The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-30 00:00:00

WORSRIP-STREET.

EXTRAORDINARY INVESTIGATION.—Ten persons, named
Tlunnas and Mary Fitzgibbon, _Daniel and Margaret White,
Edward Clarke, Patrick Shaughnessy, William Lynch,
William Cummings, and Thomas and Sarah Roden, were
charged with having been concerned in stealing a large
quantity of household furniture, under the following peculiar
circumstances :

Se7geant Lambert, of the N division, intimated to the
magistrate that the property in question had been clandes-
tinely removed by the prisoners from a house in North-place,
Kingsland-road, which had been recently occupied by a
widow named Dean, who died on Monday last in such a
sudden and mysterious manner that the police had felt it
necessary to communicate with the coroner of the district, in
order that the circumstances attending her death might be
fully investigated.
Ellen Conney stated, that she had been for twelve years
in the service of the deceased, but left her on Wednesday
se'nnight, and the female prisoner Boden was engaged
in her place. On Monday last she went to the house
to apply for the wages that was due to her, and was
answered by Mrs. Boden, who desired her to call
on the following day. On calling at the time ap-
pointed the door was opened by the male prisoner, Fitz-
gibbon, who told her that her mistress could not be seen at
present, and slammed the door in her face. On returning
back the same evening, she met a woman in the front of the
house, who informed her that her mistress had died suddenly
on the preceding day, and that the house was in possession
of some Irishmen and their wives, who had removed nearly
all the furniture. Witness then made her way into the house
through the front window, and on entering an inner room
she observed a coffin containing the dead body of her mistress,
at which she was so much affected that she hastened back to
the street and gave information to the police.
Sergeant Gilliver, N I, stated that having been applied
to by the last witness, he knocked several times at the door,
which was at length opened by the female prisoner, Fitz-
gibbon ; and on searching the diffeient apartments, he found
that all the furniture had been removed except two chests of
drawers and a large box, which had been broken open and
rifled of their contents. The only persons in the house were
the two women, Fitzgibbon and White, and he took them
both into custody. From information subsequently received
he proceeded to a house in Birton's-court, Hoxton, and
afterwards to one in John's-row, St. Luke's (occupied by the
prisoner Boden), at each of which he discovered a large
quantity of valuable furniture,
.which had been since iden-
tified as the missing property ; and all the other prisoners,
who were found in possession of it, were taken into custody.
The sergeant added, that, from the inquiries he had made,
he had reason to believe that no surgeon had attended the
deceased, and that her death had not been registered.

In answer to the charge the prisoner Fitzgibbon said that
he considered himself legally entitled to the property of the
deceased, as lie was nearly related to her, and all the other
prisoners had acted under his directions.
The witness Conney was here recalled by the magistrate,
and stated that she had repeatedly heard her late mis-
tress disavow all connexion with Fitzgibbon, and that she
had forbidden him her house ; and another woman, named
Ann Vaughan, deposed to the same facts.
Mr. BROUGHTON said that he should order the prisoners
Shaughnessy, Lynch, Cummings, and Margaret White, to be
discharged, as there was not sufficient evidence to affect then,
but he considered that a strong prima facie case of felony had
been made out against all the other prisoners, andshould
remand them until that day week, for the production of
nuttier evidence.

THAMES.
EXTENSIVE itilEßEßY.—Yesterday
Joseph Davies, aged S 2,
iate clerk to Mr. David Gadsden, colonial agent, Great St.
employer.re-
ex
Helen's, was brought beforeslllori.. Bfrroomderhirs
, for amiva-
tion charred with stealing 5
lln'mphrevs attended for the prosecution. The pri •
soner was defended by Mr. G. Wells and Mr. Pelham, jun.
It appeared that the prisoner was entrusted by his em-
ployer on the 22d of Jane to pay over to Williams, Deacon,
and he bankers, the sum of 8501. in notes, a cheque
C0.,"17s , and cash to the amount of 13e. 2d., to the ac-
countfo.B2 L .
of J. Gadsden and Son, sugar refiners. On the same
day he was entrusted by the firm of Wainwright and Gads-
de:l, jun., sugar refiners, who occasionally employed him,
with two cheques, with directions to fill them up for the
sums mentioned, in the event of the two firms of Simpson
and Co., and Truman and Co., not being able to fur-
nish him with the invoices ; but, otherwise, he was to in-
sert the amounts according to the invoice, less the discount.
He filled up one cheque to the amount of 3501., and tile
other to
.the amount of 5001., but, instead of calling upon
Truman and Cook, and Simpson and Scott, he paid the
cheques into the banking-house of William, Deacon, and
Co., for Mr. David Gadsden, and retained the money fur-
nished him by that gentleman, which he appropriated to his
.own use. Wainwright and Gadsden, jun , were subsequently
called upon b 3 .Truman and Cook and Simpson and Scott for
their accounts, the fraud was discovered, ..and.the prisoner.
was given into custody. He delivered up 5701., including
three of the notes for 1001. each, delivered to him on the 22d
of Jnne, to Mr. David Gadsden, and 201. more was taken
from him by the police. 11is defalcations are supposed to
be very great. He supported a large establishment in the

London-road, where he kept a woman named Stafford, which
name he adopted, in first-rate style. Inspector Scott, A,
Sei geant Eves 14 H, and Peck, a constable, 87 H, have,
since the last examination, recovered property of the value
of 1,2004 including a chaise and two horses, which he had
recently purchased. His salary was only 50/. a year.
The prisoner was again remanded till Wednesday next,
when it is expected other charges will be preferred.

COMMITTALS FOR FORGERY AT

BIRMINGHAM.

(Before Mr. Alderman JAMES and Mr. CHARLEs SHAW,

Borough Magistates.)
On Wednesday morning, two persons, hitherto moving in
respectable spheres of life, were brought up at the public office
charged with two separate and distinct forgeries.
The first case gone into was against a man named Row-
bottam, formerly a clerk to one of the most respectable
carriers in the town. It appeared from the evidence that
a few weeks ago the prisoner went to the warehouse of Mr.
Pitt, at Baskerville-place, and purchased some japan goods,
in payment for which he tendered a bill of exchange, pur-
porting to be accepted by a person named Brown, an agent,
residing at Dudley. The prisoner obtained the goods, but
not the difference between their value and the amount of
the bill, which was for about 10/. On inquiry it was ascer-
tained that there were no assets at the bank of Rogers and
Co., of London, to the credit of Brown, and that, in fact, the
bill was a forgery. After an ineffectual attempt to prove that
the bill was not a forgery the prisoner was committed to
Warwick Assizes.

The next charge was against a respectable man named
Charles Taylor, a brush manufacturer, residing in Great
Charles-street. The warrant against him set forth that he,
knowingly, offered a forged acceptance to a certain bill of
exchange, drawn by himself, bearing date the 14th day of
April last, for the payment of 291. 17s.
Mr. Thomas Evans deposed that he was clerk to Messrs.
Moiliett and Sons, bankers, of Birmingham, and that he
knew the prisoner to have been a customer of the firm. On
the 16th of April last he received from the prisoner the note
then produced. It was in the handwriting of the prisoner,
and also a bill of exchange and cheque then produced.
When the prisoner drew a cheque he was in the habit of
sending a bill of exchange for the same amount. The bill
before the Court was drawn by the prisoner upon Mr. James
Berry, brush manufacturer, Duke-street, Birmingham, for
291. 175., and accepted, payable at Jones, Loyd, and Co.'s
Bank, London. . _

Mr. James Berry stated that he knew the prisoner, and
had had dealings with him, but they always settled their
accounts in cash. He never gave the prisoner a bill. He
never signed a bill in his life, and the signature of James
Berry upon the bill before the bench was not in his hand-
writing.
Mr. Arthur Ryland, attorney to the above bank, stated
that on the 20th or 21st he received a note from the pri•
sonar, which he then produced, and which was in the follow-
ing words :—" Charles Taylor's respectful compliments to
Mr. Ryland, and will thank him to get Mr. Berry's other
bill from the bank this morning, and he will call to-night or
to-morrow morning and take it up ; as he is going out of
town early this morning, and will not return till evening, he
prefers handing the money over himself." He knew the
prisoner's handwriting. The bill referred to is the same as
that then produced.
Mr. Glossopp, inspector of the detective force, depos&l to
the apprehension of the prisoner that morning, and that
when he told him, in the station, the nature of the charge
against him, the prisoner said, " Now, I know what it is
for."

The magistrates committed the prisoner to Warwick
assizes. •

UNITED MEXICAN MINING AS

SOCIATION.
A meeting of this Association was held yesterday, at the
London Tavern, but reporters were refused admission.

ROYAL BANK OF AUSTRALIA,

A general meeting of the proprietors was held yesterday in
the board-room of the Company's premises, N 0.2, Moorgate-
street, at twelve o'clock.
John W. SITTHEALAND, Esq., having taken the chair
called on the secretary to read the advertisement and notice
convening the meeting.

The CIYAIRMAN then said, it was matter of great gratifica-
.,ion to him and the directors to have such a statement of the
Company's affairs as that for the past year to lay before
the proprietors, as he was sure it would give them satis-
faction. Ile felt it would be unnecessary for him to gs
through the details, as they would be fully read to them by th,.
Secretary. He read a most able and satisfactory letter from
Mr. Benjamin Boyd, late Member of the Legislative Council
of New South Wales, and Chairman of the Pastoral
Association, upon the general affairs and prospects
of the colony, addressed to J. W. Sutherland, Esq.
It stated that stock was steadily advancing in price; sheep
with stations in Port Phillip had changed hands at 16s.
immediately after shearing, with the expectation that they
would reach 20s. A large military and naval expedition to
New Zealand had created a demand for slaughtered meat and
live stock ; cattle sold at from 121. to 15!. sterling, and sheep
at 20s. to 255. each ; besides which cattle were daily driven
to South Australia for the use of the mines; and as it ap-
peared that the mineral resources of that colony were inex-
haustible, it was impossible to say to what extent the de-
mand might grow for draught and fat cattle. The colony
had received nearly 40,0001. last year from India for horses.
Foreign whalers and other shipping were rapidly increasing
in the ports for the purpose of refurnishing. Such, the Chair-
man said, wasa view of the state and prospects of the colony
with which the interests of the Company were identified, and
it must be satisfactory to the proprietors. They
were aware, he had no doubt, that steam naviga-
tion had been extended to India, and the Compan
were in hope that it would 8001 reach beyond
Sin-
gapore to Australia, and give to the trade of this colony a
new impetus. The Company would make every effort to
induce the Government to this. A report on the• subject
wAs drawn up, and would be laid before a public meeting
previous to Its-notng bubmitte,t tv thu evvernment. From
the recent changes in the Colonial-office, they had good reason
to hope that this desideratum would be attained. The recent
appointment also of a new governor, whose conduct had
given great satisfaction in the West Indies, was also a source
of expectation to the committee, who had waited on the
governor prior to his going out, and found him every way
inclined to make himself acquainted with, and to promote the
commercial interests of, the colony. He concluded by calling on
The SECRETARY, who read the report. It stated that there
was a gross profit on the operations of the year of 36,6704
13s. 9d.; that the dividends, interest, and charges, for the
corresponding period, amounted to 19,5941. 9s. 7d., leaving
17,0761. 4s. 2d. to be added to the balance of profit in profit
and loss account of last year, viz., 26,8731. 9s. Bd., thus in-
creasing it to the sum of 43,949/. 13s. 10d. From this, how-
ever, was to be deducted 1,0001., proposed to be now
written off against 'preliminary expenses, and 24,1001.
deposit notes already paid. That the forthcoming dividend
would further reduce the amount by about 7,0001.
That the affairs of the establishment, consequent upon the
greatly improved position of the colony, coupled with the
judicious and able superintendence of Messrs. B. Boyd and J.
P. Robinson, fully justified an increase in the Company's
dividend; and in anticipation of continued prosperity, the di-
rectors recommended the adoption of this measure to the share-
holders. That meanwhile, they considered it would be more
satisfactory to form a reserve fund, than to add at this time more
than one per cent. to the dividend hitherto paid. They there-
fore proposed that the half-yearly payment for the current
year should be at the rate of six per cent. per annum, free
income-tax. . _

The CHAIRMAN, in answer to a question from a proprietor,
stated that the accounts were made up in the colony to
the 31st of January, and at home to the 30th of June.
Mr. BRUCE moved that the report read be received,
adopted, printed, and circulated among the proprietors.
Mr. REID seconded the motion, which was carried una-
nimc usly.

Mr. S. PLINN moved that the following gentlemen, retiring
from the board by rotation, should be re-elected directors for
the ensuing year, viz., John W. Sutherland, Esq., Mark
Boyd, Esq., and oseph Phelps Robinson, Esq.
Mr. TEESDALE. seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously.
Mr. SUTHERLAND and Mr. BOYD being present, both ac-
knowledged the honour and the confidence which the proprie-
tors had been pleased anew to bestow on them, and assured
them of their strict attention to the interests and the affairs
of the Company.
Mr. REID moved that the thanks of the proprietors should
be given to the manager, J. H. Rae, Esq.
Mr. PLINN seconded the motion, which was carried unani-
mously by the meeting, and acknowledged by Mr. RAE.
Mr. Rim moved that a letter should be sent, conveying
the thanks of the proprietors to Benjamin Boyd, Esq., and
J. P. Robinson, Esq., in Australia, for their exertions iu the
interests of the Company.
A PROPRIETOR seconded the motion, and the meeting
passed it unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman having been passed, the
meeting was adjourned.