The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-07 00:00:00

CRIMINAL COURT, FEB. 6.

OLD COURT.
Charles Samdys Packcr, a music master, pleaded guilty to an
dictment which charged him with having forged certain bills of as

ceptance to the amount of 2,0001. and upwards, with intent to
defraud Messrs. Stone, Martin, and Stone, bankers.
Mr. Pu►LL►pe, who appeared for the prisoner, said, he was pre-
pared with a host of witnesses of high respectability, who had volun.
tecred to give him an excellent character, having known him for
several years, and as it was the first offence he hoped the clemency of

the Court would be extended to him.
Several witnesses were then examined, among whom was Mr.
Sergeant Talfourd, who said, he had known the prisoner from child.
hood, and his family was highly respectable. Ile had recently be-
come more intimately connected with him,iin consequence of his hav-
ing composed an opera which was written by his friend, Miss Mitford.
Mr. Justice VAUGHAN said, after what lie had heard, the prisoner's
case should meet with such consideratichs as it deserved; but it
would be necessary to look into the depositions in order to enable the
Court to award a punishment.
Mr. BODKIN said that the Messrs. Stone and Co. became liable for
the amount of the bills in question; but it was upon public grounds
that they felt it to he their duty to institute the proceedings. The
prisoner was then removed from the bar.
John Pas field, a bricklayer, was indicted for causing the death of
his son, aged seven years, by denying him the necessaries of life,
and neglec, ing to supply him with requisite medical aid during a
protracted illness.
The prisoner was not attended by any legal assistanca. as tho pro-
secution was inst!tuted at the instance of the parish authorities, and
in such ca• es the expenses of counsel is not allowed.
It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner lost his wife about
two years back, leaving two children, one of whom was the child in
question. and with whom the prisoner rived in Counter alley, New-
ington. On the RBth of December last, a man named Bolter took a
policeman with him to the prisoner's residence, where they disco-
vered the children in a most squalid condition, without any fire, and
lying on a few shavings. The deceased was in a most pitiable con-
dition, and he eould not tell where the prisoner was to be found, but
said he had some bread given to him. In consequence of the harri.
fying condition of the apartment, the beadle of the parish was made
acquainted with the circumstance, but he did not attend to the case
until the following day, and the child was then dead. A further
investigation was then set en foot by the parish authorities, and
they found that the prisoner, after ho was apprehended, had not
been in work for some time, and that, as soon as he procured
work, he supplied the children with food and other necessaries,
as far as his means would allow, and that the deceased had been in a
delicate state, owing to the privations. By the post mortem exa
mination it appeared the child had contracted an abscess on the
lungs, and that consumption was the cause of his death, which
was not caused by the want of the common necessaries of life. In
answer to further questions from his Lordship, it appeared that the
prisoner cohabited with a woman who conducted him to public
houses to spend his money, but in other respects ho shared what he
had with his children, and partook of the same wretched abode
with them.
The Learned JUDGE, after summing up at great length, was of
opinion that the prisoner had not wilfully caused the death of the
deceased by starvation, but by a consumptive disease, but he consi.
dered the conduct of the prisoner highly reprehensible in not ac-
quainting the parish of the circumstance, and, under such circum-
stances, it was but just that the parish authorities should have insti-
tuted proceedings.
The Jury, under the direction of his Lordship, accordingly re-
turned a verdict of Acquittal.

Chas. 'lnwood, a grocer, aged 39, was Indicted for forging an
order for 201., with intent to defraud Messrs. Smith, Payne and
Smith, bankers. The prisoner was also indicted for uttering the
same, well knowing it to have been forged.
Mr. llonitim appeared for the prosecution.
Mrs. Clarke, a person in the service of Mr. Money, George Inn,
Uxbridge, proved that on the 3rl January the prisoner came to her
master's house, where he had some refreshment, the cost of which
was 4s. 8d , for which he tendered a cheok for 20/., but as the change
could not be procured, he requested it might be cashed at the Ux—
bridge bank. . .

Mr. Money proved to having got cash for the check; but In con-
sequence of some information he had received from his son, he
went to the prisoner and told that the Bank had refused to cash it,
upon the prisoner appeared very angry, asking what was the use
of banks unless to cash checks. He was then told that it was dated
1838, which, he said, must be a mistake, at the same time erasing
the figure 8, substituting the figure 9, and in consequence of some
further conversation he was given into custody. Witness knew
the prisoner's family, and always considered that he was a traveller
for a commercial house, and he had heard that he was in partner-
ship with a person named Bale, in Little St. Thomas the Apostle.
The check was then produced, and it was purported to be drawn
by John Nicholson, upon the firm in question.
Mr. Nicholson proved that he kept an account with the prosecu-
tors, and the signature to the instrument was not in his handwrd.
ing, nor did he ever authorize the prisoner to sign Isis name.
WattacC, a clerk in tile service of the prosecutor., deposed
that the check produced was a forgery, and he believed the writing
in the body of the check to be the same as that of Attwood and Bale
when they used to draw on his employers' house.
Martin, a constable who took tire prisoner, found a number of,
checks and other articles, all of which he refused to give any ac-
count of.
The prisoner made no defence, and the jury immediately re.
turned a verdict of Guilty-
The Jtmos; said the law left the Court no discretion in such a
case, and the prisoner received sentence of transportation for life.