The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 28, 1863.

LAW INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Fane.)

There were only four cases in the list, being applications
for release from custody.

IN RE PONCIIEE.

This bankrupt was described as formerly of St. Michael's
Abbey, Cornhill, and of Old Broad-street, City, accountant
and sharebroker. The debts are about £1,928, assets un-
certain. He was bankrupt in 1843, and attributes his
bankruptcy to insufficiency of earnings and liability for
third parties on bills of Exchange.
There being no opposition, the order of release was granted.

RE SWANNELL.
This bankrupt—Arthur Swannell of Blackman-street,
Borough; Oxendon-street, Piccadilly;
and Ponsonby-ter.
race, Pimlico, commis3ion agent—also applied for his re•
lease; it was his third appearance in court. Debts, £3lO.
Release granted.

RE FORSTER.
This 'bankrupt was an oil and colourman at Brentford.
Debts about £2,000; assets not Atated. Release grantel.

RE intoorinit.
This bankrupt was described as of Dranion-street, Wal-
worth, general shopkeeper. Debts, V 3. Release granted.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS--This Day.

(Before Mr. Sergeant Gazelee.)
THE CHARGE AGAINST A WRITING-MASTER.

John Charles Marter, writing-master, 485, New Oxford-
street, surrendered to his bail to answer an indictment
charging him with indecent), assaulting one of his pupils,
Ann Shirgold.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Sleigh appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Met-
calf defended.

Mr. Sleigh said the prisoner kept a writing school in New
Oxford-street, and the present charge against him was that
he, during the time a young girl named Ann Shirgold
was taking lessons from him, conducted himself in a
highly improper manner by kissing her and using other
familiarities, which would be detailed to them in evidence.
It was of the highest importance to all parties concerned
that the charge should be thoroughly investigated. With
respect to the young woman it was not to be endured that
young persons attending educational establishments should
be exposed to insult, and as to the defendant it was of the
greatest importance to him that the truth or falsehood of
the charge should be clearly substantiated.
Ann Shirgold said—ln July last she was living at 8,
Fitzroy-street, Fitzroy-square, as domestic servant in the
establishment of Dr. Ellis. In June lam I agreed with the
prisoner to pay him 245. to instruct me in writing. I paid
10s. in advance ; but on that occasion he merely told me to
bring on my next visit 28, 6d. for stationery. I then took
a lesson. I went on two other occasions; on the last of
which, the Bth of July, he 'set me a copy, and loft
the room. There was another pupil in the next
room, and I got up and went and spoke to her. The
prisoner then returned to the room, having a letter
in hand, saying he was going to answer it. That it
was a letter from a young man to his sweetheart, and that he
was going to answer it for her. He then told me that he
had taught a young girl to ride on horseback, that she was
in the service of an old man, but that at his death. she
married a young man. He afterwards put his hand on my
neck and pressed it very hard. I removed it, and
looked very black at him. In a few minutes
after he kissed me three times, and used other
familiaritiee. I repelled his insults as well as I
could, but he told me he took great interest in me,
and although he had another pupil in the next room, she
was an old maid, and that he could do nothing with her,
I took up my bonnet and shawl to leave the house ; he held
me round the waist again, but I broke away, and ran out
of the house. He followed, and after I had left the street-
door, I saw him looking after me. On getting home I told
my mistress, Mrs. Ellis, a portion of the conduct of Mr.
Marter, when she told me to communicate with my friends.
I did so, and the result was a summons was taken out
against him.
Cross-examined by Mr. Metcalf—l had been four times
to Mr. Marter before he kissed me. lle was in and out the
room once or twice during the time I was there. There
was another young woman in the adjoining room, but I
could not see her. After Mr. Matter had insulted me I was
so frightened that I could not call for assistance, but as I
left the room in which the other pupil was writing I said
I should not come again. Mr. Marter told me to
come again the following Sunday, and I said I would, hut
it was only to get out of the house. The reason I did not
go into the next room was that I thought it was best for me
to get home as soon as possible. When he pressed my
bosom he hurt me very much, and I puahed his hand away
indignantly. I never spoke to Miss Johnson about getting
my money back. Lord Raynham and the Society for the
Protection of Women are the prosecutors in this case. I
never went to Lord Raynham about the present proceed-
ings. He ,vas at Bow-street when I went in company
with my brother to make the complaint against the prisoner.
Thomas Shirgold, brother of the last witness, said my
sister came to me and told me she had been grossly insulted.
She was very numb. agitated. I went with her to obtain
this summons.

This was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Metcalf then addressed the jury for the prisoner
and called—

Miss Johnson, a lady of about 35 or 40 years of ago, said
ehe was a pupil of Mr. Maher. She was taking her lesson
in the inner room on the evening the prosecutrix stated
that the insults had been committed, but she had heard
nothing of the matter. She was, however, sitting with her
back to the door, so that she could not see into the
apartment. The prosecutrix made some observation as she
was leaving the room, but she could not say what was the
purport of the remark.

A young man, a pupil of the prisoner, also gave evidence
o the same effect.

A number of winesses having given the prisoner a good
character,

Mr. Sleigh replied on the whole case, and contended that
notwithstanding the ingenuity and astuteness of the counsel
for the prisoner, he had not succeeded in shaking one tittle
of the evidence of the prosecutrix.
The jury retired, and, after an absence of 20 minutes, re-
turned into court with a verdict of guilty, . accompanied
with a strong recommendation to mercy.
Mr. Sergeant Gazelee said he did not think any person
who had heard the proceedings could come to any other
conclusion. It was a very bad case, because the
prisoner had used the facility of advertising
for tho purpose of obtaining pupils, and then had
taken advantage of those who wished to avail themselves
of the art the prisoner professed to teach. Such cases
as the ono before the court did immeasurable harm,
because it shook that confidence which it was desirable
should be reposed in every instructor of the young,
and in the present instance its aspect was aggravated
by the prisoner being a married man. A juige was always
ready, of course, to pay attention to the recommendation of
a jury, and had the verdict not been accompanied with it
he should have passed a much heavier punishment. The
learned sergeant then sentenced the prisoner to two months'
imprisonment with hard labour, observing at the same time
that had it not been for the recommendation to mercy the
punishment would have boon 12 months' imprisonment.

[ln the report yesterday of a watch robbery, by a mis-
take of our reporter, ono of the witnesses (Mr. H. Everest)
was represented as having said—" On the evening of the
6th of August, at 6 o'clock in the morning," &c. It should
have read----" On the morning of the 6th of August," &c.]

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

SAD STORY BY A SOLDIER'S WIFE.—A poor woman,
who said her name was Margaret Reed, and that she was
the wife of Wm. Reed, a private of the Ist battalion of the
9th Regiment of Foot, applied to Mr. Knox for assistance.
The applicant said that her husband was now at Corfu,
having gone to that place with a draft of the regiment. At
the time he embarked at Portsmouth, two of their five
children, whose ages were front 3f to 11 years, were laid
up with the measles and were unable to go on board.
Another draft of the regiment was to be sent to Corfu at
the end of next month, when she would be enabled to go if
she could reach Portsmouth with her children. In the
meantime she had no means of living, and with her chil-
dren had passed two or three nights on lire steps of doors,
and the conseq-ance was that she was suffering from a severe
cold, all their clothes having been soaked through.
The poor woman handed the magistrate several letters
and papers, one a letter from her husband, showing that he
land 'served in India and the Crimea, and expressed great
an-iety on behalf of his v:ife and family, tut stating that
in const.qa --nee of the regiment having been only such a
short time at the station he was unable to assist them.
Mr. Knox obs3:ving Mr. Tett, one of the officers of St.
James's parish in court, requested him to look into the
matter, and, if he could intercede with the authorities to
give the poor woman and her family an asylum, to do so.
Mr. Tett directed the poor woman to go to St. James's
Workhouse, and having assisted in the matter she was at
once admitted.