The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-06 00:00:00

The Alleged Insurance Frauds.
(Continucd from our First Edition.)
Josiah Fay, in continuation, said—Mr. Whiting said,
addressing me—You have something to say about some
goods which were kept back from the lire officers which
were not burnt. I said " Yes," and then went on to say
that I with another man had taken the tallies off 350 bales
of jute from the ship Onward, and that they had been re-
marked as part of the cargo of the City of Dublin. I also
said if they pulled down some of the bales they would find
they had no tallies. Upon this Mr. Whiting asked Mr.
Alfred Barry what he had to say. That gentleman
turned round and said " Now, Mr. Arnott," and he
admitted it was true. I also charged Mr. Alfred Barry
with having 100 bags of rice, and only seven were repre-
sented to the fire insurance offices as being on hand. Mr.
Barry referred to Arnott, and he said it was true. I also
said at the June fire, you kept back a parcel of jute from
the Sebastian Cabot, and also some brought by the William
Cole, the Ann, and the Raleigh—in all about 300 bales.
That they had been, after being removed to different ware-
house, finally burnt in the November fire. Arnott admitted
this also to be true. I said if he denied it I would chal-
lenge him to bring up the landing book. •
Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis, on the part of Mr. Sedg-
wick—A week after I left the wharf I went to the fire
offices. I made no communication to anybody before I
told the insurpce office. When I removed the tallies from
the jute I know I was doing wrong, but I was acting
under my foreman's orders. I don't know that by so doing
I was committing a fraud. I believed the tallies were
being removed from the jute to defraud the fire offices.
1 didn't give notice to the fire office before I left the
wharf. It would not have answered my purpose to do so. I
acted under my foreman's orders. I might ;have made
some remarks to some of the other men. I might have
said to some one " They are doing the doll trick to-night."
I have said that Mr. Sedgwick and Mr. Arnott were not to
blame in the matter, and I believe what he did, he did for
the firm. I was present when stock was being taken after
the fire. I did not help to land the cargo of the City of
Dublin. The mark put on the jute, ex Onward, was the
same as that used on board the City of Dublin. I know
that there has boon mistakes at the wharf in delivering
goods. I have known that if all the bales from one ship
could not be got at some brought by another was taken
and delivered. I have been at St. Katherine's Dock. • I
was dismissed from that employment. I was collector
and treasurer, and before I was discharged I had £4O in my
possession belonging to the men. I kept away for a few
days, and then I said I had lost the money, and so I had.
It was not believed. I was discharged from the dock.
Mr. Lewis—Who was the foreman of the jury ?
Witness—l'll not answer another question without you
ask for the remainder of the story about the money.
Mr. Lewis—You shall answer my questions.
Witness—l wont. You are injuring my character, and
I will defend it as well as I am able.
Mr. Humphrey; the solicitor for the prosecution—l will
ask you about the matter in re-examination.
The Lord Mayor—lt is only right that the witness
should be told that he will have an opportunity of explain-
ing himself.
Witness—l'll answer any question, now I know that.
Mr. Lewis—Have you ever given evidence before a ma-
gistrate before ?
Witness—No.
Mr. Lewis—Nor ever been in a court of justice ?
Witness—Only once, when I was fined for getting
tight. (Laughter.)
Re-examined—I went to two police-stations before they
would have anything to do with the matter about the loss
of the £4O. I was at length placed before Mr. Selfe, but I
was discharged. I will give Mr. Lewis 12 months for him
to see if he can, find out that I ever used a penny of the
money. Sedgwick is as much bound to obey his orders
as I am, and it was that fact made me say I did not think
he was to blame in the matter.
John Frederick Martin, another labouring man, lately
on
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Sedgwick directed him to write them. Arnott did not
come into the warehouse while he was there. The fire
E e
rtroi t those°n's Wharf,
placed
Occurred on the 23d of November. After that he was
working in Sedgwick's gang, and in that capacity he wrote
thousands of tallies for different ships. He recollected
the salvage being taken, but he did not knoW who did it.
By Mr. Lewis—Arnott was Sedgwick's superior officer,
and consequently he would have to obey his orders. He
did not know when he was writing the tallies City of
Dublin that ho was doing wrong. He was directed to do
it by the foreman, and he did it. • There was no secresy
about the matter.
„ The prisoners were remanded until Saturday next.