The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-10 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

SWINDLING SHOPKEEPERS.—Mrs. Mary Jane Richardson,
a tall and handsomely dressed woman, was charged upon
a warrant with fraud in obtaining goods of value from the
firm of Youngman and Hayman, silk mercers and drapers
Sloane-street, Chelsea.

Mr. James Lewes, of the firm of Lewes and Lewes, ad-
dressing the magistrate, said he appeared for the prosecu-
tion, and entertained no doubt that he should fully estab-
lish the charge upon which the prisoner had been appre-
hended. no might father add that this was only ono of
the many other charges which would be exhibited of a like
nature against the prisoner by different shopkeepers whom
she had defrauded. Prisoner was a married woman, but
had not lived with her husband for a long time, and he was
suing in the Divorce Court for a separation. On
Thursday afternoon the prisoner went to the shop
of Mr. Alfred Hayman, who carried on business
as the firm of Youngman and Hayman, and there
selected goods to the value of between £3O and £4O,
which she desired to be sent home to the address she gave
_Mulberry-terrace House, Harewood-square. Amongst
the articles was a silk dress value £7, which she requested
to be allowed to take away with her to her dressmaker, as
she was anxious to have it immediately made up. She
then wrote her address, and gave a reference to a well-
known hand, and she was then permitted to take away the
dress and some gloves in a cab. When the goods were
taken on the following morning to the place stated it was
found that she did not reside there, and that Mr. Hayman
had been cheated. When the application for the present
warrant was made and appeared in the newspapers, Mr.
Hayman was overwhelmed with communications from
different tradesmen who had been similarly treated. Her
husband had discarded her for her profligate habits, and
there was no pretence for saying that she lived at the
house where she had given her address, and upon
the strength of which representation, confirmed by the
name of Richardson in the " Court Guide," the various
shopkeepers had parted with their property. The
prisoner had been convicted of drunkenness and
such like conduct, and a caution had been printed and
issued by her husband to tradesmen, with a view of pro-
tecting them. Still she was going about and by falsehood
and fraud obtaining goods.

Prisoner—l have been acting under the advice of my
solicitor, who told me to go to different tradesmen's shops
and get what I wanted, and go to different hotels to lodge.

Mr. Selfe—l should like to see the solicitor who recom-
mended you to do so.
Prisoner—My husband has not made me any allowance.
What was I to do ?
Mr. Selfe—Told the truth to the tradesmen.

Mr. Lewis said the prisoner was apprehended at the
Albemarle Hotel at one o'clock this morning. There was
only 2s. Bd. found on her.

Prisoner—l have had no money lately from my husband.

Mr. Schell, proprietor of the hotel, showed that she had
given respectable references when she came there a week
ago. She had paid nothing whatey6r.
Mr. Hayman—There are tweniy tradesmen hero who
have to complain of her.

Ono stood up and was about to make a statement, but it
was considered better to defer it.

Mr. Selfe (to prisoner)—You are remanded for a week.

THAMES.

A SAILOR WRECKED ON SHORE.—William Daniels, a
sun-dried, weather-beaten seaman, was brought before Mr.
Paget on a charge of wilful damage.
Mr. John Skinner, a shopkeeper, of 154, High-street,
Shadwell, said the prisoner fell into his shop through the
window last night and broke three panes of glass. The
frame and all was carried away. He could not say the
prisoner was drunk or actuated by malice or He
believed the occurrence was not intentional—it was an ac-
cident. He was much alarmed by the sudden intrusion of
the prisoner into his shop through the window.
The Prisoner--I was brought up all standing, and
pitched in the gentleman's shop head on, damaging my
larboard cheek and one of my fins. I struck on a piece
.of
cabbage leaf, and although I was not top-heavy, your
honour, nor even three sheets in the wind, I could not
heave-to, and overboard I went, carrying away that old
gentleman's glass.

George Richards, hairdresser, of No. 54, high-street,
Shadwell, saw the sailor slip and fall into Mr. Skinner's
shop. His head went first and his heels after him. When.
the sailor was picked up he was a complete wreck.
Mr. Paget said he had no power at all in the case. It
was not proved that the sailor wilfully broke the window
and frame. It was accidental damage. The prisoner was
answerable for his own carelessness, but not before a ma-
gistrate.
Mr. Skinner—He refused to give any address, and he
put me to much trouble.
Mr. Paget—l can't compel him to give you his address.
The prisoner—l intend to cast anchor at the Sailors'
Home in Well-street. _ _

Mr. Paget said the complainant and his witness had
expressly declared the damage was not intentional. The
accident might have been unavoidable. If the sailor was
tripped uplby any substance on the pavement ho was to be
pitied, not censured or punished. If the prisoner had been
careless ho could be summoned before Sir Walter Riddell
at the IVhitechapel County Court, who would give redress.
Mr. Skinner—He is nowhere ; where am Ito find a sailor
if Ido summon him ? _ _

Mr. Paget—lt is bad enough to havo your windows
broken. It would be much worse if I broke the law. The
prisoner has not committed any wilful damage, and I will
allow him to be discharged.

United States of America Debt•

MEETING THIS DAY.

A public meeting of the holders of the bonds, stocks, and
shares on which coupons and interest of which are now in
arrear, owing to the late civil war in America, was held
this day, at the London Tavern, for the purpose of con-
sidering the present position of those securities, and for the
formation of a committee to protect their interests.
Mr. E. HAZLEWOOD presided, and expressed his regret at
the absence of his brother, Mr. J. Hazlewood, who was
prevented by domostic calamity from being present. There
was a great necessity for such an organisation as was now
proposed for the protection of the interests of the bondhold-
ers, and to give them an authoritative position in America,
and to restore them to their former status. Having gone
through the accounts owed to bondholders by the different
States of America, ho said that there was no apprehension
that their debts would not be paid in consequence of the
emancipation of the slaves. For 30 years the debt had been
punctually paid. He contended that the effect of the
abolition of slavery in the South would have the effect of
introducing the white population into that part of America
to the manifest advantage of the productive power
of those States, which, up to the present time,
had not been fully developed. What he proposed was
that they should fund all the arrears up to the
present time into one debt, the coupons to be paid in this
country, and to have a sinking fund to pay tho
debt in twenty-years. This proposition did not originate
with the proposers of that meeting, but emanated from
a corporation in the United States. (Hear, hear.)
He concluded by moving the appointment of a committee,
consisting of gentlemen who were interested largely in
the present subject.
Dr. Bracx, in the course of an able speech, combated
the theory of the general insalubrity of the Southern States,
Americanshands
werehi t white
a men.
noble H
aSouth
the
He c
econtended
that o
that
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and contended that slavery was the curse of the Statea,
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which would become immensely more valuable in the
last to do anything dishonourable towards those to whom
they were justly indebted.

After a short discussion it was agreed that the following
gentlemen, with power to add to their number, be ap-
pointed, viz.—tb.e Chairman, Mr. E. Ilazlewood, Mr.
Scholefield, N.Y., Dr. Black, and Mr. G. Gowan.
Other resolutions were agreed to giving effect to tho
wishes of the meeting, and the proceedings terminated
with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

THE THAMES EMBANKMENT.---Within the last
few days the cofferdam fronting Somerset House, and ex-
tending to the west end of No. 2 contract, near Waterloo-
bridge, has been completed and made water-tight. The
dam at the eastern end is also fast approaching completion,
and thus by the completion of both dams tho entire line of
works will shortly be enclosed from the effects of the tide.