The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-25 00:00:00

HATT ON- GARDEN.

Martha Elizabeth Menzies, a fine woman, about
45 years of age, was charged %iith forging and uttering
a number of bills of exchange, and having obtained
goods to a great amount under false and fraudulent
pretences.
Mr. Edwin Ives, an upholsterer, residing at 124,
High Holborn, said, that on the 28th of April last the
prisoner called on him, and after examining somo fur-
niture, inquired if he gave credit. He told her that he
did not, unless he had security, or the recommendation
of one of his regular customers. The accused then
stated that her husband was a professional man, and
was employed by Mr. Clennell, Mare-street, 'Hackney,
from whom he was in the habit of receiving bills of ex-
change for the amount due to him from time to time,
and she requested witness to call on Mr. Smith, grocer,
of Sidmouth-street, Gray's Inn-road, who would satisfy
him as to her respectability, he having been in the ha-
bit of receiving from her quarterly accounts. In con-
sequence of this representation he visited Mr. Smith,
whose report of the prisoner being favourable, he called
on her at her residence, No. 45, Regent-square, and
informed her that she might have goods from him to
any amount, and she at once ordered a set of mahogany
chairs, two feather beds, and several other articles, to
the amount of 211. A few days after this she
called on witness again, and gave a bill of ex-
change for 221. 7s. 9d., at three months, purport-
ing to have been drawn by J. Menzies upon, and
accepted by, J. Clennell, of Mare-street, Hackney ;
and at the same time she selected other goods, amount-
ing to 251. On the day following the latter transaction,
witness's suspicions as to the genuiness of the bill were
excited, and on the same day they were confirmed by
Mr. Goode, upholsterer, of King-street, Bloomsbury,
who asked him if he had had any dealings with a per-
son named Menzies ; and learning that he had, he made
known to witness that she had been putting off divers

forged bills. This intelligence induced witness to go to
the prisoner, and on telling her what he had heard, she
dropped on her knees, and implored him, for God's
sake to forgive her. Having given her to understand
that ha should make further inquiries, and would see
her again, he left her begging and praying him not to
take any notice of the matter. In the investigation
which then followed, witness ascertained that the pri-
soner was deeply involved in fraudulent transactions,
and upon deliberation, deeming it prudent to see her
again before he took any further steps, he did so, and
she again on her knees urged him to pardon her. He,
however, held her out no hopes of mercy, but ordered
her to say what had become of his property. She said
it was in a room up stairs, but the door was locked
and she could not find the key. On telling her that a
smith would readily open it, she said her servant. was
out, but she would fetch a man to pick the lock as
soon as she came in. After waiting some time witness
called in a locksmith, on seeing whom the pri-
soner invited witness into a back parlour, where
a third time she dropped on her knees, praying
his forgiveness, and calling her husband, who was in the
house. Mr. Menzies soon entered the apartment, and
observing his wife in that posture, he asked her what
was the matter. On being told, he said that he was
aware his wife had been forging Mr. Clennell's signa-
ture, hut he knew nothing of the circumstances. After
frequently desiring to be informed how his goods had
been disposed of; the prisoner produced and gave to
him pawnbrokers' duplicates of the whole of them, with
the exception of some stair-carpeting and brass rods,
which the accused, as well as her husband, promised
should be restored to him the next day, which they
attended to. Subsequently witness consulted with a
Magistrate, who advised the apprehension of the pri-
soner.

Mr. Goode gave evidence of having been swindled of
nearly 50/. worth of property. He produced a 281. 17s.
forged bill, which he had taken of her.
Mr. Smith, the grocer, exhibited a 201. bill, which
was proved to be a forgery.
The husband of the prisoner, who cried very much,
and was exceedingly agitated. admitted that the bills
were in the handwriting of his wife.

Sergeant Thornton, of the E division, said he found
in the prisoner's house a number of bills of exchange
and other documents, and also 230 pawnsrokers' dupli-
cates, referring to pianos, guitars, furniture of all sorts,
&c., pledged to the extent of 5061., the whole of which
was the produce of the swindling. Some of the bills
were forgeries on Mr. A. Cowie, of Box Villa, St.
John's Wood.

The prisoner was remanded. More than 100 charges,
it is expected, will be brought against her at the next
hearing, and several others will be implicated.

WORSHIP-STREET.

ROBBERY OF A RETURNED TIL
Ann Frost, was placed at the bar upon a charge of rob-
bing John Rowe, of 12 sovereigns.
The complainant, it appeared, now 27 years of age,
was, in 1831, convicted capitally, but transported for
life, and sent to Bermuda, where he was employed upon
' the Government works for several years, during which
time his conduct was so exemplary that he was at length
pardoned, and sent back to England. At Portsmouth,
he received 19/. as "reserve money," which he had ac-
cumulated out of the trifling allowance made for him
while at work as a convict, and he lately came to Lon-
don and procured employment at his trade as a brick-
layer. On Friday night, however, he had been in
company and got rather intoxicated, and being too late
for the house where he lived, he foolishly went home
with the prisoner, and another female who laid hold of
him in the street. On retiring to bed he put his purse
of money under his head to preserve it, and the prisoner
then said she would have some of it, but he thought she
was only joking. In the morning, however, the prisoner
and his money were gone, and a policeman afterwards
picked up the prisoner lying drunk in the street, but
without the gold. A document in proof of the com-
plainant's emancipation, was produced, and also a letter
from Mr. Smith, chief engineer at Bermuda, recom-
mending him in very strong terms as an exceeding clever
and ingenious workman, and a man of good character.—
Mr. Broughton regretted that he should have conducted
himself so foolishly in the present instance, and entreated
him to keep steady and sober, for the future.—The
prisoner was remanded.