Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-08-15
HOW THEY DO 1T In ENGLAND.
Four stock sWindEers Imprisoned for a
Sort of Emma Mine Transaction.
Appeals 10 the Court for Mercy and
Pleas of DesiItUtiOn and Family
Misery FFuiIIess.
From Conway's London Letter to the Cincn-
natl Commercial.

| Frcm Conway's London Letter TO the Cincin-
natl Commercially
1t is to be Hoped that, amid the ex-
element Of swelling canvass, AmeTi-
cans will not fail to observe the piCtuS
esque fact this country offers to their
observation, Of four Of the most promi-
nent men of London locked up in prison.
The wealthy and distinguished gentle
men in question foigted q fraudulent
company on the public, and having no
starry banner under which TO shelter
| themselves, are taking the prOsaic con-
sequences. They con9piIed by a false
quotation, based on reported deposits OF
the same sum Of money in q bank, cum
| med up to seem like capital, TO get the
shares of the EuropeSn gas company oil
the stock exchange, so fraudulently
evadipg the rules laid down for the pro-
lection of the public, and they have lost
the stake and reputation with it. The
judges besitated. A good many people
could 70! believe that such highly re-
spectacle and well connected gentlem3 I'll
could be fncareeFsted like vulgar feions,
and anticipated the inf1iction Of fines.
When the. distinguished SPECTATORS
were broughL up Tor s=irtvlIvo SI-~.--
inclined to be pathetic. Mr.. joseph
AspinWall, who has for some
time psraded his style, his
carriages and horses, in the Vicini
of his country mansion, turned out to be
very wretched and poor person, whom
the white-eyed boys lately gazing on his
splendOr could not envy. Mr.. Aspin-
ws1 pleaded that he was fifty-four years
of age, with wife and twelve children,
had carried on business irreproachsbly
for thirty-nine years, was now ruined,
and his aged parents, whom hehad hith.
erto supported, would have to GO to the
workhouse, while he himself had lately
been living on the charity OF his f.ionds.
He brought medical certificates to show
that he is suffering from two dangerous
diseases. He denied fraudulent inten.
ton, AID submitted himselito the mercy
Of the court. Mr.. Whyte detailed that
be had lost valuable position as mana
ger Of coal mine, which he had held
for twenty years, and did not mean 20
sdvance his personal interests Ky the
fraud. Mr.. Knocker said he was not
aware OF the fraud, had suffgrsd fright
fully, had lost his income Of fourteen
hundred pounds year-mg ggoeraI
manager of the Midland bank-and his
wife and five children were now desti-
tute. DR.. Muir also pfotessed to hsye
been ignorant of what was going on, and
he, too, was ruined. The counsel for
these miserable men urged in mjti-
CATION of Judgment that what they
had done had been done be-
fore on the stock exchange with
immunity; but the suggestion was not
happy one, the lord chief Justice simpIy
remarking that sit was quite true" and
adding hint that il was fully time that
1t should be made certain that it could |
not safely be tried again. Mr. Justice |
Blackburn, the senior puisne Judge, then |
pronounced the sentence. He begsn by |
saying that the indictsble conspiracy |
proved against them before q iury WIS |
punishable by imprisonment sud fine, !
or by either alone, at the discretion of |
the court; but that they had come to the |
conclusion that a fine would not be |
proper in this Gaze, becsuse such opera
tons were generally carried on Tor large
SUMS by men whom ordinary iires
would not deter; that since they had all
declared themselves destitute, TO fac
them, with imprisonment until the fines
were paid, might involve an immense
extension OF their imprisonment. They
would, therefore, i'm prison them without |
hard labor. "When a person. said the
Judge, "whether he be rich or poor. com
mrs q CilLutI we must punish MIN, not
the misery it may ipfiict
lpon his family at the time,
md the disgraca ii may en-
al on them atterward." AspinwsU
ND huocker we're then sebtepcsd |
'sch to twelve months imprisonment:
Muir and Whyte each TO two months,
The lawyers for the criminals begged for
suspension OF the order until thew
'ould appeal. The application was re-.
used. The tipstsff removed the bank
rs, and they are now in BsllOwav
'rison, with ample leisure to take their
.rst lesson in plain living and high
linking. These sentences will have
he best consequences. Every honest
can IN England feels safer TODAY, and
very wealthy rogue feels more insecure.
is good deal TO know that prison. ]
'alls are not reserved for poor rsganuf-
rs who steal pennies, bus may also be- !
0me familiar to well. dressed person- I
ges, who bring ruin on thousands OF
antilles, and dash about with fine equi- :
sges The number CT such has been
citing uDpleasan;Iy large Of late. I