Legal Definitions - false character

The term false character is a historical legal concept that referred to a specific type of criminal deception. It involved the act of an individual pretending to be the employer (the master or mistress) of a servant.

This crime was typically committed to gain an advantage, cause harm, or exploit the servant or the household. It focused on the abuse of the employer-employee relationship through deliberate impersonation.

• Example 1: The Deceptive Butler

  Imagine a grand estate in the 19th century. A new footman, recently hired, arrives at the house. An individual, who is actually a former disgruntled employee, intercepts the footman. This individual pretends to be the actual master of the house, Mr. Alistair Finch, giving the footman false instructions to leave his valuable luggage in an unsecured outbuilding and to report for duties in a remote part of the estate, while the imposter plans to steal the luggage.

  Explanation: This scenario illustrates false character because the imposter is pretending to be the footman's employer (Mr. Finch, the master of the house) to deceive the servant and facilitate a crime (theft).

• Example 2: The Imposter Governess

  A wealthy family is expecting a new governess for their children. Before the real governess arrives, a woman with malicious intent gains entry to the household by claiming to be the children's mother, Mrs. Eleanor Vance, to the existing household staff (cook, maids, stablehands). She then gives them conflicting and disruptive orders, attempting to sow discord and chaos within the household before the true Mrs. Vance discovers the deception.

  Explanation: Here, the woman is committing false character by impersonating Mrs. Vance, the mistress of the house and employer of the household staff. Her actions, though not directly involving theft from the servants, are an abuse of the employer-servant relationship through deception.

• Example 3: The Fake Dismissal

  A rival family, seeking to poach a highly skilled chef from a neighboring estate, sends an agent to the chef's current employer's home. This agent, pretending to be the master of the house, Lord Ashworth, approaches the chef and falsely informs him that his services are no longer required and that he is immediately dismissed. The agent's goal is to make the chef available for hire by the rival family, or simply to disrupt Lord Ashworth's household.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates false character because the agent is impersonating Lord Ashworth, the chef's employer (master), to deceive the servant and cause a specific outcome (the chef's departure).