The Sun.
London, England, 1814-09-14 00:00:00

jNSOLVENT DEBTORS COURT, SEPT. 13.

• • Before. Mr. Serjeant PALMER-. . -
VALUABLE •PICTURES.
Mr. Charles Wilkie, artist, father or Mr. Wil-
kie, the celebrated painter of the Blind Fidler,
Blindman:s Buff, &c. appearinti to claim 'his dis!.
charge ari insolvent, under Lord Reties&le's
Act; was opposed' on the ground that he had not •
itsertedint.,hbe hartisse of hisdulee property.ertainexcellent pictures,
supposedl
The Attorney for the detaniag creditors stated,
that he was instructed to object to Jr.A Wilkies •
discharge until certain valuable pictures were. ac-
counted for. He understood, be said, that the
pictures in -question• were cialmed by Air. Wilkie,
junior, and if it should appear they were not the
prisoner's property, then the prisoner had been
guilty of a fraud, as he had obtained credit by
representing himself as the proprietor of the pic-
tures, and thereby deceiving the creditors. There
was a debt, of 4201. due from the prisoner fo Lord •
Suffolk, and 'as the creditors knew his Lordship
was an encourager of the arts, they presumed
that the debt was for money advanced to Mr. W.
while he was painting sonie picture or pictures
for his Lordship. Having no account in the
schedule of any valuable picture whatever, they
were desirous, of obtaining a further account of
the property.
Mr. Serjeant PALMER" said, the creditors had
no right to presume any thing, nor could he take
cognizance of 'any presumption whatever. The
question would be, whether the prisoner had any.,
pictures not insetted in the schedule. If there
were pictures, the value of the same might be
found by inspection.
The Attorney then produced a catalogue of
the effects of Mr. Wilkie, which had been sold by
auction. It did not .appear that any painting of
value was among the items. He next-cal!ed wit-
nesses to prove that Mr. W. had appeared to his.
creditors as the owner of several capital produc-
lions of art. •
A'respectable career and gilder stated, that he
had supplied' Mr. %V. with frames, . boxes, and
mountings for pictures, to the amount of 741 He -
was living with, his son, Mr., Wilkie, jun. and
witness understood the frames were for pictures
at his house for exhibition. Witness did not he-
.sitate to give credit, as. Mr. NV. spoke of the •
frames, &c: as work for himself and son.
• On re-examination by Air. Pum.ocx, he said
he had never seen the pictures, nor had lie heard
Mr. IV. at any time state the value of them. Be
gave credit supposing the pictures to be the pri-

soner's: _
Mr. Wilkie here observed—" They never were
represented as •
The74vltness admitted, that Mr. W. never said
they were his own.
Mr. Robert Davis, another carver and gilder,
said he gave credit to the father on the merit of
the son. Ile considered tirein co-partners, as Ile
executed %work at different times to the order
of both. He had seen the pictures, . and consi-
dering himself a judge of. a. good picture, was en-
abted to. say they were excellent: There were se-
veral'heads of Christ copied from celebrated mas-
ters'; as copies they were fine. He understonil
these to he painted by the son. They both work-
ed together, afid lived in the same hohse. The
witness's bill was for making frames for pictures
intended for exhibition ; some of the same were
put in boxes lined with 'velvet. They were or-
dered by the father, but the son was present. Ile
had no knowledge witether the property belonged
to the son ; he gave credit to the father.
Mr. Seijeant PALmen observed, if the son was
answerable, the creditorS !night have shed hint."
Mr. Davis.—" I brought no action at all
against Wilkie, and 1 am sorry he is here ;
1 only wish to know what became of the pro-

perty."
Mr. Serjeant PALMER said, be should 'give his
judgment.on the transaction, and Counsel might
meet his opinion at
,another hearing. It was ex 7
traordinary, when a man was found ordering
boxes and frames for pictures, in the ostensible
situation of owner of the property, that he should
have no claim to,it. He should consider, he said,
unless it-was explained otherwise, that the debts
were due from the person who ordered the frames.
There were, however, strong facts, not of fraud
in the contraction of the debts, but in obtaining
.credit. • It would be a fraud under the Act, if a
man was found 'taking credit on the appearance
of property or work done by another. It would
be the case of a man going to his , tailor, and. or-
dering clothes for all his acquaintance. He ex-
pressed a hope that the Learned Counsel (Mr.
Pollock) at the next hearing, would be prepared
to knock down all- those ideas.
Mr. Puid.ocic (jocosely).—" If I should make
the, attempt, Sir, I hope you will not knock
,me

down."
Mr. Serjeant PALMEII.—" If you take care of
your head, you may be secure, but I am really in
danger. You hit very hard, at times, in a plea-
sant way.—(A laugh.)
Mr. CHARLES SMITH, WllO claims 42/. for co,
lours, then stated, that he-gave credit to Mr. C.
Wilkie. He considered both father and son liable,
and his reason for not giving his son credit was,
because, when the debt was first contracted,
he considered'him, under age. The prisoner,
at
times, when he pressed a settlement, asked hint
and to- satisfy him, took
toh73
secthe(t
applicationli of his colours.. He
prolong
o g the credit,
was struck,• on several occasions, with the beauty
of the paintings. Ple conceived that both hither
and son had merit to con-nand a capital sufficient
to discharge any credit.
There were other witnesses, but the Court de-
clined hearing them onthis occasion, and remand-
ed the prisoner for a week, to get more infortna-
tion respecting the property,

The Ticket 10,775, drawn Yesterday a Prize of
Twenty Thousand Pound:, was Sold by Hist!, in
One Quarter, One Eighth, and Ten Sixteenth
Shares ; anti the Ticket 2,712, a Prize of Ten
Thousand Pounds, was also Sold by Rip it) a
Whole Ticket. A variety of minor Capitals were
likewise Sold at his truly Fortunate Office:, 4,
Cornhill, and 9, Charing-Cross, where the parties
:nay rticeire their Money on denituld.