The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-06 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.
CHARGE OF ARSON.—A fair-haired, 1 'pti ' e
resting-look-
ing child, apparently not more than two ve years o` age,
bar, charged
named Elizabeth Cope, was placed rat. the .
,
with wilfully setting fire to a dwAiag-hotts( in the pa-
rish of Chelsea.
! years been
It appeared that the prisoner had for t tory
an inmate of the Hans Town Charity Scl 1001
t
pa-
rish of Chelsea, and that a short times inct , in the
one of the
beds at that establishment had been set I Ire to, but the
Barnes had been extinguished before they blik communi
eated to the room, and that no part oft he .t.H. 'use itself
had ever been actnally on fire.
as Mr. CLARKSON for the prisoner took ar
,biectio, n, that
charge was for setting fire to the dwelling-h. lase,
e and tas it was proved by the prosecution that the ho, u
must r
was never actually on fire, the case mu di to the groL\ 1.
:

Mr. Baron PARKE thought the objection good, and.
directed the Jury to acquit the prisoner.
Mr. CLARKSON said the reason given by the child for
doing as she had done was, that she had been at the
school a long time, and wished to get away. The ladies
of the establishment were, he understood, extremely de-
sirous that the child should not be exposed to temptation
through want of proper care being taken of her, and he
:had to state that her uncle, the brother of her deceased
father, was in Court, and was anxious to have the child
delivered up to him, and he would take every care of her.
Mr. Baron PARKE directed she should be placed under
the care of her uncle, and she was delivered up to him
accordingly. -
Before the case of Smith was proceeded with on
Saturday, Mr. Clarkson made an application on behalf
of a man named Croft, charged with rape, and who had
only been committed on Friday, that his trial might be
postponed to next Session. It was sworn that there were
material witnesses to be subpoenaed, whose names and
addresses had yet to be learned, and whose attendance
this Session, therefore, could not be obtained. The
Court granted the application.
NEW COURT.

William Smith, 21, a painter, and Mary ~Davis, 22,
were indicted for feloniously stealing six curtains, two
candlesticks, two sheets, and other articles, of the value
of 7L, the property of Mary Ann Lewis, in her dwell-
ing-house.
The facts of this:case ;have recently been before the
public, when it was heard at Marlborough-street police.
The robbery was alleged to have been committed in a
brothel kept by the prosecutrix.
Mr. DOANE defended the prisoners, who were indicted
upon two several charges of felony.
The Jury found both prisoners Guilty.
The indictment then charged the male prisoner that
he, in the month of January, 1837, was convicted of the
crime of clipping and coining, who was then sentenced to
seven years' transportation. This sentence was com-
muted to a term of imprisonment.—Sentence Deferred.
This trial occupied the whole of the morning.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
oMANSIONisd that HO USE.
The LORD MAYhad received a com-
munication on a subject upon which great numbers of
persons felt much interest some time ago. It related to
the notorious humbug called the London and Australian
Bank, No. 55, Moorgate-street, in which several emi-
grants to Ausralia had deposited all the money they
were possessed of, having received letters of credit made
payable in that country, but dishonoured both abroad
and at home. It would, his Lordship said, be recollected
that two brothers, named Boucher, were the principal
concoctors of the scheme, that the whole affair was con-
ducted with first-rate assurance, and that a vast deal of
distress had been occasioned by the system of plunder
carried on. The communication was as follows :
"Albany, King George's Sound, June 6, 1841.
" Sitt—l take the liberty of enclosing a letter to you I
have addressed to Mr. Ashurst, the Solicitor, as I am
ignorant of that gentleman's address. I leave the letter
open for your perusal, as it contains information in
which I believe you to be interested, as well as Mr.
Ashurst, and to assure you that if I can be useful in
assisting any of the parties who have been defrauded of
their property by the Bouchers it will afford me gratifi-
cation.—" I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
" GEORGE CHEYNE.
" Should you require any information respecting my-
self, I refer you to my correspondents, Messrs. Mangles,
Price, and Co., of London.
"John Pirie' Esq., London."
" Albany, King George's Sound, Western Australia,
June 6, 1841.
" Sir—Having observed by the newspapers that you
had espoused the interests of several parties who had
been defrauded by the swindling transactions of the
Australian Bank, I consider it a duty due io the suf-
ferers to inform you that a proportion of—Frederick
Boucher's funds must be invested in this neighbourhood.
" About two years ago last January, Mr. John H.
made his appearance in the brig Dawson, from London,
as master, and I think part owner ; however, that may
be ascertained by you in London ; but the cargo was
shipped in the name of Frederick Boucher. Mr. 11.
purchased a large grant of land from me. Part of the
amount I agreed to take in goods, and the original in-
voices of shipment were delivered to me by Mr. H. The
following is a copy of the headings of four invoices which
are in my possession :
Invoice of stationery, &c., shipped by Maggeridge,
Sprague, & Co., and Worrell, of London, in the
Dawson, Captain ll—, for South Australia, and a a,
S
and risk of Fred. Boucher, of London, and consigned to
order.
"BH 1 case. [The above invoice is marked in red
ink No. 3.]
" Invoice of fine earthenware, shipped by Jos. Green
& Co. in the Dawson, Captain 11--2-, for South Aus-
tralia, a a, and risk of F. Boucher, of London, and con-
signed to order.
G
" 811. 1 crate. [lnvoice marked in red ink No. 94].
" Invoice of fancy printed cottons, shipped by Street
and Sharp in the Dawson, Captain H— ' for South
Australia, a I a, and risk of F. Boucher, of London, to
order.
" BIT. 1 bale. [lnvoice marked in corner No. 16,
SS and in centre No. 19, both in red ink.]
No. 16 contained—
" Invoice of coarse linen, diaper and huckaback towels,
shipped by Street and Sharp in the Dawson, Captain
H—, for South Australia, a I a, and risk of Frederick
Boucher, of London, and consigned to order.—London.
" BH. 10-1 bale. [lnvoice snarked in corner No.
SS 16, and in centre of invoice No. 28]."
" Mr. H—, who married a sister of Boucher, went from
this to Adelaide, and found his brother-in-law, Charles
Boucher, preparing to leave Adelaide. I believe no part
of the cargo was sold at Adelaide. The Dawson then
proceeded to Launceston, where the Dawson and her
cargo were sold. About the month of October or No-
vember, 1839, H. went to Sydney, purchased a quantity
of stock, and chartered the China for this place ; and a
valuable cargo of stock was landed in February, 1840,
and placed on the land which he purchased from me.
The land was only an assignment to me in occupation,
which required certain location duties to be performed
before the fee simple would be granted by the Governor.
These location duties have been performed by 11., and
he has applied for: the fee simple to be granted in the
joint names of F. Bouchere and J. H. The Governor in
Council has sanctioned the fee simple being issued as ap-
plied for, but a delay has occurred in conse-
quence of 11. wishing to include another portion
of land that adjoins the properly he purchased of me,
and upon which he had not completed his location
duties. He has now, however, fulfilled all the conditions
he is required to do, and he will obtain the fee simple
of this property whenever he applies for it ; but I sus-
pect the exposition which has been made of the fraudu-
lent transactions of the Bouchers in the newspapers of
Sydney and Adelaide and this colony, may induce 11.
to take out the fee simple in his own name. The deed
of sale from me to H. was in the name of H. alone, but
he has frequently in conversation told me that it was a
joint-concern with his brother-in-law, and my impres-
sion is that he told me, when he came first, that the
Dawson and her cargo was a joint-concern ; and the
marks on the packages would seem to confirm this. H.
may endeavour to conceal the connection now, but his
letter of application for the fee simple in joint names
would prevent this, and the Governor, being now aware
of the nefarious transactions of the parties, will not
allow that letter to be withdrawn. H. has mentioned to
other parties besides myself that Boucher was connected
in the purchase of the property here ; and the goods
shipped in Boucher's name being given as a part-pay-
ment is another corroborative circumstance of the fact.
"In an additional paper, dated April last, I observed
that Charles Boucher had been taken up on account of
some of his delinquencies in that quarter, but had con-
trived to make his escape in the Fox for Launceston. His
clerk is in custody at Adelaide.
" The editor of the paper states that he holds the letter
of authority from the house in London to Charles Bou-
cher, authorising him to draw on the London house to
the amount of 10,000/, and offers to give that letter up
to any person to whom it might be necessary.
"The invoices I hold are also at your service, and if I
can be of any service in enabling the sufferers to recover
their property, I shall be happy to do so.—l am, sir, &c.
" GEO. CHEYNE."
The Loan MAYOR said he believed that the informa-
tion contained in the letter of Mr. Cheyne, who was evi-
dently influenced by the desire to serve the numbers of
poor persons who had been imposed upon by the fraud
so extensively exposed by the London press, would be be-
neficial to the public, and would no doubt be acted upon.
Captain Rose, a military gentlemen, appeared to com-
plain of a grievance for which he had in vain sought
redress. He engaged a passage for himself and his
family last June, in the North Star steamer, from Lon-
don to Invergordon (about thirty miles north of Inver-
ness), for which he was compelled to pay the fares upon
engaging the berths. On their way down the person
who had charge of her, contrived to run her on a rock
off the small fishing village of Johnshaven, in Forfarshire.
There was a fog at the time, but little, if any, wind.
The fog, however, was not so dense but that the appli-
eat could distinguish the houses on shore, though it
was night. The first land they should have made was
Peter,ttead, so that they could not have been less than
thirty rules out of their course. The passengers and
agnododsmowsetreof applicant'slande clothes landed, the latter in
in a
wereverydamaged
completely
de-
stroyed by the salt water, From Johnshaven a por-
tionstat e
of the passengers were conveyed in a steam tug to
Aberdeen, where they were left to shift for themselves.
Upon applying to the agent at Aberdeen, and request-
ing to be forwarded to his destination, applicant was
treated with the greatest incivility, and could obtain no
redress. He was compelled to remain two nights at the
out a nd inside for two days,
/oerdeen Hotel with his fami/T as the coaches were full
,
and he had then to pay for
the jeu,-ney titetwe to Invergordon, 3 distance of about
140 miles. On USA yeturn to London last week, he took
at
might be given back toll:111y the been
which he had caitl it in Strand, requesting that it
the
had not be
the receipt for the *Wiley he had paid to the office
the contract
the parties there to
perforrnen ; but lie was refe."v4i4 hY
'Olore's wharf, who I.e-
-r. Edward Wright, the went
and C" ~ the proprty
useless for him to apply in that quarter, as • Ito wfts
sferred him again to Messrs. I)uffus
,fluidered it to I)
tors of the vessel in Aberdeen. lie L.
there on his personal application in June. 11-c:
considered it to be his duty to make the mattc:" Public
through the Lord Mayor. He perceived that the vessed
was advertised to commence running between London a.'l
Inverness the first week in March, and he suggested that
therefore,
considered
passengers should refuse any payment whatever until
landed at their destinations. No explanation had been
given by the proprietors Lf the disaster which had oc-
curred.
The LORD Mayon said he had no doubt that publicity
would be given to the complaint, and in all probability
the Directors would come forward upon the occasion.