The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-01 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CIIARGE OF FORGE RY.

The magistrates of Hertford were engaged on Friday
in investigating a charge against Mrs. Easily Harriet
Geraldine Morris, described in the Hertford Mercury
(out authority for the present report) as tie wife of Mr,
Wm. Morris, of the Stock Exchange, and of Willow
hall, East Barnet, of having forged the acceptance of
her husband to a bill of exchange for 1,5001.
Mr. Cooper, the barrister, was for the prosecution,
and Mr. Huddlestone for the prisoner.
It appeared that the prisoner married, in 1341, a lad
of seventeen, the son of an eminent printer in London,
but in consequence of the unhappy character of the
union, the parties were separated, arid a divorce from
bed and board obtained in anycclosiastical suit.; the pro-
ceedings had, however, never been co far complete as to
enable her to marry again. Notwithstanding this,
she, in the year 1846, married Mr. William Morris.
In 1853 that gentleman took Willen Hall, East
Barnet, and engaged with Messrs. Duppa and Collins,
of Oxford-street, to fit and decorate the place, and
the prosecutor in this case, Mr. Arthur David Owen,
their principal manager, went down to superintend tho
work at Willen Hall, when an intimacy sprang up be-
tween him and the prisoner, she, to use his own words,
making love to him first. The work was completed in
December, 1853, and after that prosecutor upon a good
many occasions visited the prisoner during the absence
of Mr. Morris. In February, 1854, prosecutor received
a letter of which the following is a copy :—" You can do
me a great service ; I believe you will. It is in a way
which bad better not be written about. lam hero all
alone every day till four or five o'clock ; can you come
down, or, rather, will you come down S The best way
will be to take a cab. God bless youI—HARRIET.
The prosecutor went down and saw the prisoner, who
asked him to lead her a large snm of money upon
property, which she said was settled upon her
at her marriage. This he declined ; and she then
asked if he would cash a note of hand, signed by her
husband. He said he would, as he thought her husband
quite safe ; but, as ho could not find the money him-
self, should like some collateral security. She said she
would place in his hands her diamonds, which were
worth 3,000/. To this he assented, and took the note
and jewels, which slis sealed up, and said were not to
be opened until the bill was taken up ; and, after de-
ducting 4001. as interest for the six months of its date,
handed her over 1,1001. From something that subse-
quently transpired he opened the jewel case, and found
the whole to be paste and imitation of the most worth-
less description. He subsequently took proceedings
upon the bill against Mr. Morris, who repudiated the
claim, and swore that the signature was a forgery, and
not the least like his handwriting. Under these circum-
stances a warrant was placed in the hands of Forrester,
and the lady, who had absconded, was, during the
weak, apprehended in Paris, and brought over here upon
the charge of forgery.
The bench, having heard the evidence, committed her
for trial, expressing their readiness to take bail—the
prisoner in 2100/, and two aureties in IMO?, each.