Liverpool Police Court, yesterday, before Mr RAFFLES
Two young men of respectable appearance, named John W. JAGO and Joseph HEBRON, were charged on remand with having on the 3rd and 6th July, forged and uttered certain documents by which they obtained the sum of £190 from Mr William GUY, stock and share broker, 9 Union Court, Liverpool. They were also charged with having in the same month by similar means, fraudulently obtained the sum of £90 from Mrs GILLOW, of Hampton Park, Hereford. Mr MARKS conducted the prosecution, the prisoner JAGO was represented by Mr MURPHY, and HEBRON was undefended.
William GUY, stock and share broker, carrying on business at 9 Union Court, said he had been in the habit of acting for Mrs GILLOW of Herford as broker, The prisoner JAGO was his son-in-law, and had the use of a desk in his office, and knew Mrs GILLOW was a customer of his. The prisoner HEBRON was a brother-in-law of a clerk in the witness's office, and in April last that clerk being absent HEBRON took his place. On the 3rd July the witness received a letter purporting to come from Mrs GILLOW, and on the 4th July another was received [produced] supposed to come from Mrs GILLOW also, in which it was stated she had been advised to go to the Isle of Wight, and she wished Mr GUY to send her some money, say from £150 to £180. He could send it in half notes. Witness believing this letter to come from Mrs GILLOW, sent off half Bank of England notes to the value of £150, addressed to her at the Library, 46 Mornington Crescent, London. After receiving an acknowledgement he sent off the other half of the notes, for which he also received another letter of receipt on the 6th, July, with an additional request that the witness should send her £40 more, as she would not like to be short of money. On the 9th of the same month witness received another letter purporting to be from Mrs GILLOW, saying that the notes for £40 had been safely received.
Alice COGHLAN said she was a stationer carrying on business at 46 Mornington Crescent, London, and she allowed people to have letters sent to her shop. The prisoner HEBRON called at the shop in July last and asked if he might have letters addressed to a Mrs GILLOW, who, he said, was his wife, at her shop. This was agreed to, and the prisoner called and received three or four letters, two of which were registered.
Mary GILLOW, a widow, residing at Hampton Park, Hereford, said Mr GUY, of Liverpool, was her sharebroker. The letters produced [asking Mr GUY for money] were not written by her, nor by her authority. She did not receive any money from Mr GUY in July last.
Detective JONES deposed that he went to London on the 26th July, and succeeded in apprehending the prisoners on the 29th. When charged JAGO admitted one of the letters, and asked if anybody else was in custody. On HEBRON being charged in the presence of JAGO, he said, "I wrote the letters at the dictation of JAGO." JAGO then replied, "I have nothing more to say."
The case of obtaining £90 from Mrs GILLOW through the prisoners writing letters to that lady purporting to come from Mr GUY, asking for that amount of money, as he was in London and had run short, was then gone into, after which the prisoners, who reserved their defence, were committed to the assizes for trial
Liverpool Police Court, Sept 14th, before Mr RAFFLES
A juvenile thief
George PRITCHARD, a lad employed as sample boy in the service of Messers J. RICHARDSON and Co, Exchange Alley, was charged with stealing several bundles of cigars, a pipe and other articles, the property of Mr GILL, cotton broker, of this city, valued at £7 or £8. It appeared that the prisoner's duty was to take samples of cotton to brokers and therefore had access to many offices. Several articles having been missed from the offices which he visited, he was watched, and yesterday was found in a room in Mr GILL'S office, and when asked what he was doing there, he said, "looking for paper." and then ran away. When apprehended, he admitted having taken the cigars, and said he had rolled them up in a sample of cotton. A leather portmanteau had also been cut open and several articles abstracted. Mr RAFFLES remanded the prisoner for 7 days.
Embezzlement by a clerk
Joseph MATTHEWS, a young man of respectable appearance, was charged with having on various occasions embezzled sums of money, amounting to about £40, belonging to his employers, Messers John P. HARRIS and Co, solicitors, Lord St. The duty of the prisoner was occasionally to collect accounts and about a week ago he absconded with the amount of money in question, which he had collected on behalf of the firm. The prisoner admitted his guilt, and said he had spent the greater part of the money in drink, he had been 9 yrs in the service of Messers HARRIS, and was sorry for what he had done. He was sentenced to 4 mths imprisonment with hard labour.