The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDii KVENING, AUGUST 2% 186 g.

formidable as the Merrimac, The North is alarned
for its naval as well as its military supremacy. got
a cent of taxation has been collected ; and, thoigh
the President believes that Halleck may not le a
great General, he tolerates him as the best that !an
be got. Such, in few words, is the present situa-
tion. Perhaps before I write again a battle in
Virginia may have changed the pattern in the
kaleidoscope.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT—LIVERPOOL, Aug. 21.
(Before Mr. Baron Wilde.)
CROWN COURT.
THE MANCHESTER MURDER CASE-TRIAL OF TAYLOR AND
HIS WIFE.
William Robert Taylor, 37, Martha Anne Taylor,
25, indicted for the murder of Mr. Evan Meller, at
Manchester, on the 16th May, were tried this morn-
ing. At an early hour the court was densely crowded,
and the most absorbing interest was manifested in
the case.
Mr. Monk, Q.C., with whom were Mr. Sowler
and Mr. Hoikar, were engaged for the prosecution ;
and Mr. Overend, Q.C., for the female, and Mr.
Pope for the male prisoner. Both prisoners pleaded
not guilty.
Mr. Monk, in opening the case for the prosecution,
stated the facts as follows :—Mr. Evan Meller, the
deceased, was in partnership with one of his sons as
an estate agent in Manchester, and in an extensive
and respectable way of business. Among other
persons the deceased was the agent for Mr. Dunn,
a very near relative to one of the members for Lan-
cashire. About the end of October, 1861, the male
prisoner took from the deceased a house and shop in
Britannia-buildings, Strangeways, Manchester, of
which he remained in possession until the unfortu-
nate occurrence into which they were now inquir-
ing. On the 16th of May Wm. Melier, a younger
son of the deceased, who was employed in the office
of his father, arrived at their place of business in
Lower King-street, about 9 o'clock, a little before his
father. He had scarcely arrived when Taylor came
in, accompanied by his wife. Taylor inquired for
Mr, Meller, and was told he had not yet arrived, but
was expected in half an hour. Now the premises
occupied by the Mellers were situated on the second
floor, and the lower rooms were occupied, amongst
other tenants, by a Mr. Leatherbrow. Meller's
offices consisted of a general and private office, and
an ante-room partitioned from the general office. At
the time the Taylors entered no one was in the office
but young Wm. Meller, and having learned that
Mr. Meller, sen., was not in, the prisoners took
seats in such positions that the male prisoner could
command a view of the entrance to the premises,
and the female of the private and general offices,
which were approached by the ante-room. A few
minutes elapsed, when young Meller heard his
father's voice, and saw him enter and close the door
of the general office. He heard him say " Good
morning, Mr. Taylor,"and this was followed almost
immediately by the exclamation, " Oh, Mr. Tay-
lor!" upon which young Meller turned and saw his
father in the grasp of the male prisoner, who at
that time seemed to have clenched in his hand some-
thing which Wm. Meller could not see, but with
which the prisoner appeared to be striking at his
father's breast. With a natural impulse, William
Meller proceeded towards his father, but the mo-
ment he did so the female prisoner presented a re-
volver, and young Meller then rushed back again
into the office, where he was before, and attempted
to fasten the door. Nobody, however, followed him.
Throwing up the window, he gave an alarm, and
in a short time, hearing a report of fire-arms on the
staircase, he again came out of the office, and found
his father lying upon the landing of the first floor
—(the attack had taken place on the second floor)
—in a state of insensibility, In the meantime it
appeared that Mr. Leatherbrow, from his office be-
low, had heard the noise as of some person falling,
and came out to see what was the matter. Observ-
ing Mr. Meller lying upon the landing he called to
Hooley, one of his servants, who came and raised
the deceased's head. While Hooley was in this at-
titude, with his wrist near Mr. Meller's head, the
male prisoner was observed to come from behind and
fire a revolver, which wounded Hooley either in
the wrist or on the knee. Hooley then let Meller
fall down, and he himself staggered away, propping
himself against the wall. As he was thus proceed-
ing it would be shown by the evidence that both the
prisoners very composedly and coolly recommended
him to the Infirmary and seek medical assistance.
Now about this time a person named Pankhurst,
who was passing, entered the building and found
Hooky and Leatherbrow and the male prisoner
standing a step or two above them on the stairs.
About the same moment, or immediately after-
wards, William Meller rushed down the stairs,
and was proceeding to his father, when a pistol was
levelled at him by the prisoner. Pankhurst put
up his hand and said, " Good God, what would you
do ?" and young Meller ran behind some of the per-
sons present. The prisoner said, "He has ruined
me and my children." Pankhurst put his hand to
Meller after the shot, and found that the pulse,
which was throbbing before, had ceased. Meller
was removed at once in a coach to the Infirmary,
and it then appeared that he had received no fewer
than 11 stabs in different parts of the body, and
that there was also a wound which might have
been received by falling, making 12 in all. Of the
11 stabs, one had penetrated the heart, another had
taken effect about the chest, and the others were of
such a kind as to be immediately fatal. When the
police arrived the female prisoner was walking
about on the ground floor, and the male prisoner
still held the revolver in his hand. About the time
of his arrest the prisoner exclaimed of his own ac-
cord, "Thank God, my work's done !" and on
another occasion that " Mr. Meller had murdered
his children." Upon the prisoner were also found
a bullet and mould, a powder-flask, some percus-
sion caps, and a sheet of paper, such as is frequently
used for knives, and behind a sideboard on the
landing where the attack on Mr. Meller had taken
place was found a knife which seemed intended to
fit that sheath. The knife was wet and bloody.
Mr. Monk said he should further prove that the
woman who was employed to clean the pre-
mises was there some half hour previously,
and that no knife was there then. It
would also be proved that on the previous
day the prisoner purchased a revolver and
bullet-mould, the same as those found upon him,
from a Mr. Jones. The revolver was anold-fashioned
one of six chambers, in which the whole of the bar-
rels, and not merely the chambers, revolved. One
of the barrels was found to be discharged, and the
other five were loaded. When taken to the police-
office the prisoner took from some part of his per-
son three keys, and said, That opens such and such
a bedroom, and if you will go there you will find
something. The officers, when they went to the
house, found it in a state of great disorder, the walls
and doors and chimney-pieces having been much
injured and disfigured. A stone slab had been re-
moved from one of the chimney-pieces, and laid
upon the floor, and upon that slab were placed the
heads of three children, who had ceased to live. The
children were washed and " laid out," each being
dressed in a clean man's shirt, and round the neck,
waist, and wrist of each being tied a piece of black
ribbon. Upon the breast of each child was pinned
a piece of paper with the following inscription :
" We are six, but one at Harpurhey lies; thither
our bodies take. Meller and Son are our cruel mur-
derers, but God ardour loving parents will avenge
us. Love rules here : we are all going to one sis-
ter to part no more." That writing was in the hand
of the male prisoner. On the other side of the paper
was written the name of each child. " Mary Hannah
Taylor, 12 years of age ; Hannah Maria Taylor, 8
years of age; William Robert Taylor, 5 years of
age," Upon the body of the younger child was an-
other piece of paper upon which was written, " Mel-
ler our sister slew through gross neglect.'' After
alluding to some minor points in connection with
Taylor's selling some clothes belonging to Taylor's
children and his wife, Mr. Monk came to consider
the question of motive. The prisoners were evi-
dently intensely imbued with a desire to revenge
the wrongs and injuries which they believed they
had sustained at Mr. Meller's hands. They were
unprepared at Christmas, 1861, to pay the rent
which was due for the premises in Britannia-build-
ings, and they were threatened with a distress.
But still the rent was not paid, nor was it paid
until after an occurrence of a very painful kind,
which he (the learned counsel) would now detail.
On the Sunday before the 24th January an explo-
sion of a water boiler took place upon the premises,
which caused the death of one of Taylor's children.
Before the explosion Taylor had complained to Mr.
Meller of the leakage in the pipes, and Meller gave
instructions for the usual repairs, but the prisoner
attributed the explosion to the negligence of Mr.
Meller, though the latter said it was Taylor's own
fault, and he therefore refused to give the prisoner
compensation. Another grievance which the pri-
soner nourished against Meller was connected with
a dispute as to the value and removal of some fix-
tures. There were also two other sources of com-
plaint. On the 3d February, a distress was put into
the prisoner's premises, and the goods were taken
away. There was little to seize, and the goods did
not realise the amount of the rent, but the prisoner
was not considered by Meller an eligible tenant, and
another distress was instituted. It was intimated,
however, to the prisoner, that if he would leave the
place, he might take anything that belonged to him.
All these circumstances seemed to have excited a
very angry feeling towards Meller in Taylor's mind,
and to this feeling the acts of violence which had
been detailed were attributed by the prosecution.
Dwelling upon the points which associated the
female prisoner with the crime, the learned counsel
said it would be for the jury to say whether the
appearance which the children presented indicated
rather the care and attention of a female than a
male hand.
Mr. Wm. Galloway Meller, the son of the de-
ceased, was then examined, and corroborated the
statement of the learned counsel in its principal
point.
Mr. Joseph Peacock Letherbrow, wine merchant;
Hoole, the cellarman ; Mr. Henry Pankhurst, auc-
tioneer; Mr. W. Heath, house surgeon at the AO5lll

Infirmary, and some other witnesses having also
been examined, the case for the Crown was com-
pleted.
Mr. Pope addressed the jury on behalf of the male
prisoner, and at great length contended that he was
not conscious at the time of his committing the act
imputed to him of its awful hature.

Mr. Overend, Q.O ,On behalf of the female pri-
soner, made an earnest and eloquent appeal to the
jury to say that his client had gone to the place
without knowledge of her husband's intention, and
had not been a participator in his acts.
The learned Judge having summed up the evidence
with great minuteness,
The Jury retired, and after a brief absence re-
turned into court. The court had become so crowded
that they could with difficulty force their way to
their seats, and intense suspense was depicted upon
the faces of all the spectators in court.

The Jury found the female prisoner Not Guilty,
but the male prisoner was found Guilty of murder.
He did not appear in the least discomposed.
The learned Judge then assumed the black cap,
and passed sentence in the following terms :—Pri-
soner at the bar, the jury have found you guilty of
this most barbarous murder. Acting under a sense
of supposed injury, you have wreaked your ven-
geance upon a man who was only the innocent in-
strument, and not in any way the cause of your trou-
ble. You must have been aware, when you took
that man's life, that you did so at the forfeit of your
own. I have no desire to enlarge upon the enormity
and the wickedness of such an act. You stand there
an example to those who see you of the vehemence
of bad passions nurtured and fostered till they have
impelled you to this most bloody deed. May your
sentence be a warning to others. Let me entreat
you to apply your remaining hours to make your
peace with Heaven, for assuredly you have much to
do. The learned Judge then completed the sentence
in the usual form, and the prisoner was removed.

THE BRITISH COLUMBIA OVERLAND

TRANSIT COMPANY.

Mr. James Henson, the secretary to the British
Columbia Overland Transit Company, appeared
yesterday in discharge of his recognisances before
Alderman Finnis, at the Guildhall, to answer the
charge of obtaining a sum of £42 under false pre-
tences, with intent tQ cheat and defraud Wm. Hy.
Isaac Collin gwood.
Mr. H. Harris, of Moorgate-street, conducted the
prosecution on behalf of the unfortunate emigrants.
Mr. Pearce, instructed by Mr. Ellis, appeared for
the defence.

Mr. F. H. Lewis attended for Col. Sleigh.
Mr. Whitehouse for the Hon. F. H. F. Berke-
ley, M.P.
Mr. Mardon for Mr. H. L. Hime, the agent in
Canada for this company, and
Mr. Collette (Prichard and Collette, the solicitors
for this company), for a director named H. Edge-
cumbe Nicholls, who it was stated did not deny his
responsibility.
In answer to a letter from the latter firm, ad-
dressed to one of the newspapers, denying having
appeared for the defence, our reporter begs to state
that Mr. Collette not only instructed Mr. Philbrick
throughout the inquiry on the last occasion, but
held consultations with the defendant, communi-
cated the results to counsel, suggested questions in
cross-examination, and at one time during the in-
quiry took his seat by the side of Mr. Philbrick on
the bench, according to the usual practice with at-
torneys instructing counsel on important matters.
Mr. Lewis said Col. Sleigh's name had been men-
tioned on the last occasion as that of the gentleman
who had received the whole of the funds of the
company, and it was therefore due to him that he
should be allowed to give an explanation.
Alderman Finnis said Col. Sleigh was not before
the Court at present, and he therefore thought that
any explanation which might be necessary would
come better at the conclusion of the case.
Mr. Pearce said there was no doubt that an of-
fence had been committed, and, as the alderman
had very properly stated, it was his province to find
out and punish the offender. It was also the duty
of the defendant to assist that object, both for his
own sake and the ends of justice. The defendant
was merely a salaried clerk, and although he could
not call Col. Sleigh to prove his engagement as
such, he was in a position to prove that the defen-
dant was only a clerk, that he received a salary of
£2 per week in that capacity, and that his duties
were confined to the ordinary routine of an office
such as the one in question. He would prove that
the offices were taken by Col. Sleigh, and in his
name; and although that person did not in any
way appear in the company's prospectus, he would
show that every farthing of the money received
from the gentlemen complaining was paid over to
Col. Sleigh, and that the whole scheme was, from
first to last, Col. Sleigh's own speculation. He
would even prove that, on the closing of the com-
pany's offices, an intimate friend of Col. Sleigh's
removed the books of the company; and, on the
same day a bank in the Haymarket, another of the
colonel's speculations, was shut up, and his private
residence at St. John's-wood deserted. He would
also trace the books into the possession of Colonel
Sleigh, and he submitted, if he proved these facts,
and showed that the only delinquent was Colonel
Sleigh, that there would be an end of the charge
against his client, who had filled a respectable posi-
tion in the employ of a railway company for 9 years
prior to his unfortunate connexion with Col. Sleigh.
Alderman Finnis said it was quite clear that Col.
Sleigh could not have carried out this fraud by him-
self. The defendant was in the office to answer in-
quiries, and must therefore have seen the letters
complaining of the fraudulent use of gentlemen's
names as directors, and consequently must have
been aware of the fraud that was being perpetrated.
Those letters were addressed to the secretary, who
appeared to have replied to them all by stating that
other gentlemen had been elected as directors in
their places, and it was therefore important that
Colonel Sleigh should be called, in order to relieve
the defendant from the criminal charge.
Mr. Pearce said every exertion had been made
by the defendant and others to find Colonel Sleigh.
Mr. Harris said the only intelligence he could
offer was that the colonel's bank in the Haymarket
stopped on the day following the hearing of this
case last week.

Alderman Finnis said that perhaps was a fortu-
nate circumstance for many persons. At all events
if the evidence offered by Mr. Pearce was forth-
coming, he would direct proceedings to issue to
bring Colonel Sleigh before him.
Mr. Harris said he had some further evidence,
and called

Richard Spyer, a clerk in the Joint• Stock Com-
panies Registration Office, who said he had
searched the registry, and ascertained that the
British Columbia Overland Transit Company had
never been registered either with or without the
word " limited," or the word " company." It had
not been registered in any shape.
Wm. Gypson, a clerk in the Bank of London
(described as one of the bankers of the company),
said that no account had been opened at that bank
in the name of the British Columbia Overland
Transit Company. Their bank was mentioned in
the prospectus, but the manager gave directions
not to receive their account. An amount was offered
in the company's name, but the party was referred
to Robarts, Lubbock, and Co.
Edmund Champion, clerk to Robarts, Lubbock,
and Co., said there was an entry in their books of
the name of the British Columbia Overland Transit
Company, but without the word "limited." A sum
of £2 was paid in by applicant for shares, but the
account was never opened. They had no resolution
of the company with regard to the account upon
which to act.

Alderman Finnis said he must have the name of
the person who was to draw the cheques.
Mr. Harris said he had been assured by Sir J.
Lubbock that no arrangements had been made for
drawing cheques on the part of the British Co-
lumbia Overland Transit Company,

The witness here left the coureto make inquiry
at the bank, and upon his return said a gentleman
called in the first instance to ask the firm if they
would take the account, at the same time showing
a list of directors. Mr. Ellis said he would take
the account on the strength of those names, and
the gentleman went away, bnt it was expected that
some of the directors would have called and signed
the signature-book, without which the account
could not be opened nor any money be drawn out.
No one called for that purpose, consequently the
account was never properly opened and the £2 had
never been drawn out.

Mr. James Hayward said, in consequence of an
advertisement he saw in the papers with regard to
the British Columbia Overland Transit Company,
in April last, he wrote to the company and received
a letter from Colonel Sleigh in reply.
Alderman Finnis asked what business witness
was.

Witness—He Was what was called " through
agent" for the company. He went out with the
passengers and had since returned. The following
was the letter he received from Colonel Sleigh :
"British Columbia Overland Transit Company,
6, Copthall-court, Throgmorton-street,
" The manager will be happy to sea Mr. Hayward with
reference to his application of the 12th inst., if he calls at
the office between twelve and one to-morrow, Tuesday.
"May 19."

Mr.-Harris remarked that Colonel Sleigh's name
was not to the letter, and asked witness if he went
to the office in consequence of that letter.
Mr. Pearce said he would not take any objection
to the course pursued by Mr. Harris, as he was
most anxious, on behalf of his client and furtherance
of the ends of justice, to elicit the fullest investiga-
tion possible.
Alderman Fjnnis paid that Wes the only proper

mode of conducting an inquiry of this kind for the
benefit of all parties.
Witness—He afterwards went to the office and
saw Colonel Sleigh; he saw him several times, but
always alone. He also saw the defendant busily
engaged with three or four clerks in the other
office. His interviews with Colonel Sleigh resulted
in his receiving an appointment from the company
to accompany the expedition to British Columbia,
at a salary of £lO a month, and one dollar per day
for provisions on arrival at Montreal. That ap-
pointment was signed by defendant as secretary of
the company.
Mr. Pearce said the letter of appointment com-
menced with the words, "I am instructed." Wit-
ness received four receipts in blank for passage
money from Colonel Sleigh on the 29th of May, and
on the same day he received written instructions
from the defendant ae to the proposed route and his
conduct on the journey, in providing for the con-
veyance and comfort of the passengers, and conclud-
ing with a strict injunction to draw £5 extra from
a passenger who had paid for a second-class and re-
ceived by mistake a first -class berth, and not under
any circumstances to show his written instructions
to any of the passengers. Two passengers joined
the party at Quebec, and witness filled up two of the
blank receipts, and gave them for two sums of £26
each. Col. Sleigh told him he would draw out instruc-
tions in writing for him, and when he received them
he believed they were bona fide, and that he would
be supplied with the means to carry them out.
When he arrived at Quebec he placed himself in
communication with Major Shrapnel, the barrack-
master. He telegraphed to him from Quebec.
Mr. Pearce submitted this could not have any
bearing upon the charge.
Alderman Finnis said he thought the court was
bound to hear anything in connexion with witness's
instructions received from the defendant.

Witness—Major Shrapnel advised him to tele-
graph to Mr. Hime, the company's agent at St.
Paul's, stating the number of passengers and the
weight of provisions, and he did so, as well as from
Montreal and Detroit, until they got to St. Paul's,
where they met Mr. Hime, who introduced witness
to Messrs. Burbank and Co., the proprietors of the
North-Western Express and Minnesota Stage Com-
pany. Mr. Hime asked him how much money he
had, as he had made all the arrangements for the
purpose of paying the fare to Fort Garry. Witness
told him he had none, and said he hoped Mr. Hime
had plenty, but that gentleman said he had none,
although he had been expecting remittances for the
last six weeks. Witness then applied to Burbank and
Co. to take the passengers on to Fort Garry and Red
River, and offer ed them drafts on the company. (The
witness here produced a letter from Burbank and
Co., acknowledging that Mr_ Hime and Mr. Hayward
had done all in their power to forward the passen-
gers by Burbank's expresses to Fort Garry, Red
River settlement, and had failed only for want of the
funds which were to have been remitted for that
purpose by the company. Burbank and Co. refused
to accept drafts either on Major Shrapnel or the
company.

Alderman Finnis said in Burbank's letter the
company was termed the " Transportation Com-
pany," a much more appropriate title under all the
circumstances.
Witness said if he had received sufficient funds he
could have taken the passengers on, but he would
not attempt to take them across the Rocky Moun-
tains without a proper supply of provisions and
conveyance. Major Shrapnel advised him to draw
on him at 60 days' sight, but he told him no one
would take the drafts. Witness then came back to
England to see where the hitch was, and found the
office in Copthall-court closed. He then tried to
see Colonel Sleigh, at the West•end Bank, and
there get his address. He found the bank closed.
That was on the day after the first hearing of this
case.

Mr. Lewis said he had no locus standi he was
aware, but it was not evidence that the witness
was deposing to. . _

Alderman Finnis said that Colonel Sleigh was
not here, and if Mr. Pearce did not object he would
not hear any objection from any other quarter.
Mr. Harris here produced the cheque paid by
Mr. Collingwood for his passage, and said he had
traced it to Colonel Sleigh's Haymarket Bank, in-
stead of the company's offices.
Alderman Finnis said that was important, es it
would tend to show in what manner the money re-
ceived from these unfortunate passengers was dis-
posed of.
Witness cross-examined—He saw Mr. Henson
and Mr. Walker (both present) at the company's
offices, but he always asked to see the manager.
He considered Colonel Sleigh as such. He treated
with no one else.

Re-examined—He received only £lO as board
money from Colonel Sleigh. He had not received
any of his salary. There was about £25 due to him
for money out of pocket, independent of wages.
When he returned he went to St. John's-wood, and
found Colonel Sleigh's house and furniture had been
sold off.

Mr. W. S. Simonds, a clerk in the office of the
Times newspaper, produced an advertisement of
the prospectus of the British Columbia Overland
Transit Company, which appeared on the sth
of April last, and the original of a letter signed
by the defendant, which appeared in the Times
of the 23d of May last, to the following effect, as
far as it refers to the present inquiry :
" Sir,—l have just read with considerable surprise, and
I may add with indignation, a letter under the sobriquet of
' Canada West,' containing a tissue of errors so manifest
that I claim your invariable desire to show fair play by the
early insertion of the following statement relating to this
route, and the operations of the company referred to. . .
As to the time occupied by such a journey Canada West'
proves at the very outset that his calculations are based
upon thorough ignorance. . . . His other calculations
are equally erroneous. As to going through the ' passes'
with waggons, no one ever suggested such an idea. Our
passengers will go on pack horses, through the Rocky Moun. .
tains into British Columbia. . , In conclusion, we are
only doing by co-operative agency that which hundreds of
persons have done by individual enterprise, viz., we have
organised a passenger traffic along a route well understood,
and which presents no difficulties except those conjured up
in the minds of such disinterested individuals as CANADA
WEST.—I am, sir, your obedient servant,
" JAMES HENSON, Secretary,
"British Columbia Overland Transit Co.'s Offices,
6, Copthall-court, Throgmorton-street, E.C."

Mr. Pearce admitted that the signature to the
letter produced was in defendant's handwriting.
The body of the letter was written by a clerk named
Walker,a son of one of tne directors.

Mr. Martin, chief clerk, inquired if there were
any receipts for money paid after 23d May.
Mr. Harris said there were. There was one for
£42, paid by John Martin on the 26th ; one for £42,
paid by Thompson on the 27th ; one for £42, paid
by Goddard on the 26th ; several on the 23d May,
and one on the 29th for £42, paid by Benjamin
Moore. That was about the last payment made, ex-
cept the money paid by two of the passengers to
Hayward, at Quebec. He was not prepared with
any further evidence at present. If the defendant
had acted bona fide, it was for the directors to come
forward and relieve him from his responsibility.
Mr. Pearce said the specific charge against the
defendant was for obtaining money under false pre-
tences, and consequently anything in the shape of
letters in the limes, or remarks in the money article
of that journal, could not be received as evidence of
a false pretence said to have been already commit
ted. He had addressed the court at the opening of
the examination, and was now prepared to call his
witnesses.

Alderman Finnis said since this case had been
opened another name had been brought under the
notice of the Court, and he therefore thought he
should now ask Mr. Harris what course he proposed
adopting. It was clear that several others were
mixed up in these matters, and as it was equally
clear that a gross fraud had been committed, he
thought it his duty to suggest an adjournment at
the present stage, in order to afford an opportunity
of getting hold of Col. Sleigh.
Mr. Harris said perhaps Mr. Lewis would under-
take to produce Col. Sleigh. (Derisive laughter.)
Mr. Lewis said he was prepared to show by many
ways that neither Mr. Henson nor Col. Sleigh were
responsible, in a criminal sense, in this matter. The
civil liability of Col. Sleigh he was ready to admit ;
but no indictment for false pretences would lie
against them upon a contract partly carried out.
Aluerman Finnis took a contrary view. He said
there was evidence of the false pretence in the ad-
vertisement of the names of gentlemen as directors
without their consent. The parties who had been
defrauded were, many of them, now many thousands
of miles away from their homes without the means
of returning, and it was therefore his duty as a ma-
gistrate to give those persons all the assistance in his
power.. It would, however, simplify the matter if
Mr. Lewis would produce his client, Col. Sleigh.
Mr. Pearce said notwithstanding what Mr. Lewis
had stated he would prove all he had alleged, and
that the whole of the money paid by the passengers
was handed over to Col. Sleigh, and that not one
farthing went into Henson's pocket.
Mr. Harris said there were half a dozen of the
passengers present who would tell the Courttnhnatecif:
they had heard the name of Col- Sleigh in eo
tion with this company they never would have
parted with a penny.
obtained Mr. Pesaur
ec eh suani du iftehvei
ashTe calln ed o
notoriety
r et ly. Si lt e iwasgla had
not
to be wondered at that hee. shlotulwdahs akvenobweenn
wheredesi r -
oua of concealing his nam
Col. Sleigh was, but hewas.for beyondthepresentread
to
otuhlde
proveheque
r
the jurisdiction of the English law. With regard
to the West-end Bank, he
thatced bank was Col. Sleigh's specu-
lation,w cthpartodu
and the endorsement in his own handwriting.
Alderman FinniM said it appeared that some of
the directors of the British. Columbia Overland
Transit Company were also directors of the West. 1

end Bank, which Mr. Harris had denominated a
swindle, and he likewise observed that Messrs.
Prichard and Collette were the solicitors to both
undertakings. The whole question at present before
the Court was, whether the defendant Henson had
lent himself to this fraud. It was not a question
of one £42, but of 31 £42, and where the money
had gone to. The evidence certainly was that the
defendant had been in league with Colonel Sleigh,
to the extent of aiding and assisting him in obtain-
ing the money from these parties. The secretary
was put forward as James Henson, Esq., to make a
show, and it now transpired that the secretary was
a clerk at £2 per week. If the defendant was
merely the dupe of Colonel Sleigh, he could give
very valuable information with regard to the pro-
ceedings of this company, and so assist the unfor-
tunate persons who had been defrauded, and clear
himself from the criminal charge.
Mr. Martin said the charge might assume the
form of that of conspiracy to defraud.
Alderman Finnis said that was precisely his view
of the case, for which reason he suggested a remand.
In the meantime he should like to know how many
of these parties were out in Canada, and what state
they were in.

Mr. Harris said about twenty of them had been
dispersed, and others were not able to get away.
Scme who had money helped to keep others, and
some who went out as gentlemen have gone to
work in the lead mines as labourers.
Alderman Finnis said, under such circumstances,
the attention of GovernmPnt should be drawn to
those parties and the hardships they were enduring.
Mr. Collingwood said he had applied to the
Colonial Office, and been told it was no business of
theirs.

Alderman Finnis said, then, as a magistrate, he
would make it his duty to communicate with the
Secretary of State on the subject, in order that
something might be done to meet the necessities of
the parties and mitigate their distress, as their
nosition in such a country would be one of ex-
tremity when the winter closed in.
Mr. Harris said these unfortunate people were
camped out in a wild district, and that appeared to
have been part of the scheme, for they were carried
safely through the civilised and inhabited portion
of the route, and abandoned as soon as they entered
upon the wild part of the country.
Alderman Finnis said as soon as Mr. Harris could
ascertain the exact state of the parties left behind,
a proper representation of the facts should be for-
warded to the Secretary of State.

The case was then adjourned, and the defendant
admitted to bail in his own recognisanees in £lOO,
as before.

COUNTRY MAREL2S.

~,,

MANCHESTER—Aua. 21.

A fair attendance to-day. A few samples of new Eng-
lish wheat were exhibited, condition and quality irregular,
and most part of it remained unsold at the close. Foreign
in moderate demand, at ld to 2d per cental dearer. Fresh
made flour Ccl per sack higher, and inferior sorts neglected,
but held for former prices. Oats and oatmeal brought ex-
treme rates. Indian corn was the turn in favour of sellers.
Beans maintained the currencies of this day week.