The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-03-29 00:00:00

THE EXTENSIVE FORGERIES BY A
CLERGYMAN.

At the York Assizes, on Saturday afternoon, the
Rev. Vyvyan H. Moyle, the late vicar of Eston, near
Middlesborough, who was desaibud in the calendar as
38 years of age and of siiperior education, was charged
with forging and uttering certain script certificates
and an impression of a seal purporting to be of the
firm of Jackmia, Gill, and Company (Limited) ; also
with forging a certain deed purporting to be a transfer
of 220 ,hares if and in the firm of Jackson, Gill, and
Co. ; also with forging the signature of Edward
Stickly White; and also with forging a certain letter,
dated 16th Dec., 1812, purporting to be written by the
sai I E. S. White, with intent to defraud, at the town.
ship of Noramnby, in the North Riding.

On the indictment being read over, the prisoner,
who appeared to feel his position very keenly, pleaded
Guilty to each of the iirunts. The court at the time
was densely crowded, many clergymen being present.
Mr. Fitzjames Stephens, Q. C., and the Him. Chandos
Leigh, instructed by the Treasury, appeare3 for the
prosecution; and Mr. Digby Seymour, Q.C., and Mr.
Said fore for the prisoner.

Mr. Seymour ar peered, with his learned friend, for the
prisoner at the bar, who had juat pleaded guilty to that
grave charge. In taking the course the prisoner had done
he hail acted consistently with his (the learned counsel's)
advice, and also consistently with his (Mr. Moyle'.) sense
of justice. lie had taken a course which was cons', mit
with that he had pursued since the- 'commencement of
these proceedings since his moral sense—his restored
judgment—had made him conscious of the enormity of
the offence he hail committed. Before the charge was
brought by Om police the reverend gentleman with:Mated
It, and on its being made did not attempt to deny Its
Justice, but at mice and frankly admitted the justice of the
accusation and the gravity of the crime. Ile the learned
counsel) knew full well that his lordship in passing sentence
on the prisoner had not only a duty to discharge as regarded
the criminal, the Bev. Tyvyan Henry Motto, but had the
interests of society to consider. He, however, hoped t... 1 say
a few words which might decide his lordshipas to the mea-
sure of justice in reference to the cam. ii ventured to
helm that In this ease, the learned judge might reconcile
what was due to the public with eenisthing lure a mercifin
appreciation of the position in which the prisoner was
placed. He (Ile Seymour) represented a mau who, until
he fell, occupied a posltiou owhich was a high and respected
one, and in the discharge of the duties connected with
which he was esteemed as a counsellor and revere:l as
a friend. P..ssing over his early life and college days,
Mr. Seymour said that in lesll the prisener entered on his
ministerial labours in a large district in Middlesborough,
where he was, in fact, a missionary is charge. To the
discharge of his onerous duties be brought a warm heart,
distinguished piety, great coal, health ef body, excellence of
spirits and mind, and devoted himself with self-sacrifice, zeal,
and fidelity to the purposes of his noble duties. The result
was that the good fruits of his efforts sprung up on everyside.
Spiritual and domestic order seemed to spring up out of
what was before a moral waste ; churches rose where the
sinmd of the "church g dug bell" had not been heard
before, and Sunday schools wore built and opened
where Sunday schools had not been before found. But
it was not enere4 In the pulpit, or in c inflection with
the Sunday schools that he ministered, but it was
a fact he attended carefully to all the varied wants of
his parish—in the sick room, at the hospital, at the eottage
ereside, he gave the ministrations of religion, soul there
was he to be fouled &dug his practical and excellent work
The reetilt was, the district of Holy Trinity was formed,
end the prisotier placed over it by the present Archbishop
of York. There he pursued, if possible, his labours with
increasing energy and good results. Mr. Seymour alluded
to the rapid progress of Middlesborough in late years, and
its increasing population 'little district where the prisoner
laboured, remarking that he thought he might almost say,
without exaggeration, in reference to the many works of
love with which the prisoner was connected, and the way
in which his services were appreciated, that the wilderness
and solitary place were glad for him, and the spiritual
desert blossomed es the rose. He received the honours
anti compliments of various societies—he was a Fellow of
, the Hayed Society, a Fellow of the Society of Arts; and
member of the Geologic el Society, the Horticultural Society,
and other learned bodies and societies both in London
and elsewhere. He was president of the local institute
connected with the education and improvement of the
people,. local secretary for noxious Insttlutiobs, honorary
chaplain of the Ist North York Artillery Corps, and
his active and restless spirit seemed always engaged
In the development of whet was for the good of those
around him. Unhappily, said Mr. Seymour, ore result of
this was not only an overtaxed brain but a great tax on his
Inianciel resources. Nearly all he earned was most nn-
gruilingly given to the works of charity and good in which
he was engaged. In an evil hour, mid when his mind was
probably so occupied with other matters that he could
scercely guide the moral sense right—ln an evil hour he fell
into temptation, and hail unfortunately, hls eye attracted
by the announcement of a society is London, known
as the Mutual Society, the dealing of the prisoner
with which the learned counsel proceeded to state.
Ile said that Mr. Moyle flattered himself that he
might be aisle to increase his own means, and
the means of doing geed to others. Ile took a large nunels,r
of shares with this object in view, and borrowed the large sum
of about £ll,OOO, expecting to be able to pay this mum back
egain. He showed how in this he had been disappointed,
and, becoming involved, he had vainly aseght to extricate
himself by the commission of the offences with which be
was charged. Ile referred to the prisoner's connection with
the firm of Jackson, Gill, and Co.. and sahl that he was
aware that in about a year they would have issued their
scrip to the general public, and that then he would hive
had tangible scrip to oiler to the society. In a fatal
moment it occurred to him that if he anticipated lb it
future which must shortly arrive, and if he himself honied
the scrip of Jackson, Gill, and Co., to the Mutual Society,
he might, when the real scrip was issued, replace it and
substitute it for the other, and which proceeding would
have enabled him to realise large profits. Thus he sadly,
fondly reasoned with himself, and this led to the com-
mission of the offence to which he had pleaded guilty.
It was a crime, argued Mr. Seymour, which no man
unless his mind were unhinged would have committed.
He peinted out how easy it was of detection, commented
on Mr. aloyle's inuneiliate c rifession to the police,
and made an eloquent appeal to the merciful considera-
tion of the court. The prisoner's property and home were
gone ; every I uture prospect was blasted ; misty fallen
on his wife and family; and every thing that could give
poignancy to his unfertunate position had fallen on him
with dreadful pressure. There were many in that court
whose heart bled Ad synniathised with him—clergy men
proud of him as a brother, and 11111X10118 to Inter testimony to
his life co previously well spent. Ile trusted that in the sen-
tence which the court would pate upon the prisoner, his
I Lordship would be enabled, in the midst of justice, to re-
I member mercy. (Loud app•attre, with whili the Judge ex-
pressed his strong disapproval.)
Amongst the witnesses to character were the Rev.
J. K. Braley, vicar of Middlesborough, Mr. J. Dodds,
MP., and Captain Pennyman.
I Hie Lordship, who had deferred passing sentence until
I Monday munitvg, then tail: You stand convicted if felony
; upon your own confession, and tee evidence is too clear to
admit any doubt of your guilt. The crime which you have
commlited is one which has always been censidered by the
' Legislature and the law as win of the greatest eravity.
I It is one horn the consequences of which it is most diffi•
cult to protect society, and it is on that ground that it
Is deemed to be of so serious a cheracser. Within your
recollection, the peealty of death was affixed to this crime.
It is inipoesible to regard your offence as light or trivial
he any sense. I have anxiously considered tiie arguments
and facts which your counsel bus most feelingly arid most
ably laid before me. I loam with great satisfaction the
good which you have done am. ng the poor and friendless.
Ilia, upon the other hand, when a man if your post-lon
and eilucetion so far forgets himself and the lessons
which he has taught to others, and has so little restraint
upon himself as to be carried away Into the comois-
Mon of a crime like this, thon his former position and
character only rebel,' his guilt the greater. I can well
understand that eo punishment which the law con inflict can
coinpare with that which a person in your pontion must
undergo in the disgrace which must follow you, and in the
thougtit of the suffering which you have inflicte t on others.
The ruin and misety, the loss of haracter and property, may
well be considered a greater punishment than teat educh the
law can inftet. But those are matter, which you have
brought upoe ) ourself I must consider what Is tlue to
society and the effect upon others placed in a 8111111er situa-
tion of temptation. It was urged that from the great lox upon
your powers produced by your avocation, mid duties yeur
brain became overtaxed, and in a moment of temptation
you were unable to guble your own actions I w.oihi I
could believe that such was the case, but I find that this
was a most deliberate net, and was not done ins moment of
temptation. You endeavoured to spectilate, and then re-
sorted to crime for the purpose of covering your Manes,
instead of facing them manfully. You showed considerable
deliberation and contrivance in goleg to London, in obtain-
ing a form of certificate in one quarter, in giving a false
name in another, in obtaining signatures for imitation, and
in other ways. It is impossible to disregard those circum-
stances, showing as they do a moat delib•rate intention.
Sitting here In the p altion which I occupy, I feel that no
less a sentence cau be pronounced by me than penal servi-
tude for seven years.

The Act for the protection of wild birds, ro far as it
arrests decks, plovers, and other birds of real utility as food,
says Land and Wafer, likely to prure a de.td letter, ad
their destruction during the breeding season will Ingress
as heretofore. The shops are as full as ever of these parse-
cured birds, and on referring to the Act we Cud that the
vendor is lit liberty t.) sell them if he can prove they were
bought froni some per son " resoling out of the United King-
dose" Unless the public insist through the median of in-
formation upon proof that the birds Were so purchased the
worthless daughter will continue.