The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-15 00:00:00

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LAW INTELLIGENCE.
INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Jan. 13.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Prumars.)
IN RB GEORGE WEBB.

The insolvent was opposed by Mr. Cooke on behalf
of Messrs. Keep and Hendy, lace merchants, of
Wood-street, and was supported by Mr. Nichols.
The case occupied, as on a former occasion, nearly
a whole day, but the facts may be stated in a few
lines. In October, 1846, the insolvent applied to the
opposing creditors to supply him with goods, which
they consented to do, upon some friend of insolvent's
becoming security. The latter thereupon mentioned
a Captain Hodson, whom he described to be a man
possessed of landed and house property; a statement
which satisfied Messrs. Keep and Hendy, and the
credit was opened upon Hodson's becoming guarantee.
The dealings continued until insolvent had contracted
a debt of 1001., about which time Hodson was taken
before a magistrate upon a charge of swindling, was
committed, tried, but acquitted, and, immediately
after, arrested upon another charge, upon which he
was allowed to go at large for a day or two, under-
taking to appear at the appointed time ; but when that
time came Hodson did not appear, and had not been
seen since.
The insolvent said, he became acquainted with
Hodson through the latter purchasing various small
parcels of goods from him, and that when he repre-
sented] Hodson to the opposing creditors as a man of
substance he did so upon the faith of statements made
by that person to himself.
Mr. Commissioner PHILLIPS said that, even if the
insolvent had not been in collusion with Hodson, he
ought to have ascertained the truth of the statements
made by the latter before tendering him to the credi-
tors as a man of substance and integrity. In his
(the Learned Commissioner's) opinion the debt of
Messrs. Keep and Hendy had been most fraudulently
contracted; and, therefore, the insolvent would not
be discharged until the expiration of a period of
twelve calendar months from the date of the vesting
order.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSIOLV-HOUSE.

Joseph Ady attended before the Lord Mayor upon
a summons, calling upon him to appear to answer
the charge of having refused and neglected to pay
the sum of 101. 12s. 4d., due to her Majesty for the
duty of postage, and to show cause why, upon due
proof being made of the sum of money due, a war-
rant ,of distress should not be granted for the re-
covery of that amount, pursuant to the directions of
the Post-office statute, commonly called " Joseph
Ady's Act."
Mr. PEACOCK, the solicitor to the Post-office, ap
peared for the prosecution ; Mr. Huddle Atone for the
defendant.

After several technical objections raised by Mr.
Huddlesone bad been overruled,

The defendant pleaded " Not Guilty."
Mr. Peacock then stated that the Act gave the
Lord Mayor jurisdiction in any case brought before
him on the refusal to pay postage under the amount
of 201., and that the defendant was summoned for
having refused and neglected to pay tt.e sum of
101. 12s. 4d. postage upon letters which had been sent
out by him without being stamped or post-paid. The
Act directed that if ttie persons to whom letters
were addressed did not pay, the parties who sub-
scribed them were compellable. Of the 1,274 letters
which had been transmitted by the defendant by
post, 676 had been refused, and 598 had been re-
turned because the addresses of the parties to whom
they were addressed could not be found.
Mr. Huddlestone said, he had another objection.
lie would contend that the summons ought to show,
upon the face of it, under what class the letters were
comprehended, and a distinction ought to be drawn
between the two classes. _

The LORD MAYOR—I see the summons is endorsed
with these words—" The letters in respect of which
the postage of 101. 12s. 4d., mentioned in the written
summons, is payable, may be seen by Mr. Ady at
the solicitor's office, General Post-office, any day
i,etween the hours of twelve and two o'clock." I
consider that to be sufficient notice to the defendant
to apply for the examination of the letters.
Evidence was then called in support of the prose-
cution.
Mr. James Ilyde, clerk to the Dead Letter-office,
produced the 1,274 letters, and said he had read them
all.—(Laughter.)
Joseph Ady then looked at the bundles, and said
he must see whether the letters were right, and he
should want to look at them all. Subsequently, how-
ever, he gave up this intention, at the suggestion of
his solicitor.
Mr. Hyde then proceeded with his evidence, and
proved the number of letters returned, and the amount
due upon them, as above.
W. Beaumont, a letter-carrier, proved the non-
payment of the money demanded by the Post-office.
Mr. Huddlestone then addressed his Lordship for
the defendant, and said, he could not see how his
client could he convicted upon such evidence, and
contended that the summons was at variance with the
Act, and that Mr. Ady's refusal to pay ought to have
been distinctly shown by the testimony of witnesses.
The LORD MAYOR said that, looking at the Act of
Parliament as a public Act, he could not but consider
that when a person did not pay the postage of a letter
that person refused to pay it. His Lordship wished
to know whether Mr. Huddlestone wished to call any
witnesses ? Mr. Huddlestone—None, unless your
Lordship allows me to call my client himself.
The LoaD MAYOR—Then I decide that a warrant
of distress be granted against the defendant.
Mr. Huddlestone requested that his client might be
allowed time for the payment of the money, and
The defendant said, he would pay the amount at
the rate of 21. per week.
Mr. Peacock said, the Post-office authorities could
:lot place the slightest reliance on Mr. Ady's word,
rid were net disposed to extend to him any further
indulgence. The defendant had asserted that one of
the judges had, through his correspondence, obtained
the sum of 10,0001., but he (Mr. Peacock), upon in-
quiring, found there was not a shadow of truth in
the statement.

Joseph Ady then retired, without appearing to be
in the slightest degree discomposed. He must pay
the amount within five days, or his goods will be
seized for the amount.
WORSHIP-STREET.

A tall powerful fellow named William Orton, de.
scribed as a sawyer, was placed at the bar before Mr.
Arnold, charged with feloniously cutting and wound-
ing a married woman named Maria Luff, residing iu
Nottingham place, Kingsland.
The prosecutrix, who had been confined to her bed
from the effects of the injuries she had sustained, and
IN as still in such a state of suffering and debility that
she was allowed to be seated during her examination,
was at one time in such danger that on the report of
her medical attendant the magistrate and chief clerk
were oblignd to go to her house and take her deposi-
tion. She now stated, that on the afternoon of the
Nth ult. an angry altercation took place between her
and the wife of the prisoner, arising from some unfair
advantage the latter had taken of her, and that soon
after it had terminated, as she thought, the prisoner
himself made his appearance, and assailing her with
the most foul-mouthed epithets struck her such a
terrible blow over the eye that she was sent staggering
backwards, and her face was covered with blood. Not
satisfied with this, he immediately closed upon her, and
exclaiming he would give her a Lancashire fling, flung
her heavily upon the ground and commenced kicking
her in the most brutal manner about the head and
body, until she was rescued from further violence
by the interposition of several neighbours, who
assisted her into a chair and hastened off for a
surgeon; but they had scarcely left her when the
prisoner burst into the room, and, advancing towards
her with a clasp-knife in his hand, told her, with a
horrible imprecation, that he had come on purpose to
murder her, and extended the knife out to her throat,
with the apparent intention of drawing the weapon
across it ; but before he could accomplish his pur-
pose he was alarmed by the sound of footsteps in the
passage, and hastily ran up to his own apartments. A
medical gentleman soon afterwards arrived and
dressed her wounds, and had been in constant attend-
ance upon her ever since.
Mr. Finer, the surgeon alluded to, deposed that
upon examining the prosecutrix he found that, in-
addition to other injuries of a serious character, one
of her ribs had been fractured, and an incised wound
inflicted over her left eye of such a dangerous nature
that he was for some time apprehensive it must inevi-
tably result in a fatal termination.
An attempt was made to show that the last injury
referred to had been caused by the prosecutrix
coining into contact with some clothes pegs it was
alleged the prisoner had in his hand, and one of which
was produced, but the testimony of the prosecutrix
referring to the knife was corroborated by that of the
constable who apprehended the prisoner, and who
produced a knife of that description, which he had
found in the prisoner's possession.
Mr. Heritage, who appeared for the defence, said
that he had several witnesses in attendance who would
be able to give an entirely different complexion to the
transaction if examined, and establish the fact that his
client had been induced to act as described under the
strongest feelings of provocation ; but as he presumed
te considerationtheithwas
l‘lagi
of a jury strate'sinrte,ntion to send the case for
he
expe-
dient to reserve his defence.
Mr. ARNOLD concurred,
and thought it
depositions
s t
having,
been taken by Mr. Vine, the chief clerk, the prisoner
was fully committed to Newgate for
(r:L,
tEL L.
William Taylor, a IfiefloE:V
having the
appearance
the of
a labourer, was placed at the bar before Mr. Tyr h'tt
charged with begging under following
aggra-
vated circumstances :

The prisoner, on Saturday, the 6th instant, entered
the Court, and made a most pitiable statement to Mr.
Nesbitt, one of the ushers of the Court, saying that

he had worked on a railway, but was discharged
because the works were stopped. He had been
tramping the country in search of employment, but
in vain, sleeping on carts, waggons., and bye places,
starving and wretched. He had slept in a cart at
Tunbridge on the previous night, and had walked to
London, where he arrived that day in an exhausted
state, and he did not know what to do. He was only
anxious to get to his native home at Nottingham, and
he craved some assistance in order to enable him to
Proceed on his journey. He was introduced to Mr.
Tyrwhitt, who listened to his " distressing tale" with
evident sympathy, and humanely ordered that imme-
diate nourishment and assistance should be afforded
him; accordingly an excellent dinner and ls. were
given bim, and he started off on his supposed journey.
On Saturday, however, he again made his appearance
in the Court, under circumstances which caused con-
siderable indignation.
An officer of the Mendicity Society said be saw
the prisoner going from house to house knocking at
the doors, and begging in a most impudent manner,
and insulting persons who refused to give him
money ; he proceeded to take him into custody, when
he resisted.
Mr. TYRWHITT remonstrated with the fellow on
his ungrateful and infamous conduct, which plainly
showed how the public and charitably disposed per-
sons were imposed on by such heartless ruffians as the
prisoner, who, it was evident, preferred begging to
anything in the shape of work.
Mr. Nesbitt was sworn, and he identified the pri-
soner as having been relieved with food and money
on Saturday, the 6th inst., when he promised to leave
London for Nottingham.
Mr. TYRWHITT asked the prisoner what he could
possibly say to such conduct ?
The prisoner said, he met with some companions,
who induced him to remain in London to look for
work, and he spent the shilling.
Mr. TY&WHITT said, it was proved that he was
begging, and he would commit him to the House of
Correction, with hard labour, for one week ; but he
might depend upon it, if ever he was brought there
again under similar circumstances, the full penalty of
the law should be inflicted upon him.
He was then conveyed to prison.
SOUTHWARK.

On Friday afternoon, at a late hour, several gen-
tlemen connected with the North-Western Railway
Company, attended by Mr. Clarkson, the barrister,
applied for a warrant, at this court, to apprehend
three persons residing in Bermondsey, for conspiring
to extort money from the railway company by pre-
tending that they had received injuries on the above
railway at Leighton Buzzard on the sth of Sep-
temer last. Warrants were immediately issued and
placed in the hands of Wright and Murray, two
officers of the M division, and just before the court
closed on Saturday two of the parties were placed at
the bar before Mr. Cottingham. They gave their
names as Robert Duncan and Mary Duncan, man
and wife, residing in a miserable abode in George-
street, i3ermondsey. The third person has not yet
been apprehended. The male prisoner seemed to
treat the charge with the utmost indifference, but his
wire was suffering severely, so much so that she was
accommodated with a chair.

' Mr. Clarkson ap:n attended for the prosecution,
and Mr. Buchanan for the prisoners.
Mary Linfield, who said that she was the wife of a
ship's steward, then in China. On the 4th of Sep-
tember she went to Duncan's house and took lodgings
there, when she saw both the prisoners. On the
same evening she carried some glass to her rooms,
when she again saw Mrs. Duncan, who appeared
quite well. On the morning of the sth she took
possession of her lodgings, when she saw them both
again, and neither of them appeared to be suffering
from any illness. She lived in the house for several
weeks afterwards, and was positive that the female
prisoner had never been confined to her bed, or had
been the least unwell. On the Thursday before she
left, the male prisoner told her that his wife had un-
dergone a surgical operation, but she believed such
could not have taken place.
Susanna Young, of 7, Maddocks place, Bermond-
sey, said, that she entered the prisoner's service in
August last, and remained some time after the last wit-
ness hired apartments in the house. Neither her master
nor mistress left the house on the 4th or sth of Sep-
tember. A week after witness had been in their
service Mrs. Duncan told her that she had a dreadful
pain in her side from having been thrown down
stairs by her husband.
On cross-examination by Mr. Buchanan, witness
said that she never had any words with either of the
prisoners, and she was certain that neither of them
slept from home ou the 4th or sth of September.
Mr. Thomas Porter, surgeon, of Euston-square,
said that the company received applications from the
prisoners and another for compensation, alleging that
they were seriously injured at Leighton Buzzard on
the morning of the sth of September. An accident
having occurred at four o'clock that morning, he was
directed to call upon the parties and examine them.
On the 28th of October he accordingly went to Dun-
can's lodgings, when he saw the male prisoner, to
whom he told his errrand. Duncan replied that he
did not want to see a medical man ; he expected a
lawyer to call upon him and settle for the injuries
inflicted upon himself and wife. He also said that
the latter had miscarried through the accident, and
that she was suffering from a prolapsus of the uterus.
Witness questioned him further, when he said that
they were both in a second-class carriage when the
aecident occurred, and that they had both been se-
riously ill for some time. Witness asked him the
name of the medical man who attended them, when
he mentioned a Mr. Hunt, of Queen-street, Ber-
mondsey, and afterwards he said he lived in the Black-
friars-road. Witness went into a back room, where
he saw the female prisoner on a bed. She said that
she had miscarried through the accident, and that she
was unable to get up. She did not appear to be suf-
fering from the complaint alluded to. She made a
statement similar to that of her husband.
In answer to Mr. COTTINGRAM, the witness said
that the prisoners and a man named O'Brien wanted
to extort the sum of 601. each as compensation.
Mr. Harrison, solicitor, of the New-road, said, that
he was employed by the male prisoner to apply to the
railway company for compensation. He did so, and
received an answer that inquiries should be instituted.
Witness would not have taken the case up at all had
he not received a letter from a person named Dark,
recommending them to his notice as respectable per-
sons. The male prisoner wanted him to bring an
action against the railway company immediately, but
he refused to do so until the company was satisfied
with the examination. He produced several letters
trom the prisoner Duncan relative to the affair, also
one from a man named Dark. In cross-examination
by Mr. Buchanan, witness stated that he never saw
Duncan with O'Brien. The action against the com-
pany was brought by another solicitor.
Mr. Clarkson informed the magistrate that he could
not go much further with the case until the man
Dark was in attendance. He had been a party to the
transaction, and would be in attendance on a future
day ; consequently he should call for a remand.
There was at present sufficient evidence to prove that
the prisoners had conspired together to extort money
from the railway company, and had not extraordinary
precaution been used they would have succeeded. It
was, in fact, a public question, and the whole of the
facts required to be sifted thoroughly. He would,
however, put another question to Mr. Porter, by ask-
ing him whether he did not hear a shuffling noise in-
side the back room before he entered, similar to a per-
son getting into bed ?
Mr. Porter replied, that such appeared to be the
case, although he could not distinctly swear to it.
Mr. James Berridge, a greengrocer, residing in
Bermondsey, New Town, said that he had supplied
the prisoners with goods for some time. On the
4th and sth of September last he took some green's
to their house, and he believed he then saw both the
prisoners.
Mr. COTTINGHAM inquired whether there were any
more witnesses that day ?
Mr. Clarkson replied in the negative. He should
be able to produce Dark on a future day and other '
witnesses, and he had no doubt the officer would be
able to apprehend O'Brien.
Mr. COTTINGHAM observed that, under these cir-
cumstances, he should remand them until Tuesday
next. In addressing the prisoners the worthy Magi-
strate said that it was a very serious offence, as all
parties had acted designedly together to extort
money from the railway company. It was a bailable
offence, and he should have no objection of their
taking advantage of such by finding two sureties each
in 1001., and the male prisoner's recognizance in 2001.,
to appear at that court on a future day.
The prisoners were accordingly remanded.
Mr. COTTINGHAM told Mr. Harrison that, for his
own sake, he had better attend on the next examina-
tion, as circumstances required some explanation on
his part. He did not mean to say that he was con-
nected with the parties in custody, but still he was in
a position to throw further light on the subject.
Mr. Harrison informed the magistrate that he
should be happy to attend and to do anything in his
power to bring the guilty parties to justice.

BELGIUM LOCOMOTITES, AND THE FRENCH C us-
TOMS.—One of the French railway companies recently
ordered some engines to be built at a Belgian factory, at
the price of 40,000 f. and on the completion of one ii,
was sent to the frontier, on its way to the line for which
it was built; but on its arrival at the custom-house it
was refused admission. The reason given for the re•
fusel by the authorities was that engines cost 50,0007.
in France, therefore the Belgian article should pay duty
at that rate. Protestations were made, pre-emption was
demanded, but to no purpose; the authorities were in-
fluxible, and the engine remains in the possession of the
euAtoui-house authorities, awaiting the decision of the
French Government.
The other day a Frenchmen was apprel:ended at
Plymouth, who instantly stabbed himselt in the bosom,
by which he cut a bladder containing half a gallon of
smuggled brandy.

TERRIFIC CONFLAGRATIONS.

IMMENSE DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.

LINCOLN'S INN.—Yesterday (Sunday) morning a most
extensive fire broke out, shortly before five o'clock, at
No. 2, New-square, Lincoln's Inn, which, fur upwards of
twelve hours, continued to burn, in spite of the many
tons of water that were momentarily distributed over it.
The building in which the disaster originated was about
sixty feet wide, of considerable depth, and four floors
high. The discovery was made by a police constable of
the F division, who was on duty in the square, who im-
mediately sprang his rattle, and after some time suc-
ceeded in arousing Mr. Bridges and another gentleman,
who are supposed to have been the only persons in the
house. The fire at that time appeared to be confined
to the right hand corner of the lower floor, and there
seemed every probability of preventing its extension.
Tho engines belonging to the Honourable Society of
Lincoln's Inn were soon set to work. Information was
also dispatched to the several engine stations in London,
and with as little delay as possible sundry Brigade
and West of England engines reached the scene. By
that period, however, although only the basement and
ground loors were in flames, the heat was so intense
that on the firemen entering the passages with their
branches the stone flooring cracked like glass, and,
splitting in two, prevented the men from following the
fire, and the consequence was that the flames rushed up
the staircase, and fired in rapid succession every room
in the immense building. The firemen, however,
mounted the roofs of the adjoining buildings, and poured
water down the sides of the premises, hoping by that
means to prevent their ignition. Unfortunately the
flames penetrated the petition walls, and fired both houses
in several parts. The hose were at once carried into the
apartments on fire, and the flames were extinguished in
Nos. 1 and 3, but the premises in which the disaster
originated continued to blaze, until at length they
presented a scene of awful grandeur. The front of the
house contained thirty-two windows, out of each of
which the flames issued with great fury, roaring like so
many furnaces. At length the roof tell, and in a few
moments afterwards the flames ascended to such an alti-
tude as brilliantly illuminated the whole district. The
fire continued to rage with unabated violence until nine
o'clock, at which hour it might be said to be "got under;"
but, although the firemen were engaged the whole of the
day, the fire was not entirely extinguished at seven
o'clock last night. The loss of property must, at a mo-
derate calculation, be several thousand pounds. Unfor-
tunately the principal portion of the property consumed
cannot be restored, consisting as it did of deeds and other
documents of the greatest value to the parties in-
terested. The escapes of the Royal Society for the Pro-
tection of Life from Fire were early at the spot, and
with the aid of one Mr. Bridges, the barrister, succeeded
in returning to his chambers and saving a number
of valuable documents. Mr. Bridges, states that he was
sit eping in the upper part of the building, and on being
aroused by the police he got up, and saw no appearance
of fire until he came to the bottom of the stairs, when
he saw a bright fire on the right-hand side of the area
chambers. After he came down he attempted to ascend
again to save some of his property, when the smoke
ascended so quickly that he was nearly suffocate i. Had
it not been for the extraordinary exertions of the firemen
the whole of that side of the square would probably have
been levelled with the ground. It was currently
rumoured during the morning that a gentleman who slept
in the top room had been unable to effect a retreat, and
had been burned to death. A police•constable named
Ti'dell, No. 105 F, whilst assisting at the fire, fell down
one of the areas, and was so severely injured as to be
obliged to be removed to the hospital. Whether any of
the sufferers were insured cannot at present be ascer-
tained.