The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-13 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 13, 1863.

THE FORGERY BY A CLERGYMAN AT
OARANSHAM.

At the Blackburn Town Hall, yesterday, the
Rev. Joseph Wood, incumbent of Clayton-le-Moon, near
Blackburn, was brought up on remand, before Messrs. book
and Baines, on the charge of forging and uttering a forged
receipt of 400/. purporting to be an acceptance or receipt
for 4001. from the coluraissioiters for the reduction of the
national debt. Mr. Pope watched the case for the prisoner.
The case for the prosecution was raised on the following
statement to March, 1860, the trustees held • meetiog,
at which the prisoner urged the withdrawal of 4001. from the
Accrington Savings Bank, which had been invested therein
by the trustees of the Clayton.lretfoors Church Friendly
Society, and recommended that it should be lodged with
the commimioners for the reduction of the national debt, on

the ground that the trustees would derive greater security
and a higher rate of interest. The trustees (of whom Mr.
Wood was one adopted this advise, and the 4001. wee with-
drawn from t Accrington Savior Bank, Rod deposited
(at a meeting of the committee) with the rev. gentleman,
for the purpose of transmission to the National Debt Office.
A document was produced by Mr. Wood and given to the trea-
surer (Mr. Wolseenholme, miller), purporting to be a receipt
for 400/. It was signed by two persons, whose names were
unknown at the office, and the third had no authority to sign
document, or receipts for money.
Mr. Fenn, who lived in Victoria-road, Kensington, proved
that be was the principal clerk in the National Debt-office.
He produced an order for the investment of 2001. in the
Bank of England, dated the 24th May, 1860. The date of
the forged order was May 15, 1860. 2001. wu the only
sum that had been received from the Clayton-
le-Moore Church Friendly Society. The receipt winch
wee given by the prisoner to his co-trustees
for the sum of 4001. was not a genuine document.
Two of the persons named on that receipt had not been
mounted with the National Debt office during the 33 plus
that he had acted as clerk therein. The signature of "E.
D. W. Spierman" was not the signature of Mr. Edmund
Spierman. who was secretary and comptroller. The theory
of the defence on behalf of the prisoner was that the
prosecution had originated in s malicious feeling against the
rev. gentleman, and that one person who had not shown
himself in front, had offered to make np the 2001. if the
rev. gentleman would vacate his incumbency. The bench
committed the prisoner for trial at the ensuing assizes.

SHARE LISTS.-(THIS DAY.)

Two oThooz.

There is not much business doing in the railway
market to-day, but prices on the whole are
rather firm. Caledonian stock has improved 1.
per cent., and London and North Western and
South Eastern,i. Great Western, Midland, Lan-
cashire and Yorkshire, Great Eastern, Great
Northern, and London and South Western are
quoted the same as at the close yesterday.
London and North Western stock is now quoted
97# to ; Great Western, 67# to # ; Midland,
129# to # ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 110# to g ;
Caledonian, 114 to 116 ; South Eastern,
89 to ; Great Eastern, 451 to 46 ; Cheat
Northern, 128 to 129; and London and South
Western, 1021 to 104.
Indian railway stocks are firm. Great Luxem-
bourg and Pernambuco shares are dull.

Na I