On this page

• Text (2)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    768 __ T B/j^JLE A D EH. , [No. 437, Aug...

  • 

    GATHERINGS FROM LAW AND POLICE COURTS. A...

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    The Assizes. Albert Huskey Turxek Was Tr...

    by the defendant to the plaintiff . In 18 . , Miss Smith was in Germany , where she was engaged as governess in . a high family , and Mr . Roche , -who -was stated to be an Irish gentleman , made her acquaintance . Ultimately , some form of marriage , which turned out to be of no legal value , was gone through by a person whom Mr , Boche represented to be a clergyman , and after this they lived together as man and wife until 1845 , when Miss Smith again accepted a situation as governess in Germany ; but Mr . Roche insisted that she should return and live -with him , stating that , she was his wife . They continued to live together until the year 1851 , when Mr . Roche married , and at this time he wrote a letter to a gentleman named Shepherd , in which he requested him to break the

    ** terrible tidings to dear Margaret as ¦ well as he could , and to spare her feelings , and at the same time stated that he would always provide for her , and that he ( Mr . Shepherd ) might at once advance her money to the extent of 50 ? . That sum was accordingly given to th e plaintiff , and Mr . Roche went to reside in Ireland . In 1952 , finding she could not obtain any more money from him , Miss Smith went to Ireland and saw Mr . Boche , and he then executed the agreement which was the subject of the present action . Four children were the result of the connexion ; but at this time only two -were alive ,

    and the agreement was to the effect that , upon consideration of the plaintiff educating and providing for the two children then alive , he undertook to pay Miss Smith 501 . per annum , by four quarterly instalments . The defence set up was purely techaical . It was contended that no legal consideration had been proved for the annuity , and also that , as one of the children had died , it could not be enforced , the original understanding being that the money was to be paid for the support and education of two children . The jury eventually returned a verdict for the plaintiff for the full amount claimed , the questions of law being reserved for further consideration .

    Daniel Cummins has been found Guilty of wounding Mr . John Mulley in a third-class carriage on the Brighton Railway , on the 28 th . of March . The man first attempted to roT ) the prosecutor , and , on being resisted , he made a savage attack , and endeavoured to throw him out of window . In this he would have succeeded had hot Mr . Mulley been a very powerful man ; but it was . only with difficulty , that he saved himself . At the Caterham station , Cummins was given into custody , and conveyed toCroydon ; but he resisted so violently that it required six constables to put him into the police cell . The defence now raised was that the man was insane ; and the Judge said that the state of his mind should be properly inquired after . Meanwhile , he was sentenced to six . years ' penal servitude .

    A case , arising out of the deadly feuds of Protestantsand Roman Catholics , was tried at Newcastle on Monday . Five men ( Protestants ) , named Johnson , Sayer , Sloan , Bertram , and Cameron , had "been drinking at a beer-shop in the suburbs of Newcastle on the 30 th of May , and , meeting -with some Irish Catholics , there was a fight , in the course of which one John Gain was killed . The five men alluded to ware now tried on a charge of manslaughter , and a verdict of Guilty- was roturned against Sayer and Sloan , and of Not Guilty with respect to the rest . Sentences on the two former was postponed .

    Edward Mendeville Morton , a young man of respectable appearance , has been tried at Guildford on a charge of obtaining money by false pretences . It appeared that , for some time past , he had carried on an extensive and impudent system of swindling in various parts of the country . ' He conducted his own defence , and asserted , with respect to one of the chief witnesses against him ( a Catholic ) , that persons of that religion would tell any amount of falsehoods ; and that he had himself acquired habits of lying from having once been a Papist himself , though he had now ceased to be one . He had endeavoured to gain his living by literature ; but the booksellers would not purchase any of his works because he had no name ; and , as he could not starve , he was compelled to resort to false pretences in order to obtain sub * eistence . He was found Guilty , and sentenced to twelve months' haTd labour .

    , The practice of policemen in acting as spies on prisoners , -with a view to extracting confessions from them , was severely condemned at the Bodmin Assizes on Tuesday by Mr . Baron Watson . Richard Rashleigh was indicted for burglary ; and it appeared that a policeman , after the man had been apprehended , had gone disguised and handduffed Into his cell , and that the prisoner , thinking the officer a fellow captive , had made some statements -with * e » pect to the burglary . The jury acquitted Rashleigre , and the Judge said ho hoped the magistrates would take notice of tho conduct of the

    policeman . Henry Bloomfield , a farmer , pleaded Guilty on Wednesday at Chester to tlie charge of having murdered his wife , Immediately ho had pleaded , ho burst into tears , and continued to cry bitterly during the -whole proceeding * , & s it appeared probable that ho was not in a fit ' state of mind to plead , Mr . Justice Crompton ordered the plea to be struck out , und empan oiled a jury to decide as to tho prisoner ' s mental condition . They found that lie wus insane and unfit to plead . His lordship then ordered thAt he should be kept in safe custody during hoc Majesty ' s pleasure . Bloomfield , St scorns , was under tho ii ^ pression that his wife had boon \ infaithful to him , that

    he was under the special grace of God , and that he was bound to plead guilty , in order to be put out of the world .

    768 __ T B/J^Jle A D Eh. , [No. 437, Aug...

    768 __ T B / j ^ JLE A D EH . , [ No . 437 , August 7 , 1858 .

    Gatherings From Law And Police Courts. A...

    GATHERINGS FROM LAW AND POLICE COURTS . A singular application was made to the Worshipstreet magistrate last Saturday . A -woman attended with a young girl , her daughter , and said she had been married with her consent , and that her husband had deserted her on the following day . The liusband wos in court , and proved to be a youth of eigliteen , which was also , the age of the girl . He was accompanied by his father , who said he was quite thunderstruck-when he first heard of his son's marriage . The account given by the girl ' s mother was , that the youth had frightened her daughter into marrying him by threatening to kill

    her if she refused , and that lie merely sought the marriage in order to spite another suitor . The boy-husband , on the other hand , said that the mother liaJ cajoled him into the union . The most important point at issue was as to whether the marriage had been consummated . The bride asserted that it had been ; the husband said it had aot . All parties expressed a great desire for a divorce ; and the magistrate said that if , as the husband stated , the marriage was simply confined to the ceremony , a divorce might be obtained , though at great expense , from tlie Ecclesiastical Court , as tie bride and bridegroom -were both under age . The parents then , left the court with their children .

    Harriet Scholroyk , the young woman charged -with being concerned with the convict Van INopler in the commission of several burglaries , was fi , nally examined at the Wandsworth police-office last Saturday , when . she was sentenced to two months' hard labour . The magistrate also ordered that the pawnbrokers should deliver up all the property that had been identified , as lie considered they had taken it very incautiously . Henry Bunbury , the son of the late Major-General Bunbury , was charged at Guildhall , on Monday , with forging and uttering three bills of exciiage for 100 / ., 50 ? ., and 402 ., with intent to defraud Mr . Hobson , a tailor , of 4 , Finsbury-place , South . The bills were ostensibly accepted by a Mr . ' Parkin , a solicitor .

    After the reception of the evidence , the accused made a long and rather singular statement . He said : — "I wish to state , relative to Mr . Parkin and Mr . Hobson , that X have a claim upon their property ; that I hold Mr .. Parkin ' s acknowledgment , in his own handwriting , of his not having paid me the sums agreed to ; that the letters 1 showed Mr . Hobson were not forgeries , bat boniifide letters ; that every party belonging to the family , solicitor and all , lave received notice from me that I have never received the sums stipulated to be paid to me ; and that for that very reason I claimed a share in the estate , although Mr . Parkin , and his clients did all they could to shut me out . I also -wish to state that , at Crane-court , Fleet-street , at the Scottish Hospital , of

    which Major Adair is the secretary , I signed various mortgages to the amount of 6000 / . and upwards , and at the end of each mortgage there was a receipt drawn Out acknowledging that I had received a fair proportion of trie property for that mortgage , whereas all that I received was 245 ? . I was to have 2507 ., but they kept back 5 / . because they got me 50 / . a day earlier than agreed upon . They then purchased my equity of redemption for 50 J ., which I sold on their promise to keep good faith with me , which they did not . Upon the death of nay father , knowing they had not a leg to stand upon , and that I was in want of moncj ' , they got me to sign a deed of confirmation of the past , for - which they were to have given me 250 / . then , and to leave the rest

    until a future day when the estate came to be wound up . I received part of that money when I signed the deed , and , with regard to the rest , Mr . Parkin wrote to say that it should be forwarded on my making application for it . I did make repeated application , and got a few pounds in ' dribs and drabs ; ' but tho balance I never got . To prove how they got ray property into their hands , I -wish to say that the firm of Messrs . Gaston , Aguilar , and Balier , cement manufacturers , got mortgages from mo for goods which they con true ted debts for and never paid , leaving mo liable ; and one mortgage alone , for 1500 / ., Mr . Parkin bought on bohnlfof his clients for ' 250 / . —showing how little they thought of the validity of the mortgage . " The prisoner was committed for trial .

    The old soldier who last week imposed on Mr . Combe , the magistrate , attended at tho South-work policc-offlco again on Monday , to vindicate himself from tho charge cf being a swindler . Tho magistrate , however , said that Ws statements did not at all alter the case , and told him to leave tho court . A middle-aged man , of rather diminutive proportions , addressed Sir C . Cresswoll , on Monday , in tho Court of Probate , and said he appeared as a claimiint for a portion of the property of tho Duchess of York . Ilia name was Frederick Augustus Soars . The Judgo : " This is not tho place for such an application . Tho court Uub nothing to do with tho distribution of property lielU in trust . " Applicnnt : " I am entitled to tho property 1 claim . I was well acquainted-with tholato Duchess of York . " The Judy © : " You must mnko yoW application to tlio Court of Clinncery . I niny us woll inform you , as you aw in court , that you must uofc placard gentlonien ' s houses ; in

    the event of your doing so , you will be taken in ^ tody by the police . " The applicant , who appea ^ T appointed with his Lordship ' s directions , theni wKd « An attack was made a few evenings n Ko bvT ? an ; ruffians in St . Mary Axe on a MrJol * filtcVie | ° was riding on horseback . They endeavoured £ ' Zt him off h . a hone , and to rob him , and it was with S difficulty that ho got away . One of the scoundreW apprehended , and was sent by tlie Lord Jfavor to « ri = I with hard labour , for twenty-one day . * . " P ris ° n , Mr . Beadon , the Marlborough-street magistrate ! , » = been making some efforts to put down betting-house ? though lie admits he is not very sanguine as tn «?' result . John Scott , tin lfindlord of the Whit « fc-T Hotel , Piccadilly , fcas beea chafed With £ Z *

    betting-house ; Charles Thorpe and Henry ^ 2 , 3 th aiding him m keeping the house ; and . ' Joha BiidJiS using the house . Tlie police entered the hotel at varioS times , and found several persons there , betting . Scott the landlord , was present , and wis cognisant of thn betting ; and Thorpe and Reeves were his assistants Bird received money upon bets . The magistrate considered tlie case proved witli respect to Scott and Thome ( whom he fined 30 / . each ) and Bird ( whom he fined 10 ? )• Reeves' he discharged . Scott said he would get rid of the house altogether . After the conclusion of the case Mr . lleadon said he had received several anonymous letters , telling him he would never be able to put down betting or betting-houses ; but he was determined nevertheless to administer the law with a firm hand

    An individual with a great many aliases , but whose real name appeared to be Parker , and who had traded as a merchant , came up iu the Bankruptcy Court , on Wednesday for hia discharge . The application was opposed by Mr . Turner , on behalf of Mr . Vetitom , a broker of the court . Shortly after obtaining a certificate on the occasion of his last bankruptcy ( third class after twelve months ' suspension ) , Parker obtained from Mr . Veritom the discount of a 200 / . bill of exchange in the name of James Parker . Mr . Turner submitted that , if the bankrupt had given his real name , Mr . Ventorn -would not have lost his money . Mr . Oldersliaw opposed for Messrs . Bedford , Berry , and Co ., steel manufacturers , of Sheffield . It appeared from a protracted discussion that Messrs . Bedford and Co . trusted the bankrupt with , 400 / . worth of steel on receiving two bills of 200 / . each , respectively payable at two and tliree months . The first bill was

    paid . Oa . the second bill , the bankrupt was taken ia execution . Having remained in prison seven months , he obtained his discharge on payment of 50 / ., and giving a new judgment for the remainder of the debt . In reply to questions from Mr . Commissioner Goulburn , the bankrupt said that Messrs . Bedford and Co . had given him credit without asking him a single question . He had at one time traded in the name of Truman Parker because he was expecting to be joined in partnership by a gentleman of that name . The Commissioner , observing that the bankrupt could be well punished when he came up for his certificate if he had acted fraudulently , ordered his discharge .

    A young man named llichard Walker was tried at the Middlesex Sessions on Wednesday on a charge of assaulting a Mrs . Mills , at Dalston . Walker had been . married on the very dny in question , and was performing some feats with a broomstick when it flew into Mrs . Mills's garden . ' The young man went after it ; a quarrel followed ; ami "Walker snatched a poker out of the hands of Mrs . Mills , and struck her with it . The result was a fight between tlie partisans of tlie two sides , and the apprehension of Walker , who wis obliged to pass his wedding night in a police cell . At the close of the case for the prosecution , a compromise was entered into . by which it was agreed that the accused should plead Guilty to a common assault , and lie was then discharged on entering into recognizances to appear for judgment when called upon .

    Otto Frederick Homcycr , merchant , of Wolgast , Prussia , was brought up nt the Mansion-house on Wednesday , for final examination , charged with having forged and uttered two bills of lading , purporting to bo for one thousand five hundred quarters of wheat , value 3700 / ., i > er ship Anna , from Wolyast , with intent to defraud Messrs Ticdemavm nnd Co ., of Newcastlc-oii-Tyne . lie was committed for trial . Michaol Murphy , an Itinerant musician with a wooden

    leg , has been exuniiucd at tho Worahip-atrcet policeoffice on a chnrgo of killing Eliza Simpson , a woman who lived with a workman at tho docks as his wife . She was drinking Into at night with Murphy , who was excessively intoxicated , and some quarrel arose between thorn . Tho man then knocked tlio woman down in tho street , and kicked her with his wooden leg so savagely about tho head that , nfter lingering for a duy oy two , sho died . Murphy has now boon committed for

    trial-Richard Rnlpli , alias Nfornmn , the man clinrgeil witli defrauding a German named Urocklii'ii , under ciiuiw ) - stancos related in full in our last in-iui ; , wi . s brought vl ( for re-oxaminatln on Weilnosilny j but , as tho profocutor did not appear ( having returned to Germany ) , lll ° " cuscd w-ns diachur ^ cil . Tho Kov . H . S . Iiyrl . Ii , curnto of liow , awl suporintondent of a largo clasaicdl and cnininoruiitl hohiIi'HJv ' , who prosociitodttiium mimed Thomns Smith , for steal i » tf n largo number of vuluablo li > okn from Aluvil-lit » w ° i Dow , utlondcd At thoTlinmos wolicc-oilioo on Wo . liic 3 il »)' i

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 7, 1858, page 768, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/ldr_07081858/page/8/