Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-03-20
Sn,.nc nm Rank Directors.

When the jury agre d upon their verdict
finding all the directors of the Royal British
Bank guilty, and recon- NEEDING four ofthem,
Messrs Stapleton, Kennedy, Owen and Me-
Leod to mercy, the FLOWING proceedings
| took place:
LoRp CAxrBELL-M Mr.. Athertnn, do you
orav iud gnent. | am prepared to deliver
JUDGMENT
Mr. ATnERroS As your Lordship is pre-
pared, pray judgment.
LORD CAMPBELl-Perhaps it will be better
if take til! Monday morning.
Mr. SERGEANT SHEE said the defendants
cou "a then submit atti iavits.
| Mr.. KEYyEDy said he wished to move tor
a new trial.
| Upou that Lord Campbell said ne would
/ pronounce Judgment at once; and the defe0d-
| ants were all called to take their places on
the floor of the court.
Lord CAMPBELL said, | shall first pass sen
tence upon you, Hump hrey Brown, Edward
! Esdaile, and Hugh lines Cameron. After
a long and, | hone, impartial trial, you have
been convicted by jury Of your country,
upon the cearest evidence, OF an Infamous
crime. You were charged with oonspiring
| TO deceive and defraud the shareholders OF
the bank to which you belonged by false re-
presentations; and 1t Is clear that you dld so.
acqut you Of having originated this bank
with the fraudulent intent TO cheat the pub
| lie, but it is now demonstrated that Tor years
YOU have carried on a system OF deliberate
fraud, and fabricated documents, for the pur-
pose Of dcceving the public tor your own
direct, or Indirect, oenet:. 1t would be
! disgrace to the law OF any country II this
were not q crime 70 be punished. lt Is
not a mere breach OF contract with the
shareholders or customers OF the bank; but
il is a criminal conspiracy to do what ineVi'
rably leads to great public mischief, IN the
ruiz oftamilles, and reducing the widow and
orphan from afiuence TO destisuti'n l
regret to say that in mitigation OF your
offence il was said that it was cOInmOn prac-
tee.
Unfortunately, a laxitY has been introduced
into certain commercial dealings, not from
any defect 10 the law, but from the law not
being put in force; and practices have been
adopted, without bringing a consciousness Vi
shame, and fear without much loss OF char
actrr among those with whom they ASSOCIATE.
1t was Ii 90 stop should be put to such
system, and this information was properly
filled By the government, anu the jury have
properly found you guilty. | hope 1t will
now be known that such practices are
Illegal, and will not only give rise to Fun-
ishment, but that no length OF lnvestlga-
ton, 20 utricacies Of accounts, and DO
devices will be able to shield such prac-
tices. Ga account OF this icing the first
prosecution of this nature, | pronounce
a nlder sentence than | otherwise should;
but the mildest sentence that | can pro-
nounce upon you, Humphrey Brown, Ed
ward Esdaile, and Hugh lGnes Cameron, is
that you be imprisoned in the Queens Prison
for one year
Richard Hartley Kennedy, the jury have
recommended you to mercy, and | thlUk
there are grounds which justified them IN
coming to that conclusion; but still there Is
strong evidence against you. That paper
for which tue jury sent shows that, though
YOU we're a respectable member ofsoclety, and
filled credtably the office Of sheriff, you lent
Yourself to this deception. You did not de-
rive any personal advantage from 1t, but II is
clear to my mind that when you joined 10
that last report you were fully aware that
the bank was lnsOlVeht, anu YOU hue" IL W
be false. The lightest sentence | can give
you is nine months Imprisonment in the
Queens prison
William Dlael Owen. the jury have found
that you also had guilty knowledge OF the
insolvency of the bank when you con;uTred
10 that report and balance sheet, and
cannot say they were wrong, for you had
long been director, and had ample means
of information, and several papers read
shcw that. Therefore, though think you
are less guilty, you must be Imprisoned tor
six mouths.
Henry Dunning Macleod, the jury, who
are the proper judges of tbs tact, have
found you also guilty. The sentence upon
you is that you be imprisoned for three
months.
John Stapleton, the jury have found you
guilty; but cannot cUnsc!entlously order you
TO do more than pay a fine vi Is. to Her Ma
jesty and be discharged.
Mr. Kennedy applied that execution otthe
sentences might be deferred till Monday, IN
order that arrangements might be made.
LORD CANPBELL-l will not delay exCcu.
ton OF the sentence for a single momeut.-
(Applause. )--Lond0n Times.