The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-10 00:00:00

THE WILLS FORGERIES.

CRIMINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

OLD GOURD.

This being the day appointed for the trial of the parties
implicated in the forgeries which have recently attracted
so much attention, the avenues of the Old Bailey were, at
an early hour, crowded with a mass of persons anxious
to obtain admittance into the court. This was found,
however, to be a most difficult task, admission, with the
exception of barristers and those immediately concerned
in the trial, being refused to all who were not armed
with Sheriffs' tickets. The court was, of course, most
rapidly filled in a very short period after the doors were
opened. All witnesses were ordered to retire to the
London Coffee-house till called for.

At ten o'clock, Baron Gurney, Justice Williams, and
Justice Mamie, took their seats upon the bench.
The Crown was represented by the Attorney-General,
Mr. Clarkson, Mr. Bodkin, and Sir John Bayley.
Mr. Wilkins and Mr. Parry appeared as counsel for
Barber ; Mr. Graves and Mr. Ballantine for Fletcher ;
Mr. Stone and Mr. Phirn for Sanders ; Mr. James for
Mrs. Dcrey ; and Mr. Doane for Griffin, who, however,
it was known, was to be admitted as evidence for the
Crown.

William Henry Barber, Joshua Fletcher, Milian: San-
ders, and Georgiana Dorey, were first arraigned and
pleaded Not Guilty to an indictment, charging them with
the forgery of a will purporting to be that of Eliza Bur-
chard. There were in this indictment eight counts vary-
ing the charge.
Barber, Fletcher, and Georgiana Dorey, were then
arraigned upon two other indictments, to which they also
severally pleaded Not Guilty.
Barber, Fletcher, Wm. Sanders, Lydia Sanders, and
Georgiana Darey, were then arraigned upon another in-
dictment, charging them with the forgery of the will of
Ann Slack, to which theyalso severally pleaded Not
Guilty. . _

These several indictments involved the cases of for-
gery of the wills and names of Ann Slack, Eliza Bur-
chard, Mary Hunt, and John Stuart.
It having been arranged that Griffin should be ad-
mitted as an approver, he was not arraigned.
The reading of the indictments and the arraignment
of the prisoners occupied the Court for nearly an hour.
Before proceeding to swear the jury, Mr. WILKINS
made an application to the Court on behalf of the pri-
soner Barber, that the trial for the forgery of the wilt of
John Stuart, of Great Marlow, Bucks, should be post-
poned, on the ground of the absence of the Rev. Mr.
Coxwell, of Great Marlow, an essential witness for Bar-
ber's defence.

Affidavits were put in, stating that the Rev. Gentle-
man's life would be endangered by an immediate attend-
ance in Court, as he was in a state of extreme prostration
from recent and severe illness.

Baron GURNEY said the Court could grant no favour
—that rested in the discretion of the Attorney-General,
as representative of the Crown, the prosecutor. A mat-
ter of right belonged to the Court, but in the affidavits
and letters produced no ground of right had been es-
tablished.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he would be the last
man to deprive a prisoner of any means really requisite
for his defence. But he could say unfeignedly that he
was at a loss to see of what use the Rev. Gentleman
could be to Mr. Barber. The affidavits were not regular.
Mr. WILKINS aumitted there was a slight irregularity,
but he had had too much experience of the Attorney-
General's courtesy to counsel, and consideration for pri-
soners, not to believe that his request would be com-
plied with. He (Mr. Wilkins) best knew Mr. Barber's
defence, and the necessity for Mr. Coxwell's presence,
and he begged to assure the Court that that presence
was of the highest importance to the interest of his client.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, rather than defer this one
case until the next day, would prefer to have them all
deferred till the morning.
After a lengthened conversation, it was suggested by
Baron GURNEY, that the letter said to be from the
rector of Great Marlow, and on which the affidavits
were founded, should be produced, in order that the
Court and the Attorney-General might form their own
opinion as to its bona fides, of which strong doubt wets
evidently entertained. A messenger was accordingly
dispatched to the chambers of Mr. Bratnall (Barber's
solicitor), Verulam-buildings, Gray's Inn, to procure
the same. On the return of the messenger, the letter
of the Rev. Mr. Coxwell was handed to the Attorney-
General who read it to the Court. It was addressed to
Mr, Bramall, and after acknowledging the receipt of
the subpoena, stated the writer's inability from illness to
attend, concluding thus :—" Besides I know nothing of
the matter except that the remains of John Stuart were
interred in Great Marlow Churchyard by me."
After another conversation among the counsel and
consultation with the Court,

Mr. Baron GURNEY said they were of opinion the in-
dulgence might be granted, but all the trials must be
postponed until to-morrow morning, as the Attorney-
General had determined to proceed with that of Stuart
first. At that time, however, the Court would require
all parties to be fully ready to proceed.
The prisoners were then removed back to Newgate,
and the Court was rapidly thinned of its much disap-
pointed visitors.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
UNION HALL.-(THIS DAY.)
James Dean was charged with having caused the death
of William Grubb on the preceding night.
It appeared that on the preceding night Grubb and the
prisoner were at a public-house called the Goal Smack,
at Rotherhithe, the latter person being at the time very
much intoxicated and quarrelsome. Grubb struck at
the prisoner, who retaliated by striking him in retutn.
The landlord here interfered, and said there should be
no fi9,hting in his house, upcn which the parties went
out and began to fight, and the deceased was knocked
down. Shortly afterwards he went into the house and
exhibited his eyes, which were very much swollen, and
requested the landlord would lance them to allay the
inflammation. The landlord, however, refused to comply
with the request, desiring the deceased to go to a sur-
geon. This advice was taken by the deceased, who ac-
cordingly proceeded to one, whorecommended his imme-
diate removal to the hospital, where it appeared he
expired in less than an hour after his admission.
.The prisoner in his defence said that he was struck by
the deceased, and that they fought outside the public-
house.

Mr. COTTINGHADI said that the prisoner's conduct in
fighting with a man so intoxicated as the deceased was at
the time reflected great discredit upon him ; that if the
case did not amount to the crime of murder, it was at all
events a charge of very aggravated manslaughter. The
Magistrate then remanded the prisoner until an inquest
is held on the body of the deceased.

CLERKENWELL.—(THIS DAY.)
James Gregq was charged with the following outra-
geous conduct :
George Waddington, the gaoler of the Court, an ac-
tive and intelligent officer, deposed that on the previous
day he was conveying a prisoner from the Court to the
Clerk's office, for the purpose of having the depositions
taken down, when the prisoner, who was drunk in the
passage, seized him by the collar, and dragged him with
so much violence, as to oblige him to release the prisoner.
Sergeant N 10 came up, and when the ruffian found that
he would be overpowered, he seized Waddington's coat
between his teeth, and attempted further violence. He
shouted so as to disturb and interrupt the proceedings of
the Court, and it required the combined exertions of four
constables, all of whom he kicked and cuffed on his way,
to take him to the station-house.

The prisoner, who had been looked up all night, and
expressed contrition for his conduct, was sentenced by
Mr. COMBE to pay a fine of 55., or seven day's im-
prisonment.
_

- THE ABDUCTION CASE.—This case, which has excited
SO much public interest, was remanded until to-day. The
solicitor for the prosecution, Mr. Southey, of the Temple,
has arrived; and Mrs. Wortham, the mother of the young
lady, who was absent on the last occasion, is in attend-
ance. The prisoner has not been bailed, hut still re-
mains in custody.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
(THIS DAY.)
Edward Howard, a hardy looking sailor, with scarcely
a vestige of clothing about him, was placed at the bar
on the following charge.
William Horsford, the constable of the Mendieity
Society, stated that between eight and nine o'clock last
evening, he saw the prisoner standing in Regent-street,
stupefied with drink, and evidently ineapable of taking
care of himself. He was then, as to clothing, as he now
appeared, without hat, coat, shoes, or stockings ; to
keep him out of harm's way he was locked up in the
station-house.

Mr. MALTBY—How do you account for being found
in this miserable plight? Prisoner (with a seaman-like
hitch up of his trowsers, and a retrograde scrape of the
right foot)—Please your honour, I got amongst the
sharks. I have been fifteen years in the Royal Navy,
and about a week ago I landed, and was paid off three
years' money, all in a lump. Some of the small craft
got me in tow, down by Whiteehapel. I'm told • and
they took out not only cargo but ballast and all, and
turned me adrift as creaky as I am. I'll know better
next time.

Mr. MALTBT—HOW much money have you lost ?
Sailor—About 451.

➢lr. MALTBY You are discharged.
Sailor—Thankee ; I'll soon be after getting another
ship.

MARYLEBONJE.—(THIS DAY.)
Michael Hefferman, Edward Hayes, Jeremiah Leary.
and James ilyan; four Irish labourers, were charged
with an aggravated assault upon the police, one of
whom is at present lying in a dangerous state in the hos-
pital, from a severe injury received on the head by a cut
from a hod. Another constable, who gave evidence, was
obliged to be supported into Court
The facfs may be comprised in a few lines. A general
"Irish scrimmage" had occurred yesterday evening in
Oxford-mews, Summer's-street, Paddington, and one or
two constables, among whom was the unfortunate man
Smith, ran in among them, with the intention of sepa-
rating the combatants. They, however, were deter-
mined not to be baulked in their humour, and, forgetting
their own animosities in the general weal, at once, to
use the graphic language of one of the constables,
"pitched into the whole on' us 'like bricks."
The staffs were wrenched from the hands of the
policemen and used with great effect on their heads,
until at last they were forced to retreat. Soon after a
greater body of men were ordered to the scene of action,
and succeeded in capturing the prisoners. The first
two, Ilefferman and Hayes, were each sent for a month
to the House of Correction. Leary, against whom there
was no evidence, was discharged ; and Ryan who had
been particularly active, was remanded till Friday, in
order to ascertain hOW constable Smith was getting on.
Charles Crawle,y, a most (Wm:Lined ruffian, who

was only liberated from the House of Correctoio
yesterday evening, was again brought 11P
day charged with an aggravated assault el/co
the person of Rementi Epiural Iyauco Ilerrerdio,
Spaniard, who could not, unfortunately, speak-Fn_tg of
and as no one in Court understood Spanish, this-P*l'
the case could not be sustained against the prisoner. vd.
Sergeant Cumming said that a witness was iu Igloo
ance at the station-house when the charge WsB't9 ite
who detailed the circumstances ; but she was not,st
Court this morning. The rrisoner, when locked 0,1:.
kept shouting throughout the night, to the great ton!teed
ance of the other prisoners, who were effectually del
°
of a night's rest, by his vociferous exclamations. o.
Constable 26 D said that when taken to the sts%,ill
house the prisoner said, " Oh, old Jack Rawlinsen "
be sitting, and I'll be sure to get off." -
vlO4
Mr. LONG, who happened to attend this day in ifty
of his brother magistrate, smiled, and remarked that
prisoner might find his good fortune desert him. bo,
Prisoner—l've got a witness outside, yer 101*s:coil
Here you covey (to Franklin, the chief usher), Ps" -
in old Mother Crowley, will ye.
Toe
Mother Crowley was called. She gave her a e
son the best of characters, but knew nothing of the ell
in question.
The prisoner was sent again tc the House of Core
tion for seven days.

QUEEN-SQUARE.—(THIS
A great number of persons were charged at this -fig
to-day with the commission of various offences, la r"
from drunkenness and disorderly conduct to the
aggravated species of assault. In fact, the lower,eir
tion of the inhabitants of this district appear to
termined to enjoy the Easter holidays and theeof
weather, but it is really lamentable that their., tlit
amusement should be intemperance and riot. FOr ✓
charges of the above nature, we extract the follol
Two decently-dressed young women, one hat el'
pretty little child in her arms, and whose face heh-rjoiti
deuce of her having been recently engaged in a °editor
conflict, both her eyes being dreadfully bruised, 411,_
face otherwise injured, were placed at the bar, eight'
with creating a disturbance last night, and„fesi.
ing. answer to the charge, the "ifiti
ants stated that they had been to Gree-0
fair, and having, with their husbands, drank ht
freely there and on their retcrn to London, they h of
all recollection of the even; s of the preceding °jibe,
of having inflicted summary punishment on each 0 .
They were tined 2s. 6d. each. 10
A sturdy labouring man was neat charge Ted
creating a disturbance in the Feathers, a gin Pst,4o`'
the Broadway, and in conjunction with other riegil
who escaped, assaulting the landlord and others ell
on the premises.
el°
He was fined 205., or in default of "payment food
days' imprisonment. DO
Frederick Tomlinson, a fashionably dressed yours
10
was charged in the sheet with assaulting James
a professional singer. foil/
It appeared that whilst Mr. Graham was retabooo
from the place where he is in the habit of war
the defendant struck him, at the saoaberigi
stating that he had taken indecent us sos
with his the (defendant's) wife. The defendant
drunk at the time, and as he had struck the coWP
by mistake for another person, and made so
apology for his misconduct, the complainant Wl-
sirous of withdrawing the charge. 1
The defendant, who gave a fictitious name an° "
a/oidin
when charged, for the purpuse, as is said, of 01
his real name from getting into the newspapers'
fined 2s. 6d. for being drunk, which was paid.
Eliza Evans, a young woman, was charged 110.0:
garet Smith with assisting another female, who
yet been taken into custody, with stealing a "",. 01
her reticule, containing 2/. I Is. 6d.
The prosecutrix stated that the met the prisoeleicle4
the other woman in the Strand, about twelve tar
0"
last night, and being acquainted with them, .04
them to some coffee and other refreshments. 000
walked together until they arrived at a court wa )01 •
out of New Tuthill-street, where they kiwe,ooj
down, pulled the reticule from her, and having s°4
the bag containing the money, threw it into I°o7
and ran off. She, however, caught the prisonei:;o
shawl, and retained her hold until a policeman ,
The prisoner, who denied the charge, was re
,00,
until Monday, to give the police time to trace t°
person implicated.

DUTCH MAIL.
..fecor
THE HAGUE, APRIL 6.—The Journal of Liinb'
tains the following article : tbni
" The whole nation will unite its wishes wiwcatt.oo
his Majesty, that the remotest posterity
maFust .
to reap the benefits of the sacrifice which has
.1
,
made to save the country.
kitib
" On this occasion we cannot help retner-tber
active co-operation of the city of Maestricht, in 0 obOdil
ce,,s of the loan. This is the more remarkable, Los
.4
that deplorable separation of 1830,.Maestricht
constantly declining. The isolation of this citb-74
the unhappy separation of the two c:,untries, t tosll`:i
of which made so fine a kingdom, has caused it or&
very severely. Yet it has not been deaf to troeo
made to it to save the country. Almost every noPfko
contributed, even persons who would not have beeoo ,I
to the income-tax. The conduct of Maestricht, or
occasion, is worthy of the highest praise, and "g
to be forgotten by the Government." foi
the di
" ZWOLLE, APRIL 4.—The completion O.
tary loan is one of the most important and hsPlereld
in the history of our times, and may be co1151,;(01'
the foundation of a better state of things for the
in our country."

HUNTINGDON ELECTIOI.4' i
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) , 010
HUNTINGDON, TUESDAY EVENING.--In anticii4oPoo
a vacancy, by the elevation of Sir Frederick de 01,
the Bench, the Huntingdon electors are air°, 31 04
alert for some able and independent indiviellor Pi?
teed him. Apparently, inure than tired of to,eol
submission to Sandwich dictation, they 409
solve d to make a vigorous attempt to assert tutor)
pendence. Several local names have been menbeel,
likely to stand, and a requiAition has actual-Valid,/
up in favour of a resident gentleman of muell-P-,,efe?
independent spirit. As there is some doubte.,Po,(o!l:l
his consenting, Mr. J. B. Roper, formerly 0." lit"
county, and Mr. James Rust, both of whom I'l4 11;e'd
esteemed by the townsmen generally, and evellall j 0
who differ from them in political opinion, havc,"eper"
talked of as proper to succeed the Attorneru
the representation of the borough.
..................
HER MAJESTY'S THEAI„for itl
Her Majesty's theatre re-opened last evenireii,
_ld'
post-paschal season. The opera was 1 Plifitaoo"
Grisi as Elvira, Mario as Arturo, Lablache es. .0)
polo,
and Fornasari as Ricciardo. It was the first oPrecelsll
of these favourite artistes this season ; they 10[041
most enthusiastically. Fornasari, notwithst. to 04
reports which have been in circulation as to 20,;ti ii
factory state of hi health,lookedexceedinglywe'ict tlts
delightfully ; we never heard. him in better l'lffoio,ol
blache, too, appears to have completely recoverec'boorii
1 severe indisposition under which he vast.. 041
during the winter. Never have we heard t_,,111" •grol
cent duet, " Suona la tromba," more InS: 000/.,
given. It was, of course, rapturously enor,Tso7,
the charming polacca "Son tergen vezzosa, , 'ber#l!,
exquisitely given by Grisi.. Mario sang h,'lliatoPl
scene in the third act with great taste and leavorl,
altogether I Puritani has never been more to oi'
represented than it was last evening. Cltriaefolf
who has procured an additional conge, appear:4ol7i
let as Esmeralda,and was as graceful and sYIPt.,,--c p .
The house was crowded. Among the coter-,'oo i
were the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Aum""bl ofr
by the Count Kielmansegge, and atteedt7, 01,4;
Knesebeek, The Queen Dowager's box sr intl_,
by the Marquis and Marchioness of Ormonae d Pro,
The Duke of Leeds. the Russian, Austrian' !Lob 101,
Ambassadors, the Marquis of Huntley, the f.i."10,A,
of Westmeath, the Earls of Pembroke, She KO!
mare, and Belfast; the Countess of Belfs",,st mi ler
Calabrella, Count de Noailles, Lords 1.11-I, Ori
Curzon, and Gardner; Ladies Fitzroy Someleptifa of,
Brougam, Pollington, Joddrell, Batley', 0•13-01,1" r:
Francis Lawley, Alexander Duff, William ,vai74l P'
Henry Willoughby; Honourables Col. C9'o_,
Curzon, Mr. Law, Mr. Upton, and Frederiello. ?!..,01,'
Colonel Wildman, Capt. Mountjoy MaLtY,,orPr
Charles Standish, Charles Culling Smith, lote'
Charles Ford, &c.

t
ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT—SELF-DESTOI:I4-9110:4
BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE.—Last night, at abet ot vollp
1"0 another attempt at self-destruction was MA',.
friars
•bridge. It at pears that a middle-BP_A- seil
was standing on the above bridge, said to s 17,!.0 Stlj
ing at the time, " Yes, I must, and I will do
r,091
fore the party in question had time to look ia0,401
unfortunate man muunted the seat in one ef thfi?yer'ds
and instantly plunged head foremost into the tote
immediate alarm was raised, and several Pelt 9e4
in boats, and after some minutes had elsPsicie c/7,00:,
was found near S'outhwark floating-pier. raje,,:tlr,
moved to the Trooper public-house at nall',,--atr if,gr
he in a short time recovered, and was able t" Pe Or
he lived in the neighbourhood of St. Giles',..bitt
afterwards taken to Christchurch Workbells- ate
appear before the Magistrate this day. di°
r
P
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS-- ester te
ing the new street leading from the north-0200 geti
Leicester-square to St. Martin's-lane, wastP.osael/ A
to the public as a thoroughfare, but for foot r
only for the present. roll°rJ
Under the belief that Sir Frederick sir ores,
accept the office of Chief Baron, and that meti?lts
Follett will be the Attorney-General, the Da _:,d513
Queen's Counsel have been mentioned as err O"-
the post of Solicitor-General—Mr. Belly'l4l
and Mr. Thesiger. T! WOII7 %
.
LONDON AND BRIGHTON RAILWA ; entj,p"
tickets having been issued on Easter Will: of 7
the holders to -return gratuitously, uPwil d
passengers travelled between Brighton 9,00.101
The first down train contained 35 carrisP2bse8er
I
propelled by four engines. It arrived in )3171
minutes after 12 o'clock, instead of the us° iveri
o'clock. tbe
A REVERSE OF FORTUNE.—WO Feaa.ga flottOci'
man Times :—" An unhappy man,. wh° index dtt
means of paying even two sous for-his,Ped, Lor,
quarter of the opulent city of Rouettr, toe
the act of begging, a few days ago, for „, 410100,1
enable him to repose his exhausted frame :45"the,a0v",
pallet of straw. He was conducted before
toti est,haenudsuwailthdiffi inquiries.culty they The eoxffitcreacr twedhofrsr.dup,t7itit
eg"
interrogate the poor man soon discovereo ?"the po"
the very person who had been advertised St •
.t
it
office us the heir to a large fortune." ~ mine
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