The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-19 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.

Yesterday George Binford, a young man who had
been in the employment of Mr. Bassett, of Wood•street,
warehouseman, was brought before Alderman Gibbs for
final examination, charged with having embezzled about
6001., the property of his employer. The prisoner had
been in the house for a considerable time, and the
greatest confidence had been reposed in him; he had
been lately appointed cashier.
Mr. Nobler attended for the prosecution, and Mr.
Clarkson, the barrister, and Mr. Humphreys attended
for the prisoner.

Mr. George Burford, linendraper, of Stratford, in
Essex, stated that on the 15th of November he was in-
debted to Mr. Bassett in the sum of 11/. 13s. for goods
sold, on which day he called at the warehouse and paid
the prisoner the amount in gold and silver, and got a re-
ceipt, signed by the prisoner, for the same.
Mr. William Waterhouse, linendraper, of Chipping
Ongar, Essex, stated that he dealt with Mr. Bassett, and
was indebted to him, on the 7th of July, the sum of 291.
145., which on that day he handed over to the prisoner
on account.

Mr. G. T. Staines, linendraper, of Romford, in Essex,
stated that on the lit of last January he paid at Mr.
Bassett's warehouse, to a person who, to the best of his
knowledge and belief, was the prisoner, the sum of 2-11.,
for goods sold by Mr. Bassett, and on the 11th of June
he paid, at the same place, the sum of 91. Is. to the pri-
soner on the like account.

The receipts were here produced by the witness.
Mr. T. Samuel, assistant to his father, a linendraper,
of No. 2, New Bridge-street, Vauxhall, stated that on
the 12th of March, he paid to the prisoner 131. for goods
sold by Mr. Bassett. He produced the prisoner's receipt.
Mr. John Swinford Bassett affirmed that the prisoner
had been in his service between five and six years as
clerk, and latterly as cashier, in which capacity he was
authorised to receive money from the customers, which
it was his duty to enter in the cash-book and to pay over
to witness, who had examined that book and found that
not one of the sums mentioned by the preceding wit-
nesses were entered there, although they were in the
ledger. The prisoner had not paid over any of the
money to witness, who, on the 9th instant, having reason
to suspect him told him so, and then the prisoner said,
"I am guilty. I have been robbing you." Subse-
quently the prisoner said the amount of his plunder had
been, he believed, 6001.

The prisoner was upon these several charges com-
mittted for trial.

THAMES.

Yesterday a well-dressed, venerable-looking man,
named Aaron Bray, a horse-dealer, was brought before
Mr. Ballantine, charged under very novel circumstances
with stealing 661, the moneys of Mr. William Pears-
house, a cowkeeper and job-master.
Mr. Pelham appeared for the prosecution, and said his
client was a cowkeeper and farmer at Woolwich, and
who maintained an establishment at Greenwich, and
rented stables in Southwark. On January last the pri-
soner, who was then in very indigent circumstances, be-
came acquainted with the prosecutor, who suffered him
to hang about his place, and occasionally employed him
to bid for horses, and execute various commissions for
him. This continued up to the end of August, when
Mr. Pearshouse having reason to doubt the prisoner's
integrity, and finding that he had been engaged in
various disreputable transactions, refused to employ
him any longer, and told him that he had no
farther occasion for his services. Mr. Pearshouse
saw no more of the prisoner until the 4th of
September, when the prisoner called upon him at his
stables in Southwark, and said he could introduce him
to a purchaser for three horses, and requested him to
let him sell them. Mr. Pearshouse intimated to
Bray that he had been deceived by him so often that
he could not intrust him with the sale of any horses;
but he had no objection to his (the prosecutor's)
som accompanying him to the intended purchaser.
The prisoner said he had no wish to interfere
in the transaction at all, except to introduce the
purchaser, and it was then arranged that Mr.
Pearshouse, jun., should proceed to Blackwell next
day with three horses, and meet the prisoner at the
premises of Mr. Money Wigram, a ship-builder and
merchant, the intended purchaser. It was also most
clearly arranged that Mr. Pearshouse, jun., should re-
ceive the money for the horses, if sold. On the follow-
ing morning, Mr. Pearshouse, jun., met the prisoner with
three fine horses at Blackwell, and, at the request of
Bray, they were put into Mr. Wigram's stables until
that gentleman appeared, 'when the horses were exhi-
bited, and trotted up and down the stable. yard. Bray
was very attentive to Mr. Wigram, who, of course, from
his high character, believed that the transaction was a
fair and honest one. Mr. Pearshouse, jun., was kept in
the background, and had no opportunities f conversing
with Mr. li't igram, who ultimately agreed to purchase
two of the horses, one for 341., and the other for 321.
Bray then came to Mr. Pearshouse, jun., and announced
that Mr. Wigtam had chosen two horses, and mentioned
the price. Mr. Pearshouse, jun., heard the bargain
struck, and was satisfied on seeing the horses put
into Mr. Wigram's stables. Atter Bray had been
into Mr. Wigram's counting-house, he returned to Mr.
Pearshouse, jun., and said Mr. Wigram had no time
to write out a cheque for payment of the horses then,
but would do so on the following Thursday, at ten
o'clock. Young Pearshouse then returned to town with
the horse that was unsold ; and, on the day and hour ap-
pointed, he again presented himself at Blackwell to re-
ceive the money, not doubting that the horses had been
fairly parted with on his father's account. He found the
prisoner waiting outside Mr. Wigram's house, and he
stated that Mr. Wigram was very busy ana nest gone
away in a hurry, and that he would send the cheque for
66/. to Mr. Pearshouse, sen., on that or the following
day. The young man was ultimately persuaded by the
prisoner to return to town without the money ; and the
prosecutor, having waited for two days without
receiving any communication from Mr. Wigram, waited
on that gentleman, and ascertained that the prisoner had
received the cheque on the Thursday morning, previous
to Mr. Pearshouse, jun., arriving at Blackwell, and that
he had been paid the amount at the banker's. Mr.
Pearshouse, sen.,had thus been deprived of his horses and
his money too. It did occur to him (Mr. Pelham) that
t here was a constructive stealing of the horses, or that Mr.
Pearshouse had been defrauded of 66/. by means of a sale
fairly brought about in the first instance. He ought to
state, that it would be, perhaps, set up in defence that
the prosecutor was indebted to the prisoner, and that he
appropriated the money in payment of the debt, but he
could assure the Bench that there was no account be-
tween them at all. Mr. Pearshouse was not very
anxious to sell the horses, but, thinking there were some
remains of honesty in the prisoner, he allowed him to
introduce a purchaser to his son. Mr. Wigram thought
he was dealing entirely with Bray.
Mr. Pearshouse, sen., and his son gave evidence at
length, exactly supporting the statement of the soli-
citor; and added that Bray represented, after the pur.
chase of the two horses was completed, that Mr. Wigram
wanted to purchase three more horses on the following
Thursday, but no sale was then effected.
Mr. BALLANTINE inquired what had become of the
two horses in question, and was informed they were
shipped in one of Mr. Wigram's vessels, bound to Cal-
cutta.
After a long discussion between the magistrate and
the solicitor respecting the way in which the charge
could be shaped,
Mr. BALLANTINE said, there was no false pretence
about obtaining the horses Or selling them. There was
a fair barter. The representation made by the
prisoner was fair and honest, as far as the sale of
the horses was concerned. Mr. Wigram, however,
could only have understood he was dealing with
Bray, to whom he gave the cheque, and then came
the dishonest part of the transaction. The prisoner
said he had not got the cheque in his possession on the
Thursday morning at 10 o'clock, though it had been paid
to him an hour previous, and he induced Mr. Pearshouse,
jun., to return to London on the understanding that the
cheque should be forwarded next day to his father at
Greenwich. The case was not without its ditficelties,
btft the charge upon which he should call the prisoner
for his defence was for stealing 6el.
The prisoner, with a self-confident air, as if he was
conducting an ordinary business transaction, said he had
a very few words to say until he saw Mr. Foster, his
solicitor, of Jermyn-street, under whose advice he had
acted in retaining the money for a large debt owing to
him by Mr. Pearshouse. He should say the prosecutor
owed him 100/.
Mr. Pelham denied that his client owed the prisoner
a a ixpence, and said that Mr. Pearshouse had been a
benefactor to the prisoner and kept him from starving,
and he had now ungratefully turned round upon him.
The prisoner said that Mr. Foster told him to do ex-
actly as he had done ; in fact, he had acted under his
directions, and he wished to send for him. Mr. Wigram.
recognised no one but him in the transaction. He hoped
he should be allowed to send for his attorney.
Mr. BALLANTINE said the prisoner might send for his
attorney, but he certainly should not wait for him. If
Mr. Pearshouse did owe the prisoner 100/, he had no

right to take his money. If one man owed another 1001.,
he would have no right to go to the desk or cash-box of
his debtor, and take the amount away.
The prisoner, with a free and easy manner, said he was
an agent, paying and receiving money on account of
Mr. Pearshouse. He would admit receiving the cheque
and obtaining cash for it. He had written to Mr.
Pearshouse to that effect. The letter was to the follow-
ing effect :
" Sir,—i have reseived sixty five pounds for two horses.
Shall be most'happy for you to appoint one meeting to
settel our accounts us Earley as most conversant to you
self. I remain your hutnbl servt AARON BRAY, Sept. 4,
1846. Mr. Pearshouse, Greenwich."
Mr. Pelham admitted the receipt of the letter. That
was part of a well•concocted scheme of the prisoner, to
make it appear there was a debtor and creditor account
between him and Mr. Pearshouse.
The prosecutor was recalled, and said he never autho-
rised the prisoner to sell the horses to Mr. Wigram, or
receive money for them, and until he heard the cheque
was paid, he considered Mr. Wigram his debtor for 661.
The prisoner said the prosecutor had been to the
Southwark Police-court, and was informed there by the
into
custody.
that he had better not give any one
custody.
Mr. Pelham said the offence was not committed within
the jurisdiction of the Southwark Police-court, and the
prosecutor only went there because he lived in the vici-
nity of the court.
After a long discussion, during which the prisoner
expressed his gratification that he was given into
custody,
Mr. BALLANTINE doubted whether the prisoner's
attorney had given the advice here presented, and ulti-
mately consented to take bail for the prisoner's appear.
anco on Tuesday, and directed that Mr. Wigran should
be requested to attend on that day.
The prisoner said he could send for bail. Mr. Dixon,
of the Repository, in Barbican, who was his brother,
would bail him. •