The Sun.
London, England, 1837-11-02 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT

NEW COURT.
Yesterday, Thomas Bunnell, William Henry Davis, and
Mary Davis, his wife, were indicted with Henry Clark (not
in custody), for conspiring together and fraudulently ob-
taining, by means of subtle and false pretexts, certain goods
of the value o f seventy pounds and upwards, the property of
Messrs. Harrison and Co., and by the like unlawful means
other goods of the value of forty pounds and upwards, the
property of Messrs. Finch and Co. The defendants were
respectably attired, and Davis is represented as a person of
wealth.
Mr. ADOLPHUS, in stating the case, adverted to the
well-known fact, that there were about the metropolis gang,s,
of persons known in swindling parlance as " Mace Coves,"
who formed themselves into a sort of Joint-Stock Com-
pany, for the purpose of getting whatever goods they could
from merchants, manufacturers, and tradesmen at any price,
and then disposing of them at a very reduced one, thereby
not only defrauding the vendor, but injuring the fair trader.
He was told that the general practice was to have one or
two e. the clan of rt sp.ctable appearance, and possessing
knowledge of the world, in order to be purchasers,
and those were selected who were the most likely
to gull an unsuspecting dealer by their plausible tale.
In order to further their plans, it was one of their modes to
stand high in their character with a few tradesmen of un-
questionable honour and integrity, and to their shop gave
a reference when they thought they had a victim. It was
so in this case, and the gentleman to whom the prosecutor
went before he opened an account inquired as to Bonnell.
The gentleman (Mr. Good, I believe) said very fairly, "I
know nothing cf toy customers ; but this I can seen he has
hid a variety of transactions with me, and I have ever
fond him punctual," and his (Mr. Adolphus's) client gave
the credit required.
Mr, J. M. Harrison was partner with Mr. Rayner, and
(retrying on an extensive business, as glue-manufacturers, in
1836, Bonnell called on him, and said ho travelled the
theGrenge-rerae, Bermoedsey. On the 28th of October,
country, and could sell a quantity of glue, and proposed
the terms on which he should supply him. He said he
lived at 21, New Church-street, Lisson-grove, and for his
respectability referred him to a Mr. Good, in Banner-street,
S•. Luke's. To that gentleman witness went, and from
what he said was induced to accede to the t r•ins proposed,
viz., one half (tub, and the money at the end of a month
for the other moi ty. The gods were tanplied, and the
first 10/. paid down by Clar the day after the delivery.
After this he received various letters from Bonnell by the
hands of Clark, who was represented as his servant, and
several orders were executed, and when the '(roods delivered
amounted to about 401. a bill was accepted by Bonnell,
made payable at a respectable house, as he supposed.
During the time the bill was running due, in consequence of
pretences that Bonnell had made large sales in the country,
other orders were executed, and the whole debtor account
was more than eighty pounds, no part of which had been
paid, except the ten pounds which had been given as a decoy.
James Vincent, a general dealer, had known the Devises
for ten years. Had had dealings with them, and occa-
sionally assisted them in their business at their extensive
shop in Brick-lane. Was so employed on the 2d of No-
vember in last year, when several quantities of glue were
brought there and sold by Bonnell and Clark. He did not
consider Clark a h, nVide servant, but a partner ; for when-
ever they got goads in this way, tkey divided the money as
soon as they had sold them. On one occasion Clark came
with other 500 weight or bailie ton of glue, and said to the fe-
male defendant, " dl right ; ru, sure to get it when Igo to
work." She expressed her regret that he had got a
stranger instead of the usual carman. She. said perhaps he
might " split," for there was no dependence on strangers,
and they got into trouble through it. Mr. Clark hushed
her fears, and told her all was right. After the glue was
delivered the whole party went over to the Coach and
HarsA, where Davis gave them some money—a 10/. note
end a quantity of sovereigns on one occasion. Witness
and five or six general dealers were present at the time, but
were not concerned in it. Believes that nearly two tons'
weight was brought to Davii's during the months that Bon-
nell and Clark were dealing with the prosecutors. After
the last glue was delivered Bonnell said to Clark and Da-
vis " The game is up in that quarter ! the fat a ill soon be
all in the fire ; but never mind, we have dome it tidy ; and
they (the prosecutors) are worth 10,0001., and can afford to
lose it." Mr. Schooner, he bdievsd, l u-chese I some of
the glue at 405., and after there was a stir about it Mrs
Davis wanted him to allow her to alter the -invoice to .505.,
but he refused.
Mr. CHAMBERS subjected the witness to one of the most
rigid cross-examinations ever known in a Court of justice.
In order to try hie credibility, among many other admis-
sions, the witness said he had lived at ten places of abode
within ten years, and contracted debts at them all, which
he scheduled, and gave his creditors a receipt in fu:l in the
Insolvent Court.—(A laugh.) Had been twice in the
King's Bench prison, and on one occasion he was sent from
thence for .4 whistling" (selling gin in prison). Ile had also
been to the Surrey County Gaol, and he had also b ten there
for debt. He had also been in the Marshalsea and in
Whitecross-street prisons, and two or three times in the
Clerkenwell Prison for assaults.
Mr. CHAMBERS—And were you so fortunate as never to
wend your way to Newgate ?—(A laugh.) Witness—
Yes, once about some sugar, but I was honourably acquitted.
Several other witnesses were called, evidently for time pur-
pose of substantiating some points of Vincent's testimony.
The Jury pronounced all the three guilty, but recom-
mended the woman to mercy.
SENTENCES.
The present Session having terminated, the Recorder
entered the Court in the evening, accompanied by the'
Sheriffs, and three Deputies, Mr. Alderman Lainson, &c.,
in order to pass judgment upon those prisoners who had
not received sentence on the day of trial.
The following was ordered for transportation for life, viz.,
Charles Parr, for converting by gilding a sixpence into a
half sovereign.
The prisoner made a solemn appeal to his Maker, and
declared his innocence.
The RECORDER said there had been ample proof of his
identity, beyond which he had been before convicted and
punished for a similar offence. The Commissioners of her
Majesty's Mint thought him a fit person to be made an
example of.
Fort FIFTEEN YEARS.—Matthew Smith (for robbery
and cruelty), W. Smith, J. Dean, R. Bird, Robert Green-
wood, T. Donohoe, Samuel Kellett, Mary Sullivan, and
Elizabeth Patison.
The RECORDER congratulated this class of prisoners that
a great alteration had been made in the criminal law, through
a merciful Legislature and a merciful dispensation of jus-
tice. The offences whicli they had committed would, a
few years ago, have subjected them to a shameful death,
particularly one of them ; but now the punishment did not
even banish them for the term of their natural lives, but
only for a limited period, and that even might be abridged,
should their conduct hereafter entitle them to favour in the
country to which they were about to be sent. The last
remark would apply to those within hearing, who would be
banished for other periods.
FOURTEEN YEARS.—J. Charles Hancock, Wm. Jones,
Edwin Groberty, Elizabeth Silkman, Maria Smith, Hannah
Wells, Ann Keith, Elizabeth Riley, and Olive Page.
TEN YEARS.—Mary Haines, Alexander Sullivan, Ma-
tilda Jane Underwood, W. Jones, W. Fitzgerald, Samuel
Smith, George Smith, Michael Connor, C. Acton, W. Bar-
nett, W. Hillier, John Smith, J. Brown, J. Murphy, J.
Golding, S. Hutchinson, and T. Dawson.
SEVEN YEARS.—J. Brown, J. Paul,T. Smith, G. Thorpe,
T. Newland, J. Downes, Charles Milton, J. Brown, J.
Duff, Alexander F. Johnson, Henry W. Mount, W. Clarke,
W. Page, W. Cox, J. Monday, Charles M'Laughlen, G.
W. Riley, Thomas Laurence Jones, Thomas Clark, J.
Luttam, J. Rudder, Thomas Paddocks, J. Newland, G.
Wicks, D. Heregan, W. Field, J. Lilly, C. Henderson ;
Ann Euleston, Mary Williams, Frances Adams, Ann F.
Brown, Margaret Hodson, Mary Hartwell, Jane Brown,
Margaret Ann Peterson, Rosina Sweeny, Mary Smith,
Sarah Smith, Eliza Wright.
The RECORDER told the female convicts that for the
offences which they bad committed they were to be banished
for a considerable period from the country of their birth,
and all they held dear in it by relationship, affection, and
friendship, for, unfortunate as they were, they were not de-
void of those better feelings which he hoped were inherent
in their nature. Much would hereafter depend upon them-
selves, as to whether they would suffer the rigour of trans-
portation in the ordinary sense of the term. If during their
voyage to the Colony they were steady and decent in their
deportment, in all probability they would find respectable
persons ready to take them into domestic servitude ; but,
on the contrary, if they were insubordinate and uncontrol-
able they must expect the consequences.
The following were sentenced to the various terms of inn.
prieoament (with the adjunct of hard labour) placed against
their respective names :
TIII:F.E YEARS.—WV. Hogan, for cutting and mainline
The Reconvert told him, but for the merciful alteration
in the law, and the finding of the jury, his life would have
been forfeited.
Two Yeans.-e-T. Smith, Edward Jolland, J. Bonnell,
and W. H. Davie. The last two were convicted of con-
spiracy, and sent to the Penitentiary.
ONE YEAR.—Mary Davis (convicted with her husband
and Bonnell), Louisa Ferguson, Jane Angell, M. Patter-
son, J. Aldridge, W. Johnson, D. Johnson, G. Priestley,
G. Powell. George Newman, W. Bennett, C. Cox,
Wilday, John Petite, B. Patterson, W. Jones, R. David-
son, R. Barnard, C. Big-more, J. Rogers, It. Hall, A. Law-
son, R. Kirby, IV. Smith, and Peter Miller, aged 89, fur an
iadecerrt assault upon children.
NiNF, MONTiiS.—M. A. Purse, and M. A. Carter.
Si:- Nlwerne.—K. Wilmot, Mary English, Ann Foun-
tain, Mara' Peters, Julia White, George Walker, William