The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAYMIVENING, SEPTEMBER 22, 1858.

FOREIGN.

CRIMINAL COURT.--(THIS DAY)

Share! Railways.

Paid Closing I Business
. Price. Done.

OLD COURT.

INQUIRY-(THIS DAY.)

(Before Mr. Baron Watson and Mr. Justice Hill.)

FORGING A BILL OF LADING.

Otto Frederick Homeyer, a foreigner, whose case was
postponed from last session, was indicted for forging and
uttering a receipt for goods, viz., a bill of lading.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Sleigh Ipp.ftred for the prosecution ;
the prisoner was defended 1-3,- Mr. Robinson.
Mr. Bodkin said the offence with which the prisoner
stood charged was one of great importance to commercial
men. It was the forging and uttering of documents which
purported to be a bill of lading. It appears that the prisoner
is a native of Prussia, and had, previous to the commission
of the offence with which he stood charged, traded with
a gentleman named Theidman, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
In June last Mr. Theidman received a letter from the pri-
soner, telling him he had shipped a cargo of wheat,
and had enclosed in that letter the bill of lading signed
by Captain Kell. The document affirmed that the cargo of
wheat had been received on board ship. Mr. Theidman,
in consequence of this, communicated with the prisoner,
and the result was that the prisoner drew from the Union
Bank of London £2,400 upon bills of exchange, solely upon
the statement that the bill of lading which Mr. Theidman
had received was a genuine document ; it, however, turned
out to be a forgery. Captain Kell, who would be called
before the jury, would state that he knew nothing of the
matter.

i ltn

examined this morning was

THE STORE AND CLOTHING DEPOTS
AT WEEDON.

The Royal Commissioners appointed to inquire into the
state of the stores and clothing depots at Weedon, Wool-
wich, and the Tower, resumed their investigations this day,
in No. 11 Committee Room of the House of Commons.

Mr. Selfe, the magistrate of the Thames Police, occupied

the chair ; the Commissioners present were Mr. Turner,
111.P..f0r Manchester, and Col. French, of the War-office.
The fit--t

Mr. Gilpin, of the firm of Cfl in acrd C.,.. t iiiir
land-street, army contractors. He said—l am the head of
the firm. We have been in the habit of taking army
contracts—not army accoutrements—no greatcoats. We
have been contractors under the old and new system. We
have had less since the trade was thrown open. We have
had some militia clothing but nothing like the orders we
received. In the year 1856, finding it was impossible to
act honestly to the Government, we gave up the contracts.
We should have had to grind the 'poor to make the
prices pay. In July and September we had three contracts,
one of them was for making for the medical staffcorps cloth-
ing, we wished to furnish the cloth as undGr the old system
but we did not do so. In Oct., 1857, we had a contract of
10,000 yards of drummers' red. It was subjected to in-
spection. We have had a contract with Government for
the clothing of 20 regiments. We have supplied the gar-
, ment for five of them at the establishment in Mark-lane.
We have had no occasion to call upon manufacturers to take
back cloth which the. Government had rejected. If the
I cloth is passed, I consider the responsibility of the manu-
facturer ceases. I have nothing specially to complain about
goods having been returned for trifling faults. I have
nothing to complain about delay in getting our bills paid.
We have been threatened with fines lately. I have never
found that bribery prevailed at Weedon. I have heard it
rumoured, but I don't know of my own knowledge. I have
no reason• to complain. I cannot refer you to anybody who
could give information on the point. I have not troubled
myself much about machines for testing cloth. Our profits
under the new system, are considerably less than under the
old, because we get our payments earlier. That is the only
thing that has occasioned us any loss. The interest of the
money being less, and this causes our receipts to be less.
Since the throwing open of the trade the pro-
fits are less. The public, therefore, get the ad-
vantage. I think that if the Government
kept large stores of clothing it would be highly detrimental.
It would get moth-eaten and worthless. I would not like
to keep a large stock. Another thing is the patterns might
alter. We are never sure of that for a moment. I differ
from Captain Gordon, if he says it is advisable to keep up a
large store of clothing. I think it very unfair to give the
old houses short notices of contracts. I think if lamto be
employed in 1859 that I ought to have notice in January.
By Mr. Turner—lt is a benefit to manufacturers to have
early notice of being required. Wool manufacturers would
supply the material at a cheaper rate. If I received due
notice I should supply the articles required cheaper--that
irif I received due notice. The Government would reap an
advantage also. I have bought Oxford grey, but never
under price. I have bought cloth which I afterwards found
out had been rejected, as the Govermmenr mark was on it.
It was about two years ago. I did not buy it of the Go-
vernment. _ _

• ___
By Mr. Selfe—There are constantly large sales of Go-
vernment articles at the Tower. I cannot recollect how
much of this rejected cloth was bought. My partner, Mr.
Tanner, will be able to furnish the dates and particulars.
By Mr. Turner—The rejected cloth was made up for the
militia clothing, and for regiments going out suddenly not
subject to inspection.
Mr. Turner—Do you know the difference of price paid ?
Mr. Gilpin—l really don't ;my partner knows more
about that than I do.

Mr. Selfe—We will keep this subject as distinct as pos-
sible. We should like to have your partner in attendance,
it is necessary that this cloth should be traced.

Mr. Gilpin—l will write to him to-night.
By Mr. Selfe—l think there ought to be an appeal from
the decisions of the inspectors when they condemn goods,
because we don't know who the inspectors are, or whether
they are good judges of the article. I don't think things
ought to be condemned as a whole without appeal.
The person for such a post should be a competent
judge. It mattered very little whether he was a Govern-
ment officer or not. I never found a Government
inspector incompetent. We have had very little to do
with them, but we shall have more this year.
By Mr. Turner—l should not like to do business with a
large wholesale house on the same terms as Government,
if they rejected goods without appeal.
By Colonel French—l never under the old system heard
of collusion between tho colonels when they had the sup-
plying of their regiments and the clothier.
By Mr. Turner—l don't think Government could ever
successfully manufacture any article in competition with
private individuals. (Laughter.)

Mr. Bonneau, of the War-office, examined by Mr. Scife
—We shall be able to get the ledgers ready for the accountants
of the commission on Friday. Until the stock of good
that remain on hand is compared with the sums in the
books we cannot bring the ledgers to a satisfactory state.
Commissary-General Adams has been engaged in this busi-
ness for the last two months.

Mr. Turner—You will see that Mr. Jay, our accountant,
ha's proper accommodation during his examination of the
books, as he will represent the commission.
Witness—Yes.

Mr. Hunt, examined by Mr. Selfe—We carry on business
as manufacturers of army cloth. We have been it the habit
of furnishing army cloth to the clothiers under the old sys-
tem. We have also supplied cloth at Weedon in very large.
quantities. We have had no reason to complain
of the severity of the inspection. Our rejections
at the commencement of 1856 and 1857, were rather
large, but since that time not near so
large There have been cases in which ' cloth
has been :finally rejected, from causes that could
not be repaired. I have never been to Weedon ; but one
of our clerks has been there. He saw Mr. Elliott about
some rejected cloths, some were put in order and sent back.
I have no complaint to make of the inspectors. Our con-
tracts were by tender. We have been fortunate. I think
our cloth has always been superior to the patterns. The
patterns now in use I believe to be mostly ours. I have
no reason to doubt the competency of the inspectors.
By Mr. Turner—The only thing we had to do with the
cloth when it was sent back was to repress it. I have never
seen the inspectors-at our own place. I know of a machine
for testing cloth. There is no shoddy in the cloth supplied
by us to Government. We have those machines on our.
premises. The two shoddy machines cost us—one £4O and
the other £6. I don't know of any corruption existing at
Weedon. On the part of our house, I deny it altogether.
A manufacturer—Mr. Oliver Bird—told me that something
of the sort existed, but merely as gossip. Our clerk did not
buy the shoddy machine when he visited Weedon. It was
bought subsequently. We have bought another machine
of Mr Hebden's for folding and weighing cloths. It is a
very useful one, and will no doubt come into general use.
By Mr. Selfe—We have no cause to complain of our re-
jections.' We have had none of any moment. We have
never complained of delay in the inspection of our goods.
By Colonel French—We were accepted as contractors
by Mr. Howell. After the goods are passed and we get an
Intimation from the Accountant-General's-office that the
amount will be paid.
By Mr. Turner—We don't frequently enter into compe-
tition with the Yorkshire manufacturers.

By Mr. Selfe—Our prices are about the same since open
competition, but the quality of the goods is a little lower.
Mr. Webb, of Coleman-street, woollen manufacturer,
was under examination when the committee adjourned.