The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-02 00:00:00

COURSE OF EXCIIANGE.—Tms DAY.

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POLICE ISTELLIGENCg—Jan. 30.

MANSION-HOUSE. —George Richard Ratcliff,
a respectable looking young man, clerk in the ser-
vice of Messrs. Mockford and Kennard, merchants,
carrying on business at Kennard-wharf, Upper
Thames-street, was brought before the Lord Mayor
by Scott, the detective officer, charged with having
forged and uttered a cheque or 301. upon th 3 Lon-
don Joint Stock Bank.

Mr. Clarke, solicitor to the bank, appeared for
the prosecution.
Mr. R. Lake said—l am one of the cashiers at
the London Joint Stock Bank, in Princes-street.
On the 19th ult. I paid a cheque for 301. on ac-
count of Messrs. Mockford and Co., who are cus-
tomers of the bank. At the time I paid it I con-
sidered it a genuine cheque. I know the prisoner
from his being in the habit of coming from Messrs.
Mockford and Co., but I cannot say that he is the
party who presented the cheque. I gave him in
change for it the 101. and the 61. note produced by
the officer, and the remainder in gold. It is the
custom of our bank to enclose the cheques after
they have been entered, in the pocket of the pass-
book, to be returned to the customer.
Mr. Clarke—And a very bad custom it is too.
Examination continued—lt is not my business
to place the cheques in the pass books. The
cheques, when I have paid them, are examined and
taken away by another clerk.
Mr. W. G. S. Mockford, one of the prosecutors,
said—l keep an account at the London and Joint
Stock Bank. The prisoner has been a clerk in our
establishment for the last five years. We have an-
other clerk of the name of Boisson. Until the last
few days, it was part of the prisoner's duty to keep
the cheque book and to fill up the cheques before I
signed them. It was also his duty to go to the
Bank for the pass book, which I used to send for
about once a week. On Monday the 18th the pass-
book was all right, and I did not again see it until
Wednesday the 27th. In the interval the prisoner
had been absent several days from the office.
When I examined the book on the 27th, I found
an item debiting me with a cheque for 301. of
which I knew nothing. The prisoner had the book
in the counting-house when I came in. I looked in
the pocket for the voucher of this item, and could
not find it. I communicated to the prisoner what
I had discovered. When Mr. Kennard was about
checking the cash book with the banker's book, the
prisoner asked for leave to go home early, saying he
was unwell. Next morning I went to the bank,
and reported that I was debited with a cheque which
was not in the pocket of the pass-book. I produce
the cheque-book and the counterfoils. The prisoner
had access to the book. I find there is a counterfoil
of a cheque in blank between the 15th and
16th January. I have a good knowledge of
his handwriting. On the top of the 101.
note produced are the words- "G. Muller, 30,
Threadneedle-street," which I believe to be in the
handwriting of the prisoner, although it is feigned.
The prisoner cross-examined this witness, but did
not shake his testimony.
The Lord Mayor—You say that he complained of
being unwell on the 27th, and left. Did he absent
himself altogether, or return again ?
- Witness—He returned next morning.
Mr. Henry William Vernon, an articled clerk of
Messrs. Wafter, Burn, and Co., solicitors, of Carey-
street, said—Oa Tuesday week last I supped with
the prisoner at two places, one in Holborn, and the
other in the Haymarket. On that occasion I
changed for him the Si. note produced by tha offi-
cer, and I endorsed it oft the bellowing morning
with my own name. I afterwards gave it to one of
the clerks in our office, and he paid it into our bank.
I was in his company some hours that evening.
Mr. Charles Primrose—l live at No. 1, Green-
street, Leicester-square, and have been a midship-
man. I was in company with Mr. Vernon and the
prisoner when Mr. Vernon gave him change for a
51. note. I cannot distinctly remember whet even-
ing it was, but it was about a fortnight ano.
The Lord Mayor—Were you present at both
suppers
Witneee—Yew, my lord. •
The Lord Mayor —Did you no havo enough to
eat at the first supper ?
Witness—No, my lord.
The Lord Mayor—Therefore you wanted a second.
What time elapsed between the one and the other ?
Witness—The first was about 11 at night.
The Lord Mayor—And at what hour was the
other I

Witness—About 3 o'clock the following morning.
(Laughter.)
The Lord Mayor—lt is high time that these sup-
pn,rooms were closed or put under the cognisance
of the police ; and there is no doubt that that will
very shonly be done. If they are to be allowed
to take in cuitomens at all hours of the morning
there is no-reason why public-houses should not be
allowed to do the same thing. (To the witness)—
Did the prisoner stand treat for you all I
Witness—No ; each paid his own expenses.
The Lord Mayor—More evil is done at these
refreshment rooms than in any other places that
exist. How long had you known the prisoner
before the night in question ?
Witness—l first became acquainted with the
prisoner the day before. •
The Lord Mayor—And howlong had you known
the witness, Mr. Vernon ?
Witness—A long time.
The Lord Mayor—He was a friend of yours I'
Witness—Yes.

The Lord. Mayor—And the prisoner was a new
aegnaintauce

iVituess—Ye?.

The Lord Mayor—Where did you meet him first?
Witness—At a place whore I dine in the city.
.The Lord Mayor—And you thought that suffi-
cient to justify you in associating with him, and
supping wilh him first at 11 at night, and again at
3in the morning. How many times have you had
supper in the Haymarket at 3 o'clock in the morn-
ing sin' e this occasion ?
. Witness—None at all.

G. Scott, the detective officer, said—On Saturday
between 1 and 2 o'clock, I was with Mr. Vernon in
Upper Thanes-street, where eaw the prisoner.
Mr. Vernon told me in the prisoner's presence that
he had changed the 51. note for him. I then to ;lc
the prisoner into custody. I found on him at the
station-house 2/. ss. 6J., a watch, chain, ring, and
pin. While searching him he threw the piece of
paper I produce upon the flo)r. It bets the word
London," and part of the word "Joint" on it.
I Imo examined that piece of paper with the
oh clue book produced, and I believe that it once
formed pait of a cheque of the Joint-Stock. Bank.
I nave inquired at tit-) address mentioned on the
LW. note, and cannA find anybody of the name of
" Muller" there.

Crows-examined by the prisoner—The piece of
cheque I produce dropped from you, it )ou did not
throw it down.

The prisoner was remanded.

GIIILDHALL.—Rickard Rider, 38, managing
clerk to Me;sr& Coote and Buckten, proctors, of
2, Great linightrider-strtet, Doctors'-commons, in
whose employ he has been for the last nine or ten
years, was charged with feloniously receiving 1391.,
and Jorging receipts for the same, with intent to'
defraud his employers.

Mr. Henry Charles Coote (one of the prosecutor=)
said,—l charge the prisoner with intercepting
letters of advice referring to remittances from the
country, and receiving them without our authority,
There are three several sums, amounting in all.to
1391., which have been paid into Dims(Tale's bank
to our credit, and the prisoner has drawn the
money and forged our names to the receipts for
those amounts.

Mr. J. Halls, a clerkin the county department
of Messrs. Dimsdale's bank, said,—We received
letters of advice from the North Wilts Bank on the
19th of October, 1856, the 12th of January, 18379
and the 11th of April following, directing us to pay
to Messrs. Coote and Co., on application, the dif-
ferent sums of 32/. 17s. 6d., 81/. 12s. 10d., and
26/. I.os. 5d., all of which amounts were applied for
and paid in the usual course of business, but I
cannot say to whom they were paid. I saw the
person applying for the money sign the requisite
checks to enable him to draw the money.
Mr. Coote, recalled, said,--I know the prisoner's
handwriting; having frequently seen him write. The
receipts produced are i❑ his handwriting, but not
written by our authority, nor have we received
either of these amounts.
Mr. Buokten gave similar testimony with regard
to the handwriting on the checks.
Green, the detective officer, said—When I took
the prisoner into custody and told him the charge,
he said he was sorry for it, but he thought Mr.
oJote had settled. the matter with his (prisoner's)
SOD.
Some further evidence of a formal character hav-
ing been taken, the prisoner, who rezerved his de-
fence, was committed for trial.