The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-07-14 00:00:00

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WESTAILVSTER RRUIONS.

1 Yesterday James Slisusoads was indicted for a fraud on
the Westminster regiment of militia. Two Serjeaots of the
regiment proved that the Prisoner in June last, when the
regiment was called out for the annual training, j.dued as •
substitute, and received five guineas bounty ; he served
during the time the regiment wits out, afterwards was
claimed by the Surrey militia, to which regiment he actually
belonged when he joined the Westminster.
A serjeaut of the Surrey militia proved the Prisoner en.
listed into that regiment in 1517, and served as • private
'since. Even In May last, when the regiment wait called out,
be served during the time of training, and received pay as
usual, he could nut serve at the same time in two regiments,
101.1 therefore was guilty of fraud.
The Prisoner, in defence, slid, distress induced bite to
receive the bounty from the Westminster militia. He would
serve the King in either.
Mr. CONsT, the Chairman, summed up, and the Jury
found Isicti
The Learned CHAIRMAN then said, the offence of which
he was found guilty rendered him liable to transpormtion
under a certain Act of Parliament; but there was another
Act of • more lenient character, which authorised the Court
to punish by imprisonment. It was fit that all militiamen
shoots) know the law made such an offence 'punishable by
transportation, but the Court now felt disposed to take the
most trlliellt course; therefore the sentence is, that he be
imprisoned for six months, and be kept on the County Gaul
allowance.
John Comes!' was hulloed fur picking the pocket of
---- Blackman, E.q. of his pocket-book, on the day the
King's Corniest ion was proclaimed.
The Prosecutor was walking with a friend at Charing-
cross, when be felt 'a pull at his pocket, and on turning
round he saw the Prisoner, who ran off; he pursued him,
and on licking hold of him, the Prisoner said, 'a Starch me."
A to minivan preeciti acid, he Dew the Prisoner Slug the
book into Mr. I/ uminotas, the banker's house, where it we.
Lund—Graf,
Plisoner..—" My Lccrtl, I was quite unprepared fur my
trial; I am innocent."
CHAIRMAN—" A inin like you should he always prepared,
becalm, if yuu wire at liberty now, you may be in rudotly ill
half an hour. The Court is satisfied with the tvitleiter, and
your rentence is, that stun he transported for seven year.."
Pcisoacr—. I thank yon, my Lord. I shall nut trouble
you again during that period "—(A lesurh.)
Thomas Smith was indicted for attempting to pick the
porke:s of several Gentlemen near Clmritsg-cross oil the slay
the coronation was proelainirtl. Ile was found Gaily, and
sentenced to six months iinprisoinnent to the House of Cor-
rection.

I'o LIC E.
OVILDUALL.
FORGED FIVE POUND NOTEI.

ISince the 'concretion of rah payments by the Rink the
sitteritig of forged If. notes hes considerably decreased. The
polder, however, must not therefore suppose that the system
Inv altogether bees" shatoloimil. Two indmi4lllsls onderwent
examination yeater4ll. at this office for this offence, against
one of wboni Mr. Maynard, the Bank Solicitor, inton•ted
that be had eleven or twelve charges to prefer. The evil
now to Ise more particularly guarded against is the inereas-
log practice of altering forged 5/. notes. The plead'', mod
deceptive practices by which ibis system ii carried on will be
noderstood from the rase of ar orge Lee and Elizabeth
Brown, who hare hem' eeveral times examined for this
offence, and were yesterday brought up for • filial hearing
before Mr. Alders's' lboemits• Smith Their practice has
been so extensive, and the charges against them so numerous,
that the office was crowded to emcees at an early hour wills
the persomi iaterated la t be.di (Tercet eases. From the earl.
deuce produced against them the following appears to be the
history of their promo-dines:—
Offer,* Lee, otherwise Lery, for • charge was preferred
agreissi Mm in the latter name, had entered upon this safari.
ens traffic a far bark as the early part of May lase, and
had passed • famed 5/. nose at the house of Mr. Bowie, the
Red Lion, Great Winahnill.sireet, pretending that he brought
it from Mr. OM Itteknotit's, Great Mary-le-letoic.silett.
As this method was very liable to detection by his being
stopped while inquiry should be made, lie dries mined to
alter his plan, rod el ■ month ago formed • con-
nexion wills the female Prisoner, an unfortunate girl of
the town, oho, from being in a stale of pregnancy, might
pass IP his wife. the appearance of both being respectable.
On the 21.1 of June they engaged lodgings as a young mar-
ried couple at the bonse of Mr. Chitty, Elizabeth-place,
Kennington. Rite they slept one night, and contrived iu
the course of the next day to pass • forged 5(. note, for
which they procured change •t • cheesemouger's at Ken-
nington.crorm. They decamped before the evening, and
never returned again to those lodgings. They next took
apartments in Baville.plare, Lamb. ih, where they re-
"naiad three sights ; in the course of which time
they passed a forged 51. note for liness.drapery, and an-
other for boots and shoes, with tradesmen in that neigh-
bourhood. They then shifted their quarters to the other
side of the water, mud on Thursd ty, the 28th, hired apart.
meats at No. 18, Fredcrick'e.place„ Goswell-street road,
which they entered upon immediately. They commenced
their operations in this quarter at the shop of Mr. Dowilney,
a tailor, in Alderegale-street, where the Prisoner equip.
ped himeelf with • new milt of clothe*, which be domed
might be sent with change fur • 51. note, to Frederick's.
place. The Plri‘ollete were at home to receive them,
sod the pu)esent was made in • forged note. They
then proceeded to the shop of Mrs. Mseferiene, in
St. John-street road, where they purchased seine kitchen
utensils, which they directed to be sent by four o'clock in the
afternoon with change fur • 5/. note to the same address.
But inning Jed so well with Mr. Dowdney, they were
probably afraid to venture • second ifflllenet.ol/ at the
same address. Another lodging was therefore token in
the course of the morning, and entered upon itnmeeli-
aid, at No 6, Lower South-street, Northampton-square,-.
The Prisoner, Lee, then called at Mrs. M•Foilane's, and
directed she goods so be sent to Smith street, alleging as
as excuse that they were intended as a preseut. They were
scut •ccurdenely, but Lee met the sit with them in
the street, received the articles and the change.. and gave
in return • !weed W. ante. The Dote passed to Mr. Dowel-
so, berme intermediately discovered to he • forgery, an officer
'we/procured, and the PI owners traced to their new lodgings,
where they were apprehended the following motnieg
Though the Prisoner, Brown, was present in nearlyevery
case where • forged note was uttered, she took no part in the
lettermen 1111 l noel there was therefore nu proof of a guilty
knowledge tau her; sod the Bank, in cou'rqui nee of lice age
(apparently not more than IV, and the possibility that she
might have bees. innocently drawn in by her companion,
declined to prosecute her, and she was dischaiged. The
several saes were prodered, sod declared by Mr. Glover, she
Hawk Isseperior, to he forgeries ; and the Prisoner, Lee,
befog ideuticied as the utseser in every instance, he was fully
cummiteed tor trial.

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COURSE OF EXCHANGE, Fainav, JULY 13.
Amsterdam ....C.F. It 18 I Leghorn .. 47
Ditto at sight l2 15 Genus 431
Rotterdam .... 2U.12 19 Venice ...
Antwerp l2 11 Malta 43
Hamburg!' ....21 U. 38 10 Naples .. ;P}A1tutia.........2i U 38 II Palermo.... per uz. 116
Paris 3 day's sight .. 2b 85 Li.fron
Ditto .........2 U. 26 20 ()Nilo
ROOnleaux 26 20 Rio Jauciro ...... 49
Frankfort on the Bahia .. ~
Hain, Ez. 31.....159 Dublin ......• •• •
Peter.bniali, rbl. 3U. 14.1 Cork
Vitona eductive 2 M It) 28 BULLION
Trieste... du. lO 28 Portugal (hold in A* cd•
Madrid. .
Cadiz
Bi lbw, 351 I ma, .. . 317 101
ILitceluna lb New Doublooos —0 0 0
Seville • 34 Near Eiollars .....0 49/
Gibraltar ..
364 W#llo,l-411r1 •• *4 4 10i