The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-27 00:00:00

THE WILL FORGERS.

We copied from the Observer of last Sunday, into our co-
lumns, the circular which had been issued by Barber's soli-
citor, inviting the signatures of parties to a petition to the
Crown, praying for a commutation of the sentence of that
convict. We have since heard that, notwithstanding the ac-
tive exertions of Barber's legal advisers, and the high opinion
which one of them frequently expressed of his client, not
more than six sigpatures have been procured to the instru-
ment. Barber, however, is a man of such sanguine tempe-
rament, that there is reason to believe that he is still not
without hogs that something to soften the horrors of his
sentence may still be effected. tip to the moment at which
the verdict'of the jury was pronounced. he fully anticipated
an acquittal; and even after the whole Court heard it dis-
tinctly issue from the mouth of the foreman, he could scarcely
consider the fact a reality. He has been already clothed in
convict's dress, a degradation which Fletcher as well as he
appeared to feel most severely. In regard to the respite of
Barber's sentence, we have not heard any rumours of alte-
ration on which the slightest dependence is to be placed,
and the month, to the conclusion of which we mentioned,
in a former .article, his actual embarcation was to. be de-
layed, must by this time nearly have expired. An applica-
tion was made to the, jury to sign a"-recerrimendation in
Barber's favour, but it was declined. The greater number
of the jury, we have been informed, were fully prepared
to give their verdict at once ; but there were two or three
jurors upon whom the address of Barber's Counsel had
made an impression. The jury, in consequence of this dis-
agreement, retired, and they all, with the exception of a
solitary juryman, were' very soon ready to return to the
Court to utter their decision. The eleven assentients being
firmly convinced of the guilt of all the prisoners, placed the
letters and other documents in the hands of their• fellow-
juryman, stating that they were anxious he should consider
them by himself, and he accordingly adjourned to a separate
part of the room, from which he afterwards returned in tears,
and and declared that he felt it impossible to withstand
.the
viction of guilt which the papers forced upon__ his mind, and
a verdict of guilty was
for whom such a
accordingly, as is well known to the
world, pronounced against the individual
there
trials
again
struggle had been made. In adverting h
Ire cannot help.'eontrasting the efficiency_ of the old police •as
exemplied in the persons of the
,tweiitorresterl, with the
is believed' 'bY those
tective portion of ' the newli
who are well qualified to judge,o-o that new force had been
a_erfetahter nefarious frauds the re-
employed in the investigation
and. there can be little
sult might have been very different;
doubt that many of the curious intricacies which tended °
much to the establishment of the guilt of the parties involveds
in the conspiracy couklneirer, have been brought to light.
In illustration of this remark, it is asked by those who have
taken a deep' interest in the investigation, what probability
there would bavefbeen, After the apprehension 1 Barber and
Fletcher, that the new force would carry.the acts, as re-:
zarded he' other - offenders any further. The fictitious
muia'Slack had been 'for three weeks in a lodging
.in
London;and on inquiryit was found that the occupier& of
the house were unable to, say.who she was, what place she,
came from, or whither she had glade ; and, in fact, all the
information they could give was, that she was evidently dii-
guised, which made the mystery more impenetrable.- The
course, it is believed, which would have been adopted by the new
police, judging from their practice under similar Circumstances,
would have been to send a circular, giving the best -descrip-
tion they, could of the, party, to the' different station• houses,
and that they might have done to eternity • the matter
would have remained ix statu quo. -It could only have been
by the tact of individuals -who have been educated from
early life in extraordinary investigations, and who are pos..
sesse.d •Of singular perseverance, - steadiness, and skill, that
any discovery could have heen reasonably expected. The
course-Which these
_intelligent officers pursued is worthy of
remark. The inquiries coneerning Barber's connexions ap-
pear -to have been fifst undertaken ; no facts transpiring,
the way was paved to the connexions of Fletcher. No pre-
sent apparent connexions of the latter 'could be found an-
swering the - descriptions of the. parties. The. Forresters,
therefore, had to look to associates of a former day, and her
was found one in the person of a Miss Richards, of Bath,
who,. although apparently. having discontinuedany ac-
quaintanceship for many years, did not escape th e
vigilance
has
of these able men. .The judgment here shown been fully
established . bY the faets.as they were afterwards brought to