The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-07 00:00:00

TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 7,184 g.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

who gave him a capital character, but who was just as
bAd as himself.

WORSHIP-STREET.

ELOPEMENT AND ROBBERY.—A young man, named
Thomas Hall, was placed at the bar before Mr. Him-
mill, charged with having stolen a quantity of wearing
apparel and other articles, the property of Mr. Charles
Fox, an earthenware-dealer, in Red Lion-street, Kings-
Wad.

Mr. Palmer, a carpenter and builder, at Mile-end, pro-
duced a bill of exchange for SZ 55., which the prisoner
had accepted in the name of William Barker.
_ _

Mr. German, a coffee-housekeeper in Dean-street,
Holborn, deposed that some time ago he let a coffee-
house in Lambeth-walk to the prisoner, for 601. For this
he gate him two bills of exchange for 30/. each, and soon
after disposed of the house to some one else. The bills,
which were drawn on the National Bank of England,
were both dishonoured, so that he was completely
swindled out of his property.
Police •constable John Jenkinson, 53 G, who appre-
hended the prisoner, said that on searching the prisoner
he found on his person letters and documents from
which it was apparent that he meditated the most ex-
tensive system of swindling.
The prisoner, who seemed to treat the matter with
the greatest nonchalance, was remanded for another
week.

The prosecutor, who gave his evidence with consider-
able emotion, stated that upon returning home on Satur-
day evening, he found no one there but his two children,
who were crying bitterly, and ascertained from them
that their mother had packed up a quantity of property
in two or three bundles, and gone off with it. Oa search-
ing the place he found that, in addition to the whole of
her own wearing apparel, numerous articles belonging
to himself had also been taken ; and feeling satisfied
that she had abandoned her home with the prisoner, who
had been seen in communication with her upon numerous
occasions during the prosecutor's absence, he proceeded
at once to his lodgings, where he found them together,
with the whole of the missing property, and having re-
proached his wife with her unnatural conduct in aban
Boning her children in that manner without producing
any effect upon her feelings, he called in a policeman and
gave the prisoner into custody.
Upon being called upon for his defence, the prisoner,
with the most imperturbable coolness, replied that in the
course of his conversation with the wile before she left
her home, he particularly warned her of the conse-
quences that must ensue if she abstracted any property
belonging to her husband; but she positively assured
him, when he questioned her as the contents of the
bundles she had brought with her, that they solely con
aisted of her own personal cluthing, and he remained
under that impression until the abrupt entrance of her
husband, who claimed them as his property.
The prisoner was ordered to be remanded, but the
magistrate consented to accept substantial bail for his
future appearance.
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN THE CELLS.—In the course
of the morning a determined attempt at self-destruc-
tion was made by a lad, named George Jervis, seven-
teen years of age, whom the magistrate had re-
manded to afford time for inquiries to be made re-
specting the ownership of a quantity of horsehair which
had been discovered in his possession. He had only,
however, been locked up a few minutes in one of the
cells when Alderman, the gaoler, opened the door for the
admission of another prisoner, and found him suspended
in the agonies of strangulation by his handkerchief, one
end of which he had twisted tightly round his neck, and
secured the other to a portion of the ironwork in the
upper part of the cell. He was instantly cut down by the
gaoler, and a surgeon was promptly sent for, who suc-
ceeded after the lapse of some time in partially restoring
him to consciousness, and having directed his' imme-
diate removal to an hospital, he was forthwith conveyed,
under the care of two officers, in a cab to the House of
Detention, with a request that he should be placed in the
infirmary.
SOUTHWARK.

ROBBERY AT THE BRICKLAYERS' ARMS RAILWAY
STATION —Martin Cook, a sAil-maker, in the employ-
ment of the South-Western Railway Company, and
Eliza Cooper, who had lived with him as his wife, were
finally examined, the former on a charge of stealing,
and the latter with receiving various articles of jewel-
lery which had been forwarded by the railway, and re
mained at the Bricklayers' Arms s'ation to be called for.

The articles found at the lodging; of the prisuners,
by Mr. Shaw, the superintendent of the luggage depart-
ment, were identified by the owner, and amongst the
witnesses called to prove the charge against the pri-
soner, was

A man, named Daniel Hayes, who bad been dis-
charged from the company's employment in consequence
of being himself suspected of stealing the very property.
lie stated that one Sunday morning, some time ago, he
went into the prisoner's room, and there saw the box
from which the property had been taken, as well as the
property itself, and Cook said he had carried the for-
mer away from the station in some canvass he had used
in his work.

Another witness, named Stillwell, said he heard the
prisoner say something about a quantity of cigars, and
threaten that, if " Tom" said anything about him, he
should say something about the cigars.
Mr. Shaw informed the Magistrate that latterly a
quantity of cigars, a quantity of tobacco, and a portman-
teau had recently been stolen from the terminus, or
Bricklayers' Arms station, and he had every reason to
believe the prisoner Cook had formed en active member
of the gang by whom these robberies had been com-
mitted. He had also every hope of bringing the other
partners in the prisoners' guilt to justice.
The prisoners were fully committed for trial.

THE SUICIDE OF VISCOUNT
MIDLETON.

GODALMING, MONDAY NIGHT.—This afternoon
Mr. C. J. Woods, the Coroner for West Surrey,
resumed at Peper Harrow Mansion, Paper Har•
row-park, the seat of the late Right Hon. George
Allen Viscount Midleton, the adjourned inquest re-
specting the death of that nobleman, some particulars
of whose melancholy suicide appeared in The Sun of
Monday.
The first witness examined was George Canar,
who said that he had been in the service of Viscount
Midleton for a period of ten years. He saw his
Lordship last alive on Tuesday evening, the 31st ult.
He was then in his bedroom, and it was about twenty
minutes past eleven o'clock. Whilst there witness
saw him take a wine-glass and pour something in it,
which he drank. He could not tell whether it was
brandy or wine. On the following morning (Wed-
nesday) witness went into his Lordship's bedroom at
about a quarter past eight o'clock with the letter-bag,
but not finding him there, he went in, sectrell of him.
After looking in several rooms he, remeMbered that
his Lordship had told him a few days prei4alits to take
a brazier into another room, and
,prepaptsome char-
coal, which he stated he wanted forilighttang a fire to
dry the paper on the walls. Tre-1402Ahat room
was peeling off. According to direc-
tions the brazier was placed in the rOO4',,ll'he room
was a very small one, and approiefiod.Wli narrow
staircase. On reaching that room witaeas found the
door closed, but not locked. A wax•-,44,01e which
had been in the candlestick was quite hurnt out, and
on looking round the room he found' his Lordship
dressed and lying on the floor. was
standing in the middle of the room. .11e. examined
the body, and found it stiff and cold: '',l4 left the
room and called Robert Dodman," the Ulider-keeper,
who was in the house, and who returned-with him.
By the CORONER—He did not notice-any Unplea•
.
sant smell when he went into the room. He had
been in the habit of seeing his Lordship- daily, but
never noticed anything in his appearance Which led
him him to suppose that his mind was affected. He
appeared perfectly collected, but at times his spirits
seemed depressed. .
Mr. C. A. Parsons, "..of Godalming, surgeon, said
that on Wednesday morning last he was pilled upon
to attend deceased. On his arrival, at half past ten
o'clock, he found him dead, and extended on the floor,
with his head resting on a pillow, which was placed
on a wooden step. On entering the room he expe-
rienced a strong smell of charcoal, so strong that
witness could not have stopped in the place had the
door been closed. There was an iron brazier in the
room, with a quantity of charcoal in it. Witness
did not think there was any necessity for a post um.-
tern examination, as the cause of death appeared so
conclusive.

Yesterday Alfred Moor, alias Johnson, alias Matthews,
Thomas Birch, Charles Downing, Ambrose Jacobs,
Thomas Bates, and Henry Hodgson, alias Captain Hodg-
son, of the East India Company's service, were brought
before Mr. Cottir ghara for re-examination, charged with
conspiring to defraud a great number of tradesmen of
their goods. The court was thronged during the exa-
mination, which excited more than ordinary interest,
particularly that portion of the proceedings which re-
ferred to Hodgson, who, it now appears, had carried on
a system of fraud for a length of time, by pretending
that he was a man of property, and possessed of influ-
ence with the Government. Mr. Charneck attended fur
Hodgson; the other prisoners were defended by their
respective solicitors.
In addition to the charges already preferred against
the accused parties, who appear to have been all acting
in concert for the purpose of obtaining various descrip-
tions of goods of tradesmen in the metropolis, and which
have obtained publicity,
A Mr. Moon, a watchmaker, of Holborn, was exa,
mined.—He stated that Moor called upon him, and
representing his name to be Matthews, obtained two
valuable watches of him, after having given a reference
as to his respectability to a Mr. James Barclay, of No.
50, St. Alban's-terrace, Kennington. The latter person
did give a most favourable character of the prisoner,
who, it was since proved, sold the watches immediately
he got them for less than their value, and both he and
his referee absconded, and were not heard of again until
Moor was recently taken into custody. Witness had
never been paid for his watches.
Mr. COTTINGHAX said that it was his intention to
commit all the prisoners for trial, and that two of the
charges against Moor assumed that of felony, while that
of his companions at present was for conspiring together
to defraud tradesmen of their goods. The magistrate
added, that since the last examination a communication
had been received from Messrs. Walker and Co., cabinet
makers and upholsterers, of Holborn, describing that
Hodgson gave an order to the firm for 150!. worth of
furniture, part of which was delivered at a house in the
Southwark-bridge-road. The remainder would have
been delivered the following day had not a letter been
received by the firm from a female whom he had victim-
ised and ruined, which had the effect of preventing them
from completing the order.
A Mr. Jenkins stepped forward and stated that he
had been induced to take Hodgson's acceptance to a bill
which remained dishonoured to that day. He had since
ascertained that Hodgson was connected with a gang of
swindlers, and that they took houses to which they had
the property sent, and were in the habit of referring to
!heir associates, in order to obtain their goods.
Mr. COTTINGIIAM said that he had letters and papers
placed in his hands with reference to the prisoner Hodg-
son, one of which related to his having made a promise
of marriage to a Mrs. Fitzjames, a widow, and promising
to settle 5001. a year upon her. Now it appeared that
tie was a man of straw, and not at all in a condition to
keep his promise ; indeed, it had been ascertained that
having stripped the widow of all she possessed, he then
cruelly deserted her.
The following is a copy of the epistle to which the
worthy Magistrate alluded :
"My dear Mrs. Fitzjames,— Since I have had the
pleasure of your acquaintance I have been much pleased
with your person, manners, and accomplishments in
every way, so that I have made up my mind to marry
you, and at the same time I promise to be a good father
to your dear little enes, and also to settle 5001 a year
on you and yours, and if you prove an affectionate wife,
At my death you shall have a proportion of my pro-
perty. I further agree, should I not marry you, to give
up for your own use one-third of all my effects here and
in the United States of America,
" Witness my hand this 19th day of June, 1848.
"HENRY HODGSON."
Sergeant Barry, A division, stued that he had seen
the female alluded to in the above letter since the last
examination, and that she gave a heartrending descrip-
tion of the manner in which she had been treated by
Hodgson. That when first she met him he
introduced -himself Its Captain Hodgson, of the
East India Company's service, at which period she
was in possession of considerable property. That he
had induced her to part with everything under the pro-
mise that he would marry her and be a father to her
children, and that when he had reduced her to a state
of beggary he then abandoned her, and left her and her
children in a state of the utmost destitution. The Ser-
geant added, that from inquiries he had since made, he
discovered that the "captain," at the very time he was
in communication with Mrs. Fitzjames, inhabited a
miserable lodging in Gun-alley, Tower-hill, for which
he paid a weekly rent of ls. 6d., and that he (the Ser-
geant) also ascertained that he had never been in the
East India Company's service.
Mr. COTTINGHAM said that he was also in possession
of letters from Downing-street, addressed to the pri-
soner, and that it appeared he was in the habit of ex-
hibiting them in order to induce a belief that he was a
person of consequence, and in communication with the
First Minister of the Crown.

Elizabeth Edwards, widow, said that she had been
in his Lordship's service about six months. She never
saw him more than four times, but generally received
her orders from one of the other servants. The only
persons in the mansion on Wednesday morning were
herself and daughter, except Caesar, who had come
to sleep there a few days since. By his direction
she had taken the brazier into the room. She put a
small quantity of charcoal into it.
By the CORONER—She never saw his Lordship in
that room before Wednesday last, when she saw him
therein dead.

Thomas Lee said that he had been in his Lordship's
service ever since he came to his title, twelve years
since. Of late he had been so depressed that he was
afraid something would occur.
Mr. James Steadman, surgeon, of Guildford, said
that ever since his Lordship had come to his title, and
had resided in Surrey, he had been his regular me-
dical attendant. In 1847, from March till the 25th
of April, his Lordship complained of being depressed
and uncomfortable, but witness was not aware that
he was ill. He had been living much alone, and had
not taken his usual exercise. ‘Vitness did not think
it necessary to order anything for him beyond simple
medicines. He, however, advised him to adopt some
different mode of living. He wanted witness to see
Mr. Robinson, a solicitor, of Essex-street, Strand,
and make arrangements for his Lordship to travel.
He, however, rallied, and no arrangement of the kind
was carried out.
By the CORONER—He had always considered his
Lordship an eccentric man, and of very wayward
disposition.
William Bickerstaff, of Peper Harrow, park la-
bourer in the service of the late Lord Middleton, said
he had known his Lordship for several years. He
was engaged to look after the woods and plantations,
and frequently conversed with his Lordship. He
noticed that on Tuesday last he seemed to forget
what he had been talking about. It was not usual
for his Lordship to do so.
Thomas Lee re-examined—His Lordship had been
in the habit of late of sitting up at nights. When
witness had the fire prepared, he said it was too large,
and he asked him to make a smaller one, which
he did.

Sergeant Berry stated that Hodgson upon all oc-
easions represented himself as beins, in the posses-
sion of largo landed estates, and having by his
interest secured the return of Lord John Russell
as Member for the city of London. The Sergeant
also produced another letter which was found in Hodg-
son's possession, and from the contents of which it
would appear that he had formed an acquaintance with
another female to whom he was about to act in otsl-
miler manner as he had previously done in Mrs. Fit-
z case. Sergeant Barry said that he had made
inquiry, and discovered that the female who had
written the letter-was served in a similar manner by
Hodgson to that which he had previously done to Mrs.
Eitzjames.
Mr. COTTINCIRAM observed that the documents and
papers before him showed that Hodgson was more deeply
engaged in fraudulent transactions than was at first sup-
posed. It was quite manifest that he had been for a
length of time carrying on a system of fraud on trades-
people, aided by his fellow-prisoners, to a very great ex-
tent; added to which it now appeared, by the letters
produced, that he had practised the most gross decep-
tion upon women for the purpose of depriving them of
the little property they were possessed of, and rendering
them by his baseness completely destitute. He (the
magistrate) deemed it indispensably necessary, for the
sake. of public justice, to sift the charges against all the
prisoners to the bottom, with a view that such an organ-
ized gang of swindlers as that to which they all belonged
should be broken up, and that they should be punished
according to their deserts. He should, therefore, re-
mand all the prisoners until next Monday, when the
depositions should be taken, and they be committed
for trial.

William Bone said that he had been in his Lord-
ship's service 20 years. He had lately seen him low-
spirited, and he complained of pains in his head. He
was also very forgetful at times. The witness then
alluded to an expression made by the noble deceased
respecting the Rev. Mr. Thomas.
Mr. J. Debenham, clerk to Mr. Henry Marshall,
solicitor, said, that he was frequently in his Lord-
ship's company—sometimes for a day together. He
often noticed that he was very low-spirited, and he
seemed to suffer much in mind on account of a law-
suit he had with a Mr. Deaden. The last time he was
speaking of something he wanted completed ; for, in
the event of his death, he said it would be difficult to
finish. He then burst out crying. He left the room,
and on his return he noticed that he had been crying
much.

Mr. Parson', the surgeon who had since the last
court made a post mortem examination of the body,
described the cause of death, which was suffocation
from charcoal fumes. _ _

The Rev. Lawrence W. Elliott, of Peper Harrow,
said that he had known the deceased for many years.
In July, 1847, he came to him and communicated
the intelligence of her Ladyship having left him, and
added that it was all Ms own fault. He was then in
such a distressed state of mind that witness did not
like to leave him by himself. lie therefore tried to
cheer him up. Two or three days afterwards he told
witness that he was in such a distressed state that
he had hardly been able to keep himself from laying
violent hands on his person. He was then in a most
unhappy state of mind, and witness thought it dan-
gerous to leave him. He could not attribute his state
of mind to anything else than the separation between
himself and Lady Midleton. About the middle of
March, 1848, whilst conversing with witness, he
" Oh, my life is a hell on earth ;" and added, that he
had had such a night that he would not have another
like it for all the world ; and he concluded by saying,
that he had been on his knees all the night. Ile was
extremely violent in his language, and seemed to
suspect his best friends of wanting Lady Midleton
to set him at defiance. lle often said he hoped he
should be seized with a fit of apoplexy and die.
During the last two months he had spoken of how he
bad disposed of his property, and what would be the
result after his death. On the morning of Wednes-
day last he attended at his Lordship's late residence.
In the room were he was lying were some verses and
letters, with a document headed, " The last will and
testament."

LAMBETH.
WHOLESALE FRAllD.—Yesterday Wm. Griffin alias
Barker, a well dressed young fellow, was further ex-
amined before Mr. Elliott, on various charges of swind-
ling, and also on a charge of forgery.
On the former examination it appeared that the pri-
soner had obtained from an oil and colourman in Gib-
son-street, Lambeth, a cask of colouring to the amount
of 171., by giving a false reference; and, in addition to
thi:, Mr. Francia, a house-agent in Mile-end, deposed
that the prisoner had obtained possession of a house and
premises near Beautnont.square, by actually giving re-
ference to himself. When arranging for the premises ho
gave the name of Barker, and gave a reference to Mr.
William Griffin, so that on his (Mr. Francis) writing to
a different person, as he supposed, he actually received
a letter in the prisoner's own handwriting, giving him•
self a high character.—(Laughter.) Not suspecting the
trick, he gave him possession of the house and pre-
mises, but before the quarter's rent became due he dis-
appeared, and the next thing he heard of him was a
proposition, on his part, to dispose of the key and some
fixtures on the premises (which he had not put up or
paid for) at a moderate sum.
Mr. Barnard, an artists' colourman, in Oxford street,
said he had let the prisoner have goods to the amount
of 71., 01 his representing that he was an artist by pro-
fession, and wanted them for the use of his pupils. lie
had also giTen a reference to a person named Turner,

Se ieral of the jurors here expressed a desire to
inspect the writings, but,

The CORONER. said he could not see what good
would arise by examining into family affairs, and,
moreover, the letters had been sent to the parties to
whom they were directed.

Severalother witnesses were examined, who merely
corroborated the main features of the above evidence ;
one, however, stated that his Lordship felt most
acutely the death of Lord George Bentinck, and said
he had himself a fit of a similar character when in
France.

There being no other witnesses to examine,
The CORONER proceeded to charge the jury. He
went over the evidence in a very careful manner, re-
marking on the most important features. He said
there were three things for the jury to consider—the
first was, did his Lordship wilfully destroy his own
life? He apprehended that there was little doubt on
that point. The next thing they had to decide was
his state of mind. The Learned Gentleman was read-
ing several law cases bearing on the point, when the
reporter was obliged to dispatch his report to catch
the last train ; we are, therefore, unable to give the
verdict until to-morrow.