The Sun. — 1822-12-09 (London, England)

CAMPBELL.  Francis Field, clerk in the Bank of England, produced the ledger of that establishment; on referring to it, he found there was entered to the credit of John Wait and John Cox, the sum of 2,1891. 17s. Id. It was entered in July, 1818, and was placed to the joint monies of those persons. John Drury, who formerly lived with the prisoner at Birmingham, and who was acquainted with his handwriting, swore' that the signatures, &c. to the documents produced, were Mr. Wait's writing. John Sherlock, another person who had been in the employ of. Mr. Wait, likewise swore to his handwriting. William Shepherd, stationer, Corn-street, Bristol—Ptisoner came to me in the latter end of 1821, to witness his name to a power of attorney. The warrant produced is the one ; he desired the blanks to be filled up ; witness wrote from his dictation ; witness wrote "John Wait," according to his dictation. The prisoner signed the deed. No other person was present. Mr. Davies was directly opposite. Davies witnessed likewise ; witness attested it ; 'Wait then signed, and took it away. Witness did not see it again till it was before the Magistrates. Thomas Davis, auctioneer, Bristol, lived opposite to the last witness. Witnessed the deed produced ; Wait and Shepherd were there. No person named Cox was there. To the best of witness's belief, the name of 'Wait only was there ; he did not , see the name of Cox there at the time witness attested it ; the name was certainly not there. John Cox lives 12 miles from Bristol. Witness produced the probate of the will of James Mitchell, bequeathing to the witness 2,0001. Wait was one of the trustees. In October, 1815, Wait accompanied witness to the Castle Bank, Bristol, to invest the money in Three per Cent. Consols. Mr. Courtenay suggested that it should be placed in witness's name, with Wait's, as a second trustee was not present. Witness never gave any person authority to sell such stock. The hand-writing of " John Cox" on the deed now produced is not his. The name Cox in the power of attorney is now different from what it was when witness saw it before the Magistrate. The witness's usual mode of writing the Cis not as it is here. 'Witness observed at the time he first saw it that it was no imitation, as it was quite contrary to his manner of making the C. Ile also remarked that the C beginning the name of the street, in the attestation, was of the same character with that of the signature. Never received any dividend from the stock.  The prisoner's letters to Mr. Underhill, stockbroker, were read. They stated that he had been recommended to Mr. U. by Mr. Hall, and desired him to sell out the money in question. Other letters on the same business were also read. Letters were also put in from John Cox, addressed to the Bank, disclaiming any knowledge of the power of attorney which he had heard had been presented. The power 'of attorney was read. Mr. Serjeant PELL took an objection to`the indictment. The power of attorney just read did not, as it ought to do, correspond with the indictment. In the former were the following words— " Consolidated Three per Cent. Annuities—sale of 2,1891.175.," but they were omitted in the latter. The COURT overruled the objection: The prisoner declined making any defence. Charles Jones, wine-merchant, Mark-lane, London, was partner with the prisoner from 1811 to 1816 i • during that time witness had frequent opportunities of seeing his writing.—[The letter, of September, 1822, was, here put into the witness's hand:l—Witness had seen the letter before. It was shown to him by a Gentleman from the Bank. The letters I. T. Waitt" a little resemble prisoner's hand-writing, but the other parts are very unlike. Every transaction of the prisoner's known to the witness was strictly honourable; his general character was that of an honest man.  In answer to a question from the Court:—.l should not have thought the letter his hand-writing if it had been sent to me. James George, Esq. Mayor of Bristol ; Mr. Cabe, one of the Sheriffs of Bristol ; Sir Richard Vaughan, one of the Alder. men of Bristol; Richard Hart Davies, Esq. M.P. ; Mr. ProtherOe • the Rev. Mr. Biddulph, Rector of St. James's, and ten other gentlemen, gave the prisoner the highest character for honour and integrity during a period of froth twenty to thirty years. This was the case for the defence,  Mr. Underhill was recalled by the Court as to' the receiving the letter containing the power of attorney, for the purpose of proving the uttering in London ; and on being shown the letter, after some hesitation he declared it to be the one he had received.  Mr. Justice BAILEY summed up, and th'e Jury found: the prisoner Guilty, but recommended him to mercy, on account of his former good character, Mr. Justice BAILEY said that the Jury might rely upon the recommendation being duly made known at the fountain of mercy. Jame: Gilchrist, aged 19; was capitally convicted of stealing in a dwelling-house.  For the last quarter of a cent►rry there has been a remarkable change in the climate of this, country. Formerly there was scarcely a fine day in November, as there was almost constant fogs, rain, or mists for a succession of days, and it was characterised as suicide month in England. It is worth inquiring into the cause, whether there has been any particular change in the climate of Europe ; or whether it is partial, and that the climate of England has been improved by irrigation, and the conveyance of the water from marshy lands into canals, and thus contracting the surface of the waters, which otherwise would produce fogs and mists.