The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-23 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Dec. 22.

CLERKENWELL.—EiPORTANT TO THE PUB-
Lic.—George Pulling, of the Belmont-wharf,
Maiden-lane, and 19, River-street, Islington, ap-
peared before Mr. Tyrwhitt on a summons which
charged him with having, on the 23d of November
last, unlawfully and knowingly sold to Mr. Matthew
Wilson one sort of coals for a sort which they really
were not, contrary to the provisions of the Ist and
2d William the Fourth, chap. 76, sec. 45.
This case was one of the greatest importance to
the public, owing to the number of persons who
advertise their shops and houses as being depots for
the sale of the Great Northern Railway Company's
coals, and appointed by the company.
From the evidence it appeared that the defendant
waited upon the complainant's wife in the month
of November last, and asked her for an order for
coals. At this time he produced a card, which was
headed " Great Northern Railway Coal Company,"
and on which was the prices of the several descrip-
tions of the coal. The complainant believing that
he was the agent of the railway company ordered
two tons at the highest price on the card, viz.,
" Best Wallsenn" at 245. per ton. The coals were
delivered at dusk the next evening, and with them
a vendor's ticket, on the top of which was " Great
Northern Railway Coal Company, chief office, Bel-
mont-wharf, York-road, King's cross," but at the
bottom the word " railway" was not inserted. The
coals were of such an inferior quality that they
would not burn, in consequence of which the com-
plainant wrote to the defendant, asking to see him,
but instead of calling himself; he sent his wife, who
said that the coals were very bad, and that she
would have them taken back, and fresh coals sent
in their.place. This, however, not being done, the
defendant was again written toi but no notice was
taken of the communication, in consequence of
which the complainant called in Mr. Dix, the coal
inspector of the Orcat Northern Railway, who said
the coals, instead of being the " Best Wallsend,"
were nothing but the commonest sort of coal, viz.,
" Barnsley soft," and that instead of being worth
245. per ton, which the defendant had charged, the
trade at the time were being served with Barnsley
soft, at 14s. 6d. per ton. The complainant finding
that he could get no redress from the defendant,
took out the present summons, since which the de-
fendant had waited upon him to induce him to com-
promise the matter, but this the complainant re-
fused to do upon public grounds.
A Solicitor, who attended for the defence, said it
was a mistake. The defendant was only agent for
a person at Belmont-wharf, and all the coals he
sold he had 2s. per ton commission. The defendant
was well known, and had within these few weeks
sold over 100 tons of coal.
The complainant here produced the vendor's
ticket, and remarked that the defendant's name was
printed on it, but not as the agent for another
person.
_ _

Mr. Ty-rwliitt said if
the defendant received
money for one sort of toal and sent another, he
must take the consequences. He believed that what
the defendant had said about being agent was a
mere subterfuge. Tile could tell the defendant that
there
indicted
e eases, in the books where persons had
been for obtaining money under false pre-
tences, and.
to that under precisely similar circum-
stancesthe present. This was one of those
transactions which fell very hard, particularly upon
the -smaller class of housekeepers, and he did not
traink that it was a case that ought to be compro-
mised. The better class of coal was being constantly
mixeclwith inferior coal, and that by persons of the
same class as defendant. The owners of good coal
deplored that it was done, for it cast a stigma upon
them which they did not deserve. It also cast a
stigma upon the country generally ; for foreigners
instead of believing as they used to do, that every-
thing in this country was free from adulteration,
now imputed to us the contrary. As there was no
desire on the part of the complainant for theinflic-
tion of the full penalty, and as this was the first
case that had come before him for some time, he
should order the defendant to pay a fine of £lO---
£5 for each ton, instead of £lO for each ton, or, in
default of payment, three calendar months' impri-
sonment in the House of Correction. If any other
case of the sort came before him he should most cer-
tainly inflict the full penalty.
The defendant, not having the money, was locked
up in default,
.at the same time saying that he
should appeal against the decision.

from the intense frost—bullfinches, we pc-
lieve. The ],..;c-;.1 mails have also been from one to
three hours late, especially on the Peterhead road.
I esterday the wind changed to S.W., the frost gave
way, and there were symptoms of a thaw." The
Banffshire Journal of Tuesday says .—" Since this
day week we have had the severest snow-storm
experienced in this part of the country for a num-
ber of years. Snow fell thickly on Tuesday morn-
ing, and the wind getting up in the course of the
day, the frequent showers which continued were
furiously drifted, until, before night, considerable
wreaths were accumulated. Wednesday and Thurs-
day were much of the same character as Tuesday;
and so also was Friday, on the evening of wdrhl ult
c 1• 1
there was quite a gale of wind and blinding
while the snow, having by that time attained consi▪ de-
rable depth, was still being rapidly increased. Satur-
day was comparatively calm, but on that afternoon
large quantity of new snow fell, especially in Moray
shire and westwards. Since then, there have been
occasional showers, but no material augmentati▪
on
to the quantity of snow. Wreaths of immense depth
have gathered in all sheltered places, blocking up,
of course, nearly all the side roads, and to a grot
extent the principal thoroughfares, stopping' even
some of the railways and more or less deranging the
traffic on them all. On Friday, only one train vias
run from Turiff to Inveramsay and back on that
day, and this, though the distance is only some 18
miles. each way, occupied seven hours, the progress
being merely a series of starts and stops, in regular
succession, for the greater part of the journey.. Ths
Peterhead and Banff coach has not made its ap-
earance in Banff since its departure on Thursday.
The Banks of Ythan, running between Aberdeen
and Strichen, Old Deer, and Achnagatt, is sis° °A
the road ; and the Aberdeen and Peterhead, an"
.Aberdeen and Fraserburgh mail coaches are dash-
ing along with six horses, but are generally try-
ing
hours. or so late. The frost has been intense., espe-
cially on Sunday and Monday. Some scien.tifio
gentlemen had the uncomfortable pleasure, it is
said, of witnessing their breath in a railway car-
riage, early in the week, condensed by, the frost, an
actually in particles of snow around them. ,1110°2
thermometer in Strathdon has been standing at
deg. under freezing point. On Friday night , v'e:fi
vivid flash of lightning was seen in Banff. foll" 1 -
by a loud clap of thunder, and several others
, been heard in the centre of the counry.
was very singular in the midst oft a severe snow-
storm and intense frost." The Inverness Advertis▪ er
says. :—" Within the last few days we have bee. Li
visited by a severe storm of frost and snow', whi"
appears to have spread over the whole country.
The frost set in here on Tuesday last, and snov
The effect
gan. to fall heavily on the following day. succeedeS
at intervals by other falls, until the country around
was covered to consilerable depth. Tewards.the
north the roads have been clear as far as the gelit'_ll
Ferry, but beyond this coaching has been stopPw
altogether, and sledges have been used for the pia"-
pose of carrying the mails to Thurso. Late on Njon*
day night a thaw set in, which still continues.