The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-25 00:00:00

HAMMERSMITH,

CHARGE OF FORGERY.—An elderly man,—named
Thomas Collyer, described on the police-sheet as a
farrier at Hanworth, Middlesex, was charged with
having knowingly uttered a forged bill of exchange
for 251. -

Robert Tutton deposed that he is a livery stable
keeper in the Marlborough-road, Chelsea. Ile knew
the prisoner well. About three months ago the pri-
soner came to him at the Marlborough Arms Tavern,
College-street, Chelsea, and gave to him the bill of
exchange produced for 251., dated the 16th of June,
and told witness that it was accepted by Mr. Thomas
Coggan, the landlord of the Six Bells public-house at
Fulham.

By Mr. PAYNTER—Had before that discounted a bill
of exchange for 25/. at two months' date, which bore the
acceptance of Mr. Cogan, but when that came due, Mr.
Coggan, on notice being given him of the fact, said he
was not prepared, but that it should be all right. The
prisoner then 'came to witness with the bill produced,
and said that as Mr. Coggan was not prepared to take
the first one up, he had brought another bill accepted
by Mr. Coggan for one month, which he took, but did
not give up the first bill. When, however, the second
bill came due, and he went about it to Mr. Coggan, that
person said that the man who had uttered it, meaning
the prisoner, had ran away, and that he (Mr. Coggan)
knew nothing about it, and had not accepted it. Wit-
ness had since travelled upwards of two hundred miles in
search of the prisoner, who was, however, only taken
that morning.
Thomas Coggan deposed that he was landlord of the
Six Bells public-house at Fulham. Had accepted for the
prisoner a bill of exchange for 251. at two months' date,
but had not since accepted another bill of exchange at
one month's date for the same amount.

The prisoner, in answer to the charge, denied the
forgery, saying he could not write, and declared that the
bill was drawn up according to an agreement he had with
Mr. Coggan.
Mr. PAYNTER, having examined the bill of exchange,
said it bore across it the words " accepted, Thomas Cog-
gan," and underneath a cross with the words " his
mark." The case was certainly a very singular one, as
a man who could not writ© was charged with having
written the name of another at full length across a bill
of exchange, while the mark of that person who can
write appears on that bill.
Mr. Coggan, in explanation, said that he had to the
first bill authorised his son to write his name across it,
and he added his mark. He had not received a farthing
out of the proceeds of the bill, but lent his name to the
first bill upon the understanding that the prisoner would
be prepared to take it up when it became due. The pri-
soner had all the money.
Mr. Tutton further said, that when the prisoner
brought him the second bill, he showed witness the sig-
nature on the corner of the bill of Mr. Charles Cotton,
as a witness to the acceptance, which induced witness to
take the bill.

Mr. PAYNTER said he should remand the prisoner for
a week.

C ILINNEL ISLANDS COMMISSION.—MeSSTS. Ellis
and Bros, the commissioners appointed by her Majesty
for the examination of the criminal laws of the Channel
Islands, and their administration, and Mr. Clark, the
secretary of the said commission, arrived in Guernsey
from Jersey on Sunday morning. In consequence, a
special meeting of the royal court was held on Monday
morning, at eleven o'clock, at which were present--
Peter Stafford Carey, Esq., bailiff, and J. Le Marchant,
H. 0. Carr& T. W. Gosselin, F. Manseil, T. Le Retilly,
Harry Dobree, jun., Thomas Fiott de Havilland,
Thomas Andros, Edgar M'Culloch, and Willam P. me_
tivier, Esq., jurats. The court having been formed,
notice was sent to the Lieutenant-Governor who shortly
after arrived, and took his seat on the bench on the right
hand of the bailiff. The commissioners and their secre-
tary then entered, and appearing at the bar of the
court, presented by the hands of the secretary, Mr.
Clark, the royal commission, which was forthwith read
by the greffier of the court. The court soon after ad-
journed, and would commence business on Thursday.—
Guernsey Star.

Three nights ago a murder was committed in the
bagne at Brest by a convict named Joret, sentenced for
life, and double-ironed on account of an attempt that he
had made to escape. He got up while all the other pri-
soners in his dormitory were asleep, and, with a small
file which he had sharpened for the purpose, stabbed
two men, named Biot and Voisambert, who lay next
him. Biot was killed, and the other taken into the
hospital in a dangerous state. It is believed
that he was led to this sanguinary act in ven-
geance for the two men having given information
which prevented his escape ; for he had on the preced-
ing day applied to be removed to a bed at a distance
from them, and on being refused replied that they would
shortly hear of him.
There is at present to be seen at Mr. Moore's,
hair-dresser, No. 4, Dawson-street, Whitechapel, a cat
suckling a young gi eyhound only a week old—Liverpool
Courier.