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

EANKRUPTCY.--(THIS DAY.)
AIA.RAIAGE SETTLEMENTS.—,IN RE W 24. L. Wood.
To-day- wbts apponted for the choice o. assignees, in
the else of this bankrupt, who was an irontuongtx, in
Gracee'nurch street.
A proof was tendered, on the part or the trustees.
Ilryier the bankrupt's marriage settlement. The deEd
being produced,-it appeared, amongst other things, the
bankrupt had entered into a covenant to insure his lif-e
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
3°'icy, as estimated by the actuary, the bankrupt not
being in a condition to perform his covenant.
The Learned COMMISSIONER, after hearing the argu-
'tent and reading several cases, decided that such a
proof was inadmissable.
Another question arose as to the delivery of some
Dods after the bankruptcy. It appeared the fiat was
Pened about two o'clock in the day. and goods ordered
°Y the bankrupt were delivered in two or three hours
afterwards: the question arose as to whether they could
retained as- part of the stock of the bankrupt and
:t Pplied for the general bet etit a the creditors.
The M
Learned COMISiIO.NER 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.
vT(llie estate being likely to )ield a fair dividend, aslln
anee to the bankrupt was granted without oppo-
tion.

COURF.—(I HIS DAY.)
OBT OLD COURT.
i) AINING WINE SAMPLES FROM THE LONDON
P°°l( COMPANY BY FORGED ORDERS.—.7ohn Hatton, a
spectably dressed man, aged forty-three, described in
Ene calendar as a " wine agent," was charged with hay-
acbtained a number of samples of wine from the
t vaults of the London docks, by forged orders, pur-
Posting to be signed by Messrs. Dingwell, Porter, and
,Co., vine merchants, of Idle-lane, Tower-street, well
it:owing at the time that they were forged. The trial
as deferred until this session, in order that a material
witness, whose name was stated to be Dunks, might be
obtained, to give evidence in support of the defence.
Iv Mr. Ballantine appeared for the prosecution, which
as instituted by the London Dock Company, and Mr.
Doane for the prisoner.
It appeared that Messrs. Dingwell and Co. had con-
signments of wine in the vaults in question, and that the
prisoner produced two orders ; the first, on the 17th, and
thete second on the 21st of November last, to the clerk at
after
vault, purporting to be orders for samples, which,
direr being duly attested, were given to the cooper to
toatZ the wine, which was done, and the wine delivered
.t prisoner. Two other orders were also delivered
16.i.ne vaults ; and the wines to which they referred were
Who
to a porter named Elstead, sent by the prisoner,
110 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 Phcenix, on Tower-hill, who, on mention-
Sag his business, stated that he knew nothing about the
orders; but subsequently a person named Waters re-
e"gnising him, he admitted that he had delivered the
st two orders, and that he had received them from a
Person named Dunks. He said Dunks was in the wine
trade
; that he had known him for three months ; and
tthat he (Dunks) had employed him to obtain the sam-
es; and that he considered the wine belonged to him.
e searched the prisoner, and found a number of blank
`usting orders upon bim, which however, it appeared,
,eoUld-be easily obtained from the Dock Company. He
bad been to several places, by the prisoner's direction,
but he had been quite unable to meet with Dunks. He
adid not mention the name of Dunks until he was in cus-
tody.,. He then called the officer's attention to a person
'Tearing a white waistcoat, who frequented the docks,
slid who, he said, was the person to whom he referred
The prisaner, it appeared ,waa well known at the Phatnix.
lie 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
iwere forgeries, or that he altered them with a guilty
gnowledge ; if so, it was unlikely that ho would have
tetnployed one of the Dock porters as an instrument to
'erPetuate fraud. Dunks, whose attendance they bad
eft unable to obtain, had employed the prisoner, who
Which respectable
prisoner could not have known si ere forged.
• Mr. Smith, who stated that he was a provision dealer
In the formCercial-road, said that he had known the
Prisoner twelve years, and that he had always borne
The character of a respectable man. Dunks kept the
DGreyhound, in Smithfield, about eleven years ago.
unks was a wine agent. He had been to several places
order to get him to attend the Court, but he had
been unable to meet him. He had trusted the prisoner
With large sums of money.
, Mr. Bainbridge, a perfumer in Somers-town, said
savv Dunks last Thursday, and charged 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 he
should commit forgery. Dunks said it was all "square,"
but as he did not think se he did not consent. He did
out give him into custody. Dunks lived by getting wine
out in samples.
~ Pie RECORDER left it to the jury to say whether the
elsoner uttered the order with a guilty knowledge, or
Whether he was made the dupe of others.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
pert RECORDER said, the exposed nature of the pro-
or
r persons deposited in the docks, and the facilities
13,;"„r.e?Y afforded for fraud, called for an exemplary
th;tlnnaent at the hands of the Court. The sentence of
k•ourt Was that he be trans ported for the term of
seren years,

KEW COURT.
Rom] n
I— TUE LONDON DOCKS.— Walter Breton, a re-
sdpictabl-looking young man, in the service of the Lon-
°..? Dock Company, was indicted with stealing 201bs.
other
of tobacco, the property of her Majesty. In an- .
er count the property was laid as belonging to the
London Dock Company.
80-treta the evidence adduced it appeared that the pri-
wnller, who was a servant in the Docks, on leaving them
,44,1,1 detected with the property in question in his pocket,
Iv:, on being charged with stealing it, he said that it
8,73,,his own ; that he had purchased it for his own
v.--(3l"ng and appeared extremely indignant at being
euarged with theft.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and
The COMMON SERGEANT sentenced him to six months'
IMprisonment and hard labour.
VIOLENT ASSAULT.— William Thomas Pearman was
Nlndicted with violently assaulting John Ellis, fracturing
s 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-
ending that the whole had arisen in consequence of the
be 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.
14A witness of the name of Hewlett gave all the prison-
.B an excellent character for humanity and quietness,
staving known them 12 years.
The COMMON SERGEANT summed up.
The jury found the prisoner Pearman Guilty of a
eofernon assault, and acquitted both the woman.
:the COMMON SERGEANT sentenced Pearlman to one
Year's imprisonment in the common gaol of the county.
„.1-11tREIL: SESSIONS.—(THIS DAY.)
t,..1:60 Sessions for the County of Surrey were opened
f'l Morning, at the Sessions-house in the Borough, be-
re Mr. Puckle, chairman, and a very full bench of
Magistrates.
The Grand Jury having been impanelled, the Chair-
reeinbriefly addressed them, and they retired to their
The re its 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.
tine prisoner of the name of Harris had died 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.
Mr. Onslow, the clerk to the magistrates, called
thet attention of the court to a letter which
e 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
40,000/. per annum is to be applied out of the Consoli-
dated Fund to the support of these prisoners after trial,
Who may be suffering under sentence in the several
county prisons. The letter required a return to
be presented immediately after the 31st of March in etch Yeav, 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
tit the Assizes and Quarter Sessions; but a great number
of the Surrey prisoners are now tried at the Central
Criminal Court ; and he presumed the provisions of the
Act would apply to theta also. It was agreed that as-
certain should be made to the Secretary of State to as-
certain the point.
Information was aiso received from the office of Sir
of George Grey that a change was to be made in the mode
conveying prisoners from the several county gaols to
jorsernonger-lane and the Old Bailey. They are hence-
force, instead of,
forth to be conveyed in vans, under the care of the police
count constables. as at present, under the charge of
y
On the motion of Mr. JEFFREY, seconded by Mr.
eesueteLD,
at Guildford an increa
prison.of salary was voted to the
schoolmaster
A. report of the Visiting Committee of the County
Lunatic Asylum was then made, by which it appeared.
that
2 the number of inmates at present is 421, of whom
Aare constantly employed.
long conversation ensued on the report of the com-
mittee for the alteration of the:asylum 'from which it
SPP_eared that the estimates of the
five 'l:ondou builders
t,
aftar exceeded the calculation of the county surve) ors,
it was neccessary to reconsider the matter ; and on
the motion of
ti9:(l,. rim.L.NER, it was resolved that the corre,..Ton-
Le of the Committee with the Lunacy Commissioners,
4;111
ho
aate S eat
auth a statement of the alterations required,
il of the expense, should be printed and