The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-19 00:00:00

EVENING,

TUESDAY

THE STOURBRIDGE AND BROMS-
GROVE BANKS.

BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT COURT OF BANK-
RUPTCY, AUG. 18,
IN RE RUFFORD AND WRAGGE.

The last examination of the bankrupts was ap-
pointed for to• day, but before the commencement of
proceedings it was understood that an adjournment
would take place tb a distant day. Mr. Waterfield,
registrar, presided, in the absence of: Mr. Commis-
Sioner Ba)guy. Mr. Har ward, of Stourbridge, and
Messrs. Motteram, Knight, and Emmett, solicitors, of
Birmingham, appeared for the assignees ; Mr. James,
of Birmingham, for the bankrupts ; and Mr. Price,
Mr. Causes, &c., as solicitors for various creditors.

Few questions of importance arose during the day,
which was chiefly occupied in receiving proofs of debts.
Mr. Price, solicitor, of Stourbridge, tendered a
proof on the part of the British Alkali Company,
sworn to by one of the directors, to the amount of
1,4881. balance of account. This step was taken on
the present occasion according to Mr. Price, for the
purpose of enabling him (Mr. Price) to examine Mr.
R,ufford, jun., with regard to his connexion with the
Alkali Company, and certain bills now in possession
of the' assignees.
Mr. Harward and Mr. Motteram contended that
the proof must be .made by the registered officer of
the company. .'The deed of the company did not
govern this matter, but the Act of Parliament. _ _

Mr. Price said that under the company's deed there
was power given for a director to sue or even to take
out a commission of bankruptcy against a debtor, sup-
posing he had committed an act.
The Commissioner was of opinion that the proof of
debt must be Made by the registered officer of the
company ;. although it might be true that their
deed gave them the powers stated, it was clear by the
general Act of Parliament that in such an instance
as the present the secretary or other registered officer
was the only person competent to prove.
Mr. Price would explain the circumstances under
which the application was made. Between two and
and three years ago, the British Alkali Company paid
into or deposited in the'romsgrove bank two bills
of long dates (we unaerstand, not yet due). These
bills together amount to upwards of 13,0001., and
were (it now appeared) subsequently paid by the
Bromsgrove to the Stourbridge bank, as security for
or in payment of money owing by the former to the
latter establishment. When the fiat of bankruptcy
issued, the assignees became possessed of these bills,
and the object of the directors of the Alkali Company
in asking for the examination of Mr. Rufford on the
present occasion was to ascertain from himself his
exact position and connection with that company,
more especially with regard to these bill transactions.
They now applied to examine him upon these points.
The Commissioner said it was competent for any
creditor who had proved his debt to examine any or
all of the bankrupts ; but the proof now tendered
must be sworn to by the registered officer of the com-
pany. It was clear that the present meeting must
be adjourned, inasmuch as there had not been suffi-
cient time to prepare the balance-sheet. He sug-
gested, therefore, that the examination of Mr. Ruf-
'ord on the points alluded to should be taken regu-
larly at the next meeting.
Mr. Price thought that probably the next might
be the last meeting, and that they would not have
sufficient time to investigate the matter. Perhaps a
special meeting might be appointed.
The Commissioner said the present should be a
short adjournment, and in all probability, seeing the
-xtensit e transactions involved, further adjournments
would take place. He did not think he ought to ap-
point a special meeting upon an application like the
present. If any creditor who had proved required it,
be might examine the bankrupts.
Mr. Price observed that the secretary to the Bri-
t:sh Alkali Company was in Birmingham, and in all
probability he would prove the debt in question before
the adjournment of the court.
The Commissioner, addressing Mr. Harward, the
solicitor to the assignees, said he understood that the
elder Mr. Rufford, one f the bankrupts, was not in
court—indeed not in Birmingham—was it so ?
Mr. Harward replied that it was understood that
the present would be an adjourned meeting, and with
the consent of parties, Mr. Rufford's attendance had,
is they thought, been legally excused. The younger
Mr. Rufford and the other partner were present, and
if necessary no doubt Mr. James, the solicitor to the
bankrupts, would see that the elder Mr, Rufford was
sent for.

The Commissioner—All I can say is that I shall be
obliged to sit here during the, day, and if, at its close,
he does not appear, I shall be compelled to proclaim
him.

Mr. Raiford, jun., soon after left Birmingham, and
in the course of the evening returned from Leaming-
ton with his father, who duly surrendered before Mr.
Waterfitld. Mr. ragge and Mr. F. Ruffo.rd had
previously complied with this requirement of the law.
the debts proved during the day amounted to be-
tween 13,0001. and 14,0001. Those upon the Broms-
grove bank were few in number but heavy in
amount. Messrs. Hemmings, the great needle manu-
facturers of Redditch, proved for 4,8001. The total
amount of proofs admitted up to this time is about
172,000/.

The further examination of the bankrupts was ad-
journed until the 30th of October.

PARISIAN STREETS AND HOUSES.—Great improve-
ments are observable in the- streets by those who have not
recently seen Paris: trottoirs are almost universal ; the
painted signs have nearly all disappeared; and the drainage
is very different from what it used to be. The largeness of
the houses enforces the employment of an architect, and
affords an opportunity for the display of ability. Land is
very dear in Paris, and the result of course is, that all the
houses are carried up very high. Not long ago a plot of
land on the Boulevard was sold, and realized at the rate of
1601. for every 36 feet superficial of the area; this, however,
was probably a maximum price. There are at this moment
few private buildings going on. In their executed works
the French architects appear to hold fast to established
styles, but there is a desire abroad, as here, to work oat some-
thing new. Most of the houses that have been built within
the last five years display a considerable amount of external
sculpture. In decoration, it will be observed ths,t much
greater use is made of statues and busts, though they may
be but casts, than amongst us. There are many pretty cast-
iron canopies recently put up over doors: the cast iron work
generally, as our readers know, is very good. The duration
of external gilding in Pans, as compared with London, is
very great, and affords evidence of the condition of our at-
mosphere—a condition which we might, and ougb.t to, ma •
terially improve by enforcing the combustion of smoke. The
gilded lamp-posts in the Place de la Concorde. 100,11 as fresh
as if but recently done. And what a glorious plrice this is
When the sun shines upon its fountains and orange trees, its
Luxor obelisk, Chamber of Deputies, the Madeleine, Champs
Elysees, and the Tuileries, we know no piece of a city more
beautiful in the whole world.—Builder.

NORTHUMBERLAND LIFEBOAT PRIZE.—The com-
mittee on lifeboats have presented their report to his Grace
the Duke of Northumberland, and the premium -which had
called fourth a great amount of talent to the competition, has
been awarded to James Beeching, of Great Yarn ,uth. There
were many other models and plans of considerable merit;
amongst these the following are the next in 4order to the
successful competitor. The relative values of the models
was expressed by numbers, 100 being understood to express
a lifeboat complete in all respects :—James Beeclaing's num-
ber was 84; Henry Rinks, Appledore, Devon, 78; J. and
E. Fellow, Plenty, Newbury, 77; William Teasdel, Great
Yarmouth, 75; Harvey and Son, Halifax, Ipswich, 74;
George Farrow, South Shields, 72 Semmens sod Thomas,
Penzance. 72; George Palmer, kazing-park, Essex, 70;
William Van Houghten, Rotterdam, 70; Alexa rider Robin-
son, Hartlepool, 70; J. and J. Harding, Whitby, 70; Forest
and Laurie, Commercial-road, 70; Thomas GSM, Mundes-
ley, 70 ; Vtr illiam Greener, Aston, Birmingham, 7.0; George
Lee, Tweedmouth, Berwick, 68 • R. Littlejobai and Sou,
Spittal, Berwick, 6' ; John Edmund, Scarborough, 67 ;
William Falbingbridge, Whitby, 66; Thom as Costain,
Liverpool, 65 ; William Cambridge, Filey ; Yorkshire, 65 ;
Joseph Hodgson, Blyth, 65 ; R. Taylor, Newcastle, 65; W.
Goodridge, Swansea, 65 ; Johnston and Haines,. Brighton,
65; John Cogkey, Portsmouth, 64; Thomas Wal,,:gt and Sons, .
Sunderland, 63; Benjamin Birch, South Shia], is, 63; John
Thompson, Rotherhithe, 63 ; J. Bertram, East- sl reet, Man-
chester-square, ; R. Tredwen, Padstow, S 3; Robert
Blair, South Shields, 63; C. F. Gower, Ipswich. •63,; T. an.l
J. White, Cowes, 62; John Arrowsmitb, Goisport, 62;
Charles Gurr, Portsea, 62 ; John Lister, Sun clerland, 62 ;
Josiah Jones, Liverpool, 61. Besides the perso as named in
the above list there were 285 competitors of varioia:l degrees of
merit.—Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette.
A TRAGEDY IN TEXAS.—A negro rode •up to Mr.
Baker's, at Galveston, about sunrise yesterday (July 11),
and inquired the way to a neighbour's house, and was in.
vited by Mr. Baker to alight until the famil S were done
breakfast, to which they were about to sit do wn, and the
negro did so. About this time Colonel E.S.C. Robertson
rode up, and, upon examination, found the negro was a run-
away, and he and Mr. Baker tied and ,placed him in the
house. Colonel Robertson then left; soon after 'which, Mr.
Baker met the negro at the door, he having .cut himself
loose with a large butcher-knife which he held in his hand.
On Mr. Baker's attempting to retie the negr a., the latter
grappled with and commenced stabbing him. Mrs. Baker,
seeing her husband in this perilous situation, r. ma to his re-
lief, when the negro stabbed her, the knife enteri»gjust above
the left nipple, severing the arteries of the axilla r, producing
hemorrhage and almost instant death; and a fter stabbing
Mr. Baker four times, thrice in the back, near tl re spine, and
once in the side, the negro got on his horse arid fled. No
one was present: during the horrid tragedy, except five
little children, whose screams soon assembl ed some of
the neighbours. Medical aid was immediately si ammoned to
Mr. Baker, but there is not the most distant ho, are of his re-
covery. A large number of our citizens immediately armed
themselves and went in pursuit of the murderer., but at our
last accounts from the scene of the murder, he h eel not been
arrested.— Texas State Gazette, July 12.

•
DISAPPOINTED ANGLEItS.—A somewhat !laughable
scene occurred at Middleton, near Manchester, a few days
ago. A party of thirty-seven persons, furnished with rods,
lines, and baits, went to a lodge of water on the Demesne,
and proceeded to compete as anglers for certain p rizes, using
all the manoeuvres of their favourite art to captu re. the fish,
which it was known had been abundantly stored 'in the lodge
for the purpose. They patiently watched for twos hours, the
period over which the competition was to extend, and then
found that the whole take amounted to one .sin all jack,
weighing under half an ounce. They retired fro in the scene
of this wonderful piscatorial feat amid the laughter• of some
hundreds, who had assembled to see the sport. To add to
their chagrin, it is said they have since discovered that the
fish had been stolen.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.—In the course of
yesterday the grand jury returned a true bill agait Ist Lord
Rauelagh, for an assault, and ignored those arising out of the
counter-charges preferred by his Lordship.