The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-20 00:00:00

POACIIING.

low STRAIT.

Saturday two men, trrine- (1---D sirhang and Grodolon, were
brought up for final examination, cha►ged with being, on
Tuesday night, the 7tll inst. in Bushy Park, the seat of the
Duke of Clarence, with certain implements, with intent to
deoeuy :ann. ; and also with committing an assault on
Sharpe, tour of his Royal Ilighneses game.keepero. The
leading circurnetanc, a of thus C3RC have already appeared.
—Since the former examination, Stnith, the officer, succeed.
ed in aoprebendiug a man named Pope, vho was supposed
to have been concerned in the trrneecti 111 l ; and immediately
rust heinz taken into custody, he coofe.:sed the whole affitir.—
He was now admitted an evidence fur the prosecution ; and
hi■ testimony, which was correh"raterl by that of several
other witnes,es, fully established the charge against the
Prisoners.

The Pi ivorien were committed until they should find gond
bvil, of which they we re ordered he give 24 hours' notice,
stud the accomplice 1145 detained to give rvidence.

ROBBERY AT MR. MAKEPEACEN.

The 1.3,e of the robbery of Moors. itlakepeace and
Harker, silversinitha, iu Searle-■lntl, Lincoln's fun.lielils.
and the seizure of their sham property at a somber of
pawnbrokers, came ou to be further investigated on Satur-
day treeing.
The searrhwarrasita which were issued, were intrusted to
Salmon, the ',nicer, a ho seized all the plate descrilieil by the
prosecutors at the different pawnbrokers, to the amount of
In twee. six and seven hundred pounds, and linpozht the
whole to the odic* on Thursday evening, when Mr. Harker,
on being called upon to explain what lie meant by the
pa:rolookers having unlawfully come by the properly,
seplied that it lead been stolen. That heitlLT his expla-
Dal iOll, the pawolorokers contended, that if Mer4r4
Makeprace sad (hater admitted that the property hail hien
stolen, they were bound tee prodore and prosecute the iliief
before they were legally railed upon I.e deliver up the pro-
perty, which they received in pledge in the regular way of
their hosioess.

On the question of the pawnbrokers being compelled to give
up the plate, without the regular redemption money, it was
nreeil that it should email' in 11. e possession of Salmon,
the citieer, who has siuce been active in endeavouring to
tract out and apprehend the rubber, in which lie has not
brit successful, but by the assistance of the pawnbrokers,
teirtirohrly Mr. Page, of Liquoipend-street, be succeeded
IN appetin luting the woman who p:edgetl the plate.
Air. Page, who bas advanced the largest sum of any upon
the plate iu question, viz. 1701. attended on Saturday even-
ing, and presented the woman as the person lie had received
the plate in pledge flout, and obseivcd that he had used
every passible exertion to discover her, that the ends of pub-
lic Justice might be accomplished. She pledged the plate
ais her busband's property, and she had been in the habit of
taking propel ty to pledge for a con,iderable kiwis of time.
Some of the plate.bail been pledged fur upwarJs of two
years, and yet it had not been missed by Messrs. Alakepeace
and Harker. The reason of its nut having become a fiu feit •
ed pledge, owing to the length of time, was explained by the
interest having been paid oil*. This conduct on the pall of
the thief could not be accounted fur.
The woman said her nanie was Sarah Blake.

Mr. Cotiant, who was the sitting Magistrate,declined go-
ing into the examination of the wvinati, as Mr. Birnie had
commenced the examination of the business, and granted the
watr:tuts to march the Ftwoltro!tere houses for the pro-
rrty. A messenger was in coustqlsetice sent to Mr. Rirnie,
informing him of the woman being its custody, and his an.
swer, we are concerned to tay, was, that he was so extremely
indisposed, it was impossible fur him to attend.
Mr. Alley, who attended fur Mr. Page, the pawnbroker,
asked Weise would agree to remain in the custody of_ the
cancer, where she was, or in the watch-house, to a future
day, when, it was hoped Mr. Diruie would be well enough
to attend. The woman burst into tears, amid said she bad
seven small children at home, and her confinement would be.
extremely distressing.
Mr. Alley told her it did not signify how great a nninher
of children she had, if she octal improperly she Mind he
answerable fur it ; and the question was, whether she would
remain where she was or go to New gate ?—She agrt ed to the
former.

John Hicks, riilliaaa Inch, ■nd Richard Hicks, were
brought up by Ruthreu the officer, charged on Gov:civil et
feloniously stealing two heifers, the properly of Charles
Thm.mas Mohnu, of Laleham.
1 hey were committed for further examination.
Thozaas Waxiin bank was committed fur trial, on a chlrge
of fraudulently obtaining four pounds of ten from Thomas
Chapel, porter to blr. West, grocer, of Fetter.l under
a pretence of sending back for six pounds of sugar for the
Three Tuns public-home mu Fetter-hue.

QUCZN-lIQUARI.

Saturday Jehn Wilkinson, 15 years of ;gr., apprrtitice to
Mr. copperplate-printer, in York•strert, was cum.
milted fur •ue month to Totbill•firlds'.Oridewell, and or.
dered to be well Hogged, for !mein absconded from his
master on Sliterrlay setinight. He was found in a hour of
ill-fame in Pie.alreet.

WARLBOROUGU-STRIFT.

Saturday John Bates wan fully committed, fur stealing a
pair of shots from a shop in the Edgeware•rusd. He wan
seen by so opposite neighbour to enter the shop alsont eight
o'clock the preceding night, whilst the master was out, and
Inking out • foot rule, began to measure several pair of
Aces till he hid found a pair to fit him, which he put
sad without further ceremony walked off. Heus:, bon.
ever, followed and apprehended. (Jo being salted on fur
his defence, be admitted the fact, but said he had (oda dune
it for " a lark."

Magistrate—" Larks. my fa lend, du not sing quite so late
in the evening" _ . .

J. :lank 7%;.1 J. Mo►rie were fully committed for stealing
a copper from the dwelling-house of Mr. Dicks, of itlarelil-
street, Carnaby-market. They were employed out of charity
as sweete, and availed themselves, in the absence of Mu. D.
to plunder him.

WORSIIIP-STRTET.

Saturday a boy named Smith, a pauper in Sutton's Farm.
ed House, Islington, was brought before Robert Bevil', Esq.
charged with violently assaulting another pauper, an infirm
idil maw, by stroking him with a broom on the head, wills
such force that his skull was broken.

The Assistant Master attended, and stated, that the boy
was very much inclined to aiekeduess ■nd barbarity, so
much so, that be was the terror of the paupers. lle had
been there only five weeks, during which lime be, instead of
minding his work, wantonly broke the windows of the
house, by what he calls, "slipping Ilse glazier," that is, by
putting the point of a pea-knife in the corner of the square,
and running bus thumb nail along the glass, it immediately
breaks ; and the first week he came into the house be broke
bowel) panes of glass in this manner, and all the punish-
ment that could be inflicted could nut make him refrain from
such wanton practices.
The Magistrate said, such conduct deserved the severest
putiishment, and be was committed, in default of bail, for
the assault.

A quantity of base half-crowns and shillings are
now in circulation in the northern parts of the Prin-
cipality of Wales.
On Thursday evening last, as Messrs. PESCOTT'S
Chichester waggon from London, was on its way to
,that cite, about half-a-m:le from flazlemere, it
caught tire, from the candle, which was in the lan-
tem, being thrown, from tine motion of fixing the
skid-iron, against the horn, and burning a hole
through, communicated to some loose straw, and
the abide was sown in flames. Every exertion was
made by the men who were with the waggon, in
taking out the goods ; a barrel of gunpowder, how-
ever, taking tire, blew up will] a tremendous explo-
sion, and toe three men were precipitated over tie
liedg,g, but, providentially were only burial a lit.
Cr, to extinguishing the 'property on fire.

CRIMINAL Ld W.

(Conelnded f from Ik. amnd rffe)

Much of the Moore evidence sufficiently establishes the
general diainclisiation of trailers to prosernte for forgeries un
themselver, err to furnish the Bank of England with the
means of conviction, in ease. where forged notes are littered.
There is tin offence its which the infliction of death seems
more rerognant to the strong. and general and declared umse
a the public, than forgery; there is no other in which there
appears to prevail a greater compassiou for the offender, and
more horror at capital executions.
In additi to the general evidence above staled, to nolo.
riots. facts, and to eilevi sonclusioos of reason, your Com-
mittee have to state the testimony of some witnesses of pe.
cellist. *richt, on the subject of forgery.
31r. John Smith, a Member of the !louse, and banker In
London, stated that he knew installers where moiseelations
for private ferg. ties were relimpoilthell 1111 areMIIII of the
punishment, mod had no doubt that if the poitishourtit was
less, prosecutions would have taken place.
tle. Harm It, also a Member of the llonse, a,u a flanker
in London, is of opeoion, that capital punishment goes tra-
tretta ly to diwi.oorage prosecnit 111 l s in forgery; be knout
many instances of this, scarcely a year passed without some.
l lung of the kind; lie is of opinion that the majority of pri.
sate furgeri, s pass uaponisheel, out net-moot of the severity
of the puni.hoss• tat. The punishment of death frivolo, in hill
op , to prevent pro-emotion, and to increase the crime.
Mr I. F. Forster, so Russian merchant, and Sir. E. Fors-
ter, a banker in gave some remarkable examples
of time repugnance to prosecute its forger-... In owe, by the
connivance of the pron.cula.r ; a peewees who was introduced
to the Magistrate as, friend of the primmer's, do sired 10 ace
are forged check, snatched it away, and threw it into the
tire; a mode of avoiding prosecution a loch, from other
parts's( the evidence, ' .1 not seem 10 be uncommon. In
another, a forgery to the large am tof 15.000 r.,
where the r.,,zer n ul Cir utterer were limb in custody, the
prosecutloll was l'elllNUl.ll merely because the offence was
capital; had the punistintent been ever so• severe, abort of
death, nu eart:avow would have been made t • save the of-
fenders. L. the opinion of :Ur. E. Forster, more than one
half the private fa:gerbil whirls are committed escape pro.
secutions on account of the severity of the law he added an
example of the like sentiments, in the oil'etere of stealing in
elwellitig.limise, which the Cumin r flee consider as rename k
b”cause it occurred in the (Miters of a institu-
tion, who usually allow themselves to be Its Mem need by
their feelings than individuals ; a committee of a public
institutiou WiteNe 114,Itst• hail been roleheit, would tout engage
in the forest motion miless the g Is were v oloed under forty
shillings. lu tills committee were persons of respectable con.
dition in almost all the occupations which are most liable
to loss by forgeries and. thefts.
Mr. Fry, a beaker in London, mentioned four rags of
prosecution for forgery which were prevented by the capital
punishment, its one of which the party injured •.walhoweil
the forged note, limit he might not he compelled to ',woe-
cute. 3lr. Fry explieitly elated, what is indeed implied ite
the evidence of the preceding witnesses, that as a haulier, he
should consider his properly as mach more secure if the
punishment of forgery were mitigated to such a degree that
the law against that offesee would be waterway enforced • in
nine cases out of ten of forgery which lie has known, diere
has been an indisposition to proarcute.
1)r. Lushington declared that be knew, that in the minds
of many liaisons there is a strong indisposition to moo-cute,
on account of the severity of the pions: 111 l int ; mid t.vat be
hael heard from the mouths of ierosecutors Itormselres,
who have Innocent, d for capital offences, "beer three was
a danger of the person's being executed, the erealcst. regret
that they bad so Jour; and many times they have ex.
pressed a wish, that had they been able to bare foresees. the
consequences, they would never have el' sorlell to the laws of
their country. Ile lam related the ease of a servant who
committed a rubbery upon him ; the mao was apprehended.
and his ;MN fins clear; but Dr. bithingiou "refused to
prosecute, for no other retain), but that he could not Mance
himself to run the ri.k of faking awry the life of a man"
Sir. Charter Ai hamlet, a manufacturer of wiudow.glass at
Neweestle, and a seller of window glans in 1.1)1W11,1,, hail ob-
served a very COl:Siarrabk indisposition to prosecute in ca-
pital cases an.ong the traders of London cenerally; and
emaciates that this reluctance would abate if the punish-
ment were mitigated to something less 'llan death,
Mr. Isaac Lyon Goldomill, a broker to the Bank and to
merchants, whose experience in the transact' of broken'
is very extensive, entertains no doubt that the punishment
of death has a tendency generally to prevent
suet thinks that eridenee to that effect eirichi he discovered
its hundred. of inslaieras. A servant of ma own roturnitted
a very aggravated forgery upon him. She confessed her
guilt to the Magistrate before whom she was taken; but it
appearing that if she was prosecuted at all, it must be capi-
tally, Mr. Goldsmiel declined all further proceeding., tool she
was liberated. In the next family en which she became to
servant she committed another capital felony ; and again the
severity of the law appeare to have been Ler pride clime.
Mr. naiad Gurney, a banker in the roomy of Norfolk,
declared his uwu reluctance, and had observed a similar re-
luctance among many hankers and traders in the country to
prosecute in rears of forgery, in consequeoce of the severity
of the law. The dread of toeing illations'-mat in inflicting
death had, with himself, and to hi. knowledge with others,
operated as a iwatectiou to the criminal. In illiedratiuu of
his sentiments, he mentioned the ease el a man who was in
the habit of committing forgery, "and was fort proseimicel
in consequence of the capital punishment." Mr. Gurney
rem Mere that " his ruin rty as • banker wont.' be none so.
cure, if the punishment were nut so severe, because there
would be inure inelinaii 111 l to prosecute." Ile alms suggest.
ed, that if in every torn of saflicient importance, an agent
was invested with full authority from the Hank of England,
to stamp She forged notes that were peen pied to bun, it
would be a cousederalle check to their circulation. In this
opinion Mr. %Villiani Birk lot k, hotter .n the 11rat Riding
of York, fully commend; seameiriug that if an aunt of
this kind were authorised to put a mark ni modh notes,
indicating that they were forged, it would firotistily throw
them back we the origival home so early, as to Idiom him
the futility of attempting to issue °tikes of a similar de-
scription.
Your Committee c.innot hut consider the suggestion made
by these respectable goillrinen as well meritit:g attention.
After due convideratiou of this important premium your
Committee are of opinion, that forgeries are W class of
offeuces. respectiug which it is expedient to bring together
and methodize the lass now in being. This in the present
state of public feeling, a reduction of the punishment in most
cases of that crime, is become necessary to the t xecutiou of
the lawn, and consequently to the aecority of poverty tend
the proeectioo of commerce; and that the menus adopted
by the Legislature to return to our ancient standard of
value, render the reformatitie of the Criminal Laws re-
specting forgeries, a matter of very considerable urgency.
Private forgeries sill, in the opinion of the Commit.
tee, be sufficiently and most effecthally repressed by the
punishments of transport:l(Mo and imprisonment. As long
as the smaller notes of the Bank of England shall con-
tinue to cuostitute the principal part of the circulating
medium of the kingdom, it may be reasonable to place
them 1,11 the same footing with the metallic corn ncy; your
Committee, therefore, propose that the forgery of these moles
may 'for the present remain a capital offence; that the
uttering of forged batik Soles shall, for the first offence, he
transportatlusi ur impriumment; hut t.hat on the see I
conviction, the offeuder shall be deemed to be a c 1111 l noon
letterer of forged notes, and shall, if the prosecutor shell so
desire, he prosecuted as such, which will render him liable
to capital puutskinent. Respecting the offence of kuow-
iogly possessiug forged notes, your Committee have nu al-
teration to suggest, but what they conceive could be fit in
all transportable offences, that a discretion should be vested
in the Judges to substitute imprileunmeol with hard labour
for traiesportatiou, where such a substitutina shall seem to
them expedient. As the discovery of the actual • forgers of
bank motels has been found by experience to be in the highest
degree difficiat, your Committee consider the suggestion of
the Commissioners fur impairing into the means of prevent-

log foigeries, of offering All unusual large reward foe the
detection of forgeries, as worthy of scrims. consideration ;
to such rewards is grtieral, the Committee feel as ions-
peratalc uktrction. In Vie case of forgery there are cit.

irnmelances which casideratily weaken the objection.—
Nii jury could convict in such a ease, on the m're evidence
of an informer, unsupported by the difueovery of thrum mate-
rials, implensettia, and establishments seer..story fur carryseix
on the criminal ortern. 'f Ise reward would therefore bawl lit-
tle tendency to clulanger innocent men, by fslee accuvstion.
The evidence on which the conviction world rest mind be
of It curl whirls ran hardly deceive. The informer would
node furnish the key, by which the means of evidence would
be found; the reward would s alba. be fur detection il.an fur
cusiciesion.

_ .
These are several points on which your Committ-e are
el..bums of offering eome observatimis to the !louse; two of
'llse are of great importance; the first relates to the best
means of ensiding Judges to pronounce sentence of death
milv iu those emus where they tine'. it probable that
dea.li will h.• inflicted; the aerosol, wheiiier the establtsh-
turnt and arcessible jorisilieltolis, fur the
trial ufantall Wieners, with the help ofJories, but with sim-
ple forms of proceeding. and corrective insu jabot.- 'its, nticilt
lost be a means of checking the first stem, towards frinsinas
lily. These and other parts of this great subject, the Com-
mittee hope that the noose nap allow thi at another oppor-
tunity to consider, by permitting them iis the next Session to
rrsostne, and if possible to complete their Mertes irs.
The Committee consider themselves se boiesol to express
their feat 41,4- to Mr. Evans, the barber and must meri-
torious Vire.thaneellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster;
to Mr. Lou:, a respectable barrister; and to Mr. Jameson,
a sII,IIIC crust. mate employed in the st Oily of the law, fur the
blieral sod useful aid which °icy have it fills fled during the
whole conrse t.f the investigation.

- Yiinr Committee will conclude by ioformisoc the Mots-,
that its por.ssaore of the various °potions awl reroinntro-
slalious which they have staled 0b....., silty lines instructed
their Chairman CJ, ly in the next Session of Parham.
00000 vr for leave to bri,i iu Bills to the ohj.ct. and
of which this Report is iotended to explaiu the galore al
to prove Ih^ lioness.
Jug 8, 1819.
_ .