The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-22 00:00:00

BOW STREET (THIS DAY).

FURTHER EXAMINATION OF MR. STRAHAN,
SIR J. D. PAUL, AND MR. BATES.

This morning Mr. William Stralian, Sir J. D. Paul,
Bart., and Mr. Robert Meakin Bates, were placed at
the bar, before Mr. Jardine, charged with unlawfully
negotiating or otherwise disposing of certain deeds or
other securities entrusted to them for safe keeping, Cloy
being bankrupts. The position of the prisoners, and
the enormity of the charge brought against them, has
caused considerable sensation in the metropolis, and
grek t interest was manifested by a large concourse of
respectably•dressed persons who besieged the police court
to obtain a sight of the prisoners, and hear the particu•
lars of the charge.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Humphries appeared for the
prosecution ; Mr. Ballantine fur Sir J. D. Paul, Bart.,
and Mr. Straban ; and Mr. Parry for Mr. Bates.
Mr. Bodkin said it had rarely been his lot to witness
so melancholy a spectacle as the three prisoners at the
bar presented by their appearance in that box—persons
who but lately stood high in the respect of those who
knew them, living in a style of luxury, and enjoying the
unlimited confidence of those with whom they did
business, but who, by their recent conduct, have

betrayed the confidence reposed in them, and re

duced themselves to the level of common felons,
and subjected themselves to a charge the punishment for
which, if proved, amounted to transportation for 14
years. He (Mr. Bodkin) appeared on the part of one
of many who have suffered by the stoppage of the bat,k-
ing business which the prisoners carried on, but he was
not there to complain of any deficiencies arising from a
deficiency in the balance of an ordinary banking ac-
count, but to charge the prisoners, on the part of Dr.
Griffith, with having about five or six weeks ago
fraudulently, if not feloniously, converted about 22,0001.
worth of securities, entrusted by him to them for safe
keeping, to their own use. Fortunately for Dr. Grif-

fith this act of the prisoners' had not entailed ruinous

consequences on hiM, and he was able to discharge a
public duty by prosecuting the prisoners in this case,
which many who had been almost ruined by this un-
happy affair were unable to do ; and he felt
also more bound to do it, because in this,

and probably in other cases, as much confidence was
placed in the honour and integrity of the prisoners as
in the stability of the banking concern itself, Dr. Griffith,
therefore, feeling it to be a public duty that he should
prosecute in this instance, begged him to state on his
behalf that nothing would induce him to swerve from
that duty. It would be recollected by the hon. magi-
strate that in consequence of the application of Dr.
Griffith a warrant was granted for the apprehension of
the three prisoners. Strahan and Bates were taken into
custody under that warrant. Sir J. D. Paul, who re-
sided at Reigate, and was there apprehended, afterwards
effected his escape from custody. He should not enter

into that now, as it would form the subject of inquiry else-
where, otherwise than to state that whatever motive
actuated him in doing it, the fact of his surrendering
last night made it appear less grave than it otherwise
would. He should be in a position to prove that the
securities in question were deposited from time
to time with the prisoners, and he thought it would
be idle on their parts to attempt to deny they had
not been dealt with by the firm or some of the
members in the fraudulent manner complained of. With
regard to Mr. Strahan, he should be in a condition to
prove that in the hope—vain as it turned out to be—of
arresting the progress of these proceedings, he saw Dr
Griffith on the day that gentleman made applica-
tion to the presiding magistrate to endeavour to induce
him not to proceed further in the case, but Dr. Griffith
informed him he did not feel himself at liberty to act on
his own private opinion or feelings and withdraw from
further proceedings. In the course of that conversation
Mr. Strahan made a statement to Dr. Griffith, which
appeared to him (Ur. Bodkin) morally conclusive of
the charge made against the prisoners, which was that
about six weeks ago these securities, which were tied
up and marked in Dr. Griffith's name, and kept in a
general receptacle for such matters, instead of in a box
provided by Dr. Griffith for the purpose, were abstracted
from that receptacle by himself and Sir John D. Paul,
and were conveyed, he believed, with about 100,0001.
worth of securities, to Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and
Co., or some such house, and made away with. Of course
that statement made in the absence of Sir John D.
Paul was not legal evidence against him ; and before be
asked the hon. magistrate to send this case for
trial, there would be inquires of a complicated

nature to make, in order to trace these secu-
rities and bring the case clearly and specifically
against the prisoners, which would necessitate a
further remand. The course he proposed to take,
then, was to examine Dr. Griffith with reference to Mr.
Strahan's statements to him, and after that ask for a
formal remand to Wednesday next, on which occasion
he should renew his appliCation for another remand to
the Wednesday following, by which time he hoped to
have his evidence ready to proceed with the charge
against the prisoners.
Dr. John Griffith having been sworn was examined
by Mr. Bodkin—He resided at Rochester. Had an ac-
count at Strahan's for about thirty years. He did not
deposit his securities with his own hands, but the bank
bad securities of his to the amount of 22,0001.
A letter was here read from the prisoner Bates, ac-
knowledging the purchase of certain securities for the
rev. gentleman to the amount of 30,000 florins.
Examination continued—He had never given any
authority to sell or dispose of the securities. Ho attended
here yesterday, and on Wednesday afternoon he was
called upon by Mr. Strahan. Some relatives of his had
first seen him. Mrs. Griffith was present when he
called. A. minute of the occasion which he had made
stated that, not long after the departure of the gentle-
men, about half-past three—

Mr. Bodkin—confine yourself, if you please, to the
precise point.
The rev. gentleman proceeded to read the minute, as
ollows :—Mr. Strahan stated ho was surprised I could
not btain any information about my securities at the
brnk, for he and his partners were there ready to afford
every information in their power—indeed they were day
and night engaged in making up their accounts ; and
they said if I took legal proceedings, there would be no
one to wind up the affairs of the bank. He admitted I
was quite justified in the course I had taken ; but he
said, and repeatedly so, I was doing a great injury to
the creditors at large and myself. He said that he had

great expectations that he and Sir John Paul would, by
and by, have money sufficient to redeem any securities,
and that they had prepared notes of hand for me had I

called upon thorn. Ho further told me, on inquiry,
that my securities, with others, had been taken by Sir
John and placed in the hands of Overend and Burnam,
as I understood, and that with the knowledge and
assent of Sir John ; that he (Hr. Straban) bad

given them to Sir John, who took them to the city, and
that he considered himself equally responsible for th e
act.

Mr. Bodkin—Are you sure, Dr. Griffith, that ho used
the words " he consiiered himself responsible for the

Dr. Griffith—Certainly. He further told me the secu-
rities he had deposited amounted to nearly 100,0001.,

but that my securities were by far the largest belonging
to any ono person. He said that much kindness had
been shown him by persons similarly situated as myself,
and that ho hoped I would not continue the legal pro-
ceeding as I could get nothing by it. That was thepurpm t
of his conversation. He knew, he said, the circum

stances were serious for himself and his colleagues, and
if they were put in prison there would be no one to
bring the proceedings to a close. In reply I told him
I was unwilling to aggravate his feelings, and assured
him that I was not influenced by any vindictiveness to-
wards him or the other gentlemen, but that I felt bound
on public grounds to proceed in the course I
had adopted. I told him also, that having placed
the matter in the hands of my solicitor, I could only
refer him to him. On which het observed that, if he
went to him, he would arrest him at once. Never

theless, he asked me his name. I referred him to Mr.
Fearon, George-street, City. I asked him particularly
if my securities were placed in my box. He said they
were not in the box, which the Times newspaper said
was a wrong. He stated that they were kept with
other securities in their strong room, with my name on
those which belonged to me.
Mr. Bodkin—Have yon caused any inquiries to be
made with respect to these securities ?
Dr. Griffith—l have. They have not been discovered
or traced, to my knowledge.
Mr. Jardine—Did Mr. Straban tell you when these
securities were taken from the bank ?

Dr. Griffith—Yes ; be said about six weeks ago.
Mr. Ballantine— Did you, Dr. Griffith, ever have con-
trol over these securities

Dr. Griffith—Since the year 1840 he never had any
control over them.

Mr. Ballantine—Did you know who purchased these
securities ?

Dr. Griffith—No. lie could not tell who purchased
them as they had been accumulating for years.
By Mr. Parry—He could only repeat what Mr.
§tralaii 1014 Lim, 110 did not know that Mr, Bllitcts waa