THE SCOTT FORGERY CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11579, 18 February 1901, Page 3

THE SCOTT FORGERY CASE.

Halliwell Scott looked at his brother's colourless face, with its mutely pleading look of anxiety, without softening. He knew that look of old.

"It can't be done, Darrell." The words were final.

"Think of what it means, Hal. Ruin and disgrace, and not to mo alone. Jf I go under, you will suffer too. What would Mabel say '! You can spare the two-fifty without embarrassment, and it will tide me over without a word being said. Bo generous this once, Hal, and it shall be the last time."

At the word "Mabel" the other glanced involuntarily at the clock, which ticked noisily on the mantelpiece, and noted the hour it registered. There was a pause, and then the reply came distinctly, " I have said •No.'"

Darrell Scott wheeled round as if from a blow. The words held no relenting, and a moment latei the door banged violently behind him. This door opened on a passage into the street, and supported an expansive brass-plate which bore the inscription: "Halliwell Scott, Civil Engineer." How many times had Halliwell helped his brother out of his difficulties ho never, troubled to count. Their parents were both dead, and his relations with Darrell were not merely brotherly: they were paternal and maternal. When his brother had gone Halliwell glanced again at the clock, and then sat down at his desk. For a few minutes his papers absorbed his attention, and then he rang a bell. A clerk came in from an adjoining room, to whom he gave a few instructions. When the door had closed again ho carefully brushed his hat, drew on his gloves, gave a comprehensive glance into a little mirror which had of late made its appearance on an unconspicuous portion of the wall, and left the office.

The hour was 11.25 a.m.; the day a smile from Heaven. He walked through several streets in that purposeful manner which is tho city man's peculiar characteristic, and finally halted outside a huge drapery emporium, whose windows, though devoted solely to feminine apparel, seemed to exercise a decided fascination for him. His eyes, however, had scarcely time to absorb tho wonders displayed when he felt a light touch on his arm. He turned, with smiling face and uplifted hat, and the anomaly was explained. Have I kept you waiting long, Hal ?" "I have been hero, Mabel, for one minote." "Which you occupied by gazing in rapt fashion into a w'ndow of ladies' costumes. You looked so funny." " But, strangely enough. I did not see a single one of them " was the smiling reply. They were proceeding along the thoroughfare. "That's a new ti-'t of yours. You should not be absent-mindid." "Shall I tell you 7hy I am so ?" "There is no nee issity." with a slight blush. "You might i;ll me, however, why you are looking so glum this morning. That is sufficiently unflattering to me to oall for comment. What has put you out ?" Hal was silent. He looked straight ahead, sombrely. " Oh, it's Darrell." Mabel, paused abruptly and compressed her lfps. "Forgive me, dear." she said. "Yes. the old story," he admitted, sententious!}-. "We will not discuss him now, Mabel." . , , Mabel AYainwright was the only daughter of Judge Wainwright, of Old Bailey fame, a noted 'legal luminary. Halliwell Scott, despite the fact that he was only on the threshold of his career, that his income was strictly circumscribed, and the future far from assured, was a persona grata at the old bouse in Oliver Square. This, perhaps, was a tribute to the judge's powers of insight than otherwise. Moneyed suitors were well enough, but when it came to a question of. mind versus matter, he had a decided predilection for the former. There was one member of the Wainwright household, however, in whom Scott instinctively recognised his enemy. Percy Onslow, the judge's nephew, was one of those irredeemably studious young men whose rounded shoulders, peering eyes, and sallow features despairingly emphasise their book-worming proclivities. He was studying for the Bar. Outside this he had two passions in lifeone was for amateur acting; the other for his cousin, Mabel Wainwright. Scott lunched with the Wainwlghis *hat afternoon, and left the office to cake care of itself, which on occasion, however, it managed to do pretty well in the hands of his confidential clerk, on whose trustworthiness he could rely. Exigencies of business took him away to the country early the next morning, and it was not till midday that he was able to look in at his place of business. He did not notice that two stolid-looking men, who had been standing on the pavement on either side of the office entrance, observed his arrival with an absorbed interest, which found Tent in a rapid interchange of nods as he was going in. They came together immediately afterwards, and a momentary conversation ensued. Then they followed him into the office. " Anything turn up yesterday after I had left, Raines?" he asked the clerk, who was Standing by the table. " No, sir, nothing that required yourself to attend to. That is, except——" " Except what?" Well, sir. Mr. Darrell was back again ter you had gone and was most anxious to see yon." Scott's fare darkened. " You told him

I was away?" "Yes. sir, and he said at first he would wait awhile, and leave a note for you if you weren't hack soon. He was here for half-an-hour, and then went away savins- he would perhans call again. He was very anxious to see—" The bell attached to the door of the outer office clanged loudly, indicating the entrance of a stranger. The clerk darted out, and Scott heard a short dialogue in the next room, in which, a voice with a strong nasal accent was conspicuous. Then the clerk was back again. "A couple of gentlemen wish to see you at once. sir. Won't be denied." " Send them in," was the impatient reply. The two men who had observed Scott's arrival so interestedly outside came into the room. "Mr. Halliwell Scott, I believe?" said he with the nasal twang, advancing close. "That is my name. You wish to see me?" inquired Scott. " Yes. I regret to say that I have a warrant here for your arrest." " A—what?" Scott gazed at the other with a look of half-smiling amazement. "Arc you serious, my man?" From the expression of the other's face (he was a well-known Scotland Yard man) it would seem that he was deadly serious; in fact, on second thoughts one would be inclined to doubt if a smi'e had ever flickered on his marble countenance. "A warrant has been issued for your arrest on a charge of forgery, and anything you now say may be used in evidence against you at vour trial." "By heaven. I believe vou are in earnest," said Scott, after a strained pause, during which his brain was busy. " T shall have to go with you, I suppose. Might T askyon to inform me when and whore and on whom was the forgery committed?" The detective looked at him admiringly ««m, Cert ' sir," he replied, cheerfully. Hie cheque was tor £300 odd. and it was drawn on the Imperial Bank in favour of Messrs. Ericson and Potter." "May I call in my clerk?" Scott said. "1 wish to speak to him for a moment." "Barnes." he said, "my desk remained open while I was away yesterday, I suppose? "Yes, sir." "Yon locked it up last night?" " Yes, sir." ' "Take me out Messrs. Ericson and Potter's cheque from the top right-hand drawer." , Baines unlocked the desk (of the American roll-top pattern) and opened the drawer indicated. He looked through it and drew out a document. " Here is Messrs. Ericson and Potter's letter, sir. but I cannot find the cheque." "Lock up the desk," said Scott, hoarsely. " Wait a minute, my man." The detective, whose e}'es had been following every motion of the clerk, walked over to the desk and took up the writing-pad that was lying or, it. He carefully removed the top shoot of blot-ting-paper and held i' up to the light. Scott had been away the most of the preceding day. and so it was little used. As a matter of fact, the only writing that seemed to have been blotted on it was a number of well-executed facsimiles of the flowing signature of Messrs. Ericson and Potter. "This will prove useful," said the officer, with a grin of satisfaction, and lie stowed away the important piece of evidence in his

pocket-book. In a few minute? a cab containing the prisoner in custody drove away from the office, and a couple of hour* later the streets were ringing with the details of Scott's arrest. Things looked very black against the accused, and be was admitted to heavy bail with difficulty. To clinch the charge, the cashier at the Imperial Rank, on being broutrh* face to face with Halliwell Scott, identified him as well as he was able as the man to whom he fcarl Daid swav the cash,

The case would be tried at the Old Bailey, beforo Judge Wainwright, and, under the circumstances, Scott felt it incumbent on him to indite a short epistlo to Mabel, setting forth his position and the abyss which threatened him, and desiring her to consider hersell free. The letter drew a passionate response from Mabel, which showed him how grievously he had wronged her constancy. A scandal of any kind has very far-reaching effects, like the ever-widening eddies of a pool when a stone has broken its placid surface. One of these effects may have been a fooling of weakness and ill-health which enervated Judge Wainwright for several days, since the charge of forgery was formulated against Halliwell Scott, till he thought it advisable to consult his physician on the matter. Tins step was taken on the day prior to the trial. The optimistic diagnosis of the doctor had a reassuring effect, however, and ho retired early to rest to prepare for the hearing of the case on the following day. It was Percy Onslow's self-constituted task to waken his uncle in the morning, which will account for the strained relations that obtained between him and the judge's valet, who, as a faithful servant, naturally resented this intrusion on his functions. The susceptibilities of the latter were destined to be further wounded on this particular morning, foi Onslow, after remaining a long time in the judge's room, came forth ant told him that he might take a holiday to himself for the day by the judge's directions. As he spoke. Onslow was ghastly pale. he valet received the joyful intelligence ungraciously, and took himself off, too much occupied with his resentment to notice the perturbed manner and shocked expression of the other. Onslow returned to the judge's apartment, and a considerable time elapsed before lie emerged again, this time with an appearance of rigid self-possession, which needed an ob- i viously strong effort of will to maintain. He went into the breakfast-room and rang for the housekeeper, who answered his summons at once. " Mrs. Mills, the judge will eat nothing this morning. He is leaving for the Court in half-nn-hour; so you might have the carriage sent round at that time. Ho desires me to say that his bedroom is to remain untouched to-day till lie returns from Court. Will you seo that no one enters it?" '.' Certainly, sir, I will bear it in mind. Will you have breakfast now, sir?" "Thank you, no. I cannot eat now. 1 will lunch by-and-by." When the housekeeper had left the room Onslow went to a sideboard and unlocked a tantalus. Pouring out a glass of neat brandy lie swallowed it at a gulp. Shortly afterwards he wont upstairs again. Precisely half-an-hour had elapsed when the judge's bedroom door was opened, and the judge came forth and proceeded downstairs, after locking the door carefully after him. His carriage was waiting- for him, and he drove straight to the Old Bailey. The case against Halliwell Scott was the first called. Into the details of the trial it is

unnecessary to go. The pros and cons were argued with considerable zest, and it was noted, strangely enough, that the judge exhibited a marked appreciation ot the strength of the prosecution. Judge Wainwright seemed restless and ill at easo that day. which was perhaps attributable to the unpleasant circumstances of the case. His voice sounded indistinctly, and he exhibited an extraordinary forgetfulness of the petty technicalities of his position which several times astonished the Court officials. Finally. Mr. Sasson. Q.C., for the defence, brought all the battery of his eloquence to bear on the charges so skilfully directed by the Crown. Pie related the interview between the accused and his brother, and the return to the office and subsequent disappearance of the latter, dwelling on the character of the accused, his unsullied reputation, the total lack of motive save or the purely sordid kind, and winding up with a strong demand for the liberation of his client. After the reply of the Crown Prosecutor, the judge proceeded to address the jury. His summing up of the case was distinguished by two things—brevity and bias. It astonished even the prosecution, and left the twelve simple-minded petty shopkeepers who constituted the jury absolutely no option. They returned a verdict of " Guilty" after a pretence of deliberation which lasted scarcely 15 minutes. Tho words the judge uttered, however, were strange and incomprehensible. The sentence would be five 3-ears' penal servitude. There seemed to be a joke somewhere, and Scott smiled, senilely, pitiably. Then he felt a touch on his arm and half-turned. A warder stood beside him. The smile died away on his face and a light of strenuous intelligence flashed suddenly into his eyes. He turned round to the Court with uplifted hand and a passionate, impetuous protest on his s—and5 —and then something snapped in his i brain, and he fell back into the warder's 1 arms. 1

The attention of almost everyone present being directed towards the dock, the opening of the door leading from the Court to the judge's private room and the entry of a police inspector passed unnoticed. This gentleman rapidly approached the judge on the Bench., who watched his coming with whitening cheeks, the while he seemed to shrink within himself as if paralysed with fear. And then a strange thing happened. The inspector seized the judge by the collar, snapped a pair of handcuffs on his wrists, and conducted him away by the door through which he had come. The whole thing took place so quickly that only one or two perceived it, and they were too thunderstricken to do aught but gape idiotically. In a few minutes the inspector returned, and immediately engaged in rapid conversation with the Crown Prosecutor, the result of which was that the latter got upon his feet and hastily requested the jury to keep their seats. An inkling of something wrong had in the meantime rapidly spread, and an uproar was nipped in the bud only by rapid action on the nart o ( . the constables and ushers of the Court. " Gentlemen of the iury," said the counsel. " the most extraordinary occurrence has taken place in this court to-day, an affair unprecedented in my experience. I have just beer informed, and T recrret to announce the fact to you, that Judge Wainwright has been found dead in his bedroom at his residence in Oliver Square, the suspected cause being heart failure. "From his examination of the body nw doctor states that he probably died in the middle of the night. The person who presided in this court to-day, and who has just been arrested, is, consequently, a masquerador, and a very accomplished one, you will admit. His name, it has been ascertained, is Percy Onslow, and he is a nephew of the late judge, with whom he resided.

"He is a law student and an amateur actor of some note, which will doubtless help to explain the clever manner in which he succeeded in deceiving us all. What his object was in assuming the role of judge, whether for a practical joke or for deeper reasons, has yet to be determined, but you may rest assured that the offence he has committed in turning a public tribunal into ridicule and making a mockery of a court of justice, will react with condign punishment. I have to add that the case just disposed of will, of course, be re-tried ; and now, gentlemen, in the lamentable absence of the proper authority, I will take it upon myself to adjourn the court."

The Scott forgery case was never re-tried. Darrell Scott died of fever at sea, on his way to Buenos Ayres. and the confession he loft behind put an end to all further proceedings.

At the inquest on Judgo Wainwright it was proved that his decease was due to a cardiac affection of long standing, and consequently the charge of murder which was being formulated against Percy Onslow fell through. For his extraordinary action in disguising himself to resemble his uncle, and taking his place at court after discovering tho judge dead in his bedroom, besides obstinately refusing to assign any reason therefor, he was sentenced to six months' imprisonment.

Scott and Mabel were married in the meantime. Tho notoriety the former achieved proved embarrassing at first, but when, as a consequence, Scott found his professional clientele growing beyond all bounds, he reflected philosophically that, after all, advertisement has its uses.