The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-27 00:00:00

WHITECHAPEL.

The demand for each kind of meat at this market to-day
ruled. steady. The following are the quotations :
Beef, 2s 6d to 38 8d ; mutton, 3s 4d to 4s 6i ; lamb, 9. 10d
to 6s 2d ; veal, 3s 4d to 48 4(1; pork, 33,0 d to 4s 4d per abs
by the carcase.

BOROUGH HOP.
About an average business is doing in this market at
last week's currency.

LLOYD'S SHIPPIAG-(THIS DA Y.)

LONDON, April 26.—Wind this day at Noon, W.N.W.
fresh, airs, and fine:
MILFORD, April 26.—:Wind, N.W. Arrived--John
Bunyan, Newport, for New York ; had sprung in lat. 50
N., long. 10 W.
RAMSGATE, April 26.—There is a brig sunk on the
Goodwin Sand ; crew missing.
DEAL, April 26.—The Carl Johan, Danzig for London,
was wrecked on the Long Sand yesterday ; four of crew
drowned.
PORTSMOUTH, April 26.—Wind, W. to N.N.W. Ar-
rived—Pendleton, Matanzas.
COWES, April 26. —Wind, N.N.W Arrived—Hijal-
mar, Maroom, and sailed for Copenhagen. Off the Wight
—Columbia, New Orleans, for Antwerp.
DOVER, April 26.—The brig Garonne, of Teignmouth,
Cardiff to New York, was signalled April 22, lat. 48 N.,
long. 12,W., in a sinking state, and crew and passengem
taken off by the Standard, arrived here.
TORBAY, April 26.—Arril ed—William Wilberforce,
London for Dalhousie, leaky, and with part of keel knocked
away. Sailed—Spring,flower, Quebec.
BRISTOL, April 26.—Wind, N.W. Sailed—Protector,
Melbourne; Venture, ditto.
QUEENSTOWN, April 25.—Wind, N.W. Arrived—
Salacea, Callao ; William Large, Barbadoes ; Lilias, Liver-
pool for Halifax, N.S., leaky.
FALMOUTH, April 26.—Wind, N. Arrived—Harlin-
sea, Bahia ; Lius, Havannah ; Claresse, Porto Rico ; Ve-
locipede, ditto ; Catharina, Guayaquil. Sailed—Jane
Morrison, St. Andrew's, N.B. ; Thos. Rowell, Quebec.
Off Pere—Acicbar, Cape Hayti, and sailed for Hamburgh.
SWANSEA, April 26.—Wiud, N.N.W. Arrived—Lord
Ogilby, Coquilobn. Sailed —Boundary, Sydney Ns w
Reconnaisance, ditto; Chieftain, Jamaica.

CAB REFORL—Yesterday was printed the Govern-
ment bill, bearing
,t,he names of Mr. Fitzroy and Vis•
count Palmerston, For the better regulation of Metro- •
politan Stage and Hackney-carriages." Cabs will come
under the denomination of " Hackney-carriages." The
bill contains 19 provisions and three schedules of forms.
The preamble states, that it is desirable to improve the
,condition of the metropolitan stage and backney-car-
riages, and to alter and amend the system of licensing
such carriages. From October Ist, application is to be
made to the Police Commissioners by persons desiring
to obtain a license. Al public carriages are to be in-
spected, and if not in a fit condition the license to be
suspended. The fare for a distance not exceeding a
mile, in a hackney-carriage is to be 6d. ; or for not ex-
ceeding 15 minutes, the same sum. The fares are to be
exhibited outside and inside. In future no advertise-
ments inside or outside are to be allowed in metropolitan
stages. When a dispute arises and a magistrate la sit-
ting, the driver is to driyo to the Awed poliotgq4!

THE EXTENSIVE FRAUDS UPON THE ISLB
OF WIGHT SAVINGS BANS.

EXAMINATION OF MR. PELF FOR FORGERY AND
EMBEZZLEMENT.

wr
~.EWPOIST, ISLE OF WIGHT, Tuesday.—The llayor
and other magistrates of this borough were engaged
nearly the whole of yesterday, at the Town-hall, investi-
gating a series of charges, forgery, embezzlement, and
other frauds, against Mr. William Wheeler Yelf, actuary
of the Isle of Wight Savings Bank, whose defalcations
amount to the large sum of 8,2761., the deposits exceed-
ing 60,0001. The prisoner was generally much respected
on the island ; for many years he was the distributor of
stamps, had a large printing establishment, and was a
Wesleyan preacher. As may be imagined the suspen-
sion of the bank has produced much sensation, and the
Town-ball was crowded brthe depositors to hear the
proceedings.
Mr. Eldridge appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Bick-
ingsall attended for the accused, who seemed to feel his
situation most keenly. In consequence of his delicate
state of health he was allowed a chair.

Me. Eldridge, in opening the case, expressed his regret
at being placed in the distressing position of being
obliged to bring charges of so serious a character against
the prisoner, who had held an important office in the
society, and enjoyed the confidence of the directors and
trustees; and although he (Mr. E.) would avoid everything
vindictive, he must say that the cases were marked
with an enormity which removed them from the general
class of offences. This was not a case where, under
powerful temptation, a man had fallen into the commis-
sion of crime, but it was carried on for a great number
of years„ and even the sacred name of religion
had been prostituted to enable him the better to
carry on a system of forgery and embezzlement.
Mr. E. then explained the system pursued at the
Isle of Wight Savings Bank, and the way cheques
were signed and handed to the prisoner for parties
who might appear to have given notice for withdrawing
some of their deposits. The first case of forgery he
should go into was a cheque which had been drawn in
favour of George Vine, when no such person had an
account at the bank. It was drawn as though Vine
belonged to the Ryde district, and on examining the
Ryde cheque-book, it was found that a cheque had been
cut out between the counterfoils of the trustees of widow
Towles and Martha Damp, the amount for which it was
drawn being 761. 12s. 2d. The name was altogether
fictitious ; there was no such person, and he would call
witnesses who would establish a clear case of forgery.
Mr. George Kirkpatrick deposed, that he was one of
the trustees of the Isle of Wight Savings Bank, and the
prisoner had been actuary of the bank for many years.
On the morning of the 16th instant he received the
following letter from the prisoner, in which he acknow-
ledged the defalcations. The letter was read :
" Saturday Morning, April 16, 1853.
" Sir,—An unsupportable and daily-increasing weight
of anguish compels me at length to reveal a secret that has
destroyed my health, and is, I feel, cutting short my days.
" For years the fallacious hope of being able, by some
means, to retrieve my character and repair the wrong, in.
duced me, in spite of my better judgment, to maintain a
guilty silence, which I dare no longer continue.
" The awful fact is, that the unbounded confidence placed
in me was, many years ago, in a moment of sudden and
great pecuniary embarrassment, abused, and the boundaries
of truth and honesty once broken through, I was miserably
led step by step in the downward path to ruin. I now feel
that the only thing I can do is, by a disclosure, to prevent
the evil spreading further, and beg of you and the other
trustees at once to take possession of all I have on behalf of
the sufferers ; and I do voluntarily place myself in the
hands of the trustees, to receive that punishment which I
deserve, as the only means I have left to prove my sincere
repentance of the crimes I have committed.
It will be the more necessary for prompt and imme-
diate action, as I fear hourly a distraint from the Crown,
which your possession may prevent.
" Before you receive this I shall have broken the terrible
secret to my unfortunate and innocent wife and son, and
may God support them under the awful trial; and I sin-
cerely hope they will experience that merciful consideration
and pity from your hands, and the hands of the trustees,
which I dare not hope for, and do not deserve.
" I am, Sir, your unfaithful, but truly penitent servant,
"W. W. Y."

- - - - -
Witness afterwards saw the prisoner, who explained the
manner in which the frauds were committed. He said
it was by getting false cheques signed by the trustees,
and by abstracting the cash that ought to have been
taken to the bank afterwards altering figures, and falsi-
fying the accounts. He stated that the sum deficient
was 8,2761., that it commenced in 1839, and continued
until 1849. Prisoner had since placed in witness's
hands a paper, which he said was a true statement
of the abstractions. It was as follows 1839,
210/. ; 1840, 6AI. ; 1841, 735/. ; 1842, 179/. ; 1843,
450/. ; 1844, 430/. ; 1845, 558/. ; 1846, 50/. ; 1847,
760/. ; 1848 and 1849, 1901. There was neither
promise nor threat used in his making the statement.
Mr. Kirkpatrick then deposed that the notice produced
purported to be the claim of George Vine, of Ryde. It
was in the custody of the prisoner. The account should
appear in the Ryde books. The numbers appropriated
to that town were from 5,000 to 7,000. Notices from
Ryde were sent by the secretary of that branch every
week, and laid on the table with the cheque-book. It
was the prisoner's duty to prepare the cheques which
were signed by the acting director. The prisoner re-
ceived the notices from Byde. The filling up of the
blank in the cheque produced was in his handwriting.
The cheque %as drawn to pay 761. 12s. 2d. Mid
examined the index of the Byde ledger, and could not find
the name of George Vine. In the book of counterfoils
of the Ryde cheque-book, produced between those of
the trustees of the widow Towles and Martha Damp,
one had been cut out. Had looked through the coun-
terfoils, and there was not one for the cheque drawn in
the name of Vine. He produced the Newport ledger,
and showed that under an old number, 4,633, 17th
August, 1846. was the name of George Vine, labourer,
Newchurch. The account was in the handwriting of
the prisoner.
Mr. Mollett, manager of the National end Provincial
Bank, Newport, and treasurer of the Isle of Wight
‘.7!avings Bank, produced a cheque for 761. 12s. 2d. ; it
was signed W. W. Yelf, actuary, and Joseph Maude,
director. The blank was filled up in the prisoner's hand-
writing. He was in the habit of paying into the Na-
tional and Provincial Bank the money received at the
Savings Bank. On the 9th of July, 1849, he paid in
the cheque produced, with coin, to the credit of the di-
rectors ; he produced the slip with the items, they
amounted to 2551. No cheque was cancelled by the late
Mr. James Cowdery. The money and cheque, tied in
a bag, were in the custody of the prisoner.
Mr. Eldridge then proceeded with another case, which
occurred on the same day, the 9th of July, 1849, in
which by changing a 5 into a 3, a fraud of 201. had been
effected. It appeared a Ryde remittance of 53/. 7s. had
been altered to 33/. 75., which was clearly proved in
evidence.

The next case gone into was another of forgery in the
name of Robert Lock, for 741. 4s, 2d., which was esta-
blished. The evidence of the Rev. Joseph Maude, who
signed the cheques as one of the directors, being neces-
sary, and that gentleman being daily expected from.
Wales, the further examination of the prisoner was ad-
journed for a few days, in order that the above case might
be completed.
Mr. Eldridge remarked that he had one more charge to
bring forward, and if in the examination then going on,
anything material amongst the many instances should
strike attention, he would submit them to the court.
The prisoner was then removed.

It is anticipated that little of Yelf's estate will be al-
lowed to go against the loss sustained by the depositors.
A distraint for 1,5001. has been put in by the Crown
for arrears in the prisoner's stamp account, and it appears
that an execution was previously in.
The trustees and directors of the bank have requested
the depositors to leave their pass-books for examination
by the London accountant, who is now engaged investi-
gating the affair.

SAMARITAN FREE HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND
CHILDREN.—The annual dinner in aid of the funds of
this excellent institution will take place at the London
Tavern, en Saturday. Few charities are more largely
or deservedly patronised than this valuable hospital,
which gratuitously supplies, without letters of recorn:
mendation, medicines and attendance to sick women
and children in all cases of disease. It is a very com-
mendable feature in this institution, that foreigners
in distress, of whatever country, are equally en-
titled to its benefits. The practical working of the
charity during the six years it has been in existence
shows the number of cases treated up to the pre-
sent time to amount to 43,000. It is intended, by the
abilitiesumer ou
ofs •
the
3
.
aid of sufficient contributions for the purpose, to obtain
a building large enough for the accommodation of 200
in-patients, which would prove a most beneficial
pro-
vision for the afflicted among the humble and in-
dustrious poor. We trust that there will be, on the
present as
nan
ccea—terers—and the great attention of the
parties
wohnen alflre fmornger
well_k occasions,now
entrusted with the preliminary arrangements, as well
as the potential claims of the charity, the
skilfultendan
feel well assured of being gratified in visitors may
particular,
every
and for once at least mingling eth
ful with the very agreeable. unquestionably use-
BRITISH REFORMATION SOCIETY
annual meeting of this society took • —Yesterday the
square Rooms ; Mr. Noel place at the Hanover-
square
Hoare in the chair. The chair-
man in opening the proceedings
proceedings of the Pope in
merit has acted with liberality where the govern-
a proof of the actively aggressive
to the Romish clergy,; as
Catholic y aggressive spirit of the Roman
Church. A. report stated that the appeals which
have been made from tißritish Protestants had metm
e
with an unprecedented to time to the liberality-of the
.re-
sponse. During the
year meetings had been held and
lectures delivered, or
her of places which wereseritimil'S preached
at a large num-
enumerated, and in the salve
period free grants of books and tracts had been made to
clergymen and others engaged in di ;eminating the Pro-
testant • • faith in Great Britain and Ireland. The total
number of books sold by the society within the year,
amounted to 799 volumes of controversial works, and
20,666 tracts ; whilst the number gratuitously distri-
buted was 78 volumes, and 46,430 tracts. The accounts
for the year endino. March 31, 1853, showed receipts
4,3801. 19s. 11d., and expenditure 3,6151. 9s. 4d., leav-
ing a balance in hand of 7651. 10s. 7d. The report was
adopted, and various resolutions were passed in further-
ance of the objects of the society.
PROSPERITY AND ADVERSITY.—TaIk of the love that
outlives adversity I—the love that remains with prospe-
rity is a thousand times more rare. The ono is the keen
but bracing north wind of existence that invigorates and
nerves for exertion ; . the other is the enervating .
hot-
breath of'stuniter, 'which sicklies and weakens our best
resolves—making us feverish, captious, and suspicious
even of those we love beet.—gidcke Own tkurttal._