The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-24 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.—Feb. 23.

(Before Mr. Sergeant Adams, Assistant-Judge.)

Frederick John Baselton surrendered to take his trial
on an indictment in which he was charged with having
obtained from the treasurer of the Haymarket Theatre
several sums of money, with intent to defraud Benjamin
Webster of the same.
Mr. Ballantine appeared for the prosecution ; Mr.
Parry for the defendant.
The learned counsel, in opening the case, said the
prosecutor was Mr. Webster, the lessee of the Haymar-
ket Theatre, and the defendant was engaged by that
gentleman as master carpenter at that establishment, he
having previously been a working carpenter. The
situation of the defendant was a very confidential one ;
as-he had the general, superintendence of all the carpen-
ters' work at the theatre, a great deal of money passed
through his hands. He had the engaging of the subor-
dinate carpenters, and the regulation of thir wages, and
he had to make out his account to the treasurer, who
paid it without inquiry, the greatest confidence being
reposed in him, and the utmost reliance placed in his
integrity. As was usual, the defendant at the close of
the last season left the theatre, under the impression that,
as formerly, he would return to his situation when the
theatre reopened,but from circumstances which came to the
knowledge of Mr. Webster in the interim, that gentle-
man declined to re-engage him, and appointed another
person in his place, but not from any circumstances con-
nected with the subject of the present inquiry. He
thought it right that he should mention that the defen-
dant brought an action against Mr. Webster on a claim
for which there was not the slightest shadow of founda-
tion, and it was abandoned by an order of Court. Sub-
sequently to this an inquiry was made into the accounts
sent in by the defendant to the treasurer, a task of some
little difficulty, in consequence of lapse of time ; but,
with the aid of the treasurer, Mr. Webster went through
with the investigation, and it was found from informa-
tion given by persons employed about the theatre that
the defendant had been guilty of that conduct which had
led to the present charge being preferred.
Mr. Benjamin Webster was then called. He deposed
that he was lessee of the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
The defendant had been about 'five years in his employ
as head carpenter, his service in that capacity having
commenced in 1847, and continued to August, 1852.
The defendant's wages were 2/. 10s. per week. He (wit-
ness) did not take him on at the next season after August
last. It was the defendant's duty to superintend the
workmen, engage them, keep their time, ascertain what
they had earned, and report to the treasurer, who then
paid him the amount, and he paid the men. Witness
had nothing whatever to do with the details of those
payments—he gave cheques for gross amounts. He
owed the defendant nothing at all. The inquiry which
resulted in this case was commenced two months ago.

Francis Cave deposed that he was a carpenter. He
was employed as such by the defendant to do some work
at Mr. Webster's residence, at Brompton, and also at
68, Regent-street, 'for Mr. Harrison. the singer. He
worked three days four hours at Mr. Harrison's, and
earned 18s. That was just after quarter-day, in Septem-
ber, 1851. The defendant paid him for what he did. at
Mr. Harrison's. He received only 18s., not 11. 16s. Bd.
He never received that sum from the defendant. He
never made seven days and a quarter in one week.
James Bumpas, a labourer, was employed at Bromp-
ton. He began his work on a Saturday, and made a
full day, for which he was paid by the defendant 3s. He
did .not receive 18s. The day's work he was paid for
was the day that the work commenced at Mr. Webster's,
and the 3s. mentioned was the first payment he received.
Edward Cooper, another workman, proved that he
began work on a Thursday afternoon, and the amount
he earned that week was lls. 9d., which amount ho re-
ceived on the Saturday from the defendant.
Samuel Ayton, a carpenter, gave evidence showing
with other evidence, that the defendant had charged more
time for him than he had worked, and that he had been
paid by the prisoner only for the time he really had
made.
William Lawton, another workman, proved that he
had been engaged by the defendant at 4s. per day, and
that he had received from him that rate of pay, with one
or two exceptions, when he was paid at the rate of ss.
per day. On the first of these occasions, he returned
the shilling a day in excess, but on the others he kept it.
The treasurer to the theatre produced and proved the
accounts of the prisoner. It appeared that he had
charged 11. 16s. Bd. in his account for the week when
Cave was at work at Mr. Harrison's, as his (Cave's) pay
for that week. He charged and received a full week s
pay for Bumpi-s when he had only worked one day, and
for Cooper, for the week in which he only earned 11s. 9d.,
he:charged and received a full week. He charged and
received ss. per day for Lawton.
Several witnesses
gave the defendant an excellent cha-
racter.
The jury retired, and after some deliberation found
the prisoner guilty.
In answer to an inquirl, made by the Assistant-Judge,