The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-24 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

CHARGE OF CONSrIRACT.—At the Guildhall, on Friday,
the secretary, manager, directors, collectors, and agents
of the National and Provincial Union Assurance and Loan
Society were summoned before Mr. Alderman Causton
to answer a charge of conspiring to obtain money by false
pretences. Mr. Straight, for the prosecution, said
that the case against four of the defendants who were
directors was very different from that against the others.
They were gentlemen's servants, who had hitherta borne a
high character, and their masters had instructed
counsel to defend them, and to ask the Court to
discharge them as innocent agents in the hands of
others. With regard to Reid, the secretary,
the case was different. He had previously been
district collector, agent, and messenger for another
assurance society, wl:ich was wound up, and while it was
in process of liquidation, Reid started the National and
Provincial Union Assuranc :in 1 Loan Society, and, by
keeping the offices at Chatham-place, poor people
were induced to continue their subscriptions, not
knowing that the original society was extinct.
The defendants Broombarn, Laing, Taylor, and
Heather were induced to become directors and to sign the
articles of association, in order to float the scheme as a
company. A statement was issued shewing the
capital paid up, the cash at the bankers, the
cash on deposit, &c. The fact was that there never was
any cash at the banker's, and if £2,000 had been paid for
the business, as represented, it should have been paid to the
liquidator. The four counsel who appeared for the four direc-
tors referred to said that Mr. Straight had rightly judged
the conduct of their clients, and Mr. Straight withdrew
the summons against Broomham, Taylor, Laing, and
Heather, who were discharged. Evidence was then given
by some of the policy-holders. Alfred Singleton held a policy
for six guineas in the Friend-in-Need Society as the
nominee of his aunt. He paid 2d. a week on it. In
April 1567 he received a certificate of membership
in the Provincial Union Assurance Company (Limited),
in substitution of the Friend-in-Need policy. He
paid the 2d. a week until October last, when
his aunt died. He had not been told that the
Provincial Union had been wound up in June. He
called at the office after his aunt's death with his
policy and the certificate of death, and saw Reid
several times. Reid put him off until he got
suspicious, and one eL the ecaninitteesaw him ant
he had no claim, as the company was wound up.
Broomham, one of the directors, explained that he had
bean a member of another society, and that his signature
as director had been obtained without his knowledge of
what he undertook. The prisoners were remanded, two of
them being allowed to go on their recognisanees in £lOO,
but bail was refused for Reid, the secretary, and Kiddie,
the manager.

THE REDNAL MURDER.—Bishop, who stands charged
with the wilful murder of a man named Peate, has been
brought before the Oswestry magistrates. On Good Friday
prisoner, deceased, and a man named Briscoe were drinking
together. Briscoa left the others, but some time after-
wards he came up with them on the road, and found the
prisoner attacking the deceased. He made some ineffectual
attempts to r, scue him, and his injuries were so
great that he died a fortnight afterwards. An
inquest was held, and a verdict of manslaughter re-
turned. Bishop has been committed on the charge of
wilful murder to tlit Shrop3bire Assizes.
THE Cl:e'T PRIUDS ACAINST A CLmErraY COMPANY.—
A clerk in tie employment of the Abney-park Cemetery
Company was on Thursday charged at the Mansion
House with having, in the company of a fellow-clerk not
in custody, conspired to embezzle the company's funds.
It is believed that the defalcations represent a considerable
sum. The ca-e, however, was not gone into, but the
prisoner was remanded.

A cutlery firm at Sheffield have stnt ex-Secre-
tary Seward an elegant penknife with a star for each
State of the Union set in gold upon the ivory handle.

THE BARKING EXPLOSION.—The inquiry irito
the cause of the explosion at the Chartered Gm Works;
Barking, which resulted in the loss of four lives, has been
adjourned to May 4, in order to give time for an exam!!
oßticagf the_repaains of the destpad hag,