Star.
London, England, 1824-11-08 00:00:00

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, NOV. 6.

Abel Craven, who had been previously before the'
Court in July last, came up to be reheard to-day. He
was opposed by Mr: Pou.ocx, on behalf of Mr. Salter,
a silversmith, residing in the Strand, on the ground of
having obtained 951. worth of plate from him, through
fraudulent representations, on a bill drawn by H. Brooke,
and accepted by the insolvent. On the former exami-
nation, a person named Widdeson, in Mr. Salter's em-
ployment, stated that he went to Mr. Codd's, the Army-
agent, to whom he was referred for an account of the
insolvent's circumstances, and was informed by Mr.
Codd's son, that he (insolvent) had 4001. a-year, which
came through their hands ; and such was their opinion
of him, that they were frequently 100/. and sometimes
2001. in advance with him, adding, that he made seve-
ral bills payable there, and provided for them all punc-
tually. In consequence of this representation, Mr.
Salter sold the insolvent the plate. From the insolvent's
examination, it appeared that he had no annual property
of his own, and almost none of any other kind ; but Mr.
Codd received 2001. for his mother, who allowed him the
use of it.He pawned the plate in question as soon as he re-
ceived it; and owed debts to the amount of about 5,000/.
at the time. The service of notices being then incomplete,
thexase was ordered to stand over; but the Court intimated
their intention of remanding the insolvent, whose con-
duct they severely censured, for a considerable time,
and said they thought Mr. Codd'i son ought not to have
lent himself to so unworthy a purpose, in giving an un-
true representation to Mr. Widdeson of the insolvent's
,circumstances. Mr. Codd, jun. seeing a report of this
case in the public pints, shortly afterwards instructed
Mr. Cooke to apply to the Court for leave to eisprove
the statement of the account alleged to have been given
by him respecting the insolvent's property ; but the
Commissioners refused the application, on the ground
that Mr. Codd was not a party before the Court, and
must, therefore, if he complained of misrepresentation,
apply to another Court for redress. The insolvent, how-
ever, subsequently applied, through his Counsel, for li-
berty to examine Mr. Codd and other witnesses, for
the purpose of contradicting Mr. Widdeson's state-
ment, to which application the Court acceded ; and ac-
cordingly the case came on again to-day.
Henry Brooke, examined by Mr. HEATH, stated, that
he had been acquainted for a considerable length of
time with the insolvent, who owes him 4001. for want
of which he (Br ooke) is now in Whitecross-street prison.
He agreed with the insolvent, at the latter end of 1822,
to draw a 1)11 on him for 1001. for the purpose of rais-
ing money upon it ;. the insolvent was to give him 51.
out of it, if he passed the bill, on account of interest
due upon his debt to witness. On die Ist of January,
1823, witness went to Mr. Salter to ask him to discount
Mr. Craven's acceptance. Mr. Salter replied, that he
never meddled with bills except when he took them in
payment for goods. Witness told him that he under-
stood Mr. Craven had a considerable proper ty at Hock-
ham-mills, Surrey, which he rented of Lord King s and
referred him to Mr. Codd's, where Mr. Craved made
his bills payable. The insolvent had previously told
witness that he had a considerable interest in Dockhain ;
and also that he would have no objection to take 1001.
worth of plate on a bill, as he waited that much for
his own use. Witness accompanied the insolvent to
Mr. Salter, who consented to take the bill in payment
of plate, if Mr. Codd gave a favourable account of Mr.
Craven; but desired it to he drawn at two months, and
not exceed 100 i. as they were strangers to him. Accord.
ingly, on the 3d of January, 1823, plate was furni-hed
to the insolvent to the amount of 9.1.45. 6d. on a bill at
two months, drawn by witness, and accepted by insolvent.
On his cross-examination by Mr. POLLOCK, the wit-
ness stated; that at the insolvent's desire, he had gone
four or five times to Mr. Codd's, to request that he
(insolvent) might be favourably spoken of to person:
whom he referred there when passiog them his 'bills.
He received 51. from the insolvent the day Mr. Salter
sold him the plate, part of which was sold to raise the
money. Witness once before drew a bill on theinsob

,vent for 501. which he passed, and received 3/. on that
occasion, on account of interest due to ;rim by insolvent,
Edward S. Codd *as their examineJ by Mr. CooKe.
it
and stated, that he acts as cler k for his father. In J.
nuary, 1323, a pe:srin, whoa' he had not seen since, nor
should he. know him now, tanie tn him to inquire about
the insolvent. He spoke of alO :hill, drawn by Brook
on Craven. and asked witness, not Whether Mr. Ctaveri
received 4001. a-year through their Isands, but abether
he corasidered him worth 3001. or 4001.? to which wfit-
ness replied in the affirmative. The insolvent had pre.
vioutly told witness that lie had property of that value
at llockham-mills. The person inquired whether M.
Craven had any funds in their hands at that time?...
Witness said no ; but they received 2001. a-year for hie
mother, which was paid to his orders. Without heita
asked what credit they would give the itt6olaent, ~„Z.
ness said he was a respectable man, and they yrc:ce ire
fluently 100/. as they wete at that moment, and snmel•
times 2001. in advance with him. One of the cl;;;1,;:
named Browne was present, but witness lather ",
not. The insolvent's bills %sem frequently :natle ray.
able at their office, and he generally provide' trot them:
but when he did not, witness heard no more abort: tham,
and therefore concluded they were paid. On hs crnss.
examination he said, that the insolvent had frecptently
apprised him when a bill would be presented, and et.
pressed a hope that he would give him such a charac.
ter as he thought he. deserved ; but neither he new
Brooke asked witness to give him a good character.—.
Witness never told any one that the insolvent had any
proper 4 of his own passing through their hands, nor
that all his bills were regularly paid at their office.
After hearing Counsel on both sides,
The COURT said, that the evidence which ltad been
brought forward to-day would, both in its terms and
duration, materially alter the judgment settled on by
the Court, when the case was formerly be!ore them.
The Chief Commissioner's note stated, that the insolvent
was to be remanded for fraudulently contracting a debt
with Mr. Salter, and without reasonable expectation of
being able to pay it. The evidence of to-day had re-
lieved the insolvent from the charge of fraud; but his
want of reasonable expectation remained the same.
When a person, owing 5;0001. prncuted goods only to
raise money upon them, it was clear that the party
giving him credit must suffer in the end. The Court
1
would endeavour to put a stop to such conduct. Its
judgment was, that the insolvent shall not ire discharged,
or receive any benefit under the Act, until he shall have
been in custody, at the suit of Mr. Salter, for eight
calendar months from the date of filing his petitiott,-
fot contracting a debt with him without any reasonable
expectation of being able to pay it.

Tuesday an Inquest was taken by Mr. Losnonorr,
at North Stoneham, on view of the body of Mary Page,.,
who, on the preceding Thursday,. died in the parish of
¢t. Peter's Cheesehill, near Winchester,and on Sunday wast
conveyed to Stoneham for interment. At the time ap-
pointed for the interment, a mob of females gathered
round the house and protested against the removal of
' the body, declaring that the death of the woman was
occasioned by the ill-treatment ofJames Page, her lws-
band. As soon, therefore, as the necessary evidence
could be collected, a Jury was summoned to investi-
gate the circumstances. It appeared that the deceased
had been married about eight months, previnos is
which time she had been a domestic in the. house tf
Jahn Fleming, Esq. M.P. of Stoneham Park, and had
there established a most unexceptioaahle character.—
The principal witnesses produced on the Inquest were
the nurse and companions of the deceased during her
illness, a person who had witnessed her bad treatment,
and the surgeon who had attended her. Numerous in-
stances of extreme want of feeling were related by the
witnesses in the course of the examinations ; but that on
which the Jury founded their verdict was a complaint
by the deceased, in the month of August last,. that
her husband had been cruelly beating her, whea she
produced a large stick, with which he had' given
her a violent blow on the back of the head. The
deceased' freqiiently, especially during her last ill-
ness, complained of pains in the head, but never stated
to the surgeon any probable cause ; and that 6entle4
man, not having reason. to suspect anything improper,.
of course attributed them to the effect of her illness.,
On the 11th of October the poor woman was seized
with convulsions, within two days she was prematurely
delivered of a still-born child, and on the 2.9 th, death
terminated her sufferings. Upon a more mmate era-
mination of the body dating the Inquest, the surgeon
discovered a mark on the external surface of the back
part of the skull, corresponding with the place allude&
to by a former witness, evidently produced by a vio-
lent, but not a tecent blow. Under that bruise he found
a formation or deposit of bone, which must have been
increasing for some time, and which would prodtice con-
vulsion fits; and he had no doubt that those convulsions
were the immediate cause both of the premature con-
finement, and of the death of the unfortunate object of
inquiry. The Coroner explained to the Jury such points
of law as were necessary for their consideration; and
they, after a very short deliberation, returned a verdict
of Iriljid Murder against James Page, her Itusbatid ;
who was immediately committed by the Coroner to the
county jail for trial at the next Assizes.