Star. — London, England, 1818-12-15 00:00:00

I , I f .. tr . • 0 1 • , I did not under- did. put my name to a papa' ; 10a0 1 What it Mr. Baron Woon..—De yen confess yourselfg of having in your possession a forged - note, know it to be forged?—Prisoner .--I did not ham it to , forged. Mr. Baron Woos.—Then ron ought not to have pleaded guilty.--Prisoner.—l would plead so again. Mr. Baron Woon.—To the whole charge ?—Pri soner.-1 did not know it to be forged. Mr. Baron Woon.—Withdraw your plea then.— Prisoner,' will not withdraw my plea, but will lay myself entirely upon the mercy of the Court. Mr. Brown.—ln consequence of a letter which I received from the Bank-Solicitor, I stated the case to them as clearly and as well as I was able. It is en tirely their own act. Mr. Serjeant Boa/Lytton re uested that the letter alluded to by Mr. Brown might be produced. He wished every thing to be seen. Mr. Baron Woon.—Where is that letter?—Mr. Brown said he had it in his possession, and that he would immediately produce it. He then left the Court and returned with the letter, which he handed to the Bench. The letter was then read by Mr. StUriaoii, the Clerk of the Arraigns, and is as follows : " New Bank-buildings, Nov. 30. later " Sts--411 the prisoners in your custody, charged with bee ts feloniously uttered forged Bank-notes, against whom true bills may be returned by the Grand Jury, will be arraigned at the Old Bailey on Monday morning, the 14th of December. " Two bills of indictment, the one for the Capital offence, and the otker for the transportable felony, will be preferred against e.' di of the Rrisoners, except/An Pus, and Irilliatn Csnner, against whom indictments for the capital (Arent,: only will be preferred. " Your obedient servant, " A. Brown, ,Esq." * J. Roorso. Mr. Brown.—This is the letter I received, and I explained the nature of the case as clearly to them as I was able. Mr. Serjeant BOSANQUET.—WiII your Lordship be kind enough to ask Mr. Brown whether he bad re ceived any other communication from the Bank, or elsewhere, and whether he had any authority to per suade them into this act? Mr. Baron Woon.—Well, Mr. Brown, did you re ceive any other communication?—Mr. Brown.—l never dRI. The only letter I received on the subject I have produced. I repeat that I never used the least persuasion with the prisoners. It is entirely their 13W11 act. Mr. Baron Vkrooo.—Prisor.er, do you understand what you are about ? Do you know that there are tv:o indictments against you; the one for disposing of and putting away a forged Bank-note, knowing it to be forged, which is a capital offence ; and the other, for having in your possession, without-lawful excuse, a forged note, knowing it to be forged, which latter ofFence only sub:,ects you to transportation? You have pleaded guilty to the minor offence of having the core in your possession, subjecting you to fourteen years traosportatioe ? Do you wish to withdraw }roar plea?—Prisoner.—No, I do not. Mr. Baron WOOD.—You plead guilty then ?—Pri soner.—Yes, I do. • Mr. Baron WOOD.—You know the note to be a forgery?—Prisoner.—l did n t know it to be forged. • Mr. Buren WOOO,-..Wi1l you then take your trial ? —;-Prisoner.—No, I won't. 4dr. Baron Woon.—Would you rather be trans pbrted for fourteen years than go through your trial? —Prisoncr.—Yes, I would. Mr. Baron Woon.—Do not let it go forth to the public that the prisoner does not understand what is said to him. I will repeat my quc,tion, " Will you abide by the plea of Guilty r—i'risoner 7 —l will. • Mr. SHELTON, the Clerk of the Arraigns, then read the indictment, charging the prisOner with having uttered the Bank -note, knowing it to be forged. M.. Seijeant IIosAN:WET informed the Jury that Le should not offer any evidence against tlie prisoner id this case. Mr. Baron Woon.—No evidence being offered, Ceutlemen, you will of course acquit the p;isoner Lis in the capital charge. The Jury found a verdict, No Guilty, immediately. William Jones was next put to the bar. Mr. talon Woon.--Prisoner, you have signed this pclit;on which has been presented to the Cont, and you desire to withdraw your plea of Not Guilty to the lesser offence, and to take your trial upon both ' the indictments ?—Prisoner—l do. Mr. Scrjeant 130.3 A sQuer.—The prisoner ha• ing made this application, I think it right to state, on the part of those by whom I am employed, that the prosecutors have no wish upon the subject, excepting that nothing shall be done under a mistake, and that, above all, public justice may be administered. They are ready to acquiesce in any course the Court may think fit to pursue. Mr. Barou Woon—As they have petitioned the Court, I think it is but fair that they should be allowed to take their trial. They must, of course, abide,tbe consequences. Mr.Serjeant BOSANQUET.—The prisoners have not been all called upon. I think, my Lord, it would be more convenient if that course were taken ; but I art willing to do whatever the Court thinks proper. Prisoner.—Do I understand that if I am discharged of the capital offence, that I am still to be subject to be transported for fourteen years ? Mr. Baron WooD.—lf you are found guilty of the capital charge you must abide the consequences. Mr. Brown,—The prisoner means, if he should be acquitted on one indictment, is he to be tried on the other?—Mr. Baron WOOD—No. Prisoner.—l was persuaded to sign the Petition. Mr. Baron W ooo .— Who persuaded you ? Prisoner.—Mr. Brown persuaded me. Mr. Brown.—lt iK false ; it is utterly without foun dation, and I can prove it to be so by evidence. Mr. Baron Woon.—l believe it to be false. Mr. Brown.—l have evidence, my Lord, to dis prove the assertion. The RICORDIR, who was on the Bench, observed,' that the prisoner now at the bar applied to him on }Tidal' to be allowed to plead guilty to the minor ofence. Mr. Serjeant BOSANQUET requested that the pri soners might be separately called upon to know if they des;red to retract their plea. Mr. Stratton then read the Indictment against the prisoner, charging him with having uttered a forged Bank-note, he knowing it to be forged. •Mr. SAiLTON asked-dm prisoner —Are you desirous to retract your pies of not goat,' to the offence —Prisoner.—Yes, ram. Mr. Suavrow,,ive you guilty or not g uilty? Prisoner.-Not The Jury were: en sworn. Mr. Serjeant BOWSCOMT then observed to them, that he did not to adduce any evidence on the capital charge: `lilac prisoner was therefore ac quitted on this charge. The indictment was then read by the Clerk of the Arraigns, charging the prisoner with having a forged Bank. note in his possession, knowingly and without lawful excuse, he knowing it to be forged. Mr. Serjeant Bosom:amp, in stating the circum stances of the case to the Jury, observed that for nearly a century forgery had been made a capital offence, punishable with death, and some few years since it was deemed expedient, in the wisdom of the Legislature (in the 41st of his present Ma)jesty), to make it a transportable offence to persons who should be found guilty of having forged notes in their pos session, knowing them to be so. He was anxious, in consequence of what had transpired on a former oc casion, that no mistake or misunderstanding should go forth to the world ; for it had been said, that in consequence of the acquittal of certain individuals, the Bank had acknowledged they were in error, and had given up future prosecutions—such, however, was not the fact ; for the Bank had not abandoned Any - prosecutions except twci, which cases entirely rested upon the same evidence as that upon which the Jury acquitted two persons charged with the ca pital offence; and he, representing the Bank, and not wishing r..-) insult the understanding of the Jury, or occupy the time of the Court unnecessarily, Sid not wish to go through the evidence again as to the two individuals alluded to, without confirmation or proof in support of the charge. Ile was also anxious to offer a word or tw6 with regard to the three un fortunate persons now awaiting the sentence of the law: the same course that had been adopted in other cases was adopted with respect to them. After due and deliberate consideration, they were selected as three against whom it was considered expedient to form an indictment upon the capital charge, and upon the capital only not as in those cases whets they were allowed to plead guilty to the minor ot fence, and in which cases two indictments had'always been presented. ,In the present case, theprisoner would not be expoieci to greater danger than trans portation his life would not be affected, and even upon that, if the Jury should not be perfectly satis fied with the evidence, why then (obser v ed the Learn ed Serjenat) let the prisoner go free. If, in applying to the Court to grant prisoners permission to plead guilty to the minor offence, the Dank had erred, the error was on the side of mercy to the prisoner, for the proof on the minor indictment was the same which' wssuld convict on the larger crime, and he contended that the certainty of the punishment for the minor offence was no ineffectual way to repress the ctimi nality to which it was applied. The following evidence was then called for the prosecution : William Hankes, son of Robert Hankes, a hatter, in Ilolborn, recollects prisoner - coming to the shop on Thursday, the 19th of November, between seven and eight in the evening, for a low priced hat, for' which he agreed to pay 9s. and tendered a Cl Bank note. Witness suspected the note, and asked his name and address, and he wrote George Cloy, Eagle street ; witness being then shewn the note, identified it. His father came into the shop, an,' asked for pen and ink to write prisoner's address, v:lien prisoner said, he had already written it ; .asked him what w numbe: it aw s, and he replied it as 15. Wi:ness was then ask:d to go there, and the prisoner said he would gb with him, but his father refused, and said he would detain him till witness returned. No such person was known in 15, Eagle-street. Prisoner was in the shop when witness came hack, and he was then taken to the watch-house. Robert Hankes, father to the last witness, was called into the shop on, the 19th November last, in the evening, by his daughter, and went between the prisoner and the door. Asked the prisoner for his address, when he said he had given it on the note.-z- There were two indorsements on the note. While his son v ent to No. 15, Eagle street, prisoner was re tained in the shop, as witness said to him, " this is a forged note, and you shall stop till my son returns." On this the prisoner said he did not see that witness had a right to detain him even if he had a forged note. Witness replied, " that may he so, but I shall do it till my son returns, for if such a person lives there it may be all right." Prisoner said, that if wit ness would go A's ith him he would shew him where he took the note, but witness refused to go. After half a minute in silence, prisoner said, " You shall not detain me. for I shall go:' Witness told him he should not, when at last he attempted to go out, and witness took him by the collar to prevent him. Prisoner forced his way to the pavement, and there he began fighting as fast as he could, when witness let go his hold to defend himself, and knocked him down IR the kennel. As he endeavoured to rise, wit, ness tried again to seite him, but he ran off; he ran after him, and called out " Stop thief!" and in two or three hundred yards he was thrown down by a watchman at Chancery-lane, when witness collared him and took him back to his shop, and sent flit- a constable. His son then came in, and said no person of that name lived in Eagle-stir et. Being shewn Idle note, he identified it as the on tendered by the prisoner. Anne Gregg, wife of William Gregg, lives in 15, Eagle-street, Holborn; prisoner never lived there, and she never saw him before in her life. Daniel Banning, watchman, proved that he stopped the prisoner, and assisted Mr. Hankes in taking him back to the shop. There were several spots of blood on Mr. Hankes 's face, and particularly on his hand kerchief. Samuel Furzeman, constable, sow the prisoner after being brought to the watch-house. Asked him from whom he had got the note! but prisoner said it was of no use, and he would not tell him, as he would not bring four or five more into it. Asked why he gave a false address ? and he then cried, and said he knew it was a bad one, and he knew he should go for life.—Charles Ball, milkman, corroborated the last witness. When Mr. Baron Woos asked the prisoner whether he had any questions to put to Mr. *11? he replied that the witness had called himself a milkman, but he was nothing more than a eadda toPtusesinus, constable, and was employed by him to entrap what men he could. Thinles Evans, shopman to James Addells, hosier sad glover, 2, Coventry-street, said the prisoner came to the shop on the sth of November, and asked the ➢rice of a cravat, which was 4s. and he tendered a 11. note. Mr. Addells came into the shop, but pri soner had written his name and address-en the note, which witness now identified. James Addells, master of the last witness, remem bers the prisoner being in the shop. His nephew 'hewed a note, which he now identifies. He corrobo rated last witness. Begged prisoner to wait till he saw if the address was correct, but prisoner said he could not wait, but somebody might go with him. Witness was convinced the note was a bad one. Sent his nephew with him, but kept the note. Prisoner never called again at the shop for the note. John Added', nephew of Mr. Addells, was sent with the prisoner on the sth of November, to see if the address was right. Had not pioceeded far with him when the prisoner ordered him to go back, and said he would send his master (Mr. Boycer) to-morrow for the note. Witness went a little farther, and pri soner said he would knock him down if he did not go back. Prisoner then ran off and made his escape. John Lee has been Inspector of Bank notes for twenty years. The notes now shewn him are a for gery in the paper, plate, water-mat k, and ink. The signature of the Clerk is also a forgery. Both notes are from the same plate. Examined by Mr. Miller, one of the Jury.—The letters " No." (belonging to the number) are engraved., ,which is not the case in a genuine note; has no other marks which he can explain. The water-mut in a genuine note is in the fabric of the paper. In one tustance an Inspector was deceived by a note, and took it for a good one, but then it was mutilated.— The Bank of England have altered the form of their notes several times within the last twenty years. Mr. Charles Tabor, a signing Clerk, declared the signature, purporting to be his, to be a forgery. Examined by Mr. Miller, one of the Jury.—The characters are not like his writing. He may sign more than one thousand every day, and he never saw his writing at all so well imitated :.s to occasion him any difficulty. This closed the case for-the prosecution. The prisoner made no defence, but left himself to the mercy of the Court. Mr. Baron Woos charged the Jury.—ln this charge the Learned Baron parucularly commented on the evidence in support oldie forgery, and added, that if that evidence which had been adduced was not suf ficient to prove the forgery, then there was no such thing as forgery, and it would be for ever impossible to convict any man in future of such a crime. What ever the public opinion might be relative to the law. the Court and Jury were bound to abide by it as it stood at present. The Jury consulted for five minutes, and found the prisoner—Guilty. His :bge is '23. William Davis, 22, was then put to the bar, and arraigned upon the capital offence of uttering forged notes, knowing them to have been forged. Mr. Surjeant BOSANquvr said he should not call wituessiss upon that plea. The pi isoner was of course acquitted. Mr. Justice HOLROYD then told she prisoner he , stood indicted for the minor offence of having forged, notes in ll's possession, to which he had pleaded guilty. 'Me Judge observed that he did not see the prisoner's name in the petition, and asked whether it. was his wish to withdraw the plea of guilty? Prisoner—l do not, my Lord, I confess myself guilty. He was then removed from the Bar. Mr. Baron Woon.—Gentlemen of the Jury, you will easily see that the notes shewn you in the former case are so extremely well exe• uted, that one finds it very difficult to discern the difT4Tence. I believe thousands are deceived by their being so well exe cuted in every respect. The public will see from the verdict you have given,• that the prisoner knew well his guilt when he originally pleaded to the minor of fence. lam glad the evidence has been gone into, as the public mind will be more at ease thereby. . . William Clarher, aged 21,. WAS nest indicted for the minor offence, to which he pleaded Not-Guilty. The fallowing witnesses were then called for the Bank: Eliz. Macklin, wife of Matthew Macklin, lives in Baldwin -street, St. Luke's, and the prisoner came there for some tea and sugar on the 6th of Novem ber, saying his wife was put to bed, and he had come 'hoping she would give him change; he gave his name, Cumings, 2, Baldwin-court ; witness gave him change, and the note was paid away, but returned to her in a fortnight, as forged. She identified the pri soner, and the note from her husband's initials being indorsed on it by her. The prisoner was about ten minutes in the shop, and though she has never seen him before nor since, except now at the bar, the has no doubt et his person. Several witnesses proved that the prisoner gave a false address. He passed two other El notes, and gave equally wrong addresses and false names. In his defence, he declared that all that the wit nesses had sworn against him was as false as Got) was true. He called no witnesses. Mr. Justice HOLROVD, in charging the Jury; la mented he was incapable of suggesting a single doubt in favour of the prisoner. The fact of the note being forged was unquestionable, from the structure of the paper ; for by a special provision made by Parlia ment, it was felony for persons to have in their pos session the materials used in making Bank paper, and under tl:at Act it was well known several had been convicted. Without a moment's hesitation, the Jury found the prisor.er Guilty. In the course of examining the Inspector, Mr. Mil ler, one of the Jury, wished to know whether a note might not be so dirtied or altered by chemical means as to render it difficult to say whether it was a for gery or not ? Mr. Lee, the Inspector, replied, he had never met with one note of that kind. Mr. Miller wished to know whether such a thing could not be done ? Mr. Lee.—" I cannot say what it is not possible for men to do; but I never saw or heard of such an inetaot:•" Sagass, 27, James Mailers, 26, John Mor ris, 55, and .-.041, Tavasesui, 17, we c scverally lasought np, And adhered to Guilty to the minor offence. John kingstone, 47, Jeremia) charges of £1 notes,) Daniel //am King, 19, were next arra their plea. The trial of O'Hara was pc , sion, on account of a material The trials of the other three v nesday morning. Mr. Serjeant BosArQu ET st; prisoners had first pleaded Not ( made a very strong and earnest llowed to withdraw that plea, al minor offence: they must non consequence of their conduct. The Judges left the Court at COMMON SERJIANT p roceeded Cuttuffa Lt. —Yesterday a of Jackman, the owner of the 1, before Mr. Alderman Surrtt, plaint of William Hull, one of held market, for cruelly strik:n trary to the Statute. The dro the officers to strike three sev hock with great fury and augc last ; they remonstrated with hi told him the consequence of thi their advice with the g,.eatect. if course of the same niorning striking the beasts in the span manner.—The drover could r hut said it was his first ofrent.e ward a respec►able looking ma character.—Convicted in the ten shillings and costs. RLBOKOL'6II-STREET. Y 1 owner of the hackney-coach, N and costs, for abusing Admix nrandirtg more than his fare, 'crowd round the Admiral's I-oi Daniel ,11‘1"ey, late the , _er kins, Esq. was Cully committed ter in February last, of a qi pearls, guineas, Napoleons, E. - c ing the absence of his master, i tended the house had been rr.b fire a pistol after the robber!, Jr by the ntrin;hbours. He Lad pc to behind,' where he was apprc and c.-onlined in the house of a was sent to Mr. Pat kins, rito it for that country ; but pren-inus the prisoner had contrived to c however, pursued him as far : obtaining any intelligence hi to Ireland, and .a hue and cry t again taken by the Post-mast Banbridge, and conducted to U when brought out to be ship) armed mob came ap to rescue Mr. Parkins found it necessar) tole, and to call in a military g crossed the British Channcl, ironed, and tied on the mail came with him till they were cock, at Islington ; when the p the parlour, and the prisoner encumbered of his irons. Findi he seized a poker, and swore he kins ; but that Gentleman pre. threatened him with instant Best submit, which had the desired again secured, and lodged in thi GuLLAst LIT! !—Tuesd.sy, neighbourhood of Farsley, was lic-house, in Leeds, by a perso stranger to him, and who pretei a cow, for the recovery of whit thier to circulate a few hand-hi hood. On entering the mom, of persons gambling, at first I wards for larger sums. Then -41 about, and the clothier was pri part in the play. Fortune, for standard on is side, and at o amounted to £lO. This bait di facturer eagerly swallowed. I he drew a Bill of Exchange iron and wrote upon it his indorseme began to run high ; his good luc as might have been foreseen, tht found its way into the pocket who took their departure one I) dupe to regret his folly, and let as a warn i ng to others against snares.— Mercury. CORN-EXCHANGE, 13101.111131. Wheat, Kent and Eißit STLA Tick Oats, , F.ssts 7os 711 s Suffolk ........ ...... 7os 78s Norfolk • . .704 161 Aye.— ........ £6. Barlry (New) 6ss 70s Malt 7os 90s White Peas .......56 60$ --.., Mien ... 0 .:9 7Us Grey Pe as..... ........644 681 liE*DkiE Am I.F.ADEN: (By the Ike Ss 81 to 58 4d Mutton 4B 4d to St 4d HAY AND STR, H.y A*7 71 to Al Oa I Clover.— 7 10s to 9 Sis Flour Rape Who Balt i, Br HALL Carcai Veal Pork .W I _ COAL MARKET,. Ships at Starke. Ships Sold. 12Ge Newcastle f.t3 27 Sunderland 13 DIED. N,,v. 30, within a few days of his count lUlmorey, aged 72. Suddenly, on the Seth uh. In the Davis ' schoolmaster of )(armed: At Errol Manse, on the' 5d nit. the ter of ErroL PRICE OF 31 Bk. Stock Reduced 71 76; 77if Cons. shut 3i per Ct. 864 4 per Ct. 9416+1 Navy shut Lon Ind'. Exc Om Cot Lot HIGH WATERat LONDON BH Honking • Mt&, noes • - . - _ LtIND9I% - ; Printed at et puMished [lace. lkanpla,