Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/51

ment, but placed his hands for support on been connected with the banking-house for the front of the dock, and stood in the most seventeen years, — in fact, ever since Mr. dejected way while the Deputy Clerk of the Fauntleroy had been admitted as a partner. Arraigns repeated the seven different indict Mr. Plank, a police-officer, deposed to find ments for forgery. The reading of these ing two boxes at Mr. Fauntleroy's house. occupied twenty minutes. One of them had the prisoner's name upon The first indictment charged Henry it. Both were opened with keys found in Mr. Fauntleroy (no respect now to the great Fauntleroy's desk. Among the contents of rich man) with forging a deed with intent one of these boxes was found the extraor to defraud Frances Young of five thousand dinary document referred to by the Attorneypounds' stock, and also with forging a power General. of attorney with intent to defraud the Bank Crushing as the evidence already pre of England. sented had been, this document had death The Attorney-General then, gathering up written all over it. It was sufficient to have his heap of notes, and tossing his silk gown hanged twenty bankers. higher over his shoulders, set to work to fit It was, in fact, a confession, in the prison the noose securely and legally round the er's own handwriting, and rendered further neck of the unhappy banker. Fauntleroy's evidence almost unnecessary. It contained father, he stated, had been a partner in the the following items : De la Place, eleven bank from its very first establishment, and thousand one hundred and fifty pounds continued so until his death in 1807, at three per cent consols; E. W. Young, five which period the prisoner became a partner, thousand pounds consols; General Young, and soon rose to be the most active and six thousand pounds consols; Frances Young, working member of the firm. In 18 1 5 five thousand pounds consols; H. Kelley, Frances Young, of Chichester, a customer six thousand pounds consols; Lady Nelson, of the house, lodged in the hands of the eleven thousand nine hundred and ninetyfirm a power of attorney to receive the divi five pounds consols; Earl of Ossory, seven dends on five thousand four hundred and thousand pounds four per cents; W. Bowen, fifty pounds three per cent consols. These nine thousand four hundred pounds four per dividends were regularly received; but soon cents; Parkins, four thousand pounds con afterward another power of attorney was sols. Sums were also placed to the names presented to the bank, authorizing the pris of Mrs. Pelham, Lady Aboyne, W. R. and oner to sell that stock, and he sold it. It H. Fauntleroy, and Elizabeth Fauntleroy. was afterward found that he had forged the The Attorney-General observed that the name of Frances Young, and the names of sum total, one hundred and twenty thousand the two attesting witnesses. Since the dis pounds, appeared at the foot of this list in covery, a paper of singular importance had the prisoner's handwriting. The statement been found proving this. (What this paper was followed by this declaration : " In order was it will be better for us to state further to keep up the credit of our house, I have on.) forged powers of the attorney for the above Without going into the evidence in detail, sums and parties, and sold out to the it will be sufficient to state that the forgery amount here stated, and without the knowl of Miss Young's name to the power, as well edge of my partners. I kept up the pay as the names of the attesting witnesses, was ment of the dividends, but made no entries proved beyond all doubt. The evidence on of such payments in our books. The Bank this point was overwhelming in its nature; began first to refuse to discount our accep the principal witnesses being Miss Young tances, and to destroy the credit of our herself, and a Mr. James Tyson, who had house; the Bank shall smart for it."