The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-17 00:00:00

sONIMOIIIM. lism..is,4

LAW IIviTELLIGENCE.—Nov. 16.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Goulburn.)

IN THE BANKRUPTCY OF LEOPOLD REDPATH--.THE

'GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY FRAUDS.

This. was a dividend meeting in the matter of
Leopold Red path. A proof on behalf of the Great
Northern Railway Company was put in for 200,0001.
and upwards, being the produce of certain stock.
Commissioner—Does any one oppose the proof
Mr. Lawrance--No one oppose I the proof. The
company bad paid, or at all events satisfied every
other creditor of the bankrupt. They were deter-
mined that any suggestion that this man Redpath
had got credit, or assumed an appearance, on the
strength of his being an officer of the company,
should have no foundation. By an act oflastsession
20 and 21 Vic., cap. 138, the company could have
proved in competition with the other creditors, in
which case the creditors would only have received
a fractional dividend of about 2s. in the pound.
They hed resolved to pay off all the creditors.
Some of the creditors had been paid 15s. in the
pound—some more, but every creditor had been
satisfied. There was not the slightest legal or
moral obligation on the part of the company
to do this. The amount of Red path's frauds, as
recited in the schedule to the account, amounted
to 221,0001. He issued fraudulent dividend
warrants for 15,5001., making together about
236,0001. By the statute passed last session the
amount to to received by the company as dividend
on this estate would be applied by them subject to
the decision of the Court cf Chancery in the case
now before it.

The official assignee (Mr. Pennell) said be bad
received on account of the estate 30,0001.
The proof for 200,0001. was tendered on behalf of
the Great Northern Railway Company, by Mr.
Mowatt, secretary to the company.
The C. ,mmissioner—l want to know what power
they have to turn this money obtained by fraud
into a proof.
It was replied by Mr. lAwrance that the act of
last session declared 311 the forged shares to be valld.
The Commissioner could not see how the act
authorised this amount to be treated as a debt due
from Redpatb, and defer. ed judgment, as the point
was an import t one.
Judgment deferred accordingly.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Phillips.)

THE CAREER OF " MONTEFIORE," IN RE WOOLF LEVY.

This insolvent, who has figured at the Mansion-
house on several occasions, when charged with al-
leged forgeries on !he Cape of Good Hope Bank,
when he passed as " Montefiore " appeared from.
the Queen's Prison on his application to be dis-
charged under the act.

The case, from its extraordinary character, ex-
cited a good deal of public interest.
Mr. Dowse, with wuom was Mr. Macrae appeared
to oppose for Mes,rs. Wilson. and Ritchie, merchants
at Colombo ; also for Mr. Benson, tobacconist, of
Oxford-street, and for the Cape of Good Hope Bank.
Mr. Sargood supported the application for dis-
charge.

Tile schedule filed by the insolvent showed that
he bad been known as " Montetiore, Langfeldt,
and Lyon." He had resided, alth ugh only 30
years of age, in many parts of the world. He owed
6,9061. 4s. 2d., and had 1561. owing to him. He
had 26 creditors and seven debtors. The insolvency
was attributed to the bill of exchange held by Messrs
Wilson and Ritchie having been dishonoured, and
the proceedings taken against him at the Gip, of
Good Hope. He alleged that he had sustained a
loss on the bill of 2,6001.
The career of the insolvent, as disclosed by his
own examination, presented some remarkable fea-
tures. He said his real name was " Woolf Levy,"
by which he wa4 known from his birth, in 1827, un-
til he parted with it in 1853, in which year he left
England. His p: esent debts commenced from Feb.,
1854. He was born and educated in this country.
In 1846 he first left England and remained in Aus-
tralia two years, wnere be was in business in his
own name of " Woolf Levy." He was iu Sydney,
and went to Calcutta with about 30 horses as a
speculation. He left Calcutta at thE end of 1849,
and was there as " Woolf Levy." He then came
to England, which he reached in 1850, and after a
sojourn of four months he went to the United
States. He went to New York, where he resiled a
few months, and travelled through the entire Union.
He had a partner. Tuey dealt in various things
which they bought at New York and sold in the
western parts. They dealt in "Yankee curiosities,"
which included " wooden nutmegs."
Mr. Commissioner Pnillips— What ! Do you
mean to say you sold nutmegs of wood, and per-
suaded them they were spice.
Insolvent—They don't know the difference.
I, The partnership, it appeared from the insolvents'
examination, lasted a couple of years. He had stayed
at St. Louis. At that time, which was in 1853, he
turned his attention to railways. He had some
money, which he had gained by speculati „ns, to
about 1,0001. He then used the name of "Monte-
fibre," which was suggested to him by a gentle-
man of the same name, as he intended to go
to California. He went to California as " Monte-
bore," and speculated in mining shares. He went
to Panama, where be thought of forming a com-
pany, but di.l nA. Whilst there he contracted a
debt with a Niss Cora, which now appeare 1 in the
schedule. He went from that place to San Fran- •
cisco, where he stayed some months, speculating in
land and mining shares. He drew a bill on Sir M.
Montefiore for the ac.lommodation of a person
named Raphael. _ _ _

Mr. DOW- 3 asked the insolvent whether th e house
of Sir M. Montefiore had•any money of his ?
Mr. Sar;oo:l objected to the question.
The insolvent admitted, in answer to the Com-
missioner, that he had no authority to draw on the
house, and that he had no funds there.

He proceeded with his history to state that he
left San Francisco in July or Augu4, 1854, when
he went to Manilla, on his way to Calcutta, ..Laving,
made about 3, 20+ from sp -Tulations, which money
he had in a draft at Sau Francisco.

Mr. Commissioner Phillips referred to the
balance she t, to show the style in which the
insolvent had tern living. He hid ben to all
parts of the geld territ )ries and in two years the
travelling expenses were above 1,600/..
Mr. Sarvo i was riot serprised, remembering
what had b, e s .id of travelling in Calitornia.
The insolvent went on to say be had 2,7001,
which he turned into a draft for 2,6001., which he
obtained of a banker named lime, which draft pur-
ported to be drawn by Burgoyne and Co., ou Bar-
ing Brothers, of London. From Manilla he went
to Hong Kong, in the name of Mon tefiore where
he contracted a dent to pay his expenses at Manilla,
which were 1 age. He afterwards went to Ceylon,
staying at Point de Galle; Colaintio. The steamer
broke down. He had some jewels at the time. He
came to England in the pomniencement of 1855, with
7001. or 800/., having made about 2,0001. at
Colombo. Before he reached England, he went
to Egypt and lialy, and also to Cairo and Alex-
andria. He was a: Florence with about 1,2001.,
and whilst there h made the acquaintance of a*Mr.
Brown, who wanted him to have 1,0001. of him,
and after being pressed he took 5001. (A laugh.)
The money was spent in travelling about. When he
came to England in 1835 be went to Newcastle to
look afier a vessel, and there he assumed the name
of " Langfeldt," which was the name of an hotel
acquaintance, and he adopted it b-cause he did not
want to be arrested. He went to Biistol and bought
a schooner, named Triumvir, for 3001., which he
had repaired, and the parties held the same. He
obtained another vessel, the Charles Greed, of Mr.
Hewitt, which he sold He was at Bristol about
three months, and contracted some debts. He then
came to Lond,m, and FUG up at the Clarend n
Hotel, in Bond street. Hd had a carriage and pair
of horses, with a " tiger." He ha,l obtam. d cigars
of Mr. Benson, tobacconist, of Oxford-street, to
521., and stationery from Mr. Rodrigues, of Picca-
dilly, to 35/., which he now owed. He admitted
that tire coat of arms on the paper and envelopes
produced had been prepared by that creditor, and
no little amusement was aff rded by Mr. Cornmis-
aioner Phillips tryin; to decipher the motto and the
crest, which la-.tec consisted of two lions and a
horse. The motto was " Auro est non omnes,"
which the learned Ci sinner said meant "Every
one is not in cash," Sit obs Tvation which caused a
peal of laughter.He went, to Edinburgh, and after-
wards sailed to the Cape of Good Hope. The bank
then had cashed his cheques to 798/. He had been
in custody from Oct., 1655, to 0,3 t , 1856, whenhe
was discharged by the advice of the Attorney. G
ral, and he came to England, where he arrivedhnaedy-
9ne-
in Jan., 1857, and had since then been in prison.
A point arose as to the authority of Messrs. Wil-
son and Ritchie to oppose, but it was established,
and in the course of the case there was a discussion
as to the bank opposing ; but the opposition went

on.
Mr. Benson, tobacconist, of Oxford street, de_
scribed the tkanner in which the insolvent; got into
his debt. He appeared in an equipage like a prince
and threw down a 51. note, and could not wait for
the change. He afterwards gave orders to 521.,
which he now owed.
Mr. Dowse, a-ked for an adjournment to com-
municate with Colombo. The petition was filed
in -114 Y, and the schedule in October, so that there
had not been sufficient time.
r. Commissioner Phillips held that the parties
knew he went to prison in January, and might
ave communicated with Colombo.
Mr. Dowse objected that there was no evidence