The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-21 00:00:00

MR. CHAR/.ES KATE.

The influence of the press is most diskonournhly employed
when it drags forward into notice the conduct of indivi-
duals, from any other motive than for a public warning or
wholesome example. We should have spared the pang
which the allusion to Mr. Charles Kaye may occasion to
his most respectable family, but that it is coupled in public
placards with the title of " Solicitor to the Batik." in this
point of view, it appears to us necessary and important to
explain to the public the real state of le afair, and to ex-
onerate the conduct of the Bank Dir from any charge
of loose confidence in the servants whom they may employ,
or of incautious practice in the management and detail of
the vast responsibility placed in their hands. In fact, Mr.
Charles Kaye's conduct has no connexion with the situation
he held with others, as Solicitor to the Bank. But his dis-
missal from that Establishment, and retirement from part-
nership with the house of Freshfield and Co., arose from ,
the following circumstance.
A very young lady (with no competent knowledge of the
use to which it might be applied, or of the nature of the
instrument) on going abroad, left Mr. Charles Kaye a
power of attorney to sell out the stock she held in the pub-
lic securities. In August last she returned home, and on
going to the Bank, found to her surprise that no stock re-
mained in her name. On applying to Mr. Charles Kaye,
be affected surprise, said there must be some mistake, and
that if she would call on the following day, any error
should he remedied. Previously to her again calling, Mr:.
C. Kaye hail purchased equivalent stock, which the party,
accepted. The lady, however, being a relative of one of
the Bank Directors, mentioned the circumstance to him.
Mr. Charles Kaye was then called before the Governors,
and, in few but pithy words, told, that it appeared to
them that he had lent to himself without security, funds
whiclehe could not, as a professional man, have advised
his client to have advanced in a similar manner to a third
party; that though no actual injury had taken place, still
that such unprofessional conduct rendered him an unfit per-
son to continue as their legal adviser, and that he must be
withdrawn from the apnointment of being their attorney.
Some discussion took place, which at last ended in the
determination of the Governors that he should retire, and
they gave him but to the following day to send in his re-
signation. Up to this transaction his partners had no
cause of complaint, or any proof of any one incorrectness
by which their articles of partnership had been violated.
The dissolution took place in September, and subsequently
the sum of fifteen hundred pounds was found to have been
paid to Mr. Charles Kaye, and not secured in a mortgage
according to the client's directions, or accounted for. This
deficiency was instantly made up by the house, and was an
infraction of the partnership deed ; hut the partnership had
ceased to exist. Soon after, it was il;scovered that Mr.
Charles Kaye had, in his character of trustee, made a
fraudulent appropriation of the sum of six thousand pounds,
and on this discovery be quitted England.
The report of immense stuns of money having been paid
by Mr. Kaye, in liquidation of his son's defalcations, is
totally untrue. We have heard upwards of one hundred
thousand pounds named. There have not been paid as
many pence: and, as repulse professional person, circum-
stanced as Mr. Kaye was, that fact is extremely important.
He might otherwise be properly charged with an inex-
cusable culpability, in continuing a connexion with such a
son, with the constant apprehension of throwing a great
and responsible and respected house into confusion or
disgrace.

Having now shown that on this occasion the caution and
vigilance of the Bank of England have not been imposed
upon or deceived, that in the names of Freshfield and Son
is still conducted the legal business of the Bank (and this
fact alone is proof of the unconnected character of Mr.
Charles Kaye s private transactions), that the credit or
conduct of the elder Mr. Kaye is not implicated by his
son's errors, we have done sufficient for the purpose of
enabling the public to judge of the character of the whole
transaction, and to disconnect it from any imputation of
misplaced confidence, or looseness of practice in the con-
duct of the Bank business : the credit, honour, faith, and
ability of whose Directors should not only be unsuspected,
lute above suspicion.
The deficiencies of Mr. Charles Kaye are estimated, at
the very extent, at fifty thousand pounds.—English Gentle-
ness.