The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-09-11
The Bank Of England FOrserteS-fhe
End al 1lsc Trial and the Sentence.

h<sss
LONDON. August 27.-"Penal servitudc for
life =, No wonder. as these awful words
came from the lips of the judge at the GA
BAILEY hast night, a low, indcsc'lhahic mur-
mur-not of surprise. nor protest. nor alr
Droya,, hut OF awc-ran through the court.
Tbc ,u,,rrnnr did not cosnc from the WHITE
lips Of the four wrctchcd Americans foHnd
pnifv OF the forgery on the BEnk OF Eng
land. mon whom this terrible sentence was
p]ro,ronnccd, but from the assembled sierta-
tors of the sccnc-Spcctators wholly dcfo'u
of Svmpathy with the condemned. but
stricken with terror ut their doom; Tor pc
nal scryi;ude Tor life in in English prison.
means something worse than ucath->ome-
thjor 20 infinitely worse that ut least any
man OF education and refinement would a
thousand times prefer to hear himself con-
xscmnci to a cruel but speedy death rather
Than this long and cvcr-increaSinS torment.
The trial ofthe American forgcrS-Georec
and Austin Bidwe'l, George Macdonncl, and
Edwin Noycs-has lasted for eight days.
YESTERDAY afternoon il drew near toitS end.
No witnesses were called tor the defence;
the counsel Tor the prosecution summed up;
The LAWYERS for TIC defence announced that
they had nothing to say, and then George
Macdonuell ohtaiHcd permission TO address
the Jury. He ranged before Enn a few sheets
of paDcr, and spoke for some time, attempt
in TO prove, and frequently asserting, that
Austin Bidwcll had not Lad any hand IN The
forgery. OF his own share in the 'rarsac-
ton. which had caused his arrest on the
charge of forging, he SAID:
"ln America, when bills are presented at
a bank tor diScount-whcn acceptanccS are
prcscntcd-it is the custom to send the ac-
ceptanceS round to the persons acc ping, 10
be wia, is technically called init1alcd, IN ordcr
that their validity and gcnuiDcncss may be
certified. | found that was not the case here,
and The result of that discovery is that ! am
standing before you to-day
The prisoner George Bidwcll simply en-
dorscd hat M%acdounell had said. admitted
that lie had aided in carrying out the forge
ricS. and threw himself on the mercy OF the
court.
Mr.. McIntyrc next addressed the jury on
behalf OF Austin EidwoIl, and MIR. Ribbon
for Moves. The Jury then retired. and after
= quarter of IN hour returned with Il verdict
of guilty against all the prisoners. Mr.. JUS
ticc Archibald then pronounced The follow
ing sentence:
.Austln Dyrou Bidwcll, George MacdoN
nell, George Bidwcl!, and Edwin NotcS. YOU
have .eycraily been convicted OF the ollclicc
with which YOU were charged; ana ;lthouSl
the indictment only charged you with the
forgery Of one bill, it ha> been necessary to
bring before the court evidence showing that
each Of you was implicated in i scheme OF
truud which, perhaps. Tor the aldaclty OF us
conception and the magnitude OF the crime
contemplated, as well is the mlSuirectcd
skill and ingenuity with which it was carried
rll,1 # 4, M Yllil-
ting or mitigating circumstances i'll your Of
fence. You were not pressed by want; on
the contrary, you embarked in this nefa-
rious scheme with a considerable amount
of money. You are not ignorant persons,
unable 10 contemplate the full effects Of
your crime. You are persons of education
so far AS mere intellectual training, without
any apparent development of the moral
sense, goes. Ii, has appeared that some OF
YOU know several European languages, and
that YOU are all intimately acquainted with
commercial and banking business. The sue
cess OF your scheme was only rendered posi-
bic by the fact that in this country, with its
immense commercial operations, it is neccS-
sary to place in men conducting large bu>i-
nc>scs the utmost confidence; and besides
the loss You have inflicted OF individuals
YOU have given IL severe blow TO that general
confidence, which must be maintained and
protected. Those who like you are not re-
strained by conscience or honesty must cX-
pcct to be met by the law with rctribuiion.
1t must be. We'll known to those who COM
init crimes which only persons of education
can commit that if discovered they will
meet with heavy punishment. | cannot
see any reason to make any distinction i'll
the sentence: and, with regard TO The sen
tcncc | am about to pass, if | could conceive
any case OF forgery worse than this | might
then consider Wl"tbcr some punishment less
than the maXinum would suffice. But |
feel no hesitation rs TO the sentence it i my
duty to pas The sentence upon each is
that o! penal Scrvitudc tor Ike; and, in add
ton to that, | order that each one OF yon
shall Pay o%nesquartcr of the costs and ca
pclScs Of this prosecution"
The prisoners were then removed. They
seemed terribly gricved at the sentence,
which was >cverer than had been expected
10y them or The public, but at which no word
OF d%i>approyal has, so far, Teen uttered.