The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-12-23 00:00:00

THE ALLEGED FORGERY BY A
CLERGYMAN.

At-the Bow-street Police-court, In London, on Monday,
the Rev. Joseph Wood, aged 01, of IS, Whalterrange,
Accrington, Lancashire, was brought up OU remand, charged
with forging as authority for J:210.

The prisoner was the incumbent of a parish in
Lancashire, viz., All Saints' Church, laytowle-Moors.
In Ilf:19, when lie was alleged to be in pecuniary diffi-
culties, he communicated with the Committee of Privy
Council on Education, and requested of them a grant
towards enlarging the national schools at Clayton-le-
Moons. After some correspondence the Committee
forwarded to the prisoner an authority for I:210 for
his signature and the signatures of the trustees
of the national schw Is. The authority Was returned
to the Conunittee with the necessary signatures, and
the money was forwarded to the prisoner. Nothing
more transpired until a very short time back, when the
trustees of the national schools themselves applied to
the Committee for a grant, awl it was then discovered
for the first time that what took place in 1559 was
nothing more nor less than a fraud on the part of the
prisoner, whose story with reference to the re-build-
ing of the schools was a fabrication from beginning to
end. A letter had been received from the prisoner,
who dia not deny that he had appropriated the money,
but stated that he fully intended refunding it upon
receiving 0,200, which he expected on the death of a
friend.

--Mr." Poland called the following witnesses :
Mr. Summerfind, clerk to the Committee of Educa-
tion, said: I produce a letter dated September, 1858,
purported to be signed, by Joseph Wood, incumbent of
Clayton-le-Moors, which was received through the
post. This letter is in the same handwriting as all the
letters received, purported to be signed by the prisoner.
There was corresp.ndence between our office and the
Rev. Joseph Wool up till June, 1859. I produce a
letter dated 15th June, 1,8:79, signed by Joseph Wood.
It is the same signature, to the best of my belief, HS
that in the other letter.

Mr. Moir objected -Very emphatically to this letter
being put in, as there was no evidence as yet to show
that the letter had been written by the prisoner.
The Magistrate overruled the objection, stating
that in Ids opinion prinui facie evidence had been given
to the prisoner's handwriting.
Witness continued : I also produce a certificate
(marked A), dated the 9th June, 1859, purported to be
signed by John Wilkinson, W. Bates, Joseph Appleby,
Joseph Crowther, John Walker, and Joseph Wood.
The other gentlemen were either of Oakenshaw or
Enfield. To .I; wept' Wood was appended "Incumbent
of All Saints', Clayton-le-Moors," and that signature
was in the same handwriting as the other. There was
also attached a certificate purported to be signed by
Thomas Ackin, of Enfield, awl Thomas Seymour, sur-
veyors. There is also a balance-sheet of the building
account purp,,rted to be signed by Thomas Aekin awl
TIo.111:1.9 Seymour, surveyors. The documents are on
printed forms issued by our office.
A letter, dated the 16th of January, addressed to the
Education Committee by the prisoner, was read in
court. It was to the effect that the building of the
new rooms at the school had been completed with the
assistance of 1i rat subscriptions and the £2lO granted
by the Lords and Committee of I 'ouncil on Education.
Witness continued : Upon the certificate being
satisfactory it would be necessary for the trustees to
appoint some one t, draw the money, and I produce a
letter of antis wity .4 June, 1859, signed by the prisoner.
After taking further evidence, the Magistrate com-
mitted the prisoner for trial, refusing bait