The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-10-16 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

LONDON POLICE REPORT.

111ANSION-1-10pSE--MoNDA v.
TDE BELPAST CASE OF SWINDLING.
On Monrhy this case,'some of the particulars of which was
detailt'd at the STANDARD of the 15th of September, was further
investiga!ed. Goods to the amount of about .£5,000 had been
fraudulently obtained from the house of Messrs. Bell, Brothers,
and other houses in Belfast, by Simeonfosephi,. alias George Fre-
derick fiamiltutt ' • these were transmitted via Liverpool to Lon-
don, were found in the 'possession of a Mr. M. Woolf, and
seized by order of the I,)rd Mayor. The parties who had been
swindled out'of their property claimed the restitution of it on
the ground of fraud; Mr. Woolf claimed the goods on the
grounds that they came into his possession in the ordinary
course of business.

Me. C. Phillips said that he appeared in behalf of the respec-
table inhabitants of Belfast, and the object of his application
was twofold; He applied in the first place for a warrant against
a person who had represented himself as Mr. George Frederick
Hamilton, and in the next for the restitution of a large quantity
of goods which had been obtained by fraud and by means of the
most nefarious conspiracy. In the mouth of May, Hamilton
arrived at Belfast, aud 'contrived to get acquainted with a per-
son named Bryson; whom he made an instrument, but an nu-
conscious one, of a most flagitious system of robbery. By
Bryson, Hamilton was introduced to Mr. Bell, of whom he
took a counting-house, and to whom he represented himself to
be a partner in the house of Malisius Schneider and Co., of
Hamburgh. Business transactions commenced, and Hamilton
having paid ready money in his first dealings, obtained the con-
fidence of that gentleman and others in town, and finally.de-
camped after having got possession of nearly £5,000 worth of
goods, for which he gave bills accepted by him iu the name of
Malisius Schneider and Co., a firm which never existed. Mr
Philips said it was quite unnecessary for him to state that these
acts upon the part of Mr. Hamilton were acts of fi,rgery as
completely as Übe had accepted bills in the name of an existing
establishment. He then stated all the particulars of the labours
of Mr. Bell in hunting after the goods from Belfast to Liver-
pool, and from Liverpool to London, to the house of Mi..,
Woolf, and concluded a very able and argumentative speech by
calling witnesses.
Mr. William Bell, a Quaker, and partner with his uncle in
Belfast, stated that Bryson, who was respectable, but had been
unfortunate, introduced to him in May last Hamilton, who took
a counting-house of him at £7.a year, and fixed up a board over
it with the names " Malisius Schneider and C 0.." in which
firm, resident in Hamburgh, Hamilton said he was a partner.
Several money dealings to ,k place between them at first, but
afterwards Hamilton said that his remittances weic sometimes
delayed a few days, and his bills were taken. Hamilton told
witness that the principal market of the house was the fairs of
the Continent, where they disposed of large quantities at a great
profit. The goods were all packed for the foreign neoket.
Witness saw Hamilton write on the bill of 21 days for £l2O,
produced, the name of the firm or" Malisius Schneider and
C 0.," as acceptors. It became due September 1, in Belfast.
flaying every reason to believe that Hamilton was a swindler,
he went, deputed by the others' who had been losurs, in search
of the goods. Ile found that they had been sent from Belfast
to the house of !totter and Co., in Mersey-street, Liverpool, a
shabby, ruined-looking place, with " James Rioter and Co."
over the door. He could not find Hotter, but be ascertained
that !totter had taken the place about the time that Hamilton
arrived at Belfast, and had disappeared from Liverpool at the
time Hamilton left Belfast. He found that the goods had been
drawn to different stores by different carters, and that no single
carter had carried two reads. 'totter was called the little
Jew fellow" in the place, and was considered with suspicion.. At
last witness traced the goods to Mr. Wooles warehouse, where,
on mentioning the business he was upon, a person who was with
Mr. Woolf started' up, and ran out, saying. " Mr. Woolf, I'll
see you presently." Tbat person he believed to be the brother,
who was intimate with Hamilton. at Belfast. Witness saw his
goods and those of the other Merchants in Woolf's warehouse.
At the suggestion of Daniel and John Forrester, the officers, ho
noticed the particular marks on the'cases. A • week afterwards
he saw the same cases at the warehouse of a person named
Hort, but there were no marks upon them. The marks had
evidently been planed off. Witness and the officers took away
some of the goods from Woolf s warehouse, but left behind
trout £1,500 to £2,000 worth. Upon the arrival of Mr. Stuart,
another of the losers, witness went again to Mr. Woolf's ware-
house, but not a single yard of those goods was there; and the
quantity of any kind of goods was very small indeed. Mr.
Hort, when witness sent to that person's warehouse, and identi-
fied those cases which had been removed in the interim, gave
them up at once, without attempting to keep them. The amount
in value of the goods found at Hetes was from £SOO to £l,OOO.
Witness afterwards went back to Belfast, and found in Hamil-
ton's counting-house the bills of lading of the goods to [totter
and Co. Witness here produced some patterns of checks which
he said Hamilton showed to him, and said he. bad got an order
fur goods agreeing with them from his friends at Hamburgh. He
could not state the exact number of bales of the Belfast goods
missing, but he Saw in Woolf's warehouse goods to the amount
of from £l,OOO to £5,00(). He had given credit himself to
Hamilton for £6OO worth of goods, which he had not been paid
fir; but Hamilton had paid him £3OO for goods. The amount
of goods belonging to the other merchants was between £l,OOO
and £5,000. Upon comparison of the bills of lading with the
cases found in Woolf's warehouse it was found that the marks
were all changed.' Where a 5 was the original number it was
Made 15, and where the original letters were I F they were
turned into DE. All the hales of goods he ascertained had
been taken off from Itotter's to Woolf's without delay. Witness
went to Liverpool-wharf to tell the proprietor to detain six bates
which he heard had been coining from Liverpool, and were part
of the Belfast goods ' • and while he was there Mr. Woolf mi.:,
peared-and claimed them. Mr.' Bates refused to deliver them
up without cotsulting his attorney.
Mr. Bodkin, after regretting the serious losses snstained by
the Belfast merchants,begged to ask the witness whether Bry-
son was not the first i)ersou who told him that Hamilton was a
partner in the firm of " Malisius Schneider and Co. ?"
Witness.—No; Hamilton himself was the first. Bryson acted
as clerk to him.

Mr. Bodkin.—Bryson is not here, I believe. Pray did you
ask him to come?

Witness.—No; I can't recollect what I might have said to
him, but he said that he was very willing to give any information
he could upon the subject. I think it very likely I said we
should shortly require him.
111 r. Frederick Boson, an attorney, deposed that he went to
Ilar4ut ftt according to directions, to make inquiry concerning
the firth. 'Malisius Schneider and Co." He arrived at H am-
liurgh"b 18th of September, and went to the English con-
Ii
sul;by wh ,`upon his showing the Lord Mayor's signature, all
facilities. were 'afforded. Witness advertised upon the subject,
applied to the merchants, at the police-offices, to the postman,
on the market-place, is the coffee-houses, to the mailman, who
had been twenty-three years iu the employment, and examined
the "Directory," and lie could find no such firm as "Malisius
Schneider and C 0.," or as "Schneider and Co."
- Mr. W. A James, a solicitor, proved that Simeon Josephs
had been a bankrupt, and had also gone by the name of George
Frederick Hamilton. Witness knew Hamilton's handwriting,
and believed that in the bill for £l2O produced to be his.
Mr. Bodkin.—There is not the least doubt of it.
Mr. Bell, having been called again, said, in answer to ques-
tions from Mr. Bodkin, that he had not carefully looked through
all the goods in the possession of the Lord Mayor, but he saw
goads of his own and of the other merchants, which never had
been paid for.
Mr. Bodkin called for dates and particulars, as indispensably
necessary in a case of this kind.
Mr. Hort, at his own request, was examined. He had known
Mr. Woolf for many years, but had never .seen him write.
Often had bills of parcels, but had never letters from him. He
wished to make a remark as to the erasure of the marks on the
cities which he had got
.from Mr. Woolf's warehouse. He
had been under treaty, for buying the whole of the cases, and
as he was shipping goous to his Soo in America he directed that
if those cases were sufficiently strong the old marks should be
erased, and other marks put on. Witness unluckily knew
Simeon Josephs, for he lost £4,000 by him about twelve years
ago. He did not know whether Mr. Woolf and Josephs were
or were not acquainted. Did not know that Josephs was called
Hamilton, but heard that he had assumed it afterwards. After
the account about the seized goods appeared in the newspapers
witness directed that, his porter should keep those which he had
from Mr. Woolf. On the 4th of September the cases were re-
ceived by him, and were to lie for examination and approval.
Mr. Bell.—lt was on the 3d of September I first went' into
Mr. Woolf premises.
Mir. Bodkin then addressed the Lord Mayor upon the part of
Mr. Woolf who,. he said, so fur from having any objection to the
issue of a warrant for the apprehension of so profligate a fellow
as Hamilton, wished that he night immediately be traced ont,
and was anxious to aid by his purse. mid in any other way to
bring him to punishment. With respect to the applicationao
give up the property to the Belfast merchants, that, he con-
tended, could not iu law or justice be conceited, as Mr. Woolf
had, as was evident front all that bad been stated, become pos-
sessed of the goods by a bona.fide transaction.
Mr. Bodkin then denied the right of the Lord Mayor to issue
a warrant, and seize upon the goods, and that he wait borne out
in that opinion by the Attorney-General and Mr. Pollock. That
question, would, however, be tried in another place. Mr. Woolf
had been carrying on business fur eighteen years in an linim-
peachable manner. Ile defied the proof of any discreditable
transaction (Luling that period. As to what had taken place in
this matter before the goods were found in London, that was of
eo sort of consequence, and there was not a tittle of evidence
to prove that the goods which passed regularly from Mr. Lyons,
of Liverpool, into the hands of Mr. Woolf, had not legally be-
come by that bona fide Uansaction the property.of the hitter:
Tbeie was no ground nor any imputation of the slightest de-
scription, much less for that a hich had been made that Mr.
Woolf. suppled Hamilton wills the means of carrying on the
imposition in. Belfast.
Mr. Phillips then called Mr. Wm. Langton, who said, I am
a clerk in the Post-bill Office in the Batik of England. I pro-
duce a request in writing for a post-bill for £5OO. I have also
the bill given fur it. The request is as follows:
. £5OO.

" Five hundred pounds, a bank post bill, accepted
in favour of Mr. Joseph C. Lyons, value received from NI:
Woolf, 11. Addle-street, Wood-street.
" July 28, 1835."
Ido not know Mr. Woolf. This is the bill which was made
out. Witness produced a bank post-bill, dated the 28th of July,
1835, made out for £S(X), in favour• of Joseph C. Lyons, fur
value received of Mr. Woolf.
Mr. Bodkin desired the bill and request to be handed over,
and, after looking at it, admitted that it was in Mr. Woulf's
writing.

- -
Mr. William Waller, clerk to Mr. Ashurst, the attorney,
proved that he had traced this bank post-bill to have been
changed at Liverpool by Mr. Lyons for notes of £3O. each,
part of which were afterwards given for bills on the Irish bank,
at Belfast, in favour of Malisius Schneider and Co. The clerk
at the branch bank office at Liverpool stated to witness that he
recollected the circumstance quite well, in consequence of Mr:
Lyons not wishing to put his name on the back of the post-bill,
and that there weie other occasions in which Mr. Lyons had
made similar objections. •
Mr. Bodkin asked whether Mr. Phillips intended to extend
the application to Mr. Woolf, who was present, and ready to
answer? Ile ridiculed the idea that the evidence just produced
proved that Mr. Woolf had supplied money to carry on the
fraud, and declared that. his client had paid Mr. Lyons, not
only on that occasion with a bank post-bill, hut upon numerous
Ot he r occasions. The fact had beerarequently admitted. Mr.
Woolf had, he declared, offered every facility to the police
officer upon the application at his office.
Daniel Forrester was called, and he denied that such facility
was afforded. On the contrary, Mr. Woolf, upon the arrival
of Mr. Sidney, his attorney, tired to put him (Forrester) out,
but it would not do.
Mr. Phillips.—Did not Mr. Woolf draw a sword upon you?
Wituess.-,He did; but I was not afraid thatanything would
arise from that?

Mt. Phillips.—But is that what you call giving every fa-
cility ?.
Mfr. Bodkin said that his client was certainly and most rea-
sonably disposed to resist the attempt upon being told by his
attorney that the warrant was illegal. The goods which were
removed from the premises of Mr. Woolf after the first seizure
was made were removed upon the same plinciple, in order not
to be subjected to a similar inconvenience rcsutting from an il-
legal act of the magistrate.

:Jr, Phillips quoted the 7th and Bth of George IV. upon a

suggestion from Mr. Holder, the chief clerk, to prove that the
lord mayor was, notwitstanding all that had been said about the
attorney-general and Mr. Pollock, perfectly justified in issuing
the warrant. lie spoke of the high, obligations under which the
commercial world was to his lordship for'the prompt and bene-
volent manner in which he had acted all through the case, and
said that the decision of his lordship was looked for with the
greatest poSsible interest in a case which every body saw was
one of a very atrocious character.
The Lord Mayor said that he had heard all the evidence in
this case, which was of so Much importance to the merchants
who bad been plundered in particular, and generally to the
whole commercial body, with a great deal of attention and
anxiety. He had, upon. first hearing the circumstances, decided
upon an immediate issue of the warrant, and he must say that
he had had no cause to regret that determination. lie was
himself no lawyer, but he acted upon the advice of his chief
clerk; by whose able assistance he was prevented, upen occa-
sions where legal knowledge was necessary, from going wrong.
He was prepared to defend the course he had adopted in any
place, and he rejoiced that in a case of Such enormous plunder
he had thrown his official l'irotection over the plundered. He
gave no opinion as to Mr. Woolf, He had givep no opinion as
to that person ; but it was palpable thaVa most abominable con-
spiracy had been worked up agaiiiiit those who had'afplied-to
him for protection and aid. He should at once grant .a warrant
for the apprehension of Hamilton, but as to the goods in' ques-
tion, he should, acting upon the.sound advice of his chief clerk,
centilitre to hold them until &jury should decide who were' best
entitled to them. His lordship concluded by expressing a fer-
vent hope that justice would be done in the fullest measure.
Mr. Phillips expressed himself fully satisfied at the decision
of the Lord Mayor, and the parties left the office.

tpo Eoabing.

(The figures denote the register burthen of the Vessels.)

AFRICA.

William, Skelly f 218 Cape Good Hope R Wise and co, or
Z and Algpa Bay. SJ N Wood
Feejee, Bewley . 171 eGliope &Manilla R Wise and Co
Nautilus, I rviu,g 343 Sierra Leone G Brown
Burrell, Burrell 402 Ditto • TII Langley or Poole &co
Huskisson, Griffiths, 388 Africa ' T Tobin
Oscar, --213 Ditto Ditto
Thomas Parsons, - , 396 Ditto Ditto
Kingston, -268 Ditto Ditto