The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-03-23 00:00:00

vtitx.

• /William Roberts, late .ef "Fikirster, near Leeds,
wilt. barged with not sorreddeAsig to the Commissiou
er: Bankrupt issued fortiv against. him.
This trial excited considerable interest, and the
Court was crowded as-aw -seflrlassaw. --Tit, indict.
mitt was of great Nugtb, 'pod stated the :whale of
the proceedings relativskto the Commission of Bank.
rapt. The charge against the. Prisoner was, that hp,
being declared a bankrupt, did not surrender a,‘d
submit to be examinedend make a disclosure of :;‘
property and effects to the Commissioners, as re.
quired by the statute in that case made and provided)
having received a proper notice go todo.
" Mr. Lwriebiceopened the indictment, and Alt.
Hqpioao stated the case to the Jury. Tire Pri5,,,,,,,,
irsa. Hoberta, had- been employed as agent to Wrn,
Nether and George Coghill, in the United States
of America, who consigned goods to him to be
disposed of for their benefit, and on their account ;
he also traded on his own account, and of course
,carneunder the Bankrupt Laws. In the mire. ci
this agency, lie became indebted to Messrs. Walker
and Coghill, in a considerable sum of money, and
some dispute and question arising with respect tn ve.
rious charges, and the balance due to Messrs. Walker
and Coghill, both parties entered into arbitration
bonds, to submit all points and matters in ilii).ite
to two arbitrators, who, if they could not eg ee,
were` to appoint an umpire, whose award was to
bo- final. The persons chosen as arbitrators net
being able to come to in agreement, they appointed ,
John Hardy, Esq. umpire, who, after having had
the parties before him, and examined into the busk
ness, among other things awarded that the Prisoner
was indebteded to Alessrs.Waiker and Coghill, in the
sum of 21051. 165..9d. Being declared a bankrupt, he
was brought before the Commissioners, who held their
sitting at the hotel in Leeds ;--boa be refused to submit
to be examined, either on oath or otherwise, or to give
any account, or make any disclosure of his effects,
though he was (*noised time for deliberation, and
though the consequences or his refusal were clearly'
pointed out to him 7 and though every argument on'tl
rernonatrance was used that was likely to confute
his obstinacy. The Prisoner assigned, as his re, son
for not submitting to be examined, that the Com-
mission was invalid,becausedie was not a trader, mod
consequently nut subject to. the Bankrupt Laws.—
On this pertinatious refusal to surrettaer, he was
committed to the King's Bench Prison on a capital
charge, founded on the Act of the 23d Geo. H. which
declares, if any person declared u bankrupt shall not
appear before the Commissioners, and submit to 11,!
1 examined, and make a disclosure of all his effect,,
such refusal shall be a capital. felony, and subjectthe
i party to the punishment of death.
i ' John Hardy, Esq. one of the Commissioners, air.
was the only evidence examined, praved the facts of
the ease.
ts Lordship stated, tivat he theught aii ike facts
necessary to establish the bankruptcy had Wee mark
Out ; and with respect to the refusal to be examined;
it did not appear to him there was any room for
doubt.