The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-30 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 30, 1854

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—.Dec. 29.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Be,jamin Hooper Spie.' for-
merly a clerk in Spooner and Attwood's banking-house,
was brought in the custody of Bratt, the detective otti-
cer, before Alderman Wilson, charged with having
forged a cheque for the eum of 3701. upon that estab-
lishment.

Ali% Millions, of the firm of Buah and Mullens, solici-
tors to the Committee of Bankers for Protection against
Forgeries and Frauds, attended for the prosecution ;
Mr. Crawford, from the offices of Mr. Wontner, for
the defence.

Mr. Muliens said the case presented features of a pecu-
culiar character, as the offence had been committed with
so much adroitness and carried out with so much inge-
nuity, that he felt at first some doubt as to the mode
in which he should place the evidence before the
alderman, the fact being that the cheque which was
the subject of the forgery, was not forthcoming. It
was in his power, however, to prove beyond the pos-
sibility of dispute that the proceeds of the forgery,
if suck he might be allowed to called the offence
which had been committed, found their way within an
hour from the time the money was paid over the counter
into the hands of the prisoner. In order to obviate the
legal difficulty which thus presented itself, he had given
to the prisoner a notice to produce the cheque, and he
proposed, in case that document should not be pro-
duced, to give secondary evidence of the contents of the
cheque and secondary evidence of the forgery.
Mr. F. Dansey, clerk to Messrs Spooner and Att-
wood, of Gracechurch-street, bankers, said Messrs.
Stevens and Co., of the Southwark-bridge-road, keeps
an account at our house. On Monday, the 18th inst.,
a sealed note was brought to the counter with tke pass-
book of Messrs. Stevens and Son. A clerk took that
note into the counting-house, and brought back an
order for a cheque-book, signed Stevens and Son,
and I delivered to the person who brought them a
cheque-book containing 200 cheques, numbered from
3,950 to 4,150, both inclusive. On the same afternoon
between three and four o'clock, a person brought to me a
cheque, and I delivered to that person three Bank of
England notes, one for 3001., numbered 34,669, dated
12th January; one for 501., No. 27,274, 9th May ; and
one for 201., No. 12,595, Bth August. I put the cheque
on the usual file. When I delivered the cheque-book I
noticed the signature to the note and considered that it
was correct, and that induced me to deliver the cheque-
book. I know the prisoner. He was about two years
a clerk in the same house, and he left their service a
few weeks since. lam acquainted with his handwrit-
ing, and having now examined this note (the note re-
questing the new cheque-book), I do not hesitate to say
that I believe it to be in his handwriting. The note was
as follows :—" 18th Dec., Messrs. Spooner, and Co.,
Please send per bearer a new cheque-book, and oblige
yours, Stevens and Son." From a circumstance which
occurred, viz., from a doubt I had as to the genuineness
of the signature, I referred to the register, and found
that the number en the cheques corresponded with one
of the numbers of the cheque I had given out in the
morning.

George Dixon, ticket porter, of Wentworth-street,
Spitalfields, said—My stand is at the Rose and Crown,
iu Old Broad-street, where I have been upwards of 40
years. In the afternoon of Monday, the 18th, a gentle-
man came to me at ray stand at 20 minutes to half-past
3 o'clock. It was the prisoner. H• said, "Porter, I
know your face a long time—l've a job for you, to go
to the bank and bring me 370 sovereigns." He put three
bank notes into my hand and said they were for 3701. I
can't say whether the notes produced are the same notes.
I borrowed a bag of Mr. Stevens, the landlord of the
Rose and Crown, and went to tee Bank of Eng-
land. The gentleman said he would be back in the
course of a quarter of an hour. I gave to a gentleman
in the Bank of England the same bank-notes the pri-
soner had given me. The gentleman in the Bank asked
me some questions, and then gave me the 370 sove-
reigns, and I put them into the bag I had borrowed of
Mr. Stevens. I took the bag and the money back to
the Rese and Crown, and stood outside with it in my
hands, and in about 20 minutes the prisoner came up
and said, " Porter, have you got them ?" I said " Yes."
He said " Come in doors," and we went into the Rose
and Crown to the bar, and I put the bag down on the
ledge of the bar. Mr. Stevens, the landlord, was there
at the time. The prisoner paid me half-a-crown, and I
left him with the landlord. On that day the prisoner had
on a shining coat and a pair of leather leggings like these
produced by the officer.

The prisoner was, after a ♦ery long investigation,
ordered to be brought up again on Friday next.

LAMBETH. Wm. Gerrard, a ruffianly-looking
fellow, was charged with violently assaulting his wife
and son, a boy upwards of 14 years of age.
Mary Gerrard, the wife, said she had been married to
the prisoner for 27 years, and during the greater part
of that time his conduct had been exceedingly harsh an l
cruel towards her. He frequently struck her, so that
her life had been a perfect burde❑ to her. He had been
pretty steady for a short time before Christmas, but on
boxing-day he got drunk, and since that time he had
been very ♦iolent to her and his childreu. On that
morning he struck his son and knocked him down, and
on her begging of him to desist, he knocked her down
also, and kicked her violently while on the ground.
The prisoner's son, a boy of 14 years of age, one of
whose eyes was very black and very much swollen, said
that the injury was inflicted by his father, and added
that he wail continually beating his mother and chil-
dren.
Amos Tagg, 216 P, said—That on the night before he
saw the prisoner's wife, and she then VA preSSea a dread
that her husband would beat her, and that she had
walked about the streets all Tuesday night rather than
face his violence. lie took her home, and the prisoner
at that time promised him he should not iiluse her, but
said at the same time he should throw his children into
the canal on the following morning. The wife re-
mained on his promise not to illuse her, but on five
o'clock the following (that) morning, he (witness) heard
a loud noise, and, on going to the house, found him beat-
ing her and his son.
..._

The wife was recalled, and admitted that she had
walked the street on Tuesday night to avoid her hus-
band's brutality.
Mr. Norton animadverted on the pri3oner's brutality,
and sentenced him to 4 months' bard labour.

THAMES.—Johann Roswall, Otto Nordstrom, and
Carl Talgren, Russian Findlanders, were charged sith
being prisoners of war unlawfully at large, without the
sanction of her Majesty's Government.
The prisoners had been liberated, with ten others, on
the express condition of joining the ship Star of the East
(bound to Aden and China) as part of the crew. Their
wages were to be 30s. a month. They were all taken on
board on the 21st, but, up to Sunday night, nine out
of the thirteen had deserted. The police apprehended
the three prisoners above-named yesterday, in the
Sailors' Home, Well-street, as they were about to
enter into articles to proceed on a foreign voyage in
another British ship, at 3/. 10s. a month.
Mr. Yardley ordered them to be delivered over to
Superintendent Evans, for conveyance on board H.M.S.
Crocodile, now lying off the .Tower.

tIAMMERSINIITH. A middle-aged woman named
Hardy, the wife of an extensive pig dealer in the pot-
teriea, Notting Dale, attended before Mr. Beadon, the
sitting Magititrate, for his advice under the following
circu twstanues

Die applicant stated that her husband was a Latter-
day-Saint, and he had lately come to tae determination
of joining the INiorinonites in the Salt Valley, and
leaving her and his family behind. He was now telling
off everything Oa?.. he possess-_ 7 0. nd I.; • 7 • • -
-
bark almost immediately. !ch,)vr
could not prevent hint ft. Sa•'. alley
and leaving her without a home !
Mr. Beadon said her husband had a perfect good right
to go where he thought proper, and she could not pre-
vent him going. _

The applicant said when her husband went away she
would be left without a home, and he had threatened to
leave his children in the street. lie had told her be was
tired of being tied to one wife.
Mr. Beadon was unable to assist her, nor could he in-
terfere until he had deserted or neglected to maintain
her, and only then upon the interference of the parish
officers.

Mr. Andrew, the chief usher, informed his worship
that Hards was an elder of the Latter-day Saints at
Notting-hill, and had been at that court several times.
Mr. Beadon recollected the parties, for the " elder "
had been charged before him for assaulting his wife on
two er three occasions.

The applicant was then directed to acquaint Mr. Mad-
den, the relieving officer of Kensington, in order that he
might assist her as soon as the law allowed him.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

CUSTOM HOUSE, DEC. 29.
ENTERED INWARDS.—The New Blossom, from Gijon ;
William Allen, Surinam ; Pearce, Shediac ; Pallas, St.
Malo ; Mary Elizabeth, Terceira ; Union, Cadis ; Walde-
mar, Tarragona ; Stratford, Mauritius ; Burgesmaster
Bauer, Rostock ; Cruizer, Mauritius ; Brilliant, United
States ; Constantine, Calcutta ; Agra, Gottenbnrgh ; Ca-
roline Susanne, Dantzic • Canning, Moulmein ; Dura, Me-
mel ; Staines Castle, Bahia ; Euphemia Fullarton, Stettin;
Danneborg, Odense ; Adolpk, Odense ; Sylph, Port Eliza-
beth ; Perseverance, Leer ; Thomas Royden, Calcutta.
ENTERED OUTWARDS.—The Tamerlane, for Rouen ;
Emily Mogadore ; Union, Gibraltar and Cadiz ; Judex,
Hobart Town ; John Banks, Port Adelaide ; Portland,
Calcutta ; Stratford, Mauritius ; Star of the East, Aden
and Ceylon ; Sea King, Geelong ; Basilia, Bilboa ; Martha,
Dunkirk; Stornoway, Calcutta ; Jenny, Amsterdam.

,
CLEARED OUT WITH CARGO.—The Jersey, for Bathurst,
Rio Grande ; Mary Eleanor, Constantinople ; Codrington,
Antigua; Hampshire, Madras and Calcutta; Charles,
Brussels.

VESSELS SPOKEN WITH.

The Joachim, Cadiz to Calcutta, 42 days out, 33 S.,
long. 6 W.
The Crown, Liverpool to Calcutta, Oct. 13, la:. 38 S.,
long. 84 E.
The Ormelia, Calcutta to London, Sept. 29, lat. 1 N.,
long. 93 E.
The Royal Henry, London to Calcutta, July 3.
The City of St. Petersburgh, for Ceylon.
The Hannah Salkeld, Liverpool to Calcutta, Nov. 14,
lat. 3 N., long. 21 W.
The Reward, Nov. 15, lat. N., long 22 W.
Tho Mary Clarke Arracan to Singapore, lat. 5 N, long.
91 E.

INCREASED CONSUMPTION OF TEA.—A Parliamentary
paper has been published, from which it appears that in
the ten months ended the sth November, 1852, the
quantity of tea entered for home consumption was
47,122,979 lbs. ; in 1853, 49,800,547 llss. ; and in the
present. year, 51,461,318 lbs. ; showing an increase of
upwards of a percent. -on 1852, and 3 per-cent. 01341453
. _