UTTERING FORGED BILLS

George Curedale, described as a “cotton manufacturer,” has been charged at Liverpool with having issued a forged bill of exchange. On the 26th March, the prisoner went to the office of Mr Henry Omrod, commission agent, George Street, Manchester, and presented a bill of exchange for £300, purporting to have been accepted by Mr Bamford, cotton manufacturer, of Burnley. The prisoner asked Mr Omrod to discount the bill, but that gentleman refused. The prisoner then asked that it should be placed to his credit (he being indebted to Mr Omrod) which was done. On the 17th of March, it appeared the prisoner had offered Mr. Omrod another bill for £476, purporting to be accepted by Mr Bamford, and on the 7th of the same month he had offered at the establishment of Messrs. Dilworth, of Manchester, a bill purporting to be accepted by Mr Henry Rawlinson, for £360. Mr Bamford said that neither of the bills bearing his name was accepted and signed by him, though he had accepted previous bills for the prisoner. Messrs. H and G Rawlinson, partners in the firm of that name deposed respectively that the bills bearing that name were not accepted by either of the firm.

The prisoner, shortly after these transactions, escaped to the Continent, and was captured in Hamburg by a Manchester detective [PC] Buckley. Mr. Atkinson for the defence, rested only upon some legal points, and called witnesses to previous good character.

The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to fourteen years transportation.