Prisons Over Seas: Deportation and Colonization; British and American Prisons of To-dayGriffiths, Arthur
History
Prisons Over Seas: Deportation and Colonization; British and American Prisons of To-day
Griffiths, Arthur
Convict ships; Penal colonies; Prisons -- Great Britain -- History; Prisons -- United States -- History
In many respects the embezzlement of which Leopold Redpath was guilty
closely resembled that of Robson, but it was based upon more extended
and audacious forgeries. Redpath's crime arose from his peculiar and
independent position as registrar of stock of the Great Northern Railway
Company. This offered him ample facilities for the creation of
artificial stock, its sale from a fictitious holder, and transfer to
himself. All the signatures in the transfer were forged. Not only did he
thus transfer and realise "bogus" stock, but he bought _bonâ fide_
amounts, increased their value by altering the figures, and in this way
a larger amount was duly carried to his credit on the register, and
entered upon the certificates of transfer. By these means Redpath
misappropriated vast sums during a period extending over ten years. The
total amount was never exactly made out, but the false stock created and
issued by him was estimated at £220,000. Even when the bubble burst
Redpath, who had lived at the rate of twenty thousand a year, had assets
in the shape of land, house, furniture, pictures, and _objets d'art_ to
the value of £50,000.
He began in a very small way. First a lawyer's clerk, he then got an
appointment in the Peninsula and Oriental Company's office; afterwards
set up as an insurance broker on his own account, but presently failed.
His fault was generosity, an open-handed, unthinking charity which gave
freely to the poor and needy the money which belonged to his creditors.
After his bankruptcy he obtained a place as clerk in the Great Northern
Railway office, from which he rose to be assistant registrar, with the
special duties of transferring shares. He soon proved his ability, and
by unremitting attention mastered the whole work of the office. Later on
he became registrar, and in this more independent position developed to
a colossal extent the frauds he had already practised as a subordinate.
Now he launched out into great expenditure, took a house in Chester
Terrace, and became known as a Mæcenas and patron of the arts. He had a
nice taste in _bric-à-brac_, and was considered a good judge of
pictures. Leading social and artistic personages were to be met with at
his house, and his hospitality was far famed. The choicest wines, the
finest fruits, peas at ten shillings a quart, five-guinea pineapples,
and early asparagus were to be found on his table. But his chief
extravagance, his favourite folly, was the exercise of an ostentatious
benevolence. The philanthropy he had displayed in a small way when less
prosperous became now a passion. His name headed every subscription
list; his purse was always open. Not content with giving where
assistance was solicited, he himself sought out deserving cases and
personally afforded relief. When the crash came there were pensioners
and other recipients of his bounty who could not believe that so good a
man had really been for years a swindler and a rogue. Down at Weybridge,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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