Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-22 00:00:00

MR. DOHERTY'S TRIAL.

The following is a copy of a letter addressed to the
Town Clerk of Liverpool, with reference to the trial of
Mr. Doherty, late corn merchant in this town, for
forgery :

Borough Bank, Liverpool. 19th Dec., 1857.
Sir,—Various reports have appeared in the news-
papers relative to Mr. John Doherty's trial, from which
it wr uld seem as if there had been unwillingness, on the
part of the Borough Bank and its officers, to assist in the
judicial investigation auto matters and transactions
between him and the Bank.

I am, in consequence, instructed by the Directors to
say, that I have asked for explanations from the prose-
cuting parties in Mr. Doherty's trial, and that the
Directors have looked into these, and have examined the
different officers and clerks connected with the Bank, in
such wise as to bring out all the facts of the case.
From these, it appears that there are only two circum.
stances which could give any colour to the presumption
of "unwillingness, on the part of the Bank, to appear
against Mr. Doherty.
First The assumed want of due attention, on the part
of the Bank, to a verbal message alleged to have been given
by Mr. Walter, in his office, to a clerk of the Bank, to be
delivered to Mr. Smith. Second : The absence from
town of Mr. Smith during the trial.

With respect to the first, the clerk denies ever having
been charged to deliver such a message, although he says
he knew, from what he then heard, that Mr. Smith would
be wanted. Mr. Smith save ho never received this in-
timation from the clerk. The Directors, and all others
concerned in the management of the Bank, with the
exception of one individual alluded to below, who only
heard of it the day before the trial, declare that they
never heard anything of Mr. Smith's being wanted till
after the trial.

With respect to the second point, Mr. Smith was absent
in Wales on important business of the bank connected
with failed houses there, and the directors aver their
belief that the time for his leaving Liverpool was fixed
without an;- reference whatever to Mr. anlerty's trial ;
it was decided on several days before the prmeenting
parties say they found Mr. Smith's evidence would be
wanted.

The Directors also find that the prosecuting parties
introduced the bank's name as a party to the indictment.
without informing the hank of it.

The Directors:l nd all others concerned in the mansge-
ment of the bank, declare that, until the particulars of the
trial appeared in the public papers, they did not know
that Mr. Doherty was indicted for a fraud on the bank.
They further declare that they have not now, and never
had, any wish to hold back or conceal anything in Mr.
Doherty's matters. and that they do not believe that the
bank has any interest, direct or indirect, in anything
being so concealed•

They have also to say that, if the prosecuting parties
had informed the bank of their wish to have Mr. Smith's
evidence, the hank would have immediately recalled him
from Wales for the purpose.
These being the facts of the case, the Directors, azd
others concertled in the management of the hank, consider
that if there has been any want of due diligence in follow_
ing up the prosecution of Mr. Doherty, they stand acquit-
ted of it, and it roust be accounted for in some other way
than by imputing it to the bank or those concerned in its
management.

There appears in the explanation made by the prosecut-
ing parties a statement that a sul3pccaa was left at Mr.
Smith's private residence. The Directors arid others
concerned In the management of the bank knew nothing
of this fact until after the trial, except one individual
above alluded to, who only heard of it incidentally from
parties unconnected with the prosecution, the day pre-
vious to the trial, and four days after +he departure of
Mr. S.nith.—•l remain, Sir, ycur ohedient servant,
T. SELLAR, Manager.

MERCHANT TAYLOR'S GI ANIMAR SCHOOL,

GREAT CROSBY.

A public distribution of prizes, awarded at the Christmai examina.

tion by the Rev F. Snowl,fl'l, M.A , t-ok p'ace at the above rchool
yesterday, at two o'clock. Notwithstanding the inclemercy of the
weather, there ware a good many lanies present. The master, the
Rev. John Bernard, rose to deliver a lecture to the audience, but
More proceedinz lie said that, through a misunderstanding, the boys
had not speeches ready for the occasion. They had formerly an
examination on y once a year—at Midsummer—and they were not
aware, until too late, that this distribution of prizes was to take
place. The re, gen Imsan then went on to road his lecture, on the
"Matners and Customs of the las` Centwy." and highly entertained
the meeting with the arous'ng descriptions he gave of the habi's and
customs of the people of that time. rhe Princ'pal then distributed
to the pupils the prizes sill certificates—the former consisted of
handsomely bound volumes, ebtaine I from Mr. Holden, Church-
street, and were highly creditable to that establishment. If we may
judge from the questions in g,tography, arithmet e, history Sic.,
wi.ich the pupils ware required to answer, the prizes wero well
deserved; and the sane may be said of writing and drawing. The
pieces exhibited were indeed highly creditable to the pupils and their
master.

The Rev. Mr. Bernard then closed the weting by thanking the
ladies fc r their attendance on the occasion, and wished the boys mer:y
holidays. The fol:o .ving is the list of

PRIZES.

MONTEFIORE PRIZE.—Parr.
CONDUCT.-19t Class : Parr. Shaw, certificate. Gatis, highly
commended.
DIVINITY.---15t Clas, : Parr. tad Class: Green. C. Stower, cer-
tificate. smitton highly commended.
GHEEE.-19t Class: Parr, Thoma., commended.
LATIN.—ISt Class: Parr. 2nd C!ass: Gitis. Thomas, highly
commended.

EUCLID AND ALGEER Is: Class Grzenhaus. 2nd Class: Parr.
Gatis, certificate.

ARITHMETIC. —lSt Class: Lees. 2ad Gat:s. Parr, c:rtifi-
cate. Brown, Quirk, commended.
HISTORY.—Ist Class: Shaw. St)w 3', certificate
GNOGRAPRT.-ISt Class': Parr. 2nd Clam: Gatis. Wills, highly
commended. Be thaw, commended. •
DaAwiNc.—lst Class: Lees. Christian, Greenham, highly cam-
mended. Parr. commended.

WRITING,—ISt Class: Wills. 2nd Class: Brown, Quirk. Gatis,
Lees, highly commea ird. Corder, R ymond, Gatis. cornmende
Faciscn.-Ist Class: Stower. 2nd Class: Gatis. Wills, highly
commended.