The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-12-24 00:00:00

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ti. is. into the p 4.44.......... .e assignees. That book
a sheepskin 4at er. 1 ii• ter made that entry •in any
or hunk. I will net swear that I did not state on n fur-
y occasion, thet these cot rice had h.en mete in i book,
h a !marble voter, but I have reason ill think L did Vini.
• s ill mil swear, but I think I did net make these entries
a book with a marble cover. I never represented that
ee Mt •k in which these entriee were mule hail horn Init.
.1 w a person of the name of Porter I do not recollect.
' I think it is more than likely he assisted me in tit thing
• list 'tithe fiettions lianies..lß was he Ishii made out that
1
Ie %H., which is attacked to the passbook. I was with
rt-r at his liidgines in Laidgate•hill, within the rules of
t, • Fee•t, the ibis the docket was *truck in the second emu-
', ssien. Porter an. re suite went to France at nay request.
l.? r. iliimslea leas in France at the time. aria sidrieqiiently
st tamed with Mr. P.vter. I rerreepoirdi•d with Porter,
f• his 'internee The litters I received from him were (tepee'
7 din two hags at niv tare. On the day after the doeltrit
.i. struck, I sent t•• my own oni e fir Some sealed 'week. ,'
• el out linear that on a former occasion I did net represent.
i • at tiro gait ions enure entrust!, amounted to more than the
deer..., hut thistle the impression my mind. Porter Wide sip the
• "omen, with my eseielariee. The first item was Bennett,
I emit+ the nest Was Greoemsar, stool nest Grosvenor, 0001.
'II the nib October, IPII. I deli% ered the pass-honk to Mr.
trim ile-ad personally. Inlay Nice sent A letter to Mr. Grim.
dead at the limn ;it eery likely I did, but I hate reesider-
s Ode doubts net I did I ens never examined on this ques-
7lion but tutee, and that was h••fore lire Conliiiks•Oriers.-[4
heck containing the impies of letters was then headed to WS.]
—I arkno.viedge that letter pointed not was written by me to
Mr. Giiindea.l on that day. The eraseree in the book were
eked'. to deceive Mr. Grimetenil. I do nal think that action
ani entitled to thi• harsh name of fraud, fair Mr. Grinstead
and :ill the other crc blurs will be paid twenty shillities to
the pow) I. They n ill be paid free, the proei•eds of a 'toddle
estate, that of Howard and Gnats. When I joined Mr.
?totem, in partnership I IsroilKlet no money 141 the CAS. 1
nem ; and all the mime) I derived since was got from lbs
instfits of the pirtnership. I joined it iu 1.11, and II
11,1riptslly eendneted the hilliness ever since, up to the
• sti al of the blink. uptcy. I remember the redemption elf
tirdiemee Morose- annuity. The releases were sighed by
r. (Irtmstead. 'there e'en* certain policies executed on
:eye d Jannis %may's life. Two of the policies Were WAIL
Old there was a return of premium on the third. There was
1,1 end anus politer.; as tar as he was concerned. Mr. Grim
sleet was in the habit of cemitte 111 our office frequently, M..
wee: times ill the limb, and latterly every day. Ile gene-
rally kept the phisbook until the time of making it op again.
That was ever) half year, bat in some instances more fre-
ikeeetli. The pass oriole nos in the heiel.writing of two
or terse of the clerks. That part of it which related
to October. tare, was, I thlek, written by it person of
the name of Thorpe. The latter part was done be a person
of the name of 11 inemili. There was no injunction given
that Mr. Porter's baying gone to France at 1.1 be kept
secret. Ide not VOAk it was agreed it shnuld be kept secret
d'om Mr. Howard. The letters I received from Mr. Porter
Were in two bass at ms. idlice. Mr. Porter adsised ins to
apply to Mr. Mont reue, who was counsel for the creditors, to
mike% our to set aside reit:lin matters by as side aim!. Mr.
C.im,tead payed the expenses of Mr. Porter's journey to
Prince. I ativanc.4l him e sum of money alien he was grime,
which he repaid me about tau or three months ago. Mr.
Porter was within the roles oft he Fleet when he repaid it.
it was my own money I advanced. I was very intimate with
Sr. Gronstead ; we hid no quarrel; be never called me a
a villain and a seu•itelrel, nor said I deserved transportation;
if he hat] said so is my pre •enee 1 should have kitecked him
•leyee. Mr. Montague hail a general retainer from Mr.
Howard and myaell ; he anie•ared the first commission for
the creditors, during v. Well time I had frequent interviews
•• tilt him, unit itio reeled him ; this I did by the advice of
qe. Porter. Porter acted as agent for Mr. Gni mstead under
my particular reien.st, throtieliont the whole of the first
commission e whatever was done in the mutter, was done by
the alvice of Mr. Montague, Mr. Porter, Mr. ttrimstead, and
myself. Them- were several prigattepapere which were left in
the possessimi of oar porter, and he had directions to deliver
them over to the assignees when chosen. Harrison, a servant
..i. Mr. Porter's, brouelit me a SOW money sad papers to
Porter's heleings in Ludgate-bill; I went to Mr. Porter'. the
~ ay the docket was struck in the second commission ; Atktu.
efte was in possession of the house at the lime.
Ile-examined by Mr. Serjeant VAUGIIIIII.—Mr. Porter Is i
03siVeSaneer. .„, ,
Li t;tutwer to a question from the Sorserroa-Gan gaes—ror-
' -- rum 'ems in the Fleet.
a question from Mr. Serjeant VAconsat.—l am
Howard ; I am married to his daughter.
Ranloll4ll was then sworn—l was a clerk in the employ
toward end Gibbs. The entries in the pass book
Iv, were made I: v me. I pereeiie some erasures
.eiviels was handedto the witness. j 'These era-
made heroes, it lisd been delivered to me. The
• Mat, MIS, were also made by me. On the ad
eup the book and struck the balance. I then
to Mr. Gibbs: it had no erasures on the left-
en I delivered it. There were some erasures
hreneht to me in November to make it up. I
least idea w bat was written there.
lifted by Mr. Serjeant Pest. —I was employed in
meisrl. Hummel and Gibbs, soon after I bad
Jamaica, a here I a as employed as a clerk in one
mhos's. I went Irons Ragland to the West Indies.
rincipal aucountAnt of Messrs. Howard and Gibbs
persist. I was in the confidence of Mr. Gibbs. I
: day upon which the docket in the second cow-
struck. On that day a servant brought me a letter
ihhs.--tA letter was then sheer In tie witness,
al wai one he had written in answer.)--On receipt
fount Mr. Gibbs, I searched for two sealed letters.
'. I think I did (but lam not clear) take them
. Ido not know any body else,to whom I could
them. I think I took them to my own house that
elivered them the next day to Mr. Gibbs. I will
vets that 1. did not break open any desk, drawer,or
..iese papers. I kavefrequently seen al r.Orimstead
of the office ; I turner transacted business with him but once,
' uhan he asked me semething about a sum of money paint to
his hanker; I 'weer made any oh lion to Mr. Gibbs
e bout the erasures ; I was employed as clerk to the assignees
under the first commission. I cannot recoiled whetherl was
their clerk when I delivered up the papers to Mr. Gibbs. I
time often seen Mr. Porter on Mr. Grimetead's business.
Mr. thouenca•G EN ERAL—I wish to ask the witness Gibbs
a question.
:ttr. Gibbs was then recalled.
I am not quite clear that I del not borrow cennt. long annui-
ties from Mr. Grimstead in December. 18,9; I am not cer-
tain as to either the amount or the sum, but I do recollect
some trenseetien of the kind. If the money was repaid it
will appear in tbr pass book I the pass-book was thou handed
to the witness]. I will hint swear that the sum of i ,uttel. men-
tinned in this book is not the sum referred to. If there were
money entered as paid as Mr. Grinistead, I am sure ho has
rem-lye:a it.
Mr. Serjeant Lass.—That, my Lord. is our case.
Mr. Sometime Getesseat. then addressed the Jury fur the
delence. It was perfectly true, as stated by. his Learned
Frien:l, that this was a case of ennsiderable importance to
-the parties immediately concerned. But it was a ease of
equal importance to those whom be represented, the great
body of the creditors. The Jury must be already aware that
Messrs. Howard and Gibbs had succeeded is gaining the
confidence of many persons in an humble station in life, and
had gut possession of the email pittance on which they had
rewired from a laborious life. They were considered a firm
attic utmost stability, but unfortunately the " bobble burst,"
and involved in ruin a greater number offamilies than bad ever
been eceasiened try I heTailure of any private bank. It would be
impossible to describe the sensation it exeited and the misery
Abed create.l. Many aho had supposed they should enjoy a
decent meintenance to support their families, were reduced
to beirgery. To those persons, therefore, it was a question
Oral bait equal importance us to the individual whom his
Learned Friend (Mr. Serjeant Lens) represented. His
Learned Friend had said be mild call Mr. Gibbs as
a witness. alio pus it no interest whatever in the
cause, and would therefore have the Jury to believe,
that although the conduct of Gibbs was of such • de-
m:rip** as to render his testimony of itself incredible,
ettd sea it retitled to .credit, when It was adverse to his own
interests. But he would tell the Jury the manner in which
Gibbs was interested. Ho was interested in the choice of
iiesigitees, fiar if they were apt to his Attlee or the choice of
Mr. Grimaced, he should then have absolute control over
Ms own proeerty. In sasing this, he did not refer to the
present moment, but to the time when the assignees were
amen end for the bake of consistency Mr. Gibbs was isle-
redeillgiving the same testimony now us he gave before
the C lasioners and the Vice• Chancellor. Let us look a
' little, wise meth, parties in this mom, and if lee failed in prow.
At Utat Gibbs, Grinstead, and Porter had been enaaged in a
eimapiraey together, be greatly misunderstood the nature of
the evidence he had to offer. And first, who was Gibbs ? He
eas an individual who entered the firm without a shilling,
having tireviousty held a subnrdinate situation. He found at
tilivisbine, but from the moment tie joined it its affairs begets
to deeline. and up to the very period of the bankruptcy
treuard believed he was in possession of a considerable
spry. Who was Mr. Porter? He had been deseribed as a
convey:sliver i but for the last four or live years it appeared
lie had been living with* the rules of the Fleet, and there
it was he beternu the confidential adviser of Gibbs and
()Sautee d. and agreed that be shoed go to France privately
end clandestinely without the knowledge of his creditors.
velum the %reefed commission was sued nut, some circuits-
- ',lnduced the creditors to op-
before the Commissioners.
lodgings at Ludgate-hill, and
!Mon of the name of Harrison,
odi, his clerk, to get possession
scaled packets, which were
• the strong rotten." Those
I to him secretly. This Rs-
Ile employment, but instead
/n done, such a frauduleut
request, opened the draw-
end conveyed them *
at the lOglaSeaS of Porter.
ices. But let as look a little
• in the private confidence of

t. r has been rota
In answer to a
related to Mr.
Win Remand
s of Mears. How
-f October, 18Iv
31 this hook tat
sores were mad
4 entries about M
or Mat I made
Faze the hoi.k 1.
'sand side a 11011
it was hr,
tk have not the lea
Cross-examit
-the service in 3
N lel tired Irons Ja
' the plaalatio
I was the prim.
in the latter pe
I t recollect the di
fni.sion was str
from Mr. Galstv
which he said a
of the letter ko
which I flamed.
to Mr. Gibbs.
have taken Mei
tight. and delis
: swear positivel,
hoz, to act them
nt the 'Afire ; I
_ IL II

ei limes had CORO: to litllt, which I
i r , pose the claims of flrimitead I
cllblyi was then at Porter's Ind
1 • 10 thence be sent a letter br a per s.
the A . t of Porter, to'itamendi
~,i certain paper,, and two se
conrwaled in a room milled " ll
yaws were In he roureyed I
•,. - . Taaasai was at this time Ia thi
• ‘llk a resifting, 31 he should 1111Y1
. OPOICOLiOII, h.• pulled to the 1
42itiAtk out lite papers,
who was then lurking II
=elm nn" or the eircumstane
farther. Purter was et this time