The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-31 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 31, 1851

slat Dodsley Flamstead, from 17th Foot, to be Lieu-
tenant, vice John Elliot, who exchanges, Oct. 31.
31st Foot—Lieutenant George Walter Baldwin to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Phipps, who retires, Oot. 31;
Ensign Arthur John Schreiber to be Lieutenant, by
purchase, vice Baldwin, Oct. 31.
36th Foot—Ensign Alexander Frederick Stewart,
from 56th Foot, to bo Ensign, vice Harford, who ex-

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT
OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice MeunE and Mr. Justice
CRESSWELL.)
Yesterday Josiah Westley, 39, bookbinder, was in-
dicted for feloniously forging and uttering a bill of
exchange, for 1001., with intent to defraud Messrs.
Glyn and Co.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Huddlestone were counsel for
the prosecution ; the prisoner was defended by Mr.
Clarkson and Mr. Ballantine.
From the opening speech of the Learned Counsel for
the prosecution, it appeared that the prisoner, who had
carried on a considerable business as a bookbinder in
Playhouse-yard, Blackfriars, had, for three or four
years, kept an account with Messrs. Glyn and Co.,
and latterly they had discounted bills for him for a
considerable amount. On the 21st of April of the
present year the bill in question, which purported to
be accepted by James Gilbert, a bookseller, at York,
was so discounted in the ordinary way of business, and
the account placed to the credit of the prisoner, and
upon the bill becoming due it was dishonoured, and
this led to inquiry, which resulted in the discovery
that there was no such person as James Gilbert at
York, and the present prosecution was, in consequence,
instituted against the prisoner.
Mr. Williams, the discount clerk at Messrs. Glyn
and Co.'s, produced the books, and proved the formal
facts of the case. In addition to the bill which was
the subject of the indictment, he proved that two other
bills for the respective amounts of 1131. 155., and
115/,, apparently accepted by George Master, a
printer at Leeds, were also discounted for the pri-
soner.
Upon being cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON, the
witness stated that the discount transactions of the
prisoner with the bank had been very extensive, pos-
sibly to the amount of 29,000/. since his account was
first opened. The prisoner had represented that his
capital was not sufficient to carry out his business,
and he repeatedly applied for discount accommodation,
and the prisoner had given the bank a lien upon some
property in which he had a reversionary interest, as
security for the advances they made to him. The wit-
ness also said that inquiries were made, when two of
the bills he had referred to were dishonoured, but no
criminal proceedings were taken agai❑st the prisoner
until after he was declared a bankrupt.
Some witnesses were then called who proved that
there was no such person as James Gilbert, a book-
seller at York, or George Master at Leeds.
Mr. CLARKSON, at the close of the case for the pro-
secution, said that the prisoner desired himself to ad-
dress the Court in answer to the charge.
He accordingly read a written statement to the fol-
lowing effect :—The prisoner said he was placed in his
present painful position by circumstances over which
he had no control ; and as to the charge of forgery, or
feloniously uttering a forged instrument, he was en-
tirely innocent, and he had hoped down to the very
last moment to be able to produce the persons who
had in reality committed the offence he was charged
with. He entreated the jury to take into con-
sideration not only the position of himself, but that of
his wife and family, and to believe that it was possi-
ble for an innocent person to be made the victim of
really guilty parties who declined to come forward
and expose their guilt. Hie present unfortunate po-
sition arose entirely from the conduct of one of his
relations, who was under great obligation to him for
having set him up in business. Having himself a
large business, requiring sometimes so much as 1001.
or 2001. per week for the payment of wages, the jury
would naturally suppose that he was occasionally
pressed for money, and having mentioned his diffi-
culty to his brother, he told him that he could pro-
cure him accommodation acceptances. Placing con-
fidence in the representations of his brother he did
draw these bills, and his brother procured the accept-
ances for him, and he believed them to be genuine,
and passed them away as such to Messrs. Glyn and
Co., and he intended to have taken up the bills when
they arrived at maturity, but was prevented from
doing so by unforeseen circumstances. He said
that so much as 90,0001. of his money had passed
through the hands of the bankers on his ac-
count, and they held security upon property which
had been recently valued at 4,000/., and he therefore
thought that he had some claim upon them ; and he
called the attention of the Court and jury to the fact
that they did not take any proceedings against him
until he was declared a bankrupt. The prisoner, in
conclusion, asserted in the most solemn manner that
he was guiltless of any knowledge of the forgery, or
of any intention to defraud the prosecutors.
Mr. Justice CRESSIVELL in summing up said, that
as there was no evidence to support the charge of
forgery the only question for the jury to consider
was, whether the prisoner had uttered the instru-
ment in question with a guilty knowledge that it was
forged. It was his duty to tell them that in point of
law the placing the name of a non-existing person as
an acceptor to a bill of exchange, with intent to de-
fraud, amounted to the crime of forgery, and it was
for them to say whether, upon the evidence, they
were satisfied that when the prisoner passed away this
bill he was aware that no such person as James
Gilbert, bookseller, at York, was in existence.
They had heard the statement that was
made by the prisoner, and his admission
that the bill was an accommodation bill, but
it was for the jury to consider whether, eve❑ accord-
ing to his own showing, he must not have known that
there was no such person as James Gilbert; and if he
did know this, his offence in law amounted to utter-
ing a forged instrument. It was evident that there
had been very extensive discount transactions between
the prisoner and the bank, and it was certainly rather
a curious circumstance that when two of the bills had
been dishonoured, and inquiries had no doubt been
made respecting him, that no steps had been taken
against the prisoner until he was declared a bank-
rupt. The jury would, however, take all the circum-
stances of the case into their consideration, and if the
statement made by the prisoner raised any serious
doubt in their minds upon the subject they would of
course give him the benefit of such doubt, and say
that he was not guilty.
The jury retired, and were absent about half an
hour, when they returned a verdict of Not Guilty.
Mr. BODKIN said there were two inure indictments
against the prisoner, having reference to the other
bills; but as they involved the same facts he did not
think it necessary to proceed with them after the con-
clusion the jury had arrived at.
A verdict of Not Guilty was accordingly taken
upon both charges.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MARYLEBONE.
WHOLESALE UTTEUERS OF COUNTERFEIT COIN.
—Yesterday a man and woman, who gave their
names Thomas Meredith and Mary Wilson, were
brought before Mr. Long, charged with having in
several instances uttered counterfeit coin, and it is
imagined that for some time past they have carried
on their nefarious calling to a considerable extent,
the spurious pieces being for the most part half-
crowns, a great number of which, bearing date 1817
and 1822, have been within the last few months
passed to tradesmen in and around the metropolis.
The court was much crowded during the proceedings, 1
which excited a considerable degree of interest ; the
female prisoner has before been brought up as a
" smasher."
George Stacey, barman at Mr. Smith's, the Lord
Tyrawley, High-street, Marylebone, deposed that
on the previous afternoon between four and five
o'clock, the woman Wilson came to the house and
asked for a quartern of gin and a half-pint of porter ;
she drank the beer, and the spirits having been put
into a bottle, which she brought with her, she threw
down a half-crown in payment. Witness discerned
that it was a bad one, and told her so, when she said
she was not aware of such being the case, but that
she expected her husband in presently, and he would
pay for what she had had. In a few minutes Mere-
dith came in and paid for the spirits and beer with a
sixpence, receiving a penny in change. The priso-
ners went away, witness keeping possession of the
counterfeit half-crown.
A second charge was gone into against the
prisoners.
Alfred Beshonden, waiter to Mr. Wolff, an eating-
house keeper in Charles-street, Middlesex Hospital,
stated that on the previous evening, at a quarter be-
fore six, Wilson came into the shop, and he supplied
her with a basin of alamode beef. He gave her 2s. ld.
in change for a half-crown, and she quitted the
premises.
A third charge was gone into, from which it ap-
peared that between six and seven in the previous
evening Wilson passed a bad half-crown at the shop
of Mr. Appleton, Foley-street, Portland-place, in
payment for a pot of bear's grease.
Sergeant Hardwick, a plain clothes officer of the
D division, said that having heard of there being a
barmaid in " Bloomer" costume at the Lord Tyrawly
Arms, he went thither out of mere curiosity, and
during the short time he was standing at the bar he
witnessed the passing of a spurious half-crown. He
followed the prisoners after they quitted the pre-
mises, and having kept a close watch upon them in
their progress through different streets, and witness-
ing their manoeuvres, ultimately took them into
custody. He (witness) produced three counterfeit
half-crowns which the female prisoner had uttered,
and he proved that while watching the prisoners they
separated, and again met two or three times, thus
proving the connexion between them with regard to
their malpractices.
Other evidence was gone into, and the prisoners
were remanded until Thursday next, upon which day
the Mint solicitor will be in attendance, and they
(prisoners) will be sent for trial.
WESTMINSTER.
THE BRUTAL CHILD MURDER. William Smith
alias Glenister, aged 21, late a labourer employed at
the Equitable Gas-works, Thames-bank, wes brought
up for re-examination, charged with the brutal
murder of Mary Elizabeth Reynolds, aged 17 months,

the illegitimate child of a woman with whom he
cohabited, in Douglas-street, Westminster.
The particulars of the previous examination were
fully detailed iu our impression of Saturday last ;
since which a coroner's jury has returned a verdict of
wilful murder against the accused.
The court was crowded with persons anxious to see
the prisoner and hear the proceedings.
The following fresh evidence was adduced to the
depositions previously taken :
Elizabeth Reynolds (the mother of the deceased
child), after identifying the shirts found in the room
covered with blood, as those worn by the prisoner and
the infant when she left it in bed on the night before
its barbarous murder, said—As soon as I got home,
and found my baby dead, I went to the gas factory,
and saw the prisoner, and said to him' " My baby is
dead." He said, " dead ?" I replied " yes, ' and he
then said, I went home very drunk, and when I got
home the baby was crying."
Mr. BRODERIP—NOW, take care, and give your
evidence without fear or favour. Speak the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Witness—Ho then said he took the child up, and
brought it down stairs. He did not know what to do
—he would drown himself at once.
Mr. Taylor (the chief clerk)—Did he say what had
become of the baby ? Witness—No.,
Mr. BRODERIP—Iiavo you never told any one else
that he told you what had become of the baby ?
\Vitness—l cannot remember.
The question was repeated as to whether she had
not told her landlady, when she made a similar reply.
The object was to elicit from her a repetition of a
statement she had made to the landlady, that the pri-
soner told her he had killed the child, but, as it is
contrary to the practice of law to cross-examine wit-
nesses in evidence in chief, or in any way to lead
them, the question was not pressed, and the witness
was ordered to stand down.
Caroline Maria Lana sworn—l was in my sister's
room, at 6, Douglas-street, on the evening of last
Thursday. Her room adjoins the prisoner's, and her
door was open. I heard the prisoner come home at
about half-past seven. He appeared to be intoxicated.
He stood on the landing a few minutes, and I heard
him say, "All's right," which he repeated three time,
and then went into his room and shut the door. The
child was then quiet, and I suppose asleep, but in five
minutes after I heard it cry. He swore at the child,
and said, "If you're not quiet, I'll kill you." I then
heard him slapping the child, and a noise as though it
was the child thrown down on the floor. I then heard
the child scream violently.
Mr. BRODERIP—Did you hear it scream imme-
diately after the fall ? Witness—l did.
Witness continued—l then heard him say, "If
any one interferes with me I'll serve him the same."
He continued to slap the child, and said, "I am mi-
serable ; my lire is a misery ; I might as well be
hung; I know I shall be hung." I called out to my
sister to come and look after the children, es I could
not bear to remain in the room. Just as I left the
room I heard a noise like the child's being thrown
down again.
Mr. BRODERIP—Did any cry follow ? Witness—
Yes • I heard the child cry again.
dr. G. Pearse, of Regent-street, Westminster,
surgeon, said—Since I was here on the last occasion
I have made a post mortem examination. In addition
to my former testimony, I found to semi-circular
marks on the left leg, and another on the instep, with
indentations, apparently by a bite with teeth. There
was no bruise upon the right leg, which was broken.
I found an old fracture of the light collar-bone. The
internal organs of the chest and abdomen are perfectly
healthy. On opening the scalp I found a large spot
of extravesated blood, covering nearly the whole of
the right side of the head ; and on the right hemi-
sphere of the brain large clots of blood extravasated.
The extravasation of blood on the brain was the
cause of death.
Mr. BRODERIP—With the exception of the bites,
were the injuries such as might have been produced
by the child being dashed violently down ? Mr.
Pe arse—Yes, sir.
Mr. BRODERIP—Were the marks on the leg those
of human or quadruped teeth ? Can you say ? Mr.
Pearse—Of human teeth.
This closing the case for the prosecution, the de-
positions of the several witnesses were read over, and
Mr. Broderip, in due form of law, asked the prisoner
whether he wished to say anything.
Prisoner—All I have got to say is that I have no
recollection of what I done after I got home.
Mr. BRODERlP—Prisoner at the bar, the case is
complete against you, but as there is no certainty as
to whether the grand jury may or may not be dis-
charged before the witnesses can attend before them,
I remand you until Saturday next, on which day it
will be my duty to commit you for trial upon the
charge of wilful murder.
The prisoner, who at first appeared perfectly un-
concerned as before, but whose self-possession forsook
him towards the last, his whole frame bearing evi•
deuce of the struggle within, entreated, before leaving
the court, to be allowed to have a few words conver-
sation with the child's mother.
Mr. BRODERIP consented to grant an interview in
the presence of the officer having charge of the case,
but as the woman refused it did not take place.
As the accused was being conducted to the cell, he
hysterically tore off his neckerchief.
SOUTHW WAItK.
SUSPICIOUS CASE OF CONCEALMENT. Alfred
Collins, a well dressed young man, was brought up
for re-examination, charged with concealing himself
in a bed-room of the Rising Sun, public-house,
Blackfriars-road, for the purpose of committing a
felony.
The prisoner was found concealed in the landlord's
bed-room at a late hour of the night, and was secured
by one of his daughters in the act of rushing out of
the house. His excuse was that he had mistaken it
fur the club-room, and it was suspected that he had
gone there with a view of robbing the place, as upon
the same evening a loan society had met at the Rising
Sun, and the fact being known to the prisoner he
supposed that the cash-box would have been deposited
in the landlord's bed-room as the safest place, and that
hp (the prisoner) intended to have plundered it of its
contents. On the occasion of his first examination,
the prisoner asserted that he was a shoemaker at
Camden Town, and denied that he went to the house
for an unlawful purpose; he was therefore reinrnded
for the purpose of having inquiries made as to his
character.
A policeman of the A. division now attended, and
stated that the prisoner was connected with a daring
gang of burglars, and that since his liberation from a
late imprisonment he lived in a place called Vinegar-
ground. That he had on a previous occasion concealed
himself in the bed-room of another public-house in
Bermondsey, and jumped out of the window to es-
cape. That he was summarily :convicted of an of-
fence on a recent occasion at one of the police-courts,
and had only been a few days liberated when he was
found concealed in the bed-room at the Rising Sun.
Several of his associates had been transported, and
the policeman added that when the prisoner had been
in attendaece that morning he begged of him not to
appear against him to communicate what he knew of
his character.
Mr. ELLIOTT said that he bad heard quite suffi-
cient to convince him that the prisoner's intention
in concealing himself in the bed-room of the Rising
Sun was for the purpose of plunder, and to justify
him in committing him for three months.

THE COUNTRY MARKETS

DERBY SMITHFIELD MARKET, OCT. 28.—The supply
of fat beasts to-day was not so largo as it has been for
several past markets, and most of them were disposed of.
Tho number of sheep was not large, for which there was
a good demand, fully maintaining last week's prices.
Therewere more calves shown and readily sold. Fat pigs
about the average, without any alteration in the price.
The quotations—Beef, 4id to 5d ; mutton, 5d to
Sid; veal, 5d to 51c1 per lb; pigs, 73 to 7s 3d per score;
rough fat, 3s 6d per stone of 14lbs; hides, lid to
ld
per lb; calf skins, 2d to 3AI per lb.
EDINBURGH GRAIN MARKET, OCT. 29.--WO were
again well supplied with all kinds of grain. Sales were
ready for all sorts, and prices up. The top of wheat was
Is, and the average Id up. Barley 6d up on the
top, and the average 3d. Oats on the top Bd, and the
average 5d up. Beans on the top the same as last week,
and the average 7d down. Unsold-186 qrs wheat, 440
qrs barley, 195 qrs oats, and 11 qrs beaus.
Top of Wheat ... ..• ." 6511 b. 495 Od
, Barley ... •.. •• 57 lb. 31s 6d
Oats ... ••• ••• 44i1b. 24s 8d
Beans , 39s Od
GLASGOW, OCT. 29.—Coastwise the supplies have not
increased. From Ireland a fair quantity of oats have
come to hand, reaching about 9,647 quarters. From
abroad the arrivals consisted of 3,228 quarters of wheat,
namely. 1,400 quarters from the Black Sea, and 1,898
quarters, along with 8,436 barrels of flour, from New
York, and 2,300 quarters of barley from Alexandria.
There were no foreign arrivals via Grangemouth. The
trade continued inanimate during the week, superior
kinds of wheat and flour, which aro not plentiful, main-
taining their value. In other descriptions buyers had
the turn in their favour. Primo 'milting barley being
scarce was readily disposable at full rates. Other arti-
cles underwent no material change. This day's market
wea thinly attend,,d. The business done in wheat and
flour was limited to immediate wants
inquired
mntsatbaarfetelytl
and
week's rates. Malting barb wa
rather more valuable. Oats, oatmeal, beans, and peas
without quotable variation.
LYNN, Our. `B.—Wheat 28s to 325, fine 34s to
375; barley 20s to 235, fine 24s to 28s; oats COs, fine 00s;
beans Us to Js, fine Os to Os per qr.
UrrnosarAm, Our. 29.—Wheat 33s to 365; barley 22s to
26s Od ; oats 17s to 235; beans 26s to 355. Butter Od to lOid
per lb ; eggs 14 for Is.
BOSTON, OCT. 29.—Wheat, red 28s to 35s Od, white 35s
to 40s, extra 42s to 00s ; barley 20s to 26s ; oats, 14s to 19s;
beans 275 to 34s ; peas 22s to 27s per qr.
Loom, OCT. 29.—Wheat 30s to 345; barley 21s to 235;
oats 14s to les ; beans 29s to 32s per qr.
MELTON MOWBRAY, OCT. 28.—Wheat. old 3f;s to 3Ss,
new 32s to 35s ; barley, 23s to 2.8; oats, old 2,s to 275,
new 17s to '.;Us ; beans, old ifs to 335, new 27s to 30s per qr.
Butter 10d to lld per lb • eggs 14 to 16 for is.
NEWAAE, O. 29,—:Wheat, white_ Os to 445, red 36s to