But it became clear that he was putting this gift to criminal use, forging cheques and signatures, and he was repudiated by Charles Dickens (who likely based the character Uriah Heep on Powell[1]), Robert Browning, and others.
In 1849 he moved to New York to avoid prosecution, and many American publications printed an accusation by Dickens, which he was unable to substantiate and had to withdraw, settling with Powell out of court.
[2] He entertained a literary circle at his home in Peckham, South London, that included writers such as Robert Browning, Leigh Hunt, and R.H.
[3] In 1841, he was one of the contributors to the writing of The Poems of Geoffrey Chaucer Modernized;[4] others involved with the project included Richard Henry Horne (editor), Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Wordsworth, Leigh Hunt, Robert Bell, and Leonhard Schmitz.
[7] He also embezzled a large sum of money from John Chapman & Co., his employer, and when these activities were uncovered, he attempted suicide by taking an overdose of laudanum.
[11] Dickens did receive a reply from John Chapman & Co. confirming Powell's embezzlement, but once the directors realised that this information might have to be produced in court they refused to make further disclosures.
Owing to the difficulties of providing evidence in America to support his accusations, Dickens eventually made a private settlement with Powell out of court.
[12] Although Powell's reputation had been sullied, he still made a successful career of writing and editing newspapers and periodicals, often working for Frank Leslie.
; The Lantern; The Reveille and Review; Hudson County Democrat; New York Daily News and Frank Leslie's: Illustrated Newspaper; New Family Magazine and Budget of Fun.
Gunn’s less-than-complimentary description of Powell goes on: He is very familiar in conversation, and his speech has a sort of orotund unctuousness of accent which, in conjunction with his implied knowledge of every-body, might easily gull people into the belief that he was rather a witty man of the world than otherwise.