The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-04 00:00:00

WINDSOR.-SEPT. 3.

Their Majesties arrived at the Castle shortly after nine
o'clock on Wednesday evening, from*St. James's, escorted by
a detachment of the First Life Guards.

Colonel Seymour arrived at the Castle yesterday on a visit
to their Majesties.

The King and Queen enjoyed their usual airings yesteiday,
attended by the ordinary Suite.

Earl Howe and the Earl of Belfast arrived this morning on
a visit, and Lord Amelius Beauclerk is expected this evening.
Sir Charles Thornton also arrived to day.
The King and Queen, attended by their numerous visiters
and Suite, spent the afternoon at Virginia Water, and par-
took of collation which had been prepared for them in the
marquees. The band of the Scotch Fusileers was in attend-
ance, and performed during the whole afternoon, while the
Royal party enjoyed several excursions on the lake. Their
Majesties returned to the Castle shortly before six o'clock.
The Earl and Countess of Errol, and Lady Adelaide Hay,
are staying at the Castle, and arc likely to continue their visit
for a fortnight.

FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.

ARRIVALS.

Colonel A. Campbell, at Morley's Hotel, Trafalgar-square,
from Scotland • Col. Burke, at ditto, from Paris ; J. Hunt,
Esq., at ditto, a tour ; N. Baldwin, Esq., at ditto, from
Stead-hill, near Maidstone • Mr. and Mrs. Page, at Crawley's
Hotel, Albemarle-street, from their seat, Ely, Cambridge-
shire ; Charles Toogood, Esq., at the Pulteney Hotel, Albe-
marle-street, from Somersetshire ; the Hon. Miss Baring, at
llawkins's Hotel,. Dover and Albemarle-street, from Exeter ;
Mr. and Mrs. Cockerell, at Fenton's Hotel, St. James's-street,
from their seat in Gloucestershire ' • A. Roberts, Esq., and C.
Fox, Esq., at ditto, from a tour ; Capt. and Mrs. Cooper, in
Regent-street, from the Continent; Lady Seymour and fa-
mily, at the Berner's Hotel, Berner's-street, from the Conti-
nent ; the Right Hon. Sir Stephen Gaselee and Lady Gaselee,
at ditto, from ditto; S. Heckley, Esq., and Mrs. Heckley, at
ditto, from ditto ; Captain Kerr, at ditto, from Edinburgh ; N.
Deacon, Esq., Mrs. Deacon, and family, at ditto, from Tun-
bridge Wells ; P. K. Smith, Esq., Mrs. Smith, and family, at
ditto, from Southampton ; Dr. Meikle, Mrs. Meikle, and Miss
Meikle, at ditto, from Edinburgh; C. F. Dornby, Esq., at ditto.

THE EXTENSIVE FORGERIES IN THE CITY,

For some days there has been a great deal of conversa-
tion in the City, and no slight apprehensions have been en-
tertained, relative to the several forgeries which are in cir-
culation through the country, and have been issued by John
Bentley, of the house of Bentley, Dear, and Co., ware-
housemen,
of Cheapside, and of Cannonbury House,
Islington. The house was in very extensive business, the
returns in sale for thirteen months having been upwards of
400,0001., although the capital never exceeded the sum of
9,0001. The partners of Mr. Bentley attended the counter,
and left the bills, cash, and accounts wholly to his manage-
ment. Mr. Pawson, who had been in the firm, and retired
from the partnership long before any suspicion was enter-
tained of the management of the person holding the most
responsible station, is wholly unconnected with the concern.
It is necessary to make this statement, a mischievous para-
graph having appeared in some of the Sunday papers on the
subject. The gentlemen who belong to the firm are
exonerated from all blame, and were totally ignorant of the
system upon which Mr. Bentley had acted, and which, were
it not for their suspicions, could not have been detected so
soon as it has been.

One of the partners was led to expect that there was
something wrong, or, as the thieves significantly describe a
robbery, " a screw loose." He judged partly from the
disappearance of a bill to which he wanted to refer, and
partly from some equivocal expressions which Mr. Bentley
had incautiously dropped. He was apprehensive for the
honour of the house, and consulted a gentleman who was
well qualified to give advice. The representation made
was of such a nature that the parties were advised to break
open Mr. Bentley's desk immediately, and try whether the
private accounts of that person corresponded with the books
of the counting-house. A list was found in the desk con-
firmatory of the suspicions entertained by the partner, who
sought Mr. Bentley, told him that appearances were ex-
tremely bad, and that unless it could be shown that the
house was solvent, a stop should be put to it, in order
that the assets might be preserved for the creditors.
Mr. Bentley gave his partners the strongest assurance
that the house was more than solvent, and that he could
procure assistance to any amount from a large concern in
the city, which had discounted extensively for him. He
also stated that he was in daily expectation of large funds
from the north, and that, in fact, there was no chance of
the interposition of any difficulty. The house he referred
to as being disposed to serve him actually undertook to ad-
vance the necessary funds to meet the outstanding bills
which would be soon due (10,0001.), until Mr. Bntley
should be able to bring up from the north the supplies
promised from that quarter. They began with advancing
1,0001. immediately, but ultimately they were obliged
themselves to stop, and Bentley, having received intimation
of the event in due time, absconded.
The stock in the house at the time was very large, and it
is believed that it was the determination of the runaway to
get together as la'rge a sum as he could, and to abandon his
partners without explanation.
One ground of suspicion arose from the fact that it ap-
peared by some of his private entries found in the desk which
had been broken open, that bills had been accepted by per-
sons who had gone to America previously to the date they
bore, and that the Stamp Office die for bills of exchange
had been altered after the departure of the supposed ac-
ceptors, who could not consequently have left those stamps
behind them accepted. None of those bills could be
found.

As soon as it was ascertained that Bentley had absconded,
notice was sent to Bow-street office, and a reward was
offered of one hundred guineas from the office of Mr.
Ashurst, the Solicitor, to several of the creditors, for the
apprehension of the offender.

On Wednesday last Mr. Stafford, the chief clerk o:
Bow-street, received the following letter
" Harwich, Sept. 30.

" Sir—hi looking over the Police Gazette of the 27th inst.
I there saw an advertisement of a person answering the de-
scription of the one absconded from Bentley and Co. He
arrived here on Tuesday last early in great haste to go over to
Holland, and engaged a small vessel to convey him there; but,
producing one of the bills drawn or accepted by Bentley and
Co., the person would not take him unless he gave him the
cash. He therefore proceeded by a chaise to Manningtree,
and from thence to Ipswich, where he got one or more cashed,
and returned to Harwich in a very short time in great haste, to
go over sea, and the Captain who took him over told me he
put him on board a pilot-vessel near Helvoetsluys, bound to
Rotterdam. I thought it proper to drop you these few lines
as far as came under my notice, and beg to remain your obe-
dient humble servant, _ _ .

" WILLIAM BURTON,
" Chief Constable, Harwich."

The creditors met to the number of upwards of 150 on
Monday last at the Baptist Head Coffeehouse, and resolved
that steps should be immediately taken to apprehend
Bentley. At the meeting a communication which seemed
to cause general suspicion was made. It was stated that
Bentley had, immediately before he absconded, issued two
promissory notes in- the name of the firm, for 10,0001. each,
and that these notes were placed in the hands of third per-
sons. It was also hinted that other transactions of a simi-
lar kind had also occurred, and the meeting came to a de-
termination to issue the fiat as soon as possible. It was
also resolved that Mr. Edward Wilson, Mr. David Evans,
Mr. Spiers, of Spitalfields, and Mr. Brand, should be re-
quested to superintend the business until the assignees
should be chosen, and that the sales should be continued in
the same way as they had been carried on from the time of
the stoppage to the day of the meeting of the creditors.
We understand that the moment the stoppage took place
directions were issued not to receive any goods into stock
which should arrive from the country in consequence of
previous orders, and the partners of Bentley were requested
to superintend the business on behalf of the creditors, and
readily undertook to act upon the occasion.
The following is the balance-sheet exhibited to the cre-
ditors by the accountant :

THE ESTATE OF BENTLEY, DEAR, AND CO.
Dr.

To sundry debts
To liabilities in bills paid to the several creditors,
which it is supposed will be paid ; such as may
return unpaid will increase the 123,0911. Bs. 4d
above stated

£123,091 8 4

82,079 11 6

£205,170 19 10

Cr.
By stock in trade cost
Good debts
Doubtful 561/. 12s.
Bad 7,224/. 9s. sd.
Furniture and fixtures
Bills and cash in hand

£47,723 12 1
24,194 14 2
280 16 0
905 14 6
1,050 0 0
1,690 11 2

75,846 7 11
Less by rent, taxes, and sa'aies 1,115 15 11

£74,730 12 0

In this 123,0911. Bs. 4d., the two Lc3ommodation bills of
10,0001. each are included. The 82,079/. 11 s. 61. is the
amount of bills which Bentley, Dear, and Co. have drawn
upon their customers for goods by them sold to those cus-
tomers, and which having been discounted by Bentley and
Co. will, if the acceptors fail, be proveable by the holders
against Bentley and Co.'s estate ; but as they are bona fide
bills, the mass of them will most likely run off paid.
The following proceeding took place on Wednesday rela-
tive to this affair :