Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

now residing there was Lord Cochrane's,
and that they came in only on Friday last.
Sayer asked the coachman if he had any re-
collection of the servant, he replied, that it
was not the same footman who opened the
door on Monday when the Gentleman
alighted. At a subsequent examination,
Sayer stated, that he had obtained informa-
tion in the neighbourhood, that Mr. Du-
rand left No. 13, Green-street, on Wed-livered the fifty one-pound notes.
nesday, February the 16th, and that Lord
Cochrane came in a day or two afterwards.
-Sayer being instructed to obtain the
most correct information upon this subject,
stated, at another examination, that he had
ascertained that Lord Cochrane came into
the house, No. 13, Green-street, on Thurs-
day, Feb. 17, but that it is uncertain whe-
ther Mr. Durand slept there that night or
not; he likewise stated, that he had ascer-
tained that Lord Cochrane, his brother,
and three or four more men, live in the
house; that the man-servant had been turn-
ed off, and another hired; that the servant
who let in the pretended Du Bourgh is sent
into the country; that the maid-servant is
not allowed to be seen or spoken to; that
the house is Mr. Durand's, who has let it
(furnished) to Lord Cochrane; that Mrs.
Durand has been seen to wear such a cap as
the one which the pretended Du Bourgh is
said to have worn.

Mr. Thomas Christmas stated, that he was a clerk to Mr. Fearn, but could not recollect having exchanged the notes in question; he, however, said, that he would not take his oath he did not. After much hesitation and apparent unwillingness, he at length acknowledged that he had exchanged the four ten-pound and two fivepound notes for Mr. Butt, to whom he de

Mr. Glover, from the Bank of England, investigator of Bank-notes, stated, that the four ten-pound bank-notes which had been delivered by Mr. Butt to Thomas Christmas, in order to get exchanged, were paid on February 16, by Messrs. Bond and Co. in part of the value of a draft for 751. drawn by Mr. Fearn, and payable to Mr. Butt.

Mr. Laurence (chairman of the committee) stated, that he had been to Messrs. Bond and Co. bankers, and had ascertained that the four 17. Bank-notes which the pretended Du Bourgh is said to have paid away to the landlord of the Ship-inn, Dover, together with another 17. note which he had paid away on the road, were in their hands between the hours of one and two o'clock on Saturday, the 19th of February; on being asked whether they could tell to whom they had paid away any quantity of 11. notes after that time on Saturday, they said they could not without a great deal of trouble, but that if Mr. Lawrence would mention the name of any person, they would turn to their account, and endeavour to ascertain the fact: he requested them to see if any cheque of Mr. Fearn's was paid on that day, wholly or in part, in 11. notes; but it did not appear that any of his cheques were paid in that way. One of his clerks, however, stated, that about three or four o'clock on that day, Mr. Thomas Christmas, a clerk to Mr. Fearn, requested to have fifty 17. notes in exchange for four 101, notes and two 57. notes, which were accordingly given to him.

Mr. Joseph Fearn, a stock-broker, stated, that he knew Lord Cochrane, the Honourable A. Cochrane Johnstone, and Mr. R. G. Butt; that he had been in the habit of transacting business for each of them in the public funds; that on the morning of the 21st of February, he sold for various persons Consols and Omnium to a very large amount, in the whole about 928,000l. Öf this sum there were sold for

Lord Cochrane

Omnium. Consols. 139,000l. None. Hon.A.C.Johnstone 120,000/. 100,000!. Mr. Butt 154,000l. 168,000. most of which had been purchased in the course of the week preceding; that Mr. Butt often acts for Lord Cochrane, in his instructions to buy and sell stock, and that such bargains are always acknowledged as correct by Lord Cochrane; that Lord Cochrane, Mr. C. Johnstone, and Mr. Butt, were with him by ten o'clock on the morning of the 21st of February; that Mr. Cochrane Johnstone took an office for him in Shorter's-court, (next door to the StockExchange) without his knowledge, and that he entered it on the morning of the 21st of February; that although he sold a great deal of stock on that day, yet (with the exception of the three names above mentioned) he did not sell for any one person above 55,000l. ; that Lord Cochrane bought 20,000l. of the omnium above mentioned, on Saturday, Feb. 19, and Mr. Cochrane Johnstone bought 60,000l. of it on Friday, Feb. 18; that he thinks Mr. Cochrane Johnstone and Mr. Butt acted in concert on Monday, Feb. 21, although at other times they have occasionally acted different ways in the purchase and sale of stock; that the whole of the above business was done for the next settling days, and not for money.

the city, and over Blackfriars-bridge, down the New-cut, towards the Marsh-gate; that the men had cocked hats with a white cockade in each; that the horses were decorated with laurel; that they came from Dartford to London in about an hour and an half; that they all three got out about two hundred yards from the Marsh-gate, where they arrived about twelve o'clock, and tying up their cocked hats, walked off in round ones; that he knows Sandom very well, but does not know the other two; that these two others had blue great coats on, one of which was laced across; that one of them is a thin man, and the other had a roundish face; that he thinks he should know one of them again, but is not certain of knowing the other. Sandom gave the post-boys twelve shillings each, but did not settle for the chaise; that he had seen Sandem since.

Mr. Hichens, a stock-broker, was sent | Sandom and two other persons at Dartford, for, but it being understood that he was in a post-chaise and four; that he was orconfined to his bed with a severe fit of ill-dered to drive over London-bridge, through ness, Mr. Wakefield, (one of the Sub-committee) waited upon him, and learned from him, that although he had known Mr. Cochrane Johnstone for some years, yet he had not done any business for him in the Public Funds before the present year, that about the 8th of February he began to make some purchases in Omnium, which had increased to such an extent, that on the 14th of February it amounted to 565,000l. -that of this sum 200,000l. was sold on February the 16th, and 115,000/. on February the 17th,-that the remaining sum of 250,000/, was sold on the morning of Feb. the 21st;-that out of this sum of 250,000/, it was stated by Mr. Cochrane Johnstone, that 50,000l. was for a friend of his, and he consented to be a guarantee for any loss which might accrue that he does not know Lord Cochrane or Mr. Butt. Mr. Smallbone, a stock-broker, stated that he had bought (a few days prior to February the 21st) 40,000l. omnium for Mr. Cochrane Johnstone and 40,000l. omnium for Mr. Butt; that both these were sold in the morning of Feb. the 21st; that the bargains were made for the next settling day, and not for money.

Mr. Wolfe stated, that on the evening of the 21st of February he was at the Carolina Coffee-house, where he saw Sandom, who said that he had received an order to bring the two persons to town with him; that Sandom shewed him the order, which was written in French; a gentleman present copied it.

Mr. P. Foxall, master of the Rose-inn, Dartford, wrote to the Sub-committee, enclosing Mr. Sandom's order for the chaise, and at the same time mentioning that Sandom had not yet called to pay for it.

Mr. J. M. Richardson, (a bookseller, but occasionally acting as a stock-broker), stated, that on the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. the 19th, Mr. Butt applied to him to buy 150,000l. omnium for the next settling day; that he had once purchased 20,000l. omnium for him, and gained ths per cent. Mr. Vinn stated, that on Tuesday, Feon the transaction; but that he declined en- bruary the 15th, he met by appointment tering on so large a speculation as the one at the Carolina Coffee-house, a person now proposed; that, however, he did pur-named Alexander M'Rae, whom he had chase 30,000/. omnium for him as he re- formerly known; that Mr. M'Rae proquested; and that he sold it on the morn-posed to him a plan similar in every respect ing of February the 21st.

[From these statements it appears, that on the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 19, the three parties above-mentioned may be considered as having purchased for the next settling days the following sums, viz.-Omnium. Consols. Lord Cochrane 139,000. None. Hon.A.C.Johnstone 410,000l. 100,000l. Mr. Butt 224,000l. 168,000l.

[ocr errors][merged small]

to that which was adopted on the following Monday by the pretended Du Bourgh; that if he would personate the Messenger, he would have all his expenses paid, and would be handsomely rewarded for his trouble. Mr. Vinn, however, considering it to be a dishonourable transaction, declined having any thing to do with it, and has since been very active in endeavouring to find out M'Rae, but hitherto without any effect: M'Rae is considered as a man in distressed circumstances, and as intentionally secreting himself from the public.

Mr. Holloway, having requested to attend the Committee, stated, that although he knew Mr. Sandom and Mr. M'Rae, yet he was totally unacquainted with the plot,

which was carried into effect on February the 21st; that he certainly did sell some stock on that day, but not so much as he had been in the habit of doing at other times, when a rise in the public funds took place.

Mr. R. Sandom having requested to attend the Committee, stated that he resided at Northfleet; that about an hour before day-light on the morning of February the 21st, two men, dressed like foreigners, and pretending to have come recently from the coast of France, landed near his house from a six-oared galley, and having called him up, delivered to him a note, purporting to have been written by a person of the name of Partridge, whom he had formerly known at Dover, requesting him to take these two persons to London, who had great public news to communicate to Government, but not to suffer them to be at any expense; that he accordingly did order a chaise from Dartford, and they proceeded (in the manner already described) to Marsh-gate, where they alighted; that they then went to Westminster-bridge, and took a boast to Whitehall, and on entering one of the passages of that building, the two men took leave of him, by saying they had no farther occasion for his services: that he has not seen or heard of them since; that he has, however, seen Partridge, and finds that the order sent to him was a forgery. Mr. Sandom stated, that he had no account in the Stock Exchange; that he had disclaimed all knowledge of any of the parties in the plot, and said that for some time he believed the report (which was circulated) to have been

true.

Lord Cochrane's Affidavit. Having obtained leave of absence to come to town in consequence of scandalous paragraphs in the public papers; and in consequence of having learnt that hand-bills had been affixed in the streets in which, I have since seen, it is asserted that a person came to my house, at No. 13, Greenstreet, on the twenty-first day of February, in open day, and in the dress in which he had committed a fraud, I feel it due to inyself to make the following Deposition, that the Public may know the truth relative to the only person seen by me in Military Uniform at my house on that day.

COCHRANE. 13, Green-street, March 11, 1814.

No. 13, Green-street, Grosvenor-street,
March 11, 1814.
"I, Sir Thomas Cochrane, commonly

called Lord Cochrane, having been appointed by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to active service (at the request, I believe, of Sir Alexander Cochrane) when I had no expectation of being called on, I obtained leave of absence to settle my private affairs previous to quitting this country, and chiefly with a view to lodge a specification to a patent relative to a discovery for increasing the intensity of light. That in pursuance of my daily practice of superintending work that was executing for me, and knowing that my uncle, Mr. Cochrane Johnstone, went to the City every morning in a coach, I do swear, on the morning of the 21st of February, which day was impressed on my mind by circumstances which afterwards occurred, I breakfasted with him at his residence in Cumberland-street, about half past eight o'clock, and I was put down by him (and Mr. Butt was in the coach) on Snow-hill, about ten o'clock.——That I had been about three quarters of an hour at Mr. King's manufactory, at No. 1, Cocklane, when I received a few lines on a small bit of paper, requesting me to come immediately to my house; the name affixed, from being written close to the bottom, I could not read: the servant told me it was from an army officer, and concluding that he might be an officer from Spain, and that some accident had befallen to my brother, I hastened back, and I found Captain Berenger, who in great seeming uneasiness made many apologies for the freedom he had used, which nothing but the distressed state of his mind, arising from difficulties, could have induced him to do. All his prospects he said had failed, and his last hope had vanished of obtaining an appointment in America. He was unpleasantly circumstanced on account of a sum which he could not pay, and if he could, that others would fall upon him for full 80001. He had no hope of benefiting his creditors in his present situation, or of assisting himself. That if I would take him with me, he would immediately go on board and exercise the Sharpshooters (which plan Sir Alexander Cochrane I knew had approved of). That he had left his lodgings, and prepared himself in the best way his means allowed. He had brought the sword with him, which had been his father's, and to that and to Sir Alexander he would trust for obtaining an honourable appointment.I felt very uneasy at the distress he was in, and knowing him to be a man of great talent and science, I told him I would do every thing in my power to relieve him; but as to his

[ocr errors]

going immediately to the Tonnant with | I cannot speak of my own knowledge, havany comfort to himself, it was quite ing been almost constantly from home, arimpossible. My cabin was without furni- ranging my private affairs. I have underture; I had not even a servant on board. stood that many persons have called under He said he would willingly mess any where. the above circumstances, and have written I told him that the ward-room was already notes in the parlour, and others have waited crowded, and besides, I could not with there in expectation of seeing me, and then propriety take him, he being a foreigner, gone away; but I most positively swear, without leave from the Admiralty. He that I never saw any person at my house seemed greatly hurt at this, and recalled to resembling the description, and in the dress my recollection Certificates which he had stated in the printed advertisement of the formerly shewn me from persons in official Members of the Stock Exchange: I further situations; Lord Yarmouth, General Jen- aver, that I had no concern, directly or kinson, and Mr. Reeves, I think, were indirectly, in the late imposition, and that amongst the number. I recommended him the above is all that I know relative to any to use his endeavour to get them or any person who came to my house in uniform other friends to exert their influence, for I on the 21st day of February before alluded had none; adding, that when the Tonnant to. Captain Berenger wore a grey great went to Portsmouth, I should be happy to coat, a green uniform, and a military cap. receive him; and I knew from Sir Alexander Cochrane, that he would be pleased if he accomplished that object. Captain Berenger said, that not anticipating any objection on my part from the conversation he had formerly had with me, he had come away with intention to go on board, and make himself useful in his military capacity; he could not go to Lord Yarmouth, or to any other of his friends in this dress (alluding to that which he had on), or return to his lodgings, where it would excite suspicion (as he was at that time in the rules of the King's Bench), but that if I refused to let him join the ship now, he would do so at Portsmouth. Under present circumstances, however, he must use a great liberty, and request the favour of me to lend him a hat to wear instead of his military cap: I gave him one which was in a back room with some things that had not been packed up, and having tried it on, his uniform appeared under his great coat; I therefore offered him a black coat that was laying on a chair, and which I did not intend to take with me: he put up his uniform in a towel, and shortly afterwards went away in great apparent uneasiness of mind; and having asked my leave, he took the coach I came in, and which I had forgotten to discharge in the haste I was in.I do further depose, that the above conversation is the substance of all that passed with Captain Berenger, which from the circumstances attending it, was strongly impressed upon my mind: that no other person in uniform was seen by me at my house, on Monday, the 21st of February, though possibly other officers may have called (as many have done since my appointment); of this, however,

From the manner in which my character has been attempted to be defamed, it is indispensibly necessary to state that my connection in any way with the Funds arose from an impression that in the present favourable aspect of affairs, it was only necessary to hold Stock, in order to become a gainer, without prejudice to any body: that I did so openly, considering it in no degree improper, far less dishonourable: that I had no secret information of any kind; and that had my expectation of the success of affairs been disappointed, I should have been the only sufferer. -Further I do most solemnly swear, That the whole of the Omnium on account, which I possessed on the twenty-first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, amounted to one hundred and thirty-nine thousand pounds, which I bought by Mr. Fearn (I think) on the twelfth ultimo, at a premium of twenty-eight and a quarter: that I did not hold on that day any other sum on account, in any other Stock, directly or indirectly; and that I had given orders when it was bought, to dispose of it on a rise of one per cent. and it actually was sold on an average at twenty-nine and a half premium, though on the day of the fraud it might have been disposed of at thirty-three and a half. I further swear, That the above is the only Stock which I sold of any kind on the twenty-first day of February, except two thousand pounds in money which I had occasion for; the profit of which was about ten pounds.Further I do solemnly depose, That I had no connexion or dealing with any one, save the, above-mentioned, and that I did not at any time, directly or indirectly, by myself, or

by any other, take or procure any office or apartment for any Broker or other person for the transaction of Stock affairs. GOCHRANE.

Sworn at my House in Great Queenstreet, Lincoln's Inn-fields, in the county of Middlesex, the eleventh day of March, 1814, before me,

A. GRAHAM.

the Committee of the Stock-Exchange, for
inserting falsehoods as infamous and un-
founded as ever appeared in publication.
R. G. BUTT.
Ibbetson's Hotel, Vere-st. near Bond-st.
March 12, 1814.

Such are the documents illustrative of this transaction; and, I think, it is hardly necessary, even upon the showing of the Mr. Cochrane Johnstone's Letter. Committee themselves, to pronounce, that MR. EDITOR,Although the public the parties accused have been falsely accused newspapers have of late been filled with and shamefully aspersed by the public statements affecting my character, originating from the Members of the Stock-Ex- prints. What are the circumstances upon which the charge is founded? First, that change Committee, I have thought it to be the Hoaxer (for I will call him neither cheat my duty to remain silent until the Report, daily promised from that Committee, should nor impostor) went to the house of Lord Cochrane. Grant this to be true; does it be printed, and that I should be put in pos- follow that my Lord Cochrane knew of the session of it. Having this day seen it by hoax? His Lordship has shown, that he accident, for it is only circulated among had very good grounds for listening to the their own body, although it was the bounden duty of the Committee, if they had been story of Mr. Berenger, and, in a subsequent men of honour, to have sent me a copy of publication, he has shown, that the idea of Mr. Berenger going out in his ship origi it, I can no longer refrain from publiclynated, not with himself, but with Sir Alexcontradicting the infamous and unfounded ander Cochrane, and that the Admiralty statements contained in the said report, also had, in some sort, given their countewhich can be done upon oath by the very parties stated by the Committee to have nance to the thing. But, supposing these circumstances not to have existed at all, given them the information.ought it to be concluded, that Lord Cochrane was privy to the Hoax, merely because the Hoaxer went directly to his house from the Dartford post-chaise? Will any man in his senses believe, that Lord Cochrane, if he had been a hatcher of the scheme, would have so arranged matters as to bring the Hoaxer to his own house directly, and thereby to give a clue for sure and inevitable detection? Would he not, above all things in the world, have avoided doing this very thing, upon which the charge has been built, and upon which he inust have been quite certain that such a re-charge would have been built?—The Hoaxer, himself, too, if he wished to avoid detection, took the worst way in the world to accomplish his purpose, supposing Lord Cochrane to have been a party to the hoax, and supposing the detection of this party to have led to his own. For, how does he go to work? He alights, in the open street, from a post-chaise; gets into a hackneycoach; drives directly to the house of a nobleman, well known. A very ingenious mode of proceeding, if he meant there to borrow a new dress, and to take sheller elsewhere; but, will any man in the world believe, that he would have gone to that house if he had wished to keep Lord Cochrane from being suspected? He knew that it was as easy to trace him to that house as

I have instructed my Solicitors immediately to adopt those measures which my Counsel may be deem proper, in order that justice may done to my character, and to punish those who have dared to put their names to the most unfounded statements which malice could invent, and which they must have known to have been false at the moment they were affixing their names to the Report. A. COCHRANE JOHNSTONE. No. 18, Great Cumberland-street, March 12, 1814.

Mr. Bull's Letter. MR. EDITOR,-As I have delayed plying to the infamous and gross falsehoods circulated in the public papers, defamatory to my character, relative to the late fraud upon the Stock Exchange, until the Report should make its appearance from the Committee appointed to investigate the circumstances attending the inquiry, and having to-day been favoured with a perusal of it, I beg you to insert this letter in your paper immediately, in which I positively deny the accuracy of the statement therein made, and the evidence there declared can be denied upon bath by the parties themselves, who have been stated by the Committee to have given the evidence so described. My solicitors have received orders from me in stantly to commence a prosecution against

« ZurückWeiter »