The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-08-28 00:00:00

SWINDLING.

William Howard, who, it will be recollected, was brought up
at the New Bailey on Monday last, charged with obtaining
goods from Messrs. Potters and Norris, merchants, of this
to be from Messrs. Hart-
lteoywiai,nbtly
salofortrogne,ddorii•idpeerr,sp, uorfploratiinitgax,
was brought up again
yesterday, charged with obtaining goods in a similar man-
ner from MesSrs. S. and J. Watts, merchants, of N ew,Brown-
street. It appeared that, on the sth July last, Messrs. Watts
received a letter, by post, of which the following is a cony :

"Blackburn, July 4, 1838..
"Gentlemen,—Please to send by the bearer,lll-r. Sharpies,
about a dozen pieces of your very best India handkerchiefs,
of good colours and various patterns; also about half a dozen
of inferior quality ; and about half a dozen of your best co-
rahs, of the newest and most fashionable patterns. You
must put them in at the lowest price. We will return all
that we do not approve of on Friday next.—We are gentle-
men, yours, &c. for T. and H. Forrest,

" J. LEE."
" Must direct it to Mr. J. Sharpies, Star Inn, for T. and
H. F. Blackburn. Must leave it there by halt-after ten in
the morning."

In consequence of this letter, Messrs. Watts, supposing the
order a genuine one, sent the goods to the Star Inn, and
directed the parcel, " Mr. Sharpies, passenger; for and
11. Forrest, Blackburn." No person claimed the parcel at
the Star; and it is probable that the prisoner either dared
not call for it, or had some other reason for wishing it to be
sent by coach, as, on the following day, Messrs. Watts re-
ceived, also by post, another letter, of which the following is
a copy : _

. •
" Blackburn, July 5, 1838.
" Gentlemen,—We were much disappointed at not receiv-
ing the goo'ls we wrote for by Mr. Sharpies yesterday, but
suppose it was owing to your not getting the letter Sooner,
Mr. Sharpies saying that he forgot to go with it before you
had closed in the evening, and which made him put it in the
post. Mr. T. Forrest intended coining to Manchester to-
morrow ; but, being so very unwell with rheumatism, he is
obliged to put it off. Therefore, have to request that you
will scud the goods written for, by the Rocket coach from the
White Horse, this evening, without fail, being in want of
them for a very particular use. Same time, say the price of
your grey cotton drawers, large sizes.—We are yours, &c.
for T. and -11. Forrest, " J. LEE."
" Mr. Forrest will be with you on Wednesday, if health
permit."
The parcel, not being claimed, was sent to Messrs. Forrest'
by whom it was received, and opened by Mr. Thomas Forrest,
who carries on business as a draper at Blackburn, under the
firm of T. and H. Forrest; and in the parcel was an invoice
of the goods. About half an hour afterwards, Mr. Forrest
received a letter by the mail, purporting to come from Messrs,
Watts, saying that the goods lied been wrongly directed,
and it was not discovered till after the parcel had gone; and
if he-would direct and send it to Mr. James Forrest, to be
left at Cheetham-hill toll-bar till called for, and pay the car-
riage both ways, they would allow
,him fur it. Mr. Forrest
accordingly sent oil' the parcel by the Rocket coach to
Cheetham-hill, where it remained till Saturday the I,lth (the
bar-keeper having got it on the 9th,). when it was called for
by a young man whom the bar-keeper did not know, and it
was delivered to him. A, few days afterwards, the prisoner
called at the shop of Messrs. Jeffery and hlorrish, drapers,
of Liverpool, and offered to them several pieces of bandana
handkerchiefs for sale, for which he asked 15s. a piece. . Mr.
Jeffery offered him 14s. 9d., which the prisoner took with
very little hesitation. Mr. Jeffery then questioned him as to
whether he had got them honestly; and he said the fact was
he had cheated the queen out of her duty, but nothing more;
that his name was Howard ; and he lived with his brother in
New Bridge-street,London. He then made out the invoice;
and Mr. Jeffery said he should expect discount for cash,
which the prisoner at once agreed to. Mr. Jeffery then told
hint he would not give him either goods or money without a
reference; and the prisoner said he knew no one in Liver-
pool, and he wanted to go to Bolton, and be on by the five
o'clock train. Mr. Jeffery then told him to come again a
little before five. The prisoner then went and came again
just before five, but not in time to be able to go by the train;
he gave a reference in Manchester, and Mr. Jeffery told him
he would make' inquiries. In the morning the prisoner came
again; but as Mr. Jeffery had not heard from Manchester
he still refused to give 116 the money. The prisoner then
requested him to send the money to his brother, in New
Bridge-street, London, anti went away. Mr. Jeffery, having
examined the parcel, and thinking, from a direction on the
paper, that the goods might belong to Messrs. Watts, wrote
to them, and they informed them that the goods were theirs.
The prisoner, after being taken into custody for obtaining
the goods from Messrs. Potter and Norris, acknowledged to
-Smith, the beadle, that the letters sent to Messrs. Watts were
in his handwriting. He declined saying anything in his de-
fence, and was committed for trial. It appears that he has
been successful in another trick of- the same kind, as Mr.
William 'ArLean, draper, of Bury; stated that on the 9th of
July he bought twelve pieces of bandana handkerchiefs of
him, and paid him £lO 12s. 6d., and the prisoner made out
the Invoice in the name of James Harwood. When at the
Manchester police-office, the prisoner said that his real name
was not Harwood, and he refused to tell what it was. On
being asked by Smith how he found out the connexion be-
tween Messrs. T. and H. Forrest and Messrs. Watts, he said
that he saw a porter take a parcel from Messrs. Watts to a
coach-office in flanging-ditch, and it was directed to Messrs.
Forrest.—Manchester Cuardian.

Mount Vesuvius continue 1, at the date of the last advices
from Naples, in a state of Eruption. Columns of fire, 100
feet high, had been emitted, a torrent of lava was rolling
down in the direction of the hermitage, and the inhabitants
at the foot of the mountain were ready for flight with their
moveables, in case any danger should arise.