The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-12 00:00:00

A UsPicluUs CASE.

Early in the year 1849, when the cholera was
mowing dawn a plentiful harvest in Glasgow, Mr.
--, a clerk in the employment of a well-known
firm in that city, complained one evening of symp-
toms which seemed to give him some uneasiness as to
his fate. Next day he was later than usual in ap-
pearing at his desk, and just as his employers were '
about to send to his home to inquire into the cause of-his
detention, his brother called and informed them that
he bad been taken ill overnight with the cholera ; that
he had died at an early hour of the morning, and was
already buried. Similar cases were than of daily
occurrence, and the employers had no doubt but that
death had created a vacancy in their establishment,
which it was incumbent on them to fill up. The
deceased was buried with no greater haste than vas
usual on such occasions, in a private Lurid.
belonging to himself while living. Shortly after
hls death, his employers discovered that he had em-
bezzled money belonging to them, to a considerable
amount, although tha precise extent of his pecula-
tions could not be readily ascertained, owing to the
is genious manner in w.Nch he had managed the
bucks which were under his charge. Some property
which he left behind him was applied to make good
his defalcations, to the amount of 1,5001., but there
was reason to believe that the total sum misappro-
priated by him considerably exceeded that amount. Im-
medietely after his death it apps2ars that his brother
waited upon his own banker, in whose custody was
but a very small sum belonging to him, and de-
posited no lets than 1,0001. in notes of different
Seate) banks; a large proportion of the notes being
spic and span new, although not of very re-
cent issue, judging from their dates. It was
known to those familiar to him that the deceased
brother was very fond of new notes, for which be
always exchanged old ones whenever an opportunity
etiorded of so doing. He was also fond of new coins
of all kinds, and at his death a number of shillings
and half-crowns perfectly new were found in his
possession. The money was tendered at the bank in
a more disordered state than that in which such sums
are generally kept, and the explanation given was
thrt the sum had just been received frcm the country,
and that it had been carried to the bank in the state
which it came to hand, the depositor not having
had time to arrange it in better order. All
this occurred upwards of eighteen months ago,
and the whole matter had been well nigh
forgotten, when a circumstance took place, on Sun-
day, the let instant, which not only revived it, but
has also imparted to it a public interest, which is
daily extending itself.- The deceased, it appears, was
in the habit, in addition to his ordinary eceepatice,
of acting in the capacity of private tutor to the two
seas of one of the members cf the firm. During the
time ( f his being so engaged, he was in the habit of
;etenthrig St. George's Church, which was also at-
tee tied by the family in which he acted es ti tor. On
the Sunday named a man, with overgrown whiskers,
teed a portentous moustache, appeared in the church,
a short dietance from the pew occupied by the family
in question. Service Lad scarcely commenced when
this pereoeuge observed the two boys whom the de-
ceased had taught, whispering Earnestly to each
ether, w ieh their attention riveted upon him. lie
no sooner observed this than he became very un-
easy, and after the first psalm had been sung,
closed his hock and walked deliberately out of
church. Since that tine he has neither been seen
nor heard of, but inquiry has been instituted as to

his subseuent movements, inasmuch as the
boys, notwithstanding his disguise, recognised
in him their old tutor and their f..thter's
emplrve. In other worli, the deceased has not only
conie to life, but has had the hardihood to re• appear
in Glasgow. It is difficult to divine his object
in going to the very church which he had been
in the habit of attending, unless it was that he
sought thereby to discover whether his disguise
was a complete one or not. Finding that
it was not, he his again disypearc d, but
no further report of his death has been
given in. This circumstance, as may be supposed,
has excited a good deal of suspicion, and further in-
quiry is about to be made into the whole affair. At
the time of his supposed death, he was lodging in a
house, the inmats of which seem to have been
frightened out of it by the announcement that he had
been attacked by cholera; nor did they return until
after the funeral. Who it was, or what it was that
was buried in his stead has net yet transpired, but the
coffin is about to be exhumed, when some further
light may be thrown upon this singular affair.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF B-41VKRUP7 CY, Sept. 11.
(Before Mr. Commissioner HOLROYD.)
IN THE BANKRUPTCY OF GEORGE PRICE HILL.

The bankrupt in this case was a solicitor, and had
become bankrupt on his own petition, being described
as late of Fleet-street, in the city of L3ndon, com-
mon carrier, and the present petition was presented
to annul the fLt on the ground of misdescription.
Mr. Cooke was counsel for the petitioners, and
Mr. Linklater appeared fur the assignees, in opposi-
tion to the petition. The bankrupt did not attend.
It appeared from the evidence of Mr. James, the
petitioner, that he and the Hon. Francis Henry Fitz
hardinge Berkeley were trustees for the family of
Lady Dillon, and that, in their fiduciary character,
they had entrusted the bankrupt and his partner, Mr.
Anderson (who carried on business as solicitors at
Cannon-row, Westminster), with considerable sums
for investment upon certain mortgages, and that the
money bad been misappropriated. Several instances
were proved, and, on an application to the Court of
Queen's Bench, the Master had reported that 2,800/.
was due from Hill and Anderson to the truste(s. The
fiat against Hill was issued on the 29:h of July,
1849, and a similar petition to the present had been
dismissed with costs. Evidence was now given of
the debt due, and it was contended by Mr. Cooke
that the assignees were bound by evidence to support
the fiat.
Mr. LINKLATER insisted that the Hon. Mr. BeIlie•
h,y should attend to prove that he had not received
from the bankrupt or Mr. Anderson, the mortgages
in respect of which the advances were made by the
trustees, and that, although the description of the
bankrupt might have been improved, it would be a
case of great hardship on the assignees, who were no
parties to the misdescription, to annul the fiat after
a lapse of nearly fourteen months. The bankrupt
was now out of the jurisdiction of the Court, and the
assignees had no control oYer him. He contended
that it must be shown the misdescription was with a
view to mislead the creditors, or at least that some
creditors had been thereby actually misled.
The COMMISSIONER said the petitioner had proved
himself to be a creditor, and he had a right to com-
plain of the misdescription, which was so apparent.
The bankrupt must have intended to mislead his
creditors ; but, without reference to the intention, the
misdescription was sufficient ground for annulling the
fist; he should, however, only annul if the Lord
Chancellor should think fit, so that the matter might
be discussed elsewhere.

POLICE IN "FELLIGENCE.
m A Ns/ON-1.1 OUSE.
John Crosby, alias Captain Crosby, R.N., was
brought before Alderman Darden for re-exarninaion
upon charges of fraud. Mr. I-lob:er attenued for the
prisoner.

Mr. Taylor, who had given evidence on the first
day's examination, addressed Alderman Carden when
the case was called cn, and said—As far as I em con-
cerned I should wish not to press the case to the in-
fliction of punishment against the prisoner, who has,
I am given to understand, a wife in great distress, and
a child in a deplorable state of disease.
Ald:rman CARDEN—Do you consider that a man
like this, wEo has been pursuing a long-continued
system of imposition, has any claim upon your com-
passion ? Mr. Taylor—l do not consider that he has
any claims, but he has been a visitor in my house, and
has been my companion and friend, as it were, and I
feel a repugnance to appear against him for severe
castigation.
_ _ _

Alderman CAnDEN—He has been no friend of
yours, but has exercised his ingenuity to impose upon
your unquestionable kindness and humanity.
Mr. Taylor—l cannot. but regard the condition of
his family with pity.
Alderman CARDEN—It is one of the inevitable con•
sequences of a criminal course that the guiltless are
made to suffer with the guilty. I can very readily
sympathise with you in the feelings you have ex-
pressed, but I sin hound as a magistrate to proceed
with this inquiry into the conduct of as adroit and
dangerous a person as it would be possible to find, and
it is certainly no violation of hospitality in such a
victim as you have been to bring him to justice.
Mr. Taylor—l submit to the decision of the bench,
and acknowledge that his skill and qualifications as
an impostor are unrivalled.
Mr. C. R. Forwold, clerk to Messrs. Morland, so-
licitors in the Old Jewry, then deposed as follows :
—my mother kept a lodging-house at No. 50,
Brewer-street, Bast Smithfield, in July, 1849, and
the prisoner came to lodge there in that month.
When he was in the house about a week he applied
mother for the loan of ss. 1 gave
mother to give to him, and he
ttohemme ougotnherytoh mmyy
afterwards thanked me fur the loan, and in doing so
said he had been to Ireland on commission from the
Board of Admiralty to see arrangements properly
carried cut for some important works there ; that the
expenses of the journey had taken away all his spare
cash, and he should be inconvenienced until remu-
nerated by that authority for what he had expended.
He remained at board at my mother's house till
Christmas, and represented himself personally to me as
a captain in the Royal navy, and as having been ap-
pointed to succeed Admiral Beaufort as hydrographer
to the Admiralty, and he also stated that he was
merely waiting for Admiral Beaufort to vacate his
rooms to take possession. of them, and reside there.
At Chris'mas my I:cquamtance with him closed. He
then owed my mother between 8/. and 91. for board
and lodging, and he represented to me that he should
be short of money until he could get his expenses
paid and his business settled, that he expected by the
31 of January his bill would be paid by the Admi-
relty, and also that a sum of money, amounting to
751., which was due to hi aa, would be forthcoming,
and he asked me if I could get his acceptance fur 10/.
or 121. discounted, that he might pay my mother out
of it. Supposing that what he had stated was the fact,
I got his bill discounted. He had applied to my mother
first, knowing that she would want the balance,
and she referred him to me, as being better ac-
quaint ed with business. When he applied to me I said,
" Well, Captain, certainly I do not know a great deal
about you, but if Sou give me a reference I shall try
and get your bill discounted. A friend of mine holds a
bill upon which the sum of 61. 3s. is due, and if you
make the bill for Cl. 3s. more than the money
.)ou
want I dare say I may get it dor.e." He then re-
ferred me to a person in ILod-lane, through whom,
he, raid, he was to receive the 751., and who described
him to rue as a gentleman of high honour, and with
vrhi,rn he had been acquainted for many years.
Under these circumstances I drew a bill for 181. las.
in the name of W. C. Burden, who was acquainted
with the whole of the trans.aclioe, and the prisoner
accepted it in my presence. With that bin I took
up the old bill of 6/. 35., and I received 121. 7e. (the
difference), and immediately handed it over to the
prisoner. I endorsed the bill to make myself respon-
sible to the discounter, who advanced the money upon
my responsibility.
Alderman CARDEN—Did you hand that money to
him in the belief that he was a captain in the royal
navy ? Witness—l had looked in the Navy List, and
not finding his name in the list, I mentioned the cir-
cumstance to him. He said, " Oh, I can explain that.
I am on the list for promotion, and therefore my name
is not on the list," giving me to understand that he
was at the moment in the state of transition from one
rank to the other. I then entertained no doubt that
he was Captain Crosby of the Royal Navy. I doubted
the statements be had made as to his having to suc-
ceed Admiral Beaufort.
Alderman CARDEN—Was the bill paid ? Witness
—lt was paid by me. When the prisoner was speak-
ing to me about his claims and expectations, in order
to prevent any mistake he produced what he called
a certificate from a foreign state, thanking him as
Captain Crosby, of the Royal navy, for some service
rendered by him.
Cross-examined by Mr. Nobler—l believe he paid
51. to my mother out of the amount due to her, let!v-
ieg about 61. odd due to her, one shilling of which
she has never received.
A gentleman, who stated that he had been second-
master in the navy, and that his name was Crosby,
here stepped forward and said—" I have no doubt
that the letters written to the Admiralty for the
payment of debts which I never contracted prejudiced
me considerably with the board. I never have been
a captain, and I am the only officer of the name of
Crosby in the Royal navy since the year 1826.
There were two before that time, but they are both
deed. Ido not now belong to the service."
Mr. 'Try for—lt was in 1808 or 1809 I was sup-
posed to have formed my first acquaintance with the
" Simon Pure" at the bar.—(A laugh.)
Captain Clarke said the prisoner had attempted to
" do" him, but without success. The captain was
not swore, but the substance of , his representation
was, that having some time ago had a vessel to dis•