The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-31
rou1R d iB IAN II sPnIs0s.
THE WAY THEY TREAT sWIEDLERs IN
{ ENGLAND-FoUR DISTINGUISHED. GEN
.TLEsIEN IN JAIL-INGENIoUs EXCUSES
AND PLEADINGs OF NO AVAIL. i

Correspondence ofthe Cincinnati Commercially
LONDON, July II, 1875.
1t is to be hoped that amid the excite
ments OF O swelling canvass Americans will
not fail to observe the picturesque fact this
country offers to their observation, OF four
Of the most prominent city men of London
locked up in prison. The wealthy and dis
tinguished gentlemen in question foisted a
fraudulent company on the public, and
having no starry banner under which to
shelter themselves, are taking the prosaic
consequences. They conspired by a false
quotation, based on repeated deposits OF the
same sum OF money in bank, summed up
to seem like capital, 10 get. the shares OF the
Eupion Gas Company on the Stock Elk
change, so fraudulently evading the rules
laid down for the protection OF the public,
and they have lost the stake and the reputa-
ton with it. The judges hesitated. A
good many people could not believe that
such highly respectable and well-connected
entlemen could be incarcerated like vulgar
felons, and anticipated the infection OF
fines.
BROUGHT UP FOR SENTENCE.
When the distinguished spectators were
brought up for sentence they were inclined
to be pathetic. Mr.. Joseph Aspinall, who
has for some time paraded his style-his car
riages and horses-in the vicinity OF his
country mansion, turned out to be very
wretched and poor person, whom the wide
eyed boys lately gazing on bis splendor
could not envy. MIR. Aspinall pleaded that
he was fifty-four years OF age, with wife
and twelve children had carried on bus:-
ness irreproachably for thirty-nine years;
was now ruined; and his aged parents,
h. l~,I Ii crrrrnrfnl
have to 70 to the work-house, while he him
self had lately been living on the charity Of
his friends. He brought medical certificates
to show that he is suffering from two dam
gerous diseases. He denied fraudulent in
tention, and submitted himself 10 the mercy
of the court.
PITiFUL EXCUSES.
Mr.. Whyte detailed that he had lost val
liable position as manager OF 4 coal mine,
which he had held for twenty years, and
did not mean to advance his personal inter-
ests by the fraud.
Mr.. Knocker said he was not aware OF the
fraud; had suffered frightfully; had lost
his income OF Ell 400 year as general man
ager OF the Midland Bank, and his wife and
five children were now destitute.
abr. Muir also protessed to have been ig-
norant Of what was going on, and he, too,
was ruined.
The counsel for these miserable men
urged in mitigation Of Judgment that what
they had done had been done before on the
Stock Exchange with impunity; but the
suggestion was not happy one, the Lord
Chief-Justice dryly renarking that 81 was
quite true" and adding hint that it was
fully time that it should be made certain
that it could not safely be tried again. Mr..
Justice Blackburn, the senior puisne Judge,
then pronounced the sentences.
IMPRISONMENT WITHOUT LABOR.
lie began by saying that the indictable
conspiracy proved against them before a
jury was punishable by Imprisonment and
fine, or by either alone, at discretion OF the
Court; but they had come to the conclusion
that fine would not be proper III this case,
! because such operations were generally car
ried on for large Sums OF money by men
whom ordinary fines would not deter; that
since they had all declared themselves des-
titute, to fine them, with Imprisonment until
the fines were paid, might invol We an I'M
mense extension Of their Imprisonment.
They would therefore imprison them with
out hard labor.
"When a person." said the Judge,
"whether he be rich or poor, commits a
crime, we must punish him, notwithstand-
ing the misery it may intlict upon his family
at the time, and the disgrace it may entail
on them afterwards.
LAWYERS BEG N VAIN.
Aspinall and Knocker were then sem
fenced each to twelve months Imprisonment
Muir and Whyte each to two months.
The lawyers for the criminals begged for
suspension OF the order until they could ar-
peal The application was refused. The
tipstatf removed the eminent bankers, and
they are now in Holloway prison, with am
pie leisure to take their first lesson in plain
| living and high thinking.
| These sentences will have the best con-
sequences. Every honest man in Eng
land feels safer to-day, and every veal
thy rogue feels more insecure. 1t is a
! good deal to know that prison walls
are not reserved for poor ragamutfins
who steal pennies, but may also become IA
miliar to wel-dressed personages who bring
| ruin on thousands OF families and dash
about with fine equipages. The number OF
such has been getting unpleasantly large OF
| late VI. D. Z.
CRnrEREES Go