The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-14 00:00:00

A WHOLES.ILE SWINDLER.

Notwithstanding the publicity lately give to the person's exploits
who has passed under the name of Brock!chink, and described him-
self as the nephew of a gentleman of that name connected with the
Steam Navigation Company, he continues to labour in his vocation
with unretnisting ardour, and hitherto wish impunity. A few days
past he drove up in a gig to the shop of Mr. Latter, silversmith, in
the City-road, and purchased plate to the amount of upwards of
thirty pounds. lie requested the bill of parcel might be made out,
and sent with the piste, and offered the ehopman a seat in his gig,
if he would accompany him to receive the money. lie stopped in
Coventry-street, and said he wanted so show the plate to a friend,
and requested the man would take the charge of the gig and horse
until his return. After waiting two or three hours, he gave up all
I hopes of his return, and returned with the gig and horse to his
master, who caused it to be advertised. The gig was claimed by a
livery-stable keeper, who refused to pay die expenses. This adroit
knave succeeded in a similar manner in defrauding Mr. Massy, a
silversmith, in Leadenhall-atreet. of plate to the amount of about
17/. The same person called with a similar equipage, at the shop
of Messrs. Spink and Son, respectable jewellers, in aracechurch-
Street, and ordered eighteen table.spoons, tor the use of the Steatn
Navigation Company ; he said the Company had a large dinner a
few days previous, and that some of the guests, in the exuberant°
of their mirth and jollity, broke the heads of the spoons which were
engraved, and walked nil with the bowls. lie requested Mr. Spink,
jun. to send a little boy whom he taw in the shop, to receive the
money for the spoons ; hut on 111 r. Spink'n calling the shopmarr to
accompany the god/come, he said he would not trouble him, but
would return in a short tine with the money. It is needle.s to say
he never returned. On the same day he called at the shop of Mr.
,'&infield, a jeweller, in Chespeitle. Ads. D. had a presentiment that
this was the grntlevinu teith der gig. who had been PO busy else-
! where; he looked out 12 silver spoons, and 12 forks, of the value
of 271.; but perceiving Mr. Bantield eyed him very attentively,
and was particularly on his guard, he did not ask as usual for a
' person to accompany hint in his gig; but ordered that the plate
• should be ant to the Steam Navigation Company's office, and wrote
on the back of the bill of parcels :he following order:—
" Pay bi seer hereof the turn on the other side.
" To Mr. Jones.. " J. lirocklebank,
"Steam Navigation Company's Office...

Mr. Bonfield went himself shortly after with the plate to the
office ; and so well had lie imitated tile hand-writing of Captain
Brocklebank, that the Secretary, Mr. Jones, had actually drawn a
check on the bankers for the amount of the bill, before they dis-
covered that it was s forgery ; this document is in Mr. Bonfield's
posoession. He called on horseback at the shop of Mr. Davis, in
Holborn, and obtained a watch and scabs, value 81. leaving the
horse in charge of the boy who was sent with him. Mr. Davis
was more successful in his arrangements with the livery-noble-
keeper, as he secured a reward of M. advertised for the recovery of
the how.' on complaining to the owner that his horse was a party to
the fraud. Mr. Beckett. jeweller, of Oxford-street, was also
ho-
routed with a call from this wholesale swindler; he did not, how-
ever, succeed in designs. This swindler, who is now become
notorious, is a man of about 25 years of age, of rather sallow cont.
plezion, about live feet six inttte ill height ; was dressed in a suit
of deep mourning; his manners and conversation are gentle-
manly, and well calculated to impose oa persons not strictly on
their guard.