The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-11 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COUR7 -(7 Mu)

OLD COURP.

THE CHARGE OF ROBBERY AGAINST THE SECRETARY

OF THE ORDER OF FORESTERS.

At the sitting of the Court the further prosecu-
tion of Mr. Siiruson was withdr on the ground
that the evidence was, in effect, precisely the same
ou which the defendant was acquitted on the charge
of embezzlement yesterday afternoon.

NEIN' COLTR r.
THE SHAM INSURANCE COMPANY..

George Reed and Edward Jones were iudicted
for obtaining money by false pretences, and also
with conspiring.
Mr. Straight prosecuted ; Mc. Davin and Mr.
ILrris defended Reed.

The facts of the case were very complicated, but
it appeared that in ISG7 the Filet:el-in-Need
Benefit Society became uterge.d in a society called
the Provincial Union Assurance Company, of
which a man named Johnson was the principal man,
and the defendant (R-ed) was represented as dis-
trict agent of the said company ; but in 1867 the
Provincial Union Assurance Company got into diffi-
culties, and finally the company was wound up in
accordance with the Act of Parliament ; but not-
withstanding that fact the defendant Reed continued
to carry on the business of agent and to receive sub-
scriptions from some persons who had insured in the
Provincial Union although there were no funds to meet
the policy when it should become a claim. The
office of the prisoner Reed was at 4, Chatham-place,
Blackfriars ; but at length the whole of the financial
condition of even " the company" became hopeless,
and advertisements were inserted for a clerk who could
find security. Ultimately finding that this dodge
would not do, a new company was started under the
title of the National Provincial Union Insur-
ance and Loan Society (Limited), . with a capital
of £lO,OOO in 10,000 shares of £1 each,
and a prospectus was issued giving a list of
persons with fashionable addresses as direc-
tors, but who, in reality, were either butlers
or footmen in families at the west end of the town.
A person was found simple enough to advance
£3OO or £4OO, and with the defendant Reed, who
appeared in the prospectus as secretary, attempted
to carry on the concern at 4, Chatham-place. The
prisoner Jones then came upon the scene, and
although he was not so active as the prisoner Reed
in carrying on the " company," yet he had so far
taken part in the bubble as to bring himself within
the law. The learned gentleman said he should
di,regard all observations that would be made on
his conduct by the counsel defending, about heap-
ing prejudice on the prisoners, and do all he could
to obtain the conviction of the two men at the bar,
and thus, to that extent at least, protect the public
against the acts of such men of straw as the
prisoners.
The trial was proceeding -"hen we went to press.

DREADFUL COLLILRY EXPLOSION.

TYDFIL, 7 hundiy.

An explosion occurred at the Ferndale Colliery,
iu Glaniorganshire, this morning, about half-past 7
o'clock. Between 500 and GOO men were employed
in the colliery, which is divided into three districts.
The explosion occurred i❑ the Duffryn district,
where 120 men were working. The men from other
districts escaped unhurt, and many also escaped
frAn the Duffryn sid.3. Between GO and 70 are
supposed to be killed. At 3 o'clock Messrs. Davis
and Sons, the owners, and Mr. Wales, inspector,
arrived. The workings are much damaged, inter-
fering with the recovery of the bodies.
_

The number of killed hrs now been ascertained to
be not less than 76, and at 5 o'clock 56 bodies had
been brought out." "

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF BIGAMY
AND FRA UD.—(This Day).

At the Mansion House to-day, the parson calling him-
self Major-General Haynes, of the Madras army, was
rought byforo Mr. Alderman Causton for final examina-
t'on, on the charges of bigamy, pc: jury, and fraud.

The circumstances of the case will Le fresh in the recol-
lection of the publi.

Mr. George Levtis, solicitor, then nsked magis-
trate; to commit th 3 prisoner upon the three charges
,pecified. Ile admitted that £4OO of the money to which
reference xas made at the last extunivatlou, had been
urn,d.

Mr. Louis Lewis, the prisoner's solicitor, said there was
every prospect, with the assistance of his client's friends,
that the whole of the money would be returned.
The depositions having been real,
Miss Lee, the prosecurix, in reply t Mr. Louis Lewis,
said the marriage had never been consummated.
The prisoner was then formally committed for trial. He
reserved his defence.

711 E NORFOLK POISONING CASE.

Tins DAY.