Causes Cclvbres. the neat bank-parlor, laid his large brawny hands on Mr. Fauntleroy's shoulder, and ap prehended him on a charge of forging pow ers of attorney by which he had disposed of three hundred and sixty thousand pounds' worth of other people's Bank of England stock. The old clerks almost fainted; the young clerks derided the charge in a tremu lous way; the partners sympathized; stray persons in the bank on business were horri fied, and almost thought the end of the world had come. On those thin, white, perhaps rather mischievous hands the grim, bright steel handcuffs, as bracelets, must have looked sadly unfitting. It was remarkable, however, that, considering the worthy and most respectable banker's perfect and pal pable innocency, Mr. Fauntleroy seemed to expect the unpleasant visit, and locked the desk at which he sat with considerable care just as the police-officer entered the sacred room. The key was taken from the bank er's watch-chain at the Marlborough Street office, and was found to lead to most impor tant discoveries, affecting, indeed, half the commercial interest of London. A palsy of horror and fear seized the ten ants of bank parlors the next morning, when, throwing carelessly open the wet and flowing sheet of the " Times," their eyes fell on a paragraph in large type, headed in thrilling capitals : — "Arrest of Mr. Fauntleroy, the eminent banker, on a charge of Forgery!!!" What pallor must have fallen on respec table, grave faces! How many gold spec tacles must have been taken off, as if to get more air! What stimulants of snuff must have been inhaled! How many gray heads must have met with ominous looks over ledgers! Before Mr. Fauntleroy's trial took place endless ledgers had been conned, bank books footed up, tin boxes ransacked, and stupendous discoveries made. When the day of the trial arrived, the court was full of bankers, merchants, literary men, and West-
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End men, who had either been robbed by Fauntleroy or had shared his hospitality at his pleasant dinner-parties. The prisoner, with his powdered hair and dress as immacu late as ever, stood pale, nervous, and humble at the bar. Fauntleroy had really -embez zled about four hundred thousand pounds; but the Bank of England prosecuted for only one hundred and seventy thousand pounds, which he had obtained by forged powers of attorney in the years 1814, 1815. The grand jury of the city of London found true bills against Mr. Fauntleroy on several charges of forgery, and the trial was appointed to take place on Oct. 30, 1824. The sheriffs determined to obviate the inconveniences of a crowded court by preventing any persons entering it as mere spectators who were not provided with tick ets signed by themselves. Nevertheless, the galleries, which were claimed as private property under control of particular officers of the corporation, were farmed out with great zeal at a guinea a seat. Long before eight o'clock a throng be gan to assemble at the Old Bailey doors, and a tremendous crush was expected; but, as often happens in these cases, so many people feared the crowd, that, after all, no very great crowd came. The price of the gallery-seats had deterred the public, and there were not more than twenty persons in them. Mr. ex-Sheriff Parkins made himself rather conspicuous by his remarkable eager ness for the commencement of the trial, and his great apprehension lest some unforeseen circumstance should produce delay. At ten o'clock Mr. Justice Park and Mr. Baron Garrow entered the court, accom panied by the Lord Mayor. The prisoner was dressed in a full suit of black, and his gray hair was, as usual, powdered. His previous firmness seemed to desert him now when placed at the bar. His step was trem ulous, his face pale and thinner than on his first examination at Marlborough Street. He never raised his head, even for a mo
