The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-28 00:00:00

.10101 RT OF TER SIGNATURE

TO • OVID.

This was an action dlnet.d by Vistrehaneellos Wood,
by whieb it was sought to :weer the ram of 1,600 L, said
to be owing by the defendant upon two mortgage deed.,
the signature to which instruments the defendant denied to
lbe hen.

Mr. Collier and Mr. Cleasby appeared for the plaint'ff;
and litr Frederick Thesiger and Mr. Pigpen represented
the defendant

It appeared that the plaintiff is trustee and., a marline
settlement, and had in the year 1847 mad* advances to a
Mr. Frederick Bimodal. of two sums, namely, one of 1,1001.
and ens of 5001., upon the security of the two mortgage
deeds in question, which purported to have been executed
by the present defendant, Mrs. Charlotte Biracial., and her
son Frederick. By these deeds Mrs. Bimodale charged her
life interest 1a certain estates, and her son his reversionary
interest in the same, with the payment of 1,1001. and 500/.,
with interest at the octal rate of 5 per cent. In answer to the
demand Mrs Dimsdale pleaded that her imputed sipa'uree
to the deeds were forgeries, and *lathe said forgeries had been
committed by her son Frederick. It further appeared that
Mrs. Dimsdals wee the widow of a banker at Barnet, who
died some time sine., leaving that lady and his eldest son
executrix and executor and trustees under his will, by
which will he left a life interest in certain property to his
widow and reversionary interests to his four sons. The son
Frederick was in early life articled to the well-known firm
of Borrodaile and Co., in London, and apse his elerkship
expiring in the year 1847, it was intimatd that he was en-
gaged to the sister of a friend of the name of Manning, wi o
had been articled to his own father, a gentleman of
high respectability, and by whom the Ell was sub-
sequently taken into partnership. Thie union leek place,
Mrs. Dimsdale giving her went. About this time Fred*.
rick, who had led an extravagant life, informed his mother
that Mr. Borrodaile bad consented to take him into part-
nership. At this news Mrs. Bimodal" ins naturally much
delighted, but asked her son where the money was to come
from which doubtless Mr. Borrodaile would require. The
sou, however, did not give any reply to this question other
than by assuring her that she would have no occasion to
troable herself upon the subject, because be had a friend
who would advance him any amount. Accordingly, the mar-'
nage having taken place, and the partnership entered into,
all matters, for some years, went on prosperously to all out-
ward appearance. Suddenly, however, it wu found that the
son Frederick was deeply involved, whereupon he absconded.
A fiat in bankruptcy was then taken out against him, and
ultimately a writ of outlawry was issued. These events na-
turally pressed very heavily upon the mother's mind, and
her distress was shortly afterwards enhanced by the recep-
tion of a notice from a Mr. Hensman, to the effect that he
was about to sell her house under the previsions of a mort-
gage deed, enuring the payment of 5001. in default of the
payment of interest. Mrs. Dimsdale instantly denied all
knowledge of the deed, but one of her sena, Thomas,
fancying that his mother might have been persuaded
by hie brother Frederick to execute the deed, for
the signature was the exact similitude of his mother's,
urged her to recognise the deed with the view of avoiding
the exposure of his brother's conduct. Under this advica
Mrs. Bimodale coneente4 to join her son Thomas fa a deed
wherein it was recited that "they had rapnested her
execution of the mortgage deed under nieNSISII*II which
was now removed, and that they acknowledged the deed to
be genuine." They then undertook to iesfsegte the prin-
cipal and interest, and thus at this sacrifice Mfr.
Dimadale's house was preserved to her, and it
was hoped that no other claim would be mode 1
upon her. By this course her son's character
was also preserved. Shortly after the present
plaintiff made his demands, but Mrs. Dimas!" at once
repudiated the deeds. Nevertheless her son Thomas en-
deavoured to make a similar arrangement in this case as in
the former. It quickly, however, became apparent that
publicity with regard to Frederick could not be avoided, and
the consequence was that Mrs. Dintutlale, in her 74th year, I
had become involved in a Chancery suit, and an action at
law, wherein, as her defence, she was compelled to wean
her ton of having forged her name.
Beldence in support of the claim having been riven,
Mrs. Charlothaliondale was herself examined, when she
distinctly swore that she had not only never executed these
deeds, but that she had never heard of their existence until
after her son's misfortunes. Looking at the signatures
themselves, she should have bad • difficulty in denying
them, for her son was most happy in imitating her hand-
writing, so much so, that she was unable to toll his forgery
from her own signature. Mrs. Dimsdsle then went on to
deny that she had signed any deeds for her sou beyond that
which, oe the persuasion of her son Thomas, she bad given
to Mr. Housman for the 6001. to shield Frederick's actions
from icity.
Mr Collier having replied,
The Lord Chief Baron left the ease to the Jury, observing
that, if they believed the evidence of Mrs. Bimodal., it was
manifest that her son Frederick had committed an act of
the blackest dye, and for which, if proved, he would neces-
sarily be struck off the roll of attorneys.
The jury retired, and, after an absence of two hours, re-
turned into court with n verdict for the defendant.

GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY. Yea-
eerday afternoon, the 60th half-yearly meeting of the share-
holders in dile company was held at their offices, 71, Lom-
bard-strut; John Wilken, Bog in the chair. The report
of the dinekee, and a statementef the accounts for the jeer
mew The Member last, were read to the meeting. The
zcztwhish vas very eallailmliey, was unanimously re-
sal ellestriarmemes =Mors. The seal dividend
and bonus wan eordial thanks of the pro-
prietin weed to thoolsiamen ael direeton for their con-
tinued meleue smiles it the mmagemest of the compeny's
affairs ; after width the =Wig separated.
TEE AMERICAN MAui—The United States Mail
steamship Facile, Captain Ban Nye, sailed boa the
Mandy yesterday &moon, for New York, with the anal
imilsibe the United B.;ates and British possessions in North
Amu* 30 panergers, .tad a full cargo of men:hand* OS