The Sun.
London, England, 1824-09-20 00:00:00

dispatch an 'express to Bognor, for Mr. Strec.ey, who was so-
journing there, to come to town instantly.
By this time Mr. Hume, Mt. Goodchild, and Mr. Fresh-
field, one of the solicitors to the Bank of England, were in at-
tendance, and Mr. Fauntleroy being placed in toper security,
Plank proceeded, accompanied by Mr. Frescrfield, to make
search at the banking-house amongst the prisoner's papers for
any docuMents that might throw further ligiit en the 'practices
with which he was charged. 'When arrived at the Bank, Mr.
Glia
of mhandisbuynahcacpidpeyntpajutstnt eern,tered, and on learning the si-
tuationmoment, and scarcely able to articulate. :fir. tiAiluri,ulGerrasthraamckhfutuir
not
et
well recovered from Ida shtnit when Mr. Macs},, A very elderly
gentletnan, another partner, came in, and the unt'sinunate etlair
openplace,rom
and sh uc. These two gentlemen now
threw k
being disclosed to him, he dropped into a chair, and became
almost insensible
everyf
Offizer, declaring that they gave facility to the search of the
had no object in secrecy, and that
the whole of their affairs and transactions shoidd be open to
thorough investigation. Plank made tho neceassary search, but
found no papers of any consequence co thc:clitc tinder investie
gation. Alr. Graham then accompanied Aleetellreshfieldeand
Plank to M. .Conant'showee, and-tire tolioWig- further' in-
vestigation and depositions weregew inn.'
And first. tie information of Messrs. Hume and Goodchild,
,}!.Leh we have abovequoted, was put into the fOrm of deposi-
tions, to which these gentlemen were again sworn.
Mr. Fresisfield now produced the power of attorney alluded to
in those deposidonst under.-.which the 1.0,0001. stock Ives sold
out of the Bank of Ens/laud. This warrant of attorney-- was
dated the 7th of September, 1820, and drawn up in the usual
form of such documents, and was signed,
- " HENRY FAUNTLEROY, "JOHN D. lIVAIE.
" JOHN °GODCHILD."
" J A MES Tv so s, }Clerks in die Banking-house of Marsh,
" Wm. Pallet, I Stracey, and Co."
Witnesses to the signature of Henry Fauntleroy, and also wit.
• nesse% to the signature of J. D. Hume.
The signature of Mr. Ooodchild purported to be witnessed
by the Rev. Charles Hardinge, vicar of Tuntridge, and by
John Mason, servant to ditto.
James Tyson was now sworn, and deposed that he was clerk
in the banking-house of Marsh and Co„ that his attestation to
the signature of " Henry Fauntleroy" is genuine, and was
written by him on the 7th of SepteMber, 1820, when he wit,
nessed Mr. Fauntleroy signing this document at his request;
but that the words " Clerks an the banking-house of Marsh
and Co." and the words " also witnesses. to the signature of
J. D. Hume," were not then written, and are the proper hand-
writing of the prisoner. This witness further deposed, that he
never did witness the signature of Mr. flume to an instrument
of any kind.
George Edward Graham deposed, that he has been for some
time a partner in the banking house in Berners-street, with the
prisoner ; that on the 13th of September, 1320, the prisoner
handed him the power of attorney, noir produced, with direc-
tions to sell out the 10,000/.3percent. Imperial Annuities there
described ; that he did so sell out his stock, and placed it to
the credit of the prisoner's private account.
These were the whole of the depositions taken on that day ;
and upon them Mr. CONANT committed the prisoner to the
House of Correction, Coldbath-fields, force-examination.
(For a copy of the commitment, see TitE Suer of Friday.]
'file prisoner being thus disposed of, liis•partners were natu-
ral ly extremely anxious to know the real situation of their affairs,
which had been so much under the management of a person
charged with an extensive forgergy, and solicited strenuously
to be allowed an interview with bun, in order to ascertain it' this
10,0001. was the only ground of charge againit him ; for if so,
they had no dread of their own stability, Mr. Graham was
particularly pressing upon this point, because, as he openly and
candidly at once told Mr. Freslitield, that he recollected having
sold sold out other mock to large amounts for the prisoner, under
powers of attorney Of the same sort,
Mr. CONANT did not, however, feel it his-duty to permit,
On Saturday morning
under present circumstances, any person whatever to visit him.
at four o'clock, Mr. Stracey arrived itj
tion *IN renewed, and aierti'n.again "'in "Pre" in" *gnat' and on that day tie applica-
awd.for cogent mesons.
This state of sue'penee.sts to Sass tea tortoise or t Tse4o`issertner's
peoctedimrs it -was, that induced them, with the hope that he
whaleadrwutt'vSetnedrddrauytm,h eouulprosl(ho)Valvtli.inestti:nuree:i non oft closing Cluto stet
the
theirndga— y igtti payments
eeles t
abroad,ttwllcte
hours of which,
they paid Upward', of 60,000/.
It was not until seven o'clock on Sunday evening that Mr.
Conant felt himself justified in granting his partners permission
to visit him, but. when they were permitted by an order to see
him, he disclosed to them such a state of his anti their .circurn-
stances, in which he had involved them, that they instantly cattle
to a resolution of sending off' to the different newspapers an un.
notuwement, signed by the three partners, to the following el.
feet, of their intention to suspend their payments se-
" The very unexpected situation in which we suddenly find
our house placed, by the extraordinary conduct of our partner,
Mr. Fauntleroy, has determined us to suspend our payments,
as most just and becoming to our friends generally.
(Signed) " W. MARCH. J. H. ST ItACEY. G. 1•.. Gan-Am."
Accordingly, on Monday morning, the banking-house did
•not open, and the consternation into which the west end of the
town was thrown by the circumstances. surpasses any thing
that bag occurred in the mottled world fur many years. Up.
wards of a thousand tradespeople, of various descriptions, in
the surrounding district, had kept their accounts at this bank ;
and besides, most of the collectors of King's and other taxes
deposited their weekly receipts there for safety, until the day of.
pitying in came round. The gentlemen of the firm themselves
were highly and extensively connected with their private friends,
' who telt deeply for the sudden ruin brought upon them: From
these, and various other causes, the whole of Seeress-street was
thronged with a multitude of persons of all ranks • dining the.
entire of Monday ; and to avoid all chance of accident or mis-
chief', it was deemed proper by the Magistrates of this office,
to place n sufficient force of the civil power to counteract any
evil of the sort. No outrage, however, took place, or was at-
tempted.
During the whole of the past week, the utmost anxiety and
curiosity have been afloat, to know the nature of the proceed-
ings that bud gone on, and when any other examination would
take place. The inquiries by all ranks of persons at this office
was perpethal ; but although every means had been resorted to,
frem the most Interesting persuasion to the open and barefaced
*Ors of, pecuniary "bribes, to obtain information, so. properly
and discreetly did all connected with the office, keep their
counsel respecting an examination, which was intended to he
purely private, that nothing could be learned by those out of
the office, but that" Mr. I. auntleroy was in the House of ('or-
rection, anti that he bad been privately examined on a-charge
of forgery."
It was not until Friday that
,it was known, and then not
generally, that the prisoner was to be brought up for further
examination; and it was not until one o'clock on Saturday
that the hour appointed for the examination was announced
tistee o'clock), and even then it was left in doubt whether the
investigation would be public or private.
At throe o'clock, all the business of the day being disposed
of by Mr. DYER, the Sitting Alegisttute, Mr. CONANT, Air.
Rot:, and Mr. GEOROE FauttasT, joined bins on the Bench.
At this time the office was exceedingly crowded, anti all those
within, who . were anxious, either for business or curiosity,-
fondly anticipated that all was safe, and no one would be dis-
turbed.
In a few minutes, hovievere Mr. CONANT gave directions
that all persons whatever, who were not immediately connected
whim the investigation of Mr. Fauntieroy's case, should be re-
moved from the office, anti the place entirely cleared. Varicrue
pretexts were used with a view to mile this order, and there
was scarcely any one present who, if his own word was to be
taken, did not feel a peculiar interest, or had not an immediate
connection with the case; and one gentle Mari went so far as
declare that he was there as the representative of a large body
of creditors to the Bank, The Magistrates, however, very pro-
perly observed, that this was not an inquiry into the affairs of
the bank, nor was it even intended to be a final investigation
of the criminal charge ; so that it' the creditors had any wish to
be present, they would have'abtindant other and better oppor-
tunities.
Plank and the other officers now proceeded, in the most
gentle and inoffensiViniunner, to char the office; and it woe
in vain that some, like " the grouse," half hid thernselves
under cover, by thrusting their heads and shoulders under scats
that could hide no more of theirTersons.
At it quarter past three the office was thus clearedebut, not
Without a Civil hint front the officers to those sit fled, that it
Wag not iropossiblehut they might be again admitted, purticu.
lady those wisti attended for the public press. After an sapxi.,
0112 suspense of a
few -minutes, during which a consiihntiori
took place amongst the Magistrates and thioe representing,th4
Bank of England; as to the propriety of hiving this examina-
tion public, It was announced that the question was decided in