No. XXVII.] APPENDIX. 345 



received a polite note from Messrs. Catchem and Squeezera, asking them 

 to call, as they have something very particular to communicate, having 

 been consulted by the Rev. Dr. Blackleg. That having failed, a clerk was 

 sent with a long bill, stating his employers take a great deal of interest in 

 the company and do not wish to do it any harm, but the reverend doctor 

 has some shares in it by virtue of some assumed services ; and as he is 

 largely in debt, wants the company to buy his shares immediately, so that 

 he may pay some of the more pressing of his debts. He stated that the 

 reverend doctor had written a frightful charge of fraud, which they will 

 be compelled to file, and if they do file they must advertise according to 

 law. As friends and well-wishers of the company, his employers, Messrs. 

 Catchem and Squeezem, advise an immediate payment to the reverend 

 doctor, who must have money. Any attempt to wind up the company 

 must injure it, and cost besides a great deal of money. In truth, if the 

 company gains, the reverend doctor has no money wherewith to pay the 

 costs ; and besides, the doctor is a desperate character, having misapplied 

 money of the Society for the Promotion of the use of Coloured Trousers, 

 and embezzled money given to him to pay the bills of the Young 

 Hottentots' Improvement School. 



A safe remedy would be to make Catchem and Squeezem, as well as 

 the pious doctor, responsible to every person he sought to damage by 

 endeavouring to extort money by the aid of the Court of Chancery. 



In this case their number is legion, for all who hold the improved 

 land all the shareholders, all the surveyors, engineers, clerks, and work- 

 people may be damaged by the injury the society received from this 

 charge. In the end the shareholders desired a compromise, and the 

 Rev. Dr. Blackleg got some hundreds of pounds to stop the case going 

 further than the- advertisement, but that itself did great damage to its 

 financial credit. 



As another example of the same kind, the Rev. Mr. Snowdon is a great 

 buyer of shares to sell again at the Stock Exchange. "When he makes 

 money, he does so; when he cannot, he charges false statements. The 

 cases are generally compromised, to prevent scandal, and this man alone 

 has extorted money from many companies. 



When companies are in difficulties some lawyers advertise for clients, 

 and guarantee them against costs, for which they allow them to harass the 

 directors; and the more respectable and more numerous they are, the 

 better the game the better for the lawyers. Messrs. Thief and Robber 

 live entirely in this way, and by charging fraud against every person, 

 however remotely connected with the company, are sure to find some who 

 dare not resist their extortion. The real plaintiff is not allowed to have 

 any voice in the matter. Now, surely Thief and Robber are the real 

 plaintiffs, and ought to be held responsible for the false charge and liable 

 for damages and costs to their victims. 



Winding-up companies are invariably attended by an accountant and 

 a lawyer. Mr. Accurate, the accountant, has got large estates that way ; 

 and Mr. Virtuous made a fortune by the winding up of the Celestial Bank, 

 to the great damage of the poor shareholders and depositors. 



Another form of extortion is practised by making a claim and not 

 giving particulars. Mr. Hardup has a claim against Mr. Easy, who is 



