24 JANUARY 1874, Page 3

A man named Rodgers was till lately manager of the

Cooks- town Branch of the Belfast Bank, and another named Smyth its principal accountant. By the confession of the latter, they stole enormous sums, the account of which varies from £130,000 to £200,000, from the Bank, to speculate with on the Stock Exchange. The Bank elected to prosecute them before quarter sessions, in- stead of the assizes, and for conspiracy only to defraud. The Chairman was therefore unable to give more than two years' hard labour, and actually gave Smyth twenty-two months', and Rodgers only fifteen months' simple imprisonment. The sen- tence has excited some indignation, but it will be observed that it was not the Chairman, but the Bank which pursued a policy of such unaccountable lenity.