The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-07-28 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE CASE OF EMBEZZLEMB.NT.

On Friday an elderly female named Catherine M`Dertnot
and her son Thomas, a well-dressed young man, known on
town, were brought up at the. New Bailey Manchester, on a
very serious charge preferred by Messrs. Charles Seaton and
Brother, paper-hanging manufacturers, Picadilly, in this town,
and Bold-street, Liverpool.
Thomas ItPnerinot has for some time been aconfidential sery
want to Messrs Seaton, but about six weeks ago having occasion
to look over his hooks, Mr. Seaton found a very alarming defis
ciency in thd prisoner's account, amounting to upwards of £lOOO,
whereupon he was informed that he: would be required to ha-
lance all his books on an appointed day. He left the premises;
and since that time, he has never made his appearance. Mr.
Thomas the deputy constable being informed of these facts at
the time, has been in search of the prisoner, but fruitlessly un-
til Saturday last, when Mr. Seaton called upon him, informed
him that he thought some information as to the prisoner might
be obtained Trom his mother who lives in Leaf Place, Hulme,
and•requestcd that the utmost exertion might be used - for: his
discovery. Mr. Thomas thereupon went to the house of • the
mother, Who, in answer to his question, produced a.letter pur;!
porting to have been written by the prisoner, from the Isle of
'Mau, and ednununicating some fictitious particulars :&5410 hii
condition. Mr. Thomas, however, fix& possesion of a splendid
wiitin,,,,-(tesk belonging to,Thoinas M`Derniot, and on search-
ing ittefound'the'lidNif a letter which proved that the former
was a forgery. It bore the feigned signature of " French.'! . Ita
object was to request that his mother would pay. into Heywood.
Bank £lOO to his account, at Portsmouth, and send him also a
Trost-of ice order for. E 5.

Having tfiCtS"oh-tained a clue, Mr. Thomas at once determin
ed to pursue the prisoner without the loss of valuable tithe,
and be set out for Portsmouth on Saturday night,•btit the Span-
ish "mercenaries" having engaged all the coaches he did not
reach his destination till Monday Morning. M'Dermot he found
had obtained the £5 from the post-office about an hour previ.:
ously and had endorsed his name "Jonathan French." Hear-
ing that he had gone over to the Isle of Wight, Mr. Thomas
next proceeded there, but unsuccessfully, and nothing remained,
therefore, but to meet him at the bank, whence he expected to
draw the £lOO, which had, however, been stopped before Mr.
Thomas left Manchester. Accordingly on Tuesday morning he
posted himself, with an officer of the Portsmouth police, in
Grant's bank, whelp, after. he had waited about Iwo hoUrs, Mr.
"French" appeared, inquiring if any advices fur him had been
received. Mr. Thomas i hen stepped up to him : Your name is
French? Yes.—Jonathan French ?—Yes--" I must speak a word
• with you," at the same time collaring him. What is all this
about, exclaimed "French." Mr. Thomas said he would give
him all particulars presently. and stepping aside he first put on
the handcuffs, after which he told him what was his accusation.
The young man of course denied it, and said he "could explain
all that." lie was brought to Manchester on Thursday night,
and yesterday appeared before Mr. Hollinshead, the magistrate,
who remanded bun and his mother till Monday. The prisoner
had a brother also styled French, living with him, who has been
in the service of Don Pedro. They were lodging close to the
docks, and were probably waiting for money to embark in an
American vessel which was lying off.
The grounds for the detention of the mother are that she has
shared the spoil with the son, and that the money drawn from
the Saving's Bank is a portion of it.—Manchester paper