The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-27 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE
IVES TM INSTE
EXTENSITE R9lll3LitY DT A FOREMAN. —Waiter
Sallis, a foreman at Messrs. Rigby's, the exteasise
builders and contractors, Holy well street, Westmin-
ster, was placed at the bar before Mr. Broderipi,
charged with stealing a great number of mahogany
slabs and hoards, the property of his employers.
Mr. W. Cumming, an inspector of the B division,
stated that he had been engaged by Messrs. Rigby
during the last ten days in investigating the cause ~f
the late extensive fire at their premises, and from in-
formation he received in the course of that inquiry he
was induced to go to 119, Lillington-street, Vauxhall-
bridge-road, where he found 20 slabs and planks of
mahogany. lie subsequently apprehended the pri-
soner upon the charge of stealing them, when he said
he could very soon clear. himself and account for it all
by his book.
&venal witnesses were called, whose evidence
proved that in the month of November last a large
log of mahogany was being cut at Messrs. Rigby's,
for Messrs. Wigram, of B'ackvvall, and that the pri-
soner, who was superintendent of the saw-mills, and
had a considerable quantity of valuable timber under
his charge, about six weeks before Christmas last told
Mr. Hutchinson, a builder, engaged in erecting some
houses in Lillington-street, that he had some mahogany
for sale, and ultimately sold him, at the rate of five-
pence per foot, the slabs and planks subsequently found
by the police inspector, and for which Mr. Hutchin-
son paid the accused the sum of 51. 13e. It was
further shown by the testimony of men employed in
the saw-mills at Messrs. Rigby's, that alter the log
of mahogany spoken of had been cut there, a cart was
loaded with the planks and slabs, by direction of the
prisoner, in his employer's yard, and owing to some
suspicion existing in the minds of two or three of the
men that all was not going on right, they made a
memorandum at the time, and had the cart which
conveyed the mahogany away watched to Mr.
Hutchinson's, builder, in Lillington-street. It fur-
ther transpired that the prisoner had sold two other
pieces of mahogany to a carpenter named Price, and
Mr. John William Lyon, cashier to Messrs. Rigby,
distinctly proved that the prisoner had no authority
to dispose of any timber upon the premises, and no
account whatever had been given by him of the sale
of the mahogany slabs and planks purchased by Mr.
Hutchinson.
Mr. BRODERIP haVing intimated to the prisoner
that it would be his duty to remand him for a week,
in order that some further evidence to complete the
case against him might be produced, inquired whether
he wished to say anything at present, or would res
serve his reply, if he had any, until then.
The prisoner declined saying anything until a
future occasion, and was remanded for a week.
()GERKEN WELL.
Yesterday a respectably-dressed young Scotchman,
who said his name was John Rice, residing at the
Yorkshire Dining rooms, Duke-street, L sndon-
bridge, applied to Mr. Combe for advice and assist-
ance under the following circumstances :
Applicant said that he came from Edinburgh about
a week ago, and took lodgings at the above house.
He had held the situation of clerk to the firm of a
coal merchant, whose service he had left in conse-
quence of their going to California. He came to
London with the view of procuring a situation, and
on Thursday last he saw an advertisement in the
Times newspaper stating that for a douceur of 101. a
situation as clerk and collector could be provided for
any respectable young man who was willing to ad-
vance that sum, and application to he made at the
" Auction, Estate, and General Offices, No. 61, Theo-
bald's-row, Holborn." The applicant instantly made
application there, when he found a place fitted up and
covered with bills. and he had an interview with a
fellow who put on an air of consequence, .and inti-
mated that he could procure for him a most respecta-
ble situation as clerk and collector, and it would be
necessary for him to advance 51. on account, and he
would negotiate with the parties, so that he (appli-
cant) might enter the situation on the following Mon-
day. He advanced the 61.. for which he was given
a receipt signed " John James," and he left the
place. On the Friday he received the following
letter : _ _

" Auction Eitate and General Offices,
Theobald's-row, London, March 22, 1850.

" If Mr. Rice call upon Mr. John James to-morrow
morning between ten and eleven o'clock, he will be at
leisure to see him respecting the situation advertised is
the Times newspaper.

" JOHN JAMES."
Applicant called at the time appointed, Ind saw Mr.
James, who informed him that all was right, and said
it would b. necessary for him (applicant) to advance
another 51. to make up the 101. before he could get
him the situation, and he might enter into the ser-
vice on the Monday week following. He began to
suspect the party, and declined parting with more
money, and on making inquiries he ascertained that
numerous persons had been defrauded Gf their pro-
perty under exactly similar circumstances, and the
neighbourhood was in continual confusion in consc•-
quince of the parties who were duped applying to
have their money returned to them, and ap?licant de-
termined on making the pre&ent application.
Mr. COMM said it was lucky for hhn that he had
not parted with the 101. He could not a'sist him ;ne
could only recommend him to seek redress in the
county court.
The officers described the plan to have been
carried on by a nest of designing fellows, who had for
years past pursued their nefarious practices in the
same manner in various parts rf London, and their
victims were generally poor needy persons in search
of employment.
Applicant left the court, saying he would follow the
advice of the worthy magistrate.