The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-26 00:00:00

yacht will leave on Saturday next for Stockholm,
preceded by the Aurora, and a3companied by the
Salamis, to enable the Royal party to comply with
the invitation of the King of Sweden to the palace
at Stockholm. About eight days will probably be
occupied in the Swedish visit, and it is believed that
the Prince will then return for a short time to Fre-
densborg. About this, however, as about all move-
ments subsequent in point of time to the departure
for Stockholm, there appears to be still considerable
uncertainty. . _ .

Mr A. dosiirig, Secretary of Legation at Copen-
hagen, has obtained leave of absence, and returns
to England with Mrs Gosling.

Failure of the Leeds Bank.

FORGERIES OF BILLS OF EXCHANGE FOR
£BO,OOO.
LEEDS, Saturday.—The rumours afloat that Mars.
den, the bankrupt ironfounder, who a few days ago
absconded from this town, and np to this time has
eluded pursuit, had negotiated forged bills of ex-
change to a great amount through the Leeds Bank-
ing Company, now in serious difficulties, were un-
mistakably confirmed to-day under the following
circumstances :
At the usual sitting of the Leeds magistrates to-
day, Thomas Scaife, a middle-aged man of rather
corpulent habit, was charged with having feloni-
ously forged and uttered various bills of exchange.
The prisoner had been the confidential manager of
Marsden, and in that capacity he has by procura-
tion made himself an accomplice to forgeries the
magnitude of which is almost unprecedented.
Only two out of at least a thousand cases were for
the present inquired into.
Mr Bond, solicitor, prosecuted on behalf of the
bank; Mr Granger, solicitor, appeared for the
prisoner.
Mr Walker Joy, oil merchant, said—J.Woodhead
Marsden was a debtor to the Leeds Banking Come
pany in several thousand pounds. On "Wednesday
Marsden was sent for to the bank, Mr Scaife, the
prisoner, attended for Marsden. A large bundle of
bills were produced bearing the signature "per pro.
J. W. Marsden, Thos. Scaife." Amongst them was a
bill for £l7l 2s 6d, drawn by Marsden per pro.
Scaife, and purporting to bear the acceptance of Geo.
Wilson, of Crossland-treet, Holbeck. Prisoner was
asked if they were good bills, and he said they were
not. He said they were forgeries. On Friday he
(witness) had a conversation with the prisoner for
more than an hour. Mr. C. Butler, one of the commit-
tee, said he had better make a clean breast of it, and
prisoner replied " Then I will make a clean breast
of it, and tell you everything." Seven or eight
gentlemen were present—witness, Mr Butler, Mr
Bolland, Mr Wailes, and some directors were pass.
ing backwards and forwards. Mr Donisthorpe was
also in the room. Notes were made by Mr Wailes
of what the prisoner said. He (witness) saw pri-
soner again. A book full of bills was produced,
and the prisoner said they were forged. The num•
ber of those bills was above a thousand, and they
represented upwards of £BO,OOO. The book was
numbered up to the extent of a thousand bills. He
(Mr Joy) had prisoner apprehended on his own re.
sponsibility. He felt as a man of honour that a
gigantic fraud had been committed.
Mr Irwin—Within what time was this £BO,OOO
worth of bills paid into the bank ?
Mr Joy—l really cannot tell. The forgeries have
extended over years. There are at least £68,000
worth of forged bills ont,and we have at leastiao,ooo
of forged bills also in the bank.
Mr. Granger—Did prisoner not say to you that
Mr. Greenland (manager of the bank) knew all
about it ?
Mr. Joy—He did.
Mr. Granger—Did ho not tell you further that
he had no interest in the matter beyond benefitting
Marsden ?
Mr. Joy—He did.
By Mr Barr (magistrates' clerk)—Two bill books were
given up, and the prisoner said ali the bills named in one
with a clasp were forged. The other book contained entries
of customers' bills. Prisoner said all the entries were in
his handwriting.
Mr Bond—Was Mr Greenland present when these con-
versations took place?
Mr Joy—He was not. Mr Marsden has absconded.
Mr Joseph Servant, cashier of the Leeds Banking Com-
pany, said John W. Marsden had kept en acccunt with
the bank for five or six years, and up to the 17th Septem-
ber. That account was principally managed by Ihe prisoner
(Scaife), who was book-keeper to Marsdcn. On the 28,11
or April tha prisoner brought to the bank on Marsdea's
account bills fir £1,256 19s, among which was a bill (pro-
duced) for £3OO. At the same time the prisoner produced
a payment ticket, dated 38th April, 1864, signed, " J. W,
Marsden, Thos. Scaife," which was in the handwriting of
the prisoner. On the back was a memorandum in the pri-
soner's writing of the three bills of exchange, ono of which
was the same for £3OO now produced, dated April 27, 1864,
drawn as follows :—" Per pro. John W. Marsden, Thos
'Scaife" upon it, and accepted by Messrs. Robert Hudson
and Co., colliery owners, Stanley. near Wakefield, payable
four months after date to the order of the drawer. The
manuscript part of the bill was in the writing of the pri-
soner, and endorsed by the prisoner as drawn. That bill
was presented for payment when due and dishonoured.
Mr G. Wilson, gasfitter, Crossland-street, Holbeck, said
he had examined a bill £l7l 2s 61, dated the 12th of
May, 1861, drawn per pro. John W. Marsden, Thomas
Soaife, and purporting to be accepted on the following
terms :—" Payable at Messrs. William Deacon and Co.,
hankers, L')ndon. George Wilson." No part of that ac-
ceptance was in witness's handwriting, He never had any
transactions with Marsden or the prisoner, and there was
no other George Wilson in Croseland-street, Holbeck.
He
did not know either Marsden or the prisoner. He first
heard of this forgery on the 22d.
Mr. R. J. Hudson, Moorville, near Otley, partner in a
colliery at Stanley, near Wakefield, under the firm of
Robert Hudson and Co., said a bill of exchange for £3OO,
dated 27th April, 1864, drawn by J. W. Marsden, had not
been accepted by him or his firm. The firm never accepted
any bills.
After being cautioned, the prisoner said he had nothing
:o say at present.
He was then committed for trial at the assizes.
It is stated that in one of Martden's private drawers were
round bills which-had been prepared with a view to obtain-
mg a further BUM of £lO,OOO by forgeries.

COMMERCIAL FAILURES IN LEEDS.
(From the Leeds ltite.iligencer )
In consequence of the stoppage on Monday of the busi-
ness of the Leeds Banking Company two serious failures
have been announced in Leeds—that of Messrs. Saalfield
Brothers, woollen brokers and shippers, Cookridge-street,
and that of Mr, John Woodhead Marsden, iron merchant
and machine maker, of Leeds, Holbeck, Castlefurd, and
London.
As to Messrs. Saalfield's liabilities there is no doubt that
they will be very large—far beyond £100,000; but the real
state of affairs cannot be yet kru.wn yet, as sufficient time
has not elapsed for the completion of the balance-sheet. The
stoppage of this house was a heavy and great discourage-
ment to many manufacturers who had been expecting to
have accounts owing by the firm settled. Instead they found
the warehouse door closed against them and a notice posted
on it stating that in consequence of the failure of the
Leeds Banking Company Messrs. Saalfiald had been coin-
pelled to suspend payment. Au attempt was made on Thurs-
day morning to carry the affairs of Messrs.paalfeld into the
Bankruptcy Court. Mr J. North, on behalf of Messrs. D.
Yewdall and Sons, manufacturers, Caverlery, opened a
petition in bankruptcy. The debt of the petitioning credi-
tors is only £12.5;
but, on behalf of the Leeds Banking
Company, particulars of demand for upwards of £25,000,
giving credit for the bills running, having been served upon
the Messrs. Saalfeld. Mr Yewdall, solicitor, has given
notice on behalf of Messrs. Saalfeld that the adjudication
will be disputed on the ground that no act had been coma
of bankruptcy. We are informed
behalf of the banking company, also that Mr Bond, on
mitted by his clients which could be constructed into an act
has also given notice of an
attempt to dispute any proceedings in Bankruptcy.
We
may here observe that the difficulties in which Messrs.
Saalfeld find themselves have led to the stoppage of their
London agent, Mr John Abraham, Aldermanbury, London.
The public cannot but wonder how a firm, which a very
few years ago compounded with its creditors for 8s in the
pound, has obtained so much credit at its bankers. Mr J.
W. Marsden's downfall was no surprise, and when it be-
came known that the bank had gtoppea it was looked for
momentarily. His creditors found that ho had absconded,
and it was thought ho had betaken himself to Liverpool,
because of letters to a friend which had come into posses.
sion of the creditors
Yesterday, Mr
Holbeck, and Messrs William Turner and David Johnson
uliwa
renxi
nt
under-
stand, uhCpaoovn.
Charles Turner, cloth manufacturer,
clo!h. manufacturers, of Leeds, presented petitions for,
relief in the Leeds Bankruptcy Court. These failures are
t
e
k
hvweureaennnoo owing
SUSPENSIONo Lt. bankrupts
Ntopk
fe: eclutlhepLPdetosi4Trtrooo:
plirveea
Ecrrhhui:
teat
tesvebTslli
annaAhL
el
assignment,Ttr
oAtsetl,
Loa. eti
LF ltit
)ip consequent
t:a,hLsr ei.Ecsq, accommodation
trout the Leeds Banking C,irapany. is sail that the
ND
e
b
n
the failure of the Leeds Banking Company, who hold a
q
about £lOO,OOO. Messrs. Bond hnd Barwick and Mr
Yewdall are the solicitors. We understand, from a reliable
quarter, that the winding up of Messrs. Saalteld'a estate is
expected to be more favourable than was at first antici-
pated.