The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-26 00:00:00

Were only to keep them is Pal.° custody, and receive the
dividerd.
•

By Mr. Bodkin—Your balance, I suppose, was :.)1.
ways large ?

'Witness—More than was prudent, I eunrrse. I was
in L.ndon at the. time of the prisoner's stoppage. I
pat this sum into the hands of my solicitor. War-
rants were issued from Bow-street for the prisoner's
apprebensian after that application. Sfrahain called on
sae where I was staying in Lower BcrUe;-•strs'et. Two
friends of Strahan had previously called on ma, one of
whom I saw. Strahan's first observation was to this
effect. He was surprised to hear that I should have
obtained no information at the bark respecting my secu-
rities, for he and his partners were there constantly to
give whatever information might be required. (This L be-
have was in reference to the conversation I had had
with his friend.) He said they were day and night
snaking up their accounts, and that if I proceeded with
the legal measures I had commenced it would be very
detrimental to the creditors at large, and particularly to
myself, for the securities bad been so disposed of that
there was no possi.rile chance of my recovering anything
of them, whereas, if I abstained from these proceedings,
there was a good prospect of soy having them replaced,
as both he and Sir John Paul had great expectation
of receiving money hereafter, by which these securities of
mine might be restored to me; and, indeed, he added that
tiler had prepared notes of hand for me in ease I Eh .uld
haane called at the bank. He then proceeded to say that
my vecurities had been taken by. Sir John Paul to toe
eity and placed in the hands of eitker. Overeud or Bur-
nand ; I could not recollect which. He said Sir John
Paul. was not alone to blame ; that he was equally to
Ulnae and equally responsible, inasmuch as it was done
with his (Strahan's) full knowledge and consent.
"In deed," said he, " I gave them to him," and
immediately- added, " I assure you it was the first
dishonest act of my life. I never before defrauded any
man of Gd." I asked him when:this happened, and he
repliod about 6 weeks ago, and that the securities so
dispr Dyed of amounted to nearly 100,000/. (meaning the
securities of mine as well as others), but yours is by far
the largest amount belonging to any one individual. I
asked. .hina if some of my securities had been disapproved
of by Messrs. Peppercorn ? He answered, he believed
some eI them might have been. I also asked him if my
,pecial: securities were kept in my box that I had
provided for that purpose, of which they had
one key and I the other. He replied, "N,,, they
were not, but that they were kept with other securities
of a ennilar nature in a parcel tied up by thems.elves,
with icy name affixed to them. I think he said they
were kept in a strong room ; he then urged upon me the
inipelicy of my proceedings, saying, many others simi-
larly si:tuated as myself had been very kind to them, and
begged that I would abandon the proceedings ; he said
he knew the warrants were issued at that time. Mr.
Bates was in custody, Sir John Paul had ei4caped,
and there was a warrant out for Strahan's ap-
prehension. I told him I was not actuated
by any vindictive feelings, but that I had a
duty to discharge to society, and could not stay the pro-
ceedings, _ .

Cross-examined by Sir F. Thesiger—l never saw these
Danish bonds at any time. I cannot say if they are
securities that pass from hand to hand without assigr:
merits. The dividends were payable in March and Sep•
tember, to the best of my belief. I have a correct state-
ment of the conversation between myself and Mr.
Straban.

By Mr. Serjeant Byles—l did not suppose anything
about the securities being kept in the box.
By :dr. Edwin James—The gas shares were not in
the prisoners' custody ; they only received the divi-
dend,s.

By the Attorney-General—The gas shares world re-
quire my signature before they could be transferred. LI;
Mr. Charles Peppercorn examined by Mr. Poland—l
am a stock and sharebroker, carrying on business at 2,
Royal Exc.'lange-buildings. I was in the habit of making
purchases fo.r the prisoners, and called on them for orders
from time to time. On 2d February, 1850, I made a
purchase of 5 pe r cent. Danish Bonds by the request of
the prisoners to amount of 2,0001. for Dr. Griffiths ;
the order book produced in which the entries of the pur-
chases are made belongs to the prisoners, and when filled
up is returned to them ; the bonds were marked 378,
460, 459, 457, and 458.

Mr. John Hill, stock-broker, examined by Attorney-
General—l purchased stock for the prisoners ; the orders
were generally given on slips of paper ; on the 15th of
April, ISSO, I purchased 1,000 Danish five per cents, by
their order; it was one bond, No. 87. I think the order
is in the handwriting of Mr. Bates. On 10th April,
1851, I received another order from them to purchase
2,000 Danish five per cents. They were purchased and
delivered on the 16th April : two were for 4001. each,
and numbered 426 and 573 ; two for 3001., and num-
bered 693 and 794 ; and six for 1001., numbers 657, 659
to 663 inclusive, They were all duly delivered on the
16th April.
Cross-examined by Xr. Sergeant Byles—l am unable
to state without referent,.` to my books whether I re-
purchased for the prisoners in June, 1854, any of these
Danish 5 per Cent. Bonds.

Mr. Sergeant Byles said it wou►.d be necessary forhim
to ascertain the fact, and requested him to send for the
books.

Mr. John Allen examined by Mr. BOkin—l was
clerk in the prisoner's bank. It was Strahau, Sir J.
Paul's father, the present Sir John Paul, and Bates.
Sir John Paul died about three years since. No other
alteration had been made in the firm. Before Sir John
Paul's death the securities were kept in tin boxes in the
strong room. The prisoners had access to the books of
the bank. It was part of my duty to cut off the cou-
pons from the Danish bonds as the dividends becAme
due. I made a list of them and gave them to a clerk to
take into the city and receive the amount. In Septem-
ber, 1551, I did it. Messrs. Hambro and Company
were the London agents fur the Danish stock (the
book produced contains the list, and the coupons are
numbered 426, 573, 793, and 794 ; in another list the
coupons were number G 57, 659, 660, 661, 662, and 663,
and they were in the possession of the prisoners at that
time ; I should say Sept , 1853, was the last time these
Danish Bonds had the Coupons cut from them.
By Serjeant Byles—No other person but Dr. Griffiths
had Danish Ci,per cent. bonds at the bank.
Mr. Alexander Beattie, examined by the Attorney-
General—l am one of the Directors of the National Life
Assurance Company, I am very intimate with Sir
John Paul ; at the end of 1853 Sir J. Paul asked the
company to advance him 20,0001. on foreign securities,
I replied the company did not advance money on such
:,ecuritieF, and suggested introducing him to the Stock
Exchange for a loan. He came to me a second time.
I told him it would be difficult to get money then in
consequence of the war, and suggested his selling the
foreign securities. Sir John gave him a list of the secu-
rities, and I asked Messrs. Foster and Braithwaite, my
brokers, to manage the matter for him. I received two
cheques from them in consequence—one for 4,7931.155.,
the other for 7,4871. 10s. lam unable to say for what
particular stock the cheques were given. At the request
of Sir John Paul, who wanted notes. I kept the two
cheques, and gave him a cheque on my banker for the
two sums put together, 12,2811. ss. One of the two
cheques was dated 14th March, and the cheque for the
whole amount the 16th March.

Mr. John Robert Gibson, examined by Mr. Bodkin
—I am a member of the Stock Exchange, formerly
clerk to Messrs. Foster and Braithwaite. Ou 15th
March, 1854, to the best of my belief, I saw Mr.
Beattie at his office. He gave me some Danish 5 per
cent. bonds to the amount of 5,000 Danish 5 per cent.
and 10,000 Danish 3 per cent. The latter were 1,000
No. 87 ; 7 of 400 No. 378, 573, 426, and 457 to 460 in-
inclusive. Of the former the number corresponded
with those already given. The bonds were sold through
Messrs. Foster and Braithwaite. The check ior
4,7931. 15s. was drawn for the Danish 5 per Danish
bonds. I cannot Fay to whom the bonds were
_— dl
Mr. Joseph Howell, examined by Mr. Fo I d I was
I find
clerk to Messrs. Foster and Co. in March, 1854. On
the 15th and 16th March I delivered the
_bonds in clues.
tion to Messrs. Rothschild and Mekssrs.
book.
them entered in the " jobbers stoc
Mr. Wm. L. Snudden, exainined by Mr. Bodkin—l
' am a clerk in the banking-house of Messrs. Smith,
Payne, and Smith. j produce Danish 5 per cent. bonds
6t
ho f
March, theirs.
--four of 100/., numbersy 659, 660, 661, and 662, which
they hold for Mr. Josep y
customeratlie 1
Skes,
They were deposited with them
oti
1854. I have received the dividend on them from that
time,fand carried it to Mr. Sykes' account.
Mr. Isaac Braithwaite examined by the Attorney-
General--1 am a partner in the house of Foster and
Braithwaite. The checks produced referred to by Mr.
Beattie are in my handwriting ; although the checks are
dated on the 14th Marcb, by a reference
to the counter-
foils of my check-book that must be an error. Tho 15th
is the right date.

Mr. Alfred Tindal() was under examination when we
went to press.

ST. MARTIN'S TIALL.—On Wednesday evening Mr.
flullah commenced a new series of concerts with Men-
delssohn's magnificent oratorio St. Paul, in which Miss
C. Novelle, Mr. Lockey, and Mr. Winn sustained the
principal solo parts. With the abilities of the two first-
named artistes the London public are well acquainted,
but not so with Mr. Winn. This gentleman made his
debut on this occasion, and created a very favourable
impression. Ho !possesses a baritone voice of great
sweetness and compass, and, judging from the ability he
displayed on Wednesday, we have no doubt but that in
a very short time he will take his position amongst the
first of our English singers.