The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-19 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Winslow.)
IN RE SIR S. Id. PETO, BART., M.P. BETTS, AND
CRAMPTON.

These bankrupts were the well-known con-
tractors, and to-day was 4ppointed for the last
examination and order of discharge. It was
arranged that the proof should stand over until the
25th inst.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-THIS DAY.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

OBTAINING MONEY BY FALSE PRETENCES.-Mr.
George Simpson Mackennal, a money lender, of
No. 27, Avenue-road, St. John's-wood, and No.
61, Piccadilly, was charged before Mr. Knox on a
warrant with obtaining by false pretences the sum
of £9 from George Bestal Jerrani with intent to
defraud him of the same.

Mr. Edward Lewis, of Great Marlborough-
street, appeared for the prosecution ; and Mr. Geo.
Lewis, jun., of Ely-place, for the defence.
On the case being called on, it was stated that
the prosecutor was not in attendance.
Mr. Knox ordered the information on which the
warrant was obtained to be read, and it was read
as follows :

" I, George Bestal Jerram, of No. 5, Great
Queen-street, Westminster, on oath, saith :
On the 9th January I called upon Mr. Mackennal
for the purpose of procuring a loan £2,000 upon
mortgage for the Trowbridge Water Supply Com-
pany. I called in consequence of seeing an adver-
tis,!ment in the Telegraph, representing that the
said Mr. Mackennal bad large sums of money
to advance, and stating that the said Mr.
Mackennol was in a position to give banker's
reference. That the said Mr. Mackennal amongst
other things stated that he should have to make
inquiries at Trowbridge, and if the same were
satisfactory he would advance the money. He
told me he would require £9 for the purpose of
such inquiries, and, after a good deal of conversa-
tion, I gave him the £9. That the said Mr. Mac-
kennal has since declined to advance any money
to the said company. That lam informed and
believe that the said Mr. Mackennal has never
instituted any inquiry as promised. 'That
at the time of obtaining the £9 from me he had
no means wherewith to make an advance of £2,000,
and that he neither kept nor does he now keep a
banker's account, and that at the time of obtaining
such sum of £9, as
agreed upon, he had no inten-
tion of advancing any money to the said company."
Mr. Knox said he would hear what the officer,
who took the prisoner into custody, had to say.
Charles Butcher, a plain clothes officer of the C
division, said that a warrant was placed in his
hands for the arrest of the prisoner for obtaining
the sum of £9 by false pretences, and he arrested
the prisoner last night at 10 o'clock. The prisoner
said the matter was a' long time ago, and that he
was surprised a magistrate should have granted a
warrant, and that he thought a summons would
have done. He also said he had been shown up in
the papers, but that no one could do anything to
him. He admitted that be bad no bank account.
He went-to the prisoner's office and found about a
cartload of letters from persons all over the coma•
try in reference to money matters. He (the
officer) had for a long time been engaged in making
inquiries respecting the prisoner in the country, and
he had to report on the matter, there having been
numerous complaints from gentlemen of similar
conduct to that in the present case.
Mr. Knox said that in the discharge of his public
duty, although there was no prosecutor in attend-
ance, he could not discharge the prisoner, and there
must be a remand. He did not consider himself
justified in discharging
the prisoner.
Mr. G. Lewis said he waa prepared to show that
the prisoner had advanced many thousands. The
charge was for obtaining the sum of £9, that sum
being charged by the prisoner for inquiries, and
there was nothing
not been made. to show that the inquiries had
The prisoner bad advanced £30,000
within the past 12 months.
Mr. Knox said that looked to him very much like
putting the criminal law into operation to recover
money, and then quietly settling the matter.
Mr. G. Lewis said that he could prove that the
prisoner was what he rept., seated himself to be.
Mr. Knox asked Mr. Lewis whether he meant
him to understand that the prisoner carried on a
bona fide business as a money lender ?
Mr. Lewis said he did, and also that of an agent.
Mr. Knox said he would take bail, the prisoner
in £5OO, and two in £250, and he would issue a
summons for the attendance of the prosecutor.