The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-11-08 00:00:00

fidence in the managing director

a managing directorcolildknow the exact

he could see no account whatever

Mr. SANDERS said that imputation and blame had heel
cast upon the proprietors for not having searched into thus
matters; but it would be recollected that at the meeting las
year he himself took a prominent part in doing so, bein
satisfied, from what he had heard, that the losses the banl
had sustained must have been much greater than the director
stated. He pressed for a committee of enquiry; but it me
with the most decided opposition on the part of the directors
who said they must either have the whole confidence of th
shareholders or none whatever. The statements on that oc
casion of Mr. Chapple had great weight with him. He (Mr
Sanders) was sneered at when he hinted that the bad debt
might be £200,000 ; but the event proved that the amoun
was infinitely greater.

Mr. CHAPPELL said he was guided by the statements t
the other directors, in whom he had implicit confidence
How could he do otherwise than place confidence in sue
names as the -following—John Browne, Evan Evans. NY
Birt, E. Burdekin—(oh, oh)--Richard Roberts—Cob, oh)-
- Cooke, Rev, and J. B. Smith? (Hear.) In then
names he had implicit confidence; and if he could hav
spared more money. •frorri- his, business. he .should have is
, vested it in the bank. He had sold out of several concern
for the sole purpose of placing the money in the bank, an
that would show his confidence in the integrity, honour, an
ability of those gentlemen. (Cheers.)
Mr. SANDERS said, then the directors were highly culpab]
in making statements upon their own responsibility whic
they did not know to he true from actual investigatioi

They had thereby lulled suspicion. at a time when

great (Mager O
vented probably. The prop
be accused of being backward in ex
the account of Richard Roberts,
sufficient data to prove that it had been
ably since the last annual meeting—a circumstanc
would have been prevented if the committee had been
pointed, for which he (Mr. S.) had moved. He had se
remarks to make relative to Richard Roberts ; but as t
person was present he would reserve them.
Mr. SAMUEL WALKER moved, and Mr. CURTIS secon(
the resolution—that Mr. Richard Roberts be requested
enter upon his explanation forthwith. This resolution was
carried unanimously, amidst cheers and some exhibition
feeling which the Chairman repressed.
Mr. RICHARD ROBERTS then came forward and deiive
a written address of very great length, which he refused
furnish to the press. It would occupy, if given at teal,
nearly three columns of the Standard. It commenced v
an acknowledgment of the importance of this matter to
character—that upon the way in which he c
ordeal depended whether his ch,
came a burden to himself, or wh
but an unfortunate man. There were four
charges made against him, and he shout
broadest outline. Thefirstwas, that the m
pared and laidbefore the board of directors
fairs of the Bank on the3OthJ un
the annual meeting in October
condition of the Bank, knowin;
and therefore a deceit and wilful imposition, fir
credulity and confidence of the directors, and sec
the credulity and confidence of the shareholders.
charge was that at a preliminary meeting of the sh
held at the Clarence Hotel, on the Ist of October a
ly convened by Mr. S. H. Norris be had made the same
statements, knowing them to be false. The third ch
was, that he was indbted to the bank a very lar,
he had made use of his station as Maaagir
to employ to his own benefit very largesums which but for
circumstance he could not have had, and he thereby becot__ _
plunderer of the funds of the bank. The fourth charge w
that he was one of those directors to whom Mr. Walker cor
municated his opinion of the character and conduct of t'
late manager (Burdekin), and that he took no steps to di
place him. Besides these four charges there was one othe
rather incidental than direct, which was, that he had ma
statements with regard to the prosperity and condition of t
bank calculated to inspire confidence in the value of t
knowing at the same time •that
Mr. Roberts then proceed

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was preset)

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uch statements were