The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-11 00:00:00

Central Criminal Court having at the last examination
been accepted by the Lord Mayor, the accused, of course,
did not aypear.

Mr. H'obler made no objection to the proposition to
hear Mr. Johnson.

The witness—When I said I assayed the chain pro-
duced in court, I meant that I, with the assistance of
others in our house, assayed it. I did a part of the pro-
cess. I hesitated to sign my deposition because it read
as if I alone had assayed. What I wish to add is this—

I have, since that occasion, assayed the chain myself. I
received on Saturday the same chain from Scott the offi-
cer, in the presence of Mr. Thomas. I took two of the
ornamental links and two of the other links. The varia-
tion in the two kinds of links is slight as far as regards
the gold in them, within a shilling an ounce. The aver-
age result was 3 oz. 16 dwts. and 18 grs. of pure gold to
the troy pound. I found part of the alloy did consist of
silver, on the average of 2 oz. 11 dwts. and 12 grs. in the
troy pound. The other alloy consists of base metal, brass
or copper, of inappreciable value, 5 oz. 11 dwts. and
18 grs. in the troy pound.

BOW-STREET.—Edward Fitzgerald, who described
himself to the inspector as an attorney, and to the magis-
trate as an accountant and occasional attorney's clerk,
was charged before Mr. Hall with embezzling 201.
The prosecutor, Mr. R. M. Seyer, of 32, Castle-
street, Regent-street, stated that some time ago he was
induced to become security for a friend, an officer in the
army, but was afterwards informed that the debt had
been discharged, and that he was consequently released
from all responsibility in the matter. On the 24th of
December last, however, he was suddenly arrested for
this debt, and taken to a sponging-house in Cursitor-
street, where he was detained several hours, until he
could send for the amount. He drew a bill for 1401.,
which was accepted by Mr. Wyse, a friend, and then
intrusted it to the prisoner, who had been recommended
to him to get it discounted, by another friend, Mr.
Graham, a solicitor, of No. 8, Carlton-chambers, Regent-
street. On receiving the bill of exchange, Mr. Graham
gave the prisoner a cheque for 1201., upon which
the latter got it cashed immediately, and proceeded to
Cursitor-street, where he paid Mr. Seyer 1001, only of
the amount, representing that this was all the money
he had obtained of Mr. Graham upon the bill in
question. He (the prisoner) then demanded 21. 2s. for
his own services, which the prosecutor declined to pay ;
and, the same night, having purchased his liberty again,
he ascertained the fact that the prisoner had appropriated
201. of the money which had been obtained upon the bill.
The prisoner cross-examined Mr. Seyer with a degree
of vulgar impudence which called for a reprimand from
Mr. Hall for his "extremely audacious conduct ;" but
he did not deny the appropriation of the money. He
appeared to rely upon a clause in the Brokers' Act for
.his impunity, defying the court to punish him, in the
absence of a written agreement between Mr. Seyer and
himself, without which the offence amounted only to a
" breach of trust."

Mr. Graham produced the cheque for 1201., which he
handed to the prisoner, at the request of the prosecutor.
Mr. Hall, after taking a short time to consider his de-
cision, expressed his regret that he had no power to deal
with the case. It was not a larceny, nor an embezzle-
ment, because the prisoner was not a hired servant of the
prosecutor ; but it was a breach of trust, an offence to
be dealt with in the County Court. At the same time,
he (Mr. Hall) could not help expressing his disgust at
the character of the prisoner, and his extreme regret that
such a person should escape punishment.
The prisoner was then discharged.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—Edward Bragg, a
clerk of the Great Western Railway Company, was
charged with attempting to pawn a handsome volume of
Sir Walter Scott's works, the property of the directors
and others of the Great Western Railway Company.
John Walker, assistant to Mr. Dobree, pawnbroker,
Gilbert-street, stated that the prisoner offered the book
in pledge. Witness having noticed the initials G. W. R.,
on the cover, and that an erasure had been made on the
fly leaf, was induced to put some questions to him, which
not being answered in a satisfactory manner, witness
was induced to call in a police constable and to give him
into custody. The prisoner told him that the property
was his own, and he had plenty more volumes of the
same sort at home.
Arthur Carter said he was a clerk in the service of the
Great Western Company, and also librarian to the Lite-
rary Society of the Great Western Railway Company.
The prisoner was a member of the society, and paid a
yearly subscription for the privelege of having the
works. By the rules the directors were proprietors of
the library. The prisoner had received the book on
Saturday from the library, and he would have had to
return it within 21 days. The name and arms of the
company were on the book when delivered to the pri-
soner. They had since been effaced.

A professional person, who attended for the prisoner,
contended that the prisoner was a partner in the con-
cern, and that he had a property in the book.
Mr. Carter said the property of the books was vested
in the directors. No power was given to a servant to
pledge anything.
Superintendent Collard said a great number of dupli-
cates of coats was found in the prisoner's possession.
One of the duplicates related to a coat stolen from the
company's premises.
Mr. Hardwick decided upon remanding the prisoner
until Friday, to give time to the police to see if any more
of the duplicates related to stolen property.

ELECTION INTELLIGRNCE.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY.

OXFORD, MONDAT.—The supporters of Mr. Glad-
stone have increased his majority on the gross poll to
111. and on the day's poll, 24. The legal point relative
to the duration of the poll has not yet been settled.

ELEVEN O'CLOCK.

Gladstone
Perceval
Majority for Gladstone
QUARTER TO TWELVE O'CLOCK

602
507
.-95

Gladstone
Perceval
Majority for Gladstone ---104
QUARTER-PAST TWELVE O'CLOCK
Gladstone 631
Perceval 529
Majority for Gladstone -102
QUARTER-PAST ONE O'CLOCK.

Gladstone 637
Perceval 540
Majority for Gladstone ...-97
QUARTER-PAST TWO O'CLOCK.

Gladstone
652
Perceval 551
Majority for Gladstone ...... -101
HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK.
Gladstone 667
Perceval 562
Majority for Gladstone —lO5
HALF-PAST THREE O'CLOCK

.4 • •-•
Gladstone 682
Perceval 573
Majority for Gladstone —lO9
QUARTER TO FOUR O'CLOCK.
Gladstone 702
Perceval 591
Majority for Gladstone lll
QUARTER-PAST FOUR O'CLOCK.
Gladstone
Perceval 598
Majority for Gladstone —ll4
FIVE O'CLOCK.—CLOSE OF SIXTH DAY'S POLL.
Gladstone 721
Perceval 6lO
Majority for Gladstone 111
Total number polled, 1,331.

DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT TO DESTROY A VILLAGE BY
FlRE.—During the last week the quiet town of Olney,
near Newport Pagnel, has been in a state of alarm and
terror by repeated attrocious attempts to destroy the
place by fire. Nightly have premises been fired in
various parts, causing the destruction of numerous
houses, and in one instance a melancholy loss of human
life. The wretches commenced their fiendish work on
Christmas-eve, by, firing a barley stack on the extensive
homestead of Mr. R. Whitmore, adjoining the village,
with an intention of destroying the whole of that gen-
tleman's premises ; but the timely arrival of assistance
prevented the flames extending beyond the stack, which
was destroyed. The next night, at the same hour,
another farm, tenanted by Miss Rasan, adjacent to the
village, was fired, and considerable mischief occurred.
On New-year's-eve again the thrilling cry of fire
resounded through the streets, and a fearful one proved
to be raging in a large barn and other premises of Mr.
Joseph Palmer, situate in the centre of the village.
Here a shocking scene presented itself ; amidst the roar-
ing flames were to be seen nine fat bullocks chained to
the rack. To save them was impossible, and, after
writhing in agony for several minutes, they fell, and
were burned to death. A number of sheep and pigs
shared a similar fate, the whole of the premises
being consumed. The next
attempt was made to set'
fire night, Sunday, an
to the town, by thrust-
ing lighted lucifers and paper
.under the thatched
roof of the houses. It was fortunately very early discover-
ed, and suppressed ere any material damage was done.
This diabolical act led to much commotion. Watchers
were appointed to
.the
eey means .adopted to neighbouring farms and other
r
buildings in the place, and v
de-
tect the villains, but in vain, for on the following day
(last Tuesday) the centre of the town was fired, and the
destruction that followed was very extensive, and un-
happily caused the death of two parties who had cou-
rageously come forward to extinguiil the destructive
element. When discovered, the fire was raging on some
thatched buildings at the back of the houses in the main
street. It extended to the premises of Mr. Killing-
worth, watchmaker' and those of Mr. Saul, junior, Mr.
Saul, Miss Brooks Mr. John Field, Mr. John Lembrey,
the Duke of York Inn, and numerous cottages tenanted
by poor labouring families, nearly the whole of which
were destroyed. In consequence of several persons be-
ing missed, the ruins were searched, when human life
was found to have been sacrificed. Beneath were found
the remains of William Scott, a labourer of Mr. Palmer,
a farmer, and John Mason, a rat catcher, who seemed to
have been killed by the falling of a wall upon them.
Their bodies were conveyed to the parish church to
await a coroner's inquest. It was midnight before the
flames were got under. Up to the last accounts re-
ceived the perpetrators of these fiendish acts had not
been traced. It is said that the Home-office have been
communicated with on the subject, and several of the
Metropolitan detective officers have been ordered to aid
the local officers in promoting the capture of the guilty
parties.