The National Register. — London, England, 1816-07-21 00:00:00

JULY CI. they might 'safely make the attempt on the house of a ft lend of his, Mr. Seger, an ironmonger, ill Gray's-inn-lane, where he tote :.1 take cat e the re should Ile no interruption. The plan be laid, Vaughan wean to Mr. Segaa and told libn he had pri vate infurinatton that his house was to be broken open on such a 'night, the IStli of June, and desired him to keep his dog tied up, and quiet in the house, as he and his party should be notice watch and apprehend them. 'rills was agreed to, and Drake and Hubbard provided their party against night, and encourag ed them by tel tataii the job was easily accomplieheil, and that they %elute he sure of at least Ic)li., besides a great ciaail tity of lucks and (Aber aracles of value, which they could get as if given them as a present. litibbert, Vaughan, Baia n, Mackay, anti Drake met at night at the watering-house at the comer of the asiiie'arnail, where they concerted the plan ; Ilubbatel„ Drake, and Brown, then went to the persons who they were engaged with to commit that burglary, and Vaughan to give them a better opportunity, went to the watchman, who was nearly opposite, and told hint he was a llowatrect officer, and had information that a Inireaary was to be committed in the Louse of ale. Seger, and that he and his party were in wait to a pprelneal them, and lie du ere the watchman to put out his cater e, and to shut himself up in his box ; the watchman re lased, saying, he would do his duty, but lie would nut either put out _light or quit his post; and that he would assist to ap prehead any person as well es Vaughan. Vaughan, finding foiled its this plan, contrived to gibe charge. of two girls of the town who were disputing, that whilst he uud the watch -111:111 were gone to the watch-gouge, the party might make the attempt. I lubbaril came afterwards to Vaughan and Mackay, who generally accompanied I ' us au officer, and said, the Jag: ris out. Vaughan an-werell and said, I told them it was to be ont of the way. In consequeuce of this disappointment, the affair was pi-aliened to mealier night. Vanghan waited on the gentlemen of the wateh-board, and made a complaint against the watchman; in conseqa rime of which he was sue petled. The watchman, as far he knew, confirmed the above evidence, he having seen Vaughan several times before Segar's door. Mr. Nares desired the watchman to call on him, and he should be paid for the time lie was suspended; and the watelunan produced a petition, which was signed by several respectable inhabitants of the neighbourhood, and which also deposed to his character. He has since been restored. Pre vious to the night for making the secotel attempt on Mr. Se gara house, Hubbard was taken into custody,charged with rob bing a gentlemen of his watch, and was under examination at Union-hall. Hubbard's presence being necessary to commit the burglary, 'Vaughan exerted himself to have him discharged, and he went and paid Mr. Harmer a guinea to go to Union-hall and plead for hint ; although lie, on his oath, before the :Magis trates of liattonatarden, denied hating ever seen Hubbard, or known him by any Hanle, or employed any person to plead for him; in which lie was related by Mr. Harmer's clerk, who, on Lis oath, declared that Vaughan paid him a guinea to plead for a man of the amine of George Hubbard, who was to be examin ed at Uniouliall, for robbing a gentleman of his watch. The Magistrates paid the greatest compliments to Read and Lim brick, fur their being the principal instruments in bringing this conspiracy to light. The couvietions upon this man's evidence, which are pretty numerous, will, it is supposed, upon the re presentations of the Magistrates to the Secretary of State, be quashed. Mr. Nares attended the nest day for above three hours with intent farther to investigate the above charges ; but Vaughan did not attend, nor was lie to be found at any of his usual places of' resort. Wednesday Mr. Nares proceeded in the investigation of the conduct of Vaughan, and those concerited with him. Mr. Nares takes a particular interest, and devotes a considerable taut of his time to the investigation of this extraordinary and infamous business; not only on account of the examination of the charge having been bef l ore him, which led to the investiga• tion of the conspiracy ; but it to happens, that he retonimend ed George Vaughan to the office, to be employed as a patrole on the streets and roads in the environs of London, and he has now been employed at the office in that capacity for upwards of two aears: and daring that time he Iles been a very active young man; so much so, that he has been employed by the agents of the Bank and the Mint, to discover and detect coiner.; of counterfeit money, the makers of' bank-notes, and the titterers of them. The Magistrate was justified in his re commend-mime as he had been employed by Mr. Christian, the Judge of the Isle of Ely, we uuderstund, in the rapacity of clerk. After he was employed at the office and attached to a party of the patrole who go into the neighbourhood of Islington every evening, he got connected with an infamous set of men who hang about the different Police Offices. and the public. houses near them, who ace called Noses, and who, from their connection with thieves. give information of robberies that are to be committed, as well as those which have been committed, for the purpose of being rewarded; and among those of this description was Mackay, of whom so much has been said. This Mackay was the nose in the discovery of the great and extensive silk robbery which was committed upon the River Thames twine time since; and by the bye, it was through lam that the pet petrators of that rubbery were discovered, and the u.tteuiders brought to condign punishment. George Brown, who was connected with Vaughan and Mackay, was appre hended by May, the officer belonging to Union-hall, tat Tues day night, and brought to the office on Wednesday morning; when, after melergoing an examination before Mr. Nares, he was committed for further exanatiation. Mackay has made interest and applied several times to he ap pointed a Petiole attached to this office, but lie has always been rejected. Wednesday Mr. Nares received a lava signed Hubbard. from the man who was erroneously reported from Hatton leaden office by the name of Herbert, and about whom so much had been said, as to Vaughan having given the Solicitor's Clerk a guinea. for Mr. Harmer to go to Union-lath office, and defend him against a charge of felony; which was insisted upon by Mr. Harmer's Clerk, ana as ea.:Wetly and solemnly denied by aughan. Tire letter is dated 4110111 OIS.111011,V:- lane talent). where lie is amtined on a charge of stealing a watch, chain and r,141.:. bat has not yet been trial. In this letter be confesses him self to have beat eitilty of a burglary. but for which he hat not been tried, or even suspected of it; hut his object in the conianinialtion was to iinplicete another of the patrole belonging to the office, of the name of arcailead Huthen, in conibating Inerelf inmmaerly. Although the infonuation came from such a character ana la motive could be assigned for hit conduct in this instenee, Nana acted upon it with the g.eateet promptitude. ana amt for Arcata:alit Cuthea. who has belonged to the office ft', yaira ana has always beet aniselered steady oral to have sated with propaaa. He :arc a very frank are candid arenunt at' the transaction :lintel to by It:tabard, arid did ni appear to keep any Chia g back. 112 stutel au is ,he :.'nth of Mae hat he reerival intiirmattai from whaavtr.l as a ea that a wawa and elockmeikeas shop in il4rownit :y-sues be broken open about a certain dine; ties lie V: , at La It.. it, celeavour to detect the robbers., Liking with hi,o Stu lay, who, . have already stetel, is one of the hiI'W7TS-0.1 .111.1 t. the PA sasali .ea and frequently attends the patrol: to assle brut in ta.er date, &ander to hailiffia followers, but who arc not nt all sanctioned at any of the offices. The robbery was perpetrated (as Bubb:in] had informed Archibald lituholi it would be) by thrto mhthaii; whavtut AnLibalf.l '-street THE NATIONAL REGISTER Ruthen and Mackay. endeavouring to secure the robbers, they only suxeciod with one, two made their escape--one of the two they ap prehended a few days after. Their names were Mars and Flanafran. They were examined, tried, and convicted of the burglary at the la..t Surrey Assizes', but were nut executed. 'file reward for the convictions of these two men was divided between Archibald Huthen, Mackay, and Hubbard. It now appears, that Hubbard was not only the now, but he was actually the tiiitcl robber in the burglary of the clock and watchntakes; and Archibald Ruth= knew that llubbard was one or the robbers, he having received infor mation to that effect; and for this neglect of duty, Mr. Narea ordered hint into custody, and connuitual hint. We have used the Christian name of Archibald, in alhelin3 to Ruthens as he has a brother belonging to the onice not connected with hint. Thursday. Mackay made a full and shocking disclosure of the various eases in which he had been concerned, and of others which had come to his kno.vledge. One case w`ikh he stated was that of a poor sailor, casually found at a poblic-house, who was sent to purchase a loaf with counterfeit-money, and immediately afterwards seized by Vaughan, who was in waiting, tried, and convicted !—Vaughan is still atlarge. Friday, Messrs. Nara and Rimie again resumed the baiinc,s ; when W. Drake and R. Browne were put to the bar. The former confessed that he had seen Mackay, B. Johnson. Brown (the other prisoner). and G. Hubbard, in company with s2veral of the Patrole. They were all in possession of a great many counterfeit Bank-tokens, which he un derstood they had purchased of Ryan. Shea, and others. They paid for rae:i Is. token ls. 3d. and some of a better sort Is. fal. each. G. I lublianl's practice was, to pick up persons whom he met with in the streets, and engage them to carry small parcel+, which were made up for the purpose, their contents being of little value. Witen they had carried the parcels a short distance, he would give them a counterfeit token. desiring them to go to a public-house to get themselves some thing to drink with it, and at the same time contriving to drop other counterfeit tokens into their pockets ; when the circumstance of having other counterfeit tokens found upon them makes the offence double that of uttering. While Hubbard was pursuing these practices, John son, Mackay, and Browne were following them in league ; and when they tenderul the counterfeit tokens. Johnson and the others then ap peartal, and. pretending, to be Police Officers. searched them, and find ing others of a similar manufacture upon them, they securest them, and made a communication to the agents of the Bank, when the victims were committetlas agents of miners. They have sometimes put as many as sit counterfeit tokens into the unfortunate people's pockets. Drake state lhat he frequently heard them relate these diabolical ad ventures. White they pursued this infamous practice, they also det 'cted and prosecuted guilty utterers. Some of Hubbard's companions. when not occupied with transactions of this description, used togs) out thieving with him. After they had convicted people, and had received their re wards from the Agents of the Bank, they used to meet at a public-house in Coleman street to divide it. Drake stated himself to have been pre sent when these transactions were going on in the publi:-houses. Hub bard in general had a larger proportion for his share, for his ingenuity in procuring the people. The fellows of whom they bought the coun terfeit tokens were admitted to share in what they got from the Bank. Drake had hitherto been in custody only on a charge of bastardy : but on Friday the Magistrates committed him on suspicion of divers offences. Browne was also committed again. MANSION"-HOUSE. MONDAY, JULY 15.—ANOTI1ER INFAMOUS CONSPIRACY: — On Saturday last, our readers will recollect, three poor illite rate Irishmen, viz. Quin,Connolly, and Bearden, were capitally convicted at the Old Bailey, for counterfeiting the coin of the realm. In their defence thee stated, that being oat empl.n.- nn.nt, and destitute of bread, they were wandering about for work, and were engaged by a man, to whom they were in known, to accept of " a jou." The person in question then brought them to a two-pair et'stairs waste room, in Angel-alley, Moor-lane, Cripplegate, where, having given them a lesson, lie set them all at work rubbing pieces of metal, the size of shilling■, with some white composition, and left them, under the pVe tence of going out to pi ocure them something to eat and drink. While waiting for his return, however, the officers arrived, and they were taken iutc custody. During their trial also it was announced to the Court, that the actual person who had so employed them, was apprehended. Brock and Pelham, two of the officers who apprehended the priaoners, and who were bound over to appear upon their trial, had absented them • selves, and hail forfeited their recognizanecs. In consequence of the above circumstances, and others which arose upon the trial, the Judges directed that a special investigation of the affair should take place before the Lord Mayor, and the fol lowing evidence transpired:— John Berry was now brought up, and charged with con spirinf, with several others, in an attempt to take away the life of the three forementioned persons. Mr. Burgess stated, that although Pelham and Brock were aware of the circum stance, they had not yet come into Court. These persons he had seen in company a considerable time in the morning with 0. Vaughan, the officer, about Guildhall. The Lord Mayor ordered two of the Marshahnen to repair to the spot, and in form them of the necessity of their attendance. Peihain only could be found. Vaughan and Brock had retreated. P. M'Donnell then deposed. that in the month of May last, un the morning of that day the three Irishmen were taken into'cus tody, he was standing at the usnal place in Cheapside, where they wait for work, when Berry came up, and after some eon veraatiun engaged them to go to a holm in Angel-alley, Moor lane, for A job. On Saturday last, when witness went to the Old Bailey, to hear the trial of the men employed by the pri soner, he saw the latter waiting at the doors, when he gave an alarm, and he instantly fled, but was overtaken, and secured. The Lord Mayor enquired of Pelham what he knew• of Berry, and how he received information of the prisoners being em ployed as coiners. Pelham replied, he knew nothing of Berry. He was then asked why lie fled from the Old Bailey, and thr feited his recognizance, at the time too when Berry was appre hended? Pelham replied, that seeing Brock go away, lie follow ed—beside, a man at the dour or court told him he would not be wanted. The Lord Mayor said, he had litt'ie doubt of the present case proving a conspiracy against the lives of innocent men, and lie was determined to exert et cry means in his power to probe the case to the quick. He therefore ordered Berry I and Pelham to be conveyed to hlewgate, to be kept separate, and alain brought up for examinatioa. Tuesday Berry and Pelham, chargal with conspiring in the convic tion of the three Irishmen for training. were again broultat opt when Cartwright and Leadbear.=. Marshalmen, stated, that they had gone in search of. Bruck, one of the parties RI yucca! of being implicated with the prisoners. Ile, however, was no where to be found, nor was he at his ladgings the whole of aloaday nigitt. T. White. an officer, depOtell m!) its know!. ;Ige of the intimacy between Berry, Pelham, Brock, Browne. and Vavoglu..a. Witness knew a poblic-hottro in Bar bican. where th e partiYs were in the habit of muting, but which was bow rlosAt tine of the principal persons. however, aerpwinted with the coi,apirazy. he was in L•ui..s of tracing. B. Nl•Donnell tamest. that he at the ar:r!i-t. as it is called, at King-street. on the morn ing whin the three liisita.en were apprehended. They hail cone there as bril.laver's labourers :a lock fer cmpkwymcnt ; when Berry desired to Enc.... if they wante.l •• job." He hoard attuwarls of the com mitio nt ni the th:...e ..i; knowi.l4 their innocence, had gone to tee 0:.1 Wiley to h• ;heir fate. 11:1 this ot..a.ion he spied Berry (who hat proviutuly be, n walking in the Preeu.vard with Brock, Pel ham aa.l another); and upo•h attempting to glye him in charge., he was knoekui, down by. a man who escaped, %bile Bur) fled. Tlic. Latter, however. was a:cur...l. Pntelianl stated, that sic Watt tanpl . .l col to let lodgings in a how,: in Angel-alley, Mo.a-1.144: , 1 about two days previous to the apprehension of the three men she let a room to two young men; she could not say to the prisoners. She saw the convicted men when apprehended in the room, and thought two of them were those who took the room. The persole who did so spoke English. (This witness, who denied any k now l e d ge o f the prisoners, upoa being pressed, acknowledged that 'ellitun h a d ca ll e d upon h er after the inen had been taken into custody. I Being ordered to go to Newgate, and see whether any of the convicted persons were those who hired the rooms, she repaired there, but was unable to identify them. Mr. Westwood, of the house of Kaye and Cu. stated, that he was acqnainted with Pelham (who had gone by the names of Murphy and Phelirn), Brock, and Berry. They had each been with him respecting bad money. Pelham confessed that he had been to the house of Mrs. Pritchard; but it was, to ask what had become of a board found in the room when the Irishmen were apprehended. Berry denied any share in the conspiracy; but (although he un Monday denied all knowledge of Pelhain) he now confeseed, that on one occasion the latter applied to him to watch Browne, who was passing counterfeit tokens. lie declared vehemently, he was '• a, innocent of the present charge as the three men who were convicted on Saturday last." Mr. Burgess said, that if time were allowed, he would undertake to bring forward the most conclusive evidence of the connexion between the two prisoners, Bnick and G. Browne. The Lord Mayor said, that the omnexion was satisfactorily proved; and lie could not but consider Pelham as a principal, while Berry had been sworn to as a party; and ordered the prisoners to be remanded, and separately confined. Brock, the companion of Pelham, Berry. George Brown and Vaughan, was on Wednesday morning apprehended in bed, at I house in Fehl.street. Ile was brought before the Lord Mayor at an early hour, and underwent a private examination which bested two hours. In the course of this proceeding, his identity was clearly esta blished, and he offered to give certain information to the Lind Mayor upon the subject. Pelham, already in custody, has also confessed his guilty participa.. tion with a number of other conspirators; and, in a long letter, has detailed to his Lordship some of the principal facts of the system of his partners in guilt, and promised to disclose the whole. White the officer also, who apprehended Brock, give some impor tant information; in consequence of which, the Lord Mayor ordered several other persons discovered to have been connected with dm parties at present in custody, to be secured. Brock was afterwards put to the bar in a public manner; when he was informed by the Lord Mayor, that he was in possession of suffi cient information to spew, that he was not only a coiner of bad money, but that he was a principal in employing the three men who had boss convicted of that offence on Saturday Led, with a view of obtaining a reward for such pretended service to the justice of the country. Under these circumstances, he felt it his duty to remand him for further ex. amination. Brock then begged leave to state, that he had much information to. communicate, if his Lordship would suspend his commitment, and hear him in private. The Lord Mayor said, he could not hear him at present, but that his offer would be a matter of consideration hereafter. The prisoner was therefore remanded, and ordered to be kept in a separate apartment from all other persons. Thursday looming the Lord Mayor entered into another private in vestigation of this extraordinary and limit infamous affair; in cons.. gitence of two other persons named Barry and Ryan being apprehended since Wednesday, the examination was remm..l.l in the evening, and cntinned until a late hour. _ _ ...... _ From the information derived from some of the parties, who express. ed a wish to become evidence in the case, it was ascertained that Barr who is .on of the man of that name at present in cuatody, was conceal)c I in an apartment in Lamb Passage, Butehill-row. White and Ilarri. win, the officers, in consequence repaired to the place, at three o'clock on Wednesday morning, where they found him in bed; and after some difficulty (the man being in a state of intoxication) took him into custody. They then proceeded to an obscure lodging in Ratcliffe Highway, where, being compelled to break in the door of his apart ment, they apprehended Ryan also. The latter, it now appems, was the person who usually furnished Barry and his son with the money, in order to procure permits who might become objects of yroneution; anl it wrs by them, in conjunction with others, that Quin, Reordan, and Connell, were selected. The examination of the younger Barry and Ryan took place in the presence of Brock and Pelham; each of whom has, as we already stated, offered to develop, not only this, but other conspiracies, which are now not inaptly termed by the officers themselves, " the Estate of Blood." It is but justice, however, to state, that as yet, no repdar officer of justice, save one in Middlesex (Vaughan), has been proved to be concerned in the gang of conspirators, which we understand amounts in number to about twelve, and is composed chiefly of persons who havo been in the habit of loitering about the Old Bailey and the Po. lice Offices. Neither does it at present appear, that in the ease of the coiners Vaughan had any share. The prisoners Brock, Pelham, and Barry the younger, ens Daniel Browne, made full voluntary confession of every fact within their knowledge. The ease of Timothy Ryan having undergone a strict in vestigation. and nothing sufficiently strong being proved to warrant las detention, he was discharged. Friday. the Lord Mayor a e enin resumed the investigation of the eon spiraey between Brock, Pelham. and Berry sen. and jun. The ex . emulation was chiefly confined to the case of Brock and the elder Barry, the principal actors in the scheme for trepaneing the three Irish men. The plan, it appears , was first 14:d at tie French Horn public house, near Barbican. Beery sen. his sou. and 'e ham, procured the victims, and the former also fund:died Riordan, Quin, and Connell with the compositions which whitened the shillings in which process they were engaged when apprehended by Baauk. Pelham, and Taylor (an officer of respectability) whose assistance they obtained, in order to give a colour to their proceedings. Several publicans in the neigh bourhood of Barbican were examined as to tete prisoners frequentme their houses, when Brock and Barry in particular were identified. Evidence has also been obtained of the same parties having before "shammed" caws of coining, and one in particular twe believe its Grub-street) where an impaverisaed man belie , furnished with heel. money by Barry and others, who retired into a palled: wee while they sent him to change it in the pure:nese of bread aced cheese, the pour man was detected, and Brock, who was waiting on the outside, in stantly seized him, brought him before the Magistrate at feffildhall, from whence he was coonuitteel, and afterwards convicted. It is a cu iceis circurn4ance, that on Satanley morning last, Whlte, the officer, obeeneel all the parties in consaltation in and about the Old previously to the trial of the three Irishmen. One of them ap plied. to him to borrow sixpence, and, as a prod the; these wretch were destitute and calculating solely upon the conviction money of their miserable victims. Pelham, when soon dee-voids se:ttred. was nut (CUrld to be worth even so inatt'a. Prsvioas to the iavenigation on Friday, the Lad Mayor visited New gate, and them held an examina tion in presence of the three convietod men and Barry the elder. The latter was fatly rear viand by the unfortunate Inca. The investigation was again poetpuned. Ann Pratt was charged on bippicion of having set fire to a bou - a in Goldin lane. whieh had already been twice warned in pun. Job Bridge, a watchman. depOsed, that on Thursday night a mob collected round the door of en tan;•ty house, in eouselucnce of a light having been seer. therein. He immediately entered tile place. and thwtd tit'e prisoner going thmugh the apartments wits a li..tilted candle; and king asked what brought her then:, she . said .he woes ru , :rey loJking over her old premises. From other evidence it appeared, that prisoner, her broths and si=ter, hal lived in the house, which had been twice before burned; and that on :he lazt ocea.ion she was also found ohms in the houses which had been insmred for nut. while little or uo property was in it.—demanded. Yesterday Willinu Jordan Mao timidly examined, charged with st..mling a 101. bank o: tF:i v ;antl note, the property of Join. Appleby. The prosecutor and prisoner, it appeared were old friends, and a few evenings azo were together on board vessel in the Thames, u here they slept. Ur foe to4owir.g morning they came ashore together, but had not proceeded far oti thcix wa) . , when the prosecutor la;ibta the note ha lnettica