The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-13 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.--EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF
FRAUD BY MEANS OF A WORTHLESS BANK NOTE.
—Solomon Bliss, a respectable-looking young Ger-
man, describe on the charge sheet as a tailor, resid-
ing in Trinity-lane, City, was placed at the bar
before Mr Combe, charged with being concerned
with another not in custody in defrauding Mr. C.
Kotyenswarsy, a beer-seller, of Eltham-street,
Dover-road, of £lO by uttering to him a bank note
for £lO of the Windsor and Eton Bank, which has
not been in existence for many years.
The prosecutor, a German, said that be kept the
Garibaldi beer-house, Eltham-street, Dover-road.
On Saturday evening last, about nine, a man who
represented himself to be the captain of a ship,
entered his shop and called for ale and cigars. A
minute or two afterwards the prisoner came in and
joined in conversation with the captain, who
ordered two dozen and a half cigars, and treated
them all with ale. The prisoner put a dozen of the
cigars in his pocket, and after some conversation
together the captain took a pocket-book from his
side pocket and pulled out a number of bank notes,
and after selecting one he handed it to witness, say-
ing that he had no smaller change, and he must
take the reckoning out of it. Witness perceived that
it was a £lO note on the Windsor and Eton Bank,
and believing it to be genuine, he handed the cap-
tain ten sovereigns, from one of which he took the
reckoning, amounting to Bs. The captain put the
nine sovereigns and 12s. in his pocket, and they
had some more ale. A few minutes after that the
captain pulled out another bank note, and re-
quested him to change that also. Witness told him
he could not change that, and he could not want it,
as he had just given him gold and silver. The cap-
tain put the note back and handed the pocket-book
to the prisoner, who opened it, took two of the
notes out, and put them into his waistcoat pocket.
He then returned the pocket-book to the captain,
who left the shop followed by the prisoner. Shortly
after that a tradesman, residing in the neighbour-
hood, came into his shop and witness showed him
the note he had just taken. He at once pronounced
it to be worthless, as the bank had not been in exis-
tence for many years. He then communicated with
the police, and on Sunday evening the prisoner was
apprehended. He had not been able 'to trace the
captain.
Mr. Binns here handed the bank note to his wor-
ship for his worship's inspection. It purported to
be issued by the Windsor and Eton Bank, and was
dated the 21st of Aug., 1860. He (Mr. Binns) was
informed that that bank stopped upwards of 30
years ago, and that the date had been altered.
Mr. Combe said that there could be no doubt of
that, but he must have evidence to show that such
a bank was not now in existence.
Mr. H. Adams, provision merchant, of the Dover-
road, proved that the note was worthless, the bank
having failed many years ago.
Mr. Combe asked the prisoner what answer he
had to make to the charge ?
He replied that he was as innocent as a baby,
and if his worship would allow him he would tell
him all he knew about the transaction. He said
that he was a tailor, and took a coat home to the
prosecutor's house on Saturday evening. He there
saw a man who called himself a captain, and who
treated him and the landlord to ale and cigars.
When the captain gave the latter the hank note, he
said to him, in German, " Look out and see if it is
right."
Mr. Combe asked the prosecutor whether there
was any truth in that ?
He replied that the prisoner did take hold of the
note before he changed it, but he said " That it was
all right." He was certain the prisoner knew all
about the fraud.
The prisoner denied that assertion ; he never saw
the other man before, and all he partook of was the
ale and cigars. He was well known to Messrs.
Broadhurst and Russell, the auctioneers—his uncle
being connected with the firm.
Mr. Parker, who stated himself to be an eating-
house keeper in Trinity-lane, City, here stepped for-
ward, and said the prisoner was a highly respect-
able young man, and had lodged in his house more
than 12 months. He would be answerable for him
to any amount, as he was sure he would not have
been connected with such a fraudulent transaction.
Mr. Combe observed that it was a very singular
affair, and he should like to know something more
about the parties. Under these circumstances he
should adjourn the case until 3 o'clock, to give the
prisoner an opportunity of producing evidence in
his favour.
A short time before his worship quitted the bench
Mr. W. Edwin attended on behalf of the prisoner,
and said that he had not had time to obtain wit-
nesses for his client, but he was assured by him that
he had nothing to do with the so-called captain or
the fraud, and denied having taken anything from
the pocket-book, as stated by the prosecutor.
The latter said he distinctly saw him take out one
or two notes and put them in his waistcoat-pocket;
and no doubt he should be able to prove their con-
nection.
Mr. Combe considered there were circumstances
of great suspicion as to the prisoner's conduct ;
therefore he should remand him.
Mr. Edwin asked his worship to accept Mr.
Parker's bail for his appearance.
Mr. Combe refused to accept bail, consequently
he prisoner was conveyed to gaol in the van.

WESTMINSTER.—TnE CHARGE or SHOPLIFT-
ING AGAINST A LADY.—Miss Elizabeth Hawkins,
aged 22, the daughter of an independent gentleman
residing in Broom-lane, Fulham, was finally exa-
mined charged with stealing a roll of ril bon, value
Gs., from the shop of Mr. Burletson, 198, King's-
road, Chelsea.
Mr. Sleigh, instructed by Mr. Lewis, of Marl-
borough-street, appeared for the accused.
It appeared from the evidence of James Joseph
Horne, shopman, that the prisoner, on the Gth inst.,
took some pieces of floss silk to Mr. Burletson to
procure ribbon to match, that she kept a roll of 30
yards in her hand, and drawing it gradually along
the counter under her cloak, wrapped it in a piece
of paper with the patterns of floss silk, and put it
in her pocket. Her purchases, amounting to 11d.,
were then wrapped up by the shopman, who having
informed his master what he had seen, asked pri-
soner to produce the parcel she had put in her pocket,
which she willingly did, and unfolding it, disclosed
the ribbon, upon which she said it was a mistake,
and that she did not know how it came there.

Mr. Sleigh, adverting to a remark made by Mr.
Arnold, on the first examination, to Mr. Lewis,
that he did not consider himself justified in with-
holding the case from a jury, and further, to the
circumstance that the depositions had not been pre-
pared for the prisoner's committal, said that he was
not surprised that the magistrate should have come
to the determination he had upon such a state of
facts as those detailed in the evidence, which were
not only uncontradicted but incapable of contradic-
tion; but he had little doubt that after the magis-
trate had heard what it would be his (Mr. Sleigh's)
duty to advance, he would save thelady be-
fore him the painful and degrading ordeal ohf atarihad
by
by jury. That the ribbon was _taken
put into her pocket there could be n
o doubt. But
would
the question for the magistrate's consideration
be, whether she had at the time of taking it a
felonious intent ; and her position, means, and
high character all irresistibly led to a different con-
clusion. She was the daughter of a highly re-
spectable man, and amongst those now in attend-
ance to vouch for her extreme propriety of conduct
were the vicar and curate of the parish. The greatest
and wealthiest members of society were frequently
known to suffer from fits of mental abstraction,
from treachery of memory, and he would show by
medical and other testimony that such was and had
been for a length of time the condition of this young
lady; her mental power while in the prosecutor's
shop was absorbed in matching the silk, and her
abstraction of intellect led her to do what she was
perfectly unconscious of.
Mr. Arnold questioned whether, in sitting to C 011"