The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-07 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

on one occasion, when all were playing at cards, Locke
had got the bank, and ho said "How long is this game
to last. I calk tell you I shant' cash any more of
your'— the kee. I could not say who this observation
was addressed to. On one occasion I had to wait for Mr.
Locke and when I remonstrated with him for keeping me
so long, he satd, Hold your tongue; I've been up stairs
collaring the coin. I asked who the fellows who stayed
were, and ho said they were Holloway's clerks, and that
they were giving it to him hot. I have spoken to him about
the money, and the defendant Locke always led me to be-
lieve that the clerks were "nailing" old Holloway.
Cross-examined—l am a dealer in wine and spirit war-
rants. My private address is 31, Ashburton-grove, Hollo-
way. I live in apartments. lam in business on my own
account, and have been so for four years. I was formerly
traveller to Mander Brothers, of Wolverhampton.
This was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Flower—Then I shall commit both prisoners for

SHOREDITCH COUNTY COURT.
SWEEPSTAKES AND Irma RACES-FISHER V. COLVIN.

This was an application to set aside a verdict of the
Court, which had been given in favour of the plaintiff in
a recent trial. It appeared that the plaintiff had agreed to
join a sweepstake upon the last Derby day race, and the
subscription was is. each member. The club was held at
defendant's house, each member signing his name. Upon
the night of the draw plaintiff was hot able to attend, and
it did not appear that he had paid his shilling. It was
alleged on his behalf that against his number was drawn
the horse Gladiateur which gained the race. On behalf of
the plaintiff it was stated that he had tendered his shilling
on the morning after the draw, but it was declined, and
in the original action he claimed the stakes ; Mr. Steadman,
who appeared for him, contending that he was clearly en-
titled to them.

Mr. Earle, for defendant, said that the whole affair was
illegal, and that the plaintiff was not in a position to re-
cover.

Mr. Metcalf—l have only to say that at the trial I shall
have a complete answer to the charges, and also that an
action will be instituted as soon as the trial is over for a
malicious prosecution against Mr. Holloway, as he had re-
peatedly said all he wanted was to get his money back.
Mr. Metcalfe—There will be no objection, I suppose, to
admit the defendant Locke to bail?

His Honour, however, ruled that the defendant was
liable to the plaintiff for the amount of the stakes, the ver-
dict being for the sum claimed.
To-day Mr. Earle moved for leave to set aside this verdict,
on the ground that it was against the law upon lotteries
and gambling. He urged, with some force, that this sweep-
stake was no more than a lottery, and, as a result, quite
illegal.
His Honour said that he should be willing to hear the
case argued on a future day.
Mr. Earle replied that he should be quite ready to argue
it on any day that the Court might appoint, and would pro-
duce satisfactory proof that the verdict ought not to stand.
His Honour considered i hat the plaintiff ought to have
time to answer the objections taken against the decision
of this Court in the first trial, and appointed a day for the
arguments.
Leave granted.

Mr. Sleigh—l am instructed to object. I boliove the
defendant has been heard to say that if he could get bail
that he should "step it." I am also told that since the
present summons had been issued the defendant has dis-
posed of one of his two places of business in London.
Mr. Metcalf replied that such was not the case. The
bail he had in attendance was of the most substantial kind•
Mr. Flower decided to admit Locke to bail, himself in
£4OO, and two sureties, one in £2OO and one in £lOO.
The sureties being in attendance, the formalities were
completed and the defendant left the court.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

BOW-STREET.

THE ROBBERY AT PROFESSOR HOLLOWAY'S. This
moraine +ha rri.ooor Utton, lately a clerk in the employ of
Mr. Holloway, Strand, and who already stands committed
for trial, was placed at the bar on a charge of stealing a
number of valuable securities, viz., cheques, the property
of his master ; and Henry Locke, the landlord of the
Holyrood Palace, also appeared in answer to a summons
charging him with receiving the said cheques, knowing
them to have been stolen. There was also a charge of con-
spiring with Utton to obtain the property made against the
defendant. _ _ •' '•

Mr. Sleigh, who appeared for the prosecution, said the
defendant Locke, it appeared, kept an account at the
Temple-bar branch of the London and Westminster Bank,
and he should call evidence before the Court to show that
with the knowledge that the persons employed in Mr. Hol-
loway's establishment were paid daily, he cashed no less than
13 cheques, amounting in the gross to about £l3O. He
should also show that Locke and Utton were in the habit
of playing cards after dinner, at blindhookey, for consider-
able sums of money. When the robbery was discovered
Mr. Locke, in answer to Mr. Holloway, the manager of his
brother's business, said he had taken them all in the way
of business, and the defendant produced a book showing
how the various cheques had been cashed for Utton. Tho
entries in the book showed that a portion of the sum for
which the cheque was drawn was paid in money, the re-
mainder in brandy, cigars, dc.

Mr. Metcalf appeared for the defendant Locke,

Mr. Henry Holloway, brother and manager of the esta-
blishment of Mr. Thomas Holloway, said—On Sept. 12 I
went to Mr. Locke's house in the Strand, and told him that a
number of cheques had been stolen from the house, and
they had passed through his hands. He said a great many
had done so, and I asked how many, and he replied from
12 to 20, as near as he could guess, amounting in all be-
tween £l5O to £2OO, and he then produced a small book
from which he tore a leaf (produced.) I put it in any
pocket. The leaf, he said, would show how he settled
the amount of the cheques with Utton. I then asked
him if he was not aware that Uttou had stolen the
cheques, to which he replied that he knew nothing about
that, and it was no business of his. I then left the
house. Locke said he did not know that Utton received
his wages daily, and he said he knew nothing about it,
and how Utton got the cheques was no business of his.
Mr. Locke the next day attended at my brother's house,
and, I showing him the cheques, asked him if he had
taken them of Utton, and he said "'Yes, with the ex-
cepttion of two of which ho was not certain." The
cheques were those I had previously signed for Utton, to
be paid away by him to ;:ustomers. All our clerks are paid
daily.
Cross-examined by Mr. Metcalf—The cashier, who was
on probation, received ss. a day. The prisoner Utton re-
ceived ss. a day. I appealed to Mr. Locke, as a friend and
a neighbour, to give me all the information he could. He
gave me the leaf out of the book I have referred to. He
also took me to his banker's to ascertain whether certain
cheques had passed through the bank. The next day
Locke came to our house, and I handed him a bundle of
cheques, and he selected from it those which had passed
-through his hand. He did so. In tha bundle there was a
crossed cheque, upon which there was a direction from the
defendant to his banker to pay the amount. Mr. Bower
May has acted in this matter for us, but we have
changed our solicitor in this matter to Mr. Lewis.
I will not swear a clerk of Mr. Bo wen May was not present
when the defendant Locke and Mr. Stafford were with me
iu my room. I don't recollect that a person there said to
defendant, " I am Bowen May, and unless you pay the
money before to-morrow morning you shall be placed in
the dock with the other prisoners. I will swear I never
heard the expression used. I did not say on that occasion
to Locke, "I don't want to give you into custody, all I
want is my money." I will swear I did not say so. Ido
not know that it is a common practice for publicans to cash
crossed cheques. I should think they would not.
Mr. Sleigh—ls there any pretence for saying that you
have instituted these proceedings because you could not
get your money back ?
_

Lewes, Oct. 2, 1865.

Witness—On my oath there is not.
While the deposition was being read over, Mr. Holloway
said—l now perfectly recollect that Mr. Bowen May's
clerk was present on the second occasion that I have re-
ferred to.

Mr. Stafford—l am in the engagement of Mr. Holloway.
From directions 1 received from Mr. Holloway on the 13th
Sept., I went to defendant Locke's house, ani asked him
to come round to Mr. Holloway. I had previously been
to Coutts' to get some cheques. Locke was waiting for
his necktie, and while it was being got for him ho said
to me, " This is a bad business." I replied, "It is. How-
ever did you come to take the cheques from those fellows,
knowing their position ?" He said, " What do I care ?
Holloway's name was at the foot, and that is quite enough
for me. I did it in the way of business, and bring me as
many more of the -- cheques I'll cash them."
Cross-examined.—This conversation took place in the
defendant Locke's bar parlour. I did. not go the public
house to get information. I went to the defendant to
come to Mr. Holloway's. Oxford Jonathan, a friend of
Mr. Locke, was present in Mr. Henry Holloway's room when
the conversation took place about the cheques. One of
Mr. Bowen May's clerks was present. That person did no;
say "I am Mr. Bowen May." I will swear I did not hear
Mr. Bowen May's clerk say, "Unless the money is paid by
11 o'clock you will be placed in the dock." The clerk I
believe said to Mr. Locke, "I will give you till 11 o'clock
to think over this matter." I believe that Mr. Holloway
prosecutes this case for the protection of trade, and not
because the defendant Locke did not refund the amount
of the cheques. I believe Mr. Bowen May's clerk said to
defendant, this will be a bad business for you, as you knew
the position of Utton, and, as well as I can recollect, Locke
replied I don't know so much about that. The clerk said
this must be cleared up, and Locke said I don't seo what
I've got to with it, and then the clerk said I'll give you
until 11 o'clock to-morrow.
Mr. Metcalf—What for?
Witness—l don't know.

Mr. Metcalf—Was anything said about being given into
custody ?
Witness—No. Mr. Locke asked for the address of Mr.
Holloway's solicitor, and it was given. The conversation
about giving Locke into custody took place down stairs.
I never hoard anything about the repayment of the money
before 11 o'clock. I will swear I heard nothing of the kind
that could lead to such an inference. I cannot recollect
whether Mr. Holloway has said in my hearing that all he
wanted was to get his money back.

Mr. Metcalf Yes ; and if he did not, he would give Mr.
Locke into custody?

Witness—l never heard him say so.

Mr. Thomas Hutchings said I am in the employ of Mr.
Holloway, and was present at the interview between Mr.
Holloway and Mr. Locke. I heard Locke say he had
received as many as 12 or 20 cheques from the prisoner,
amounting in all to about £l5O or £2OO. I asked him if
he knew whether one of the cheques was drawn in favour
of Robinson. I asked him if he knew the names of the
clerks, and he said yes. I asked if he knew that they were
paid daily. He said he cashed the cheques in the way of
trade. They bore Holloway's signature, and that was
enough for him. The way of business was that he had
furnished Utton with brandy, champagne and boxes of
cigars.

Mr. Robert Cathpole said, lam dealer in wino and
brandy warrants, Old Swan Wharf, City. I. have known
Mr. Locke for years, and within the last twelvemonths I
have seen the prisoner Utten at Mr. Locke 's house. I
have also seen Spooner and Sellen there. I used to call
at the house some times at dinner time as Mr. Locke had
an ordinary, and I have seen the prisoners there until after
the ordinary. I have seen them playing cards. They
generally commenced with the game of 100 and finished
with blind hookey. I have seen the three defend-
ants and Mr. Locke play so frequently that I
cannot give the exact number of games played.
I don't know the amount of the stakes. I canuot say
whether they were shillings or pounds. On one occa-
sion after seeing all three prisoners up-stairs playing with
Locke, ho came down stairs and told me he had won £l7.
I have seen Spooner and Salim stake money. I recollect

TEE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 7, 1865.

OFFICIAL REPORT.

THE LOSS OF THE ALEXANDRA (S).
To the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for
Trade.

CHARLES CARPENTER.
BURWOOD GODLEE.
We concur in the above report.
R. B. BAKER,
JAMES 0. THURBURN,
Nautical Assessors.

My Lords,—ln accordance with your instructions, we,
the undersigned, two magistrates for the county of Sussex,
have held an inquiry into the loss of the Alexandra (a),
assisted by Captains Baker and Thurburn, the nautical
assessors appointed by your board. The Alexandra was
an iron paddlewheel steamer, of 180-horse power, built
at Greenock in 1863, registered at Newhaven, her re-
gistered tonnage being 204 tons. She was commanded
by Mr. Abraham Blampied, who holds a master's
certificate of competency, dated March 9, 1861, had
a crew of 21 hands, all told, and 27 passengers on
board, and she also carried a valuable general cargo. Tho
ship was in good condition, and well equipped. The Alex-
andra sailed loom Newhaven, bound to Dieppe, on the
morning of the 7th of September, at 2 30 a.m., she being a
passenger steamer belonging to the London, Brighton, and
South Coast Railway Company. On leaving Newhaven
she steered a S.E. E. course, being well to the eastward,
to allow fur the ebb tide running at the time, the weather
being fine and clear, with a light breeze from the N.E.
Nothing unusual occurred until about 630 a.m., when
the weather became foggy, and at 6 45 a dense fog set in, as
allowed by all the witnesses. During the passage across a
good many vessels had been passed. causing the steamer's
holm to be ported and starboarded frequently to avoid
them. At 715 a cast of the line was taken, but no sound-
ings obtained with 20 fathoms of line. At 730 they got
soundings in 17 fathoms. Fromthis time the lead was hove
occasionally, the engines having been slowed to half-speed
at 6 45, and at 8 30 to dead slow, soundings then having
been obtained in 81. fathoms, and shortly after in 6i fa-
thoms, this being the least water got by the lead, as sworn
to by the master; but, by the evidence of the boatswain
and second mate, who was himself heaving the lead, he
got ono cast of 3k, one of 4 less four, and of five fathoms.
At 8 40 a boat was lowered, the engines being stopped,
and the chief mate sent in charge, with orders to pull in
towards the land to ascertain the ship's position. In about
fifteen or twenty minutes the boat returned, and the
mate reported to the master that the ship was to the west-
ward of Cape Ailly, distant about one and a half or two
miles. On getting this information the engines, by the
master's orders, wars turned ahead dead slow, and the
helm ported hard-a-starboard, her head being at the time
about east, with a strong flood (spring) tide setting in that
direction, directly towards the rocks, of probably four
knots per hour velocity. The ship payed off slowly to-
wards the north, off shore, approaching rapidly, by the set
of the tide and her own way through the water, which was
about two and a-half knots, a dangerous reef of rocks,
called the Ailly Rocks, projecting out from the Cape
about one mile, and in a few minutes she struck lightly
upon a rock. When her head had payed off to the
N.E., the vessel passed over this rock without any ap-
parent damage, as it was at once ascertained that she
made no water. On her getting clear of this rock the
engines were stopped, and remained so about 15 minutes,
during which time she must have been drifting with the
tide towards the reef. In the meantime orders were given
to see all the boats clear for lowering. After this was done
the engines were again turned a-head dead slow, the helm
being kept hard a-starboard ; but in a few minutes she
struck a second time by the starboard fora sponson at 9.30,
and remained firmly fixed, the rock having gone right
through the ship's side, the engine-room and fore com-
partment being quickly filled with water. The Alexandra
has subsequently become a total wreck upon the reef of
rocks off Cape Ailly, about half-a-mile from the Point, and
nearly five miles to the westward of Dieppe. Fortu-
nately no lives were lost, the passengers and crew
reaching Dieppe safely in the ship's boats. Since this
disaster a considerable portion of the baggage, cargo,
and stores have been landed from the steamer, in a
more or less damaged condition. This is a brief narrative
of the facts as supplied to us by the evidence. In the
opinion of the Court the course steered was a safe and
judicious one, and should have taken the ship considerably
more to the eastward on approaching the French coast. It
would be difficult to account for her being so far to the
westward. Probably the helm was ported a good deal more
than starboarded during the passage, and the ebb tide may
have been unusually strong. It did not appear that any
doubt existed as to the correctness of the compasses, although
something was said about machinery being stowed on the
upper deck ; but this being some 70 or 80 feet from the
compasses, did not in all probability affect them. The
Court feels bound to give the master credit for having
exercised the precautions of slowing his engines for using
his lead when the weather became foggy, but it is impos-
sible to continue to render the same credit to him for his
conduct after 840 a.m. when he sent a boat on shore. For
although it may be conceded that he was misled by the
incorrect report of his mate, that he was one and a-half or
two miles to the westward of Point Ailly, when, in fact, he
was actually much closer to it, it is inexcusable that he
should afterwards have omitted to use the lead, as he himself
states, with one single exception, until the vessel was finally
stranded. In coming to the decision upon the conduct of
the Master, taking into consideration the precautions
which ho did take and the good character he bears, the
Court feels inclined to visit him with a lenient sentence.
At the same time, for the interests of the public, and to
prevent, if possible, future casualties, it felt it a duty in-
cumbent upon it to pronounce Mr. Abraham Blampied in
default for having neglected to keep his lead constantly
going after he found the ship in so dangerous a position,
and we have, therefore, with the full concurrence of the
Nautical Assessors, suspended Mr. Abraham Blampied's
certificate for three months from this date.