The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-23 00:00:00

BOW-STREET-(THIS DAY.)

A respectable looking elderly man, named James Lau-
rence, was brought before Mr. JARDINE, charged with em-
bezzlinrr. various sums of money which came into his pos-
session by virtue of his office as inspector of letter carriers
in the General Post-office.
Mr. Pocock, solicitor to the Post-office, conducted the
prosecution.

•
George Aylmore, letter carrier in the General Post-
office, stated that it was a part of his duty to make his
payments of postage to the Receiver-General three times
in every week; and on the ISth inst., having obtained
leave of absence to go from home on the Monday follow-
ing, he gave to the prisoner the sum of 21. 2s. 3d. in a
bag, with directions that he would pay it over to the Re-
ceiver-General, in order that witness should not be a de-
faulter to that amount; but on Friday last he was informed
that the sum in question had not bcen accounted for as was
directed, in consequence of which witness became liable to
be suspended from his duty.
Mr. James Austin, Nssistant-Inspector of letter-car-
rrers, proved that it was the custom when a person holding
a similar situation happened to be ill, or to obtain leave of
absence, to hand over his payments to one of his col-
leagues, for the purpose of having them accounted for to
the Receiver-General. The prisoner had been in the
Post-office for about 33 years, and witness heard Ayl_
more say that he had committed to his charge the sum in
question. The report produced was that of the Receiver-
General, containing the names of the several letter-car-
riers who were deficient in their payments to the revenue,
among whom is thatof the last witness, to the amount I

in question. The excuse given by the prisoner for
the money not being paid was, th.4t Aylmoro was ill,
and his marki.sg him as ill, on his report to the
Receiver-General, had the effect of not leaving him
suspended from his duty as a defaulter in his accounts.
The deficiency book produced was belonging to the letter-
carriers, and was kept by the prisoner,and on his neglecting
to produce it, as ordered about a week back, witness was
sent to his house to fetch it. The prisoner requested that
he would sit down while be made up the book, but after a
considerable lapse of time he attempted to make away with
it ; but witness threatened to call a policeman: and upon his
accompanying witness to the Post-office with the book, there
appeared to have been torn from it the leaves from the
month of July last to the present time, and the reason he
gave was, that he had made a mistake in the accounts.
The prisoner was again charzed with embezzling a fur-
ther sum of 21. 15s. 10d., under similar circumstances.
It appeared that a letter-carrier, named Ostler, was un-
well on the 17th February, and he sent a friend with the
sum in question to the prisoner, requesting that he would
pay it in at the Receiver. General's office, and procure a
substitute to do his duty until he would recover ; but it
appeared on Friday last, the money had got been paid as
directed:

The prisoner declined making any defence, and he was
ordered to be fully committed on each charge, but to be
brought up again to morrow, to bear five other charges
preferred against him.