Page:Facts, failures and frauds- revelations, financial, mercantile, criminal.djvu/109

TACTS, FAILURES, Ayo FRAUDS. 07 the funds of the company, and provide accordingly. When the cheques that wore returned from the bankers' were verified, it was the duty of the prisoner to tie them up in a bundle in regular order, so that they might always be referred to as vouchers both for the bank and the company. In the latter end of 18iS and the beginning of 1819 he received information that the prisoner had embarked in some theatrical speculations and witness remonstrated with him upon the impropriety of a person in his position being connected with such matters. Witness had understood that he was connected with the Olympic Theatre at the time ho made this communication to him. On the 4th of last March the secretary made a statement to him relating to irregularities in the pass-books and other matters, and an investigation was immediately set on foot, and the cheque for £1400 was sought for, but could not be found among any of the vouchers. Witness immediately sealed up the whole of the prisoner's papers, and while he was doing so he came in, and witness told him to go to his own private room, and he then sent for his father, who was the cashier to the company. Witness, in the presence of both, then said that great irregularities had been discovered in the cash transactions of the office, and before he took any step in the matter, he thought it right to call them both before him, as he thought they must both be involved in them. The prisoner asked him what he accused him of, and witness replied that he made no accusation, but his own conscience would tell him more than he (witness) could possibly know at that time, and he added that it was evident that very large sums had been abstracted from the funds of the company. The prisoner's father vehemently protested his innocence, and declared that every shilling that had passed through his hands had been punctually paid to the bankers, and witness believed that was true. Witness then asked the prisoner if he could say the same thing, and he replied that he declined to say anything. Witness said he would leave the father and son together for ten minutes, and when ho returned at the expiration of that time, he found they were gone; and shortly afterwards he met the prisoner on the stairs, and he said that he had been disgraced in the office by having his papers sealed up, and he asked witness to seal up all the other books and papers of the company. He replied that ho should use his own discretion as to that, and the prisoner then said he was a proprietor as well as witness, and ho had done nothing that he need be ashamed of, and ho would not stop there. Witness told him not to bluster, and that he had formed a very bad estimate of his character if he thought it would have any effect upon him, and the prisoner then went away and did not return. Witness afterwards received a letter from the prisoner resigning his appointment.

The letter was put in and read. It was dated March 6, 1850, and was to the effect that after the accusation that had been brought forward against him on the previous day, he (prisoner) felt that he had no alternative but