The Express. — 1853-12-30 (London, England)

THAMES. Samuel Reed, aged 34, of No. 5, Broadway, Deptford, ship joint r, was charged with embezzlement. Mr. Newbon, for the prosecution, stated that the prisoner and another man named Harrison, had been long in the service of the prosecutor, Mr. C J. Mare, the shipbuilder, at Blackwell, and both bad occupied very responsible situations as foremen. About three y.irs ago Mr. Mare invented a planing machine, driven by a steam engine, but which required &certain amount of hand labour and attendance. Mr. Mare made a contract with Reed and Harrison that they should be paid at first a fourth, and afterwards a fifth, of all the earning.' of the machine, to be estimated according to the old prices, and that Reed and Harrison should find all the labour. The two foremen had also had the superintendence of other artificers employed on the machine and elsewhere, and it had been their duty to take account of the men's time and return it to the pay-office, with the amount earned by them. It had been lately discovered, however, that they. had been sending in false estimates, and committing other frauds, ever since the planing machine had been in operation. Last Saturday night both Reed and Harrison attempted lanother fraud. They had rendered an account at the countinghouse, on the previous Thursday, of the work done, or pretended to be done, for the fortnight ending Des ether 21, in which various quantities were stated, and sums charged, making a total of 1341. 3s. 9d. The fifth part to which the two foremen were entitled was 261. 15spd. la the ace 'tint rendered for the fortnight ending Dec. 21, there were 3,000 feet of moulding, called Grecian ogee, and 300 fee' of throat moulding was charged for, which had never been executed or returned into the stores. The storekeeper had checked the accounts with the items for the last twelve moetbs, and found that they had reeelved during the last twelve months 1671. 14s. more than they were entitled to on account of work which had never been executed. Mr. Newbon, after alleging other frauds, called a number of witnesses to substantiate his statement. Mr Ingham thought the overcharge for the mouldings was open to an explanation, and that the want of sufficient checks in Mr. Mare's yard, and the unlimited confidence placed in the prisoner and his coadjutor Harrison would render it most difficult ti establish the case against them. There certainly was some evidence that a large system of fraud had been carried on, but the general laxity which prevailed in the yard as to the foremen's accounts, and the extensive nature of Mr. Mare's operations, would embarrass the matter very much. The prisoner, who said that he had been taken by stirprise, was then bound over in the sum of 2001. and one surety in 1001. to appear on Thursday, the 19th of January.  SUICIDE BY LEAPING FROM A WlNDOW.—Yesteribly evening an inquest was token by Mr. Langham, at the Charing cross Respite', on the body of William Hart' ley, aged 44, a fish salesman raiding in Phenix-street. Soho, who had precipitated himself from a window while under the influence of acute mania. It appeared that the deceased believed that he was entitled to some property, I which was mortgaged, and be wee frequently in a state of great excitement lest he should be deprived of the possession of it. On Saturday eight, the 10th instant, be was in tbe kitehen of the house where he resided, when he asked his wife for a cleaver, with which he said he intended to cut • something to pieces should it come. lie then observed that I the room was on fire, and that he saw the smoke coming through the floor. A female he lived with endeavoured to persuade hint to the contrary, but he became so furious that she left him. The next forenoon be suddenly rustled nut of the house, exclaiming " murder aced thieves." Ile proceeded up Crown-street, and entered No. 21. Ile passed the occupier of the shop, ran up the stairs, and forced open the door of tlte second floor, into which he went, flinging down a lad in the room. He then sprang from the window into the street. He was taken up and conveyed to the hospital, where he was found to have hurt his scalp and to have received other injuries which terminated in inflammation of the 'wags, sad which led to his death on Cbrietam•day. Verdict, "Temporary . insanity."