Denton Examiner, Audenshaw, Hooley Hill and Dukinfield Advertiser. — 1877-01-27 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE.  At Lambeth Police-court, London, Charles Graham, alias Lever, 21, who was described on the police sheet as an actor and theatrical agent, was charged before Me. Chance with stealing, by a trick, .£lO from Stephen 'Steckel]. The case was of an extraordinary character, and Detectives Berry and Reid, of the P Division, who took the prisoner into custody, informed the magistrate that there were several persons present who had been duped by hire. The officers produced several hundreds of letters found at the prisoner's lodgings, in Beresford-street, Walworth, end a number were handed to the magistrate. They had been sent to the defendant principally by girls having an intense desire to appear on the stage. Frnm the evidence of Stephen Maskell, it appeared that on seeing last month an advertisement in the Daily Chronicle, the Telegraph, and Echo, that messengers were required with good characters, he went to Beresford-street and saw the defendant, who, as stated in the pipers, required .£lO security, and the name in the advertisement was "Lever." The prisoner told him he would be a messenger, and be intrusted with large sums of money at a salary of ..£1 a week. He told him he was a theatrical agent, and witness paid him at different times sums amounting to .£lO, which was to be returned on the termination of the engagement. The prisoner net him to work for somedays by sending him to various newspaper offices to put in advertisements as to openings for the "stage," &c. The prisoner paid him for three or four weeks, and then said he could pay no more, as he was bankrupt. The £lO had not been returned. Another witness named Brown gave evidence. He answered an advertisement for a " messenger " and deposited .E. 5 with the prisoner as security. For three weeks he was paid, and then the prisoner, saying he had no money, borrowed Os. of him. On asking for his money back the prisoner said be was 'fly," and he could not get his money back as he was bankrupt. Detective Berry said on going to arrest the prisoner he asked him if he was a "theatrical gentleman." He said he was not, but knew many proprietors of theatres and had performed himself. Witness found about 1000 letters and documents in answer to advertisements for the "stage," &c. In answer to the magistrate, the detective said there were two young women present who had paid Os. to the defendant to give them lemons to .play  in the "Hunchback," and he told them they would be on the stage in a fortnight. They were to pay him ..£2, but they could give only 10s., and were to pay the remainder when they got into engagements. The prisoner told the magistrate that there was no fraud intended. Mr. Chance told the prisoner he appeared to be trading without any qualification, and in his opinion it was a monstrous mode of getting money. He would remand him for a week, when perhaps some . _ . .  further information would be .forthcoming.r Two substantial euretiee in £4O each, with notice, were required.  A TRAGIC AFFAIR his kilt taken place in the Wicker, one of the best streets of Sheffield. William Shepherd, a chemist, owning some property, had been drinking very heavily for some days. He came home in low spirits, and went to bed all rieht, but the following morning committed suicide by literally sawing his head off with a game carver, two feet long. His wife was lying beside him.