The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-10 00:00:00

DIIDDIES_EX SESSIONS.-Aug. 9.

(Before the Assistant-Judge.)
George Newman, 49, described as a horse-dealer,
was indicted for fraudulently obtaining by false
pretences from Hugh Ward Saunders, a cheque for
the payment of £5O, with intent to cheat and de-
fraud him thereof.

Mr. Sleigh and Mr. Orridge were for the prose-
cution, instructed by Mr. E. Lewis; and Mr. Met-
calfe, by Mr. Vaughan, defended the prisoner.
The case, which was a rather protracted one,
may he very shortly stated. The prisoner, it ap-
peared from the evidence, was mixed up with a
regular gang of persons, who lived by cheating and
swindling the public by means of advertising
horses for sale, as warranted in every respect, but
which were utterly worthless, except for Atcheler's
yard. The prosecutor in this case was a gentleman
residing at Charlton, in Kent, and on the 16th of
June he went to some stables, IA, Baker's-mews,
Portman-square, in consequence of an advertise-
ment, of which the following is a copy :—" A first-
class riding or driving gelding, 15 hands two inches,
very handsome, a bay with black points, possessing
breeding, action, and substance, carries a lady, capi-
tal temper, and easy of management, property of a
gentleman. A warranty and a reasonable time
given for approval. Stables, IA, Baker's-mews,
Portman-square." He found the prisoner there in
livery undress, and on inquiry about the horse he
was informed that it was " Mr. Cook's, a gentleman
of fortune, whose son had had it, but he had joined
a regiment of carabiniers that had gone out to
India." The price for the horse was 50 guineas;
the prosecutor agreed to give as many pounds, and
the prisoner gave him a warranty (produced). The
prosecutor then gave him a cheque for .£5O, payable
to " William Cook, Esq.," and took the horse
away. He had it examined. It turned out per-
fectly unsound, worthless for the purpose he required
it for, and unable to work, and it was returned.
The prisoner had given the address of William
Cook, Esq.," at 5, Hanover-cottages, Regent's-park,
where it seemed a Mr. Cook was known, but he had
not been seen there since the Derby day, or about
that time, and the prisoner could not be found. The
prosecutor gave the cheque fully believing the pri-
soner's statements were true. While the bargain-
ing was going on, the prisoner said Mr. Cook had
a farm of 200 acres a short way from London, pro-
duced a written authority to sell the horse, and said
he was Mr. Cook's bailiff. A person calling him-
self Cook did in May apply, in answer to an ad-
vertisement, about taking a house, No. 5, Hanover-
cottages, and he promised to take it in three weeks,
and received permission to have letters sent
there as his future residence. The case was
placed in the hands of Police sergeant White, 16
D, who knew both the prisoner and " Wm. Cook,
I Esq.," as companions in horse-chaunting transac-
tions, and on the sth of July he succeeded in finding
the prisoner somewhere near Montague-square.
They were also in the habit of using one public-
house.
The prisoner's answer to the charge was that he
had merely sold the horse on the authority of Mr.
Cook, between whom and himself there existed the
relationship of master and servant only. The cheque
was cashed directly after it was given.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
The Assistant-Judge said i t was important for the
prisoner that there was no former conviction laid
against him, but it was quite clear that he was one
of a class of persons who carried on a systematic
course of plunder upon the public by means of mock
advertisements for the sale of horses, which they
would warrant sound though utterly worthless.
The prosecutor was entitled to the thanks of the
community for the way in which he had acted
when he discovered the fraud that had been prac-
tised upon him, the result of which was that one of
the principal agents of a dangerous confederacy had
been brought to justice. He doubted whether he
ought
a
not
warningo t
othe h
pass a
otsentenceers
he m
of
pass
a v
servitude,se buter
as e
sentence of imprisonment and hard labour-18
calendar months.