The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-29 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

Edwin Smith, a respectable-looking young man, was
brought before Mr. Cottingham charged with forging a
cheque for 57/. 10s. on the London and Westminster
Bank, and uttering it with intent to defraud the above
banking company.
Mr. Edward Grattan, one of the cashiers of the
Southwark branch of the London and Westminster
Bank, said, that on the previous morning, a little after
ten o'clock, the prisoner entered the banking-house and
presented to him a cheque for 57/. 10s. purporting to be
drawn by Mr. James Dobson, a tradesman residing near
the spot. Witness examined the cheque, and was sa-
tisfied it was not genuine. He accordingly asked the
prisoner from whom lie got it, when he replied he was
sent by Mr. Matthews, in whose favour thei cheque was
drawn. Witness then took him into the manager's
room, when a police-constable was sent for. As soon as
the officer arrived, the prisoner said that he knew no-
thing of Mr. Matthews; the fact was, a gentleman at
Wallis's beer shop gave it him, and promised to pay him
a shilling to get it cashed for him. He produced a can-
vass bag, and said that the man who handed him the
cheque gave it hira to put the gold in.
John Frederick Sheriff, also a cashier in the same
bank, said that he knew the prisoner by sight. On the
23d inst. he came to the bank ai.d produced an order for
a cheque-book signed by Mr. James Dobson, ore of their
customers, residing at 127, High-street, Southwark.
Knowing him to have been in Mr. Dobson's employ, he
delivered a cheque-book to him, and the cheque now
produced was one of them.
Mr. James Dobson said, that the cheque was not in
his handwriting, nor did he know anything about it.
He had an account open at the Southwark branch of the
London and Westminster Bank, but he never drew a
cheque to that amount on the day in question. The
prisoner was several months in his employment, during
which time he was sent to the banking house with
cheques and money, and had every opportunity of
examining them. The signatures to the order and
cheque were both in the prisoner's handwriting.
Michael Cregan, 145 M, said that he took the pri-
soner into custody. He said that be received the cheque
from a man at Wallis's beer-shop, who promised to
give him is. Witness took him to the place, but no
person could be found answering the description.
Mr. COTTINGHAM asked the cashier whether the order
for the cheque-book was similar to Mr. Dubson's hand-
writing.
Mr. Grattan replied in the negative, but customers
were in the habit of ordering their servants to write out
such orders, which were always attended to.
Mr. Corrriconast considered that he had not acted
with proper caution, as the possession of such cheques
was a great temptation to such a lad as the prisoner.
Ile was astonished that more forgeries were not com-
mitted, when cheque-books were so easily to be ob-
tained.

In answer to the charge, the prisoner said that a man
gave him the cheque to get cashed, under a promise of
giving him a shilling.
Mr. COTTINGIIAM observed that he had been several
months in Mr. Dobson's employ, and ought to have taken
the cheque to him as soon as he got it, it what he stated
was true. But such he could not believe, and, as the
case had been clearly made out, he should commit him
to Newgate for trial.

MR. ZEPIIANIAII WILLIAMS _Relative to the re-
port which has recently gone the round of the papers
respecting Mr. Williams, the following has been received
by Mrs. Zephaniah Williams. in reply to a letter ad-
dressed by her to Sir G. Grey :—" No report has been
received at this office from the Lieutenant-Governor of
Tan Diemen's Land with regard to the alleged circum-
stance of Zephaniah having been sentenced
to labour in chains Port Arthur, for having attempted
to make his escape.'