The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-06-24 00:00:00

CHARGE OF OBTAINING GOODS UNDER ,
FALSE PRETENCES.

John Parr Gilmour, who was remanded on Wednesday

week by John Formby, Esq. and Theodore Rathbone, Esq.,
mazistrates of this county, under a charge of having obtained
goods by false pretences, was on Wednesday placed before
the borough magistrates for the further investigation of the
circumstances alleged against him. The case was heard by
Theodore Rathbone, Esq., Thomas Booth, Esq., and Thos.
Potter, Esq. The prisoner was attended by Mr. Davenport,
solicitor. On being placed at the bar, he requested to be
accommodated with a chair and a glass of water, which re-

quest was complied wit
the case having excited

The court was crowded to excess,

Mr. Evans,-solicitor, who appeared against the prisoner,
detailed the circumstances Which he intended to prove in
evidence. Mr. Evans said he was afraid he should have to
draw largely on the indulgence of the court in going through
this important case; first, because he was not himself very

deeply acquainted with criminal law ; next, because the ma-
terials which he had to bring before the court were greatly
diffused ; and lastly, because the evidence was not such as
entirely satisfied himself of the practicability of making out
the charge. The application which he was about to make
was, that the magistrates would commit Thomas Parr Gill-
mour, the prisoner at the bar, who had been for a long time
engaged in getting goods from several parties, by various
means and representations. He had been engaged in these
transactions during twenty years, and had in that time made
use of various names ; sometimes procuring them as for the
firm of Gillmour and. Co. ; at others, of John Gillmour and
Co., John Parr Gillmour and Co., Thomas Parr Gillmour
and Co., Henry Wilson and Co., and Tomlinson and Co.
Connected with him had been his son, whose name was John
Corlett Gillmour, and another younger son, who was only
just initiated into these transactions. Mr. Gillmour, the
prisoner, individually had gone under the names of Parr,
Gill, Gillmour, and Corlett. He had carried on this strange
business at Liverpool, Chester, and London, and had or-
dered goods of all descriptions, from a gold watch to a red
herring. (Laughter.)
Mr. Evans proceeded to enumerate some of the numerous
articles which the prisoner had ordered in the course of his
business, as brass kettles, watches, rugs, linen shirting, navy
blue cloth, butter, boots, cutlery, chocolate, candles, coals,
flannels, swords, tools, and all manner of goods. He had in
his possession letters sent to him by various manufacturers,
which had been addressed by tl
chester, Birminr,

burgh, Glasgow, Stockport, Leeds, and numberles-s other

places. His mode of doing business was by writing letter,
to the amount of some thousands in the course of a yea

ordering g

(Mr. Evans) had examined a. lad who was formerly em-
ployed by the prisoner, who had written thirty letters per
day for goods to all parts of the kingdom. The prisoner
must have relied upon his letters falling into the hands 01

parties occasionally who would suppose that he belonged to
the highly respectable firm of Rankin, Gilmour and Co. of
this town. Many, indeed, had acted upon this supposition,
and had furnished goods thereupon. When pressed for pay-
ment for the goods furnished, he had letters to show, of
various dates in 1840 and 1841, the manner in which claim-
ants had been put off. These letters were a sort of circulars,
and he would read one of them, out of many in his posses-
sion, to the court. Mr. Evans here read a letter, dated Ist
March, 1840, signed " J. C. Gilmour and C 0.," stating that
they were involved by the failure of a house, and were com-
pelled to offer a composition of ss. in the pound, or become
bankrupts. This letter was in the handwriting of the pri-
soner's son. fie had other letters, signed Messrs. Gilmour
and Co. and Messrs. Gilmour, to the same effect. All the
letters seemed to have been written in a bold mercantile
style, calculated to deceive and to make persons believe that
they came from an office carrying on a respectable business,
in the usual manner. The party bad also two boxes at the
Post-office, one in the name of Gilmour and Co. and the
other in the name of Ilenry Wilson and Co., and the letters
addressed to both names were delivered to the same person.
Some of the letters in his (Mr. Evans's) possession were in
the handwriting of the prisoner, with the signature of the
son, and some were written and signed by each of them.
In the case which he was about to bring before them, the
evidence, if it would bear out the charge, was complete. The
charge which he sought to establish was that of having ob-
tained goods under false paetences from Mr. Dunkley, of
Birmingham. The latter sent a quantity of goods to Gill-
mour and Co. of Liverpool, which were ordered to be suitable
for the New Zealand market. Mr. Evans here read a letter
signed Gillmour and Co. Liverpool, dated March, 1842, ad-
dressed to Mr. Dunkley, requesting to be furnished with the
prices to merchants of goods suitable for the New Zealand
market. An answer was sent with a printed list of goods and
prices. A second letter was sent, ordering a quantity of
brass kettles of various descriptions which were ordered to
be sent in cases marked G. 12 and 13, cash in a month, &c.

The next letter acknowledged the receipt of one cask, marked
as directed, and contained a further order with a request for
an invoice of the whole. Mr. Dunkley acted on the faith of
the parties being genuine merchants, and that the goods were
for shipment. The next letter stated that the goods had
come to hand, and promised to write in a few days when the
partner retur —1 from the north. On the same day

head
one of the sons went to the railway, stripped off the d;rec-
tions, and the goods were all re-directed to Mr. Golding, a
pawnbroker, of London. A letter was addressed ,to Mr.
Golding ordering him to remit a liberal advance as before,
and with the goods Mr. Dunkley's invoice was actually trans-
mitted. He (Mr. Evans) had sent a messenger to London
to Mr.. Golding, who had acted in the most proper manner
in the case, having at once come down from London on pur-
pose to give every facility to the inquiry. He proposed to
prove the receipt of the letter to Mr. Dunkley, calling for
the prices for the New Zealand market, the hand-writing of
the son, the transmission of the goods, that the son went to
Pickford's and re-directed the goods to Mr. Golding, at
London, and to connect the prisoner with the transaction he
would prove letters addressed to him, and that he was in
possession of the pawn-tickets. The main question for con-
sideration would be, whether the post letters contained suffi-
cient to prove that Mr. Dunkley was misled to send the
goods under the belief that the party was a merchant in Li-
verpool trading to New Zealand, for if so, and the goods
were immediately pledged to a pawnbroker, " as before," he
thought it would be conclusive evidence that a criminal act
had been committed.
Mr. William Dunkley, brazier, of Birmingham, was called.
He proved the receipt of the several letters alluded to by
Mr. Evans. In consequence of the representations contained
therein, he transmitted those casks containing various de-
sciptions of brass kettles as per order. They were casks
marked ti. Nos. tz, 13. and 14, as directed in the letter of
the 29th of March. The invoice was transmitted, the goods
in No. 12, amounting to £l2 3s Gd, transmitted April 6,
1812; those in No. 13, to £lO 16s Id, transmitted May 17 ;
those in No. 14, to £l2lBs Gd, transmitted May 14. He
found the name of Rankin, Gilmour, and Co. in the Direc-
tory, and believed the prisoner to be connected with it, and
knowing it to be a respectable firm he was induced to trans-
mit the goods. He had made application for £lO, but had
never received a farthing of his money.
Mr. G. F. Fairclough, solicitor,. proved the handwriting
of the prisoner's son, John Corlett Gilmour, to several letters.
Mr. Samuel Salt, agent to Messrs. Pickford and Co., car-
riers, proved that on the
.19th of May a young man who
called himself Mr. Gilmour's son, had taken two casks,
marked G. 13 and 14, to their office, and forwarded them to
Mr. Golding, London. The young man wrote a shipping
note there.
William Clarke, of Sutton, Cheshire, stated that the pri-
soner lodged at his house from the 25th January to the 25th
April last. His two sons called upon him from time to time.
Had corresponded with his son Thomas. The letter pro-
duced was in that son's hand-writing.
Edward Golding, pawnbroker, Knightsbridge, proved the
receipt of the letters and goods by him, in London, in May
last. Mr. Golding produced the head of one of the casks
and a sample of the goods, which were identified by Mr.
Dunkley. On cross-examination by Mr. Davenport, Mr.
Golding said he had received about twenty-four letters in all
from the prisoner.
Mr. Woverden, a superintendent in the county constabu-
lary, stated that he had examined the papers of the prisoner,
and he found amongst them several letters, addressed J. P.
Gillmour and Co. and J. P. Gillmour, merchant, Liverpool.
In one of those letters were two pawn-tickets.
Stephen Wainwright, a young man who was examined
when the prisoner appeared before the county magistrates,
proved that he had been employed by the prisoner some time
ago at Chester, when he wrote for him numerous letters for
goods to all parts of the kingdom.
Mr. Evans said he should like to ask some influential gen-
tleman present if there were in Liverpool any firm known
as Gillmour and Co. He would put the question to Mr.
Wm. Rathbone, if that gentleman would be so good as an-
swer it. Mr. Rathbone said he did not know any such firm.
The magistrates here consulted together for a few minutes,
when
Mr. Theodore Rathbone said, he was sorry to say that the
magistrates did not deem the evidence sufficient to support
the charge. There could be no doubt as to the nature of the
transaction, and the prisoner had better be on his guard, that
he did not get brought before them again, for another case
might have a different termination.
The prisoner said he had nothing at all to do with the
transaction. His son had recently set up in business for
himself, and Mr. Potter, who was on the bench, must
remember the firm of Gillmour and Co., and know that he
(the prisoner) had always acted honourably.
The prisoner was discharged.

LIVERPOOL PROTESTANT BENEVOLENT

SOCIETY

The annual dinner of the members and friends of the Liver-
pool Protestant Benevolent Society took place yesterday, in
the large room at the house of Mr. William George, the
George and Vulture Hotel, Houghton-street. This society,
which is enrolled according to the act of parliament, ex-
presses its objects by its title ; and we are happy to state,
that notwithstanding the unprecedented depression of the

✓
times, it has gone on increasing in numbers as well as in
funds during the past year. It is therefore in a prosperous
condition, and it has our hearty good wishes for its continued

;nt and substantial dinner, under the presidency of JOSEPH
:00PER, Esq., chairman of the society, and one of the re-

. _ ..
presentatives of Great George's Ward in the Town Council
There were also present Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. Gurden, Mr
Robert Jones, jun., and'a considerable number of the hono
rary members of the society. The cloth having been with

The PRESIDENT said the first toast would be that of her
most gracious Majesty the Queen. At a time like the pre-
sent, when her life had just been attempted, it peculiarly be-
came the duty of a society like this, which professed to fear
God and honour the Queen, to show their loyalty and attach-
ment to their sovereign. (Cheers.) He begged to propose
the health of the Queen. (Great cheers.)
The PRESIDENT stated that Mr. James Aspinall was pre-
♦ented from attending by the state of his health, which com-
pelled him to visit the Isle of Man; and that Mr. Win.
Potter and Mr. Robertson Gladstone, from whom he read
letters, were unable to attend owing to previous engage-
ments. _

The PRESIDENT proposed the health of Prince Albert,
who, since he had come to this country, had " won golden
opinions from all sorts of men." (Loud cheers.)
The next toast was the " Queen Dowager and the rest of
the Royal Family." In proposing it, the president remarked
that the attachment of her Majesty to the institutions of the
country was well known, and needed no praise. (Applause.)
The PRESIDENT next gave " The Bishop and Clergy of
the Diocese," and " The Church, unity, and prosperity to
her."—(Three times three.) Glee—" With a Jolly full
Bottle."
The PRESIDENT : The toast I am now about to give is one
that will be dear to every true born Briton—" The Duke,
the hero of a hundred battles." (Tremendous cheers.)
The following toasts were—" The navy, the glory and
bulwark of our sea-girt isle." (Great cheering.) " Sir
Robert Peel, and her Majesty's ministers ;:' " The glorious,
pious, and immortal memory of King William the Third."
(Tremendous cheers.)
Mr. War. Nimmo, chairman of the society, proposed "The
health of the president, and all the other honorary members
of the society, with thanks to them for their patronage."
Mr. COOPER returned thanks for the compliment paid
of every man to do as much good as was pos-
him in a feeling and appropriate speech. He remarked that
it was the duty
sible in the station in which. he was placed ; and it was on
thatprinciplethathe ip ne, thisaedxlsotienneccl society. During the
short time it had been had done a great deal
of good, and h
e was
.happy to find that its circumstances
were gradually improving. In conclusion, he trusted that it
might g
extending its benevolence, and
that the means for it would be liberally supplied. (Applause.)
Mr.
Go on fromußpENreturned today
day, s
thankset i
for the compliment paid to
him as one of the honorary members. He felt proud to