The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-18 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

MANSION-HOUSE.
Jo/se Prestos was placed at the bar before Mr. Alderman
Hunter, upon the charge of having feloni,oisty forged the
name of William Simpson toe deposit receipt fcr 3001, and
with drawing the. sum out of the North and I.4nith Wien
Bank at Liverpool. A clerk from the office of Messrs. Roy
and Co. appeared for 0141 prosecution.
The prisoner was defended by Mr. Metcalfe, the
banister.

Mr. David Ritchie esamined—l am clerk in the secre-
tary's odic* of the Bank of England. I produce three
Beak of England notes, one fur 1101., No. 14.180, dated
Liverpool, May 2S, 115:42; one for 501., No. 8.5,64(:, dated
Manchester, January 'A, 18.52 • and one for 001., No. 9,421,
dated Manchester, January 30, 1842. These notes were
brought to the secretary's office as being stopped. I saw the
prisoner there, who claimed the notes, and said he had re-
ceived them from the North and South Wales Bank, by
signing William Simpson's name to a document. He did
not say what document. The prisoner said his name was
John Simpson, of the Victory-road, Stepney, where he
sometimes went by the name of Brown ; and that he had
given his name as John Brown en the notes.
The prisoner at this stag* of the proceedings made the
following statement, after being cautioned that it would be
taken down, and perhaps made use of as evidence against
him :—lt is my own money. Simpson put it into the bank,
and I could not get it out without forging his name.
Simpson is now away. I only did it to get m own rights.
I should like to relate how I came to go to the bank and
get the money, but perhaps Simpson may take alarm if he
knows any thing of this. He has been to Colchester and
Ipswich. He placed some money in the bank, which I have
an interest in. He took a young girl away with him from Col-
cheater, and then went to Chester rates. He gave me this
bill (the blank deposit receipt), and I was very glad to get
hold of it. This Mrs. Simpson will tell you if she is
brought forward. Simpson is now in a vessel lying in
Liverpool, going to Messina. He thought to leave me
without any money, whereas we were partners together in
• coal field.

Daniel May, an officer of the City police, said—On Friday
last I wu called into the secretary's office at the Bank, and
directed to take the prisoner into custody. I heard him
say that he had been to various places endeavouring to meet
with Simpson, and that he at last found Mrs. +Simpson at
' Liverpool, ,when she gave him the papers to go
and take the money from the bank, as she her-
self had done. He further told me that he
west to the bank on the Saturday previously,
and signed the name of Simpson for the money,
bet that the people at the bank did not like his signature;
that he then loft the bank and went again, I believe on the
Thursday following, taking another person with him, and
getting the mosey. He said, " I was to give it to Mrs.
Simpson, but as it was my money and I bad got it into my
own hands, I thought I had better keep it.' I then told
him there was a deficiency of two 601. notes. He said,
" I shall not explain es to where they are." There was
another person in his company at the Bank, whom I asked
if be had any money which he bad received from the pri-
soner, and he gave me 201., which he said the prisoner
had given him that morning, and that the prisoner owed
him nearly the amount. I believe the principal witnesses
in the ease reside in the neighbourhood of Liverpool. I
have heard that another person is now in custody upon
this charge at Liverpool, and I believe that information to
be comet.

Mr. Metcalfe—What witnesses are resident at Liverpool?
Witness—Mrs. Simpson end the clerk at the bank.
Mr. Metcalfe—And what witnesses are resident here ?
Witnese—There is the clerk from the Bank of England
as well as myself.
Henry Murphy—l am a detective officer of the Liver-
pool police. I produce a warrant signed by John Smith
Mansfield, Esq. a magistrate of the borough of Liver-
pool, against the' prisoner for feloniously. forging a receipt
for payment of matey. I believe the prisoner to be the
John Brown mentioned in the warrant. I this morning
asked the prisoner if his name was John Brown, when be
replied that it was. I then told hint that I was an officer
from Liverpool and that I had • warrant for his appre-
hension. I noel tb• warraat to him, and told him there
was • man named Mudd in custod_y at Liverpool, who had
been connected with the cue. The prisoner said to me
that he had given Mudd 101. to go with him to the bank.
I said to him " wan that to personate Simpson ?" and he
replied, " that will have to be proved hereafter." Either
two or three witnesses went before the magistrates at Liver-
pool is Mitdd's case.
Mr. Metcalfe—How many witnesses were there in Mudd's
cam at Liverpool?
Witmer—Mrs. Simplot), a clerk from the North and
South Wales Bank, and the officer who apprehended him.
Mr. Metcalfe—ls it usual with Liverpool police officers
to ask prisoners whether they have given 1U?. to one man to
personate another?
Witness—l did not ask him first.
Mr. Metcalfe—ls that the ordinary practice at Liverpool ?
Witness—Tea. I very often see it done ; I very often
do it.

The clerk to the solicitors for the prosecatioe now ap-
plied to Mr. Alderman Heater to allow the prisoner to be
removed to Liverpool, in the custody of the last witness, in
accordance with the warrant.

Mr. Metcalfe objected to the removal of the prisoner
from Loudon, melt would entail upon him the heavy expense
of taking his witnesses to Liverpool and maintaining them
then, especially as there woe no question, as he was in-
structed, that the money in reality belonged to the prisoner.
Mr. Alderman Ranter said he felt it his duty to deliver
the prisoner up to the °Meer who had produced the warrant
for kis spprekeneisa.