The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-07 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE,

(This Day.)

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

THE ROYAL BaITISU BANK.

A meeting was held for the examination of alleged
debtors to this estate, but it was !.trictly private as on
the previous occasions. The eximination of Mr. Staple.
ton, one of the directors, will take place tc-morrow.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Evans.)

A SINGULAR BANKRUPT.—IN RE LASEINIAR.—This
bankrupt had carried on business as a seed crusher,
&c., at Torrington Mill., Arundel, Sussex, and to-day
was appointed for choice of assignees.
➢lr. Beard, from the offica of Mr. Buchanan, Basing-
hall-street, appeared for the petitioning, and several
other creditors and assignee were chcsen, and Mr.
Buchanan appointed solicitor.

The bankruptcy is said to have arisen from a dispute
with a ,person with whom the bankrupt ha 3 formerly
been in pal tnership. The debts are stated at about
2,0001,, and the assets consisting of the plant, and
machinely, is valued at 3,0001.

CITY SHERIFFS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Prendergast, Q C.)
MASON V. WILKER-COSTS IN VEXATIOUS ACTIONS AND

DEFENCES.

This case bad been adjourned at the instance of the
defendant, who resides at Hitchin, Huts, who under-
took to prove that 15s. disputed in the account had been
paid. He now came up a second time from Hitchin, and
his wife was also in attendance to prove the payment,
which the plaintiff in the first instance denied.
Mr. Buchanan said that he appeared on the first occa-
sion for the plaintiff, but was not now instructed ; but he
understood from his clerk that plaintiff had abandoned
the summons.

The defendant complained of these vexatious proceed-
ings, and claimed full expenses.

His Honour granted 1/. 6 for costs and expanses.

To show the imperfections of the present County Court
Act, as entailing heavy costs, it may be stated that Mr.
Buchanan himself had been retained by a person residing
at Gravesend, and was instructed to go to support an
action in the Canterbury County Court. The defendant
however took no notice of the applicatio❑ for payment,
and Mr. Buchanan had to take out a summonc, and
attend at the Gravesend Court, al the business was not
transacted in London, or bring an action in one of the
superior courts. Defendant had no defence.
His Honour (Mr. E zpinage) was aware of the incon-
venience, but all he could do was to allow costs.

AUSTIN V. GRAVE.-QUESTION UNDER THE INSOLVENT

ACT.

This was an arljourned summons, and since the last
hearing the defendant had obtained a vesting order and
protection from the Insolvent Debtors' Court. Mr.
Buchanan now urged that this was a bar to any com-
mitment at present, and if one issued, and defendant was
taken into custody, he wool i be immediately released by
the Commissioner.

The plaintiff said that the protection wai not given
until after the judgment of this court bad been ob-
tained.

His Honour—The defendant is a clerk, and earning
hie money every week; why can't he pay 7
. . . .

Mr. Buchanan—lf he did he would run the risk of
having his petition dismissed or subjecting himself to
some penalty for dealing with his property, which is all
vested in the Court of Insolvency after the vesting
order. Pending the interim order, I submit your
Honour has no power to commit ; all the cases are
in support of that proposition, although a question may
arise after the final order has been granted.

His Honour ultimately said that he wouli not make
any order in the present stage of ,the proceedings, but
leave the plaintiff to apply, after the Court of Insol-
vency had given their judgment on tho petition.
Mr. Buchanan said he did not anticipate such a result,
but if the petition were dismissed all the plaintiff's rights
would revive.

CRIMINAT, COURT—(ib;s Day.)

OLD COURT.

(Before the Recorder.)
John Tobin, 26, tanner, John Davis., 18, labourer,
John Vernon, 40, labourer, and John Roderick, labourer,
were indicted for stealing 2 cwt., 2 qrs., 18 lbs. weight

of leather, value 111., the property of Mr. Arthur War-
ing. The case presented no particular features of inte-
rest, except in connection with a charge against Messrs.
Bevington and Procter, members of a high!y revectable
leather firm in Bermondsey, for receiving the stolen

goods. They were placed at the bar this morning, and
in the first arraignment pleaded not guilty. They were
then removed feona the bar until the charge against the
first four prisoners was disposed of. The Jury, after a
lengthened investigation, found the four prisoners

guilty.
Sentence deferred.
_ John Tobin and John Vernon were again charged
with stealing a similar quantity of leather on another
day, and Mr. Alfred Bevington and Mr. James Procter
were charged with receiving the goods, knowing them
to have been stolen.

Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Cooper prosecuted ; Sir F.

. _
Thesiger, Mr. Sergeant Parry, and Mr. Robinson de-
fended Messrs. Devington and Procter. The other

prisoners were undefended.
It appeared from the evidence that, on the 13th Jan.
last, the prisoners Tebin and Vernon were seen on the
prosecutor's premises handling leather. They afterwards
employed a carter, of Bermondsey, named Buckingham,
to take the leather in question to Messrs. Bevington
and Proctor, and whilst loading the cart Tobin said to
Buckingham, " If you are asked where you come from
don't say, because they will be able to buy as cheap as es ;
but say you came from Edwards', of Croydon." At
Messrs. Bevington':, Mr. Neale observing the cart be-
longed to a Bermondsey man, said to Buckingham, "Do
you think these goods are all right 3" lie asked where
the goods came from, because Tobin was a soldier, and
he added, "We don't know where these small men buy
their goods." Buckingham then told him "from Ed-
wards', of Croydon." The prosecutor's foreman said that
it was the ordinary course of things, in reference to the
glue trade, for men to go about and buy small pieces
such as those stolen, and that Tobin's father was such a
collector for upwards of 20 years. The prosecutor hav-
ing ascertained that he had been robbed, went, in conse-
quence of information he received, to Messrs. Bevington
and Procter's and saw the leather, which he identified as
his own. lie inquired where the goods came from,
and a sale note was produced with Tobin's name
on it at 325. per cwt. Prosecutor expressed his surprise
at their purchasing the goods at so low a rate, especially
as Mr. Neale, their traveller, had only a few days before
bought of him a ton at 725. per cwt., and said that if
that was the way they conducted their business no
tradesman woul Ibe safe. The leather was taken pos-
session of by the police. On a subsequent visit he asked
who fixed the price for the goods, and he understood
Mr. Procter to soy that Mr. Bevington fixed the price
and he paid the money. The prisoner's books were put
in, which showed that regular entries were made of the
purchase of this description of article, and an account with
Tobin's father, who was dead, continued with the son
(one of the prisoners) down to this transaction. The
leather in question was called •` glue pieces," or "size
pieces," and was used for making a superior kind of size
used for paper making. These pieces ware worth from
70e. to 755. per cwt. Mr. Bevington is at present
churchwarden of Bermondsey, and a trustee, and trea-
surer of the Bermondsey Free Grammar School. The
prosecutor said that he had known Mr. Bev:ngton for
upwards of 20 years. He had no vindictive feeling
against him; and added that he had always found him
most straightforward in his dealings. Mr. Procter is a
young man about 22 or 23 years of age, and his father,
who was a partner of Mr. Bevington, died about the
time of the robbery and purchase of the goods.
Sir F. Thesiaer, in an able address to the jury, said
that Mr. Bevington was the father of 10 children, and
had lived upwards of 43 years in the parish of Bermond-
sey. During that time he had performed all the duties
of the various parish offices with honour and credit to
hinisilf, and had obtained the esteem and regret of all
who k❑ew him. He called on the jury to acquit Messrs.
Bevington and Procter of any guilty knowledge in
this transaction, and alluded to the fact of Tobin's father
being known in the trade as a collector of "glue pieces,''
and Tobin'A desire to deceive tiiern where the voile
came from.

Evideneo was about being eallA to ehara^ter, when

The Foreman said the jury were of opinion that such

evidence was unucc: sary.
The Recorder said that, under the circumstances, it
had better be heard.
Mr. Beriah Drew, a magistrate ; Mi. W. Mortimer,
of Clapham ; Mr. Hepburn, a magistrate of Surrey ;
Mr. S. Morris, of Dulwich•common ; the Rev. J. Davis,
Ordinary of Newgate ; Mr. John Neale, of Camber-
well ; Mr. H. Sterry, New Kent-road, surgeon ; Mr.
R. Sleigh, vestry clerk of the adjoining parish of Ber-
mondsey ; Mr. Chandler. warehouseman and wine
Merchant ; and the Rev. J. Evans, secretary to the
Christian Knowledge Society, gave the defendant (Mr.

Bevington) an excellent character fur integrity. Several
of them also gave Mr. Procter an excellent character.
The Learned Recorder having summed up,
The jury returned a verdict of guilty against Tobin
and Vernon, and not guilty against Messrs. Bevington
and Procter, and recommended them to act with a little
more caution in future in the purchase of goods.
The announcement was received with applause.
There was a second indictment against the prisoner,
but no evidence was offered.-

Sentence on the other prisoners was deferred.

STATE OF THE POLLS.—(This Day.)

MAYO (COUNTY.)

` Palmer ...
Higgins ...
Moore ...

... 790
... 813
... 779

SUSSEX (EAST )-10.45 a.m.
Dodson ... 560
Cavendish 517
Pevensey 398
Fuller ..• .•• ••• ••• 351

MEMBERS RETURNED.
MEATH (CouNTY)—Connelly and M'Evoy.

NOMINA.TIONS.
COIINTY CAVAN.—Maxwell, Anne&ley Dense, and
Gartland.
COUNTY Forde, and Ker.