Year: 1873




might have some refreshment


HIS Lordship gave brief outline OF the general
character OF the prisoners proceedings and the
circumstances under which the account was orr
ginally opened with the Bank OF England BY the
prisoner Austin Bidwell, and OF the circumstances
under Wnich M the forged bills were subsequently nj
there might have been q little want OF caution on
the part Of the bank authorities but 1t should not
spectacle customer Mr.. Green, and that he paid IN
a considerable sum of mOney-sl, ,2oO-and these
were circumstances well calculated TO aliay suspl.
the statement OF Of mcdonnell was true:
est Asn Bawe had Mn
affair. His LOrdship next proceeded to deal with
the case OF Noyes who, he SAID, was represented
and the jury would have to consider whether. upon
the iacts, they could come to the conclusion that
this was his position. AS to his being stranger
it was quite clear that this could not be true, be-
cause 1t was proved that he was telegraphed to by
the prisoner, Austin Biawell, in August, and again
in December a peremp.ory order was sent to him
to come TO England by the next Wednesday, IS
steamer, and 1, was evident that he dld start IN
a great hurry, because he brought no luggage
with him, and nothing at oil except q small
valise. II also appeared that Austin Bidwell
had engaged room for him at the hotel,
and had told the Iandady that he expected q
friend, and when he arrived he was introduced by
the name OF Brooks. He then called the attention
Of the jury TO what took place the dinner on the
Christmas Day, when, according to the evidence OF
Ellen Vernon, all the prisoners were on the most
friendly and intimate TERMS and 1t was for the jury
0 s s
the other prisoners. The Judge tnen called
the attention OF the jury 10 the other material
points in the evidence, and cOncluded Dy ieaVine
the case in their hands.


THE VERDICT.


The Jury retired at Quarter-past seven O'CLOCK to
deliberate. They returned into court in about
twenty minutes. and found all the prisoners
guilty.


The prisoners were then formally asked whether
they had anything to say why Judgment should
not be passed upon them


The prisoner Austin BldweD asked wnetner M rdae ne
that he might lay before the Court some incidents
OF his past life. He could, however only speak OF
time wasted and OF opportunities thrown away
and this he supposed would not avail him, and
therefore he should not press the application. He
desired, however, to take that opportunity OF
making the only reparatiOn in his power to one
gentleman, Colonel Francis and to express his
sorrow at the wrong he had done him. When his
resentment had passed away he hoped that Colonel
OF what he mad done.


Macdonnell next addressed the Court and said
that, SO lar as he was concerned he had nothing to
say with respect to the verdict, but he wished to
say few words in reference to the prisoner Hills


Mr.. Justice Archibald told him he could not be
permitted to do that.


Macdonnell went on to state that all he wished to
say was that Hills knew nothing whatever of the
forgery, and all that he was told was that It was
their Intention to Introduce some shares of depre-
ciated American mines on the Stock Exchange.


GEORGE BIDwELL


then addressed the Court, and he commenced by
complaining that all his own property had been
taken away from him, and he was without shil-
ling. He inquired whether Ais LOrdshlp could not
make an order that some portion CT this property
should be returned to himy


Mr.. Justice Archibald said he had no power to
enter into this question.


George Bidweil then said that so far as he was
concerned. he did not ask for mercy, but he did
ask for mercy tor his brother. He was twelve years
younger than himself, and he might never have
been in the position he now was but for him. He
ina maj rri a
he entreated the Court to have mercy upon him
and give him another chance.


The prisoner NOyes then briefly addressed his
lordshp and he SAID he would not deny that he
knew his fellow prisoners when he came to Lon
don but he declared thai he never knew that
tody. He admitted that he knew that
he thought 1t related to the placing Of shares in
deprecated mines upon the Stock Exchange. He
emphatcally that he knew nothing about
the tOrgeries, and prayed his ordship to consider
whether there were not some mitigating clrcum-
in his He concluded 6y =, SAYING that
SSaSe III TO saoW y ana ne


THE SENTENCE.


Mr. Justice Archibald then addressed the
prisoners, and said that although they were only
charged in the Indictment upon which they had
been convicted with forging one bill OF exchange,
the evidence that it was necessary for the prose-
charge made it quite clear that they had
al been engaged in in a scheme scheme Of Of





conception, Its magnitude, and the skill with
which it was carried out, was completely un-
paralleed. He could not see any mitigating cir
cumstances in the case OF any one OF them. They
were not pressed by want, but had the command
OF a considerable sum OF money, and they were
not persons who might, perhaps, have been ig-
norant OF the terrible consequences in q com
mercial community like this that were likely to be
occasoned by such acts those OF which they
had been guilty. Their crime was aggravated by
the fact that they were men possessed OF educa-
ton, who could speak several languages, and who
must have been well aware OF the nature and
effect OF what they were doing, and the
serious shock that was likely to be given to
credit by the course they were
pursuing. Those who acted IN such manner
must expect, when they were reached by the arm
OF tn law, to receive terrible retributon at its
hands. SO far as they were concerned, he could
not see any distinction in their cases, and II he
could have conceived any case OF forgery worse
than theirs he would have considered whether he
might have been justified in refraining from going
to the full extent of the law in the present instance
He was unable to conceive worse case, and ne
therefore felt 1t TO be his duty to order each of them
to be kept in penal servitude Tor life, and he also
made an order that each OF them should pay one
fourth OF the expenses OF the prosecution.


The prisoners, who exhibited a most detected
and downcast appearance, were then removed.