The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-16 00:00:00

THE DANISH BLOCKADE.

HORRIBLE TRAGEDY IN
SWITZERLAND.
The Paris papers give the following details of a
fearful tragedy recently enacted in the town of Ber-
thoud, in Switzerland :—Jacob Moser, of Gondisweil,
in the district of Kulm (Argovia), was 45 years of
age. lle had long inhabited the town of Berthoud,
where he was generally beloved and esteemed. He
was a widower and the father of five children ; his
conduct was regular, and he supported his family by
exercising his talents as a musician at public balls,
and as a teacher of the art. The eldest child was a
girl eighteen years of age, who at six displayed so
much talent for music that she was already famous as
a concert performer ; she had latterly resided in
French Switzerland, where she earned her livelihood
by teaching. Besides supporting his family, Moser
had to maintain his aged parents. All these burdens
caused him to contract debts which he was unable to
liquidate. These burdens, an unfortunate attachment,
the wretched condition of his children, despair,
blighted affection, and the prospect of a debtor's
dungeon in the distance, proved too much
for the poor man's fortitude. The four children
residing with Moser consisted of two sons, aged
seventeen and thirteen, and two daughters of fifteen
and seven years of age, all idiots, and three of them
dumb. The boy who escaped was ten years of age.
The family slept in two contiguous chambers. In
one lay Moser, one of the girls, and one of the boys ;
the other three slept in the adjoining apartment.
The surviving son deposed that at about two o'clock,
on the terrible night in question, he was awoke by
his sisters, and perceived that his father had arisen.
The father, on being called, replied that he was
writing in the next room. On returning he knelt
down by the side of the bed, prayed aloud, and gave
the children to understand, in a few broken sentences,
that he was going to Berne.
Young Moser soon afterwards went into the
adjacent room, and found the four children lying
dead. They had all been strangled with a small
rope, found around the neck of one of the girls. A
letter in the handwriting of Moser, sen., was dis-
covered, announcing his design. lie wrote—
" I ask pardon, in the name of God. I can no
longer endure existence, and I cannot resolve to leave
behind me, abandoned to their fate, the poor children
who are not yet brought up. Those who know me will
be convinced that I could not. Once more, I suppli-
cate for mercy and pardon, for lam not actuated by
vengeance or ferocity, but by despair."
The following additional lines, written after the
perpetration of the unfortunate act, indicate the regret
of Moser at its accomplishment, but betray no doubt
of the forgiveness of God:—
" Now," wrote the poor wretch, " now I have
done all ; but were the deed not done, I could not do
it. May God in heaven be merciful, and grant me
pardon !"
Moser consummated the tragedy by blowing out
his own brains. The body was discovered under the
bridge of the Emme ; it appeared to have been so
placed as to fall into the river after the commission of
the suicide.

SOUTHAMPTON, TUESDAY EVENING.—The United
States mail-steamer Washington, Captain G. W.
Floyd, arrived here at 6 r.m. from Bremen. She left
Bremerhaven on Sunday morning, and has encountered
a tremendous gale from the south-west during nearly
the whole of the passage.
The Washington brings the intelligence, so welcome
to the mercantile interest, that, in conformity with the
stipulations of the armistice between Denmark and
Prussia, the blockade of the German ports, including
the rivers Elbe and Weser, was formally raised on
Saturday, and that the Danish blockading squadron
has been withdrawn, the three frigates heretofore
cruising off Heligoland having departed for Copenha-
gen, thus permitting free ingress and egress to the
respective ports.
This measure liad already produced its favourable
effects at Bremen, and ships under all flags were
crowding to their various destinations, laden with
produce from all parts of the world. A number of
merchant ships had entered the Weser, and commerce
was resuming its activity. The Washington saw a
number of ships pressing forward with a fair wind
for the Elbe and Weser.
The American frigate St. Lawrence, 44, Captain
Paulding, had left Bremerhaven fur a cruise in the
Baltic.
The Washington has on board 200 tons of cargo
for New' York, and brings 57 first. class and 104
second-class passengers for New York, and 6 for
Southampton ; total, 167, exclusive of children. The
following was the cargo delivered at Bremen by this
steamer :—Specie, value 1,600/. ; 74 bales of furs,
126 boxes of manufactured tobacco, 10 cases and 4
hogsheads of manufactured tobacco, 153 packages of
whalebone, 50 bales of sarsaparilla, and 203 packages
of sundries.

She will sail hence for New York on Monday with
upwards of 200 passengers.

BALLOON ASCENT.

-
ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
lIOME CIRCUIT.—Croydon, Aug 14.
CIVIL SlDE.—(Before the LORD CHIEF BARON and
Special Juries).
HARRIS AND OTHERS V. COLONEL FOX, M.P.
This was an action to recover from the defendant a
very large sum of money upon six bills of exehangedrawn ,
by him.
Mr. Sergeant Channell, Mr. Sergeant Shee, and Mr.
Peacock were for the plaintiffs; Mr. M. Chambers and
Mr. Bramwell for the defendant.
The plaintiffs in the action, it appeared, were the part-
ners in the Plymouth Naval Bank. The pleas did not
disclose any substantial ground of defence except that
there had not been due notice of dishonour.
The jury in this case returned a verdict for the
plaintiffs.
The CHIEF BARON inquired what amount the plaintiffs
went for?
Mr. Sergeant CHANNELL said the sum total of the
bills was 6,7881.
A verdict was accordingly recorded for that amount.
Application having been made for immediate judg-
ment,
Mr. CHAMBERS said he trusted the Court would not
allow immediate judgment. He was instructed that for
these bills and others, to a very largo amount, not more
tha❑ 2,0001. had been given, and a bill in Chancery had
been filed in reference to the whole transaction.
After a short reply to the statement of Mr. Chambers
by Mr. Sergeant CHANNELL,
The CHIEF BARON said he should not grant imme-
diate execution.

HARRIS V. FOX, ESQ.
This was another action by the same plaintiffs against
Mr. George Sackvilla Lane Fox, the son of the former
defendant, to recover the amount of 16 bills of exchange,
some of which purported to have been drawn by the
Colonel and accepted by his son; others to have been
drawn by Leon Solomon and accepted by the defendant,
and the whole of which bore the endorsements of Solo
mon and a person named Benjamin Joseph, and so en-
dorsed by the latter to the plaintiffs bank.
The same Learned Counsel were engaged in the cause.
Mr. PEACOCK opened the pleading., and read a number
of pleas that had been made by the defendants, some of
them being want of consideration and fraud. There were
also the usual pleas denying the endorsements.
Mr. Sergeant CHANNELL having opened the plaintiff,'
case, called the following witnesses:—
Mr. J. Dolby, a clerk at Cox and Greenwood's, the
army agents, said—The signature to these bills is that
of the defendant. I know that ho is an officer in the
Royal Horse Guards Blue.
By Mr. CHAMBERS—Mr. Fox is quite a young man.
He has a very youthful appearance, and looks quite
like a youth.
Mr. T. Pegler, a clerk in Messrs. Dixon's bank,
proved the signature of Colonel Fox, the drawer of the
bills.
Henry Joseph said, I am the son of Abraham Joseph,
of Plymouth. I know his handwriting, and also that of
Leon Solomon. 'The endorsement to these bills I have
no doubt are their handwriting.
By Mr. CHAMBERS—Leon Solomon is in court. He
is my brother-in-,law, I do not know where he carries
on his business, but he lives in Maddox-street, and I
suppose he carries it on there. Abraham Joseph is my
father. He lives at Plymouth, and is a bill discounter.
This was the case for the plaintiffs.
Mr. CHAMBERS said the defendant in this case was
an extremely young man, an officer in the Royal Horse
Guards, and it happened in an evil day that he became
connected with Joseph and Solomon, and having
some expectations, it appeared that Solomon resolved
to make a terrific example of him. His Learned
Friend, Mr. Peacock, had gone through the pleadings
very elaborately, but he had omitted altogether to tell
the jury what was the amount of the bills which were
the subjects of the present action. He would, however,
tell them; and the tact was, that though the defendant,
a cornet in the Royal Horse Guards, bad only come of
age in the beginning of the present year, the total
amount of these bills, for which he was now sued, was
14,7201., whilst, as ho was instructed and hoped he
should be able to prove, not more than 2,0001. had been
advanced upon them. His instructions were that this
money had been advanced w bile the defendant was
under age, and that the bills had been obtained from
him upon the representation that a larger sum should be '
advanced; but he had never received one farthing, and
he was now called upon, under these circumstances,
to pay the large sum of money he had mentioned.
lie begged the jury to consider who were the plain-
tiffs in the present action. They were described as
the proprietors of the Naval Bank at Plymouth, and
in their presence he did not shrink from expressing
his opinion that it was perfectly clear they must
have known that this was not an honest mercantile
transaction, and he felt some confidence that the jury
would entertain a similar opinion. He would ask them
whether they considered that a bank of respectability
would have discounted the acceptances of a cornet in the
Horse Guards, who had only just come of age, to the
amount of 14,0001., without making some inquiry? He
felt certain they would agree with him that no respect-
able bankers would have discounted such bills; or, if
they had done so, they would have shown clear and satis-
factory reasons for such a proceeding, and, at all events,
have produced evidence to show that they were no par-
ties to any fraud. His Learned Friends had not called
Leon Solomon, although they bad heard he was absent,
but he should do so; and, notwithstanding his being a
hostile witness, yet as he was aware that a bill in Chan-
cery had been filed, and as he should now inform him,
in addition, that a shorthand writer was engaged who
would take down every answer he gave, be believed he
should be able to getlsome truth out of him. The Learned
Counsel again remarked upon the conduct of the Naval
Bank, and said he was assured that every respectable
banking firm would shrink from the suspicion of being
connected with any dishonest transaction, and would feel
it their duty to produce their books and their clerks to
clear themselves; but here nothing of the sort had been
done, and there was not the slightest evidence of the
plaintiffs ever having given any consideration for these
bills.

LEEDS, AUG. 14.—Mr. Charles Green, the veteran
aeronaut, made his 422 d ascent in the Royal Victoria
balloon, from the yard of the White Cloth-hall, Leeds,
last evening. The day was very unfavourable for an
ascent; the wind was very high, and during the after-
noon there were several slight showers of rain. The
inflation of the balloon commenced at half-past three,
and terminated about half-past five. About half-past
six the car was attached, and at seven, the hour an-
nounced for the ascent, Mr. Green seated himself in it,
accompanied by his brother, Mr. Henry Green. The
balloon was then removed to a more favourable spot for
the ascent; and precisely at twenty minutes past seven
Mr. Green cried out " Let go," and the balloon ascended
very beautifully in a north-east direction. In five mi-
nutes it disappeared from the view of the spectators in
the Cloth-hall, and although raining heavily at the time,
hundreds of people rushed from that place into Kirkgate,
the market- place, &c., where another view of the
beautiful machine was obtained. It now appeared
to be rising more rapidly, but owing to the
cloudy state of the atmosphere, it totally disap-
peared about fifteen minutes from its ascent. Mr. Green
states that they met with different currents of air during
their voyage, and after being up about half an hour they
descended about three miles beyond the city of York,
and 28 from Leeds. The voyagers slept at York and
returned to the Crown Inn, at Leeds, at half-past nine
this morning. This was Mr. C. Green's fifth ascent from
Leeds, and was announced as his farewell visit.
The first balloon ascent made from Leeds was by
Sig. Lunardi, who was the first aeronaut in England.
He ascended from the White Cloth-ball, Dec. 4, 1786,
and descended at Thorp-arch. The bells of St. Peter's,
St. John's, and Trinity Churches were rung and the
avenues to the Cloth Hall were guarded by the military
and civil power. Half a guinea was charged for admis-
sion. Since that time nineteen balloon ascents have been
made from Leeds by different persons, viz :—Mr. C.
Green, Mr. G. Green (son of the veteran), Mr. W. W.
Sadler, Mr. W. Russian, Mr. and Mrs. Graham, and
Lieut. Gale.

PIIENOMENON IN Ross-suiRE.—A curious phenome-
non occurred at the farm of Balvullich, on the estate of
Ord, occupied by Mr. Moffat, on the evening of Monday
last. Immediately after one of the loudest peals of
thunder ever heard there, a large and irregularly shaped
mass of ice, reckoned to be nearly 20 feet in circumfer-
ence, and of a proportionate thickness, fell near the/arm-
house. It had a beautiful crystalline appearance, being
nearly transparent, if we except a small portion of it,
which consisted of hailstones of uncommon size, fixed
together. It was principally composed of small squares
—diamond shaped—of from one to three inches in size
all firmly congealed together. The weight of this large
piece of ice could not be ascertained; but it is a most
fortunate circumstance that it did not fall on Mr. Moffat's
house, or it would have crushed it, and undoubtedly have
caused the death of some of the inmates. No appearance
whatever of either hail or snow was discernible in the
surrounding district,—Ross-shire Advertiser.
BOY DROWNED IN THE ARTESIAN WELL, ORANGE-
STREET.—On Tuesday Mr. Bedford held an inquest at the
board-room of the workhouse of St. Martin-in-the-
Fields, relative to the death of Samuel Ensor, a boy
aged ten and a half years, who was drowned in the
artesian well which supplies the fountains of Trafalgar
square. The deceased was the son of the engineer of
the works, which are under the direction of Messrs.
Easton and Amos, and situated in Orange-street. About
six o'clock in the evening of Monday, during the tem-
porary absence of the men, he, in company with an-
other lad, went into the engine-room to look at the
works, when Mr. Amos entered, and deceased, having
been previously forbidden to go into that place, from
fear, stepped backwards to hide, and in consequence of
the well being at the time partially uncovered, ho fell
through the aperture, descending a depth of no less
than 140 feet from the flooring into the water, which
is 60 feet deep. It was some time before he could be
got out, when he was found to be quite dead. Ver-
dict, Accidental death."
WESLEYAN METHODIST CONEERENCE.—MANCHES-
TER, Auc. 15.—The sittings of this religious denomi-
nation were closed yesterday evening, the Conference
having sat to the latest day it could legally continue,
under the poll-deed of the late Rev. John Wesley.
According to the official returns of the number of mem-
bers in the connexion presented to the Conference, the
total net increase within the past year in Great Britain,
Ireland, and the foreign (missionary) stations, was
8,787 members. The Conference for 1850 will be held
in London.
MONET MAREET.—The premium on gold at Paris
is 9 per mille, which, at the English Mint price of 31. 178.
101 d. per ounce for standard gold, gives au exchange of
25.37; and the exchange at Paris on London at short
being 25.35, it follows that gold is 0.08 per cent.
dearer in Paris than in London. By advices from
Ham burgh the price of gold is 437 per mark, which,
at the English Mint price of Si. 17s. 10id. per ounce for
standard gold, gives an exchange of 13.11; and the
exchange at Liamburgh on London at short being
13.111, it follows that gold is 0.11 per -cent, dearer in
London than in llamburgh.
SEAHA3I.—Arrd. George, Smith, Rio Janeiro.
L EISMITIABA, Auo, 10.--Sid. Maria, Quebec,

The Learned COUNSEL then called Leon Solomon.
The witness got into the witness-box, but declined to
be sworn to give evidence until he was paid his expenses.
The CHIEF BARON inquired who he was subpceiaaed
by? Ile replied by the defendant.
The CHIEF BARON—Then ho must pay your expenses,
or else I cannot compel you to give evidence.
Some discussion took place as to the amount that was
to be paid, and at length a sovereign was given to the
witness, and ho was sworn.
Fle was then examined by Mr. CLt AmnErts—He said,
I am a capitalist, and I am in the habit of advancing
money to gentlemen for their accommodation. I live in
Midden-street, and carry on my business there. I was
formerly a "capitalist" at Plymouth. lis my custom
to travel about to different parts of England, to supply
the officers of the army with plate, jewellery, .and money.
Mr. CHAMBERS—Then you are in the hablit of going
to the places where the cavalry regiments are stationed
for the purpose of lending money to the rifficers? l',Tit-
ness—Yes; but I sin ,not particular wh ether they are
cavalry or infantry officers.—(A laugh.)
Examination continued—l have kept a banking ac-
count with the plaintiff for twelve years. I also bank
with the London and Westminster, and Sir John Lub-
bock's banks. I have known the young g watleman, who
is the defendant in this action, for two piears, He is a
cornet in the Blues, and ho was not of age when I first
did business with him. I advanced hirA a small amount
before ho was of age. I cannot say hr fw much ; it might
have been 5001., or a little more. I Cannot :ecollect if
it was 1,0001. He owed me money when he came of age,
but it is impossible for me to reco:Alect...t_ll,e gognt, it

was not 5,000 L It was 1,0001,, but I cannot recollect if livered. On the 13th of February last the mill took fire,
it was 2,0001. My name is upon all the bills, and their in consequence of the spontaneous combustion of some
amount is nearly 15,0001. Some of the bills were ac- " strippings," and the mill was burnt to the ground.
cepted at my house, and others at the House Guards, The West of England Insurance Company paid the
where the defendant was on duty. The six bills for amount of the insurance effected with them, but the tie-
-7,5001. were all accepted at one time. fendant's company refused all payment, alleging various
At this stage of the case, it being seven o'clock, the grounds of objection embodied in their pleadings.
further examination of the witness was postponed. For the defence, it was contended that the mill was
August 15. described in the policy not as a " waste" mill but as a

HARRIS V. YOX.

The above trial was resumed this morning, when the
witness Leon Solomon was again called, and further ex-
amined by Mr, CHAMBERS. He said—l cannot recollect
whether these bills for 7,5001. were accepted at the Horse
Guards, or at my house. I have so many similar trans-
actions that I cannot recollect them all. When I took
them defendant owed me money. It was not 10,0001.
that he owed me, but he did owe me more than 4,000/.
He owed the money jointly with his father, Colonel Fox.
I cannot say how much he owed me when he came of
age. I swear that when he renewed any bills I always
gavo him the old ones. When he gave me these bills I
was to have advanced some more money, but I cannot
recollect how much. _

Mr. CHAMBERS—SureIy you can tell us how much
more money you were to give for these bills of 7.5001.?
Witness—l really cannot recollect. I dare say I gave
him some money. I will swear I did give him some. I
cannot recollect whether It was 1001. or 1,000/. My
books would have enabled me to speak correctly to that
transaction.

The CHIEF BARON inquired if the witness had been
subpcened to produce his books?
Mr. CHAMBERS said unfortunately he had not.
Examination continued—l know I gave the defendant
several hundred pounds on this occasion.
Mr. CHAMBERS—Did you make any inquiries re-
specting the circumstances under which all these bills
had been drawn by the father and accepted by the son?
Witness—l dare say I did. ,
Mr. CHAMBERS—And were you not perfectly aware
that they were accommodation bills? Witness—l dare
say they were.
Examination continued—l sent all the bills to my
father-in law Abraham Joseph, at Plymouth. Joseph
and I are not partners, but we do business together in
the discount way. The bills were all sent to the Naval
Bank, and Joseph gave me some money, and I also had
some from the bank. The bank paid the full value for
the bills, less the discount. They gave me credit for all
the bills that were endorsed by me and Joseph, and
credit for those which ho endorsed. I cannot tell how
much money came to my share. I have no recollection
of the nature of the settlement with Joseph. I have no
letters or cheques referring to the transaction. Some
letters passed between us on the subject, but Ido not
know whether they are destroyed or not. The way in
which we do business is, that I send Joseph all the bills
I receive, and he gives me half the amount; and when
they are paid into the Naval Bank credit is given us
for the amount of the bills, less the discount. We
usually divide the profit upon every transaction,
but I cannot say how much Joseph had for his
share of these bills. I swear that the bank placed the
full amount, less the discount, to my credit. I do not
know how much discount they charged. That depends
upon circumstances. I will swear it was not 50 per
cent. (Two bills for 2001. each, drawn on the 2d April,
at one month's date, 'were here shown to witness.) Be
said—l discounted these two bills for the defendant, and
gave him 1001. in cash and 3001. worth of jewellery for
them. These bills were discounted for me by the bank,
and at that time they held the defendant's dishonoured
acceptances for 3,1001.
Mr. CHAMBERS—Did not the bank make any inqui-
ries with regard to these two additional bills, when so
large an amount of dishonoured acceptances were already
in their hands? Witness—They made no inquiry of me.
In continuation he said that' he paid in the two 2001.
bills of the defendant's with two of Colonel Fox's ac-
ceptances for 5001. each, and he produced his banker's
book to show that credit had been given him for 1,391/.
15s. on account of these bills; Si. ss. only having been, as
it appeared, deducted for interest.
The witness was pressed a good deal upon the subject
of the transactions with the bank, but he persisted in
the statement that the plaintiffs had given full value for
the bills.
Mr. CHAMBERS asked the witnees whether he had
ever got any bills discounted by his London bankers?
—The witness said he would rather not answer the
question.
The CHIEF BARON asked Mr. Chambers if he could
carry the case any farther?
Mr. CHAMBERS replied that he was afraid he could
not.

" cotton" mill, and thit'a waste mill was a far more dan-

gerous property, and it was also provided in the policy
that "No bought flyings or strippings, nor any other
waste than that produced by the owner of the said mill,
should be spun therein." To this it was answered, that
the defendant's agent, who effected the policy on their
behalf, himself saw what kind of a mill it was, and that
if this defence were intended to be relied on, the defen-
dants knew at the time the policy was effected with them
that it was void.
It was eventually agreed to refer the construction of
the policy to his Lordship, who decided in favour of the
defendants, reserving leave to the plaintiff to move the
Court above to set aside that judgment, if in their
opinion it should be erroneous.

Verdict accordingly for the defendants.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice PATTESON.)
Owen Divine and Peter Livine, aged respectively 19
and 28, were indicted for the manslaughter of George
Brounou, at Manchester, on the 20th of last January.
Mr. Joseph Pollock appeared for the prosecution, and
Mr. Atkinson for the defence.

It appeared that about half-past ten o'clock on the
night of the 20th of June last the prisoners were drink-
ing at the Spread Eagle public-hiiuse, in the Rochdale-
road, Manchester, when the deceased entered the room
in which they were and joined the pirty, and whilst
passing the prisoner Owen Divine accidentally trod on
his toot, on which the prisoner Owen immediately jumped
up, and struck him a violent blow on the lace ; and
a fight thereupon ensued, in which the deceased Was
knocked down, the prisoner Owen Divine falling upon
him. The other prisoner then came up and kicked the
deceased, whilst on the ground, on the body, he at the
time having on a pair of heavy clogs tipped with iron at
the toes. The deceased was at length dragged away from
them, and then cried out to the person assisting him,
" Oh, Billy, either my heart is kicked, or my ribs are
broken." Ho was carried to a surgeon's, 'where his face
was dressed, and he was then taken home. He remained
in bed a few days, and then got up to obtain some one
to do his work for him, but was obliged to return to bed,
and he lingered until the 25th of April, when he died
at the workhouse, to which he had been obliged to b,
removed. A post mortem examination showed the cause
of death to have been abscess in his side, where he had
been kicked.
His LORDSHIP, at the close of the case, said there was
no evidence against the prisoner Owen Divine, and as to
him directed an Acquittal.
Mr. ATKINSON having addressed the jury for the
other prisoner,
His LORDSHIP summed up, and the jury found the
prisoner, Peter Divine, Guilty.
The sentence was deferred.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.

Elizabeth Vickery, a young person of respectable ap-
pearance, and believed to be well connected, was brought
before the Lord Mayor, charged with. having attempted
to destroy herself. She had been given into the custody
of a policeman by the persons who saved her life at one
o'clock on Tuesday.
The defendant, it appeared, had been seen at nine
o'clock in the morning loitering about the stairs at
London-bridge, at which some labourers were em-
ployed. There was a wildness in her counte-
nance which the labourers attributed to gin, but which
was supposed to proceed from excitement of a dif-
ferent kind. At a little before one o'clock she was
observed again on the stairs, and then she suddenly
slipped off her shawl and bonnet and flung herself into
the river, out of which sbe was, however, soon dragged
by Perkins and Simmons, two of the workmen employed
in the neighbourhood. By medical treatment she was
so far recovered as to be able to attend before the chief
magistrate, but it was evident that she suffered much in
mind and body.
Alderman Ginns (locum tenens for the Lord Mayor)
asked whether any one was present who could give any
account of the defendant ?

Scott (the Mansion-house officer) said that the unfoi-
tunate woman had been tried three or four years ago for
bigamy and convicted, and that since that event she had
acted in such a manner as showed that she was deter-
mined upon self-destruction.
In answer to the Alderman's question whether she
wished to say anything, the defendant shook her head, add
bid her face in her hands.
The ALDERMAN directed that her friends should be
communicated with, and that she should be brought up
again when more perfectly recovered from the almost
fatal effects of her attempt upon her life.
Namara Ryan, a moaning beggar, was brought up. She
was heard long before she ascended from the cage to
the justice room, crying in the peculiar style called the
" allagone," .so well calculated to touch the pockets of
the tender. hearted. It was not until she was threatened
with immediate imprisonment that she stopped her music
to allow the charge to be heard.
It appeared that she had called at the relief office Of
the city of London Union, and insisted upon being re-
lieved, declaring that she could get no work, and that
she was starving. As the officer to whom she applied
had grounds for believing that a little delay would not
prove fatal, he directed the female searcher to perforjn
her office, the defendant protesting all the time that she
did not know what the colour of English money was.
The officer's sagacity was rewarded. The searcher
found, upon a very close examination, that the applicatA
had the sum of ss. l l id. in her possession, and it was
considered necessary to send the case for adjudication,
particularly as at the present time the means of supply.
ing the real wants of the poor are much diminished by
the skill of the impostor.
Alderman GIBBS—WeII, Mrs. Ryan, what have you

The CHIEF BARON then addressed the jury, and said
that the formal evidence which had been given on the
previous day entitled the plaintiffs to a verdict; but the
defendant had endeavoured to make out the pleas he
relied upon by calling Leon , Solomon. There was no
doubt that he was a hostile witness, but the defendant
was entitled to call him, and it was to be regretted that
he had not also been subpa:teed to produce hts books, the
contents of which he said would have enabled him to
speak more clearly with regard to the matter. It was im-
possible not to see what was the nature of the transac-
tion between the defendant and some of the parties,
but the plaintiffs sued as bankers and bona fide holders
of the bills, and upon the evidence that had been
adduced they were in law entitled to the verdict. At
the same time he felt it his duty to state
that it was not customary for respectable banking
firms, and there was nothing before him to lead to 'a
conclusion that this bank was other than respectable, to
bring actions in this manner upon their customers bills,
and it certainly was the habit of the eminent London
bankers to return such bills, when they were dis-
honoured, to the parties from whom they received them,
and never to bring actions upon them except under par-
ticular circumstances. He must, therefore, admit that
he concurred with most of the observations that had
been made by Mr. Chambers upon this point, and he
would add, if respectable parties did not lend their as-
sistanc3 in this manner, persons would not be able to
scramble through dishonest transactions so easily as
they often did by such means. He did not impute to
the Naval Bank at Plymouth that they had done so in
this instance, but he did hope the present proceedings
would be a caution to them ; for, upon some future oc-
casion, they might meet with a jury who would take' a
very unfavourable view of their conduct. It was highly
important to the mercantile community that the law re-
garding bills of exchange should be strictly enforced,
notwithstanding some unfortunate persons who had been
swindled out of their acceptances might occasionally be
the sufferers, and he felt it to be his duty, therefore, in
this case, to tell them that in law the plaintiffs were en-
titled to a verdict.
The jury, after consulting a short time, asked hits
Lordship if they were to understand that they were
bound to return a verdict for the plaintiffs?
The CHIEF BARON said he thought they were. The
plaintiffs bad done all that the law regarding bills of
exchange required of them, by proving the signatures of
the endorsers and acceptors. It was then the duty of
the defendant to impeach the instrument, and the jury
must understand that it was not only necessary for him
to show that the bills had been fraudulently dealt with,
but also to show that the 'plaintiffs were cognisant of it,
and he must impeach the bills in their hands. A good
deal, no doubt, had been proved in the case, which told
its own story; but he could not see anything to impeach
the title of the plaintiffs, and they were, therefore, by law
entitled to recover.
The jury, after a short consultation, said they were
sorry that, under the direction of his Lordship, they had
no power to return any other verdict than one for the
plaintiff.
A verdict was theii reCOrded for 14,4701, the jury
refusing to give, any, interesp, for the period the bills had
been overdue.

to say in answer to this complaint, that, with money
about you, you said you were starving and utterly desti-
tute? The defendant replied in the tone already de-
scribed, and, with a crying face not touched by a tear,
that the money found upon her was not hers, but her poor
mother's.
Alderman Gums desired that the mother should IA
called.
The defendant—She's at home in Tipperary, and
there's no use in calling her.
How the money which the searcher's hands reached
became the property of the defendant's mother was ex-
plained in the following statement, which she made in
substance:—

WESTERN ClRCUlT.—Bristol, Aug. 15.
The bUsiness of the • assize was brought to an abrupt
termination this morning. Never was so uninteresting
an assize known, and never was a cause list on this cir-
cuit run through so rapidly; no doubt the fear of cholera
'entertained by all parties • had something to do with it;
but independently of this the cause list was a very rotten
one; nineteen common• juries were got through the first
day (Monday), and eleven yesterday. Scarcely a single
case has gone to a jury: In the undefended causes, of course;
proper verdicts were taken; but nearly all the other ac-
tions were referred; and it was amusing to see the
anxious countenances of the different barristers who had
friends as counsel in the causes, hoping that they might
be appointed arbitrators to decide between the parties,
and thus obtain, in the long vacation, good fees to make
up for a very bad circuit,—for such, as regards emolu-
ment, it has been to most parties. Whether the heavy
expense of a reference will be the means of increasing' a
love for litigation is extremely questionable. We never
recollect a circuit in which-there has been matter of so
Ruin-interest. - Three -causes were left last night, but
they were all referred this morning, and. Mr. Justice
Cresswell left the court, and the business was all over by
ten o'clock. •

- •
NORTHERN CiRCCHT.--Liverpool, Aug. 15.
CIVIL SIDE .---(Befiiielir. JUStiCo WIGIITMAN.)
HULL V. THE STAR FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY.

The defendant came over from the other side of the

This was an action on a policy of insurance against
fire, effected by the plaintiff for 2841. 16s. Bd. with the
defendants. To which the defendants pleaded—lst,
That they did not make the policy; 2d, That the policy
was made by fraud and covin, and that there was a mis-
description of the kind of goods spun in the mill on which
the insurance was effected.
Mr. Martin, Q.C., and Mr. H. Hill appeared for the
plaintiff; and Mr. Knowles, Q.C., Mr. Mathews, and Mr.
Atherton for the defendants.
It appeared that the plaintiff, Mr. Bichard Hull, was
a commission agent at Manchester, and the defendants
were a company called " The Star Fire Insurance Com-
pany," carrying on business in London. The plain-
tiff had a mortgage for three hundred pounds upon a
" hardware mill,' and in manufacturing " cop-bottoms,"
at a place called " Goldshaw Fold." In this mill a
quantity of what were called " strippings " of cotton
were made and worked up, in the process of the
manufacture, in which articles by themselves there
was no danger of fire; but they were apt to get mixed
with the oil of the machinery, and when so mixed and
teazed by a machine called a " devil" they were liable to
become inflammable and burst into flame. The plaintiff
was anxious to insure this mill to protect his interest
therein, and he therefore applied to a gentleman named
Bird, the Manchester agent of the Star Fire Insurance
Company, and that gentleman accompanied him and
made a survey of the mill for the purpose of having an
insurance effected upon it, and at that time there were
six or seven "devils" at work in his presence teazing
" strippings." In September, 1846,.a policy for 5001. on
the mill was granted, and that pOlicj having lapsed, the
plaintiff effected another policy for 5001. in the West of
England Insurance. office. , 'Mr. Bird afterwards cache to
the plaintiff, and representing to him the superior cheap-
ness and adiantage of insuring in the Star Fire Insurance
Office, and the great value of the mill; the plaia-tiff was
induced to effect a further insurance for 3001. in the
star Laurance Company, and the policy was duly de-

water to work, and by chance, after wandering about, she
met a lady, who, upon hearing her story, gave her 63.,
upon the promise that she would get home to her own
country as fast as she could and hand over the money to
her mother. As she was resolved to keep her word
with the lady, and not break in upon the property con-
fided to her, she stitched it up in a rag, all but ono half-
penny, which she kept for her own trouble, and put it
out of the way, as she thought, of everybody. She
found, however, that she could not act honestly, even to
her own parent without being put in prison for it;
,so
because she was not a bit of a rogue she was treated just
like as big a thief as ever came out of the country.
Alderman GIBBS—How long have you been here?
Defendant—Five weeks; and it is I that wish I never
saw the place in all my days.
Several of the police force said the defendant was one
of the unfortunate beggars who were rather encouraged
than repressed by denial, and spurned the idea of labour.
Alderman Gross=-I sentence you, defendant, to font.-
teen days' imprisonment in grideeell, where you will
receive' some notion of the labour to which you have been
unaccustomed.
Defendant—Give me back my mother's money, and let
me go home.
Alderman .GIBIIS—Y our mother's money must go to
pay for your supportin prison, and you shall be sent
home the moment you come out.
The defendant then set up a "pallalu," and appealed
to the tender hearts of all present in her usual style, but
finding that she was disregarded, she turned round and
walked in custody down stairs, muttering " Arrah, then
bad luck to you all."
GUILDHALL.
A well•known burglar, named William Ash, vas
charged, before Mr. Alderman Canien, with stealing
upwards of 250 pair of boots and shoes, of the value
of 1001.
George Reid, aged 14, the son of Mr. William Reid,
of 21, Finsbury-pavement; boot and shoe manufacturer,
stated that about half•past ten or a quarter to eleven
o'clock, the, previous night, he; in company with another
person, went to his father's shop, into which they were
rernOvirig;and on putting the key •in the door, to his
astonishment found that- it was bolted inside. While
wondering whO could hive done it, the door was sud-
denly opened, the prisoner with another man rushed out,
and the former felled the witness with a blow, and both
darted off in different directions, but' ultimately Ash was
overtaken after a smart chase, and conveyed to the sta-
tion-house.
_ _

James Donohoe, in the employ of Mr. Reid,'corrobo-
rated the testimony' of the prosecutor's son, and said
that he started in pursuit of the prisoner, and Over-
took him in South-street, Finsbury, and there gave him
into custody. On returning • to the house with the
officers, they found 'three large sacks of boots, and
shoes- packed up ready to be taken away. They had
been taken down from the pegs all round the shop,
and he never saw the sacks before. The desk
was broken open, but there happened to be no
money in it.
Frederick Nelson Johnson said he was passing
along Moor-fields, and saw the prisoner and another
man run out of Mr. Reid's shop and run away. He
followed the prisoner, and during the race did not lose
sight of him.
William Bryant, shopman to Mr. Reid, identified the
property as belonging to his master, and which was safe
on pegs and in boxes a short time before, as they were
moving into the house, and had only gone out for a short
time to get some refreshment.
Police•constable 125 said he heard a cry of " Stop
thief !" and on running to Finsbury-pavement saw a
man running, followed by another. He hastened after
them, and received the prisoner in custody from a me-
tropolitan officer. On searching Mr. Reid's shop he
found a piece of candle, which had been recently lighted,
and the three sacks of boots and shoes ready done up
to be carried away. On the prisoner were found some
lucifer matches.
Mr. Reid, sen., deposed that the property, which was
packed ready for removal, was worth from 1001. to 1201.
Alderman CARDEN asked the prisoner whatlie bad
to say to the charge. Ash replied that he knew nothing
about the affair. He was quietly walking along with
his hands in his pockets, when stopped by the second
witness. He was neverin the house: • -
Alderman CARDEN said it had been distinctly sworn
that he was in the house, and when he ran away he was

not lost sight of. Ho should like to be informed whethe
the prisoner was known.
George Trew, of the City police, said he knew the
prisoner well, and had had him in 'custody oft suspicion
of being concerned in the robbery at Savory's, when
so many watches were stolen.
Alderman Carden committed him for trial.