SINGULAR CASE OF FORGERY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5215, 8 December 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

SINGULAR CASE OF FORGERY.

At the Geelong police ■ court on the 24th ult. a strange case was heard before a bench of magistrates. Two men, named Joseph Seymour and Henri Guye, both waiters, were charged with forgery and uttering in April last. The prisoners were undefended, and Inspector Burton prosecuted. From the evidence given it appears that a young man named Albert Balmsforth, following the same occupation as the prisoners, left Williamstown in December of last year to take the position of waiter at Mack's Hotel, Geelong. The postmaster at Williamstown was notified of this change, and ordered to send any letters he received for Balmsforth to Geelong. He did not remain long at Mack's Hotel, however, and returned to Melbourne, taking up his residence in Fitzroy. This chango was also notified to the Williamstown postmaster, whose assistant neglected, to enter it in the letter-carrier's book, and the consequence was that when a letter arrived for Balmsforth containing a letter of credit for £IOO it was sent to Mack's■ Hotel, Geelong. Hero the prisoner Seymour was employed, and ho appropriated tho letter of credit, and went to the Bank of New South

Wales, Geelong, to get it cashed, representing himself as Albert Balmsforth. Ha was unable to get anyone to prove his identity to the bank's satisfaction, and he then said he could get some one to prove that he was the payee if he could apply at the Melbourne bank. He was told he could do so, and accordingly proceeded there in. company with the other prisoner, Henri Guye, who was known to the draft clerk of the astablishment. On Guye's recommendation the letter of credit was cashed, the prisoner Seymour signing his name to the draft and the cheque as " Albert Balmsforth." Seymour then came to the Geelong bank and drew the money. He left Geelong at once and went to Melbourne. Some months afterwards, from advices received from the London Post. Office, the matter was placed in the hands of Detective Lomax. Guye was searched for and found, and he still said that the prisoner Seymour was the right man, although he had only known him as " George." The manager of the Bank of New South Waleß in Melbourne gave Guye half a sovereign, and he undertook to tell him where Seymour was. From the information given Seymour was arrested. Guye told the detectives that he had met Seymour in the street in Melbourne on the day he accompanied him to the bank, and Seymour had offered him five shillings to go with him. It was evident tliat Guye was no accomplice, and the Bench discharged him as soon as the case for the Crown was completed. Seymour was committed for trial at the next Geelong assizes, informing the Bench that he would reserve his defence.