The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-14 00:00:00

THE WHARTOI,T BARONY.

trade-.

Several witnesses were examined on behalf of the claimant
in this case to the Barony of Wharton, and the further con•
sideration of the subject was adjourned sine die.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, May 13.
(Before Chief Justice DENMAN, and a Common Jury.
LOCKIER V. PATERSON.

Mr. Platt, with whom was Mr. Gunning, appeared for the
plaintiff, Mr. Jervis and Mr. Bramwell for the defendant.
This action was brought by Mary Lockier, executrix of
her late husband, to recover compensation in damages of
Mr. John Paterson, a baker, carrying on business at 10, Green-
street, and 72, Princes-street, Leicester-square, for an alleged
illegal distress. The facts as detailed in evidence and by the
Learned .Counsel, are bri these :—ln the month of August
last the defendant entered into possession of the premises
at No. 10, ' Green-street, which were formerly occu-
pied by a baker of the ,name of Miller, who became a
bankrupt, and of whose assignees he purchased the premises
and business. The shop is situated at the corner
of Green-street, Leicester-square, and adjoining' thereto is a
small shop, in which the plaintiff carried on the business of
a tobacconist and newsvender. In January last the defen-
dant, after repeated endeavours to obtain the.rent then owing,
put in a distress, which was withdrawn on the following day
on the payment of the rent. The distress was stated to be
illegal, on the ground that the plaintiff wasaquarterly tenant.
It appeared in evidence that an agreement was entered into
between Miller the bankrupt and the husband of the plaintiff
to pay 15s. a week for the shop and adjoining premises ; but as
the plaintiff's late husband received a sum of money in quart erly
payments, Miller consented to take the rent quarterly, but
the agreement did not appear to have bean altered., On the
part of the defendant,it was contended that he acted en the
belief that the plaintiff was a weekly tenant, and that, whe-
ther that were so or not, he was entitled to make a distress if
only a shilling were owing at the time.
Lord DENMAN having summed up the evidence,
The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages,
9/. 14s.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, May 13.
(Sittings at Nisi Prius before Lord Chief Justice TINDAL.'

ELIOT V. ALLEN AND ANOTIIER.
This case, which has already occupied the Court two days,
was resumed this morning, when
Mr. Sergeant T.sLyoufw replied on the part of the plaintiff.
Lord Chief Justice TINDAL summed up the evidence and
left it to the jury to say which of the defendants was l►able,
if they thought either of them was—whether they had esta-
blished their plea that the plaintiff was a pauper, or that
the state of his mind was such as would justify them in confin-
ing him in the workhouse, and if they had not established
their plea, what amount of damages they considered the plain-
tiff entitled to.
The jury retired to consider their verdict, and after an ab-
sence of several hours returned into Court with a verdict for
the plaintiff—Damages, 400/.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, May 13.
IN RE DANIEL FRYER.
The insolvent in this case had carried on business as a piano-
forte maker, and was opposed in person by two creditors, on
the ground of having fraudulently made away with property.
The Learned Chief Commissionxn said, that although very
strong grounds existed for suspicion, yet the facts, as proved
in evidence, were not sufficient to ehablo him to remand the
insolvent.
The insolvent was then ordered to be discharged.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)
MANSION-HOUSE.. ,

The LORD MAYOR stated from the chair that he had
received several letters from various parts of England,
Ireland, and Scotland, calling his attention to certain
printed communications which the- writers had received
from parties who either were, or pretended to be, com-
mercial firms in and about London. One of the corre-
spondents, a retired tradesman, stated in his letter that
he was convinced the parties must have found his name
in an old directory. As the circulars inclosed in the
letters were all precisely similar, and the signatures were
different, his Lordship was convinced that an extensive
gang of swindlers were engaged in this system for the
purpose of obtaining money, or securities for money,
from inexperienced; incautious, or distressed tradesmen.
Mr. Goodman (the chief clerk to the Mansion-house)
read the following letter, in which one of the circulars
had been inclosed :

" Bermondsey New-road, London, April. 1844.
" Sin,—Having carried on this agency, as per circular in-
closed, many years, and having metiwith most respectable and
increasing patronage, we beg leave.to address one to,your re-
spectable establishment, trusting that upon any occasion you
feel disposed to accept our services, you will find them bene •
ficial to your interests, and deserving your countenance and
.support. If you decide upon this method in making a re-
mittance for our commission at any time, please to send Post-
office orders, as it has frequently occurred that letters inclos-
ing Bank notes have never come to hand, and also a copy of
the undertaking, signed by yourself, when you will be re-
mitted such bills for the amou at you request as will not fail
meeting your approval. We always keep on hand bills of all
amounts and dates, from '5O/. to, 350/., accepted by merchants
and factors, and endorsed by re spectable brokers, tradesmen,
and agents, and we can also change them in great variety
from time to time, as circtunsta.nces may arise to require it, to
prevent their having the appearance of accommodat ion paper.
Any time, if it should happen you have goods on hand, and
find sales dull or difficult, and -wish to make trial by sending
us part, we will use our best imdeavours to turn them into
money for you to advantage, towards paying your bills as
they become due, or remit you. the cash as they are sold.
This we can attend to at any time., whether you require bills
or nut, having a general shipping commission, &c.
" We beg leave to remain, Sir, yours very respectfully,
J. MELLISII and CO."

His LORDSHIP having directed one of his officera to
make inquiry relative to Mellish and Co., his messen-
ger soon afterwards returned, and introduced Mr. Perry,
of the Bankruptcy Agency•o.fice in Cornhill, as a gen-
tleman who could supply the necessary information on
the subject of the plan.
Mr. Perry, upon looking at the circular, produced a
vast number of copies of it, some of which were signed
Morgan and Co., Old Kent• road ; others signed Smith
and Co., Albany-road ; others %Vigram and Co., Bar-
clay•place, Hackney: In fact, there were-to these papers
40 or 50 different signatures, and they all contained
copies of the _undertaking, ,which the merchant requiring
the accommodation was to sigx. He (Mr. Perry) then
produced a report of an exposure of the nefarious system,

which had appeared in the Times newspaper in the year
1839, by means of which a check was for a considerable \
time given to'the efforts of those who pursued it as a

The Loan, IqAYOR said, it appeared that the time had
again come round for the experiment, which, no doubt,
had been at one time very productive; but he should do
everything in I:is power, as Chief Magistrate, to render
all the attempts of the gang abortive.
Mr. Perry stated that the new system had been acted
upon ever since the days of the notorious Coster, and
that he (Mr. Perry) could show by documents that the
followers of that notorious person had been constantly
at work in laying expedients for the plunder of the public.
1. The LOAD MAYOR said there was one paragraph in
the circular of a very peculiar kind, and he was surprised
how anybody who read it could for a moment be de-
ceived.. The 'paragraph read, "It is particularly re-
quested; if this circular is of no immediate service, it
may not be shown, unless to a confidential and respect-
able friend, whose object it is likely to serve, or who
might wish to avail himself of this assistance upon some
future occasion, as it is not multiplicity of business we
want, but respectability, and in the safe, quiet, and mer-
cantile manner." His Lordship then issued particular
directions to the officers of the Mansion-house on the
subject of the extensive firms throughout the metropolis
to which the circular refers.