The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-15 00:00:00

THE ALLEGED FORGERIES OF

WILLS.

The apprehension-of Mrs. Georgiana Dorey, the wife
of Mr. Dorey, of Oxford-street, has greatly increased
the interest created by the evidence against Messrs.
Barber and Fletcher. We give copies of the wills, &c.,
a letter produced on the three charges, and some par-
ticulars respecting Mrs. Dorey.
"In the name of God, Amen. I, Eliza Burchard,
spinster, formerly of Cooper-street, Westminster, in the
county of Middlesex, and late of Rostock Mecklen-
burgh, in Germany, but now of New Bond-street, Bath,
in the county of Somerset, being of sound mind, me-
mory, and understanding, do make this my last will and
testament in manner and form following :—I give and
bequeath unto my niece, Eliza Burchard, who is
now living with me, the sum of seven hundred
pounds stock in the Three-and-a-Half per Cent. Re-
duced Annuities ; also three hundred pounds stock in
the Consolidated Three per Cent. Annuities, both stand-
ing in my name in the books of the Governor and Com-
pany of the Bank of England in London. I also give,
devise,ivand bequeath unto her, my aforesaid niece, all my
money, securities for money, goods. chattels, estate, and
effects, of what nature soever and wheresover the same
shall be situate at the time of my death. And Ido no-
minate, constitute, and appoint my said niece sole execu-
trix of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking
and making void every other will or wills at any time
heretofore by me made, and do declare this to be my last
hill and testament. In witness whereof; I, the said
Eliza Burchard, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord,
one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.
(Signed) " ELIZA BURCHARD (L.S.)
" Signed and sealed by the above named Eliza Bur-
chard, the testatrix, in the presence of us present at
the same time, who have hereunto subscribed our names
as witnesses, in the presence of the said Eliza Burchard
and of each other.

(Signed) " AMELIA RIESLIE.
" W. SANDERS."
Extraetbd from the registry of the Prerogative Court
of Canterbury ie the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
" In the goods of Eliza Burchard, spinster, deceased.
" 9th June, 1841.
" Appeared personally Eliza Burchard, of No. 9,
Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury, in the county of
Middlesex, spinster, the sole executrix named in the last
will and testament of the said Eliza Burchard, formerly
of Cooper-street, Westminster, in the county of Middle-
sex, then of Rostock Mecklenburgh in Germany, after-
wards: of New Bond-street, Bath, in the county of Somer-
set, but late of Broad-street, Bristol, in the same county,
spinster, deceased, and made oath that the said deceased
died on or about the 21st (lay of March, in the year of
our Lord, 1841, and that the estate and effects of the
said deceased which she in any way died possessed of, or
entitled to, as a trustee for any other person or persons,
and not beneficially and without deducting anything on
account of the debts due and owing from the said de-
ceased, are under the value of 2,0001., to the best of this
deponent's knowledge, information, and belief ; and she
lastly made oath that the said deceased was not possessed
or entitled to any leasehold estate or estates for years,
either absolute or determinable, on a life or lives, to the
best of the deponent's knowledge, information, and be-
lief. " E. BURCHARD.

" Sworn before me, S. B. Barnaby, Surrogate."

In the above affidavit the deceased i; described as
having lived in Broad-street, Bristol, after her residence
in New Bond-street, Bath, as stated in the will ; and this
inculpation could have been given only by Mr. Baaber
or the executrix by word of mouth to the Proctor at the
time of proving the will, Mr. Cox having filled up the
affidavit and read it over to the female in Mr. Barber's
presence, and Mr. Barber then gave him a cheque for the
duty. The female then signed the affidavit in Barber's
presence, and was afterwards sworn. It will be noticed
that the executrix is described in the above affidavit as
of No. 9, Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury. Now it
appears that Mr. Barber, on the 10th of June, 1841,
being only the day after the affidavit was read, addressed
the following letter to the executrix :
" 28, New Bridge-street, Blackfriars—Thursday.
" Mr. Barber's compliments to Miss Burchard, and will
be glad to see her to-morrow morning (Friday) by eleven
o'clock, for the purpose of signing the usual applications
to the chief accountant to transfer the stock, and to ar-
range as to obtaining the evidence of Mr. Sanders.
" Miss Burchard,-9, Great Russell•strect."
This letter was returned to Mr. Barber on the 11th of
June, 1841, through the Post-office, with the following
reason indorsed on the letter:—" Not known at 9, Great
Russell-street, Bloomsbury, or in Little Russell-street ;"
sinned J. Crook, J. llewson."
The followinr, are exact copies of the documents
purporting to be the will of Mary Hunt, and of Anne
Slack, extracted from the registry of the Prerogative
Court of Canterbury :
" I, Mary Hunt, widow, formerly of Bristol, after-
wards
of Bath, but now of Spring.street, London, '
being of sound mind, memory, and understanding, but
in bad health, do make this my last will and testament
as follows :—Whereas, I am possessed of about twelve
hundred and ten pounds, in the Three per Cent. Con-
solidated
Annuities in the Bank of England, this I give
and bequeath unto my beloved grandson, Thomas Hunt,
mariner. Also all my money, securities for money,
goods, chattels, estate, and effects of every kind, where-
soever the same shall be found at the time of my death.
And I also maka and appoint my said grandson, Tho-
mas Hunt., sole executor of this my last will and testa-
ment, hereby revoking and making void all and every
other will or wills at any time heretofore made by me;
and do declare this to be my last will and testament. In
witness whereof; I, the said Mary Hunt, have here set
my hand and seal this 14th day of December, in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-
nine. (Signed) " MARY HUNT (L. S.)
" Signed and sealed by the above-named Mary Hunt, as
and for the last will and testament, in the presence of
us, who at her request, and in her presence, have sub-
scribed our names as witnesses to the same.
(Signed) " JANE ROSE.
" MARY HOWARD.
" Proved at London, 24th of May, 1842, before the

Worshipful John Danbury, Doetor of Laws and
Surrogate, by the oath of Thomas Hunt, the grand-
son, the sole executor, to whom administration was
granted-, haing been first sworn only to administer.
(Signed) " CHARLES DYNELEY,
Deputy
" JOHN IGGULDEN,
" W. F. GOSTLING, Registrars.

" May, 1842."
" I Anne Slack, spinster, formerly of Smith-street,
Chelsea, but now of South-terrace, Pimlico, do make
this my last will and testament, as follows :—That is to
say, I give, devise, and bequeath unto my beloved niece,
Emma Slack, the sum of 3,500/. stock in the Three per
Cent. Consolidated Annuities, now standinr, in my
name on the books of the Bank of England, and also all
my money, and securities fur money, of what nature or
kind soever, and wheresoever the same shall be at the
tipae of my death. And Ido appoint and constitute my
said niece sole executrix of this my last will and testa-
ment, hereby revoking and making void all and every
other will or wills at any time heretofore made by me ;
and do declare this to be my last will and testament. In
witness whereof I, the said Anne Slack, have hereunto set
boy hand and seal this 3d day of June, in the year of our
Lord, 1842. " ANNE SLACK (L.S.)
" Signed and sealed by the above-named Anne Slack, as
and for her last will and testament, in the presence of
us, who, at her request, and in her presence, have sub-
scribed our names as witnesses thereto.

(Signed)

"JANE PERKINS.

WILLIAM WILLIAMS.

" Proved at London, March, 1843, before the Worship-
ful Augustus Frederick Ray ford, Doctor of Laws and
u rogate, by the oath of Emma Slack, spinster, the
niece, the sole executrix, to whom administration was
granted, having been first SA orn duly to administer.
(Signed) "CHARLES DYNELEY,puty
"March, 1843. " JOHN IG G ULDEN, ,
"S. 11. "W. F. GOSTLING, hegistrars.

Mrs. Georgiana Dorey, who was on Friday examined
before the Lord Mayor upon the charge of having formed
part of the confederacy, with Mr. Barber and Mr.
Fletcher, to defraud the Government of the amount of
stock in the hands of the Commissioners for the Reduc-
tion of the National Debt in the name of Anne Slack,
and with having also been concerned in a similar fraud
in the case of the will of Eliza Burchard, was in the
year 1834 before the public as plaintiff, in the Court of
Exchequer:in an action of damages for breach of pro-
mise of marriage. At that period she was Miss Georgiana
Bichards, and the person against whom she brought the
action was the Rev. Robert Taylor, the notorious lec-
turer on infidelity. The damages were, we understand,
laid at 2,000/. Miss Lichards bud a political acquaint-
ance with*. Mr. Richard Carlile. She was then living
with her mother and her married sister (Mrs. Sanders)
at Bath, as a milliner, and was considered to be a person of
very extraordinary abilities. Three or four years after-
wards she came to London,accompanied by her mother, and
as the family had embarrassments to contend with, she
determined to do all she could to diminish the difficulties
under which they laboured, and accepted the situation
of housekeeper at the Rotunda, on the Surrey side of
Blackfriars-bridge, where the Rev. Robert Taylor was
in the habit of lecturing at the time. Mr. Carlisle,
who, wo believe; rented the premises at the time, was
the individual who engaged her at a salary. The Rev.
Robert Taylor having had frequent opportunities of see-
ing Miss Richards, was regularly smitten with her in-
tellectual and personal charms, and paid her much
attention. In the correspondence which passed
between them there were the strongest evidences
of attachment disclosed, and when the Rev.
Gentleman was laid up in Horsernonger-lane gaol, the
lady gave the most unquestionable proof of attachment
to him. She was, however, but ill-requited fur her in-
numerable acts of kindness, for he suddenly broke off the
acquaintance, arid married a lady who was more abun-
dantly supplied with the gifts of fortune.
The jury awarded the plaintiff damages to the amount
of 2301., and the principal witnesses examined upon the
occasion were Joshua Fletcher, the same person, we are
told, who stands charged with Mr. Barber and herself,
as confederate in the alleged frauds upon the Govern-
ment, and Mr. and Mrs. Sanders, her brother-in-law and
sister, who have absented themselves.

TITS MURDER OF EARL DERBY'S GAMEKEEPER.
—We are enabled to state that her Majesty has been
graciously pleased ;o remit the sentence of death on all
the prisoners convicted of the murder of the Earl of
Derby's gamekeeper, except John Roberts, the party
who nred the fatal shot. Roberts is left for execution.
The others will, it is expected, be transported for life.
When the late John Kemble was one day passing
along Cheapside, he was met by two chimney-sweeps, the
pun; .• accosted the elder one thus—" I say, Bill, there
.41:,W 11( r man." " Oh, don't insult him, Jack," said the
.ne knows what anybody may come to."
el T.—ln Dresden, a little ragged child
from the window of a mean house, to her op-
-" Please Mrs. Muller, mother sends her gest
if it's fine weather, would you go a begging
!"

i~,
1
M~

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

I
FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF SATURDAY.
GLOBE.—The reported omission of sixty-three
names from the special jury panel, and the probable
result upon the proceedings of this strange negli-
gence, or something worse, on the part of the func-
tionaries whose duty it was to preserve the list
intact, was commented upon at some length in
yesterday's Globe. The discovery was alluded to
by the Dublin correspondents of every London
journal of yesterday, without respect to its political
character. From the universal credence given to the
rumour, it was regarded as unquestionably true.. The
Dublin Monitor of Wednesday (received yesterday)
also gave the report ; accompanied by a circumstantiel
explanation of the mode by which the missing sheets
of names was accounted for. No contradiction
is given of the report by this morning's ar-
rivals from Dublin, where the rumour still
prevailed. An application was to be made
yesterday by the prosecutors to the Court, that in
the event of the trials not having terminated on
the 31st inst., each succeeding day, up to the 15th of
April, should be considered as a continuation of
Hilary Term for the purposes of the said trials—a
course determined on, it was generally supposed, on
the discovery of the omission, and to meet the exigen-
cies of the case. The Times of this morning assumes
the truth of the facts as they have appeared, but sug-
gests that the omission of the 63 names will not
operate to vitiate the panel, or retard the trials.
The Standard, more vigilant than discreet, employs
its proverbial sophistry to raise doubts respecting the
truth of the report. Having stated, from a careful
examination, that the first name on the list is " John
Alley," and the last " John Yeates," it then infers
that their can be no lost sheets containing 63 names ;
" for there could not be 63 names before John Alley
or after John Yeates." As a specimen of our Contem-
porary's mode of settling, by assumption, a matter which
is by this time placed beyond question by an official ad-
mission or repudiation of the statement, the following
extract from the Standard's article may suffice :- —" In
order to meet the possible case, that the numbers were
not prefixed to the names in the first instance, and
that they, in consequence, do not furnish complete
proof of the integrity of the list, we have applied an-
other test. We have taken the last Dublin Directory
list of the resident nobility, gentry, merchants, trus-
tees, &c., and having pretty accurately ascertained the
number of names under each letter, have applied the
ratio of names in the Directory to the ratio of the
names in the list, and find them to correspond with
wonderfut.precision. We are thus confirmed in our
opinion that there is nothing in the story of the
missing sheets." To this very ingenious mode of
mystifying a matter of fact, we might oppose—first,
the high probability that if the statement were not
true, it would before this have met with an au-
thoritative contradiction; and, secondly, that—taking
the Standard's own mode of disproving " the story
of the missing sheets"—it is only to assume that
the two missing sheets consist of the first and last of the
series, and the whole fabric of the Standard's inferen-
tial argument in disproof of the story falls to the
ground. The Court Circular of this morning con-
tains an announcement which seems to strengthen the
rumour respecting this "untoward event." Another
Cabinet Council (the third during this week) was
held yesterday. The Council sat three hours. All
the Ministers were present. Such frequent meetings
of the Cabinet, and such long deliberations, imply the
existence of a dilemma which calls for combined
counsel, and the necessity of providing means for meet-
ing difficulties which have arisen suddenly, and the
existence of which were not anticipated. The ex-
clusion of every Catholic from the panel is, however,
felt by the Times to be the pinching difficulty. That
extraordinary stretch of prerogative—involving at
once the determination, on the part of the Go-
vernment, to pack a jury, in order, if possible, to
obtain a verdict at any cost ; and this, though the in-
sult and injury inflicted upon the religion of seven-
eighths of the Irish population by the monstrous pro-
ceeding should inflame the public mind in Ireland
to a pitch of irrepressible excitement. This reproach
the Government—rail as its supporters may at those
who denounce the ill-advised and indefensible act—
cannot roll away. The blunderings which have oc-
curred in the course of the proceedings may
be attributed to subordinates. The Times may
deplore " the way in which Irish placemen dis-
charge their duties," and " the manner in which an
English Government is likely to be served." The
instructions to strike every Roman Catholic name
from the panel was, manifestly, the orders of the
Government. The idea was conceived in the spirit
which would subjugate by intimidation a people
it lacks the generosity to propitiate by treating,
them as fellow-citizens ; and is a practical exemplifi-
cation of the never-to-be-forgotten culmination of the
Lord Chancellor Lyndhurst—" The Irish people are
aliens." The Times endeavours to justify the pro-
ceeding ; but does so in a way which—if the writer
of the argument be not deemed insane, and there-
fore not answerable for his own acts, and whose acts
ought not to be allowed to damage others—must be
taken as demonstrative of the insecure tenure on
which Ireland is held by the British Crown under a
Tory Ministry.
STANDARD.—The Morning Chronicle infers,
from the impunity hitherto indulged to Mr. Cobden
and the Leaguers, that the Repealers ought not to
be prosecuted. To this we reply, " 'Wait a while."
Mr. Cobden and the Leaguers, whatever sums of
money they may exhibit upon paper, whatever con-
verts they may gain among the silliest of silly people
—" foolish lords,"— and they have succeeded in
catching three of the softest heads in the
House of Lords—whatever the Leaguers may
say or do, they are at present simply con-
temptible. Let the Leaguers remember that Mr.
O'Connell and his associates had their "day of
grace," a much longer day than the Leaguers have
yet had ; that the Repealers had " three warnings,"
whereas the Leaguers have not yet had one. Let
them, then, not be jealous if the O'Connellites are
prosecuted and they are not ; all in good time. Let
the Leaguers, if they are really candidates for
martyrdom, speak out as plainly as Mr. O'Con-
nell spoke at Mallow, Clifden, Tara, and our own
ever memorable " Mullaghmast of the Martyrs ;"
above all, let them Organise military processions,
and meetings of tens of thousands to threaten
the public peace. But no ; the last they neither can
nor will do ; cannot, because even hundreds will not
assemble, unhired, at their call; and if they were to
take part in any very public procession, according to
late experience, it would be a procession in their
favour to some shallow horse-pond. At present the
League- is merely an object of disgust and
contempt to the country, and it hourly be-
comes more loathsome and contemptible ; but the
rule is " De minimis non curet lex," and they who are
appointed to put the law in motion, only upon proper
occasions, act wisely and constitutionally in winking
at petty follies, and even at crimes that are only
ridiculous. Perhaps the time may come when the
League will be properly prosecuted as a swindling
conspiracy—but we confidently predict that it will
never be worthy of a State prosecution in any other
aspect. " The Government unable to enter the
lists against the repealer of the corn-laws ! "
In what county of England could such a pro-
position be gravely maintained without provoking a
burst of laughter ? Let the League dispose of Mr.
Ferranti, who alone is more than a match for them,
and even then they will have enough to do, before they
can be in a condition to challenge the Government.

IRELAND.
(From the Times.)
COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.

DUBLIN, JAW. 1 I.—Thiabeirrg the first day of the term,
the Court of Queen's Bench was more than usually crowded
from an early hour by persons anxious to witness the opening
proceedings. A considerable number of ladies were present.
Shortly before two o'clock Dlr. Justice Burton entered the
Court, and the swearing in of the city and county grand juries
was proceeded with. There was a very full attendance of the
gentlemen on both panels.
CITY GRAND JURY.

Mr. Francis Blake Knox, Foreman ; Messrs. William R.
Box, ('harles Carolin, Henry S. French, Vicars Boyle, Wm.
Watson, Cuthbert Eccles, Lucius H. Deering, Robert Cham-
ley, Peter R. Clarke, John Campbell, William Deane, Joseph
Henry, Thomas M'Enery, William Andrews, Thomas Fot-
trell, John Molloy, Richard Wilson, Joseph Cassin, William
R. Foyle, William Curry, jun., Fergus Farrell, and P. D.
Hardy.
COUNTY GRAND JURY.
Mr. James Hans Hamilton, 111. P., foreman ; Hon. A. F.
Southwell, Sir Robert Shaw, Bart., Messrs. William Rath-
borne, Alexander Kirkpatrick, A. S. Hussey, Thomas R.
Needham, Benedict Arthure, Richard Manders, C. Fitasimon,
Francis Savage, Arthur B. Crofton. John Brennan, Robert
Alexander, Edward H. Casey, William Caldbeck, David
Henry Sherrard, Charles Davis, Emanuel Bailey, Arthur
Neville, William Worthington, Henry M'Manus, and Charles
Jones.

The Foreman of the County Jury, addressing his Lordship,
said that he took that opportunity of mentioning to the Court
that there was a feeling among the gentlemen of the jury that
they ought to have the right of sitting in their box during
term. He believed, however, that the right of occupying it
during the State trial had been ceded to the Sheriff of the city.
The High Sheriff for the County said, that he believed the
City High-Sheriff had arranged that the box should be occupied
by the press during the trial, but, in his opinion, tktt applica-
tion of the county grand jurors was a very reasonable one.
Mr. Justice BURTON said, that he had a strong opinion on
the matter himself; but it would be necessary for him, before
giving any reply, to confer with his brethren on the subject.
The Foreman of the City Grand Jury said that he had been
requested to make a similar application to his Lordship on be-
half of the gentlemen acting on that jury.—(Laughter. )
Mr. Justice BURTON replied, that in a few days a trial was
to take place in that Court in which there was a special jury,
to the accommodation of which the box in which the gentle-
men of the city grand jury sat was to be applied, and it would
not therefore be possible that the grand jury could continue to
occupy it.
His Lordship then retired, and in a short time returned into
Court, accompanied by Mr. Justice Crampton and Mr. Jus-
tice Perrin.

Judge BURTON, addressing the gentlemen of the county
grand jury, said that before he left the Court, the foreman had
communicated to him the desire of the jury that there should
be no interference with their right to come into their box when
business made it necessary that they should appear in Court.
He had been informed, that the High Sheriff for the city had
allocated their box for the reporters of th3se journal! in which

what took place in Court was to be published. He had con-
ferred with the Lord Chief Justice and the other members of
the Court on the subject, and they were all of opinion that it
was not only proper and expedient but indispensible, under the
circumstances of the case, that there should be a place in that
Court for the reporters of the public press, and they accord-
ingly felt what had been done for their accommodation by the
High Sheriff was perfectly right. If the gentlemen of the
grand jury, however, should have occasion, in the discharge of
their business, to come into Court, every facility should be
afforded them; and in such an event the reporters could leave
a portion of the;box for their accommodation. With regard
to the other grand jury-box, the application for it by the city
grand jury was altogether out of the question, because that
would be the place occupied by the special jury who were to
try the case.
The matter then dropped, and the gentlemen of the grand
juries returned to their rooms.
THE STATE TRIALS—THE WITNESSES.

Although there appears to be no longer any further occasion
for the observance of secrecy with respect to the actual name of
at least one of the parties suspected of having broached to the
Government some of the secret doings at the Corti...Exchange,
and who, it is now openly stated by the Repealers, will be pro-
duced as a very material witness at the approaching state trials;
still, until the fact, should it prove to be such, is announced
through some more authentic medium that that of mere public
conversation, it would be manifestly improper to make any
more distinct allusion to the matter. It may, however, be
mentioned as the very general belief that the Executive has
been put in possession by the suspected individual of some re-
markable documents, which, says report, may hereafter be pro-
duced in evidence against the traversers. There seems to be an
impression here that after all Government are by no means as
anxious as their opponents suppose about the result of these
State trials ; for, let the verdict be what it may, it will, it is be-
lieved, in nowise,influence Ministers with regard to what ulterior
course they may adopt for the total suppression of the Repeal
agitation ; and that some stringent measures with that object
will be submitted to Parliament early in the ensuing session ap-
pears to be the opinion of all classes of politicians.