EX-CONVICT AND EX-M.P.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 93, 15 May 1909, Page 3

EX-CONVICT AND EX-M.P.

ECHO OF A FOHI.OTTEX CIU.MK. FORCED WILL. A benevolent old gentleman, who liaJ been a respected resident in Streathapi for the last epiarter of a century—and who was, though few people knew it, an cx-M.I 1 . and an cx-eonvict—died recently at his house in Christchiircli-roml. London. lie was William lionpell. at. one time member for Lambeth, anil later convicted on his own confession of forgery. j and sentenced to penal servitude for life. His life story was an extraordinary one. lie was the natural son of a solicitor, and lived fyr some lime near Loudon, entering his father's ollice when he was twentv-scven. Not long afterwards he was elected member for' Lambeth,

)lis career was believed to be irreproachable until 185(1. when his father died, leaving .CiDO.Ofll). Under the wiil, the properly went to Mellaril lloupe'l, his legitimate son; but William lioupell produced a deed of conveyance showing that hit> father had given him in tics previous' year an estate of Mil acres called Xorbiton Park Farm, near Kiiitr-ston-on-Tlmines. and lie had obtained a mortgage of L7OMO on it.

He also produced another will, by which he gained considerable licticlit. Both documents wcr,, contested, and a sensational lawsuit followed. Mr. Sergeant Slice, in a cross-examination of the keenest character, could onlv elicit from William lioupell a full and circumstantial account of how and when both documents were signed and witnessed. The Sergeant characterised both at the time as forgeries, but nevertheless the action was withdrawn and a division of the property between the halfbrothers agreed upon. Then, however, the documents were impounded, and William Houpcll was arrested. In September. 18(K, he appeared lit the Old liailey. and confessed that both the documents he had produc-.il were false.

He was sentenced to penal servitude tor life for forgery, stating as he went from the dock that his whole life hail been a mistake, and that now he onlv wanted to see justice done. He was released in 18711. when he had served exactly fourteen years in prison • and since then, though to the police he was a tickct-of-leave man, to the rest of , the world he was merely an amiable old gentleman.—London Express,