The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-08 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

FORGERY, FRAUD, AND FlLONY,—Thomas Harris, a
i middle-aged man, who has been in custoly several
times for fraud, was brought before Mr. Combe charged
with being concerned with William Harri, his son, not
in custody, in obtaining a large quantity of timber from
the C numercial Docks, Rotherhithe, by means of a
forged order. He was also charged with stealing the
same.

Mr. Druce appeared to prosecute on 'behalf of the
Commercial D ck Company.
James Gower, one of the foremen in the emplay of
the Dock Corsirany, said that on the 22d of July last
they had in their ebarge 450 spruce dea!s consigned to
Mr. Benjamin Groves, timber merchant, in the South-
wark-bridge-road. On that day the prisoner and another
younger person came with a van ,to the docks, and
stated that they were sent to fetch fifty of the dea's.
The prisoner presented an order signed - Benjamin
Groves, and witness perceiving a name of Groves on the
van thought it was all right, and delivered the goods.
Since then ho had discovered the order, to be- a forgery,
and he had seen the deals in question in the possession of
Mr. Pegg, timber merchant, Park-street, Kensington.
They were worth about 8/.

Francis Groves, carman, 47, Tower-street, Waterloo-
road, said that the prisoner hired a van of him on the
22d of July, as he said, to remove some timber.
_ _

Samuel Pegg, builder, Park.street, Kensington, said
that on the afternoon of the 22d of July the prisoner
and his son called on him with a van containing .50
deals. The prisoner said that they were his property,
and that he wanted to sell them, as his horse was sud-
denly disabled, and could not carry the load any farther.
He asked witness 2s. 3d. a deal for them. He, how-
ever, agreed to give him 2s. each for them, -and paid
the prisoner's son a portion on account. On the fol-
lowing day the prisoner came for the balance, when
he told him that be suspected that the deals
were stolen, when he replied that such could
not be the case as the delivery note was signed previous,
and that the cart was his. He afterwards said that the
deals were not his property, but belonged to another
party. Witness then told him to bring the other party
and be would pay him. The prisoner then left, when he
folbOwed and gave him into custody. -
Mr. Benjamin Groves, timber merchant, Southwark-
bridge.road, said that the order produced was a forgery,
and he never authorised any one to go for the deals in
question.

Abraham Deavling, 38 M, alias Black Jack, an active
officer, well known to the thieves in the Borough, said he
apprehended the prisoner, when he said he was sent to
sell the deals by anothf r party.
Edward Funnell, a city detective, said the prisoner
waq sentenced to seven years' transportation, in August
1848, for felony.

TLe
prieoner, who said be should reserve his defefice,
was fully committed for trial.

THAMES,

MURDEROUS ASSAULT BY A MARINE. TV/Ilia/A Onion,
a private, belonging to the Royat Marines, whose reg'i-
merit is stationed at Deptford, was brought before Mr.
Seeker, of the Greenwich Police Court, charged- with a
variety of cffences. Last night, about 10 o'clock, the
prisoner staggered into thd shop of Mr. James B.
Nichol!, baker, of No. 9, Commercial-road
.East, and
demanded a penny cake of an oli lady who was sew-
ing behind the counter. She informed him that she
had• not got a penny cake in the shop, on which he
abused her in :he most scandalous mancer, and use
language of the most filthy description. His boister-
ous conduct caused a mob to assemble in and about
the shop, the baker's property was in danger,
and the Marine refused to go away. A police-
censtable was sent for, and John Bone, 181 H, soon
afterwards arrived, and had no sooner made his appear-
' anc© than he was knocked down by the prisoner by a
tremendous blow with the fist. Before the policeman
could rise the prisoner kicked him about the head and
body in a most savage, manner, and completely disabled
him. B'ackwell, No. 57 H, came to the assistance of
his brother officer, and he was also knocked down by the
prisoner, who kicked him most brutally when he got him
down. Several other policemen soon arrived, and they
seized the prisoner, who made a desperate resistance and
injured several of them before he could be secured. On
the prisoner's arrival at the station-house in Leman-
street his conduct was so violent that Inspector
Weakford, of the H division, was compelled to take his
shoes off and handcuff his bands behind his back. The
prisoner was very drunk. ,Be was waking_ a hideous
noise all night.

An officer of the Royal Marines said the prisoner was
a person of very indifferent character.

Mr. Seeker sail that a man in the position of the pri-
soner, mid wearing the uniform of an honourable and
gallant corps, ought to have known better. He con-
sidered the conduct of the prisoner ti be most violent
and disgraceful, and he sentenced him to a month's im-
prisonment.