The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNE'SD TEVgNING, AUGUST 20, 1862.

Mr. Bovill—How much money did you obtain
by fraudulent means in your father's lifetime ?
Mr. Roupell—About £70,000.
Mr. Bovill—Did your mother concur in these
proceedings P
Mr. Roupell—Yes. I told her my father had, at
my request, made a will by which he bequeathed
her all his property. That he had previously, in
1850, made another will, in which he described me
as " my son called William Roupell," and that he
intended to revoke that will, and that my father
had given me instructions how to dispose of the pro-
perty, and that he trusted to her and myself to
carry out his wishes. This was partly true and
partiy false. It was true that my father intended
to have revoked the will of 1850, and to make an
entirely new will, but he failed when he went in
August to Doctors' Commons in seeing the senior
proctor, and merely added a codicil. A few days be-
fore his death he said he must throw aside all delicacy
and " do it," and he then took me into his private
room up-stairs, opened his bureau, took out his will,
opened that part where the codicil had been added,
and told me to write another codicil to his dicta-
tion. I commenced the reading of the codicil, and
he told me that as he apprehended there would be
great trouble in the management of his scattered
property, that he had resolved to secure to my
mother, brothers, and sisters a fixed allowance in
lieu of the property bequeathed to them by hiswill,
suitand ituhawthaiselh hwaed
hparodvebdeemuyesueglfaginedt,heanc_odndlnucettoufear
modes, that I was a capable man of
.business, or
codiciltheß Brixton
theon mem-
bers
better
toeetnovtehyattheeffwecht,eleheefththouegph rtepiterwtyouteldmbee.
family the rental estate
Hetheefnuidyirected me to
themenXey3,oooobea-dyievairdetdo
and the Roupell Pamrkbeuett,autell,ewwhinicghthhee
deductions,
he be £3,250 per annu
'ld be about
wishedou'
divide amongst the family. He then commenced
giveboyf
he thoughtbtohwerehew
members, and I stopped him by saying
that he waB too weak to trouble himself with the
damesecreigbitnhge
will at that late hour of the night, that I was unpro-
vided with witnesses, and I thought it would be
better not to disturb his existing will. My reason
for breaking off the matter was that he had selected
the Roupell Park estate, of which I was wrongfully
in:possession, as security for the family, and that
such a codicil would lead to the exposure of the
fraud I had committed.
Mr. Bovill—What part of the story you told your
mother was false ?

Mr. Roupell—That part in which I represented
that my father wished her to have the whole of the
property.
__
__

- Mr. Bovill—Then you did see this will of 1850
before your father's death ?
Mr. Roupell—l did, but I had no opportunity to
read it. I knew the main features of the will from
Mr. Ring, my father's proctor. He did not tell me,
the son, the contents of my father's will, but he is
an old, garrulous man, and I got the information
from him in the course of conversation. At the
time I had this eonversation with my father I in-
tended to have destroyed the will the moment I
could get it into my possession.
Mr. Bovill—Without knowing its contents ?
Mr. Roupell—Yes ; but I knew I was in wrong-
ful possession of several of the estates, and I was
satisfied. I was my father's favourite son for the
last three years of his life, and after I had com-
mitted these great frauds. My brother John
quarrelled with my father, and he had peremptorily
forbidden him the house. He went to the Cape of
Good Hope. I furnished him with the money to
get there. He had no visible means of subsistence
when he was in England. I never accused my
brother John of stealing £5OO and giving it to a
woman. I became my father's favourite son in
consequence of my good conduct as it appeared to
him, and as 1 wished to make it appear. He was
very fond of me, and said he thought I should be a
great man.
Mr. Bovill—And he would give you the means
of becoming so ?
Mr. Roupell—No. I did not expect that he
would leave me a large fortune at his death, but I
expected that he would make ample provision for
me. I thought he would leave me the Roupell
Park estate, and this induced me to some extent to
obtain possession of it by improper means.
Mr. Bovill—ln March, 1862, were not all your
available means expended ?

Mr. Roupell—Yes, unless I resorted to question-
able means to obtain money.

Mr. Bovill—Questionable ! you mean unques-
tionable.

Mr. Roupell—l had been defrauded and robbed
of my money, and in March, 1862, I could not go
on any longer.
Mr. Bovill—Without committing fresh for-
geries ?
Mr. Roupell—Yes. After I went abroad I be-
came awakened to the enormity of the sin I had
committed.

Mr. Bovill—lf all these deeds are enforced, are
not the whole of your family practically ruined ?
Mr. Roupell—There would have still been a ba-
lance of £lO,OOO or £ll,OOO, and also a settlement
upon my mother's settlement, but I am afraid the
value of the latter has been very seriously affected
by what I have done. The settlement was made by
my mother, myself, and my brother Richard in 1860.
Mr. Bovill—What, do you mean to say that the
plaintiff, and your mother, and yourself concurred
in this settlement in 1860 ?

Mr. Roupell—My mother was an nn willing party
to the proceeding.
Mr. Bovill—Then in 1860 you made this settle-
ment for the benefit of your family ?
Mr. Roupell—Yes.
Mr. Bovill—But, if I understand you aright, you
say that this settlement is involved by reason of
the forgeries that you have committed ?
Mr. Roupell—Yes.
Mr. Bovill—And if this action is successful, the
plaintiff will also get the £50,000 secured under
this settlement ?

At this stage of the case a consultation took place
between the learned counsel on both sides, which
continued for a considerable time.

Baron Martin inquired whether there was any
probability of an arrangement being...come to ?
Mr. Bovill said there was, but he should like to
put one or two more questions to Mr. Ronpell. He
then asked him to state the particulars of the will
of 1850,

Mr. Roupell, in reply, stated that by the will of
1850, certain gentlemen were appointed as trustees
and executors, and he was to be one of them. His
father devised to his mother all the household fur-
niture, together with his shares in the Lambeth
Water Works Company, and the Alliance Marine
Company, subject to an allowance of £2OO a-year to
his brother John for his life. He also bequeathed
to her all the money in the house at the time of his
death, and the money deposited at the bankers.
He also devised to her the factory in Gravel-lane
and the stock in trade, also his houses in Cross-
street, and his ground rents in Hatfield-place, and
his copyhold property in Broadwall. He also de-
vised some leaseholds and his ground-rents in the
Cornwall-road. The Kingston estate was devised
to his brother Richard, the plaintiff, in fee, and in
the event of his not devising the property by will or
deed, it was to be divided at his death among the
surviving children. He also devised the Roupell
Park estate, with the exception of Aspen House, to
the plaintiff. Trio Roupell-street estate was devised
to witness, and he also directed by the will that he
should manage the estates and charge commission
for his services. The Warley estate was likewise
devised to his brother Richard.

Re-examined—The present solicitors for my
brother, Messrs. Linklater, never acted for me or
ever did any business for me.
Sergeant Shee—Did your mother or brother
know of the frauds you had committed ?
Mr. Roupell—They knew nothing of anything
being wrong until the night before I left England,
and I then told my mother and my brother that 1
had made some misrepresentation with regard to
the Warley property.
Sergeant Shea—Down to that period did either
your mother, or your brother, know of the frauds
you had committed ?

Mr. Roupell —They did not.
Sergeant Shee then addressed his lordship and
said, that these questions having been answered, he
had to inform him that he was in a position to
agree to a jurcr being withdrawn. He at the same
time said that the plaintiff and the defendant should
divide the price of the estate, and that the plain-
tiff would assist by all the means in his power to
give the defendant a proper title.
Mr. Bovill said, on the part of the defendant, he
had to consent to the terms stated by his learned
friend.

A juror was then withdrawn.
Baron Martin directed that Mr. Roupell should
be at once taken before a magistrate, and that the
alleged deed of gift should be impounded, and pro-
duced in evidence against him.
This concluded the business of the assizes.

Immediately after the adjournment of the court,
Mr- Ron ell was conveyed back to the county police
aged 31, late
triro,n_, in the custody of Mr. Newland and Mr.
wan
fotwo inspectors of the Surrey constabulary, and
folunioruntnitaly charged upon the police-sheet with
having
eugiFeeith
fraud, iLt°4rging a certain deed with intent to de-
orribed himself as " William Roupell,
In a short tirntnAspen House, Brixton, gentleman."
Elkins, and ivirleulYlayor of Guildford, Mr. E.
two of the borough, .1" e,ale, and Mr. H. W. Adams,
of taking the exaniCttlnces, attended for the purpose
and self prisoner, who exhi-
bited the same ealmilesa
possession that had
e extraordinary in-
quiry. Thesedchhaimrgael
11 briefly stated to the
characterised

bench, Mr. Tongue, the associate, produced the deed
of gift that had been brought forward as evidence on
the trial before Baron Martin, and which had been
impounded by order of that learned judge, Mr. Ben-
nett,:a short-hand writer, was then sworn, and he
stated that he had taken notes of the examination of
the prisoner on the previous day, and he said that he
heard him admit that the signature to this deed,
which purported to be the signature of bis father,
was a forgery, and that he bad himself forged it to
the deed, and that he had placed it there without
his father's knowledge or sanction. He also proved
that Baron Martin asked the prisoner whether he
was to understand that he admitted having forged
the deed, and he distinctly replied that he
had been guilty of that offence. The mayor inquired
of the prisoner whether he wished to put any ques-
tions to the witnesses who had been examined, and
he replied that he had nothing to ask them. When
the case had been completed, the chairman ad-
dressed Mr. Roupell, and after giving him the usual
statutory caution, told him he was at liberty to say
anything he pleased in answer to the charge, but
that. what he did say would be taken down in
writing, and might be used against him at his trial.
He replied that he should like t say a few words,
and he then made the following statement to the
bench :—"I wish simply to say that I voluntarily
left a place where I was in perfect safety in Spain,
for the purpose of returning to England to make
the statement that I have done in this cause, and I
returned quite openly. I was recognised in Rich-
mond church on Sunday, the 10th inst., and again
in the afternoon of the same day on the public pro-
menade, between Richmond and Kew Gardens. I
don't wish to say anything more." He was then
asked whether he would sign the statement he had
made, after it had been taken down in writing, and
he readily consented to do so, and signed the paper,
after which he was fully committed to take his trial
at the Central Criminal Court, within which juris-
diction the offence was committed. Upon the pri-
soner's own statement, he has rendered himself
amenable to the charges of perjury and forgery, and
also of fraudulently making away with deeds that
were entrusted to him for a specific purpose ; but in
all probability the only charge that will be pro-
ceeded with will be the forgery of the deed of gift,
and if he should be convicted of that offence he is
liable to be sentenced to penal servitude for life.

THE EXTRAORDINARY R.REACH OF
PROMISE CASE.

Mr. Lewis—You then, I believe, came up to the
Norfolk Hotel ?
Plaintiff—l did, and I was told by the defend-
ant to take the name of Shirley until my marriage,
which was to take place on the 15th June.
Mr_ Lewis—you were then asked to go toßugby,
where you were to change your name ?
Plaintiff—Yes ; I was asked to go to Brookside,
Rugby, where he informed me that I was to use my
own name (Miss Thomas) until our marriage, and
we were then to go to Ireland. He gave me autho-
rity to go to Waterloo Hoase and buy clothes. I
bought them, to the amount of £l6, before I went
to Rugby. He did not fulfil his promise to marry
me. I pressed him to do so, but be made constant
excuses. Soon after I got to Rugby I had to come
to town to purchase some things, and I afterwards
received the following letter from him :
" 22d May, 3 o'clock.
" My Dear Annie—Troubles and worrits of one
sort and another have prevented my calling on you
to-day, as I had wished to do ; I will not, however,
leave you without funds, and I herewith enclose
you two £5 notes, which I hope you will receive in
safety. Pray write to me and direct your
letter here, and it will be forwarded to
me. I leave town in half an hour, and shall be
away for two or three weeks, or perhaps
more. lam nearly driven mad by it all. I will
write to you through my club porter, or some other
friend, but my whereabouts must not be at present
known. Kiss the baby for me, do the best you can
for yourself, and believe me ever,
Yours truly attached,
" ARTHUR."

While we were at Rugby Miss West came to stay
with me. I sent her from the house a day or two
after she arrived, as I found General Shirley in her
bedroom. I had a violent quarrel with him, and
never after was on good terms with him. I after-
wards found out he was a married man living
saparate from his wife, and got only coarse and
vulgar language in reply, which was nothing un-
usual. I was then in the family way. On the
15th of March I came up to London in consequence
of a letter I opened that was directed to him in
another name from a lady, to whom I wrote and
told her his right name. He said I should leave
his house ; and I did so. About the Ist of March
he gave me £2O to buy baby linen and also house
things. I bought baby linen to the amount of £9,
and other things that cost £6, and he took back
from me £5, From the moment I went down to
Rugby, in June, 1861, until I came up to London,
about the 15th of March, 1862, he never gave me a
single shilling of other money. He never supplied
me with any clothing except some that I purchased
at a shop at Rugby. He authorised me to get
things at a shop in Rugby, and he would pay me
for them, and I got goods to the amount of £ll, of
which I paid nearly £8 out of my own pocket. The
other £3 has not been paid, and I am, I suppose,
liable. He authorised me to buy a riding habit,
of Underwood, of Vere.street, and said he would
pay for it. He has never done so. It cost £ll.
When I came to town, on the 15th of March, he
authorised me to take lodgings, and I told him the
price was £1 ss. a week. I continued to live there
up to the action being brought, the 30th of June.
I also paid far firing 2s. 6d. per week. After I
came to London he gave me authority to buy about
£lO worth more baby linen, as the £9 worth was
not sufficient. I bought a chair for 65., for which I
paid, and also a hood and cloak for £4 10s. He told
me to purchase all those. I engaged a monthly
nurse, and he said I was to pay her, and he would
pay me again. I paid her £8 lls., that was £5 ss.
accouchement fee and £3 6s. for other attendance. I
put down the cost of the child's food, &c., at ss. a
week. The child was born on the 28th March.
That makes £3 15s. The lodgings would be
£2O 12s. 6d. for 15 weeks. He said he would allow
me £3 a week for the support of myself and nurse,
That for 15 weeks is £45. All the money I had
was expended during my confinement, and he only
gave me £3O, of which one £5 note referred to in a
letter was for the nurse, and another for the doctor.
The doctor's bill was I:1115s., of which I paid £5 ss.
Mr. Lewis (to the arbitrator)—The balance he
was paid four days before we went down to Lewes.
Witness's examination continued I bought
clothing after I came to London to the amount of
£l6 10s. I have kept myself, my child, and nurse
ever since that time, and have never had a single
shilling from defendant. In confirmation of the
statement that I wanted clothing, I wrote him the
following letter : _ _ _

" Dear Arthur,—l should have spoken to you
this evening, but as you so readily accused me of
being in a bad temper, I will not trouble you by
mentioning that which Ishould have done. Isimply
ask you to give me money, or allow me to buy some
warm clothing. I am—which you know—wearing
at the present time a summer bonnet and cloak;
setting aside my having no clothes to wear in the
house. Would you like one of your sisters to hava
been deceived, and treated as I have been the last
few months? When you are enjoying yourself on
Christmas Day, think what happiness you have de-
prived me of. There are two questions which I must
beg of you to answer before leaving to-morrow. Ist.
Do you intend to carry out your promise in marry-
ing me ? 2d. Is it your intention to send me from
here for my acoouchement ? If you do not, I shall
at once place the whole affair in the hands of my
solicitor, for I can no longer go on in this uncertain
way. I shall be sorry to injure you by an exposure,
but I must do so, and disclose all, unless there is a
change very soon. I do hope, whatever may happen
that you will remember your child, and never de-
ceive any other virtuous girl as you have me, I am
sorry all my efforts are in vain to please you. Good
night. May God forgive you as willingly as I
would, if honourable.—Yours sincerely,

ANNIE."
He had the letter in his hand that evening, and
came and swore at me, and said he would give me
50 £5 notes if I would only keep quiet.
By Mr. Pawle—£3o is all the money I ever re-
ceived from General Shirley.
Examination continued—The laundress's bill was
£5 55., which I have paid. There is £2 14s. to a
dressmaker, which is not paid, and there is £1 10s.
which I paid to a cook for a month's wages. After
my confinement he asked me to return to Rugby,
and take my child, and there I should have to live
with him as his mistress, and 1 declined to do so. I
begged him to put me in a position to get my own
living, and he said he was not rich then, and was
going abroad to recruit his finances. I received
from him a letter, dated 15th May. The letter
was as follows :

" Thursday, 5 o'clock, May 15, 1862.
"My Dearest Annie,—l had hoped to have been
with you this afternoon, but in consequence of a
telegraphic message which I have just received, I
am compelled to be off immediately to the country.
Write me a line to the United Service Club, and my
letters will be forwarded to me, and let me know
what we have decided on doing. I shall not be in
town again till after the sale of my horses, on Thurs-
day next, at Birmingham, as I am advised to keep
out of the way for a few days, and am therefore not
going to Rugby. I have advertised it for sale, or to
let, as I told you yesterday, and I hope to have it
soon off my hands. Take your child and your nurse
and go to Brighton, or anywhere else a short stay
from town to the seaside, and let me know whether
I can write to you.—Adieu, and ever believe me,
yours, "A. S."
After that letter he withheld his address from me,
and told me to write to him through the porter at
the club. He shortly after told me to do the best
I could for myself. He wrote to me as follows on
the 16th of May :
" Friday, May 16.

" My dear Annie,—Yours of Tuesday htis been
forwarded to me. You must'make the best arrange-
ment in your power with the old nurse as to taking
Miss Tomlin and keeping her, and then you must
endeavour to do something for yourself. It must
be clear to you that in the present state of my
finances I cannot go on supplying you with money
at this rate. You have now had more money
than I can afford; and this has only been done by
pinching myself very closely, and you must leave
your present lodgings and get into cheaper ones,
which I wished you to do long ago. 255. a week is
very high for you to pay, and was only charged for
recompensing the people of the house for the extra
trouble of your confinement, &c., and there are many
nice and more comfortable apartments to be had for
much less money, and in more healthy and more
quiet parts in the suburbs of London. For the fu-
ture you must limit your expenses and those of your
child to £2 per week, which I will endeavour to
send you regularly. But even this is more than I
can afford, and I shall have to screw hard to send
it to you. Let old nurse take the child as soon as
you can wean her ; and then pray look out for some
employment for yourself till my affairs are more
settled, and I may be in a position to do more for
you,
if I am compelled to go abroad, for my income
is now very very much reduced,' and very
utmost I can allow you, for self and child, will be
£lOO a year, to commence from this time. Adieu.
I hope some better times may come. Consult with
Mrs. Morgan as regards her taking Rosaline, and,
in the meantime, believe me, yours affectionately,
" ARTHUR."
Notwithstanding that letter, I never had the £2 a
week referred to, and I have since supported myself
and the child. I have never had a shilling from him.
Cross-examined by Mr. Pa le—l lived with Mr.
Atkinson about five yeati:s. w
ago. I received my £3OO
in 1859. After leaving Mrs. Pugh I went to Paris,
and returned to England in March, 1861. and then
went to Mrs. Pionock's. When I first met General
Shirley he told me who he was. When he asked
me to go with him to Rugby as his housekeeper I
objected, and he then told me he had several female
relatives who visited him, T A,I
met him the second'