The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-14 00:00:00

RE THORN.

The bankrupt was a butcher at Kingsland. His debts
were not large (£132), and he attributed his losses to spoilt
moat during the past season.

W. H.. Buchanan, Basinghall-street, appeared for
the bankrupt, who obtained his discharge.
(Before Mr. Registrar HazHit.)
IN RE SIMON.
. .

This bankrupt had carried on a very extensive business
is New Basinghall-street, as a cap manufacturer, but
alkconded a few weeks since, and an adjudication was
made on the application of Mr, A. Angerstein, of the Old
Jewry. Very lengthened private examinations have been
taken with the view of obtaining a disclosure of the bank-
rupt's property. The amount of liability, &c., is a mere
conjecture at present, but are said to amount to at least
Assignees were chosen.
£lO,OOO.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MANSION-HOUSE.

FOUGEBN BY A WHOLESALE MANUFACTURER.—
George Baskeville, dressed as a groom, but described as a
flint grinder, was placed before Alderman Mechi upon a
warrant signed by the Lord Mayor with forging and utter-
ing a bill of exchange for £276 135., with intent to de-
fraud the Birmingham and South Staffordshire Bank, 110,
Cheapsid e.
The Solicitor for the prosecution said the prisoner
was a member of the film of P. and G. Baskeville, flint
grinders,
of Etruria, in Staffordshire, and the charge
agams • t him was the forging and
uttering a bill of ex-
change. dated May 21, 1863, with intent to defraud. The
prisoner, it
appeared, was the acting partner to the firm,
but he had been in some manner mixed up with a
man named Smith, who was convicted of forgery at the
last Staffordshire assizes. After Smith had been removed
from the scene the prisoner became involved in pecuniary
difficulties, and in order to meet the demands which were
constantly forcing themselves upon him he had recourse to
more forgeries to cover those he had previously sent into
circulation.
It was at one time believed that the firm of
Baskeville was in a flourishing condition, but from the
forgeries committed by the prisoner, who was the active
partner, it was clear the actual state of affairs was quite
unknown. The Birmingham and South Staffordshire hank
fortunately held but one forged bill of the prisoner's, but
there was every reasonto believe the amount of the forgeries
would not fall short of three thousand pounds. Of course
the firm of Baskeville had become bankrupt, the corporation
for which he appeared felt it their duty to take the most
active steps to prosecute the prisoner.
The prisoner here said ho admitted the whole of the case.
He had never denied it, he forged the bill, and he pleaded
guilty.
The following witnesses were then examined :
Mr. Richard Price, manager of the London. Birming-
ham, and South Staffordshire Bank, said the bank carried
on business in the three places last-mentioned. The pri-
soner wanted an account opened in the name of P. and G.
Baskeville, of Bell's Mills, Etruria, in Staffordshire. He
was introduced as one of the partners, and after inquiry an
account was opened. Bills were then sent up for discount
through their agent, Mr. George Withey. On the 22d of
May the bill for £276 13s. (produced) was left at the bank
in the usual way for discount. It was drawn by P. and G.
Baskeville,
and purported to be accepted by a person named
Elijah Hughes. It was discounted, and the amount, lass
was
it
placed to the credit of the drawers.
the money paid,
They drew against immediately The present forged
bill is the only one held by the bank. The bill was pre-
sented at maturity, but it was not paid.
Fish-street-hill, commission
Mr. George Withey, of 15,
agent, said he acted for the firm of Baakeville. The prisoner
was a partner in the firm. He (witness,
j had acted as their
agent for about twelve months. The bill produced he
belleved to be in the prisoner's handwriting He was in-
structed to discount it by letter.
Mr. Elijah Hughes, earthware manufacturer, Cobridge,
Staffordshire, said he had had some business transactions
with the prisoner's firm. The acceptance to the bill pro-
duced was not in his handwriting, neither was it written
by his direction. It was a
i
forgery, There was no other
person of the same name as his n Cobridge. He believed
the acceptance to be in the prisoner's handwriting.
Robert Packman, of ithe City detective force, said he
went down to Staffordshire to make inquiries about the
prisoner, but he had every reason to believe he had fled to
America. Eventually he was taken into custody at a small
cottage in Lord Shrewsbury's park in Staffordshire. When
the prisoner was told he was charged with forging several
bills he said he was quite aware of it, and that when he got
to London he should plead guilty to the whole of the
charges.
The prisoner, in answer
to the charge said—l have
nothing at all to say against it. I plead guilty to it all.
Alderman Mechi then committed the prisoner for trial.