The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-02-23 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS, ISTEDNIrsDAii-Fil• 29.

CONSPIRACY. . -
P. J. Mead. E. fleck, ara.s Gort,cr. CG. Jiff{ sod Z.
finkrr, were indicted with J. Ca (out on bail) for alispicirst
to obtain false letters of ariminiatrat:on f-ont the Pr•erogatire Count
of Canterbury, with intent to defraud S.ll. Hayward of 1411. Ifs.
in the Navy I per Cents. There were other counts in. the indict•
ment, which charged the prisoners with conspiring to defraud the
Commissioner for the Reduction of the National Debt, the 80.
vernal. and Company of the Bank of Epgland, and lastly;svith
intent to defraud his Majesty, to all or which the prisosersphesdor
Not Guilty.
- The prisoner Rigaud requested that the witnesses stight.lnter-
dered out of Court, which was done. lie repeated also thar.f Mr.,
Preshfield might go out, if he was to be ezemined as a witness.
The RECORDS:it said that this tested with the Court, whiefer
would make no order to banish tho Solicitor fot the proseetuleat
from the Court.
Mr. Sergeant BOSANQVZT, Mr. nor.LAND, acid MA
appeared for the proeecution ; ar.d Messrs. ADOLPHUS, Rigeonwr
klca, and PitiLLlPs, for the defence.
Mr. Sergeant Bosextav Iv stated the ease to the
risZt: con-
sidernble length. The Jury had heard that the
wets
charged with-an attempt to defraud Mr. S. B. Ifayward, by the,
procuration of false letters of administration. Before he calk&
witnesses, it would be necessary for hint to make some observatiosa.
on the rase, as it took a circuitous route befbre it arrived at the.
point when the fake document was procured. There **ea
perseta
of the name of Collies connected with the traesactine, who is
professional man, end who, on the present orcasion, was action
agent In the procuring these letters ni administration: I. is i:',W foe
he did it conscious of doing wrong, the Jury would e.sy whoa
they heard the evidence which he should cell on the part of she
proem:ton. A number of letters and affidasits were premed
by Collins—some addressed to ICgaud, and others purporting to
be the oaths of certain pentane whose residences could not, be
found, although the strictest inquiry had been made. There were
a variety of sums standing in the name of Mr. hayseed: in
the Bank of Englaqd, so that the persons who obtained toe sons of
2001. lee. named in the indictn.ent. would also have it in tbeie
power to procure the alter sums there standing. The Bank being
awere of this, were bound to Make strict inquiry, and that ioquirp
led to the present investigation. . •
Deere the evidence commenced, Rigaud obtained liberty tire.
tire for a short time.
John Mason, clerk to Mr. Fletcher, of Doctors' CotrMOtlit, said
that an application had been made at their efface on the 41st ei
September by Rigaud, to procure letters of administration emerge
ing Mr. Bayward's effects. Rigaud said he came from Air. Col.
line, and wanted'avoinsuission on that day, if it were poasible set
get it. Witness here explaioed the nature of a commission. Wit-
ness found the instructions! not sufficient, and wrote certain queries
on the document. lie received the same instructions next morn-
ing, with the answers to the queries from Mr. Collins. Oncluse
day Captain Rigend called in, and desired the commission to be
sent to him to the hotel in 'Somatic-street. IWitr.esti did not No
Collins then.

F. Fletcher produced from the Prerogative Offic. the :dads's.
tration Ond of the eSects of Bayward, and the affidavit conosciedi
with it, "

itigrud asked ere witness whether letters o,toministration would
not be granted to any other person, such as Jones. or so, as'well
to Gardner ?—Certainly they would.
Mr. R. Pittner. Proctor of Docents' Commons. was in the awn.
try at the time.. lie received a letter, dated the 2d of October,
containing; a commission and administration bond from Collins.
Witness enclosed them to ‘Vorthing, in a letter produced, addressed
hs Mr. Collins, Cans: In Rigaud's, post-office, IVorthing. Re re.
mired instructionmfrom Collins, dated the 27:11 of October, to enter
a cavc,t SODS!' soy other letters of administration en the effects
of li:weird. On the 3d of November he received instructions
from Collins, at- seltnews's ofEce, to take nut another comtnission to
recover property under the som of 18.0081. The commission.
was prepared in consequence, and ht delivered a pirs.inal to Cul.
tins on the Bth of November.

Croas.examined—He received the tommisaion bond from Mr.
Rigaud on the 3cl of altirembet. Witness had some commualca.
tion with the Bank Solicitor on the subject conrdentially. bus was
not desired to caution Mr. Collins of the fact, or to tell him than
any suspicion bad been entertaied. On one occasion before wis.
ness transacted business with Mr. Colrns, who lives opposite to
him. but he knew owning of his character. It is nothing unusual
for strangers to apply to proctors.-.p n porters at the gate attended
for that Orpose. It was about e3d or.,4th of Ncleembie
that he had a communication vri:h t. e Dank Solicitor, in donee.
quence of the advice of a friend.
~,
Mr. John Brandley Whippand, clerk. to the Bank of England.
11
proved that the 2001. 15s. Navy Five vet Cents. were reduced to
Fours, and that the stock had been transferred toE.Uardner, lawful
niece (WS. B. Hayward.
By Mr. BitoDEntcx—Only the mime of the party is entered its
the letterr_ of administration.
By Rigaud—',"be letters of administration were not registered at
the Bank ;he cot-id not tell why. because only a junior clerk,
They were sent to the Accountant-General's Mike.
Mr. W'. Hutchinson, deputy.aceountont in the Bank, said that
the petititin and other docunients were left\in the office, but be
could not tell by whom. He did not knose.Mt. Collins, but he
saw him frequently tall about the papers, to know in what state
the claim was, and if it was likely to be admitted., %Fitness told
him from time to time that the dawn was not then in a satisfactory
state, and that other evidence squid be required. The papers
were after:rards all sent to the Bank Solicitor. Collins then brought
four letters, which were given to the Bank Solicitor, and Mr. Col.
line referred to him.
Cross-examined by Mr. Bnontelon—Saw Collins first about
the latter end of October. Nothing rarticuLr occurred. Will
swear that he had no recollection of Collins saying that all the pee.
ties would he produced. if there was arty difficulty in the matter.
It was about the end of October that he referred Collins and the
letters to the Bank Solicitor.
Mr. D. Joseph Wails Huck was waitet in Osborne's Hotel,
Adam-street, Adelphl, in 1007, and knew a person named Ray.
ward, who was rather out of his mind with a typhus fever, and was
rather oS:trope:oar at the time—that is, violent. He went for a doe.
tor. Hayward afterwards went into the country.
Mr. J. Ruche, solicitor, residing at Bradford in Wiltshire.
knew Mr. Hayward. Witness was in the office of air. Deb..-v
at the timeof the stock standing in the name of Baywar'. De.
harry was concerned in the cause of Hayward v. Hayward. Mr.
B. is now 41 or 42, so that the transaction must have been in llts
or ILK. Witness knew all the fancily—there were several brothers
and some sisters—all the sisters are now living except one—and
none of theth ever went hy the name of Gardner or Garner. air.
Hayward now labours under some infirmity, which incapacitates
him from receiving any funds.
Cross-examined—He did not know whether Mr.Bayward was the
sates who lived at the Adelphi ; but he knew that Mr. li. had been
I there. He did not know of his own knowledge that Mr. B. bad
money in the funds ; he only collected that from documents.
Pit 31t. PHILLTps-31r. B. had no father or child living.
By Sergeant BosantltreT—The Mr. B. whom he had seen la
Gloucester lately is the same who was engaged in the Chancery
suit of Hayward v. Bayward.
Mr. G. Thompson, clerk to the late Mr. Debarry, entered •
cause in the Court of Chancery.—Hayward ir. Bay ward. He pro.
duced an order, made in tie cause in 1807, to the Accountant-Ge-
neral, to transfer 20kt. lfis. to the account of S. B. Hayward, Navy
Five per Cents.
Mr. Stephen Oodin. clerk in the Bank. produced honks in which
transfers of stock are entered, and on the 2711, Nov. 10117, 2110/. 15s.
*u transferred by an order of the Court of Chancery to Bay ward,
from the Account-General's account.
Alt. Sikes, Solicitor to the Stamp• Office, had been acquainted
with the prisoner Inset and his hand-writing. lie proved that the
signatures to two powers of attorney, and the attestation of laser,
were in laset'a hand-writing.
Hannah Stretch, widow, living at No. 32, Goswelhroad. knew
Gardner, who was 311 years old, and always knew her by the name
of Meek. Did not know her mother's maiden name.
Cross-examined by Mr. Pnii.Lirs--For seven or eight years
had no intercourse whatever with Meek---this was about three years
since. The last three years their acquaintance was very slight in-
deed. She lived in France—at least abroad. Understood she was
with Lady Hilary. but could not tell where.
By .Me. Law—When they renewed their acquaintance she woak
by the name of Meek.
William llullen—l know the prisoner Meek; I have urn bet
with Mr. and Mrs. duet at different places, both in England and
abroad. I think first at Ostend ; 1 always understood she was
aster to Mrs. laser; never knew her by 'any other name dian.
Meek ; the last time I saw her was three years ago.
By Mr. PniLLIPS—I understood she bad been governess in re.
spectablc families.
William Mayhew has known Elizabeth Meek since the year
11120, and has had transactions with her, and has seen her write a
has received letters from her, and acted upon them. This bond
and letter signed "E. Garner" are, to the best of my opinion, test
writings of Meek.
By Mr. Pnirrirs—The letter F. before" Gamer" in thew two
signatures arc very diftkrent. The words " Garner" arc dibble,
miler.
Phillis Whithourn-1 was servant to Mr. Elms, of an inn near
Worthing. Iler master let Rigaud a house ready furnished on the
hith August, which he came to the following Monday, with Mrs.
Rigaud, Isset, and a servant-boy; by Mrs. Rigaud she means
Elizabeth Baker ; they lived in an extravagant style at first; lawn
and Meek sat in no particular room ; had heard the name of Rout.
ledge, hut never acknowledged by Islet. Mr. Collins came down
about 211th September, and stayed a week there; they were all four
in the same house, and took their meals together. 'spec and Meek
went once to Broadwater, where the Rafe. alr. Mitchell lives, near
the church.
By Mr. Anomeetts—The prisoner Meek was mostly called
Mrs. G. or Mrs. Gardner.
Janice William Freshfirld examined—{Rigaud told the "nem
to speak out)-1 am solicitor to the Bank of England, and product
these papers, which 1 received from Mr..flutchinaon, the deputy
accountant of the Bank. After I received them, Collins called ell
me on the 3d November, and said that he was referred to me by
the deputy accountant, witness said be should require further evi-
dence as to the beneficial interest of Mims G., and should require
a pedigree of Hayward and others ; Collins said it must have
been one hundred years since the marriage of Hayward's father
and mother, and it would be impossible to get the documents;
he said he might as well try to get the certificate of the marriage
of Adam and Eve. Witness said ha must get the boot evidence ha
could. On the 4th of November he called with a letter 'oboe",
date, signed "J. Green." At the foot of the letter was an order
to pay twenty pounds. The letter purpor:ed to come from (lase.
den.town, and add eased to " All. Collis, Knighttielas.stral.'