The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-27 00:00:00

POLICE .INTELLIGENCE. Aug. 26.

GUILDHALL.—Mr. Pagden attended before
Alderman Carter, with Mr. Richard Bentley, of
New Burlington-street, and Mr. Joseph Bentley, of
Paternoster-row, booksellers and publishers, to com-
plain of the following annoyance, and to put the
public on their guard with respect to certain im-
positions which were being practised in various
parts of the country in their names.
Alderman garter inquired if the party complained
of were present, and on being answered in the ne-
gative, said he should be happy to forward the ends
of justice in every way consistent with his duty as
a magistrate, and if the object Messrs. Bentley had
in view was for the public benefit he would hear
the statement they wished to make.
Mr. Pagden said he represented Mr. R. Bentley
and Mr. Joseph Bentley in this matter, but per-
haps the magistrate had better hear what Mr.
Joseph Bentley had to state, as it was a case of per-
sonation.

Mr. Joseph Bentley said he had been very much
annoyed during the last five years in consequence
of a person of the name of W. li. Garrett having
taken offices at 13, Paternoster-row, where he (Mr.
Bentley) carried on business, and issued circulars
to all parts of the country, with the view to raise
subscriptions to enable him (Garrett) to publish
portraits of popular clergymen ; but he (Mr. Bent-
ley) more particularly complained of the course
adopted by Garrett, who directed all applications
respecting such subscriptions and portraits to be
made to Messrs. T. Bentley and Co., 13, Paternoster-
row, and in the name of Mr. Richard Bentley, as
well as in his (Mr. J. Bentley's) name. He Gar-
rett) had since been ejected from the premises, 13,
Pa,ternoster-row, for non-payment of the rent, and
he had written to the Postmaster-General, request-
ing all letters addressed to I'. Bentley and Co. to
be forwarded to some other address, which the
Post-office authorities refused to devulge. The
consequence was that as Garrett never published
the promised portraits unless he got sufficient sub-
scriptions, the disappointed subscribers were con-
tinually applying to him and Mr. R Bentley
on the subject, Garrett having represented that
he came from their firms. The system pursued by
Garrett was that of running down to the most re-
tired
parts in the country, where there happened to
be. a popular preacher, and where he readily obtained
subscriptions for the publication of the portraits,
Messrs. Bentley's name being used as a guarantee
for the due publication of the portraits' but they
were in no way connected with either Garrett or
the portraits. He (Mr. Bentley) wished to know
why, when such a person was fairly driven out of
his usual haunts, the Post-office should afford him
such facilities for carrying on the system he com-
plained of, and refuse to give any information that
might aid him in putting a stop to the annoyance.
Alderman Carter thought it a pity that the con-
venience of the Post-office should be prostituted to
such a purpose, but he was quite sure the press
would give every facility to the complainant, in
order to suppress transactions of such a character.
lie believed publicity was the only means by which
the system could be effectually stopped, but at the
same time, were he in Mr. Bentley's place, he
would indict the man for fraud whenever he found
him. . _ _

Mr. Richard Bentley made a similar complaint,
and said the annoyance became so great that he at
length put an advertisement in the newspapers•
cautioning the public against the imposition.
Alderman Carter said the public exposition of
such a practice would no doubt have its effect, but
that was all the assistance he could render them in
the case. _ _