To The Editor Of The Time...
:3ir,-an errnneous statement in your journal of yesterday,relative to Mlr. Wagstaff, under sentence of death for forgery. has CXCiEed a wisli that thefauts of his case should be laid before the public and I am iaduced to hope that the same motive wlicil led to the mention of it, will ensure the publicity of the following- short account of hi m. In the year 1813, an agent in town, who ha(l fully possessed the confidence of the house in which Mlr. Wag.taff, sen.,;was a partner, absconded with 7,0001. their property; and the unfortunate convict, when little more than I 5 years ofage, was in conseqnence injudiciousl v appoiRted to succeel him in that situation. The embarrassments occasioned to thie firm by the disbonesty of their agent, and their successive losses awndl sacrifices in the sale of goods, eventually led to the adoption of a ruinous system of raisinz money by accomitnoda- tion bills, which brouglt young \'agstafr in connexion with clia- ricters of scheming and desperate fortune. By becoming the dupe ot persons of this description, the dificulties of himself and his father (who in 1821 hadl taken into their hands the business in town) wfere increased, and thle result was a bankruptcy, from wihich, con- scious that thieir examinations would never be satisfactory to their creditors, they absconded. ram enabled to assert of my own knowledge. that he hid not. at tle age of IS, or at anv other period of his life, 15.0001., or anv other sunl of mioney left hini by a relative; and I can ilso contradict the statenlent, tthat on his marriage (which occurred in 1818, and not when he becamne of age) lie received a large fortune with Izis wife. The portion bhe brought him was 500L It has been said, that this 3young man has within eiglit years dis. sipated 50,0001. Tlhe few dcbts proved under the commission, and the wel-known econoMIcal habits of his father, himself, and their family, fully warrant ine in giviing a positive denial to the t uth of this statement. htery one connected with the bankruptcy cmn attest tise truth of what I assert. Wl'ith respect to the mention of his having berrowed large sums of n:oney frown his friends, eqital falsehood has prevailed. Person- ally acquainted wvith nearl v every member of his fantiHy, I know that no complaint of this niattire either has been or can be preferred against either him or his father. The crime of w1hich Mr. W agstafrhas been convicted cannot jus- titty the putblication of any misrePreSeltatiOns to his prejudice: atid in the hope von will thinl: that if anv mention is made r- secting htinm, facts alonc ougitt to be given, I have ventuired to trouble you Witil the foregoing accotint, and should be obliged by vour giving it a place in yotsr paper. lost obedientl'v vours. W. B. I eIPle, April !U, 1824. TO TIIE EDITOR OP Tl E TIMES.