The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-22 00:00:00

LAW INTELVTGENCE.
COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Jzn. 21.
(Befort, Mr. Commissioner PANE.)

IN TI LIANIiqIiPTC I" OF WILLIAM TIIOM

The bankrupt w n puhlieher end newspaper ad • 1
vertisernent agent in Catherine-street, Strand. The
lint was issued in August. This was a meeting for
1.1_,Y last examination.
Mr. Bagley appeared as counsel for the bankrupt ;
Mr. Harrison fur about 200 country newspaper pro-
prietors ; and Mr. Shield for the assignees. Mr.
Wilson, M.P., of the Economist, who is the creditors'
assignee, was also in attendance. Mr. Glover, of
Bucklerebure, prepared the balance sheet, of which
the following are the main items : Sundry creditors,
6,705/. ; creditors holding security, 1,6371. ; liabili-
ties, 1,3351.; profits on trade (which are thus esti-
m*ted), business done, 59,3141. at 12} per cent.,
7,131.; salary ;rani the Court Journal from January,
1844,et0 August 31, 1847. et 21. per week, 380/. :
amount rteteved from ledgers, 15/. Th- credit side
has the follea leg :—Good debt., 1,156/.; doubtful
ditto, 2,0291 ; hal dive, 3.7901.; s,eurities in the
hands of creditors, 4,386/., of which it is estimated
that ftratl 2,000/. will be avail' hle to the estate after
paying of the lien tie. • ; trad, expenses 2,7451.;
personal and domestic expenses, 1,0001; losses, 4,5461.
The creWtors for the most part consisted of Lon-
don, provincial, Irish, an Scotch newspaper pro-
prietors.
Mr. Hanaisos said he understood that it was the
desire of the solicitors fur the assignees to strike off
10 per cent. of the sum claimed by the respective
newspaper proprietors upon the score of commission.
That curtailment he was instructed to resist, unless
in cases where it could be shown that there was a
contract or a custom to that effect.
The first proof tendered was one for Messrs. Bathes,
proprietors of the Leeds Mercury, for 16/. 3s.
The COMMISSIONER. asked if there was any proof
that the Messrs. Baines had allowed 10 per cent. com-
mission to Mr. Thomas ? The Solicitor for the assig-
nees produced several previous accounts, as between
Mr. Thomas and the Messrs. Baines, in which the 10
per cent. was allowed. He added that the bankrupt,
as an advertisement agent, was a sort of middle-man,
standing between the newspapers and the public, and
the 10 per cent. was his legitimate reward.
The COMMISSIONER would, after this evidence, allow
the 10 per cent. to be deducted.
The next case subMitted was that of Mr. Gedge,
the proprietor of the Norwich and Bury Post.
In this case, too, the 10 per cent. was allowed.
The COMMISSIONER asked Mr. Harrison if he
would require proof in each case, for if so there were
no less than 200 separate causes to be tried.
Mr. HARRISON said he required evidence, because
the bankrupt never was what they termed an:adver-
tisement agent, and because he was instructed that
Mr. Thomas bad not been regarded in such a lightley
any of the creditors for whom he appeared.
The bankrupt was accordingly asked by his
Hoxoua wheeber he was prepared to swear that in
every case where there was not an express contract
there was an implied understanding that he should
receive 10 per cent.
Bankrupt—ln every ease it is the custom of the
trade.
Mr. HaualsoN then addressed the Court. He
wished to call the attention of his Honour to the
facts of this case, which were of rather an extraor-
dinary character. The bankrupt, according to his own
examination taken before Mr. Commissioner Goulburn,
commenced business in 1843 without any capital, as
an advertisement agent. In 1823 he had been a
bankrupt, and; paid no dividend under that bank-
ruptcy. He had been, in the interim, the proprietor
of the Court Journal, which he sold to Mr. Edlin for
2,0001., but received none of its purchase money, as
it was barely sufficient to cover the debts upon the
journal, which Air. Edlin took upon himself to dis-
charge. Mr. Ellin sold the Court Journal to the
Baroness Calabrella, whose clerk or servant Thomas
became, at a salary of 21. per week in 1844. It
would appear from the bankrupt's own statement
that he, whilst a salaried servant in the employ of
this lady, lent to her, from time to' time, no less a
sum than 2,490/., which was still due, and not one
farthing of which would in all likelihood be paid.
He left it to the Commissioner to judge either of the
probability of the statement, or of the conduct of the
bankrupt in thus advancing a sum of money which
was in point of fact the property of his creditors,
who had entrusted him with their money. The
bankrupt stated that he first became acquainted with
the Baroness Calabrella in 1844 ; she was then a
widow. The name of her deceased husband was
Jenks, and she derived her title from some small
Italian estates. It appeared that the Baroness was
now in Italy. She promised to pay him, and her
style of living was such, the bankrupt states, as to in-
duce him to think she could pay her debts. She
seemed to be an upright and courteous lady.
The COMMISSIONER asked if there was any reason
to expect that the Baroness would:pay her debt ?
The official assignee said, he feared no such hope
could be entertaine.

The COMMISSIONER said, that after all the question
Mr. Harrison had raised, at least as far as regarded
the Baroness Calabrella, was one of conduct, and
therefore most fit for the certificate meeting ; unless,
indeed, Mr. Harrison meant to assert that the whole
of those alleged transactions between the Baroness and
the bankrupt were fictitious. He wished to know
what was the cpinion of the official assignee upon this
head; and also if the several transactions were re-
gularly recorded in the bankrupt's books.
The official assignee said, he had every reason to
believe that these transactions were genuine.
Mr. SHIELDS replied to the same effect. He be-
lieved that the bankrupt had conducted himself justly
and fairly.

Mr. IlinuisoN asked for a further adjournment to
investigate into several transactions in which the
bankrupt had been engaged.
_ _

Mr. 13AGLEY resisted the application. The bank-
rupt had done all in his power to satisfy Mr. Harrison
and the assignees, not only by preparing voluminous
and elaborate accounts, but by expressing his perfect
readiness to wait upon Mr. Harrison and to give to
him all the explanation which could possibly be
required.

The COMMISSIONER said, that unless Mr. Harrison
should ai'sign some specific reasons for an adjourn •
ment he would not grant one.
Atr. lIARRIPON said he was unable to do so, but
founded his application upon the general merits of the
case.
Mr. BAGLEY sail, that as many observations had
been made dor:rig the progress of the case calculated
to damage the reputation of his client, who had
been moat undvservedly attacked, he hoped his
Honour would give such an expression of his opinion
as would enablv the bankrupt to stand well before
the puld:c.
The COMMISEIONER said he had no hesitation in
saying, tha( nutilitrz had trans*ed up to this time
which io env degree affected the character of the bank-
rupt as en h,,ne-t trwtesman.
Mr. BAGLEY thankmi hip Honour for this expression
of his opinion. _ _ _

The COMMISSIONER inquired if there were any
assets in hand

The official assignee replied, about 5291.
The bankrupt then pas6ed his last examination, and
the certificate meeting was fixed ti,r the 24th of
February.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.
(Before Mr. NV ALESBY, Chairman, and a Bench of

Magistrates.)
George Stewart was indicted for stealing a variety
of article, from a ready furnished lodging, the pro-
perty of Charles Crompton.
It appeared that the prosecutor resides in John-
street, Fitzroy-square, and that on the 22d of De-
cember last the prisoner, who was accompanied by
woman whom he represented as being his wife, hired
furnished lodgings at his house, which they continued
to occupy until the Bth of the present month. On
that day, having had his suspicions raised, the prose-
ner go into his room.
The prisoner, however, refused the permission, and
she left him. A short time afterwards prisoner and
his wife went out of the house, but never returned.
The apartments were suhscquentl) entered, when it
was found that a larg, ti.io of the furniture had
The prisoner was soon afterwards
custody, hut his wife had
beenr„ciatrhriaeitlllotken into ti
met
not been secured. None of the property had been
discovered.
The his defence, said that, as far as he
60 übi
ni ) i a
the property had been taken by his
prisoner,
o (n) tettr;
wife, and that ho bad
not known anything about the
matter. lie had offered to replace the whole of the
articles at the time.
The jury returned a verdietof
Guilty
The Learned CHAIRMAN sentenced
the
prisoner to
six months' imprisonment and hard labour,
lodgings
bour, remarking
that the system of robbing ready:-
furnished
must be put an end tn. The prisoner, howeverThat being
to he in a feeble state of health.
so, he would intimate to him, that elthough his se"'
tence was accoopaoied with hard labour, the sur-
geon of 01,, prison would take care that the labour
he should be put to Would not be more severe than
his health would permit or justify.
George Carter, a well-known thief, was convicted
of having stolen from the person of Mary
a purse containing two sovereigns. Ann Nunn
The evidence, and the information obtained subse-
quently to his conviction, went to show that the pri-
soner had been already sever-al
,trues convicted of a
similar offence.
•
The Learned CHAIRMAN} therefore sentenced him
to ten years transportation.
Charles 'Vat/tins, aged twenty-one, w:,s indicted
for having stolen a pair of boots, the propE-rty of John
Ilornby.

It appeared that the prosecutor is a dt•aler in second-
hand boot; and shoe:, and that on the evening in
question tip boots which the prisoner was accused of