The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-24 00:00:00

not have been any susp.eion. They were most inti-
mate with the Gordons, and always lived happily
together.
Mr. Bovill said he had other witnesses, but did
not think it was necessary to place'further evidence
befOre the jury.
The learned Under-Sheriff told the jury that the
case was before them, and he should make but one
observation upon it. Evidence had been given as
to the terms upon whicl) the plaintiff and bis wife
had lived, but there had been no female witness
called, which usually was the case.
Mr. Bovill said he could call plenty.
The Under-Sheriffsaid he was not suggesting that
they should be called, but was merely noticing the
fact in putting the case to the jury. The witnesses
who had been examined unquestionably were men
of high honour and integrity. And with only one
remark to the jury upon the fact that no female
witness had been called, he should leave them to
say what damages the plaintiff should obtain.
A juryman asked what were defendant's means ?
The Under-Sheriff said that was not necessary in
the consideration of what damages should be given
to the plaintiff for the wrong the defendant bad
done him. The damages must be assessed irrespec-
tive of the defendant's means of payment. He
heard Lord Tenterden say that if a man could not
pay in purse he must in person.
A Juryman—But we may be doing an injury to
Mrs. Gordon and her children, who should not
suffer.

The Under-Sheriff—That is a very natural con-
sideration, but the only question here is, what da-
mages you will give the plaintiff upon the evidence
before you ?
The jury gave a verdict for 3,000 t.

Prisoner (be3itating)—l am a clergyman of the
Church of England, sir.
Mr. Combe—le thii letter addressed to you.
Prisoner—lt is, sir. I am the Rev. Virdliam
Gray n:entioned in it.
Mr. Comb—Then I 7suppose you have turned
the postage stamps into money, and got drank. I
have no doubt you are a regular begging letter
im-
postor. I see by this letter that you have written
to a clergyman at Dublin for assistance in tome
benevolent object, and that he has spoken to an-
other clergyman, who has forwardel you 5e., and
as soon as you get it you spend it m drink. I
hope the public will be made acquainted with the
circumstances, to stop your imposing upon them
any more.
Prisonerl am not a begging-letter writer,
neither am I an impostor. I. am very sorry for
being in my present disgraceful position.
Mr. Combe—Well, I shall send your letter back
to the reverend gentleman who forwarded the
postage stamps to you, informing him that you
hive been brought before me for being drunk, and
then he will see your real character. You are dis-
charged, and I warn you to be more careful for
the future.

The prisoner then hastily left the court

LAMBETH.—James Gunn was charged with
plundering his employers, Messrs. Hopkins and
Co. silk mercers and drapers, of Nos. 61 and 62,
High-street, Shoreditch.
The prisoner carried on a business at Norwood,
under the superintendence of his wife, and was at
the same time in the service of Messrs. Hopkins,
as "shop-walker." He had been in the habit of
purchasing goods from the firm for his shop at Nor-
wood, and nothing had occurred' to shake the con-
fidence reposed in him by his employers until the
morning before, when a piece of ribbon found in
the library awakened suspicion, and Mr. Pegge
asked the prisoner if he had any objection to his
accompanying him to his house at Norwood, and
looking over his stock. The prisoner replied that
he had not the slightest objection, and, accom-
panied by the booking clerk, they proceeded to Nor-
wood. On examining the stock they found 7 valua-
ble shawls, 6 or 7 silk handkerchiefs, and 39 pair
of kid gloves, amounting altogether in value to
about 161., bearing the private marks of the firm,
and of which there were no entries in the book as
articles sold to the prisoner. The prisoner admitted
hehad had the goods fromthe firm, and when. handed
the book and asked to show the entries which should
have been made of them, his reply was that the
articles must have been entered as something else.
The gloves found supplied the most conclusive evi-
deuce against the accu.ed. Thdy were discovered
in a box stowed away amongst some apparently
useless lumber under the shop window, and bore
the private marks of the prosecutors.
He was committed for trial.

BANK OF ENGLAND RE fI7I?,NS.

(From the Times' City Article.)

The expediency of an earlier publication of the
weekly returns of the Bank of England has often
been discussed, Eand the writer of the following
communication is undoubtedly correct in asserting
that cases constantly occur in Vaich the knowledge
privately possessed with regard to them before they
are furnished to the general public is employed for
speculative purposes', not necessarily by any of the
directors, but.through the indiscretion of some of
them in conversing with their personel friends:
This evil, under the preient system, is incurable,
since the governors and leading directors, and also
the Court as a body, have in vain made the most
strenuous efforts to trace it to is source. If for
no other reason, therefore, the publication of the
return up to the end of each week in the Gazette of
the Tuesday, instead of that of the Friday follow-
ing, should be resolved upon. There are, 'how-
ever, many addit'onal and imperative motives for
the change. These returns are intended to enable
the public to foresee and prepare against the pro-
bable fluctuations in the value of money, and it
has been rightly urged that under the Currency
Act 0f,1814 they afford such a perfect barometer
in this respect that there can be no excuse for
any trader who may permit himself to be caught
in an approaching storm. But the present de-
lay deprives them of much of their value.
Three weeks back a large portion of the
public was taken by surprise at the sudden an,
"nouncement of the advance of the rate of discount
to 6i per cent. Nothing in the returns published
up to that date had indicated the certainty of any
such movement. But the Bank directors were act-
ing upon a return made up two days previously,
which showed a falling off in the bullion of 610,000/.,
and which might at that time have been published
to all the world, so as to give notice of the impend-
ing change. It is true there are some considerations
on the opposite side which may be cited to absolve
the directors from any intenrionil disregard of the
duties of publicity or of the general convenience of
the commercial world. The preparation of the ac-
counts, to be in time for the Gazette of Tuesday,
would possibly involve some slight difficulties ; and
there is also the argument that if the public were
to observe on any ilTednesday morning a great di-
minution of the bullion they would rush to get all
their bills discounted at the existing rate before the
Court could deliberate at thetr Thursday weekly
meeting on the advisability of increasing their t3rms.
But this would be easily met, since the Governor
could advance the rate on the Wednesday if the
applications were such as to render it requisite and
the Court could on the next day modify or adhere
to the step at pleasure. Moreover, it would he a great
advantage if the habit of leaving the rate to be fixed
by the weekly Court were altogether discontinued,
and the system were accommodated each day to the
ever-fluctuating relations of supply and demand :
"Sir,—May I ask you to allow me space in your co-
lumns to inquire why the weekly Bank returns are not
published in the Gazette of Tuesday, instead of being
withheld until Friday night ? At the present time, when
the Bank has in two weeks diminished its issues by can-
celling its notes to the amount of 380,0001. an
639,8001. (say 1,019,8001.), and diminished its bullion
by a like sum. it is certainly a matter of importance to
the commercial world to be put in possession of these
returns at the earl'est moment po,,!sible. As a bank of
is=ue only, there can be no difficulty in closing the
accounts on Saturday night, and, unless there is great
delay in receiving the balances from the branch banks,
which are included in the present returns I see. no rea-
son why they should not be ready for Tuesday night's
Gazette.
That an approximate result is known to the initiated
few early in the week is a fact which cannot be disputed,
and the best means to prevent such improper know-
ledge will be the earlier publication of the returns.
" I am, sir, yours faithfully,
" London, April 14."

“H.