The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-27 00:00:00

CHARGE OE FRAUD.

James William Howell, who stood remanded on
various charges of frauds and impositions practised
by him in his self-assumed character of secretary to
the Society for the Abolition of Imprisonment for
Debt, was again placed at the bar of the Lambeth
Police Court, before Mr. Elliott, for further exami-
nation.
Mr. Pollard, from the office of the solicitor to the
Treasury, attended to prosecute, and having stated
to the magistrate the particulars of the charges he
intended to bring against the prisoner, said that
after calling two or three witnesses he should have
to apply to his worship for a further remand, as it
might be found necessary to call Mr. Edwin James
as a witness, and it was well known that that
learned gentleman was out of town. Sir Richard
Bethel!, on whom, (as well as on Mr. James and
Mr. Apsley Pellatt, the prisoner bad given written
orders, was also out of town, and therefore he (Mr.
Pollard) should require a further remand.
Mr. G. P. Meaden, eproprietor of the Clapham
Gazette, and residing in High-street, Clapham, said
that on Monday, the 17th inst., the prisoner called
on him, and, representing himself as the secretary
to the Society for the Abolition of Imprisonment
for Debt, produced a printed slip like that produced,
and inquired what his charge would be for 14 in-
sertions as advertisement ? He (witness) asked
him if he was aware that his publication was
monthly and not weekly, and the prisoner replied
that he was not ; that it had been given to him as
a weekly ; but as Parliament would not sit for six
months he wished to know what the charge for
that time would be ? He told him 50s. and he gave
a written order on Sir It. Bethell for that amount,
and represented that Sir Richard was both chair-
man and treasurer to the society, and that Mr.
Edwin James was deputy chairman. The prisoner
said he had two objects in coming to his, witness's
neighbourhood,—ttie one was to give him the ad-
vertisements, and the other was to procure a room
for the purpose of holding the society's meetings,
and commissioned him, Mr. Meaden, to procure
him a room suitable for such occasions, and whero
Sir Richard Bethell would attend as chairman.
The prisoner next presented to him the list of sub-
scribers produced, and asked him to subscribe to
the funds of the society, and he put his name
down for 55., which he paid him.
Mr. Andrew Tempany, the occupier of the houses
Nos. 15 and 16, Portsmouth-street, Lincoln's-inn,
said that on Aug. 27 the prisoner took an office on
the ground floor of Portsmouth-chambers, for the
use of the Society for the Abolition of Imprison-
ment for Debt, of which he said he was the secre-
tary. The prisoner came backwards and forwards
for a week, when he disappeared and had not been
seen there since. _ _

Mr. Frederick Gibbons, one of the clerks to Sir
Richard Bethell, deposed that he had every reason
to believe, both from his own knowledge and also
from a communication which he had from Sir
Richard, that he was not the chairman, the trea-
surer, or in any way whatever connected with the
society, and knew nothing whatever of the pri-
soner.

Mr. James Cox, landlord of the Oakley-rooms,
Manor-street, Chelsea, said that on Saturday, the
15th of September, the prisoner called on him and
said he had been sent to him by the editor of one
of the local papers. He represented himself as the
secretary to the Society for the Abolition of Impri-
sonment for Debt, and engaged his room for 13
nights for the meetings of the society, saying that
Sir R. Bethell, Mr. E. James, and all the principal
clergy of the district would meet. The prisoner
gave him a written order on Mr. Heneford,-M.P.,
of No. 5, Sherborne-lane, King-William-street, city,
for the payment of the 13 guineas, and he (witness)
gave the prisoner half a guinea, and paid it at the
time as his subscription to the society.
The prisoner was remanded to a future day, Mr.
Elliott refusing to accept bail.