The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-20 00:00:00

FORGERY

Charles Thompson, aged 36, a very respectable looking
man, was charged with having feloniously passed a receipt
for money, with intent to defraud the Sheffield and Man-
chester Railway Company.
Mr. Brandt and Mr. Hutton appeared for the prosecution;
Mr. Shaw for the defence.

The prisoner was secretary to the Sheffield and Manches-
ter Railway Company. -An account of £417 was due to
Messrs. Mawdsley of this town for advertising. The pri-
soner drew that amount from the directors, but remitted
only £347. An acknowledgment was transmitted, and
Thompson, it was alleged, had altered the word " three"
into " four."

John Dalton, one of the directors of the Sheffield and
Manchester Railway Company, stated that in September,
1839, the prisoner was in the employ of the company as
secretary. They had an account with Gore and Son of this
town, for advertising. On September 25th, a meeting of
the directors was held at Glossop, and Gore and Son's ac-
count was brought forward by Mr. Thompson, and ordered
to be paid. A cheque was drawn for the amount on the
District Bank of Manchester and :Liverpool. The cheque
was handed over to Mr. Thomson. Witness and Mr. Sykes
signed the cheque, and the body of it was in the handwriting
of the.prisoner. It was handed to him, and his duty was to
send it to the party in whose favour it was drawn. The re-
ceipts of parties were usually pasted in the voucher-book.
(The receipt from Messrs. Gore was produced.) The letter
r in the word four the witness thought was like the writing
of Mr. ThompSon. The word altOgether was like the general
character of his hand.

Mr. Cunningham cashier to the District Bank, stated that
on the 26th September, 1839, the prisoner presented the
cheque for payment. It was paid ; £lOO being given i❑
cash, and a letter of credit for £317, payable to Messrs.
Gore and Son, of this town.

Thomas Kerrison, clerk to Messrs. Mawdsley, (Gore and
Son), proved that in September, 1839, the Railway Company
owed them £417, and that they, in that month, received a
remittance of £347, which was acknowledged. The letter of
acknowledgment was handed in. Mr. Kerrison showed that
the word " three" had been altered to "four." A letter
from Mr. Thomson, which accompanied the letter of credit,
was read. It set forth the total sum remitted, namely, £347,
and that some of the accounts for advertising in other papers
having come in, the balance was retained till another audit
of the board, he would call and see Messrs. Mawdsley (Gore
and Son), respecting the accounts. Mr. Kerrison stated
that he never had any conversation with Mr. Thompson on
the subject of the letter.
Mr. James Mawdsley.stated, that he was a partner in the
firm of Gore and Son ; there were more than two partners.
Mr. Thomson called a month or two after the letter alluded
to arrived. _ _ _ _

Cross-examined.—Did not arrange that Mr Thompson was
to pay the deficient £lOO by an acceptance. Mr. Thompson
proposed that mode, but it was not acceded to. He (Mr.
Thomson) then proposed to pay by instalments. He (Mr.
Mawdsley) agreed to that.
By Mr. BRANDY.-Mr. Thomson stated that the directors
were displeased that he had given such extensive orders for
advertisements, and he would therefore pay the residue out
of his own pocket. That was the reason why he (Mr.
Mawdsley) acceded to the proposal to pay by instalments.
Mr. Straw took several slight objections to the form of the
indictment, none of which was entertained. He then ad-
dressed the jury at some length in favour of the prisoner.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
HORSE-STEALING.

Thomas Wright, alias Tommy Boots, aged 26, was charged
with having stolen a horse, the property of Wm. Baker.
Mr. Hulton conducted the prosecution.
Mr. Baker, it appeared, had a flat in the canal from
Northwich, and the prisoner, who possessed a horse, was
made captain of this flat, his horse drawing it. Baker,
having made some disbursements on account of the prisoner,
agreed to purchase the horse for seven guineas, and a balance
was struck between them, and the horse was delivered to
Mr. Baker. The prisoner continued in Mr. Baker's service,
and shortly afterwards sold the horse again in Manchester,
tojames Thomas, a publican, for £2 10s.
The jury found the prisoner guilty. A good character was
given to the prisoner, and he was sentenced to six months'
imprisonment, the first and last week in solitary confinement.
William Randall, aged 19, a respectable-looking but evi-
dently exceedingly impudent young man, was charged with
having, at Salford, stolen a horse, gig, and harness, the pro-
perty of Mr. John Sharpies.
Mr. Wilkins and Mr. Monteith conducted the prosecution.
On the 10th of May last the prisoner called at the livery
stables kept by Mr. Sharpies, in Manchester, and calling for
the stable keeper, asked for a saddle-horse, saying that he
had left his own mare at a stable, to the owner of which be
referred the other. There was not a saddle-horse in all Mr.
Sharples's stables, and the prisoner asked if they had no
horse in. He was told that there was a harness-horse in.
He said that would do, as he had to go to Altrincham. The
horse was put in harness in a gig, and while the ticket was
being made out, the prisoner drove off. It was proved that
lie drove to the house of Mrs. Scholefield, near Oldham,
about nine miles from Manchester, and there borrowed a
saddle and bridle. He told Mrs. Scholefield that be was
one of the firm of Houldsworth and Co., wine-merchants, of
Manchester, and son to Mr. Houldsworth. He then rode
away to the Brown Cow, at Leeds, where he inquired for a
purchaser for his horse, saying, that he must sell it suddenly,
as he wished to remit some money to his mother. He
sought for a purchaser, at first asking £l5 for it, and after-
wards coming down to £6. The prisoner cross-examined
the witnesses in the most impudent manner, and astonished
a sturdy Yorkshireman, who had td a very plain story
against him, by averring that he hitnever seen him in his
life before.

The prisoner addressed the jury, representing himself as a
person of high family connexions. He denied any intention
of selling the horse, and said that he hired it for the purpose
of going to Leeds, to look after some property.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, stating that it was un-
necessary for his lordship to snm up.
His LORDSHIP said he was sorry for the young man, but
he was a very proper example. He was sentenced to 15
years' transportation.

THE POULTON, GOSTON, AND BICKERSHANVE-HALL

BURGLARIES

On the application of Mr. Wilkins, his lordship fixed the
trial in this case to come on first thing to come on to-morrow
morning (Wednesday.)
The court adjourned at a quarter-past six o'clock.

NISI PRIUS COURT.—TUESDAY.
(Before Mr. Justice %VIGWFMAN.)
The learned judge took his seat a few minutes after nine