretary of State their willingness to under-
take what he proposed, providing the Secretary of State
gave an indemnity to the churchwardens, who were the
proper parties to carry out the order, against any legal pro-
ceedings on the part of the trustees or other parties who
had purchased the ground under an order in Chancery.
Mr. J. N. COLLINS moved the adoption of the report,and
said he certainly thought, for the protection of the church-
wardens, they should ask for this indemnity.
The motion having been seconded,
Mr. Bislior and Mr. CAMERON, both members of the
legal profession, argued that the order from the Home-
office and the provisions were in themselves a sufficient pro-
tection t 3 the churchwardens in carrying it out, and there.
fore there was no necessity to hamper the reply to the Sec •
retary of State with such a proposal.
An amendment was moved to leave out the proposal as
to the indemnity.
Mr.,NOW'S considered nothing could result by carrying
out the Act of Parliament, which ought to compel those
who had disturbed the ground to pay for its restoration.
(Oh.) The vestry could then maintain it like Marylebone
did the closed cemeteries of St, John's-wood and Padding-
street burial grounds.
Mr. DOUGLAS viewed the matter differently. He under-
stood that two or three people held this ground in fee, and
if they consented to do this all might be well. But suppose
the churchwardens insisted on doing it, they might bring
actions for trek,' ass. (No, nc.)
The amendment was carried by a large majority.

SHOCKING DISASTER AT STAMFORD.—A very sad
accident happened at a ladies' school, kept by Miss
Collins, in St. Mary's-place, Stamford, on Monday, which
resulted in the death of Mr. Arthur Barston, aged 20, and
severe injury to one of the servants. In the scullery was a
small boiler, which was used for the purpose of supplying
hot water to a bath upstairs. Oa Monday morning a fire
was lighted under the boiler to prevent the water in the
pipes from freezing; and in the afternoon the attention of
the mistress was directed to the fact that th© water in the
bath-room still remained cold. She had not left the scullery
more than a few minutes, for the purpose of sending for a
plumber, when the boiler exploded with great force. The
door and window of the scullery were blown out, and nearly
everything in it destroyed. The deceased had been skating,
and bad just called at the house with his sister, ono of the
teachers, and it is supposed that, hearing the boiler make a
suspicious noise, ho went to see the cause at the moment it
exploded, and he was instantly killed. The cook, a young
woman, aged 22, also sustained a compound fracture of the
thigh and other severe injuries, and now lies in a dangerous
state at the infirmary. At the inquest which was opened
on the body of deceased, a juror expressed his opinion that
there was ice in the pipes leading ft om the boiler to the
bath-room, and that the circulation of the steam was pre-
vented. The inquiry was adjourned,,that a sfitntifio ema-
ululation might be made.