The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, P-36.

was closed to the PRETENDER. It is curious to read
such extracts as the above in the Debats, side by side
with long, laboured, dull Ministerial tirades, intended
to prove that France has never directly or indirectly
sought to evade the observance of the stipulations of
the Quadruple Treaty. With respect to the supplies
in specie received by Don C A Rios, it is well known
that Russia has furnished them at regular intervals,
since the breaking out of the war in the Peninsula.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.

George Edwards Peacock, an attorney, was placed at the
bar upon an indictment charging him with forging- the names
of Watkins and Fountain to a power of attorney, for the pur-
pose of enabling him to sell out stock to the amount of
7,8141. ss. 10d., with intent to defraud the Governor and
Company of the Bank of England. Other counts charged
him with the same offence, only varying the names of the
parties whom he intended to defraud.
111 r. MAULE, K. C., stated the case on the part of the
prosecutor, and called
John Wilson who was the subscribing witness to the set-
tlement, which constituted the prisoner a trustee of the stock
for Selina Wilmer. . _

Francis Ridley was coachman to the. Rev. J. A. Peacock,
the prisoner's father, also witnessed the execution of the deed,
- Young, a clerk in the Consol-office in the Bank, pro-
duced- the book from the office. There was a sum of
7,814/. ss. 9d. standing in the names of - Fountain, Wil-
liam Watkins, and the prisoner. It was dated 26th July, 1831.
It stood so till December, 1835, when a broker named James
Clark transferred it to the name of H. Billings, in the name
of George Edwards Peacock. He was the witnessing clerk.
James Clark, a stock-broker. On the 7th December the
prisoner called upon him, and said he wished to sell some
stock standing in three names by a power of attorney. Wit-
ness accompanied him to the office, where they got one. He
wrote a request upon the back of it, and handed it over to
witness. He said he was going to Chancery-lane, and would
return in two hours, and witness was to have got permission
to transfer the stock, as the books were closed. He returned
at two o'clock and then the transfer was ready, and prisoner
executed it. The transfer was to a Mr. Bilt, who gave a
cheque for the money, 7,814/. ss. 9d. Witness :proved the
prisoner's handwriting to the request on the power of attorney.
He knew-the prisoner before.
James Thurl, a clerk in the Power of Attorney office, proved
that he received the instructions to fill up the power of at-
torney, produced from the last witness.
Wm. Fountain, a clergyman, was one of the trustees to the
settlement. The signature to the Power of Attorney was not
in his handwriting. There was no such person as the attest-
ing witness to his signature in his parish, of which he had been
Rector 30 years.
Cross examined by Mr. BODKIN—Knew the prisoner all his
life, and had always considered him a very honest young man.
The prisoner was much affected while this witness was under
examination.

Mr. BODKIN said he considered the case now as proved, and
would not waste more of the public time. The prisoner did
not wish at all to deny the fact of his guilt, and would have
pleaded Guilty, but that he had been advised to take the other
course, so as to have an opportunity of laying a statement
before the Jury.
Mr. MAULE was afraid that the case was not in a fit state to
allow the present course to be taken.
Mr. Bonn'\ had seen the address, and could assure his
Learned Friend that he would have an acknowledgment of
guilt from the prisoner's own mouth.
Mr. MAMA was satisfied, and
The prisoner addressed the Jury. His defence was written,
and he was much moved in reading it, especially when he had to
refer to his wife and child. He began by apologising for giving
so much trouble and pain to the judge and jury—he had never
denied his guilt, and would have pleaded guilty but for the
advice of his legal adviser, in order to have an opportunity. of
laying a statement of facts before the jury, in order to satisfy
them that he had committed the crime from necessity, and not
from inclination. His pecuniary difficulties were so great that
he must have gone to prison, when his prospects, profession-
ally, would have been destroyed, and in that destruction his
wife and child must have shared—still, though he was horrified
at such a prospect for himself and his family, he would not
have touched a farthing of the money had he thought that it
would have injured any person. He had not the slightest
intention to defraud either his brother or the Bank—
from the very first it was his intention to have replaced
the money. That such was his intention was clear,
because had he meant to be dishonest, he would have fled
with the 7,0001., and not have parted with it for the purpose
of supporting his respectability by satisfying all his creditors,
and establishing himself in a new business, in order to support
his family, and replace the money. It was further proved by
the fact of his having paid the dividends upon the stock upon
two occasions to the amount of 2401. Had he been actuated
by dishonest motives, he would not so have spent the money.
He had been admitted an attorney in 1830 ; he then formed
a partnership in London, which turned out unfortunately, and
he lost 1,500/—be struggled on, and again lost 6001. for
which he became security. He applied to his father and obtained
small advances, but from his want of candour that venerable
parent had been prevented from applying a remedy to perfect
his cure. In the course of last year some of his friends ad-
vised him to enter into the discounting business, which they
represented as being a very profitable one ; lie was led astray
by them, and in order to obtain capital be drew his brother's
money, but as he said before, not with the intention of defraud-
ing any person, but with the firm determination to restore it
as soon as possible. His brother was now quite convinced of
that, and could he have seen him before the discovery, the
matterbank
for
or would
some have be
d• u
lgeenne
ems
—a de
no right.
doubt H
he
ye
werehad
performing
ha n the
a
public duty in the prosecution—but he hoped that the Jury,
who must find him guilty, would for mercy's sake recommend

him to mercy.
A great number of most respectable gentlemen, clergymen,
merchants, and attornies, gave the prisoner an excellent cha-
racter for honesty.
The LORD CIIIEF JUSTICE very shortly summed up.
The Jury retired for about half an hour, and then returned
a verdict of Guilty; but they unanimously most strongly re-
commended him to mercy, on account of his previous good
character.
The prisoner was then led away.