The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-22 00:00:00

RAILWAY SH ARE MARKETS.

BRISTOL, MAT 20.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—.Caledonian, I I %—Ditto, New,
134—London and York, 24—Manchester, Buxton, and Midland,
1 9-16 p.—Shrewsbury and Birmingham, 31A.
MANCHESTER, Max 20.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Ambergate, Nottingham, &c.,
I7s. 6d. dts.—Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire, 1% p.—Black-
burn, Clitheroe, &c., I dis.—Blackburn, and Preston, 4 p. —Boston,
Newark, and Sheffield, 34 c. dis.—Chelmsford and Bury, 16s. c.
—Chester and Manchester Direct, 295. c. dis.—Clitheroe Junction,
I dis. —Derby and Crewe, 3 P. Direct Northern, 12s. 9d. dis.—
Eastern Counties, 24—Essex and Suffolk, % dis.—Exeter and Ex-
mouth, % c. dis.—Glasgow and Dumfries, % dis.—Goole, Doncaster,
Sheffield, &c., dis.—Grand Union, I6s. c. dis.—Lancashire North
Yorkshire, % dis.—Leicester and Bedford, par—Leicester, Birming-
ham, and Trent Valley Junction, 1 dis.—Liverpool and Bury, New,
p.—Liverpool, Ordiskirk, and Preston, % p.—Manchester, Bux-
ton, and Matlock, I p.—Manchester and Birmingham, 803( —Ditto,
4uarters (C), 7 13-16 p.—Manchester and Birmingham Continuation
and Welsh Junction, 17s. dis.—Manchester and Hyde, %
Northumberland and Lancashire, 21s. dis.—Nerth Eastern, 1 7-16
dis.—North Staffordshire, 3% p.—North Wales, I % c. dis.—North
Western, 5-16 c. p.—Oldham District, % p.—Cixford, Southampton,
ant Gosport, 17s. dis.—Sheffield and Manchester, Quarters, No. 3,
3-16 p.—Seropshire Mineral, I% dis.—Shropshire Union Railway
and Canal, 16s. 6d. dis.—Sonth Midland; 34 p.—South-Eastern and
Dover, . Halves, No. 4, 5-16 p.—Welsh Midland, 235. 6d. dis.—
West Riding Union, 2% p.—York and Carlisle, PA dis.
LIVERPOOL, Mav 20.
NEw STocX EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Cheater and Birkenhead,
201. Shares, par—Eastern Counties, 234 —Ditto, York Extensions,
1 p.—Glasgow and Ayr, 76—Grand Junction, Eighth Shares, 27%—
Manchester and Leeds Extensisns, 3 p.—Manchester and Birmingham,
Quarter Shares (A), 9 p.—Ditto, ditto (B), 9 p.—Ditto, ditto (C),
S p.—Midland, 401. Shares, 11% P.—Preston and Wyre, Half Shares
(B), 9s. p.—Sheffield and Manchester, Quarter Shares, No. 1,43 i p.
—Ditto. Quarter Shares, No. 3 (scrip), % p.—South-Eastern and
Dover Consolidated, Half Shares, 3% p.—Ditte, Half Shares, 36 p.—
York and Selby, East and West Riding Extension, 11% p.—Hudders-
Geld Railway and Canal, par—Huddersfield and Sheffield Junction,
p.— Leeds and Thirsk, 4 dis.—Liverpool and Bury, 8% p.—Ditto,
Fifth Shares, 134—Goole and Doncaster, 13s. Gd. dis.—London and
York, is. 6d. dis.—Sheffield and Lincolnshire, p.—Direct North-
ern, • dis.—Glasgow and Dumfries, ss. ells.— Liverpool, Ormskirk,
and Preston, % p.--Birkenhead and Holyhead Junction, li4 p.—
Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction, 1% p. —Boston,
Newark, and Sheffield, % dis. —Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham;
% dis.—Buckinghamshire, 3s. 6d. p.—Cambridge and Oxford, 10s. 6d.

-Derby and Crewe, 3%---Furneis and Windermere, 1 dis..—Grand
Union, dls. --Great Eastern and Wester,,, 1% dis.—lnverness and
Perth, 19s. dis.—Leicester and Bedford, par—Leicester and Birming-
ham, % dis.—Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle Junction, par
—Manchester and Binningham Continuation, lfis. dis.— Manchester,
Midland, and Great Grimsby, % dis.—Matlock and Midland Junc-
tion, 265. p.—Northumberland and Lancashire, 19s. dis.—North Staf-
fordshire, 765. 6d. p.—North Western, % p.—Rugby and Hunting-
don, 16s. 6d. dis.—Shrewsbury and Herefordshire, )4 dis.—Trent
Valley Continuation, 1 dis.—Trent Valley, Midland, and Grand
Junction, % dis.—Warwickshire and London Junction, par—Welsh
Midland, 23s 64.-IVestßidlng Union, 565. 6d p.—York and Carlisle,
111 dis.—Dutch Rhenish, 2 p.
LEEDS, MA 20.

STOCK EXCHANGE. —The sales are—Eastern Counties, York Ex-
tension, 20s. p.—Huddersfield and Sheffield, 5% p.—Leeds and Brad.
ford, 281,6 p.—Leeds and Dewsbury, 1% p.—Leeds and Think,
3M dis.—Ditto, New, 21. Is. dis —Newcastle and Berwick, 10% p.—
North British, Carlisle Branch, 235. 641. p.—Sheffield and Manchester,
Quarter Shares, No. 3, par—Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole, 13 p.
—Boston, Newark, and Sheffield, j dis.—Bradford, Wakefield,
and
Midland, 1 dis.—Clitheroe Junction, 16s. dis.—Direct Northern, %
dis.—Grand Union, 13s. dn.—Glasgow and Dumfries, 105. dis.—
Lancashire and North Yorkshire, 7s. dis.— Lancashire, Yorkshire,
and North Eastern, 28s. 6d. dis.—Leeds and York, 28s. dis.—Leeds,
Wakefield, and Midland, 6s. did.—Leicester and Bedford, Is. 6d.
dis.—London and York, par-3lancliester, Brixton, Matlock, and
Midland, iM p. —Northumberland and Lancashire Junction, 19s. die.
—North Staffordshire, 3% pr—North Western, 3s. p.—Sheffield,
Rotherham, and Goole, li dis.—Shropshire Union, 14s. dis.—South
Midland, 225. p.—Welsh Midlands, I Ifi disf—West Riding Union, OA.

HULL, Ali? 20.
• STOCK EXCHANOZ.-The Balm; are-North British, Half Shares,
48s. 9d.-Axholme, 315.-Derby, and Gainsborough, 145.-Direct
Northern, 1% -East Lincolnshire, 195.-Fleetwood, Preston, and
West Riding, 178.-Goole Doncaster, Sheffield, &c., 1/. 9s. 6,1.-
Grand Union, 13s. 64.-Ht:11. and Barnsley Junction, 265. 3d.-Hull
and Lincoln, 195.-Leicester and Bedford, 235.-Liverpool, Orms,
kirk, and Preston, 3/. In.-Nottingham and Mansfield, 21. Hs:-
North Weatern, 275.-North Staffordshire, 61. 28. -South Midland,
2t. 19s. 94.-Shrewsbury and Birmingham, 3.
Ditto, SHEFFIELD, MAY 20.
Srocz EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Grimsby, and Sheffield, 3/.
4s. (Its.- Ditto, Extension, 9s. dis.-Ditto, Quarter Shares, ss. dis.-
Railway and Dock, 1% di;.-London and York, IA dis.-NOt-
tingliam and Mansfield, Is. p.-Sheffield and Lincolnshire, 7s. p.-
Ditto, Extension, 10s. dia.-Sheffield, Buxton. Leek, Potteries, and
Crews, 13s. 6d. dis.-South Yorkshire Coal RAilway, % dls.
HUDDERSFIELD, May 20.
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales arc-Huddersfield and Manchester
Railway and Canal, par -Clitheroe Junction, 14s. 6d. dis.-Hud.
derafleld, Halifax, and Bradford Union, 41.75.-Leeds and York, 295.
dia.- Leic( ster aid Birmingham. s. -London, Salisbury, and
Yeovil, 31s. (A.-Manchester, Barnsley, Dewsbury. kc., 20s. 6d.-
Manchester, Huddersfield, and. Great Grimsby, 21s. 6d.-Glasgow
and Dumfries, 365.-Great Grimsby, Quarters, Gs. 6d. dis.-Essex
and Suffolk, l Is. td.-London and York, 24.
and Sunderland,
sSuTtLidE;rlLaTt.Ol,N2-4T%Y.N-lEn,ve3rf
Inverness
eTs s 20.
STOCK EXCHANGE. -The
ilaEmll ar
sales aro-Aberdeen, Banff, and Elgin,
225. dis.-Durham
and Elgin, 1 dis.
-Leicester and Bedford, is. Gd. p.--Northumberland and Lanca-
shire, 195. Us.

YORK, MAT 20. • .
STOCK EXCUANCE.—TiIO B.ftieS are.—Eastern Counties, York Ex-
tens!on, I% G rand Union, Nottingham and Lynn, 13s. 6d.—lpswich
and Bury, —Leicester and Bedford, 1/. 2s.—London and York, 21.
1 is.—M anchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midland, 3%—Newcastle
and Darlington (Brandling) 41% —Ditto, Extension, 9% —North
British, Carlisle Extension, 2%—North Western, 1% —Sheffield,
Rotherham, Wakefield, Barn sley Huddersfield, and Goole, 3%
Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole,' 36% —Welsh Midland, 11. 75.
West Riding Union, s—York an North Midland, New (East and
West Riding), 11%. _ _

~.
GLASGOW, MAY 19.
STOCK Excnewor.—The sales are—Airdrie and Bathgato, 565.
Banffshire, 19s. 6d.—Bridge of Weir, 445. 6d —Caledonian Exten-
slon, 33s.—Caledonian
Central, 28s.—East of Fife, 205.—East Indian Railway, 17s. 3d.—
Edinburgh and Ilathgate, 42;....-Edinhurgli and Peebles, 31s.—Forth
and ClSde Jmiction, 343.—Glasgow, Barrhead, and NOlston Direct,
Direct Northern, 335. Cornwall and Devon
9X—Glasz•Ow and Belfast Union, 415.—Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and
Air; 73%7.°14ug01v, DarafrieSI and Carlivle, 01.--Cilvii9w, EU:

marnock, and Ardrossan, 363.—Glasgow and Dundee Junction, 345.
6d.—Glasgow Harbour Mineral, 25s.—Great Indian Peninsular, 83.
—Kilmarnock and Ayr Direct, 378.—Lesmahagow, 46s.—London,
Bristol, and South Wales, 193.=Manchester and Southampton, 458.
—Perth and Inverness, 31s. 6d.—Scottish Central, New, 71(—Scot-
tish Central and Caledonian Junction, 30s. 6d.—Soutb. Midland, 645.
—South and Midland Junction, 225. 6d.

PROVINCIAL BANK OF IRELAND.

GENERAL ANNUAL MEETING.

A general annual meeting of the proprietors of this Com-
pany, pursuant to the deed of settlement, was held yesterday
at the offices of the society, 42, Old Broad-street.
Mr. Allston took the chair at half-past twelve o'clock.
The SECRETARY then read the advertisement calling the
meeting. .
The CHAIRMAN said it was the first time he had ever pre-
sided over such an assembly as that before him, and he
therefore trusted he would be excused if he should make any
mistake. He had to propose that the four following gentle-
men be elected as directors for the ensuing year :—Edward
Fletcher, Thomas Masterman, G. R. Robinson, and John
Young, Esqs.
The resolution was unanimously agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN said, as they were all men of business, and
did not require many words from him, he would therefore
call upon the Secretary to read the report.
The SECRETARY then read the report, which stated the
satisfactory prospects of the Company. There was a surplus
fund of 14,000/.

An HoN. PROPRIETOR wished to know if the directors
intended to give an extra bonus this year? They had done
so before with a much less surplus fund.
The CHAIRMAN said that the directors were as fond of
bonuses as the proprietors, but as the Company had este
blished four extra branches, they did not deem it prudent to
do so. They had gained the confidence of the public, and they
should be careful not to lose it. Their surplus fund was their
rock of safety.—(Hear, hear.)
Captain J. L. LEWIS said, as a stranger, having heard the
report read, which he considered most satisfactory,he wished
to know what was the amount of salary they had given to
their retiring secretary ?
The CHAIRMAN said that his full salary was 1,2001., and
they had given him for his excelent services a pension of
1,0001.
An flox. Pnorntirron. begged to express the confidence
he had in the board of directors, and to state that he con-
sidered their course as quite correct in not giving a bonus,
for when bonuses were given the shares were apt to go down
in the market.—(Hear.)
The CHAtammt then moved that the report read to the
meetingbe adopted, printed, and circulated, which was carried
unanimously.
An Hoar. PROPRIETOR wished, before the meeting sepa-
rated, to move a vote of thanks to their late secretary. It
was to his exertions that they owed the present excellent
arrangements of the Company, in so much that the Company
was looked upon by others ac a model, and was often quoted
as an example.
The motion having been seconded, it was passed unani-
mously.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman, and
the meeting separated.

WO: (.6 THE CELEBRATED
:.:.RENCIT THIEF-TAKER.
7'.") IYE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
just reed in your paper of Monday evening
last, that " Vidocq. the celebrated French thief-taker, died
lately ne..i Brussels, in a state of poverty."
I trust yoi, wil: be kin(' enough to contradict such a false
iat• me+lL. sr I out neit:!e: ,lead nor poor. lam quite as well
!Fs : was wbc3,l t i u horiJitied me with your visit, at the Cos-
morama about 4ye 1r ar:o. As to the state of my fortune, I
have got more than !or me; and if you will favour
me NJ it ypiir compmnv at dinner, any day you like to ap-
),-pic.t. y.ri: will at e a -:aan who, for a long time yet, means
kbe.,•point time who, for particular reasons, may wish
ad patres ; Ind who saved enough to treat his friends

By puVislihig this letter, or any part of it that may please
you, so as to prove, at all events, that I am slid alire and in
very geol health. you will greatly oblige.
Your most obedient servant,

VIDOCQ.

1, Leicster-stre:t. Leicester-zquaro,
May 2Y,1846.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
PRIVY COUNCIL, May 21.
The Judicial Committee )1 the Privy Council con-
tinued their sitting to-day. The Lords present were,
the Lord President (the Duke of Buccleucb), Mr. Baron
Parke, the Vice-Chancellor Knight Bruce, and the
Judge of the Prerogative Court (Sir Herbert Jenner
Fust).
•

WILLIAMS AND OTHERS V. CHAPMAN AND OTHERS.

---- -
This was an appeal from the sentence pronounced by
the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty in a cause of
damage, civil and maritime, arising out of the total loss
of the brig Parana and her cargo, together with the
master and five of the crew, in a collision with the Iron
Duke steamer, brought by the respondents (the owners
of the brig) against the appellants, trustees of the City
of Dublin Steam Packet Company.
The facts were as follows:—The Parana, a new brig
of 200 tons burthen, was navigated by a master and ten
hands, and with her cargo was worth about 17,0001.
The Iron Duke is a steamer, belonging to the City of
Dublin Steam packet COmpany, of 600 tons burthen,
having engines of great power, her ordinary speed being
from twelve to fourteen knots an hour. She carries the
mail between Liverpool and Kingstown, and on the night
of the collision had 70 passengers on board. The
Parana left Liverpool the 9th of September, 1844, bound
to Montreal. Shortly before two o'clock, A.N. of the
10th of September, the steamer's lights were erst seen
from the brig, about three miles distant off her star-
board bow. As the steamer rapidly approached, the
mate of the brig held the binnacle light over the weather
quarter, and hailed, but no notice was taken, and the
Iron Duke ran into the Parana, which went down almot t
instantly, and with cargo and other property.
The arguments were commenced yesterday, and re-
sumed, but not concluded to-day.
The Solicitor-General and Dr. Addams appeared for
the appellants, and the Queen's Adrocate, Sir Thomas
Wilde, and Dr. Hsggart were counsel for the re-
spondents.
The further arguments in the case were postponed to
a future day.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.

Frederick Steinberger, clerk to Mr. Tate, solicitor, of
Basinghall-street, was brought before Sir Peter Laurie,
upon the charge of having forged a cheque for 1001.,
upon the London Joint-stock Bank.;
Mr. Bush, of the firm of Bush and Mullins, solicitors
to the Committee of Bankers for the' prevention of for-
get-its ' 'and frauds, attended for the prosecutor, and Mr.
Hobler appeared for the prisoner.
Mr. J. W. Nutter, cashier of the London Joint-stock
Bank, stated that between three and four o'clock on the
13th of May, the cheque produced for 1001 was pre
sented by tbo prisoner across the counter for payment,
and witness suspected that something about it was incor-
rect, and asked him to go into an anti-room ; that one
of the managers asked for whom he presented the
cheque, to which he replied that he was a clerk to Mr.
Tate, and that he presented the cheque for a friend ;
that upon being asked who that friend was, he said he
did not know, but that he was a young man like himself,
only rather shorter • and that the prisoner was therefore
detained, and Mr. iate was sent for.
Mr. William Tate said the prisoner bad been his
clerk about nine, months, and that the writing on the
chr que was, he had no doubt, in the prisoner's hand-
writing. He added that he had never authorised the
prisoner to fill up that or any other cheque ; that he
had been in the habit of sending the prisoner to the
banking-house with his pass-book, and almost invariably
for the purpose of getting his cheques changed ; that he
found there had been a cheque taken out of his cheque-
book, and the cheque produced bore the same number as
the missing one, viz., 20,928, that he constantly kept
his cheque-book in a drawer, which was locked, and that
the drawer must have been opened to obtain it, andthat
the prisoner must have known the place of concealment.
The witness, in cross-examination by Mr. Nobler,
said that he knew nothing of the cheque in question
until the 13th inst.

The prisoner was committed for trial at the Centra
Criminal Court.

EXTRACILDINARY CASE.—William George Wallis, the
secretary to the Tower Hamlets Loan Society, held of
late in St. Mary Axe, having been summoned to answer
the complaint of a tbreigner, named Otto Brunges, who
had deposited in the hand of that individual, as an officer
of the society, the sum of 65L, upon which interest was
to have been paid.
Sir PETER LAURIE called on the case.

Mr. King, who appeared as solicitor for Mr. Wallis
on a former occasion, in which a complaint was made
against the Secretary to the Tower Hamlets Loan So-
ciety, begged leave to hand to the Alderman the fellow,
iug notice, which occasioned no small degree of sur-
prise :
" To the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of London, and
all other her Majesty's justices of the peace of the said
city :
" Take notice that, by virtue of the summons granted
upon the complaint of one Otto Brunges, .I duly'attended
the same on Thursday last, the 14th day of May inst.,
and there objected to your Lordship, or any other of her
Majesty's justices of the said City of London, entertain-
ing the complaint of the said Otto Brunges, upon the
ground that the loan society mentioned or referred to
in the said summons, and to which it was alleged that I
was the secretary, was not an enrolled society, and that
your Lordship and the said justices of the said City had
no jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter of the said
complaint by reason thereof. Now I hereby give you,
the said Lord Mayor of the said City of London, and
each of you the said justices of the said City of London,
notice, that you have no jurisdiction whatever to hear
and determine the said complaint ; and I hereby require
you, and each and every of you not to adjudicate
therein, and I hereby further give you notice that, in
the event of your granting any warrant against me, for
not appearing to She said summons this day, upon the
hearing thereof by adjournment, or of your taking any
proceedings whatever against me, in the matter of the
said complaint, contrary to the notice, I shall hold you,
and every of you, personally liable and responsible to me
for any damage which I may sustain by reason thereof.
Dated this 21st day of May, 1846`. G. WALLIS.
Witnev, Charles W. King, 40, St. Mary Axe, at-
torney for the said William George. Wallis.
Sir PETER LAURIE, upon hearing the paper read,
observed that he never recollected any occasion upon
which a magistrate was served with a written notice
denying his jurisdiction.
Mr. Goodman said, he had never heard of such a
thing. The question of jurisdiction was usually left to
the decision of the magistrate himself.
Mr. King admitted that he believed the notice to be a
solitary instance.
Sir PETER LAURlE—Before I can say whether I can
or cannot adjudicate, I will hear the case, one tittle of
which lain as yet unacquainted with.

It is necessary to stilt; here, that about a fortnight ago
Mr. Ashley, the solicitor to the complainant in this
case, represented to Alderman Gibbs, that his client,
and a great many other persons, bad been induced,
by the attraction of advertisements in the news-
papers, and by the brilliut vacilizta aim by the

Secretary to the Tower Hamlets Loan Society, of
the state of the funds, and the prospects of the insti-
tution, to deposit considerable sums of money in
the concern, and that finding these accounts utterly
fallacious, applications had been made for the restitution
of the sums advanced ; according to the printed regula-
tions, to the secretary, who refused to listen to any com-
plaints of the kind, although he was not only in posses-
sion of the whole property of the shareholders, but was
actually using the loans and the interest upon the loans
daily. To this statement of Mr. Ashby, it was replied
by Mr. King that Mr. Wallis represented a body of
shareholders himself to a verti• large amount, and that it
was in the power of any person interested to examine
the books of the society in the possession of the secre-
tary, from which it was to be seen that every trans-
action was bona fide upon the part of that officer.
In conclusion, Alderman Ginas postponed the case
upon the understanding that the books of the society
were to undergo an immediate examination. _

Such was the state of the case, wh II the subject was
introduced to Sir Pet-r Laurie, before whom there ap-
pears to be a natural disinclination, upon the part of
prrsons engaged in matters of doubtful character, to
attend.

Sir P. LAURIE desired to know whether the books had
been examined ?

The complainant, and several other of the share-
holders, replied that the solicitors who had attended the
office of the secretary, to examine the books, had not
only been refused permis,ion to do so, but had been
grossly insulted by Mr. Wallis.

Sir P. LAURIE--I have always considered and repre-
sented these loan societies to be most dangerous deposi-
taries for pcople's property, but how any one could be
such a fool as to give his money to be kept where he
could not have access to the books appertaining to it is
what I cannot at all understand.

The complainant—Any one, my Lord, would be led
away by his talk.—(Laughter.)
Sir PETER LAURIE—Did you not look into the book
of rules and regulations? The complainant—l am not
acquainted with any of them. I believed everything he
told me, and so d d everybody else.—(Laughter.)
Sir P. LAURIE—How many shareholders claim money
of him? Several shareholders—There are twelve of us
who claim about 2,0001., independent of the interest to
which we were entitled upon the loans. .The sum of
8,0001. altogether is in the secretary's hands.
The complainant—He defies us all, and says posses-
sion is nine points of the law; and he is receiving money
every day which ought to be divided amongst the share-
holders.

Sir PETER LAURIE—I find amongst the book of
rules and regulations that fourteen days' notice is ne-
cessary to be given before the deposits made by the
shareholders can be withdrawn. Has that notice been
regularly given ? The complainant—Certainly ; my
solicitor has done everything that was necessary.
Sir PETER LAURIE-But who are the directors and
trustees? They ought to hold the person responsible.
The complainant—The direction is entirely broken up.
To fact, the directors are opposed to the secretary. He
is down upon directors, shareholders, and all, and he
defies all.

Sir PETER LAURIE—Why have you not called a
meeting of the parties interested? Some of the share-
holders said they had endeavoured to get the borrowers
and the whole body of the shareholders together, and
that it was intended to indemnify the former if they
refused to pay the secretary any further sum, but the
poor people were terrified by the apprehension of law
proceedings.
Sir P. LAURIE—I FCC here the names of the directors
of the society, anl I- shall send summonses to all of
them. It is said they are as much opposed to the
secretary as any of those who now complain—that they
are equally losers. I shall see, however, whether the
strict p' rformance of their duty to the shareholders will
not lead to the restitution of the property of which so
many have been deprived, so that the directors may, by
being compelled to serve the shareholders, who were
induced to take shares in consequence of their re-
spectability, render great service to themselves. I per-
ceive that the book containing the names of the directors
was handed to the complainant after the payment of the
first instalment ; and I perceive other points on which I
shall try whether I cannot achieve complete justice for
these poor credulous people.
A Mr. Taylor, who said that he was a director, and
had been, when the society was commenced, chairman
of the directors, here stepped forward and assured Sir
Peter Laure that the directors were all sufferers, and
thst they would all most readily attend bis call.
Sir P. LAURIE—Why do you not it once lay hold of
your servant, the secretary, who is in possession of your
funds ?

Mr. Taylor (as our reporter understood him) said that
the secretary had by his ingenuity contrived to get a
number of shares into his hands, and was thus enabled
to contend against a minority.
Here I.lr. Ashley (whose clerk had been attending for
the complainant) entered the justice-room, and
Sir PETER LAURIE informed him of hisdetermination
to summons all the directors, and by such means get at
the secretary.
Mr. Ashley said there never was a case in which the
skill or exertions of Sir Peter Laurie could be more
usefully or beneficially exercised. The whole of the
funds of the society are in the hands of the secretary,
who was compounding with some shareholders for ss-,
with others for 63., and with others for 7s. or Bs. in the
pound, and giving his own promissory notes, at long
dates, to the unfortunate people in payment of their de-
posits. It was melancholy to think that men could be
such dupes. He had seen a letter from a solicitor in the
City to a poor man, who had borrowed money of the
society, and who only owed 9s. 0., as a last instalment,
threatening, in the name of the secretary, that if that
sum was not paid by twelve o'clock next day law pro-
ceedings should be commenced.

. .
Sir P. LAURIE—Mr. Ashley, attend here en Friday
week, I will then hear the case. I am told that the
matter is not in my jurisdiction ; but I don't mind going
out of my way to accomplish a public benefit.
The whole proceeding gave great satisfaction to a
crowded Court.