The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING. JANUARY 9, 1861.

TISH POSSESSIONS.

LAW INIBLLIG.F,NCE.-L,(THIS DAY.)

THE _RECORDER OF BULL.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Comnissioner Holroyd.)

What has happened to our learned and eloquent
Recorder ? How is it that he has commenceo. the
Sessions business of the new year without the
delivery of one of these luminous charges to the
grand jury with which he delighted, instructed,
and, we hope, improved many more than the throng
- which filled his court, on every previous occasion,
since his appointment as Recorder of the borough
of Kingston-upon-Hull? It cannot be that he
regards them as good seed that fell among thorns,
or was scattered by the wayside, or was strewn
upon a rock. We published every word of them
to be read extensively in Yorkshire, and only to
see them the day afterwards transferred entire
into the columns of two or three of the London
daily papers. Surely this is fame, and success,
such as ought rather to prompt to continued
labours in the same direction. One of them we
even destined dwehsticinhedthteo
Rheigeohredrercedlewberlittyu.
upon
was the wtheaosn
the danger and the folly of maid-servants dress-
ing above their station. Having reached the
hands of Miss Burdett Coutts, that lady had it re-
printed as a tract, and circulated for the benefit of
young people in her neighbourhood, and in attend-
ance at schools in which she took an interest.
Under these circumstances, we are to some extent
warranted in inquiring what has induced the
Recorder to leave us without a charge at the com-
mencement of the new year ? At all events, we
are warranted in expressing; a hope that he will
not persist in restricting bis observations to the
mere business of directing attention to the state of
the calendar. Why should the gifted author of
a " Diary of a late Physician" not continue to do
for Hull what Mr. Recorder Hill has so long and
so ably done for Birmingham—make his charges a
vehicle for elevating, improving, and refining the
moral character of the people ? The trial of pri-
soners must afford an intelligent, enlightened, and
vigorous-minded judge unusual opportunities of
tracing the connexion between miserable dwell-
ings, crowded with wretched inmates, and desti-
tute of the means. of observing the laws of
common sexual decency, and that profligacy,
which inevitably leads to an appearance in
flip feimi,. ,-,e4e. This is a, oubjeet which requires to
be dwelt upon by the judges, not once, but scores
of times. At present the poor are pushed and hud-
dled out of sight that the eye of staid respectability
may not be offended by their rags, tatters, and gene-
ral squalor. If they fall into arrear of rent it is
competent for their landlords to sell their little
furniture at a fifth of its value, and even purchase
it themselves at that price, and then throw them
naked and destitute upon the street without the
least fear of legal consequences. Many of the
poor are too ignorant to know when they are
wronged, and for those who do the law is a luxury
which they have no means of purchasing. judges
might do an immense deal by calling the atten-
tion to the sufferings of this class, capable of
being easily and socially remedied. We have
often felt surprised that among our philanthropic
associations, there appears to be none for protect-
ing the legal rights of the poor. Magistrates do
their best, and in Hull we have an excellent Stipen-
diary Magistrate, who does all he can in the way of
protecting and advising them ; but more is wanted,
and especially more is desirable, in the recommend-
ing on high, social, sanitary, and moral grounds, a
general improvement in their dwellings. We touch
upon this question to show how much there remains
to do, and how unwilling we are that our learned
and eloquent Recorder should be content to sit
mute in the midst of such disorder. What is it to
him if we now and then seem to turn a deaf or an
impatient ear as he wrings our withers too keenly ?
His words will not be lost. So long as the Press
records them, or there is a youth to listen to them,
they will bear their fruit in due season. Remember
the words of hope for all that speak or act well,
irrespective of immediate results, "Cast thy bread
upon the waters, and after many days it will return
to thee." There is a tide whose waves lave the
shores of heaven, and what we east upon them is
never lost.—Bull Advertiser.

IN RR STREITRIELD, MORTITORE, AND GREAT

LEATHRt CASE.

This great case was resumel to-day, and as early as half-
past 10 a few anxious personshad assembled in the Court.
The varicus legal gentlemen. Messrs. Brough, Williams,
Kerslake, Linklater, Lawreno, Lewis, &c., appeared for
their several clients.

Mr. Edward Hart (Hart Bnthers and Hayles) was ac-
countant for the creditors, Mr. Coleman for the bankrupts.
When Mr. Linklater commenced his examination of Mr.
Laurence, one of the bankrupts, the Court was, compara-
tively speaking, empty, and tie interest appears to have
died out.

Mr. Linklater—Before we proceed, may I suggest to Mr.
Laurence the advisibility of answering each question
openly.
Mr. Laurence—lt is the first time I have ever been a
witness (but once). I will to tie best of my ability answer
the questions.

Mr. Linklater—You will fini it a good plan. It is very
painful to put the same question over and over again, and
it wastes a great deal of time.

The examination was then proceeded with, and was
specially connected with tho many bill transactions of the
firm.

There is no likelihood of the case being completed today.

CRIMINAL COURT—(This Day).

(Before Mr. Justice Blackburn.)
ALLEGED FRAUDULENT BANKRUPTCY.

Lewis Robert Poole, Thomas Chapman, and Frederick
Ventris were indicted for illegally conspiring to conceal a
quantity of property from the creditors of the first-named
prisoner, who had been declared a bankrupt.
The facts of this case have already appeared in The Sun
during the time the prisoners were under examination at
the Guildhall Police Court. It will be recollected that
Poole crirried on the business of a wholesale boot and shoe
manufacturer at Northampton, and also in New
Oxford-street, and in August last was declared
a bankrupt, and the property in question which Poole
was accused of concealing amounted 4 upwa.la of £l,OOO.
ne prisoner Ventris was a clerk in the firm of Messrs.
Quiller and Ball, accountants, and the part it was alleged
that he had taken in the transaction was the committing of
perjury in his examination in the Court of Bankruptcy.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine conducted the prosecution, and
the prisoners were defended by Mr. Best, of the Oxford
Circuit, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Poland, Mr. Sleigh, and Mr.
Orridge.
The case will occupy the whole of the day.

THIRD COURT.
(Before the Common Sergeant.)
ARSON.

William Edmonds was indicted for feloniously setting
fire to a stack of hay, the property of Elizabeth Tibbols.
The jury returned a verdiet of not guilty on the ground
of insanity,

POLICE INTELLIf7YENCE—(This Day).

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

HYDE-PARS ROBBERIES LAST NlGHT.—Robert Haw-
kins, a rough-looking fellow, who gave his address in the
Kingsland-road, was charged, before .Mr. Beadon, with
stealing a breast-pin, the value of 17, the property of a
gentleman named John Caunt, residing at 36, Halfmoon-
street, Piccadilly.

Mr. Caunt said that, between seven and eight o'clock the
previous night, he was passing between the posts near the
Serpentine, an immense number of persons passing at the
same time, going to see the skating and torchlight pro-
cession on the Serpentine, and, just as he got through, he
felt the hand of a person over his shoulder, and his breast-
pin was taken. He immediately turned round and saw
the prisoner behind him, and feeling sure he had taken the
pin, he asked him for it, but he denied having it, and seeing
two eonstables come up, he gave him in charge.
Sergeant Joy, 9 C, said he knew him as the companion
of thieves for about 18 months, and to be a frequenter of
Seven Dials and Westminster.

Prisoner—Why, you've never seen me beforo. lie been
in " the meletia."

Sergeant Cole, 23 C, said he believed the prisoner had
been in the militia, but he was a thief notwithstanding.
Prisoner—Why, you fellows will swear anything.
Mr. Beadon committed the prisoner for three months.
ALLEGED ROBBERY OP A LARGE QUANTITY OP
WATCHES, Rums, &c.—John Tanner, cabinetmaker, and
James Glos, a cigar maker were charged before Mr. Beadon
on suspicion of being concerned, with another not in custody,
in stealing, at 24, Haymarket, 12 gold Albert guards, six
gold chains, 37 gold rings, two gold eye .glasses, two pair of
gold spectacles, seven gold watches, 11 silver watches, &c.,
of the value of £2OO, the property of Mr. John Mesure,
jeweller, 24, Haymarket.

Mr. Edward Lewis, of Great Marlborough-street, ap-
peared for the prisoner Glos, and a solicitor's clerk for
Tanner, whose real name is Scterberg.
The system said to be adopted was as follows :—A lad
was sent into a shop of a jeweller to tell him to send for a
timepiece, and the assistant being watched away, a dog-
cart was then driven up with a person in it, and the shop-
keeper called out, and while his attention was occupied,
the robbery was committed.
After waiting some time for the case, Mr. Mesure not
being in attendance, Mr. Lewis asked that the pri-
soners might be brought up, as he had waited some time
for the case.

Mr. Beaden said he could not do so, and put back the
case till a late period, of the day.

THAMES.

PAINFUL CASE.—DEATH nv FIRE.—Mrs. Hogg, a
mechanic's wife, of 2, Turner's-buildings, Penny-fields,
Poplar, and Dennis Donovan, a cooper, of 4, Dolphin•.lane,
Poplar, appeared before Mr. Selfe, on a summons, charged
with using abusive and insulting words to Daniel Donovan,
and calling him a robber and a murderer.
The defendant Donovan, a respectable and industrious
man and his, family, were great sufferers by a fire which
broke out on the premises of the complainant, Daniel
Donovan, a shoemaker, in Penny-fields, Poplar, on the
18th of November last. Dennis Donovan's eldest daughter
perished in the flames. Another of his children was burnt,
and is up to the present time in the hospital, and Dennis
Donovan, whose head and arm were severely scorched, his
wife and two other children, by "God's providence," to use
the defendant's own words, narrowly escaped with their
lives. Mrs. Hogg, her husband and daughter, who were
lodgers in the same house, also narrowly escaped with their
lives, and got out at the front window.
The complainant said the defendants called upon him a
few days ago and demanded' compensation for the loss they
had sustained, and upon his refusing to comply with their
request, they abused him, and applied very bad language
to him, and among other things Mrs. Hogg called him a
robber and a murderer, and said he had set his house on
fire. His namesake and countryman Donovan was no less
turbulent, and threatened him.

The defendants said the complainant had led them to
expect some compensation for tho serious loss they had
sustained in the loss of their household furniture and effects
when he obtained the insurance money from the fire office.
Last week Daniel Donovan received £lOO from the fire
office, and when they asked him for a little help, he said he
would see them d-d first, and used other harsh expres-
sions.

Dennis Donovan put in a written statement regarding
the fire, the loss of his child, and other matters, and it con-
veyed some very extraordinary suggestions.
Mr. Selfe examined the complainant at great length, and
he said he and his children were from home on the night
of the fire. His wife was also with him. They went to a
raffle in Southwark. One of his children was three and a
half years old, and the other two years old. It might be
one o'clock in the morning when he heard of the fire. He
was then about to depart for home. He did not think it
strange to take such young children to a raffle and keep
them out until one o'clock in the morning. He occupied
the shop, parlour, and back room upstairs. He left the
gas burning when he left home, and he supposed it set fire
to the house.

Mr. Selfe—How could the gas set fire to the house unless
the burner was improperly placed ?

The complainant supposed there was an escape of gas,
and in answer to other questions said he insured his goods
for £l5O on the 13th Aug. last. That was the first time he
insured.

Mr. Selfe put some other questions to the complainant,
which were not answered in the most satisfactory manner.
Dennis Donovan stretched out his left arm, which was
bandaged, and said this was burnt, and I have been unable
to do any work since. My head was also burnt. My daugh-
ter was burnt alive.

The complainant said that a subscription was opened in
Poplar for the relief of the defendants.
M rs. Hogg said £27 was subscribed, of whioh £l2 was
laid out in furniture for her fellow-lodger, Dennis Donovan,
and the funeral expenses of his daughter paid. She did not
press her claims on the committee, because Dennis Donovan
and his family wore the greatest sufferers.

Mr. Selfe said the circumstances of the disastrous fire
were well calculated to excite remark, if not suspicion, but
the peace must be preserved, and the defendants must pro
mise not to go near the complainant again. The kind-
hearted magistrate having exacted that promise from the
defendants, ordered that Mrs. Hogg should receive £2
from the poor-box fund, and:that Dennis Donovan should
receive £1 from the same fund. He gave the larger sum
to Mrs. Hogg because she had not received any portion of
the subscription, and had acted generously towards her
bereaved neighbour.

The defendants expressed their thanks to the magistrate
and left the court.

The next monthly return of the Bank of France,
to be published at the end of the week, is looked for with
much interest. According to some reports, which require
verification, the bullion has declined from £17,300,000 to
about £14,000,000,