The Press. — 1857-01-10 (London, England)

THE ROYAL. BRITISH BANK threatens to become a species of Baron-de-Bode case, to terminate only in the mutual deaths of directors and shareholders. On Thursday the shareholders comprehended in Class B—viz., those who took shares in 1855—appealed to the Court of Bankruptcy for permission to repudiate those shares, and, instead of being treated as shareholders involved in the bank's liabilities, to appear as creditors, and to be allowed to claim the amount paid for their shares, on the ground that the directors, in the circular of March, 1655, deliberately misrepresented the assets of the bank, stated to be upwards of 800,000/. in convertible securities, and a reserve fund of 10,00r)1., when, in fact, they bad scarcely sixpence in hand. After hearing an affidavit read from Mr. Edwin Booth, of Great Queen-street, Westminster, in which Mr. Booth detailed the inducements held out to him to become a shareholder under the New Charter Act, the case was adjourned till Monday, the 19th, in order to bring up, if possible, Mr. Cameron, Mr. M'Gregor, and other witnesses.  THE CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT SESSIONS were resumed on Monday. The learned Recorder, in his address to the grand jury, referring to the cases of Redpath and Robson, alluded pointedly to the duty of Stock-Exchange gentlemen exercising some caution and inquiry in their transactions with persons previously unknown to them : It appeared to him that the same caution should be observed in transactions of this kind as would be exercised by all honourable men who were dealing with any property or goods belonging to others, and that the same care should be taken to prevent the chance of being supposed to have any share in a guilty transaction.  THE BAKERS of the metropolis have been thrown into consternation by a recent decision of Mr. Beadon, the sitting magistrate at Marlboroughstreet, upon the subject of the Smoke Act. Mr. Cook, a baker, of Coventry•street, was summoned by Government officials for not, in accordance with the regulations of the Smoke Act, having adopted a certain apparatus to effect the consumption of his own smoke. On the part of Government it was maintained that whatever change in his furnace Mr. Cook had effected it did not answer the purpose of consuming the smoke of the fire, and that was the so!e point at issue. On the part of Mr. Cook it was maintained that his furnace was fitted with the best invention at present known—having regard to the words of the act, which stated that " practicable means " were to be used—to effect the consumption of smoke. To this, on the part of Government, it was replied that there were two patents, Von Rauther's and Davis's. Von Rauther's was the Utter of the two, which statement competent wit. nesses corroborated. Mr. Cook used Davis's patent, and several witnesses were called for the defence but, after hearing the evidence, Mr. Beadon decided  35  -- that as none of these witnesses had seen both inventions at work, he must regard the defence as futile, and inflict a fine of 51. and costs. Two CHILDREN, Margaret and Catherine Cochrane, about a fortnight since were found apparently suffocated from a fire breaking out in the room of a lodging•house in Liverpool. The children were buried, but the circumstances of the case were somewhat suspicious. It was remarked that three former children by the same mother had died violent deaths, and that a fourth child known to have been born lately had suddenly disappeared. The mother, also, was of a notoriously bad character. An inquiry Was held, the bodies of the two girls exhumed, and a postmortem examination made of the contents of the stomach of each, when full traces of oxalic acid were found. An inquest was at once held, and a verdict of " Wilful murder" returned against Bridget Cochrane, the mother, who is at present at large.