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Leader (1850-1860), 7th June 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 534, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      this it may ha inferred that some doubt existed m the mind of one or more of the jury which gave rise to considerable discussion b 3 fore it « ould be removed . It may Serefore be satisfactory to the public to know that such Vas not « ally the cas * On their refcreraent , the jurymen , without discussing among themselves the subject « f ike prisoner ' s guilt or innocence , agreed that each individual juryman should write his verdict , and place it under bis hat . Within ten minutes from the time of lairane court this determination was carried into effect , and on raising the hate the word " Guilty" was found under every one of the twelve . The delay in returning into court with the verdict originated in a feeling that any suggestion compatible with the innocence of the prisoner which might occur to the mind of any individual juryman should not be precluded from discussion by a hasty verdict .

      Mr . Devonshire , the surgeon who made the second post-mortem examination of Cooke ' s body , has written to the papers rto defend himself from the charge of careleasness brought against him by the Attorney-General wad others . He admits , however , that Mr . Newton , a vmmg gentleman who assisted him , but who had unfortunately never witnessed a post-mortem examination , punctured ihejstomach , and afterwards turned it inside out . in consequence of which , about a teaspoonful of its contents was lost . " With the exception of this casual puncture , " adds Mr . Devonshire , " I maintain tbat the post-mortem examination was skilfully performed . " A petition in favour of commutation of sentence now lies fox signature at various places .

      Untitled Article

      THE BANKRUPTCY OF MARK BO YD . The certificate meeting in the bankruptcy of Mark Boyd took place before Mr . Commissioner Fane on Monday . After a long examination of the bankrupt , Mr . Roxburgh ( who opposed for the assignees ) addressed the court , and urged that the certificate of the bankrupt should be wholly refused . The bankrupt , in his balance-sheet , represented that in 1840 he was possessed of a capital of 19 , 000 ? . How was that capital made up ? 9630 ? . consisted of a debt owing to him by his father , and not one penny of which ever had or ever would be received . 3000 ? . odd consisted of claims upon persons who never had been , and never could be , supposed to be worth a shilling . The bankrupt , under

      the most favourable circumstances , could not have had a capital of more than 2000 ? . He professed to have , in 1840 , shares to the amount of 5000 ? . in a company , in ¦ which shares he had sworn he had never dealt . The ralue of these shares was put down at a guess . The bankrupt was undoubtedly in debt at this time . He admitted that his father had only to hope for a sum of money from the United Kingdom Insurance Company for services rendered , for the means of paying his debt . It was about this time that the scheme was concocted by the bankrupt and his brother to form a bank . —Mr . Lawrance ( who appeared for the bankrupt ) denied that there was any evidence of this . —Mr . Roxburgh insisted that the bankruptcy was concocted by Benjamin Boyd ,

      a man , like the bankrupt , without means . Both brothers were promoters , directors , and brokers , of the bank ; they were , in fact , the head and tail of it . The shareholders did not come ready enough , and , as they could only muster a capital of 11 , 000 ? ., they determined to issue debenture notes to the amount of 300 , 000 ? . or 400 , 000 ? . Mark Boyd , who signed those notes , now claimed a cbmmfssion for selling them . All the money thus raised went to Benjamin Boyd , who took out with him 100 , 000 ? ., the money of the shareholders , or money raised by debentures , for which they were responsible , and for which B . and M . Boyd , as directors of the bank , were trustees . It was at first thought that Benjamin Boydiad inflicted all this mischief and misery upon the

      shareholders ; but when they found that Mark Boyd had received from him consignments , the balance of which amounted to 70 , 000 ? ,, and appropriated the same to his own uses , they could not impute all the blame to the former . Mark Boyd had only made one communication to the bank that ho had received consignments , although he had received 200 , 000 ? . The bankrupt had oponed fictitious accounts with fictitious persons . There was the firm of Boyd Brothers , and there was the Australian Wool Company , of which Boyd was the only partner . The Australian Wool Company had no better title to existence than the engraved plate of the debentures gave it . The debenture of the Wool Company had been given to the Royal Batik in exchange for the

      debentures , and everything had been so mixed up that it wan a difficult task for any one to unravel the mystery . All that could be got from the bankrupt was that ho W&b indebted to sorao ono 70 , 000 ? ., which money he had apqnt . He had further been guilty of falsely stating to Mr . 'J&orthwick that his brother was indebted to him in fh » amount of 20 , 000 ? ., at a time when , as was now alleged , he waa a creditor for 75 , 000 ? . At this date , however , he wan unablo to address the court nt the requisite length , on the ground of false entries in the baokfl , fraudulent preference in six or hovcii cases , a misrepresentation to Mr . Uorthwick nnd othera , relative to expenditure . It would bo his duty to press for a total refusal of certificate . —The Commissioner ordered tin adjournment for a week .

      Untitled Article

      MURDER AT PLYMOUTH . A murder has been committed on board the convictship , Runnymede , now lying in Plymouth harbour with convicts bound for Swan River . Corporal William Nevan , one of the local pensioners , has shot Binghara Robinson , acting sergeant-major to the same corps . Nevan was ordered by his senior officer to fetch one of the privates for parade , and while the man ' s firelock was being examined by Robinson , Nevan deliberately loaded his musket , and ohot him from the larboard poop ladder . The ahot passed through the stock of the firelock undergoing examination , and broke it in two ; then , after carrying away two of Robinson ' s fingers , it entered his abdomen . Robinson excluinied , "Oh , God ! I am shot ! Oh , God ! I am dead ! " and almost immediately expired . Novau was booh afterwards apprehended , and , when in custody , stated to the polico that ho and the murdered man had not agreed lutely , and that the latter had threatened to deprive Nevan of his pension . An inquest has been hold on board the Runnymede , the jury being partly composed of the ship ' s crew and partly of pensioners , when a verdict of " Wilful Murder " was returned against Corporal Novan .

      Untitled Article

      A Skuvant ' . s Stouy . — Henry Charnell , William Martin , John Sale , Charles Peshell , und John Tillett ( all of them described as servants ) , have been tried at the Old Bailey on a charge of Htcaling between five and six hundred pounds' worth of plato from the house of Mr . Fisher , of Katon-pluco . Charnoll , who was butler to Mr . Fisher , told him , about seven o'clock on the morning of the- 5 th of April , that ho hud been called out from tho house lato at night in consequence of the Hickness of his wife ' s cousin , and tbut upon his return ho hud found that nearly the wholo of tho pinto had beou stolen . Tho polico wore sent for , and Churnull was given into custody , when ho informed tho inspector that tho story ho had before told about the sickliest ) of hia

      cousin ' s wife was untrue , and that he had been o ut spending the night with four men , one of whom was a perfect stranger to him . He said that these four men previous to starting with him on their expedition , had assembled at Mr . Fisher ' s house , where Uiey remained in the butler's pantry till half-past twelve , - when it being considered that the family had retired to rest they sallied forth , intending to go to a ball , but , finding it was not to take place till some future day , they spent the night at various public-houses . On returning to Mr . Fisher ' s residence , Charnell alleged that he found the plate stolen . He then wrote a letter to a Mrs

      Gilbert , soliciting her to pass for his cousin , and to confirm the story about the sickness ; but she refused . Evidence was given to show that Martin and Tillett were . furtively admitted to the house of Mr . Fisher on the night of the robbery ; aud it furthermore appeared that a letter which Charnell said he wrote to Tillett ou the 4 th of April , asking him to join the party , bore the postmark of March 22 nd . The counsel of the different prisoners contended tbat nothing more had been proved against their clients than negligence of duty and mere suspicion of dishonest conduct . They were all acquitted .

      Post-Office Robbery . —Peter Francis Mogan , a letter-sorter at the Geueral Post-office , has been found Guilty at the Central Criminal Court of stealing a letter containing a sovereign . He had been in the Post-office for twenty years ; ou' which ground the jury reco mmended him to mercy . The Recorder said that , but for this recommendation , he should have ordered him to be transported for life ; but , under the circumstances , he should sentence him to penal servitude for six years . RoBBiva by Deputy . — John Markham , a welldressed young man , twenty-four years of age ( who is known to be a skittle sharper ) , was tried a few days ago at the Central Criminal Court on a charge of forgery . The story was singular , as it appeared that the man

      contrived to engage perfectly innocent persons to aid him in the prosecution of his knaveries . At the beginning of last February , the house of Mr . Ash , oven-merchant of Upper Thames-street , was broken into , and , among the other things which were carried away were two blank cheques out of the cheque-book . Towards the latter end of the month , an advertisement for a situation , inserted by a young man named Humphreys , in the Tiroes , was answered by the prisoner Markham , who directed Humphreys to call on him in Oakley-crescent , City-road . He did so , and was sent by the accused , with a cheque for 91 ? ., to Messrs . Snritib , Payne , and Co . The cheque was not paid , and Humphreys returned to the house in company with the police-officer Forrester ; but Markham had gone away . A week or two

      later than this—viz ., on the 8 th of March—the prisoner answered another advertisement ( he was then living in a different neighbourhood , under a ditferent name ) , and sent the young man who had advertized , with a cheque for 87 ? . 14 s ., to Messrs . Ransom and Co . This waa paid , and the young man , Bowles , was told to call again the following day ; but subsequently he received a letter from the accused , stating that he was going out of town for a little while . Bowles ' s suspicions were then excited ; he communicated with the bankers , and the forgery was discovered . Markham was afterwnrds recognized , and taken into custody , when he conducted himself with great violence . The jury found him Guilty , and he was sentenced to penul servitude for four years . Another man , who was charged with complicity , waa acquitted .

      Dog-Stealing . — A Newfoundland doy , belonging to Mr . Latty , a gentleman of property residing in Gloucester Gardens , Bayswater , was lost some time back , and on the 9 th of April , being about a fortnight after the loss of the dog , a man named Robersou called on Mr . . Latty , saying that he came from the person who had " found " the dog , and proposing to restore it for a consideration of two guineas . In the course of conversation , he observed that he could steal any dog he liked , as oflen as lie liked . Mr . Latty replied that that was a poor inducement to him to pny two guineas for the restoration . However , if it woro really hi . s dog , he was willing to give some remiinorution , on condition that tho amount should be left to his discretion . Ho udded that he would send hu groom , Thomas Mills , with Roberson to sec the dog . Ho proposed that a policeman should uccoinpuuy them , ltoberson nt first objected , suyiug , " It' you bring the but ulti

      police into it , you shall never sec your dog ; " - mately he ugreed , and a constable named Morgan , was colled in . lluving obtained his inspector's pcnunwwn , Morgan went , in private clothes , with Mills uud Kol » er-• on , to a public-house called the Sugarlouf , kept by oU " Williams , in King-street , Drury-lanc , a known resortol dog-HtCiilers . Thero they found two men , Wudo null Doyle , together with some others , but no man with a dog . In tho momentary absence of Mills , tho rufliuiiH »»« do a savage uttack on tho policeman , who was beaten , kickodi and wounded in tho bund with a pewter pot . Aiilla , on coming to his aid , was also roughly bundled , though not ho seriously injured . The inon escaped , and Morgan \ yub convoyed to tho hospital , whoio ho lay in a dangeruuB condition for weeks . On the Kith of May , Mr . l ^ W met Itoborson in tho utreot and gave him into custody , when a quantity of livor cut in small aliens , a flhcop "

      Untitled Article

      . OUR CIVILIZATION . * A ^ i ^^^^^^^^^ w ^^^^^—^ "" :

      THE SO CIETY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF VICE . It will be recollected that William Dugdale , a bookseller in Holywell-street , was convicted , some time ago , of selling disgusting and corrupt books and- pictures , and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment . He had been similarly convicted several times before , dating as far back as 1825 ; and on the last occasion some other dealers were arrested with him , at tbe instance of the Society for the Suppression of Vice , whose agent was a Mr . Prichard , an attorney . One of these men was an assistant at the shop of a Mrs . Elliott , and he was arrested under a belief that he was the proprietor of the shop . On tho day before the trial , this man , whose

      name was Bosworth , was liberated on bail withont any opdosition from Mr . Prichard , the prosecutor . He did not appear to take his trial , and , his recognizances being estreated , he was sentenced ^ to two years' imprisonment . After this , Bosworth returned to the shop ; but , though the Society and Mr . Prichard , its agent , knew that he was there , they took no steps to have him arrested . Some eighteen months afterwards proceedings were instituted against him at the Middlesex Sessions for a fresh offence , when Mr . Prichard handed up a copy of the record of the conviction of Duneombe ( one of the previous defendants ) , but maintained silence with respect to Bosworth ; in consequence of which , Bosworth was sentenced to only two months' imprisonment , while Duneombe received six months . A rule to answer these matters was obtained by William Dugdale ; and Sir Frederick Thesiger , on Mondav , appeared in the Court

      of Queen ' s Bench to show cause against the rule . Mr . Prichard ' s affidavit , which was read by Sir Frederick Thesiger , set forth that the Societyfhad reason to believe that Bosworth was merely Elliott ' s shopman , and that he was a very poor man who was desirous of getting out of the trade , into which he had been dragged unwillingly ; that the Society nevertheless thought it advisable to prosecute him ; that Mr . Prichard had not made any bargain with Bosworth , nor was he aware of any pecuniary consideration having been given ; that Bosworth was again prosecuted when it was ascertained that he had once more entered into the trade ; that Mr . Prichard had been advised by counsel that it would be ~ better to proceed on a fresh charge ; that , on the trial , Mr . Prichard did not hear any request made on the part of the Judge to know anything of Bosworth ' s conduct ; and that Mr . Prichard had no desire or motive to screen

      Bosworth from punishment . Lord Campbell ( after hearing counsel on both sides ) expressed his opinion that Mr . Prichard had been guilty of very improper conduet , and had exercised a discretion which he had no right to exercise . The Lord Chief Justice believed that , in a majority of such cases , the prosecutor and the culprit are found in the end to be shaking hands over some corrupt agreement , and becoming apparently friends . Still , he thought that Mr . Prichard was not actuated by any corrupt motives , and the rule , therefore , must be discharged , but without costs . In this judgment , the three other Justices ( Coleridge , Erie , and Crompton ) entirely agreed .

      Untitled Article

      g THE LEADER . [ No . 324 , Satitrba ^ __ - ^___— . . — ' ¦ J' i i ^™ —^ - ^^^^^^

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 7, 1856, page 534, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2144/page/6/