The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-01 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, September 29.
(Before Mr. Commissioner EVANS.)
IN RE BUTTERWORTH.
In this case the bankrupt had carried on business as a
licenced victualler, in King-street, Cheapside, and an
application was now made to the Learned Commissioner
in consequence of the bankrupt persisting in refusing to
sign a document for the transfer of his licence.
The Learned Commustorma asked whether the bank-
rupt was present, and was answered in the affirmative.
The Learned CommisstosEit—l tell you it is only
right for you to sign it, and if you do not you shall
never have your certificate as long as I live, and no one
else has the power to grant it.
The bankrupt still refused, and asked the official as-
signee what he would advise.
The official assignee said something might be made
out of the property, and that the bankrupt would be a
fool and a madman to continue to refuse.
Tho bankrupt's wife, who was present, earnestly en-
treated him not to do it, but he ultimately signed, when
she burst into tears, and said he had parted with the last
he had, and she would have to starve.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.
(Before Mr. Sergeant ADAMS.)
Patrick Read, aged 50, was indicted for stealing
131bs. of lead and a quantity of gas-fittings, the pro-
perty of Charles Hooker. The prisoner was employed
as a plumber in a house in Marylebone-lane, and sold
the property in question at a marine store shop. On its
being exposed for sale the prosecutor recognised it, and
the marine store dealer identified the prisoner as the
man of whom he made the purchase. Several witnesses
were called, all of whom gave him an excellent charac-
ter, having known him fur many years. He was found
Guilty, and on account of his former good character
sentenced to only one month's imprisonment.
Martha Howard, for stealing Blbs. weight of mutton
from a butcher's shop, was sentenced to six weeks' im-
prisonment.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
George Moorcombe was brought before the Lord Mayor
and Alderman Farebrother, in the custody of John For-
rester, the officer, charged with having forged a letter of
character in the name of Mr. Verschoyle, for the pur-
pose of imposing upon Sir J. W. Hogg, the chairman of
the East India Company.
Sir J. W. Hogg said, that on the 21st of September
the prisoner applied to him at the East India House for
the situation of lady's footman in his family, and stated
that he had recently quitted the service of Mr. Robert
Verschoyle, who would give him a good character ; that
Mr. Verschoyle was at Brighton, and had desired that
any letter upon the subject of character should be ad-
dressed to him at the post-office there. The witness
wrote accordingly to the gentleman, touching the charac-
ter of the prisoner, and received the following answer:—
" Sir,—ln answer to your inquiries respecting George
Moorcombe, I beg to say he lived in my establishment
as lady's footman for fifteen months ; during that period
I always found him sober, honest, willing, and obliging,
particularly quiet, and attentive in waiting at table, and
also attends a carriage very well. George Moorcombe
left me at his own request, and I can with confidence say
ho is a Devonshire man.
" Trusting I have satisfactorily answered all your in-
quiries respecting George Moorcombe, never having any
fault to find with him,—l remain, Sir, yours obediently,
" R. VERSCHOYLE.
" Brighton, Sept 22,1846."
Having suspected from the style of the epistle that
Mr. Verschoyle had had nothing to do 'with the com-
position, witness caused inquiry to be made at the
town residence of Mr. Verschoyle, who, he learned, was
not at Brighton, and from whom ho received the follow-
"ng information :

" Maidenhead, Sept. 25.
" Dear Sir,—Prior to your letter of this day, I have
not had any thing from you, and, therefore, the letter
you received is a-forgery. I have not been in Brighton
this year.
" A man of the name of George Moorcombe did live
with me as footman for two or three months, when he
was dismissed. I am very glad that your suspicions
were aroused, and that you escaped having him in your
establishment.—Yours, very faithfully,
" ROBERT VERSCIIOYLE.

" Sir J. W. Hogg."
A servant in the establishment of Mr. Verschoyle
proved that the note addressed to Sir J. W. Hogg
from Brighton was not in his master's handwriting.
Tile LORD MAYOR and Alderman FAEEnROTHER con-
victed the prisoner, and sentenced him to imprisonment
and hard labour for three calendar months.
GUILDHALL.
Coqingwood, who was on Monday acquitted at the
Central Criminal Court upon two charges of forgery, at the
prosecution of two persons named Joseph and Abrahams,
was immediately afterwards taken into custody upon a
third charge, at the instance of the same prosecutors,
and was this day brought before Alderman Sir William
Magnay.
Mr. Taylor, who appeared, as on the former occasion,
for the prosecution, applied to the worthy Alderman for
a delay of the examination, in consequence of the ab-
sence of a material witness. The case was accordingly
allowed to stand over for some time; but the expe led
witnesses not arriving within an hour, Sir Wm. Magnay
determined to proceed.
Mr. Taylor pressed hard to have the prisoner re-
manded until next day, but the Alderman considered
it unreasonable that he should keep any man from day
to day in confinement to suit the convenience of other
parties, who could not but know when they ought to
attend in support of their own charges.
Mr. Wontner, on the part of the prisoner, submitted
that this was a merely vexatious proceeding. The case
now attempted to be established against the pri! oner
was essentially of the same nature as the two upon
which he was on Monday unhesitatingly acquitted at the
Old B tiley. They arose out of charges of forgimr the
name of his father, and the ground of his acquittal was
expressly that he had his father's authority to use his
name.

half-crown and

After some discussion, in the course of which Mr.
Taylor strenumply insisted on his right to demand the
dmention op, the prisoner, whose father (he said) pro-
mised to give evidence against him in this third case, the
Alderman ordered the prisoner to be discharged.
Immediately afterwards, however,he was placed again
in the dock, and it was represented to Sir William Mag-
nay, that the prosecutors were prepared to take the pri•
saner into custody outside the Police-court, and carry
him before a county magistrate.
Mr. Taylor admitted that this was the case, and en-
deavoured to justify this extraordinary sours'.
The ALDERMAN said he believed an officer might take
him into custody, at the instance of the prosecutors, but
it should be on his own responsibility as an officer, car-
:ainly it should not be by his (Sir W. Magney's) authority.
The prisoner was then discharged from custody, but
instantly afterwards arrested in Guildhall-place, and
oonveyed to Worship-street Police-office.
BOW-STREET.
Two soldiers, of the Ist battalion, 3d company Grena-
dier Guards, named Mac Killaghan and Easter, were
charged before Mr. Henry with the following assault :
Mr. Weeks, the landlord of the King's llead public •
'louse, Oxford street, stated that, at about half-past one
o'clock this morning, he was walking with a friend, Mr.
Bratt, in the Strand, when the prisoners, who were going
in the same direction, a little betore them, stopped, and
pushed against them. Witness asked what they did that
for, and passed on. The prisoners followed them,
abusing them, and calling them " snobs ;" and at
the corner of Trafalgar-square they met a policeman, to
whom Mr. Bratt appealed for protection. The police-
man engaged the prisoners in conversation while witness
and his friend went on. As they were passing by the
Horse Guards the prisoners overtook them, and Mac
Killaghan swaggered against them, so as to separate
them. Witness asked him what he meant? and Easter
ran towards him (witness) and struck him in the face so
violently as to knock him down. While be was down
Mac Killaghan kicked him. A policeman came up
shortly afterwards, and took the prisoners in charge.
Mr. Iliorav examined the witness at great length as to
his state at the time.—lle said that he was perfectly
Bebe'.
Mr. Brett, who said he was landlord of the Rose and
Crown, Dartmouth-street, Westminster, corroborated
the evidence of the complainant. 110 was quite sober.
Policeman F 51 took the prisoners into custody. They
were both the worse for liquor—Easter worse than the
other. The complainant and his friend were sober.
Sergeant Fletcher, of the first battalion, third com-
pany Grenadier Guards, said that tho prisoners bad been
in his company for near four years. They were both
very irregular, being constantly absent without leave,
and had been several times punished for absence. They
were absent without leave last night, and ought to have
been hi barracks at ten o'clock.
The prisoners said they did not meddle with the com-
plainant until he and his friend had both insulted them,
by calling them " lobsters." They admitted that they
were not sober.
Mr. HENRY was convinced that a very brutal and un-
provoked assault had been committed on the com-
plainant; and ho would either dispose of the case sum-
marily, or commit the prisoners for trial, as the
complainant wished. He could inflict no higher penalty
than 5L
Mr. Weeks entertained no vindictive feeling, and was
not anxious to have a high penalty, or indeed any penalty
at all, inflicted.
Mr. HENRY said he would not commit them for trial
as the complainant did not wish it, but the public must
be protected from such men as the prisoners, who, bear-
ing a bad character in the company, and being habitual
drunkards, rambled about the streets at night, annoying,
insulting, and assaulting quiet and respectable pas-
sengers. They must each pay a fine of 51., or be impri-
soned for twe months.

CLERKENWELL.
Mary Sullivan was brought up on remand, charged
with stealing two yards of cloth.
Charles Nicholsorh a youth about fourteen years of
ago, stated that as ho was passing along the High-street,
Islington, towards the residence of his father, who kept
a tailor's shop at Potter's4batt ho stoplottl to buy !owe
apples from the prisoner, who keeps a fruit-stand, and
when putting his hand in his 'pocket to pay.her, hk laid
down a parcel he was carryint• tl/41ntltining two yards of
cloth) tne 0; her baskets, and walked away without
rernernberina it. Q discovering his loss ho returned,
‘ stall.s nedenied that ho had loft anything of the kind on
her
Constable Walker said after her denial he went to her
lodgings, and found the cloth concealed in the ticking of
the bed.
Thepwisaosnceor,mwmhiotted fordidnottraitrpt to deny the facts of
he case,
THAMES.

Mary Kirwan, a notorious thief, who has been thrice
convicted of felony, and Daniel O'Leary, were brought
before Mr. Ballantine; the former charged with stealing
three ohillings, the moneys of Peter