The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-21 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

TEE GANG OF SWlNDLERS.—Yesterday Alfred Moor,
alias Johnson, alias Matthews, Charles Downing, alias
Captain Collett, Henry Hodgson alias Captain Hodgson,
East India Company's service; Thomas Birch, and Abra-
ham Jacobs, were brought before Mr. Cottingham for
final examination, charged with swindling.
ea The court, as on the previous investigation, was
crowded, principally with tradesmen who had betn vic-
timised by the gang, which was stated to c9nsist of at
least twenty persons, of whom only the prisoners have as
yet been taken into custody.
The following additional evidence was adduced against
the accused parties:—
_ .

George Self stated that he is a confectioner, at Cam-
berwell, and that Hodgson called upen him and pre-
sented a letter of introduction from Bristol, and repre-
sented that he had extensive tobacco plantations at New
Orleans, but that he was disappointed in the arrival of
a cargo of tobacco, and exhibited a letter to prove
the truth of his assertion. He (Mr. Hodgson) then
mentioned that he was in want of some money,
and requested the loan of 151.; saving that he would
give witness a cheque on Messrs. Coutts, the bankers, at
thirty days' sight, and at the same time he invited him
to take tea and spend the evening at the residence of
General Callander, in Bryanston-square. Previously to
advancing the money, witness did accompany Hodgson
to the General's house, and from the familiar terms upon
which the prisoner appeared to be with that officer, the
witness, under the suppotiition- that he was really what
he described himself to be--namely, the owner of exten-
sive tobacco plantations—advanced him the money, and
he accordingly gave him the cheque on the above bank
ing-house. Witness subsequently presented th, cheque
for payment, and was then informed that Hodgson had
no account there ; inn he then discoveri.d that Hodgson
had absconded, and witness called upon General Caltan-
der, to whom he mentioned the circumstance ; and the
latter then informed him that he also had reason to sus-
pect Hodgson, was a swindler, and added at the same
time that he had missed some articles of plate from his
house, and that he had strong grounds for that
the party niI:MA p!)-,:e.-,scci Iti!nself of Cie
In reply to Mr. COTTINGUAM, the witness sail that
General Callander was since dead.
Mr. Allen Green stated that he had been clerk in
Coutts' bank for the last thirty years, and that no such
person as Hodgson kept an account there. Witness
recollected the occasion upon whiei the cheque (pro-
duced) was presented there.

, .
Mr. COTTINGLIAM asked Hodgson what he had to say
to this charge ? Hodgson—This charge is made against
me out of spite, because I refused to marry Mr. Self's
mother-in-law.—(Laughter).
Mr. COTTINGHAM—That has nothing to do with it.
Why did you give a cheque on a banking.house in which
you never kept an account ? Hodgson--01), I gave
the cheque merely as a collateral security.
Mr. COTTINGHAM—What, upon a bank in which you
had no money 7 Hodgson—l was about to open an ac-
count at Coutts's, but circum.,tances prevented me; but
(added he) I mean to repay the debt.—(Laughter.)
Mr. COTTINGHAM—Thii case is similar to that of a
poor man named Woodhouse, at Birmingham, whom
you almost ruined by obtaining a quantity of ivory and
tortoiseshell from him, and giving him a cheque on
31 ssrs. Masterman, Peters,' and Co., the bankers,
where you knew at the time you had no effects. The
magistrate added. that a detainer should be lodged
against the prisoner at Newgate, in order that he might
be conveyed from thence, if necessary, and tried at
Warwick, in which county the latter offence was com-
mitted.
Hodgson (in an impudent tone)—That fellow swin-
dled me, as well as others. I like equity as well as jus-
tice, and have no doubt a very different construction
wilt be placed upon my acts when I go before another
tribunal.

Mr. Cornrionam—You represented yourself as the
owner of tobacco plantations, and also a captain in the
East India Company's service. You also produced
letters from high personages to those whom you have
duped in order to carry out your system of swindling
the public, and now you talk of equity and justice—
a marl that has been connected with swindlers, and
living on the ,proceeds of it for the last thirty
years. The letters and other documents respecting your
infamous conduct to a number of women whom you have
plundered of property under the pretence of marrying
them, also show yon to be a most unprincipled and de-
signing man. I have remanded all the prisoners from
time to time, in order to give every opportunity of per-
-801151 coming forward who have been defrauded of their
property to prosecute, so that such a formidable gang
of swindlers might be completely broken up, and the
public be preserved from further depredations, and the
offenders punished according to their desero.
One of the parteers in the house of Kidd and Co.,
lace manufacturers, of Wood-street, Cheapside, stated
that a man named Webb obtained credit of the firm for
1301. worth of lace, upon Hodgson's representation that
he was a respectable man; that the firm was about to
trust Webb With 1,5001. worth more goods, when they
discovered that Hodgson belonged to a gang of swin-
dlers, for whom he generally acted as referee, and by
this discovery they (the firm) were saved from a further
loss. The witness added that they had not heard of
Hodgson since, until notice of.his apprehension appeared
in the newspapers.
Mr. COTTINGUAM told the. witness that if be could
trace any of the goods to Hodgson's possession, after
the delivery to Webb, then ..the firm could indict them
en •
fur conspiracy. .