The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-29 00:00:00

Elily Iid.&32ILETS.

SMITHFIELD.—Meadow Hay, 21 Gs to 3/. is; Clover
ditto, 31 03 to 41 8s ; and Straw, 11 2s to 11 8s per
load. A moderate supply and a sluggish demand.
CUMBEELAND.—Meadow Hay, 218 s CO 31 8s; Clover
ditto, 31 Os to 41 6s ; and Straw, 1/ 3s to 11 83 per
load. Trade dull, at barely stationary prices.
WHITECHAPEL. Meadow Hay, 2/ 5s to 31 8s ;
Clover, ditto, 31 Os to 418 s; and Straw, 112 s to 118 E per
load. Supply good, and trade dull.

BANKRUPTCY.-(THIS DAY.)
(a.,fore Mr. Commissioner GOULBURN.)

IN THE MATTER OF WILLIAM THOMAS FERRIS.

This bankrupt appeared before the Court this morning
to ask for his certificate, but was opposed by Mr. Mon-
tague Smith, who appeared for a Mr. Scott, a gentleman
in the army, and a creditor of the bankrupt.
The grounds of opposition were that the bankrupt had
incuired a vast amount of law expenses and proceedings
consequent upon certain, bills which he had discounted,
and which it was alleged had been fraudulently ob-
tained.
The bankrupt underwent a long examination this
morning. He said, I carried on the business of a carpenter
in Charles-street, Westminster, for four or five years.
I lived in a house belonging to my father, who took my
furniture for the rent I owed him. I took two bills from
Mr. Scott for 5001. each, in May, 1848. Mr. Scott was
the acceptor, and a Mr. Morton was the drawer of both
of them. Morton was introduce dtome by a man named
Shackell, formerly inspector of the detective force of the
A division of police, and a person named Falkner, whom
I had known for many years. lam not aware Falkner
was tried for forging railway scrip ; he was a gambler
at one time. He may have kept a gaming-house in
St. James's. Shackell is not now in ti e police force.
I was in my own house, and in came Shackell and
Falkner, bringing with them Murton, whom I did not
know. Shackell said this "gent" wants money, and I
said what? Morton then presented the bills in ques-
tion
to me, on which he wished to raise money. I
asked the terms, and who the acceptor was? Morton
said that the acceptor was a gentleman in the army,
and wished to raise some money upon them. I said to
Morton if you leave the bills inquiries shall be made
to satisfy me they ar© genuine. They then left the
bills with me, but whether both the bills were left or not
my memory does not serve me. I then made inquiries
at Messrs. Cox, the Army Agents, through a
person named James Rodgers, a man who officiated
for me in my business. Rodgers has no other occupa-
tion; he had been about four years ago a bankrupt. He
now owes me 37/. 2s. Bd. for work. I afterwards saw
Morton next day, who came alone. He asked me it I
had made an inquiry. I said yes; and that I was satis-
fied it was correct. Rodgers was present at this time.
I then advanced to Morton 200/., which I took out of my
iron safe in my back parlour. It was composed of,notes
and gold, but I don't know the numbers of the notes.
Morton then said he had another bill of the same
amount, and asked me if I could advance money upon
it. I said I could not. I saw him a week afterwards.
He then brought a fac-simile of the other bill, and I
then advanced him 2001. on the second bill, I retaining
both the bills. The understanding was that I
was to have a gratuity of 20/. or 30/. I
gave an I 0 U to Morton when I gave
him; the second 2001. ; the I 0 U was for 200 L, making
it 600/. altogether. I destroyed that I 0 U afterwards,
when I got it again from Morton, through a friend of
Morton's, whom I had never seen before. I tore it up
in consequence of ascertaining that the bills had been
fraudulently obtained. I recollect meeting Mr. Scott
at Hatchard's Hotel, in company with a person called
Smart, who said he was a surgeon, and he had been a
gambler, I believe. Smart fetched me from my own
house to Hatcherd's Hotel to have these bills discounted.
I had known Smart many years before. I knew he was
a gambler; he had lived in Charles-street, Westminster,
the same in which I lived. Smart kept a gaming-house
in Bennet-street, St. James's. Smart wanted to borrow
some money of me; I said I had none to spare, as I
had discounted two bills shortly before; he said he
would introduce me to a gentleman who would advance
me some money. Smart then fetched a fellow of the
name of Lawrence, whom I had never seen before, and
Smart and Lawrence took me to Mr. Scott, at Hatchard's
Hotel. I told them I had advanced 4001. before to
Morton. Lawrence said nothing to me about his
" standing in." I would not have any conversation
with him at all. Before I went in to see Mr.
Scott I swear I had no conversation with
Lawrence. A person named Abel was with
Mr. Scott; I had no conversation with Abel. He did
not take me aside and say he believed I had not given
any money for the bills. He (Abel) said, " Scott was
as green as grass, and I can got 300/. or 400/. out of him
if you will let me stand in." I did not say it must be
less than either of those sums, for there were three or
four of us in the transaction. I said I would have nothing
to do with them, and asked to have my money back
again. I afterwards put the bills into the hands of Mr.
Jones, my attorney. After that meeting, Mr. Scott came
to me with an attorney named Draper, and the result
was that I was to give up the bills for 4001 on my
having a warrant of attorney from Mr. Scott. I gave up
the bills on this understanding. It was after this that I
received the I 0 U back from Morton. I have dis-
counted about a dozen bills within the last three or four
years, for sums like 301,401, 501., and such like. There
is no entry in my books of the transaction of which I
have been speaking. I had another bill transaction with
a Mr. Curzon for 5801. That was three or four
months previous to the affair with Mr. Scott.
Prescott brought me that bill from Mr. Curzon. I don't
know who Prescott was ; he was introduced to me by
Shackell. Prescott was the drawer of the bill. I be-
lieve he has since been tried for bill stealing. The Mr.
Curzon I have mentioned is the Hon. and Rev. Frederick
Curzon, of Mickle-Overy, in Derbyshire. 1 bad pre-
viously lent Prescott 101., through the medium of
Shackell. Prescott came to me to get the bill of Mr.
Curzon's discounted, saying it was all correct. The bill
was for 500/., and I gave 2501. upon it to Prescott,
which sum I took out of my iron safe, which was
built in my wall. The sum of 2501. was
in notes, which were afterwards traced to the Bank of
England, with Prescott's name upon them. It was
agreed that I should send 1501, more to Prescott, to
Brussels, whither he said he was going; and I was to
have the remaining 1001. for my trouble. But I did not
send that sum for 1501. to Prescott. The bill was after-
wards restored to Mr. Curzon, and I lost the 2501. I hed
advanced to Prescott upon it. This transaction
with Mr. Curzon did not appear in my
book. Since my bankruptcy my business has
been carried on by my father, I working
for him as a journeyman. My father is the assignee
under my bankruptcy. I once had 12 or 14 workmen;
now there is no busiues3 at all, at least only as much as
to employ myself.
Cross-examined by Mr. STEVENSON, bankrupt's soli-
citor—My father was in this business for many years;
I was then his foreman; and when he gave up the busi-
ness I took it on the understanding that I was to allow
him 751. a year. There was at that time about 100
customers, and about 6001. of good debts on the books
due to my father, which I was to receive. I pro-
ceeded to collect those debts, and collected between
3001. and 4001. in 1845, 1846, and 1847. My father
allowed me to retain the money when I had
collected it, and I was to make myself a creditor
for it. For three years I had a profitable business
of my own, bringing me in 600/. or 700/. profit, besides
what my father allowed me to collect and retain.
(The examination was proceeding when our report left.)

BOW-STREET.—(THIS DAY.)
Two respectably-attired young me-t, named
and Dixon, who &serif), d themselves as chemists' tis-
sistants, and a merchant's clerk, named Collier, were
charged with rotours conduct in the streets.
They were observed last night, or, rather, early this
morning, passing up Bow-street, arm-in arm, in the
manner of "out-and-out young gentletuen," singing and
shouting most vociferously; and upon being told by a
policeman that their vocalisation was more noiiy than
musical, they became very abusive, and made ip,o of
sarcastic remarks at the exv:se of the force in g. neral.
The constable, however, was proof against the bitterness
of their insinuating that he was " to be bought tor a
glass of brandy," and good-humouredly requestvd them
to go home; but it is Easier to give advice than tnke it,
which the fato of these youthtul sparks ultimately proved.
Instead of doing a,. the officer wished, they passed
through Broad-court, went dorvir Long. acre, and re
turned into 11,,w•e•treet again, where they resumed th it
efforts Lt singing and shouting, and soon af.erwardsithey
were safirly ch•pol.ied in the statifia-h,use.
The two first prisoners did not dispute that they were

THE

slightly inebriated, but the merchant's clerk i lid most
steutly ; and, as the 6a:cr intimated that he w. as tl.o
least raekity of the three, Mr. Henry ordered to be
discharged. His less fortunate friends compiail to 1, in a
lachrymose tone, of having been locked up all ❑ig ht for
merely singing in the street, and said it was r etal ly too
bud that when rho soi-disant Chief Baron xiie, Jolson
tendered bail fur them it was refused.

Mr. Inspector Dodd justified the refugal on the grouLd
that not only were the prisoners themselves int( .xtchted,
but their proposed bail were somewhat elevated to

Mr. Ili;;Psa7i said he had done perfectly right;..—ar:d to
convince ;he prisoners that noisy singing in the streets,
in the depth of the night, could not be tokra ced, he
them 40s. each, ur a fortnight's imprisonm u
The fine was paid.

PREDICTED HIGH TID]
(THIS DAY.)

A good deal of consternation and alarm has p tevailed
for the last few days along the banks of the 'l7 ontnes,
owing to some of our astronomers haring pre& c Leci an
unusual rising of tae tide to-day, but although t h river
has overflowed its banks at Batterscs, is eL:ies not appear
that any damage has resulted from it on the .Surrey
side. Many individuals, who have devoted atte n lion to
matters connected with the flow of the tide, have
repeatedly thrown discredit on the prediction, v. h;ile one
gentleman has gone the length of saying tha it it was
published for the purpose of creating a panic it i those
parts of the metropolis that are behav high-watt tr mark;
but it is easier to create alarm than to subdue it, and
it is not to be wondered at that the inhabitants ).f Lam-
beth, Milbank, and other similar districts, bare within
the las; few days been pretty busily engaged tat :Lag pre- '
cautions to meet the watery intruder, and erect ,r g tem-
porary - barriers to resist any unust tat in-
fluence .of the tide. Yesterday tb, 3 tide
exceeded its ordinary height by son few
inches, and at the time we write to-day the tide as about
at its full. It has flowed to about the same c ztent as
yesterday, and though it has flooded Batters ;a-fields,
we have not heard that it has inundated any it n'ishited
neighbourhood, or caused any damage along t 1 .e, banks
of the river. The only inconvenience, therefe r.e, that
the prophecy has occasioned has been unfounded fear in
the minds of many, and, it would seem, EOM. e disap-
pointment to a few who are beyond the reach. of the
tide, and, did not fear any consequence that migi it result
from its overflow.