The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-24 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 24, 1867.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(Before the Assistant-Judge.)

Charles Silk? and Edward Coulson were indicted for
conspiring to obtain goods, and also with attempting to
obtain by false pretences the sum of 6/., by falsely pre-
tending that a certain watch was made of gold, and marked
as 18 carat gold, and wax ball-marked, whereas the same
watch was of a base and inferior metal, made to the
semblance and appearance of gold, as the said Charles
Suter and Edward Coulson were well aware. And
whereas the same watch had not been duly stamped at the
Goldsmiths' Hail, and the mark on the said watch was not
the genuine hall-mark for la carat gold.
Mr. Metcalfe and Mr. Collins prosecuted, instructed by
Mr. K J. Abliott ' • Mr. Poland appeared for Suter, and
Mr. M. Williams, instructed by Mr. Willis.
The prosecutor in this case is a Mr. Upsall, a pawn-
broker carrying on business at No. 121, Whitechapel-
road, and it appeared that at about half-past 12 o'clock at
noon on Monday, the 19th of August, the prisoner Coul-
son went to the prosecutor's shop and tendered a watch
in pledge for 61. On examination of the watch the pro-
secutor discovered it marked to represent the Goldsmiths'
Hall mark. He at once identified the mark as a forgery,
and felt assured that the watch was not gold. Having
drawn Coulson's attention to the mark, he was asked
what it was, and he said it was It carat gold, as was indi-
cated by the mark on it. The prosecutor then filed it,
and afterwards tested it with aquafortis, and finding the
teat showing a spurious metal, said it was merely brass
washed with gold, and asked him who the watch belonged
to. He said it did not belong to him, upon which the
prosecutor told him to bring the owner. Coulson then
'eked him to lend him what he liked upon it, but the
prosecutor said he should not lend anything on
lit, and that he should not part with the watch to
any one but the police. The prisoner Coulson. after
waiting some time, then left the shop, but after
being absent for about two hours returned, accompanied
by the prisoner Suter, who asked the prosecutor why he
detained the watch, saying that it was gold, and demanded
it back again. The prosecutor said it was not a gold
watch, but only a " duffer," and that be should give it up
to none but the police. The prisoners then left the shop
and returned with a police-constable, and the prosecutor,
after explaining matters to him, requested him to take
the two prisoners to the station-house, and be would fol-
low in a few minutes with the watch, which was done.
While the charge was being taken the constable sent the
watch to a maker's in the neighbourhood, who tested it and
pronounced it as metal only. The prosecutor being about
to go into the country on his holiday did not press the
charge against then], but told them jto try and get their
living more honestly in future, and the watch was given
back to the prisoners. Seine time afterwards the prose-
cutor discovered that on the very same day they obtained
the watch from the police the prisoners pledged it for 4/.
with a Mr. Fish, a pawnbroker, of No. 16, Wilderness-row,
Clerkenwell, whereupon the prosecutor immediately ap-
plied to the sitting magistrate at the Worship-street
police-court for a warrant, and the result was that the
prisoners were committed for trial. Mr. Fish, the pawn-
broker with whom the prisoners subsequently pledged the
watch, was called upon to produce it at Worship-street.
At the examination before the magistrate the prisoners'
solicitor said that the prosecutor, would not have applied
for the warrant had he not been threatened with an action
for false timprisonment by the prisoners unless he
made them compensation, on the assertion that
neither of the prisoners represented the watch as 18 carat
gold. The prosecutor came to town a week after the pri-
soners had been given into custody, when he received •
letter from • Mr. Thwaites, an accountant, to the effect
that unless compensation was given to the prisoners an
action would be commenced. On the Saturday previously
to the Monday when the attempt was made to pus the
watch in question on the prosecutor Coulson took
the watch to • Mr. Avila, a pawnbroker in the same road,
and wished him to lend him 10/. on it, but it was returned
to him, the 'her:can telling him he did not like the look of
it, when Coulson offered to take 5/. on it, but that was
also refused, and on the following Monday he attempted
to pass it on the prosecutor.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, but with • strong
recommendation to mercy, on the ground that Mr. Upset'
did not institute the prosecution at the outset.
Upon Mr. Williams's application the sentence was post-
poned.