The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-05 00:00:00

NiskruiUMPTCY.—(THIS DAY.)
DIARRLAGE SETTLEMENTS.-IN RE WM. L. wood.
To-day was appointed for the choice of assignees, in
the case of this bankrupt, who was an ironmonger, in
Gmeechurch street.
A proof was tendered, on the part of the trustees,
'under the bankrupt's marriage settlement. The deed
being produced, it appeared, amongst other things, the
bankrupt bad entered into a covenant to insure his life
and keep up the annual payments, and that such policy
of insurance should be for the benefit of the bankrupt's
wife. The claim now made was for the value of the
Niay, as estimated by the aotuary, the bankrupt not
4
41 in a condition to perform his covenant.
The Learned CommissioNEß, after hearing the argu-
ment and reading several cases, decided that such a
proof was inadmissable.
Another question arose as to the deliiery of some
goods after the bankruptcy. It appeared the fiat was
opened about two o'clock in the day, and goods ordered
by the bankrupt were delivered in two or three hours
afterwards: the question arose as to whether they could
be retained as part of the stock of the bankrupt and
applied for the general bet:aft of the creditors.
The Learned COMMISSIONER said that the goods must
either be returned or considered as purchased by the
assignees to continue the business for a time.
The assignee said he should return the goods.
The estate being likely to yield a fair dividend, an
allowance to the bankrupt was granted without oppo-
eltion.

IMINAL COUitT.-(THIS DAY

OBTAINING OLD COURT.
WINE SAMPLES FROM THE LONDON
Do n
IC COMPANY BY FORGED ORDERS.—John Hatton, a
respectably dressed man, aged forty-three, described in
the calendar as a " wine agent," was charged with hav-
ing Obtained a number of samples of wine from the
East vaults of the London docks, by forged orders, pur-
posting to be signed by Messrs. Dingwell, Porter, and
Co. wine merchants, of Idle-lane, Tower-street, well
knowing at the time that they were forged. The trial
was deferred until this session, in order that a material
vr_itness, whose name was stated to be Dunks, might be
obtained, to give evidence in support of the defence.
Mr. Ballantine appeared for the prosecution, which
was instituted by the London Dock Company, and Mr.
Doane for the prisoner.
sin earedapp that Messrs. Dingwell and Co. had con-
Tn wine in the vaults in question, and that the
the second
produced two orders ; the first, on the 11th, and
Lb second on the 21st of November last, to the clerk at
the vault, purporting to be orders
. for samples, which,
after being duly attested, were given to the cooper to
draw the wine which was done, and the wine delivered
to the prisoner. Two other orders were also delivered
at the vaults ; and the wines to which they referred were
delivered to a porter named Elstead, sent by the prisoner,
who was, however, in the service of the company, and
whom the prisoner directed to say that the wines belonged
to Messrs. Dingwell. The porter was stopped by one of
the
constables of the dock. The constable traced the pri-
soner to the Phoenix, on Tower-hill, , who, on mention-
ing his business, stated that he knew nothing about the
orders; but subsequently a person named Waters re-
cognising him, he admitted that he had delivered the
first two orders, and that he had received them from a
person named Dunks. Ile said Dunks was in the wine
trade ; that he had known him for three months ; and
that he (Dunks) had employed him to obtain the sam-
ples; and that he considered the wine belonged to him.
me searched the prisoner, and found a number of blank
tasting orders upon him, which however, it appeared,
could be easily obtained from the Dock Company. He
had been to several places, by the prisoner's direction,
but he had been quite unable to meet with Dunks. He
did not mention the name of Dunks until he was in cus-
tody. He then called the officer's attention to a person
wearing a white waistcoat, who frequented the docks,
and who, he said, was the pt rson to whom he referred
The prisoner, it appeared ,was well known at the Phoenix.
Re there instructed the porter how he was to proceed.
Mr. DOANE contended that there was nothing to show
that the prisoner was aware of the fact that the orders
were forgeries, or that he altered them with a guilty
knowledge ; if so, it was unlikely that ho would have
employed one of the Dock porters as an instrument to
perpetuate fraud. Dunks, whose attendance they had
P. u unable to obtain, had employed the prisoner, who
was a respectable man, to obtain the wine by orders
Which the prisoner could not have known vt ere forged.
Mr. Smith, who stated that he was a provision dealer
in the Commercial-road, said that he had known the
prisoner for twelve years, and that he had always borne
the character of a respectable man. Dunks kept the
Greyhound, in Smithfield, about eleven years ago.
Dunks was a wine agent. He had been to several places
in order to get him to attend the Court, but he had
been unable to meet him. Ile had trusted the prisoner
With large sums of money.
Mr. Bainbridge, a perfumrs in omers-town, said he saw Dunks last Thuday,er
andcharged him with
Wishing to destroy the prisoner, to which he replied,
" What is that to you?' He asked him (witness) to
forge him thirteen tasting orders, and offered him rope
for them. He insinuated that if he were to fill them up be
should commit forgery. Dunks said it was all " square,"
but as he did not think se he did not consent. He did
not give him into custody. Dunks lived by getting wine
out in samples.
The RECORDER left it to the jury to say whether the
prisoner uttered the order with a guilty knowledge, or
whether he was made the dupe of others.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
The RECORDER said, the exposed nature of the pro-
Deny of persons deposited in the docks, and the facilities
Punishm
thereby afforded for fraud, cal Court. The sentence
of
the Court was that he be transported for the term of
seven years.

W COURT.
dP 8 11CliallING THE LONDON DOCKS.-Walter Breton, a re-
table-looking young man, in the service of the Lon-
Dock Company, was indicted with stealing 201bs.
" e'ght of tobacco, the property of her Majesty. In an-
Londonerunt the property was laid as belonging to the
Dock Company.
From the evidence adduced it appeared that the pri-
lorleri who was a servant in the Docks, on leaving them
Was detected with the property in question in his pocket,
S on being charged with stealing it, he said that it
was his own ; that he had purchased it for his own
sharEraoking ; and appeared extremely indignant at being
Charged with theft.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and
The COII3ION SERGEANT sentenced him to six months'
imprisonment and hard labour.
VIOLENT ASSAULT.— William Thomas Pearman was
indicted with violently assaulting John Ellis, fracturing
his skull, and breaking his arm, on the 15th September
last, and Maria Pickard and Susan Coles were charged
with aiding and assisting him in doing so. It appeared
that the assault arose out of the ill blood and bad
feeling that existed among all the parties, who lived in
the same court in the neighbourhood of the Borough.
The assault, it appears, was committed by Pearman,
with a life-preserver ; and, according to the evidence of
Ellis, the prosecutor, who is a bum-boatman, supplying
spirits to the seamen on board the vessels on the river,
was of a most aggravated description, his skull having
been severely fractured, and his left arm broken.
Mr. PAYNE appeared for the prisoners, and ad-
dressed the jury at some length on their behalf, con-
tending that the whole had arisen in consequence of the
brutal conduct of the prosecutor to his wife, and from a
feeling of jealousy on his part for the kindness displayed
towards her by the prisoners.
A witness of the name of Hewlett gave all the prison-
ers an excellent character for humanity and quietness,
having known them 12 years.
TheCOMMON SERGEANT summed up.
jury found the prisoner Pearman Guilty of a
common assault, and acquittal both the woman.
The COMION SERGEANT sentenced Pearman to one
Year's imprisonment in the common gaol of the county
SjJ

•
iRREY SESSIONS.—(THIS DAY.)
The Sessions for the County ar Surrey were opened
this morning, at the Sessions•house in the Borough, be-
fore air. Puckle, chairman, and a very full bench of
Magistrates.
the Grand Jury having been impanelled, the Chair-
'tan briefly addressed them, and they retired to their
room.

The reports of the surgeons and governors of the
several county prisons were presented, by which it ap-
peared that there were under confinement in the county
gaols, 131 males and 126 females, making together 357.
One prisoner of the name of Harris had shed shortly
after admission to the prison, at Guildford, from mortifi-
cation of the feet in consequence of exposure to excessive
cold.

The accounts of the county treasurer were then passed,
and a county rate of 2d. in the pound was ordered to be
Paid within six weeks.
4, Onslow, the clerk to the magistrates, called
tile attention of the court to a letter which
he had received from Mr. Phillips, the secre-
tary of Sir George Grey, which informed him
that by the Act of last session, c. 116, the sum of
40,0001. per annum is to be applied out of the Consoli-
dated Fund to the support of these prisoners after trial,
Who may bo suffering under sentence in the several
county prisons. The letter required a return to
be presented immediately after the
31st of March in each
Year, which is to be submitted to the Secretary of State,
by whom the respective amounts will be apportioned to
the different counties. He observed that the Act speci-
fied that the prisoner alluded to should have been tried
at the Assizes and Quarter Sessions; buts great number
°Nile Surrey prisoners are now tried at the Central
Criminal Court ; and he presumed the provisions of the
Act would apply to them also. It was agreed that ap-
plication should be made to the Secretary of State to as-
certain the point.
Information was aiso received from the °thee of GSir
eorge Grey that a change was to be made in the
mode
conveying prisoners from the several county gaols to
liorsernonger-lane and the Old Bailey. They are hence-
forth to be conveyed in vans, under the care of the police
force, instead of, as at present, under the charge of
County constables.
On the motion of Mr. JEFFREY, seconded by Mr.
eesneret.n, an increase of salary was voted to the
schoolmaster at Guildford prison.
„. A report of the Visiting Committee of the County
Lunatic Asylum was then made, by which it appeared
that the number of inmates at present is 421, of whom
222 are constantly employed.
A long conversation ensued on the report of the com-
mittee for the alteration of the'asylurn, 'from whic
appeared that the estimates of
fivo I:ondou builders
,? far exceeded the calculation of the county surveyors,
it was neeeesFary to reconsider the matter ; and on
Lle motion of
BenceCOl. Cii.ALL,EN-ER, it :vat resolved that th 4.. c6rreivoll-
t of the Committee with the Lunacy Commissioners,
lup,3ther with a statement of the alterations required,
4q the eatimates of the expense, should be printed and