The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-05-26 00:00:00

THE SI ATESMAN.

20!. That is all; they don choose to run that ha-
zard, and taut from any unwilllt.eness to carry a greater
number of passengers. Notwithstanding these corn—
plaints, they still go on employing hint. Why no'
dismiss him at once, if he is continually violating the
law. If the Jury are satisfied upon these points there
is no occasion to trouble the Solicitor-General to go on
further. This is a ease iu which all the parties are
equally to blame; and if that is the opinion of the
Jury, the plaintiffs cannot recover against the defend-
ant. One wrong doer cannot recover against another
fur the same cause of blame.

Mr. SCARLETT acquiesced in the Learned Judge's
direction, and elected to be—Nonsnited.

GAINSFORD AND ANOTHER r. BLAcHroND.

This was an action against the defendant for having
in a reference made to him by one Lewis Hofer,
for a character as to his credit and circumstances, wil-
fuily and fraudulently omitted to state that the said
Leu is Hofer had been recently discharged under the
Incolvent Debtors' Act,. whereby the plaintiffs, Shef-
field plate-manufacturers, to whom the reference to the
defendant had been given, lost the sum of 140/., with
whirl' they had credited Hofer.
The plaintiffs' case was conducted by Mr. Sot ICITOR•
GINEKAL and Mr. CHITTY; and the defendant's, by
Mr. SCARLE I T and Mr. F. POLLOCK.

The case proved fur the plaintiffs was in substance
this :—ln the month of June, 1816, Lewis Hofer. a
Dutch trader, residing in East-cheap, applied to the
London a.tent of the plaintiffs, named Brown, for
goods in their line on credit. The agent said his prin-
cipals would have no objection to give credit provided
a respectable reference was given, aro; which Hofer
referred Brown to the defendant. An Wert iew was
had with the la.tet, and the question prof:molded to
hint was—whether Lewis Hofer was regular in his
payments? the answer which the defendant rave was.
"He has dealt smith me—he has been in partnership.
and at the time of the dissolntion he owed me 7 or 8110/.
There was some little delay in paying that sum, Int
it has since bren honourably discharged. He owes
me now a balance of 511/.. but I ant wiliine to give
him credit for any sum." It appeared that Hofer hal
then recently been discharged under the Insolvent
Debtors' Act t the fart was known to the defendant,
but he withhell it from Sir. Brown. 'I he plaintiffs,
upon the representation above-mentioned. nee Hofer
credit for 961. in goods, and took his acceptame. Be-
fore the acceptance became due he applied for further
credit, and obtained it, to the amount of 20/. The
first bill was paid, and he afterwards obtained credit
to the amount mentioned in thedeclaration. He after-
wards absconded, as was alleged, considerably in debt
to several other persons. Under these circumstances
the present action was brought.
On the part of the defendant evidence was adduced
to show that he had had considerable dealings with
Hofer, who had &keys punctually paid him, and that
the circumstances in which he appeared to live were
such as very naturally to raise au impression favourable
to his credit.

he Cams Juvrtcz charged the Jury, that the de-
claration alleged that the defendant had wilfully and
fraudulently abstained from disclosing the fact ;bat
Hofer had been discharged under the Insolvent Debt-
ors' Act. They would judge front the evidence whe-
ther the allegation so made was fully sustained.

The Jury found their verdict fur the defendant.
ADMINISTR iTOR Or I 1010• I r. 1109 r.

This was an action upon fonr notes of hand of dif-
ferent dates. amounting to 500/. The plaintiff was
Administrator of Mr. Wilson, who had been in the Re-
venue; the defendant- was a pawnbroker.
A prime jiteir ease w•as made out for the plaintiff.
The defence was usury.

lieorge Aso‘e, the defendant's son, said, be kept his
father's books at the date of these transactions. Mr.
Wilson first lent his father 200/. at 10 per cent.; fa
I this a note of hand was given. In something more
than a year afterwards, a fnrther sum was advanced,
which, including the interest due on the 200/. (231.
15..) made 130/. Some time afterwards, a further
sum was advanced, which, including the interest due
on the lest bill and the second (all at 10 per rent.)
made 1201., for which a bill was given. A very small
sum was azain advanced, still including the interest
on all the former bills in a , amounting to 501.,
and this was the 500/. made up.
The Solari-ma-Os:cm 1., for the plaintiff, attempted
to throw discredit on this witness, by endeavouring to
show he was in partnership with his father.
Mr. SCARLITT said, the payment of the money boa
fide advanced, was secured to Mr. Wilson's heirs by
the new bills.

The Cm JCPTICE ordered a nonsnit, declaring all
the instruments voided from the usury. His Lord-
ship said, it was as glaring a ease of usury as ever came
before hito.—Nonsitit.

OLD EXLEY SESSIONS, Mar 23.

-~►-

ISTRAORDINMIT CASE OS SIOSSEIST.
Henry Jedd, .Inw►er Al/•er, and &torte Rimiall,
were put to the bar, charged with stealing a watch,
seals, &c. the pr sperty of Perry William Hughes, from
his person.
A young man, named Taylor, was convicted early in
the lest Sessions of stealing a watch from the prose-
cutor in the present ease, who was servant to the French
Ambassador. He was sentenced to transportation for
life, and the three above named prisoners were coo-
witted by the Common-Serjeant (who tried the ease)
for wilful and corrupt perjury, in having sworn that
Taylor WAS in the tap-room at the time of the robbery
(which was stated to be committed at the door), ma
also for holding Hughes while the watch was taken
from him.—Since their committal, several investiga-
duns have taken place at Bow-street office, by order of
Lord Sidmouth, the result of which was the full emu-
mittal of another hackney-coachman, named Stevens,

to Newgate, for trial, as the actual thief, and a respite
wasrerated in favour of Taylor. The facts that insta-
ll' Bow•street have already been amply detailed
in the Police reports.
The prisoners were now put upon their trial foe the
robbery; the charge of perjury being still suspended
terreresn over these.
Messrs. ANDREWS. Attot.rnts„ and Nona, appeared
as Coansel for the prisoners. There was so Comusal
ihr the preseention.

---
Perry WiSal Hughes was first exasaised, sad !e•

tailed the ctreumstances of the robbery nearly as they
have been stated.
Cross-examined by Mr. AnoLruns.—Ditl 'tot know
a Ft ntletnan who wag pointed out to him in Court ; he
might have seen hint, bat he was not sure. He was a
footman in livery to the Ambassador, who kept five
footmen. The night before the robbery he slept in
liiltspur-street Compter, where he was confined on a
charge of riot and disorder. He was discharged by
the Alderman, and did not go home all that day. He
was not drunk at the time of the robbery—he would
not swear that he was sober. He knew what he was
about. lle rode on the box of Judd's coach from
Cheapside ; he did not make a practice of riding, out-
side, but he did that night, as he was afraid of being
sick if be got inside. He neither had nor ordered pipes
of tobacco at the Marquis of tiranhy; he did not recol-
lect that he did ; retold not say either way on his oath.
He did not smoke himself, nor did he see any other
person smoking. lie gave two other persons in charge
for rescuing the thief from him. Believed that the
person he seized for the robbery bad on a snuff-co-
loured coat. It might be a light-coloured oils; he
did not take particular notice. Ihe man he seized did
not leave his coat behind in the scuffle, at least he did
not see it. lie never told Shave, one of the men who
were committed for time rescue, that he would give
him a compensation if he (Mawr) would nut appear at
this trial. He was sure he never said any such thing.
He valved the watch aud seals at 4/. Ills.

Bethel!, the h•atile of Covent•garden, was next
called, and, on his cross-examination, be sai.t hr did
recollect seeing the three prisoners in the house on
that night. Hughes was not drunk, but he might
have been drinking.
Two watchmen were called, and, on cross-exami-
nation by Mr. Axnartn a, they said they saw no at-
tempt to rescue the prisoner on the way to the watch-
house. Ilughes had evidently he••n drinking, but did
not appear to be very drunk. Ile was very noisy,,
and wanted to have a coach and horses taken to the
Breen-card.
In his defence, Randall, in strong terms, declared
his perfect innocence. If lie mi-re on his death-bed, he
would swear that laylor was an knocent man.
'I he other two made a similar !,efru••r.

3lrs. Anne Wredon, landlady of :Ite Ma -lois of
Granby, was examined by .%lr. Ate On S, all I swore
most positively, that Randall, Allger, and faylor.
were never out of the tap-room when the roblwry was
committed. When Hughes came in after he Will rob-,
! bed, Taylor was just awaking
bing his eves ; Hughes said to him, " I think you ere
the man who robbed me of wy wa.eh." 'Caul sjd,
he was mistaken, for be hail not been out of the hrstis •
Hughes then said to Bethel', " take him away, be it
as it may." Randall and Anger were there at the!
time, but Hughes did not charge them with being
parties in the robbery. bey spoke upon the subject
to Hughes, and advised Taylor to go out and be
searched. She heard no alarm of rblibery at the door,
Hughes was very much intoxicated, aial did not pay
his reckoning before he left the house, as lie had
sworn he did ; she sent her boy after bin, for the
reckoning. He called fur rum and water, anti pipes
for four. He did smoke himself.

lieorge Watson, waiver to the last witness, corro-
borated part of her testimony, as far as had come under
his observation, on the night in question.
John Eduards, a liackney,roathinan, was nest call-1
ed, and fully bore oat Mrs. Weedon and her waiter in
their evidence.

Frederick Cole swore, that he saw Hughes and a
man scuffling in the street. That man was not Tay-
lor. The latter was in the tap-room at that time.
Denham Campbell, • watchman, deposed, that
Hughes wished him to take a hackney-coach and horses
Ito the watch-house. He saw Mrs. Weedon'a waiter
come up to him and demand the reckoning in the
street. Hughes was quite intoxicated, and, in wit-
ness's judgment, was incapable of recollecting what
had passed.
William Shave, a waiter (one of the persons charged
with the rescue), stated nearly the same circumstances
as have already been described as to the scuttle in the
street. Hughes said at the watch-house, that M.
would not compensate him for the loss of his watch.
All the witnesses for the defence underwent a most
minute and severe cross-examination, by Mr. Common-

Serjeant, who presided on this occasion.
Mr. ANDRIVVI was about to call witnesses to cha-
racter, when

The Foreman of the Jury intimated, that it was un-
secessary for the ease to proceed further, as they had
Wide up their minds.
The COMIIION-SCRJIANT If that is so, lientle-
wee, it would be a waste of time to go on with the case."
The Jury thee retuned • verdict of Not Uuilty as
to all the prisoners.
The trial lasted tir•P hours.

CAUTION TO TILANIASFISOFLO AII•INST • GANG OF
SWINDLIIRS.—YFONMrdIIy Mr. J. Doidge, upbolstr fee, al.
tended at biarlbersag.ls-street Am. to :sk the @dyke of
0. 11. MAINIVARINO, Esq. the magistrate. under the id.'
lowing circumstances :—He stated, that on Wednesday
week,a gentleman dressed very fashion.. bly, tailed at his
shop. and after being shewn ever the store-roens, agreed
to perches. some •expensive articles of fornitere. and
representing himself as a prrwu of property, gave his
card, to which direction the goods were to be forwarded,
and that the money won'd instantly he paid on their dm
livery. They ware accordingly sent home with a bill
and left there; when, after repeated applications, the
money weld not be paid, or the goods retiree. Upon
ingeay, lit (Mr. Midge) had learned, thatibere was a
ganged* #eatriydea of ppe conweste Res sth
who ale la ea habit of lidift bosses
wader as mpliampee of espetiability. gave
eiders to 11111.1•1111ishissi, and on ea del
t.
ivery
Cy to Sheik t lailpfiftesawvoliAnold i
I l'aiwtaitino laid, it UMW way mums. to
mow hie gusesigaiwiteeo aillaises sad lb EMS
their characters prior 0 latitishise aim reds.
The swindler kitty 61 upon 4* Nil* pro-
pel it meld be aside se ase:e Odle a debt. If he
itthat the penes who ordered the furniture
epirmay pert of It, or had obtained it ender any
peewee by his falseiy professing to he wise his
opt kilitlisaird, then be (the llarieloste) meld take
wereinneseof the ease, hut not whitest. The were
us bogus his wow they wove of hie and it
would be useless to grant a esionneis for the
of the penes to sheer wean why he the pro-
perty. At the request of Mr. Doer% Vetted,' the
-..ier, west with hiei to the ham, hat there was It•
sod of his (airing satisfeetioa.