The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-10-24 00:00:00

FORGERY.

John Benjamin Brooker, dei-cribeti in the Cden-
dui. as a bill-brukcr, was CApiloily itiduetrei for
ing an endorsenintit as a itrript on ti (Ant k ;
was a second count itlthelviiiiiiil.icctailaerktieti et hrong
with uttering it, knowing it to be forged, It,.
intention of defraudioi

Mr. ALLEY stated the co se on tile Wirt of 11.0,
proiteeution. and called the following

The Cleik of Aisi Prins of the Court of Corn-.
mon Pleas produced the record of en ovum, of
William Clarke v. Brooke.. The action was for
gouda sold and delivered, and the Dr fendatit plead-
ed the general' issue. Verdict fur the Plaintiff.
131. 5.i.

Sir Richard I3irnie deposed, that while the Pri-
soner was under examination at Bow-iitreet Office.
he received a letter, purporting to be written by
the Prosecutor, stating that he deigned prosecuting,
as he might be mistaken tis to the circumstance of
the receipt on the hack of the check ; the letter
was delivered to hin► in the office. Clarke was it
licensed victualle►, and was about leaving one
house to go to another ; he sent for him, as he did
not think it was a proper inte►ference with a Ma-
gistrate, situated as he was. He came to him, and
un questioning him, he raid the signature was his
writing, but the body of the letter was the writing
of the Prisoner.

Mr. Richard Dill, an attorney, deposed, he had
be, n solicitor for the Plaintiff in the action in the
Court of Common Pleas, of Clarke v. Brookes; he
then gave evidence of the proceedings. On the
trial, on the part of the Defendant, • receipt was
put in, on the hack of a check, purporting to In,
signed by the Pli 1111 l iff—" Segura bill ; check 10/.
cash 5/. 10% (Signed) Wm. Clarke."
Mr. Serjestit Pell, counsel for the D►fendant at
the trial of the action, produced the check. The
Learned Serjeant got it born the Prisoner, and
opened his de feoce to the action; on it there was a
bill for sewers, of 17/. 9s. put in by Plaintiff at the
trial, and the Prisoner put in the receipt, as if he had
discounted it, and the say the money was advanced..
There was a cause in the Court of King's Bench,
of the title of Brookes, and Clarke took out • notice,
which was served on the Prisoner, to shew cause
before Mr. Justice Best why the check with the
supposed receipt of the Prosecutor should oat be
impounded with the Clerk of Court. The Prisons r
attended with Mr. Isaacson. his Solicitor, at the
Judge's Charnbera, when the Learned Judge direct-
ed that the Prisoner should deliver up the bill i.s
twenty-four hours ; the Prisoner dad loot do so, and
he the witness took out another summons directed
to the Prisoner and his Solicitor, whet, Mr. Justice
Best ordered that it should be given up forthwith,
on the sth of July. He (the witness) received a
copy of the check from Turner, clerk to Mr. Isaac-
son ; he laid it down on the table before the
Judge, and said he had received it in pursuance
of his order, but he hid lint been able to obtain
the original check. 'file Prisoner and Isaacson
were present. The Learned Judge asked whets. was
the original check ? Mr. Issacson siid. he hail
not brought it, but that he would fetch it in a few
; he then hesitated, and said he had deli-
vered it back to the Prisoner. The Judge then
asked the Prisoner if the copy produced was a cop-
met copy of the original He flowered that it
was. Ile then asked him for the original ; he sail
he had pluced himself in a very peculiar sttuatiog,
and lie had taken most able advice, and oil the
strength of it he had destroyed the original check.
Mr. Judge Best doubted that lie had eser received
that advice ; he was certain that no honest man
would give it.

On his cross-examination by Mr. Se3jeant PELL,
he did not state any thing to contradict his evidence
in chief; he admitted that he was examined as u
witness for the Plaintiff in the action, and that he
did swear that the Prisoner admitted in his office
that the account given tot he Prosecutor, Clarke, by
Turner. the clerk of Mr. Isaacson, was correct, soil
that three clerks of the witnett's were present at ►he
time ; the Prisoner. sifter the trial of the action.
hid applied to lino for the names of the clerks wins
were present nu that occasion; that he first refused
it, hut afterwards gave the list at the Judge's
chambers. Ile did understand that the Prisoner
had threatened to indict him for perjury. His jibe
witness's) cost., in the causes of Clarke v. li.ookes,
anti Brookes e. Choke, amounted to 100/ ; w June
last lie had received 140/. front his client on ac-
count.

On his cross-examination be said, 64 he re.
ceiwed the 1401. from his client. but under suds
circumstances that lie thought it was proper for
him to bring the money Psi* Court with him ;
produced the debtor and creiltior uccount, d• livered
by Turner to the Prowectit•ir, from winch it up.
peered Out the Prisoner admitted him.elf to Le
debtor to the Prosecutor in the sum of 13/.

Wm. Donald deposed, that he was en agent ►het
sold goods by commission ; he sold a horse ►o Sai;r•
mot., one of the Bow-street officers, on the IFi n • f
Deremher last; Salmon paid I part in moo y
■nd gave turn a hill f 15/ payable in two
for the remainder. lie Nero 'panted the 1'.t...,• .
tor, Clarke, to the Prisonet's office in Bre..d-ri•ii •,
Bow-street. to get the bill discounted. lie wsii..l
outride for Clarke, and he brought him the prireteili
of the bill by a check of• the Prironer on Nr.dsoll's
hank for 101. arid the remainder in cash, three sove-
reigns sod 15.. Clarke had not any oi•.purtuwty
to prat any figures on the check or sign his name nu
the buck of it from the time he left the Primates
house until he handed it to the witness.
On his cross-examination he said he would not
undertake to say whether the Prosecutor's endorse.
meta was or we. not ou the check when be receiv-
ed it.

George Word, a hotter, ►esiding in Cla►e-noarket.
deposed that the Prisoner came to him the day

before he iris to appear kt the clambers of .Ir.
Justice Best, and asked him if he thought the c'
ilursement on the hock of the check was the Pro-
secutor's ? Ile told hum it was not;
li. wife was of the some opinion. The Prisoner
chewed loin an rodorreineut of the Proaromines no
the hark of a hill of exchiiiiire, which he said lie
believed to be the writing of Clarke.
Oe his cross-exomi.iatinti by Mr. PLATT. he
said he had seen the Prosecutor ....tie several tune*.
Two signature. were then "hewn him, purporting
to be the Proirecutor's: the first lie void he believed
to be Clarke's signature; the second he did nut
think was his writing, it was nothing I.ke it.
John Goldsmith deposed that the Prisoner sent
for him while he was imprunned iu Cril.l.botli Fields
prison on the Bth of August; he went, and the
Prisoner told him his life was at et.ke, and a•ked
him would he swear that the endorsement of Clarke
on the check was lois hand-writing? lie said it WIN
impossible for him to swear that it was. for he had
iiever seen the cheek except in the heads of Coun-
sel on the trial of the ectipn.