The Express.
London, England, 1862-09-19 00:00:00

EXTENBIVS PORGERIES.-ANOTHICII ROUPELL
CASE.

A respectable looking middle aged man, named
Luther Yates, carrying ea the bushier of an accountant at
4, Tokenhouso-yard, was placed at the bar of the Mansion-
house, in the custody of detective offloer Spatial, before Mr.
Alderman Bose, who was sitting for the Lord Mayor, ,
charged with forging and uttering, about the month of June •
lest, • deed purporting to be signed by Admiral Sir John
West, with 'stem to defraud Sir John Temple West, of
Ryde, Isle of Wight.
Mr. Lewis, jun., appeared for the prosecution. The pri-
soner was undefended.
Mr. Lewis said he appeared to prosecute the pri-
soner on behalf of the family of Admiral Sir John West.
The prisoner had forged and uttered a number ,
of deeds relating to property which belonged to
the late Admiral Sir John West, sod • more successful
scheme of forgery had rarely been exposed in any court of
justice, and it very nearly resembled a cue which had so
recently been brought before the public. The prisoner, it
appeared, bed been a clerk in a solicitor's office, and while
in that capacity he must by some means have become possessed
of the knowledge of the existence of some pmpertv situate
in West-square, Lambeth, belonging to Admiral Air John
West, and of hie power to grant Wass upon that property.
The property alluded to originally belonged toColood West,
who, oo dying, left the estate to his widow, and epos her
death it was to revert to Admiral Sir John West. and upon
his death to his eldest eon, Sir John Temple West.
In March, 1858, the prisoner appeared to have
committed the first forgery, and it appeared that
he adopted the following plan. Having been in
• solicitor's office, he perfectly understood the mode of
drawing out deeds, and made out to himself a conveyance
of property alleged to have been executed by Sir John West
to himself, for the consideration of • sum of money, sued
holding the y horn Sir John West, on payment of •
small rent. He had the deeds stamped, and then
went to different solicitors sod mortgaged the deeds for sums
varying from 3001. 1,0001. ; and it appeared that as the
27th March, 1858, the prisoner executed a deed of convey-
ance to himself, purpoetii, to be executed by Admiral Sir
John West, •nd mortgaged it with a solicitor named Oor-
bushley for 3001. le October, 1859, he prepared soother
deed, and effected • similar mortgage with Mr. Hopley
for 7001. In December, 1859, he obtained 3751.
from a Mr. Cheapen. In the beginning of 1860
he obtained by mortgage 2501. from a Mr. Bilbery. On the
20th of March, 1860, from Mr. Tolhund, 760/. ; on the 26th
of March a further rum of 2191. from the name gentleman.
In August, 1860, from Messrs Robinson and Parker, 8001. ;
in December, 1860, from Mr. Butcher, 5501. ; in January,
1861, from • Mr. M'Bricia, 8001. ; in September of the same
year, from • Mr. Arnold, 7501. ; January, 1862, • further '
sum of 5001. from Mr. Butcher ; sad in July, 1862, from a
Mr. Long, 1601. ; making a total of 6,144/., all by moues of
similar deeds alnedy disoovered. The prisoner applied to a
solicitor in Doctors' Commons for another advance of 7001.
upon a similar document, and it was in the course of the
negotiation that the whole thing was discovered. After
his apprehension a deed of conveyance ready to
be executed was found, which vested the convey.
um to him of certain houses in West-square, for
a consideration of 1,6001. Sir John West, it ap-
peared, died in April last at • very advanced ago,
of which the prisoner did not appear to be aware, for
another deed was found at the prisouer's office, which re-
cited, for the consideration of the sum of 1,0601., the con-
veyance to him of the houses in West-square, and that
deed, it appeared, the prisoner bad had stamped Ns recently
ae Monday last. The prisoner had not only adopted the
plan of forging the deeds alluded to, but he bad *Madly in-
sured the property belonging to Sir John West, and had
deposited the policies with some of the solicitors from
whom he had obtained advances. In July hut
the prisoner went to • Mr. Lay, a solicitor, who
it appeared knew the prisoner may years ago, and
borrowed from him on deposit of a deed 1501., and he
then want to • Mr. Pockly, a solicitor in Denote' Com-
mons, and wanted to mortgage the deed for 7501. That
gentleman, however, had heard that Si, John West bad
died in the present year, sod searched the will, and found
that a Mr. Camden was one of the attesting winsome, sad
be accordingly went to him and made inquiries whether such
• lease bad been granted. That gentleman wu very modi
satouished when he saw the deed, and at coos waived
that it was a forgery. The matter ins placed in the hands
of the polioe, and the prisoner was hikes into custody on the
previous day by detective officer Spinal. On searching his
office copies of the 'even' deeds were found in • box, and
an old lease was found, on which it appeared that the pri-
soner had been operating to see bow far be could imitate the
signature, a "John West," and the name of John Bennett,
land agent, Hertford, appeared at the back in several pleees.
John Bennett was the attesting wither to all the deeds by
which the prisoner had rained money.
Mr. Lewis mid he regretted to have to motion that Mr.
Lay, to whom he had already alluded, hadheardthat the pri-
sour was ehended, and as soon as he hadheard thatfact
he had an attachment on the prisoner's account at his
and had don kept out of the way, he was afraid
purposely. He hid, however, procured a su to be
served upon him, mad he bad likewise su his son to
attend with the deed upon which the 1 was loot to the
primmer. Mr. lay, he believed, had not made his appear-
moxi, but had sent his son, and he did not know whether or
not he would produce the deed.
Geo. Wm. lay was thee called, and upon being exa-
mined by Mr. Lewis mid—l am clerk to my father,
who is a solicitor, 44, Poultry—l have been subpoenaed to
moduce the dead purportiog to be signed by Admiral Sir
John West. I dou't know where it is. I had it is
hands yesterday, and I put it tack in the box, but I don't
know where it is now. The last time I maw it it was in a
box at the office. I told my father yesterday that the
prisoner was apprehended on the charge of forging that
deed. I know the prisoner. I don't know what be is sow ;
Ina in a solicitor's office at one time. I left in father at
home—he had a peat many calls to make, sad he had net
arrived at the office wben 1 left.

Mr. Alderman Rose—Perham he mg be there now, Mr.
Lewis?

in-teem—He might be, my lord.
Mr. Lewis said—A draft of the deed in Mr. Lay's posses-
sloe was found is the prisoner's posseation.
Mr. Thomas Parker, of the firm of Robinson and Parker,
said—l am • solicitor. 1 know the prisoner from Issving
bad business transactions with him. I produce a lens dated
20th February, 1860, purporting to be executed by Admiral
Sir John West to Luther Yates, Req., and attested by
James Bennett, in consideration of the sum of 1.2601. paid
to Sir John West. It relates to homes Nos. 20, 21, 22, and
23, West-equate, Lambeth, Rod is for the term of 60 years
at a ground rent of 401. The deed was handed to me in the
preemies of the prisoner by bin solicitor. The prisoner ap-
plied to me to make an advance of 8001. oo that property,
and I made that advance on the 7th August, 1860.
The prisoner executed to me on that date • mortgage,
which I produce, in respect of the holism recited in that
lease. The policy of insurance on the property was banded
over to me. I have received the interest regularly from the
prisoner.
Mr. Gsmden, of the firm of Gamden and Sees, solicitors,
Gray's-iou square, said—l was solicitor to the late Admiral
, Sir John West between thirty and forty years. I bad the
, management of his property since the death of his brother,
is 1839. Sir John West died on the 18th of September,
1862, at the age of 86. He was admiral of the fleet
and • K.C.B. He owned some property known as the St.
George's estate, situate in Lambeth, comprising between
19 and 20 acres, all built upon. The whole of West-square
forms part of that estate. On his death the property was
inherited by his eon, Liestenant-Colonel John Temple West.
I produce the counterparts of two leases in respect to the
property in Weetwituire. The two leases oomprieed the
whole of West-square. The first is dated 220 d of Septets-
" her, 1790, from Jose West and Temple West (her brother)
I for a term of 90l years to Thomas Kendall. The lees) still
exists ;it has not been cancelled. The ground rent is 901.
z.Lraunum. The second law is dated lird June, 1791,fr0m
Jane West and Temple West to 'Thomas
Griffiths for a term of 99! yam, also at
ground rent of 901. per annum. I am well acquainted
with the haodwritiog of the late Sir John West. Tbe
lease produced by Mr. Parker purporting to be signed by
Sir John West is not signed by him, neither is the signature
to the receipt for the consideration mosey his writing. They
do not much resemble his signature. I have never MOD the
prisoner until I saw him yesterday.
' Mr. Lewis said it was impossible to go into any other omen
then. He would call Spitted, the officer, to prove the ap-
prehension of the prisoner, and he would then ask for •
remand.

James Spittal, detective, mid—l apprehended the pri-
soner as he was going to his office in Tokenbouseyard
esterday. I asked him if be was Yates, and he said " Yea."
I told him I was • policeofficer, and bad that morning re-
ceived instructions to apprehend him on • charge
of forger). He replied that be thought it would come to
thin. On the way to the police-office, Old Jewry, I told
him be would be charged with forging and uttering on the
10th April list—and he interrupted me and said be knew
all about it—l finished, however, by adding, a deedc:
porting to he signed by Admiral Sir John Wert. I s
wards west to his of sad found • number of drafts of
deeds sad au old lease. (The drafts of deeds related to
those already aet forth in Hr. Lawies opening.) I like-
wise toned two leases unsigned, purporting to be from Sir
John West to the prisoner, and a number of other docu-
ment& On searching the prisoner I found de. fid. upon bins.
The prisoner, who declined to ask any of the witnesses
any questions or to say anything, was then remanded.

SALE OP BIM AT FAIRS AND RACNS. —A curi-
ous case came before the Lyudhurst snagistrstes last week.
Au innkeeper was summoned by the polio* for selling beer
from a booth at a fair, held at Lyndhurst, without a special
license. The ionkeeper was defended by the supervisor al
excise, who stated that innkeepers did sot maim epeeist
Ramon to sell beer at fairs and races. The clerk to the
magistrates said he had consulted the editor of the Justice cif
the Peace, who stated that the law enabling isulmegieni
to sell at such places without 'paid Hasse
was repelled by the 25th Victoria, cap. 12, see. 2.
The supervisor stated that instructions were sawed by the
Board of Inland Revenue in July last to the effect that the
law had sot bees repealed. The ems was adjourned for a
wealth, in order that some legal opinion binding os the ma-
gistrates might be taken. The !supervisor stated that the
penalty was an excise one, and amid not be sued for by the
police without the sanction of the Board of Island Revenue.
Many innkeepers will apply to have the amount they have
paid for special limes.s at fairs and aces refunded if the
ease be decided in favour of the supervisor.