The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-03 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (This Day.)

THA MES.

EMBEZZLEMENT BY A DOMESTIC/ SERVANT.—Harriet
Custer, aged 28, and dwelling at the time of her appre-
hension at No. 17, Angel-place, Stratford, was brought
before Mr. Yardley, charged with unlawfully appropria-
ting to her own use the sum of 251. and upwards, which
had been entrusted to her by her mistress for the pay-
ment of tradesmens'
It appeared from the evidence of Mr. William
Matthews, a gentleman residing at No. 7, Coborn-
terrace, Bow-road, that the prisoner had been in the
service of his mother, Mrs. Lawrence, at the same place,
and a good deal of confidence was reposed in the servant,
who was entrusted with money from time to time to dis-
charge the tradesmen's accounts. A fortnight ago Mr
BAL. Smith, a cheeaemonger,of No. 19,Leadenhall-street
sent in a bill to the amount 91. 19a. 11d. for goods sup-
plied to Mrs. Lawrence, who was very much surprised when
she received it, as she had given money to the prisoner
to discharge the account as the goods were delivered.
The prisoner was questioned by Mr. Matthews in the
presence of Mr. Smith and her mistress, and she. then
admitted that she had appropriated money, which she
ought to have paid to tradesmen, to her own use, and
also said she was very sorry, and if time was given she
would get the money. The prisoner was at once die-
missed from her situation, and other frauds having been
subsequently discovered, the prisoner was given into
custody. The butcher, baker, grocer, and every trades.
man who supplied Mrs. Lawrence with goods,
sent in bills, although the prisoner had been in-
trusted with money to pay for every thing on
delivery. In answer to questions by the magistrate,
Mr. Matthews said his mother was 77 years of
age and paralysed, and could cot attend the court. Mrs.
Lawrence was in the practice of giving the prisoner 51.
or 101. at a time to pay tradesmen's bills. Mr. Matthews
then produced the prisoner's account-book, and said
the deficiency amounted to 251. or 30/.,•and she bad not
put the proper dates in the book. She was discharged
on the 19th of August.
Mr. Yardley at first doubted whether the prisoner's
offence was criminal, but after reading some cases in the
law books said the prisoner had committed a larceny if
Mr. Matthews could establish by evidence what he had
set up. The case was a complicated and difficult one,
owing to the absence of Mrs. Lawrence and the difficulty
of proving that any money was paid to pay the bill of
any particular tradesman. It was a question of arith-
metic, and Mr. Mattheirs must look over the prisoner's
account-book and ascertain from that bow much she had
set down as having been" tlaid to tradesmen which had
not been paid.
The father of the prisoner said he was very sorry his
daughter had acted in the way she bad done, but he
considered she was allowed too much latitude, and her
accounts ought to have been checked every week. It
was the fault of the mistress.

Mr. Yardley said he had allowed the father too much
latitude, and rebuked him for attempting to censure an
aged lady who had put confidence in her servant. He
would not allow such remarks on respectable persons
to be passed over unnoticed. Tbis was not a question
whether Mrs. Lawrence or Mr. Matthews had been
Prudent, but whether the prisoner bad unlawfully ap-
propriated 301. to her own use. He then remanded the
prisoner for a week.

ARREST OF TEIIII NORTITAMPTON POST-

MASTER.

NORTHAMPTON, TUESDAY.

This morning Mr. Butcher, the Northampton
postmaster, was arrested on a charge of stealing a
half-F overeign from a letter.
Complaints have keen made for some time about
letters that were posted in Northampton, contain-
ing money, not reaching their destination, and at
last it was determined, if possible, to see where the
fault lay. A gentleman named Mole, connected
with the London Post-office, posted a letter at
Oundle, Northamptonshire, containing a halt-sove-
reign, which had been marked in the presence of
witnesses. The letter was sent to the postmaster at
Northampton, with a request that he would for-
ward it to a lady at Macclesfield. Iu the meantime
the mail guard bad orders that as mon as the bag
containing the letters was delivered to him ou
Tuesday morning he was to opeu it and see if it
contained this letter. According to instructions
the bag was opened, but this particular letter was
missing. Mr. Mole then went to the post-office,
and asked Mr. Butcher if he had seen a letter ad-
dressed as above, and the postmaster said he had
not. Mr. Mole next inquired who was in the
post-office on Monday evening, and Butcher said
that he was, but there were others also with him
during a part of the time. Mr. Mole then asked the
postmaster if he bad any objection to be searched.
Mr. Butcher said "No," and on turning out his
pockets the half-sovereign which had been previ-
ously marked was discovered, and identified by
Mr. Mole.

Mr. Butcher was then given into custody, and
taken before the magistrates, wren, after a prelimi-
nary examination, he was remanded until Tuesday
next.

The arrest of Mr. Butcher, on the above serious
charge, has created intense excitement here, as he
was a man highly respected, and by his assiduity
and strict attention to business, from a humble
letter-carrier, has attained the proud position of
postmaster.—Cheltenham Chronicle.