The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-11 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—As I have unfortunately occupied for some time
past a conspicuous place in your columns; I trust you
will allow me to communicate one or two facts for the
information of those who have taken an interest in my
painful case. It must have surprised many that no evi-
dence was called on my behalf, and some have assumed,
perhaps, that I had none of importance to offer. My
evidence, and which was set out in the brief, was,
however, of the greatest importance, and which it was
always most fully intended should be adduced. Mr.
Parry, in his advice on the evidence, speaks of the
documentary portion as " most valuable," and the oral
testimony as " most important." It was my desire that
the Court should be put in possession of the utmost
possible information, and with this view counsel were
instructed to call all the clerks of the house, to submit
all the office books and every paper connected with the
case—to put into the box a witness who was had up
from Bath for that purpose, and who had been remain-
ing in town several days, who would have proved the
elaborate pains taken to prevent my detecting the im-
position ; also several parties who had transactions
with me, who would have proved facts raising the
strongest possible presumption against my being a
guilty participator in these frauds. The correspondence
with Fletcher, too, would have shown how studiously be
had misled me, and that the business was conducted by
myself and Bircham precisely like the other business 'of
the office. It will naturally be asked why these were
not called ? My counsel alone can fully explain it. I
was astonished beyond measure when Mr. Wilkins, nt
the close of his very able address, immediately called
witnesses to character only. I certainly thought., that
skilfully and ingeniously as the evidence was produced
against me, a verdict of guilty could not be pronounced,
and Mr. Wilkins appears to have reckoned with perfect
confidence on a favourable verdict. It is with painful
reluctance that I thus express my regret.at the course
adopted by my counsel, as I feel the warmest gratitude
to both Mr. Wilkins and Mr. Parry for the generoUs
manner in which they took up my defence, whilst their
fees were almost nominal. From the perusal of my
briefs, and from Mr. Parry's conferences with me. counsel
knew well my perfect innocence. To Mr. Wilkins I
cannot but feel the utmost gratitude, not only for his
great exertions at the trial, but for the generous sym-
pathy he has manifestei since. I am quite sure that
upon a review of the facts that could have been proved
on my behalf, he must have regretted that such evidence
was not adduced, especially as it would have met the
very points that were most dwelt upon by the judge ;
and, after all, it was not without great hesitation that
the jury returned a verdict against me. Since my con-
finement in Milibank prison I have memorialized Sir
James Graham to allow me to submit my books, papers,
and correspondence, and to afford me an opportunity of
personally explaining the circumstances which have
created suspicion against me. I begged that each of the
other prisoners might be desired to make detailed state-
ments of all the circumstances in any manner affecting
me. If this had been done, there is not the slightest
doubt that my innocence would have been irresistibly
demonstrated. lam quite aware that I had no legal
right to such an inquiry, but as the only appeal for the
correction of an error which condemns an innocent man
to unspeakable misery is to the Crown, I do think that
every opportunity should be afforded to a prisoner to
establish his innocence.

In my defence I have laboured under every possible
difficulty ; the public mind became greatly prejudiced
against me by ex park statements. I have been kept a
close prisoner from the day of my apprehension—the
9th of December last, without money, in ill-health, and
almost without friends. In this deplorable condition I
had to contend against the most formidable power that
could be brought against an unfortunate man.
The struggle was too unequal ; power has triumphed
over innocence. The public has now seen the declaration
which Fletcher has at length thought fit to make, having
withheld it until all hopes of making terms with the pro-
secution were at end. This declaration was quite
voluntary, for be assured there is not, nor ever can be,
any connexion between me and this man beyond that
which my painful position enforces. That his dark
shadow should still cross my path is an additional drop
of bitterness in the cup which I have already drained to
the dregs. All the prisoners have now as with one
voice proclaimed my innocence—Mrs. Dorey, Sanders,
his wife (the Emma Slack), and lastly, Fletcher. Th:tse
declarations were made at different times, under different
circumstances, and without the slightest concert with
me or with each other—not for their own benefit, but
rather to their prejudice. That Mrs. Dorey did declare
my innocence to her medical attendant and to others at
the Compter, when she was first apprehended, and be-
fore she sought to make terms with the prosecution, is
well known. But the declaration of Sanders was made
under circumstances, and with a consistency and evident
sincerity, which no impartial mind can consider without
a conviction of my innocence. He is the husband of the
pretended Emma Slack. When the report of the first
examination in the case appeared in the public papers,
he and his wife immediately took flight, not, however,
without communicating with his solicitor. Sanders then
assured him that I was wholly innocent. Upon his ap-
, prehension he was brought to the Compter ; he then
gave way to the bitterest anguish, saying to his medical
attendant, and to others, " I am guilty, but there is one
poor gentleman here who is innocent as a child unborn—
that is, Mr. Barber ; be (Barber) had every reason to
believe that my wife was Emma Slack, as she represented
herself to be."
He repeated this at Newgate to the chaplain, and to
various other parties there, before and after his trial ;
he did the same at Milbank prison, and declared that
Fletcher had always cautioned him against my detection
of the fraud. Now, how can any reasonable mind
regard this ? It cannot be supposed that he was insin-
cere, or that he could have been ignorant had I possessed
a guilty knowledge. If a separate trial had been allowed
me I should not only have called Sanders, but each of the
other prisoners, as sworn by the affidavit at my solici-
tsr's. I must not encroach upon your columns by no-
ticing other features in my distressing case. Mr. Wil-
kins will pardon me for alluding to one point connected
with his very eloquent defence. He attacked the prose-
cution with great determination. Now, I must admit
that I brought the prosecution upon myself by with-
holding Fletcher's name, believing that the transaction
would prove to be a correct one. That prosecution was
certainly conducted against me with great severity ; but
the whole scope of my defence and my explanation of
the circumstances raised against me was, that Fletcher
had grossly misled me. It was of him therefore that I
had the most reason to complain. My case is indeed a
pitiable one: After seventeen years' clerkship in one

house I attained the rank of a solicitor ; in seven more
of great labour and anxiety I obtained an extensive and
valuable practice. I was happy in the retrospect—hap-
pier still in my prospects ; my character and usefulness
in society were proved by a host of respectable wit-
nesses. I am now in the very depth of misery—my
greatest fault being an implicit confidence in a client
whom no solicitor would have distrusted. Not the
slightest of my country's laws have I offended ; my
wretchedness is greater far than that of a guilty man ;
his mind would have been prepared, and his arrange-
mets made. I write this amidst a scene of revelry and
uproar ; I alone am in agonising sadness. This morn-
ing the vessel sails to convey me from all that I hold
dear on earth. Deeply, most deeply, do I lament that the
friends I leave behind me, and to whom I was dearly
attached, should be disgraced by me ; that disgrace,
however, arises only from terrible misfortune, not guilt.
For that I am innocent of all guilty knowledge of a
participation in these frauds—that I shared none; no, not
the least, of the unenviable plunder (all this is confirmed
by those who alone could have a perfect knowledge on
the subject—namely, those who employed me as their so-
licitor, and by whom the fraud was devised and consum-
mated) more than the judge who tried me, I solemnly
declare before God and man, and as I hope to enjoy
peace in this world and that which is to come. And
although I am at present unjustly, suffering as a male-
factor, I am not without hope that the time will come
when my innocence will be both proved and acknow-
ledged ; when I shall be enabled to .return into society,
from which, but for an extraordinary and almost unpa-
ralleled combination of unfortunate circumstances, I
should never have been driven.
Craving your pardon for occupying so large a portion
of your valuable space, I have the honour to remain,
Sir, your most obedient servant,
WILLIAM HENRY BARBER.
Ship Agincourt, off Woolwich, July 8.

Loss or AN EMIGRANT SHlP.—Recently intelli-
gence has been received from Sydney, Cape Breton, concern-
ing the loss of the Sir George Prevost, emigrant ship, on a
reef of rocks to the westward of Gaberus, and but for
the moderate state of the weather it might have terminated
in a fearful sacrifice of human life, the ship having up-
wards of 160 souls on _board. The vessel, which was of
600 tons burden, and commanded by a Captain Savage, left
the port of Newry, in Ireland, in the fore part of the present
year with emigrants and a miscellaneous cargo. The voyage
across the Atlantic was as favourable as could be expected,
when on nearing the coast off Gaberus on the evening of
the 31st of May, it came on a dense fog, so much so, it
is said, that it was almost imposstble to discern anything
beyond the length of the vessel. Instead of her being
brought to anchor in such weather, the ship was allowed
to continue her course, and the result was, that at about
nine o'clock she ran on the reef of rocks before men-
tioned. Minute guns of distress were kept firing for
several hours, and two vessels arriving near the spot,
their boats were lowered, in which, together with those
belonging to the Sir George Prevost, the Whole of the emi-
grants and seamen were safely landed. Providentially the
wind, during the whole of this trying period, was light ; had
it been otherwise, the consequences, in all probability, would
have been dreadful. At daybreak on the following morning
the ship was lightened and attempts made to get her off;
but she had become firmly fixed, and within 24 hours was a
total wreck. Of the emigrants, 102 were conveyed to
Arichat, where they remain under the charge of proper
authorities.