The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-17 00:00:00

CLEVER ROGUERY.

Two men, named Taylor and M'Crinnis, respect-
ably dressed, but well known to the police as " mags-
men," were charged at the Manchester Borough
Court, on Monday morning, with having " done' a
person named Clarke, of Macclesfield, a fruiterer,
who has generally been looked upon as pretty acute,
and practical in his dealings with such characters.
On Wednesday last he stumbled into their company,
and in the course of conversation they made known
to him that they had been selling a horse at Uttox-
eter, in Staffordshire, and had received 301., the price,
in a 201. and 101. note of the Romford Bank. They
could not get change for the paper (a statement which
was perfectly true), and as they were anxious to get
to Manchester to fulfil a business engagement that
night, they induced him to lend them 10/. on the two
notes, promising to redeem them next day. He
waited on Thursday until past the hour fixed on for
their arrival, and finding they did not come, he
went to Brocklehurst's bank with his notes, and
discovered, first, that the bank stopped a long
time ago ; and next, that the notes were forgeries,
and therefore would have been of no use if the bank
had been good. This led him in all haste to Man-
chester, where, making use of some information he
had gained during the conversation, he sought for and
found them at a public-house. They assured him that
the notes were all right, and that he need be under no
apprehension; but as that did not satisfy him, they
fetched a man named Parma, who corroborated their
tale, and undertook to become surety for the payment
of the money if the notes proved to be bad. He still
doubted his men, however, and thinking to make him-
self safe, he offered them two sovereigns to close the
transaction, they returning the 101., and he handing
over the notes. They declined to listen to the propo-
sal, and as he urged it with some vehemence, holding
the money in his open hand, Taylor, by jerking his
elbow, pitched the coins out. Parratt, the guarantee,
picked them up and made off, Taylor and M`Ginnis
holding Clark until their friend had escaped. They
were subsequently apprehended, and have been com-
mitted for trial at the sessions.

TRINITY BALLAST AND LIGHT DUES.—The
Trinity Board in London are entitled to receive a tax of Is.
per ton on all ballast delivered in the Thames, and are also,
by virtue of recent Acts of Parliament, the receivers of the
light dues, levied for the maintenance of the light-houses on
the English coast. These latter imposts, atter paying off all
expenses, leave a profit to the Trinity Board of 100,000/. a
year, which goes into the coffers of this corporation. The
pressure of these taxes has, since the active competition of
railways, been severely felt by the shipping interest. Ves-
sels have been ballasted with water, and are being still fitted
out with this apparatus, and various devices have been re-
sorted to, to escape the pressure of this impost. The most
direct means, however, would be to represent to the Trinity
Board the necessit of lowering or modifying these burthens,
and we learn that this is about to be tried, and with every
prospect of success. The shipowners and merchants of
London, in connexion with an influential section of the
coal factors, have formed themselves into a committee to
agitate this question, and a powerful deputation will shortly
wait on the Trinity Board to urge the reduction of these
taxes. They will be supported by the large majority of the
shipowners in all parts of the country, and it is said their
application will be cordially met.—Newcastle Guardian.
REPRESENTATION OF ST. ALBAN's.—Mr. Jacob
Bell, the Member for St. Alban's, is reported to have visited
his constituents during the past week, and likewise the local
schools of the town, the children in which were examined by
tho lion. Member.