the dangerously explosive stuff to London. There was, however, no less than 2001bs, weight found still on the premises. The men who carried it to London were quickly caught with the dynamite in their possession, and with Whitehead were brought to trial and each of them sentenced to penal servitude for life. The distribution of rewards in connection with the "dynamite outrages," so far as Birmingham people were concerned, was somewhat on a similar scale to that described by the old sailor, when he said "prize-money" was distributed through a ladder, all passing through going to the officers, while any sticking to the wood was divided among the men. Mr. Farndale, the Chief of Police, was granted an addition to his salary of £100 per year; Inspector Black was promoted to the rank of Superintendent, adding £50 a year to his salary, and was presented with £100 from Government; Sergeant Price became Inspector, with a rise of £41 12s. a year, and received a bonus of £200; Inspector Rees' salary was raised to two guineas a week, with a gift of £50; while Mr. Pritchard. to whom belonged the conspicuous service of having given the information which led the police to act, was rewarded (!) with £50, having lost his situation through his services to the public.
Embezzlements.—In 1871, W. Harrison, the Secretary of the Birmingham Gas Company, skedaddled, his books showing defalcations to the amount of £18,000. When the company was dissolved, £100 was left in a bank for Mr. Secretary's prosecution, should he return to this country.—July 12, 1877, the secretary of the Moseley Skating Rink Company was awarded twelve mouths, and the secretary of the Butcher's Hide and Skin Company six mouths, for similar offences, but for small amounts.
Forgeries.—In the year 1800, seven men were hung at Warwick for forgery, and with them one for sheep-stealing. The manufacture of forged bank-notes was formerly quite a business here, and many cases are on record of the detection and punishment of the offenders.—June 28, 1879, the Joint Stock Bank were losers of £2,130 through cashing three forged cheques bearing the signature of W. C. B. Cave, the clever artist getting ten years.—Nov. 15, 185=83, John Aldred Bargan, managing director of the Union Bank, for forging and uttering a certain order, and falsifying his books, the amounts emliezzled reaching £9,000, was sentenced to fifteen years' penal servitude.—On the previous day Benjamin Robert Danks was similarly punished for forgeries on his employer, Mr. Jesse Herbert, barrister, who had been exceedingly kind to him—Zwingli Sargent, solicitor, was sentenced to five years' penal servitude, April 28, 1885, for forgery and misappropriating money belonging to clients.
Fortunetelling is still far from being an uncommon offence, but "Methratton," the "Great Seer of England," alias John Hartwell, who, on March 28, 1883, was sentenced to nine mouths hard labour, must rank as being at the top of the peculiar profession. Though a "Great Seer" he could not foresee his own fate.
Highwaymen.—The "gentlemen of the road" took their tolls in a very free manner in the earlier coaching days, notwithstanding that the punishment dealt out was frequently that of death or, in mild cases, transportation for life. The Birmingham stage coach was stopped and robbed near Banbury, May 18, 1743, by two highwaymen, who, however, were captured same day, and were afterwards hung.—Mr. Wheeley, of Edgbaston, was stopped in a lane near his own house, and robbed of 20 guineas by a footpad. May 30, 1785.—An attempt to rob and murder Mr. Evans was made near Aston Park. July 25, 1789.—Henry Wolseley, Esq. (third son of Sir W. Wolseley, Bart.), was robbed by high-
