The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-30 00:00:00

THE GREAT BILL FORGERIES.

Yesterday having been fixed for the further examina-
tion of IVillianz Anderson, who stands charged with
having committed forgeries of a most extensive nature,
long before the hour of commencing business at the
Mansion-house the justice room was densely crowded by
influential merchants and others, many of them suffer-
ers from the misconduct of the prisoner,
The Lord Mayor presided. Sir R. W. Carden and
Alderman Humphery were also upon the bench. Shortly
after 12 o'clock the prisoner was placed at the bar in
custody of John Forrester.
Mr. Hobler, who appeared for the prisoner upon the
former examination, was again in attendance.
The depositions of the witnesses in connexion with the
charge against the accused of having feloniously uttered
a forged acceptance for 2,2501. with intent to defraud
Messrs. Womersley and Burt, well knowing the same
to be forged, were read over and signed.
After the usual caution, upon being asked what he
had to say in answer to the charge, the prisoner,
through his solicitor, said he should reserve his defence.
He wag then committed, and the witnesses were bound
over to prosecute.

The Prisoner was next charged with having feloniously
uttered a forged acceptance for the sum of 2,4801., with
a view to defraud Mr. Philip Conrad Freese, well know-
ing the same to be forged.

Mr. Philip Conrad-Freese—l am an exchange, dis-
count, and insurance broker of No. 16, George-street,
Mansion-house. On the 20th inst. I received the bill of
exchange, the subject of this inquiry. I believe it
was brought to my counting-house by a Mr. Ryder's
clerk, but I was absent at the time. I received it loose
from my clerk. It was for 2,480/. I had previously
spoken to Mr. Ryder upon the subject of the bill, hav-
ing been made acquainted with the fact that it was
about to be sent to me for the purpose of being dis-
counted. I believe I received directions about getting
it discounted from Mr- Ryder. The prisoner gave my
clerk directions as to what was to be done with the pro-
ceeds of the bill ; the directions were not given person-
ally to me. I took the bill to Messrs. Oven-end, Gurney,
and Co., who discounted it for me. I received from
them an open check for 2,0001. By "open" I mean an
uncrossed cheque. I gave this cheque to Emanuel
Green, my clerk, who cashed it at Messrs. Barclay and
Co.'s, and brought the money back to the counting-
house ; but I did not see it in his possession. I had
given him directions what to do with the money, but
what he did with it was not done in my presence. I
afterwards saw the prisoner on the same day upon the
subject. He then wanted me to buy a bill upon Havre
for 6001. This sum he was to pay on the delivery of the
bill. I understood that part of the proceeds of the
2,0001. that I -had obtained was to be applied to the
purchase of the 6001. bill. It was not to be paid through
me. I was to pay the balance of the 2,4801., after de-
ducting the 1,6001., to Mr. Ryder. I gave my clerk di-
rections to pay this balance to Mr. Ryder. No portion
of the balance that was to be paid over to Mr. Ryder
was to be applied towards the purchase of the 6001.
bill. The bill produced by Daniel Forrester is the bill
in question, to the best of my belief. I did not indorse
it. I merely acted as agent between the parties. The
bill is as follows :

" B. 2180, due 7th April, 1854.
"No. 630 Exchange for 2,4Bol.—Calcutta, 4th Oc-
tober, 1853."
"At six months after date pay this first of exchange
(second and third unpaid) to the order of J. M. Dupont,
the sum of two thousand four hundred and eighty
" Value in account, L and S—which place to account
as advised. "J. LE BauN.

" tlB5, J. Le Brun.
" To Messrs. P. and C. Van Notten and Co.,
London."

" Accepted for two thousand four hundred and eighty
pounds payable when due at Messrs. Martin and Co's.
" P. and C. Van Notten and Co."

" Endorsed Payez I'ordre de Monsieur W. E. An
derson, valeur en co compte. Paris, Decembre 13, 1853

" W. B. Anderson."

"JACQ. DUPONT.

The bill upon Havre has nothing to do with the pre-
sent transaction, it never having gone. The interview
between me and the prisoner took place at my counting-
house. I saw him again the same day, when he was in
custody, at Messrs. Womersly and Co's.. I went there
about half-past three o'clock, when I demanded of the
prisoner the return of the bank notes, amounting to the
suns of 1,0001., which he had received from my clerk.
He replied that if I went with him to Mr. Ryder's
counting-house in Broad-street, he expected I should
find them there. I went there with Forrester, another
person, and the prisoner, but did not find the notes. I
saw Mr. Ryder's clerk. When the money was not
found to be there, the prisoner said it would be in Bil-
liter-street. We then all went to Billiter-street together,
when the prisoner went into a counting-house, Forrester
and I after him, slipped down an inner staircase, and
attempted to escape. He was, however, secured by
Forrester. I then came with Forrester and the person
who had accompanied us, a Mr. Clark, to the Mansion
House, where the prisoner was searched. 6001. and a
warrant were found upon his person. The 6001. he
received from my clerk, although the produce of the
cheque for 2,000/. never passed through my hands.

Mr. Hobler—Nor the 6001. ?
Witness—Nor the 660/.

Mr. David Barclay Chapman—l am a partner in the
firm of Overend, Gurney, and Co. of Lombard-stroet,
money dealers. I produce a bill of exchange for 2,4801.
purporting to be drawn by Mr. J. Le Brun upon Messrs.
P. and C. Van Notten and Co. It was brought to me
by Mr. Freese for discount, and in part discount of it I
gave a cheque for 2,0001. on account, upon _Messrs.
Barclay and Co., of Lombard-street.

Mr. Emanuel 'Green--I am clerk to Mr. Freese. On
the 20th of December the bill of exchange produced was
brought to the counting-house by Mr. Austin, Mr
Ryder's clerk. He left it with me for discount, and I
gave it to Mr. Freese the same day at half-past eleven
o'clock. At a quarter to two o'clock the same day I
received from Mr. Freese an open cheque for 2,0001.,
which I cashed at Messrs. Barclay and Co.'s, getting
for it five notes, namely, one for 1,0001., one for 5001.,
two for 200/., and one for 1001. I had received direc-
tions from Mr. Freese to give 1,6001. to the prisoner,
whom I found at the office when I returned from Messrs.
Barclay and Co.'s. I accordingly handed him the notes
for 1,000/., 500/., and 100/. I neither wrote upon these
notes, nor made any memorandum of their numbers.
On the same day, about twenty minutes to 12 o'clock, I
had some conversation with the prisoner after the bill
was left with me, in the course of which he said he
wished to have notes, and also a bill on Havre, instead
of a crossed cheque, or the bill that he bad brought. To
the best of my recollection he mentioned notes to the
amount of 1,600/., and a bill on Havre for 600/. I did
not see him indorse the bill. I should not know his
handwriting. I did not see him again after I gave him
the money till he was in custody. When I gave him
the 1,600/. he said nothing to me about the balance. I
understood it was to be sent to. Mr. Ryder by previous
arrangement between him and the prisoner. No
arrangement of this nature was made with me. I took
no receipt for the 1,6001.
Mr. J. Mitchell—l am cashier at Messrs. Barclay and
Co.'s, bankers, Lombard-street. I cashed the cheque
for 2,000/. produced on the 20th inst. Ido not know
who brought it. I gave in exchange for it one note of
1,000/., numbered 93,425, dated the Ist April, 1853 ;
one for 500/., numbered 90,972, dated the 2nd March,
1853 ; one for 2001., numbered 59,733, dated the 4th
January, 1853 ; another for 2001., numbered 59,347, of
the same date, and one for 100/., numbered 34,924,
dated the sth August, 1853. The two halves of the
notes produced by Forrester are parts of those which I
paid on the occasion in question—one being half of the
500/., the other of the 100/. note.
. _

Mr. Charles John Austin—l am clerk to Mr. Ryder,
of 76, Old Broad-street, East India and Jamaica mer-
chant. The bill of exchange produced was given to me
by the prisoner, on the 20th of December, at Mr.
Ryder's counting-house. He asked me if I would take
it to Mr. Freese and get it discounted, and let him have
the money before twelve o'clock. Mr. Ryder being
out, I took the bill to Mr. Freese. I saw the prisoner
endorse the bill at our office. I did not receive any
portion of the money afterwards from Mr. Freese's
clerk. I believe the prisoner received the money. Mr.
Ryder has not yet received any portion of the proceeds,
of the bill. ,
The Lord Mayor—Was, it usual for the prisoner to
bring bills to you to be discounted
Witness—He had done so once before, only once.

The Lord Mayor—Had you authority from your em-
ployer to take them for discount without his seing them ?
Witness—Yes, in his absence.
The Lord Mayor—When last before the occasion in
question had he brought a bill to you?
Witness—About a month before.
The Lord Mayor—And you then got that discounted,
did you ? •
-Witness----Mr. -Ryder took that on himself.
The Lord Mayor—Do you• remember the amount of
that bill ?, • • -
Witness--z 1 do not.
The Lord Mayor—Had Mr. Ryder given you direc-
tions to take a bill of this kind to be discounted when
presented by Anderson !
Witness—He had that particular bill.
A Clerk from the office of Mr. Murray, a solicitor,
here stepped forward and said Mr. Ryder was quite
willing to state all that he knew in connection with the
transaction.

The Lord Mayor—l can see no objection to that. I
think the object should be to elicit as much as we pos-
sibly can.
Mr. Thomas Ryder was then called. He said—l am
a merchant carrying on business at 76, Old Broad-street.
I know the prisoner, and have had mercantile transac-
tions with him. I have discounted one bill for him, the
amount of which was 8301. I discounted that bill my-
self. The prisoner had spoken to me of a bill for
2,0001. coming, but not of one for 2,480/. That was on
Saturday the 17th or Monday the 19th instant. I did
not see that bill, but he told me that it was drawn on
Messrs. Van Notten. The bill that is now the subject
of inquiry had not been mentioned to me by the prisoner.
I had had some conversation with Mr. Freese, with re-
ference to the 2,0001. bill. I had asked him if he could
get a bill for 2,0001. done. I had asked him at what
rate he would do one. I afterwards told the prisoner
that a bill could be done on Van Notten, by Mr. Freese.
I was not in when the bill for 2,480/. was brought
tc my counting-house, but about one o'clock on the
20th instant the prisoner called •n me, and said he
had made an appointment to be at Mr. Freese's office
at half-past one, as ' he wanted to buy a bill on
Havre or France. I forget whether he said Havre.
At this time 'my clerk had told me that he had
received a bill for 2,4801., and left it. The pri-
soner said to me that he wanted 1,6001. in cash to buy
kbank post-bill, and that the balance Mr. Freese could

deduct for the French Bill. He then asked me to walk
on with him to Mr. Freese. We went together and met
Mr. Freese by his office. The prisoner then told Mr.
Freese that he wanted a French bill bought. Just as
Mr. Freese left the prisoner said to me, "But I want
1,6001. in cash." This I mentioned to Mr. Freese, who
said he would come back in a quarter of an hour. I was
not present when the Money was paid over. I did not
see the prisoner again till he came to my office in com-
pany of Forrester. Mr. Freese then said, "I want
1,0001." I said I had no 1,0001. The prisoner then
stepped forward and said that he had instructed 1,0001.
to be sent to me, and that I was to detain it when it
came for Mr. Freese. He then said, " Let us go to my
office, perhaps the money will be there," or " We may
find the money there." They then left. I did not go
to the prisoner's office. Mr. Freese came back about an
hour afterwards, and when I asked him what was the
matter, he said it was a forgery.
Mr. Goodman (chief clerk)—At the time the prisoner
spoke to you and said that he had made an appointment
at the office of Mr. Freese, to be there at half-past one,
and also that he wanted to buy a bill on France, you
knew that he referred to the bill for 2,4801. ?
Witness—Exactly so.
The Lord Mayor —Did I correctly understand you
that your business is that of a merchant ?

Witness—Yes.
The Lord Mayor—ls it any part of your business to
negotiate bills of exchange?
Witness—Yes, as agent. I never put any name on
them.

The Lord Mayor—have you known the prisoner for
any length of time ?
Witness—Since about the beginning of April of this
year.
The Lord Mayor—Did you introduce the prisoner to
Mr. Freese ?
Witness—Yes.
The Lord Mayor—ln what character ?
Witness—As a merchant, and a party with whom I
was acquainted.
The Lord Mayor—As a man whom you believed to be
a person of respectability ?
Witness—Oh, certainly.
The Lord Mayor—Were you to have had any com-
mission for the discounting of this bill ?
Witness—Yes.

The Lord Mayor—You would have considered your-
self entitled to a commission for the discounting of this
identical bill ?
Witness—Yes.

The Lord Mayor—Have you any objection to men--
tion at what rate the commission would have been paid ?
Witness-- I should have charged an eighth.
The Lord Mayor—And that is a legitimate portion of
your business ?
Witness—Yes.

The Lord Mayor—What might have induced you to
form the opinion of the prisoner being a man of respect-
ability ?

Witness—Because ho was introduced to me by very
respectable parties, with whom I had been acquainted
for some time.

The Lord Mayor—Was the bill for 8301. that you had
previously discounted negotiated in a similar manner,
your name not being upon it ?

Witness—No.
The Lord Mayor—And you have no means of know•
ing whether that was a genuine bill ?
Witness—Yes, it was a genuine bill.
The Lord Mayor—What amount of commission did
you obtain on that bill ?
Witnessed—l obtained none in that case.
The Lord Mayor—Then had you no profit in that
transaction ?

Witness—lndirectly I had. It was to be paid against
particular transactions.

The Lord Mayor—The 8301. was to be paid against
particular transactions ?

Witness—Yes. A certain amount was owing me.
The Lord Mayor—By the prisoner ?
Witness—Yes ; and, therefore, I was very glad to
discount the bill for nothing.
The Lord Mayor—Your transactions with the pri-
soner have not been confined simply to these two nego-
tiations—you have been connected with him ever since
April ?
Witness—Yes ; I have had transactions with him
since April.
Mr. Lambert Van Notten Pole—l am a merchant,
carrying on business at 2 and 3, Lime•street-square. I
have one partner, and trade under the firm of P. and C.
Van Notten and Co. There is not a Mr. Van Notten
in the firm. I bank with Messrs. Martin, of Lombard-
street, and always make my bills payable there. The
acceptance to the bill of exchange produced is not my
handwriting-, nor is it in that of my partner. It was not
written by my authority. I know of no other firm of
the same name as ours in London. Ido not know the
supposed drawer. I know the prisoner, and have had
mercantile dealings with him. I have never given him
my acceptance to any bill of exchange. He has not drawn
upon me at any time. The acceptance to the bill in
question is a bad resemblance of my hand-writing.
Mr. Chapman—My lord, I beg to make one observa-
tio►n with reference to the taking of this bill. When Mr.
Freese offered this bill, I did not consent to take it
without asking him several questions and getting his per-
fect assurance that he knew Mr. Anderson perfectly
well, and that he was a highly respectable man. I said
to him, "You are quite sure of this ?" And upon this I
passed the bill. In the afternoon, after the apprehension
of the prisoner, Mr. Ryder called in company with Mr.
Freese, and said that he was the person who had intro-
duced and recommended Mr. Anderson to Mr. Freese.
I say this in justification to myself in taking such an
amount, and also for the purpose of showing where Mr.
Freese got his information as to Mr. Anderson.

Mr. Pole—My lord, in answer to a question whether
we always made, or, rather, I always made, bills drawn
upon us payable at our bankers, I answered, "Always."
It did not occur to me till this moment, that in cases
of goods that are sometimes sold with hypothecation of
documents, those we accept payable at our own office.
This being the whole of the evidence in reference to
the second charge, the prisoner, who had buried his face
in his pocket handkerchief during the whole of the pro-
ceedings, and who seemed deeply sensible of the painful
position in which he was placed, was again asked whe-
ther he wished to say anything. As in the first case,
he replied through Mr. Hobler that he should reserve
his defence.

He was then remanded for a week, when it is under-
stood another charge of a different character will be gone
into.
..

On the application of a solicitor who attended on be-
half of the creditors of the prisoner, against whom a fiat
in bankruptcy has been issued, Daniel Forrester was
ordered by the Lord Mayor to deliver to the official as-
signee any documents which he had seized relating to
the prisoner's monetary transactions.
Mr. Hobler said that his client was most anxious to
afford the assignees every assistance in his power.