The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-13 00:00:00

THE FRENCH IMPERIAL FAMILY.

A private telegram from an authority whose veracity
has always been thoroughly proved, informs us that the
Empress of the French and the Prince Imperial have
arrived in England, and are now living in a private man-
sion in St. John's Wood. We give the report with all
reserve.— Weekly Register.
The Post and Telegraph are authorized (we presume by
the French Government) to deny the flight of the Prince
Imperial. The denial we take for what it is worth.—Pall
.Llfall Gazette.

Notwithstanding the positive assertions of the-morniug
journals to the contrary, we have reason to believe that
the Prince Imperial has arrived in this country.—Echo.
Referring to the rumour of the premeditated flight of
the whole imperial household, Mr. Edmund Yates says
there is a certain set of people in English society to
whom the Emperor has been very well known, ever
since, as an exile, he occupied rooms in a house in
King-street, St. Jame S's, London (which, by the
way,, through the kindness .of the Metropolitan
Board of Works, has since been decorated with a
blue tablet commemorative of the fact), and these
persons do not scruple to say that for a long time past
the Emperor has . had but one idea in his head, and that
should fortune go against him in the present war he
will at once carry it into effect. And that scheme is
as the French say, to " make his packet "—Anglice to
pack up his carpet-bag, and without an attempt of return
jug to Paris, as soon as he sees the game is up to start n-
once, accompanied by his son, for England. It is well-
known that Louis Napoleon holds very large sums
invested in the English funds ; no possible obstacle
could be raised to the Empress joining her
husband and child, and as plain .M. Bonaparte,
living say, in Carlton House-terrace or Park-lane,
he might give up wearing that bullet - proof
cuirass, which must he, to say the least of it, irksome
this hot weather, and might pass the rest of his days in
happiness, such as he has never known since lie first
donned the Imperial purple, spangled with the golden
bees. If he doubts this we can refer him to the surviv-
ing family of Mr. John Smith, otherwise Louis Philippe
d'Orleans, who, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. John
Smith, otherwise Amelie, Queen of France, started from
Treport, in 1848, in an open fishing-boat, and landed at
Newhaven, thence to proceed to Claremont, and there to
"live happy ever after."

THE COMMERCIAL INDEMNITY CORPO-
RAXION.
At the Mansion House, yesterday, the Hon. James
Tobin, Mr. Andrew
_Clark, Mr. Josiahß. Pearce, Mr. P.
Lincoln Carman, Mr. William Frederick Tritton, and
Mr. Herbert Lloyd Thomas, directors of the Commercial
Indemnity Corporation, underwent a further examination
before the Lord Mayor, on the charge of using a pro-
spectus,,knowing the same to be false in divers material
particulars.
Mr. Lewis prosecuted,. Mr. F. H. Lewis, Mr. Mon-
tagu Williams, Mr. F. Mead, and Mr. W. S. Roberts
appeared for the defence.
On the last occasion Mr. David Parry, accountant,
the official liquidator, gave evidence as to the condition of
the company, and it will be remembered that it was
alleged that not a single share was paid for, and the com-
pany was ordered to be wound up, after an existence of a
few months.
Mr. Parry was now called, and cross-examined by Mr.
F. H. Lewis. He said : I have seen Mr. Wheeler, the
liquidator of the old company, also Mr. Jenkins, the
e.
secretary of the new company, who handed me the
minutehoe received
boivoekds.
from I
m doti notie findoni
that
tan any
ofdefendantsbooktsi,ie
somenew, a
party more than £l3 2s. 6d. In re-examination by Mr.
George Lewis, the witness said that the old company
?Id have other
only issued about fifteen or sixteen .policies, and beyond
that he did not see anything else in the shape of
good will for which the new company paid
30,000 shares, some of them hilly paid up. Although
Mr. Tobin's name did not appear in the prospectus, he
was present at the meetings of the directors, and he was
a director of the old company. There was no capital to
be called up. There were only three persons, other than
the directors, who appeared on the register as shareholders,
and their shares, like those of the defendants', were cre-
dited as fully paid up.
Mr. John Edward Wall, insurance agent, replying to Mr.
Lewis, said : In January I became agent for the Com-
mercial Indemnity Corporation, and ceased so to act in
May. I effected policies to the amount of £15,000 or
£20,000 at non-tariff prices. My remuneration was first
10 per cent. upon the actual premiums received.
and subsequently 20 per cent. . It was furnished with a
number of small prospectuses, shewing the capital to be
£250,000, subscribed £73,790, and paid up £26,290.
Among others I gave a copy to Mr. Schleman. I be-
lieved the statements to be true. I was also furnished
with cards, on one side of which there was an almanack, and
on the other side an advertisement of the company. I
received from Mr. Schleman the amount of premium on
the first policy, and paid it to the company. I did not
believe the numbers -in the policies were correct, but I
did not consider that a matter of any importance. It is
a custom among young insurance companies. I was at
first chief clerk in the employment of the company, and
was appointed by Mr. Braithwaite, the manager, but
afterwards became agent, as it was more remunerative.
By Mr. Williams : I paid Mr. Schleman's cheque to
Mr. Hobson, the manager of the fire department.
Mr. Williams : Is it a common practice for young com-
panies to commence their policies at 1,690, or some such
number, and not begin at No. 1 ?
Witness : It is done.
The Lord Mayor : Call it a trick, and not a common
practice.
Mr. John Edward Munford, licensed victualler, Green-
wich, said : I effected a policy in the Commercial In-
demnity Corporation, but it was destroyed in a fire. It
was for £4OO, and I paid £1 premium. I insured through
an agent named Hamson. I made a claim against the
company for £2BO, but I have not been paid a farthing.
I was offered one hundred and thirty pounds in lieu of my
claim, and afterwards fifty pounds. A cheque for fifty
pounds was said to be ready for me, but I refused to take
it. Mr. Hobson said I Would be sorry for it twelve
months afterwards. (Laughter.) They offered me some
whiskey, but I was afraid they wanted to make me
drunk, and would not take any. • (Renewed laughter.)
Mr. William Charles Mialls, lamp manufacturer, said
he effected a policy in the company for £l,OOO through a
Mr.-Parker. The premium was about £5. I never had
a policy, but had a receipt for the premium. I had a fire
on the 11th June, and paid the cheque about a fortnight
before. The amount of my loss was assured by another
office, the North British, at £1,700 making the liability of this
company £B5O. I went to the office about the claim, and
was told the matter was in Chancery. I saw a copy of
the prospectus before I insured. I had a conversation
with the agent, and he pointed out that £26,000 was
paid up.
• At this stage the inquiry was adjourned for a . week,
and
The Lord Mayor stated that he would accept the same
bail as before.