The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-26 00:00:00

THE BOULTON

The trial of Mr. Doulton, on a charge of fraud, began on
Thursday, before the Correctional Tribunal of Brussels.
At the commencement of the proceedings the President of
the Court said he had received several letters from the
defendant, who not only refused to attend the trial,
but challenged its competency. In the first place, he
maintained that the offence which was alleged to have been
committed was committed in England ; and, in the:second
place, that there was no offence at all. The first witness,
the Burgomaster of Brussels, then stated the principal
facts of the case. He said that the municipal
authorities of Brussels had long seen the neces-
sity for the unification of the Seine, and had
advertised for tenders from those who were disposed
to undertake that vast work. The house of Langrand-
Dumonceau first applied, and their offer had been under
consideration, and the bargain well-nigh concluded, when
Messrs. Doulton and Swann applied for the contract, pro-
posing to undertake the works for £240,000 less than the
firm which had first made an offer. Not knowing
Messrs. Doulton and Swami the witness bade them reflect
before formally making such a proposal. After much
hesitation the contract was, however, concluded. The
concession subsequently included Mr. Albert Grant.
Much evidence of a strange character was then given,
one witness alleging that Mr. Albert Grant had changed
his name, after having become bankrupt once or twice in
Germany. At the conclusion of the case the decision was
veservecl.

It should be added that the exact charge against Mr.
Doulton is "of employing fraudulent manwuvres and
persuading to the existence of false enterprises, to cause to
be delivered to him, through the Belgian Public Works
Company, of which he is director, sums of money amounting
to 148,975 f. 37c.," the amount named representing between
£6,000 and £7,000 English.

Mr. Doulton, M.P., writes to the papers, giving an ex-
planation of the proceedings now being taken against him
at Brussels. He says :--" About three years since I
became one of the concessionaires for important works in
Brussels, having for their object the sanitary improvement
of that city, and in the obtaining of which concession I
necessarily incurred very many heavy pecuniary
liabilities. As concessionaire, I, in the first instance,
sought for competent contractors in England to
execute the works at the estimated amount ; fail-
ing in this, I entered into provisional arrangements
with Belgian contractors, who undertook the execution of
the contract for 2598,000, being considerably less than any
tender I had been able to obtain from an English con-
tractor; they agreeing also to contribute such a sum as
would enable me to discharge the beforenamed liabilities.
Subsequently to this an English company was formed to
purchase the concession and contract ; and I was requested
to occupy an official position in connection therewith.
This I accepted ; and at the same time, and before the
assignment of the contract to the company, informed the
board of directors (they having had a claim made upon
them for a large amount by one of the parties to whom
I considered myself liable) that nay arrangements with
the contractors would enable me to meet all claims in :ton-
nection with the obtaining the concession, whereupon the
following resolution was passed :—' Resolved, that upon
Mr. Doulton giving the company a complete indemnity
against all claims whatever, excepting as set forth in the
articles of association, that he be at liberty to make any
arrangement with the contractors which he may think fit,
provided
that the terms of the contract above referred to
he in no way affected thereby.' This indemnity was
given, and the contract sealed with the contractors. No
sooner, however, had the works commenced with vigour,
and the exceptional value of the concession become appa-
rent, than attempts were made to injure the company,
with the evident objectof getting the concession rescinded,
by circulating charges against myself and the more pro-
minent members of the city authorities, with whom it was
alleged I had a corrupt agreement. This attempt, how-
ever, collapsed, by the prosecution of the journal which
originated the report, the editor of which was mulcted in
heavy damages. The attempt to injure the company then
took the form of the present proceedings against myself,
on the ground that the arrangement made with the con-
tractors for payment of the liabilities before alluded to
was contrary to Belgian law. Directly this question
arose, I, although assured that m y position could
be neither legally nor morally assailed, but with
a view of removing all proceedings that might in any
way injure our enterprise, made an offer to the board of
directors to refer everything in connection with or relating
to the formation of the company and the contract to
arbitration, the arbitrator to be appointed by themselves;
and to this the board assented, appointing as arbitrator
the eminent barrister, John Horatio Lloyd, Esq. I further
offered to deposit, pending his decision, the whole amount
I had received, together with an account of my disburse-
ments. Accordingly, I did deposit this sum with the com-
pany, to await his reward. Beyond this simple statement
of facts I do not desire at the present time to occupy
your space, especially as, although the inquiry is closed in
Brussels, no decision has yet been arrived at. When that
is given I may, if necessary, ask your indulgence to lay
before the public evidence which will reveal as gross a
case of persecution as few have had to encounter, but
which, as the largest shareholder, I am glad to say, has
not had the effect contemplated, viz., to damage one of
the most valuable concessions ever obtained by English
enterprise."

Viscount Bury not long since was instrumental in
saving the life of one of the crew of a small boat which had
swamped at Mudford, near Christchurch. On Wednesday
Lord Bury received the following letter from the Queen,
dated Balmoral, Oct. 16, 1868 : —"Dear Lord Bury,—The
Queen desires mo to express to you the great pleasure which
it has given her Majesty to become acquainted with
the details of your most gallant action, and her Majesty
congratulates you on the successful performance of a deed
which you will remember with just pride as long as yet
live. Your companion in the enterprise also deserves the
Queen's warmest commendations, and her Majesty dosirei
me to inquire what can bo done for him. Perhaps you wa
let inn know whether it would be desirable to have his
name brought forward as you suggested in your letter...-.
Ulm me, truly yours, T. I.

•
/Irani

HER MAJESTY.

BALMORAL CASTLE, OCT. 24,
The Queen, attended by Lady Bidduiph, drove
out yestn-day morning.

In the afternoon h-er Majesty went out, acoln'
panied by Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice•

The Princess of Wales drove out on Saturclai•
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales attended Divine service at the ChaPe
Royal, St. James's, yesterday.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE-- Thii Day.

THAMES.
AN ABOMINABLE NUISANCE.—_Mary Ann I.Nlicar;
thy was brought before Mr. Paget charged with
being drunk, disorderly, and using obscene larr
guage.

The complainant was Mr. Abraham Woolfef 3
clerk in the London Dock, and dwelling in Little
Alie-street, who proved the case.
Inspector Holloway, of the II division, said the
prisoner belonged to a gang of disorderly prostici"
tutes of the lowest class, who assembled in all,.
about Little A.lie-street, Whiteehapel, opposite the
German Church, and committed the greatest el"
cesses. One of them, named Margaret Divine, vO
committed for trial on Saturday for stealing a wat li
from a young man. The prisoner was a convicted
thief, and had been in custody many times.
The prisoner began to whimper about her
dren, and said she would behave better in future
and return to Ireland.

Mr. Paget said that a more abominable nuisance
did not exist than the meetings of dirty and
drunken prostitutes opposite the houses of decent
people making a disturbance and using
language. In this case a young man sat down 114
his parlour to read a book, and hearing a disturb:
ante and profane oaths in the footpath he went out,
and was assailed with abuse and obscene language
from which he could not escape. Nothing 131c48
vile and filthy could be conceived. He gave 11°a
tice that he would punish all cases of this kin
with severity. He hoped the police would keep
sharp look out after these troublesome and obseen
women. He fined the prisoner 405., and in default
of payment one month's imprisonment.

MARLBOROUGH STREET.
A TICKET-OF-LEAVE MAN IN TROUBLE.-
ward Hannen, a bootcloser, Wg,3 charged before bir.
Tyrwhitt, as follows :--
Mr. George Williams, son of Mr. G. T.L\l4.
Williams, portmanteau-maker, of No. 41,
Bond-street, said—On Saturday afternoon, "'villa
sitting at a desk in my father's shop I beilrbo
a noise, and on turning round, I sawt
prisoner backing against a wall so that
should not see him. When the prisoner saw that
t
I noticed him he called out, ,6 Do you 0130
a porter? I did not answer him, but got betwee
him and the door, and then saw that there was 14, 0
umbrella in a recess which bad been in a stand
little distance off before the prisoner came into tho a
shop. The prisoner said that he had not renalor
the umbrella, but merely kicked against it. A,llO
some time past several persons had come into "
shop under similar excuses.

The Prisoner--llid you see me take the ury
brella ?

The Prosecutor—No, I did not. at
The Prisoner—You see, your worship, it
amounts to this : I went into the shop merely to t
if a porter was wanted, and having kicked again
an umbrella, the prosecutor concluded I wanted
steal it.
Police-constable Weeks, 50 C, said—l was eo le
to take the prisoner into custody. The prisoe'e
denied attempting to steal the umbrella. Ile g3v
an address which was not a correct one.
Barns, the gaoler—The prisoner was here a 5-
hOt
t
time ago for a similar offence.
Shrives, 82 0, sail the prisoner was a ticke"f'
leave man.

Mr. Tyrwhitt remanded the prisoner.
ROBBERY AT BURLINGTON HOUSE.—Win. ftlarirt
a discharged labourer from Burlington House,
committed for seven days, with hard labour, for °tea
ing some lead from Burlington House, the property
of her Majesty's Commissioners of Works.

WESTMINSTER.
THE LIBERTY OF TIIE SUBJECT.—A very resPec,
able looking aged woman, who has suddenly f3_,i,
from competency to distress by oppressive proce..o'.
ings to which she has been subjeCt, applied to
Selfe under the following circumstances : tor
She said that on Saturday night, at a little al
twelve o'clock, she was proceeding through Ehurity
street, Pimlico, with a basket upon her arm c°
taining a coat, which had been given to her by
gentleman named France, in Lower Belgrave-Plsteb
and a piece of calico, which a lady named SOY tot
in Whiteheads-grave, Chelsea, had given her o,
make up, when she was stopped by a policoso
who inquired what she had got there. She it%
him, and also where she had got the things.
said that she had better go to the station with hi :a
and give an account to the inspector on duty, 3tce,
she went to the police station, where she wa'g to
tamed for above an hour. The policeman 144:).-ta
not permit her to go back, when he stopped her,

where she got the things.
After some further evidence, the magißtr
granted her a sovereign from the poors' box.

DEATH OF THE QUEEN'S SURGEON AT WINDSOW.;
We regret to have to record the death of Dr. 14°'°i..
Brown, late surgeon to her Majesty the Queen at Wriuti
sor Castle, which occurred at his residence, Sheet-Stivn6r,
Windsor, at an early hour on Saturday morning- "1",
Brown, in his official capacity, had attended her Maje°„.l;
the Prince Consort, and the Royal children for 01'1.-0
years. Owing to failing health he was compelled to rear,
his office a year or two back, and was succeeded by P,„O
Fairbank. He, however, from time to time attended '7O
Queen and Royal family. Dr. Brown was about 66 lei'
of age at the time of his decease, which was more 1°01;
mediately brought about by dropsy and a Maas o
heart. Dr. Brown loaves a widow and two children
lament his loss.
CONSERVATIVE CLUB-HOUSE, ST. JA,AD''
This magnificent and costly building has recently
gone entire renovation and partial redecoration. Ths
cious halls (upper and lower), vestibule, and gr-ne
c)st
ceilings, originally designed by Mr. Sangs in tho
elaborate' style of the Arabesque,are now worthy of
The contractor, Mr. Sapwoll, of May-fair, and the 81.tti a
Mr. R. Yarrow, of Herbert-street, }Raton, have a%111,--„,:l
themselves most admirably, and deserve—as indeed ' f
have received—the well-merited thanks of the Wh°l° of
the [club members. What can be done with fadelTho;
rather perished decorations Mr. Yarrow has shown 4,0
the groined ceilings and the walls look, even to it/LID
of interior decoration, entirely renewed, presenting I"-,,(1
freshness of colouring and neatness of manipulation, (`-to,
showing a thoroughly trained eye for harmonious cold 0
ing. The work was completed in 36 days, and refiete
credit on those engaged, especially Mr. Yarrow, vibe,l3ho
is remembered that this is the second renovation a -
building since its foundation in 1845. the
FAUPERISM. —The monthly return issued -
nalo
Poor Law Board shows that at the end of July the us ia
her of persons in receipt of relief from the poor rat
England and Wales was 913,084, being 36,064, or 44 t 14
cant., more than at the corresponding date in 1867 131,00
both cases about 4 per cent. should be added for I'l-04
not included in these monthly accounts. The incroas°, 0
general throughout the country. In the metroP°ll the
coached 7.7 per cent. ; in Yorkshire 6.9 per cent.; i°
north-western division, 5.6 per cent.; in the northerit'oli
'Palos cont. In alos and the eastern counties it vlas i°pot
2.3 per cont. ; in the south-western division only 2'`
per cont., and in the south-eastern only 1.7 per cent.
INCENDIARY FIRE.—On Saturday night betWoity
eight and nine o'clock, four largo stacks of hay, c°l3b,lea
ing about 80 loads each, were discovered to 1103 of
fired on the Manor Farm, Highgate, in the occuPit"°,ot,
Mr. B. Johnson. The Metropolitan Fire Brigado till
number of engines and men to the place, and worße.
late yesterday morning. Two-thirds of the hay sy°i'to
tllO
stroyed, and it was entirely owing to the firemen the pre
damage was not considerably greater, and that oth°f.s fa'
porty surrounding was not injure I. Mr. Johns°°.:olo
sured in the Norwich Union Fire Office. It is net '-
whether the incendiary has been apprehended.

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Oct 24.
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