Smuggling tobacco

by **Karen** Thu 2 Apr 2020 - 10:33

SMUGGLING TOBACCO.

At the Mansion-house, on Monday, Charles Letchford and Reuben Walker, firemen on board the Ceres steamer, were charged with smuggling 33lbs. of foreign-manufactured tobacco and 100 cigars. Henry Jones, a Tidewaiter, deposed that on Sunday morning he rummaged the Ceres upon her arrival from the Continent, in the usual way, and found the tobacco and cigars secreted in the engine-house, upon which he secured all the men who belonged to that department who were on board at the time, but the prisoner Letchford admitted that the tobacco had been brought on board by himself and Walker, the other men were discharged. The Lord Mayor said he had no doubt whatever as to the guilt of both prisoners, and had no alternative, therefore, but to inflict the full penalty of 100 pounds, with six months' imprisonment in default of payment; and if the prisoners thought they could make out a good case for mitigation, they must memorialise the Customs. Both prisoners were then locked up.

Source: The Weekly Chronicle and Register, June 20, 1857, Page 11