The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-05-17 00:00:00

BATRAORDINARY CAREER OF A
CRIMINAL.

At the Middlesex Mill Oaf, on Monday, Henry Wilshire
35. • clerk, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging blot
with steeling the moneys of hi. master, Mr. Dudley
Aahliy. solicitor. Queen Victoria-etrvet. Mr. Montagu
Williams, who appeared for the prosecution on behalf ,1
the Public Prosecutor. stated that in 1877 the prisoner was
Viet at this court for forgery, but was acquitted, though
he was a:m.loot on • subsequent diarist of p rjury, and
sentenced to 18 months' Lard labour. After hi. dwcharis
from primp 1,4 sot into the 'nail iyinent of Mr. Ashby,
and while with bier he had committed d- (elation, to the
amount of b,twe-n .EBO and £lOO. the money
stnioi having trim entrusted to him in respect
of counsel's fee. and Chancery order.. Tne prisoner
had also belOnla acquainted with a widow lady, named
Fletcher, who had • lease of • house, and wished to
execute • sub lease. The prisoner acted as her legal
adviser, and told her it would be necessary t take oat
letters of admini•tration of her husband's eatat.. A
number of p epees were placed before her, which she
signed, probably without anOrvichating their full meanies,
though still thinking that she was in poiression of her
lease, but she was satoniabed when • stranger callei up-in
her and asked her if she ',debit to sell the security, the
prisoner. having alrs•dy raised £lOO upon it. There was
also another indictment cherigne him with haviug
obtained two sums of L 22 and 1:36 upon the counterfoils
of some cancelled bonds of • company which was in
liquidation. The learned counsel then gave • sketch of the
prison. es past life and career, which was of a very extra-
ordinary ch.racter. On the 21st of March, 186 f, he
married • lady named Ellen Earle. In 1365 he was adjudi-
cated • bankrupt at Thames Dittos, and in the Mae year
he was tried and convicted of forgery. After ten months'
impoisooment In Newgate his half brother brought up the
bill in respect to which the forgery was committed, and
he was released. In 1867 he the daugeter of a
baronet, his first wife being than alive and three days
after the marriage it was asserted thi.t he attempted
to get rid of her by uosertisg • bast in which they were
rowing. In April, 1867. he WM tried at that court,
before the late Records-, Ur. Russell Gurney, for the
offence of bigamy, and the Judge, saying that it was the
very worst case he had ever heard, sentenced him to five
year, penal servitude. In November, MO, his first
wife obtained • divorce on the ground of cruelty and
adultery, as did the second wife In 1888. In January,
1871 he was released on • ticket-of-leave. In Nu be
married a Miss Marshall, • ward in Chancery, end in Ism
was divorced from her. In 1877 he was tried again for
forgery, but was acquitted, though he wee at the same
time convicted of perjury and sentenced to 18 mouths'
bard labour. lie hat peered under the names of Captain
George Wiltshire, Captain (Charles) Wiltshire. Captain
Giaotley, and the Hon. Charles Peens, In 1879 he was
released and then married Charlotte Geortins Levers,
He subsequently again committed bigamy by marrying
another person; he was tried and convicted at that court,
but • technical election was bikes, which being held
good, the conviction was quashed. On the day he wee
released from Neweate he was arrested on the present
charges. The Recorder sentenced him to five years' penal
servitude.