The Sun.
London, England, 1831-08-27 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

UNION-HALL.
On Thursday James Gully and Henry Settree,
two men of gentlemanlike appearance, were brought
before Mr. MURRAY on an alleged charge of fraudu-
lently obtaining the sum of 5/. from Richard Knowl-
son, under the pretence of employing him as a clerk
at a salary of 1201. per annum.
Richard Knowlson came up from the city of York
about a fortnight ago, in order to seek employment
in town, and brought away 1201. with him. On
Thursday, the ISth instant, he saw an advertisement,
the following of which is a copy, in the Morning
Advertiser :—" Wanted, a person to fill a permanent
and easy situation at a wharf, south side of the river,
at two guineas per week. His integrity must be
guaranteed by two sureties to the amount of 4001.,
or by a deposit of 2001. in money, or a transfer of
stock of that value, for which he shall receive secu-
rity and full legal interest. Personal application
only, at No. 5, Duke-street, Westminster, between
eleven and four o'clock." On perusal of the above,
complainant went to Duke-street, and from thence
was directed to proceed to the Old Barge-house
wharf, Upper Ground-street, Blackfriars, where he
was informed he would see the principal. On his
arrival at the wharf he saw both the defendants, and
having told them the nature of his business, Gully
questioned him relative to his former employment,
and being told that he (complainant) had been in
the wine and spirit trade at York, Gully immedi-
ately said, " You are just the kind of smart young
fellow we want : my business is of great extent, and
in order that you may qualify yourself for my col-
lecting clerk, I shall take you round the country to
my customers." He spoke of having one of the
most extensive collieries in the kingdom, and that he
had just taken a lease of the Old Barge-house wharf,
to commence business in the coal-trade. He then re-
verted to the business upon which complainant had
called, and asked whether he was then enabled to
enter into security for the faithful discharge of the du-
ties of the situation. The complainant, in answer,
said, that he being a stranger in town, could not
obtain the sureties for 4001., but that he was willing
to advance 1201. as security for the performance of
the duties, if he received a guarantee for the return
of that sum when he required it, on leaving the
situation. This was agreed to, and Gully asked
him to pay down the money, saying that they had
better close the business at once, as there were so
many young men after the situation. The com-
plainant said, that he had not the 1201. then in his
possession, and he was again urged to leave a de-
posit ; and filially, in that interview, gave Gully Si.,
saying, that he should be there in the evening with
the remainder, to make up the 1201. The deposit
was paid in the presence of Settree, whom Gully
described as being his acting man ; and a kind of
written agreement was given to the complainant on
a sheet of common writing paper, stipulating that
he should have interest after the rate of Si. per
centum per annum for his money as long as it re-
mained in Gully's hands, and that the latter was to
refund the same immediately after the employment
ceased. This agreement both the defendants were
extremely anxious the complainant should sign, but
he refused doing so, and then went away. In the
course of the evening, the complainant having heard
a report disadvantageous to the parties, employed
Mr. Games, a solicitor, to accompany him to the
wharf, and when they got there both Gully and
Settree refused to give up the 51., saying that the
complainant might go before a Magistrate if he
pleased and be --, for that he should not see the
colour of his money again.
The Magistrate asked Gully what he had to say
in answer to the charge, and he immediately produced
a parchment, and requested Mr. Murray to peruse
its contents, saying that he would then perceive that
he was a man of respectability and opulence. It was,
he said, a lease of property belonging to him at
Bream, in the forest of Dean, in the county of Glou-
cester, upon which estate he had a large colliery,
which he was about to work.

The Magistrate read some portion of the lease,
and finding that the great estate and colliery there-
upon had been panted to James Gully for a con-
sideration of 201., he (the Magistrate) closed the
parchment again, and, handing it back, said, that he
had read quite enough to show him what kind of an
estate the leaseholder was in possession of. " I want
to know," added Mr. MURRAY, " what you have to
say in answer to this charge ?"
Gully then said, that being in want of a clerk, he
advertised for one, and the complainant having applied
for the situation, he was willing to treat with him
upon his giving security to the amount of 1201. He
admitted that he received a deposit of 51., and that
he had refused to restore it back without the com-
plainant gave him the securities agreed upon in the
first instance.

Mr. MURRAY—What business do you carry on
at this wharf, for it does not appear you are in want
of a clerk ? Gully—At present lam doing nothing
there, and have ju,t taken a lease of the premises. I
have an order to supply the Commissioners of
Woods and Forests with 600 tons of coals this week,
which is to be followed up with 200 tons more per
week. You see, therefore, that I shall require clerks.
At this stage of the investigation Mr. MURRAY
said that the defendant Settree was as deeply impli-
cated in the charge as Gully, and as the former at-
tended up to the moment merely as a spectator in
the office, the Magistrate directed that he should be
placed by the aide of the other defendant in the slip.
Settree then entered into a long statement, which
had little or no reference to the charge, in the course
of which he talked about Gully's large estate in the
forest of Dean, and of the extensive order that he
had just received for coals from a Government office.
On being asked by the Magistrate in what ca-
pacity he served Gully, whether in that of partner
or clerk, he replied that he was merely a friend, and
only attended until arrangements were made for
carrying on the business with spirit. He added,
that he had nothing whatever to do with the trans-
action in question, and only knew that Mr. Gully
was too honourable a man to act unfairly with any one.
Mr. MURRAY—Your statement may be true, but
I very much doubt it. I want to know the reason
the young man's money was withheld from him when
he applied for it, on ascertaining there was no pro-
bability of his obtaining employment.
Settree said that the W. was kept to make him
fulfil the engagement he had promised to enter into.
He (Settree), however, had nothing to do with it.
Mr. Games said that Gully stated at the wharf
that he and Settree shared the money with each
other, and he (witness) had no doubt they were
both actingin concert to defraud his client.
Mr. MURRAY then put the following questions to
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out of practice.

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Mr. MURRAY--Where do you live ? Settree—
In Prospect-place, West-square.
Mr. MURRAY—Have you any concern in this
wharf that has been taken? Settree--None, what-
ever; I only attend there until arrangements are
made for tilling the wharf with coals.

Skillern, the officer, said that when he went to
the Old Barge-house wharf to apprehend Gully,
the other defendant, Settree, was there, who on
learning the nature of his business, said, " For
God's sake don't take him into custody yet; he is
at this moment in treaty with a gentleman, who is
about becoming a partner,.and will advance 3,0001.
if you don't blow the gaff." Skillern said that he
must do his duty, and accordingly proceeded into an
old house on the wharf, in an apartment of which,
meanly furnished, he found Gully in earnest conver-
sation with two other persons, all seated round a
table, with a great quantity of parchment and papers
before them. The officer added, that there was no
description of property on the wharf, and that when
lie took Gully into custody, the other two persons
stared at each other with astonishment, and hastily
withdrew.

Mr. MURRAY said that the case was one of con-
siderable suspicion, not only as regarded one, but
both the defendants. If he discharged them now,

they would leave the office not only with a serious
imputation against theth,l but also ra heavy stain
upon their characters. Under these-circumstances,
for the sake of the defendants, as well as for the sake
of ))üblic justice, he should remand the defendants
on the charge.
Previously to the defendants being locked up,
they were searched, and in Gully's possession 17
pawnbrokers' duplicates were found, and not a shil-
ling in money. Settree, the other defendant, re-
sisted the officer, and attempted to swallow some-
thing, which was found to be a counterfeit shilling.
It is suspected that the defendants hired the pre-
mises for the purpose of obtaining money and goods
on credit, and duping others in the manner the com-
plainant had been.