The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-07 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.— George Maidmort, a respec-
tably-dressed man, formerly carrying en the business of
a saddler in Gray's-inn-lane, and who was remanded on
Friday last (bail being taken for his appearance to-day)
on a charge of altering the amount on two property-tax
receipts, and thereby defrauding his late landlord, Mr.
Thomas, warehouseman, of 128, Cheapside, appeared
before Mr. Alderman Wire for further examination.
Mr. Bozon 'appeared for the prosecution. The pri-
soner was defended by Mr. Peddell.
The evidence adduced upon the last examination hav-
ing been read over,
Mr. T. W. Constantino said—l am collector of as-
sessed and income taxes for the district in which the pri-
soner formerly resided. The tw receipts produced bear
my signature, and I placed Cern in the bands of a
broker, the amount specified in each being lis. Those
figures have now been altered to 14e. each. I was pre-
sent at the time of the levy ; the prisoner was also pre-
sent and refused payment, upon which I directed my
broker to fill in a warrant, which I signed, leaving a
man in possession.
Mr. J. Pullen—l am a broker and appraiser at 22,
New North-street, Red Lion-square. I filled up the
warrant of distress, and left a man in possession at the
house of the defendant, with the two receipts produced,
which were then for Ils. each.
R. Dale, the broker's man, said he received the re-
ceipts from the last witness, and handed them to the
prisoner, on being paid by him 225., the two amounts
of the tax, and ss. 6d. expenses.
By Mr. Peddell—When I gave the prisoner the re-
ceipts he wished to know whether lie could recover the
expenses from Mr. Thomas. I told him that I could not
give him any positive answer upon that subject, but that
I would give him a receipt for the expenses upon the
back of the tax receipt, so that his landlord might see
that he had paid them.
Alderman Wire—Did you make nay suggestion to
him to alter the receipts ?
Witness—No ; he talked about summoning Mr.
Thomas for the amount of the property-tax, and wished
to know whether he could not recover the expenses as
well. I told him that I could not give him any answer
with respect to that matter.
Mr. W. Thomas, the prosecutor said—l am landlord
of the premises lately occupied by the defendant in
Gray's-inn-lane at 461. a year. On Friday last I called
upon the prisoner and asked him to explain how it was
that the receipts were each for 145., instead of lls. He
replied that he had paid the broker 285., being 14s. for
each receipt. He then became very abusive, and told
me that he had paid ss. 6d. in addition for expense", and
that unless I paid him back this sum he should summon
me for it. I then gave him into custody on the charge of
altering the figures in the receipts. I had some trouble
to get my rent of the prisoner, whom I was obliged to
sue for the amount he owed me for the last two mouths
he occupied my house.
Mr. Peddell said that his client bad instructed him to
state that he did not alter the figures with the intention
to defraud, but simply to get the expenses of the levy
back from his landlord, thinking it bard that he should
be saddled with it.
The prisoner, who said he should reserve his defence,
was then committed for trial to the Central Criminal
Court, bail being taken for his appearance there, himself
in 801., and two sureties in 401. each.

WESTMINSTER.—Isaac Hart, a Jew upwards of
GO years of age, living at 1, Horseshoe-place, Petticoat-
lane, was charged with feloniously receiving a large
quantity of silver plate valued at upwards of 7001., the
property of Sir Hyde Parker and General Eden.
Mr. Wontner, solicitor, on the part of the prosecution
explained the circumstances under which tho present
proceedings were taken. In April last Sir Hyde Par-
ker left his house, 73, Onslow-square, Brompton, which
was occupied during hie absence up to August by Ge-
neral Eden. In that month the General quitted it fur
the country, Henry Baker, his butler, in whom much
confidence was reposed, being left in charge of the plate
belonging to his master and hir Hyde Parker. In the
early part of the following month Baker abscondeLl,
when, upon an examination of the pantry, it was discs-
vered that the plate chests had been rifled of their va-
luable contents, for which bricks had been substituted.
When the robbery became known a man named Rick-
ets, formerly a servant in the General's establishment,
came forward, and having informed the police that he
had been invited to join Baker and Robert Crossley,
a beershep keeper in Bermondsey-street in the rob-
bery, gave such information as led to the apprehen-
sion of Baker and Crossley, rho were committed
from this court by Mr. Arnold, and subsequently con-
vieted at the Central Criminal Court, and sentenced to
transportation for 14 years. In consequence of a con-
fession since made by Robert Crossley, Hart was appre-
hended, and it would be seen by the witness he (Mr.
Wontner) was about to call what part the accused now
before the court had taken in the transaction.
Thomas Crossley sworn—l am the son of Robert
Crossley, now a prisoner under sentence of transportation
in Newgate. My father, who )Sept the Bricklayers Arms
beeshop in Bermondsey-street, was apprehended and
taken from there on the 25th of September last. I was
acquainted with a man named Baker, butler to General
Eden, who resided at Sir Hyde Parker's house, 73,
Onslow-square. On Saturday, the 9th of September, I
went by direction of my father to see Baker, at 73,
Onslow-squaro, between 7 and 8 o'clock in the
morning. I saw Baker there, who gaveme a rush basket,
with a quantity of plate in it. I took it to my
father's house and gave it to him, and he carried
it upstairs into the front bedroom. About 10 the
same morning the prisoner (Hart) came to our house
and saw my father. I was present in the upstairs room.
I saw the prisoner take the plate out of the basket and
weigh it. My father thought that a tankard which was
among it was gold, and said so, but prisoner replied it was
only silver gilt; he knew it, as such things were passing
through his hands every day. I was sent for a file to
try it with, and it turned out to be silver. The Plate
on that occasion weighed 201 b. I saw money paid
to my father for it. It was 401. to 501. It was paid by
the prisoner in gold. Prisoner then asked me to carry
the plate, which he replaced in the basket, and I did so.
I went with him to Weston-sheet, where a cab was '
waiting for him in the dark under a railway arch. Pri-
soner then took the basket of plate from me, got into
the cab, and &Ova away. The plate which the basket
contained that day was old-fashioned. In the evening
the prisoner came again to our house and brought the
basket back. On the next morning I went to Onslow-
square again, when Baker gave me the basket again full
of plate, and I took it to my father as before. I saw
the prisoner at about 1 o'clock on the same afternoon at
our house. I saw him handle the plate again and weigh
it as before. It was composed of silver dishes and
plate of a new pattern. He took a particular fancy
to some new tablespoons there were among it, and,
wrapping them in paper, put them into his pocket. I
saw him pay my father about the same amount as before
in gold. He took it out of a bag, just such a ono as
that now produced. He asked mo to go with him and
carry the plate away as before, and I took it to St.
Thomas street-east where a cab was again waiting. He
get into the cab with the plate. On the next morning
I received another parcel of plate from Baker, and the
same thing occurred as before. I took it to a public-
house, where a man who was waiting directed me to
put it down, and the prisoner, who was with me, having
given me something to drink, I went away. Baker
came to our house OR Wednesday, the 13th, and re-
mained there till discovered by the officers on the 25th.
He lodged with us in a back bed-room at the top of the
house. The day after my father and Baker were ap-
prehended prisoner came to our house and told me to
tell my father he was going to Birmingham for a fort-
night or three weeks.
Jonathan Whitcher, a detective police sergeant,
proved apprehending the prisoner on Sunday might in
Petticoat-lane. He told him that he apprehended him
en suspicion of feloniously receiving a large quantity of
plate, the property of Sir Hyde Parker and General
Eden, when he replied. that he knew nothing about it.
Witness found on him a canvas bag (the one before
spoken of) containing seven sovereigns.
Mr. Wontner having requested a remand in order to
'produce further testimony,
Mr. Broderip remanded the accused for a week.
Prisoner, who did not offer a word in defence, asked
for the 71. found upon him to be given up to his
Mr. Broderip refused, on the ground that it might
be part of the proceeds of the felony.