The Sun. — 1850-02-16 (London, England)

BOW-STREET.  FORGERY UPON TUE ADMlRALTY.—Yesterday William John R. Smith, of St. Thomas terrace, Newcastleuprn-Tyne, formerly a clerk in the Admiralty, and another individual, were brought uO in the custody of Inspector Field, detective offi ter, and placed at the bar before Mr. Jardine, charged with obtaining money to the amount of 531. 121. 10d. by means of farged documents purporting to be signed by the authorities in the colonies for the passage and sustenance c f distressed British seamen to this country. Mr. Swainson, assistant-solicitor to the Admiralty, in briefly stating the case, said that the prisoners were charged with two distinct offences under the 11th Geo. IV., cap. 20, s. 82, the attention of the authorities being drawn to the circumstance of several forgeries having been committed and large sums obtained by such means. When seamen became distressed at a distance from this country, upon obtaining an order from the proper authorities a free passage and sustenance to this country were granted them, the captain of the vessel in which they were conveyed being entitled, upon making the necessary declaration, to is. per head. The prisoner Smith had been employed as a clerk in the Accountant-general's department, from which he was discharged, and he had the means of knowing the manner in which such claims were established, one of which having been made by an assumed agent, and signing the name " Walter Bevis," for the amount in questior, an investigation took place, and there being no doubt that such signature and the bodies of the documents bore a strong resemblance to Smith's handwriting, suspicion naturally fell upOn him. The:other prisoner was found in his company, but he was not aware that any charge could be distinctly proved against him, although the constables were induced to take him also into custody, on the presumption that he was concerned in the forgerier. Mr. Antonio Brady, a clerk in the Accountant-General's office in the Admiralty, at Somerset House, said that Smith had formerly been employed under him, and being reported for misconduct, he was discharged in the montli of April, 1847. The documents produced, purporting to be signed by the secretary to the Governor of Ceylon, who happened at present to be in town, were received at the office for the expenses incurred in bringing home distressed seamen, and to the best of his belief were all in the handwriting of the prisoner Smith. The declaration in support of such payments was an entire fabrication, there never having been such ships, nor was the name of the agent or captain mentioned in it known, in addition to which a memorandum was found in the prisoner's possession relating to the several documents. The Inspector said that he was at the Admiralty on the morning when a young man came in and asked for the papers belonging to Mr. Bevis, and being told to call atain he went away, followed by Sergeant Thorntan, another detective officer. Thornton proved that he followed the person to ertoaCfthan; cery-lane, where he was joined by Smith, shortn toE i Fleet-street, e conversationt-s tr :e the he wwent a withway ; the hr b but eSmith p rhavingson eprisoner, gone who i publichouse in waitingßuefi,:iroghhimarnin.satreceatb,, awnhderteheysmdriothve_wtoaas public identified by the officials belonging to the Admiralty after he attempted to escape. The Inspector informed the Court that Smith said the other prisoner had nothing to do with the transaction ; that they had become acquainted through and at the office ho said he would cDoenrfbeyss.sweeps  Mr. JARDINE, having ascertained that the second per. son would be forthcoming at a future day, ordered hint to enter int') his own reeognizancei in the sum of 3 for that purpose, and Smith was remanded.  The voluminous depositions of the witnesses were then read over by Mr. Johnstone, the second clerk, and th• prisoner was fully committed to Newgtve for trial upra the charge of " Wilful Murder."