The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-07 00:00:00

wife withcruclty, ptither inbbdily fear, threatened
her life, and that he had also committed adultery
with Elizabeth Rowlands.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—March 5.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Alfred Boyden Lambe
L surrendered in discharge of his bail, and was finally
examined before the Lord Mayor upon the charge
,of having stolen various quantities of brandy and
wine, belonging to his employer, Mr. J. Jones,
wine merchant, Royal Exchange Vaults.
At the former examination it was shown that, by
the directions of the defendant, wine and spirits
had been removed from the premises of the prose-
cutor without entries of them being made in the
delivery book ; but it was contended by the counsel
for the defendant that this omission was owing to
the neglect of the cellarman, who had been dis-
missed from his situation for irregularity in his
accaunts. It was also contended by the defendant's
counsel, although denied by the prosecutor, that a
partnership existed between the parties.
After two witnesses had been examined to com-
plete the evidence on two charges of stealing, evi-
dence was adduced in cases in which defendant was
charged with having embezzled several small sums
of money, amounting to about £5.
The defendant, in reply to the charge, said—l
am a partner, and always was so ; and I leave my
case in the hands of my counsel.

He was then committed for trial, but admitted to

bail.

BOW-STREET.—Mr. Bowen May, of Russell-
square, the solicitor to the London. Medical Regis-
tration Association, accompanied by Dr. Ladd, the
hon. secretary, and several of the directors of the
society, attended before Mr. Henry to prosecute a
criminal charge John Gibson Bennett, alias Dr.
Wafters, alias Dr. Colston, alias Drs. Singleton,
Skinner, Luders, &c., for having obtained money*:
by false and fraudulent pretences.
The defendant was called in the usual manner by.
the officers of the court, but he did not appear,
although an undertaking had been given by his'
learned counsel, Mr. Digby Seymour, and his soli-
citor, Mr. Hayes, that he should attend the present
examination.
A son of Mr. Hayes was present, but he in-
formed the Court that he did not attend profes-
sionally. His father had no further instructions in
the case, and did not know where Bennet was, and
Mr. Seymour was engaged on his circuit.
Mr.. Henry—l consider your father ought to have
attended. What do you propose to do, Mr. May?
We cannot entertain a criminal charge in the ab-
sence of the accused. Do you apply for a warrant ?
. Mr. May—Yes, that is my intention, sir; and I
propose to state a few of the particulais of this
ex-
traordinary case, and to support them by the
evidence of witnesses who have been brought froin
all parts of this country and Scotland at a great
expense to the society which represents, and which
has be6n recently organised to promote the purity
of the medical registry, and to protect the public
from the frightful consequences of the frauds re-
sorted to by a set of scoundrels calling themselves
medical men without the slight qualification or
knowledge of the profession.
Mr. Henry—You need not go any further into
your case, but prove sufficient to justify your appli-
cation for a warrant.
Mr. May then stated at considerable length the
facts which had been brought to light respecting
the concoction of a "British and Foreign Ear In-
firmary," at 32, Spring-gardens with its branch
office at Brighton, managed by Miss Bennett, the
defendant's sister. The defendant, his brother
(against whom he also applied for a warrant), and
several other " partners" of the firm, had assumed
various names and disguises, such as Dr. Watters,
Colston, &c., granting interviews to afflicted
patients, prescribing remedies, and pocketing fees
to such an extent that it had been ascertained that
as much as £4,000 per annum had been realised by
the " infirmary." These results had been brought
about by extensive advertising and puffing, and to
show the unscrupulous character of these proceed-
ings, Mr. May read an extract from one of their
printed circulars, falsely purporting to be the
opinion of the Times, as to the extraordinary skill
and successful operations of these benefactors of
the public. Their transactions were not confined
to England ; they had been extended to Paris and
the Continent, and even to New York. Packages
of medicine in boxes, for which £5 £5O, and
upwards of £lOO had been received, were duly de-
spatched, and he (Mr. May) had now in court
several bottles of the " mixture" which had been
palmed upon the confiding public as an infallible
remedy for deafness, but which, on being analysed
by medical men now present, proved to be
merely a composition of urine and alum. (Sen-
sation.) It was a great source of satisfaction
to the association which he (Mr. May) repre-
sented that they had been able to break up and
disperse this gang of so-called practitioners ; but
they were anxious that the leaders should be pur-
sued and punished, and it was with this view he
now applied for warrants for the apprehension of
both the Bennetts, forbearing, for the present, to
say anything of a gentleman in his own profession
who had been intimately associated with them.
James Crichton, a fisherman, from St. Andrew's,
Fifeshire (whose deafness rendered it necessary to
have a brother present as an interpreter), proved
that he was attracted by the advertisement to con-
sult Dr. Wafters, and, after sending a post7office
for £1 35., .travelled to London with his
.brother,
and waited upon the doctor, who was represiented
by Bennett. The treatment afforded him no benefit.
Miss Mary Scattergood, a young lady at present
residing in Denmark-street, Camberwell, deposed
that she was afflicted with deafness about two years
ago, and was induced to consult a Dr. Colston, at
Leicester-place. She paid him £5 55., and was
made considerably worse by the treatment she re-
ceived, although her hearing was subsequently re-
stored under Dr. Yearsley. About a month or six
weeks ago she happened to accompany a lady
friend, who went to 32, Spring-gardens to consult
a Dr. Watters about her deafness, but directly she
entered the place she identified in the person who
called himself Dr. Watters the man who, two years
ago, treated her as Dr. Colston, and received her
£5 ss. She instantly accused him of the fraud,
and demanded back her money. They threatened
to turn her out, but she brought an action against
the man, who proved to be the defendant Bennett,
and recovered her money and the costs in the County
Court, the case having been taken up for her by the
association.

Thomas Oldfield, formerly a porter in the employ
of defendant, at 32, Spring-gardens, proved that
Bennett called himself Dr. Watters sometimes.
I There was a place where urine was kept, and wit-
ness had assisted in the making up of medicine
from it. He had only done what he was ordered to
do, and his wages were paid. (A laugh.)
Claude Edwards, who described himself as the
chief assistant' and factotum of the Bennets, de-
posed that he had known them about 15 months.
He was first engaged by John Gibson Bennett, who
personated Dr. Waters, and in that name received
fees varying from smaller sums to £25, £34, £57,
&c. There was a real Dr. Watters, who used to
call occasionally, but very seldom. He called the
last time about six months ago, and expressed his
sorrow at ever having been connected with the
Bennetts at all. William Alfred Bennett was in
partnership with his brother, the defendant, and
witness kept the books. They made about £2,000
a-year each. William also practised in Tavistock-
street as a " Dr. Brandon." The advertisements
were often sent from Tavistock-street, and some-
timee they were not paid for. (A laugh.) Dr.
Brandon used to write testimonials to the skill of
Dr. Watters, " who had cured him of a deafness of
23 years' standing."
Mr. King, an elderly gentleman, residing at
Norland-place, Notting-hill, proved that, having
received a letter respecting an alleged cure effected
by Dr. Watters in a case of deafness of 25 years'
standing," he was tempted to call at Spring-gar-
dens. He saw the person who pretended to by Dr.
Watters, and he promised an effectual cure by
means of some remarkable treatment discovered
during a residence in Japan, or somewhere in
China. (A laugh.) Witness paid him £l2 12s. at
first, and afterwards £lB 19s. 6d., the receipts for
which he now produced.
The witness Edwards here said,—That was Wm.
Bennett. I went with him to Mr. King's house,
and I went in first to rub Mr. King's back with a
mixture, while Bennett was having some brandy
and water at a neighbouring public-house.
(Laughter.) Then Bennett came in to receive the
money. He told me, " I have let him off with .El 2
12s. but if I can rap it into him for more I will."
Mr. King said he parted with his money in. the
belief that the statment about the Chinese remedy
was true.

William Lewis said he was formerly associated
with the Bennetts when they were card-sharpers,
&c., and did a little business in dock warrants.
They were never connected with the medical pro-
fession.

Mr. Henry granted warrants against both the
Bennetts, although the present "local habitation"
of the brothers appeared somewhat uncertain.

MARYLEBONE.—Mr. Thomas Anderson, che-
mist, 30, Duke-street, Manchester-square, was
charged upon a summons taken out by Mr. Thor.
ley, the dealer in cattle food, with having attempted
under false pretences to obtain the sum of £2 6s. 6d.
It appeared that in December last the defendant
solicited an order for cattle food from a veterinary
surgeon, named Poyser, of Ashbourne, Derbyshire.
A conversation took place between them as to what
was the best food far cattle, and the defendant said