FOUNTLEROY, THE FORGER.
Henry Fountleroy was a gentleman of rank, a partner in the
banking house of Marsh, Sibbold, and Co., of Berners Street. He
was convicted of having forged a deed for the transfer of L5450
long annuities, in fraud of a certain Frances Young. Like
Thurtell, Fountleroy defended himself, and battled with the
prejudicial reports circulated against him--among the rest his
addiction to gambling. 'I am accused,' he said, 'of being an
habitual gambler, an accusation which, if true, might easily
account for the diffusion of the property. I am, indeed, a
member of two clubs, the Albion and the Stratford, but never in
my life did I play in either at cards, or dice, or any game of
chance; this is well known to the gentlemen of these clubs; and
my private friends, with whom I more intimately associated, can
equally assert my freedom from all habit or disposition to
play.'[21]
[21] See the case in 'Celebrated Trials,' vol. vi
I close this record of crime and misery by a few narratives of a
more miscellaneous character.
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