The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-29 00:00:00

311 LY., 1858.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-July 28.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Francis Werrall Ste-
vens, of 3, Royal Exchange-buildingA, share
dealer, was broug'l before the Lord Mayor
for further examination, charge d with
having fraudulently appropriated to his own use
the sum of 4,7991. (balance of 6,0001.), entrusted
to him on pr about t:ie 21st June last, by Mr.
Octavius Cobb Rooke, to purchase shares of the
London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Com-
pany, and which said shares he failed to purchase.
Mr. Bodkin appeared for the prosecution, in-
structed by Booth and Blakemore (Surr. y-street,
Strand) and Mr. Sleigh, instructed by Mr. Hum-
phreys, for the pi iiouer.
Mr. Sleigh—l apps ar in this case, my lord, for
the prioner. I was not here on the first ccasion,
but after going through the matter with Mr. Hum-
phreys, by whom I am now instructed, and who
then appeared on the prisoner's behalf, I have no
wish to throw any obstacle in the way of sending
the case to a higher tribunal for decision. The pri-
soner himself is most anxious that the case should
undergo the fullest inquiry. and we are therefore
willing that it should be sent to a jury ; the only
application I have to make being, that Mr. Stevens
may, in the meantime, be admitted to bail. My
learned friend (Mr. Bodkin) will, I believe, offer
no opposition to this course, and I hope you, my
lord, will consent to its being adopted.
Mr. Bodkin—l have no observations to make,
my lord, except to say that I have si me further
evidence of a formal character, which I can ei' her
produce now, or give my friend notice of in good
time before the trial.
Mr. Sleigh—l shall be perfectly satisfied with
that.
The Lord Mayor—But the case was remanded
for further inquiry, and not merely for deciding
upon the committal or discharge of the prisoner.
Mr. Bodkin—The facts are all out, and the evi-
dence remaining to be given is principally formal.
Mr. Sleigh—So I understand, and we shall be
perfectly satisfied if a copy of the remaining evi-
dence is furnished to our solicitor, as it is purely
formal.
Mr. Bodkin—Oh, I don't mean to say that I
shall confine myself to the assertion that the evi-
dence I have to produce is merely formal, for Mr.
Rooke himself has made some omissions which he
desires to supply.
Mr. Goodman (chief clerk)—l think we had
better examine the officer, and make the deposi-
tions otherwise nominally complete.
Mr. Bodkin—Very well, let that be done. I will

examine Brett, the officer,-first.
J. Brett, detective—l took the prisoner into
custody on Monday at his office. On our way to
the station he endeavoured to pass something to his
son. I said " I cannot allow that," and intercepted
it. I found it to be a purse, or porte-monnaie. I
kept it in my possession, and on examining it I
found that it contained three Bank of England
notes for 1,000/. each, numbered respectively 14,673,
52,009, and 21,814, all dated the Ist March ; one
5001. note, numbered 12,364, dated 2d February ;
andone 200/. note, No. 89,990, dated 4th February.
There were also some documents, whichl now pro-
duce, and I also found upon him a pocket-book and
ledger.
Mr. Bodkin—Hand up those papers.
Brett—Here they are, sir.
Mr. Bodkin (after inspection)—There is nothing
here which requires to be produced at present.
Mr. Sleigh—lunderstand there is nothingamong
them which at all relates to the present case.
Mr. Bodkin—Yes, some of them do. I have no
more questions to ask this witness.
Mr. Sleigh—Then I will ask him a question or
two. Who instructed you to go to Mr. Stevens's
chambers, Mr. Rooke ?
Witness—No, sir.
Mr. Sleigh—You had never seen Mr. Rooke till
you went there, I think ?
Witness—No, I had not.
Mr. Sleigh—That is all I want to know. You
never saw Mr. Rooke till he came down stairs wi-h
Mr. Stevens ? Who gave Mr. Stevens in charge
then /
Witness—l was introduced by a gentleman who
took me to the office, and who said " That is Mr.
Rooke. He will give this gentleman into your
custody."
Mr. Sleigh—And therefore you took him ?
Witness--I did so.
Mr. Bodkin—That gentleman was a solicitor to
the trustees, to whom this money belonged ?
Witness—Yes, air, be was.
Henry Smith—l am clerk at the London and
Westminster -Bank, Lothbnry. The prisoner has
an account at our bank. On the 21st June there
was paid into his account a cheque on Messrs.
Childs for 6,0001. That cheque was cashed, and
the proceeds plac-d to his credit. On the 22d July
we cashed a cheque of his, payable to self, for 4,500/.
A number of cheques have been drawn on his
account between the 21st June and the present
time. On the 2d July there was one for 1,0911.,
but there is no other entered above 3001.
Mr. Bodkin—Can you give me the numbers of
the notes given for the two cheques—that for
1,0911., and that for 4,500/. ?
Witness—l have no account of the first with me,
but the second was paid in four 1,000/. notes,
numbered 21,843, 21,844, 14,673, and 23,009, and
a note for 500/., No. 12,364,
Mr. Goodman—Two of the 1,0001. notes and that
fur 5001. correspond with the numbers of three of
the notes taken from the prisoner by the officer.
Mr. Bodkin—Yes, they are the same. When
was that cheque cashed?
Witness—On the 22d July.
Mr. Bodkin—That is all.
Mr. Sleigh—l have nothing to ask him.
Alfred Mortimer--I am clerk to Messrs. Childs,
Temple-bar, bankers. In Juno last, two gentlemen
named Jones and Parker had an account at our
hone. The cheque produced (for 6,0001.) was paid
on the day it was drawn, to the London and West-
minster Bank. It is dated June 12, and I believe
it was paid on the 22d.
Mr. Goo lman—l think we should have that
cheque in the deposition.
:Mr. B ldkin—Very well ; I will read " To
Messrs. Child and Co. On demand, pay to Secre-
tary of Brighton Railway, or bearer, 6,0001."
Mr. Sleigh—ls that-, the end ?
Mr. Bodkin—Yes.
Mr. Sleigh—Then, about the bail.
The Lord Mayor—Wait till I ask the prisoner
what he has to say to the charge. Francis Worrell
Stevens, the charge agait st you, undrr the 4th
sec ion of the Fraudulent Trustees Act, is that you
approptiat ed the sum of 4,7501., and that you felo-
niously stole the same. Have you auything to say ?
tier—l am entirely innocent of any frou 1
in this transaction.
The Lord Ma or—You are committed for trial,
but I will admit you to bail, yourself in 2,000 L,
and two others in 1,0001. each, with 24 hours'
notice to the prosecutors.
Mr. Sleigh—ls not that rather high ?
The Lord Mayor—l shall not take less.
Mr. Bodkin—With regard to the money found
upon the prisoner. It is a large amount, but I
should not think it will be lost if it remains in the
hands of the officer.
Mr. Sleigh—l have not much to say about that,
as it is to be in the hands of your officer, my lord.
The Lord Mayor—Oh, you need be under no
apprehensions about hint. He would much rather
be relieved of the money than keep it in his own
possession, I am quite sure.
Brett—We have a strong room where we keep
such things, but I shall be very glad to hand it
over to your lordship.
The Lord Mayor—lt will be quite safe with you.
The depositions were then read over, and the
prisoner was formally committed for trial.
He was being removed from the bar, when
Mr. W. Jones, solicitor, said—l have a charge
to prefer against the prisoner, for a variety of
frauds committed upon a client of mine. I made
some application against him some time ago, when
your lordship recommended me to bring the mat-
ter before the Court of Aldermen, but perhaps you
will hear my client now.
The Lord Mayor—What is the nature of your
charge ?
Mr. Jones—The misapplication of a variety c f
sums of money entrusted to him for the purpose
of being invested in shares, false representations
with reference to the sale and purchese of those
shalt, s, and in some ilit-tances, I believe, an entire
swindling of the money.
Mr. Goodman—Swiudling is too general a tot m.
You must be more prec'se if you wish to prefer a
charge.
The Lord Mayor—How is it that you have not
given him into custody bef,re ? Why did you
wait till he was here on another charge ?
Mr. Jones— Some time ago I applied to your
lordship for a wa- rant.
The Lord Mayor—But when you made that
application to me I did not think proper to grant
it, telling you that it was a case to be dealt with
more properly by the Court of Aldermen. When
was that application ?
Mr. Jones—About a month ago.
The Lord Mayor—Was it before the prisoner
asked to be taken off the list as a broker ?
Mr. Jones—l believe it was before.
The Lord Mayor—About two months ago, for
some reasons of his ,own, he asked permission of
the Court ofAlderwen to be taken off the list of
sworn brokers, which was given.
Mr. Jones—lt was not so lung ago as that.
The rd w„ayor—Welb wheu you made the
aPPliotien to we did not think the evidence
sufficientto "grant a. warrant upon, and you did not
think it sufficient to justify your giving him into