The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-09-18 00:00:00

IDDLlgsia SENSIONS. Mimewatt,
la P
TAILSDAY, SEpTENSEIL It
-.01...-
CONSPIRACY.
II Insvetenolenets V. THE COMMON tiliallair.°
Jaws M'Michael and James Betts were indict-
ed foe conspiring together to defraud George Md.
pawnbroker, Edgware-road, of 3!.
Mr. AVAST stated the cage for the prosecution.
• He said that the Prisoners were common informer.;
that M'Michael was the husband of the woman who
kith been tried for a similar offence a few dayelpack
,Pith Mance and Coombes, who were consicted ;.'
she wits, however. acquitted, as be did not press
esidence against her, supposing she acted under the. 1
isduesiee of her bulbul% The Prosecutor was a 1
respectable pawnbroker, residing in Edgware-road,
and he would prove that the Prisoners obtained
three sovereigns from him, tinder the false pretence.
that they had laid informations t gainst him, to ob--
tain penalties for having taken more than legal.:
interest for articles pledged with him on their being
redeemed. It was uitoecessary for him to state
again to the Jury the law as it related to conspiracy,
he having so fully done it on • late occasibn. The
factrof the case would be disclosed in evidence;
and, if his instructions were correct, he had no
doubt but the Jury would retort' a verdict of guilty
against both the Primmer..
Mr. Geo'ge Flint, pawnbroker, deposed, that the
Prisoner *Michael came into his shop on the
20th of -May, and released • silver table spoon
. which had been pledged for 12a. after which he told.
the wittier, he wished to speak to him in private ;
the witness went to the hock part of the shop with
him, when he informed him that he had laid
twelve information, against him for having taken
more interest on articles pledged with him than
was allowed by Act of Pediment. The witness
said it was impossible, us lie was elegy' very exact,
as he never advanced money OS) an article where the
interest would raise a question as to • fraction.
1 The Prisoner M'Michael said that might be, bot
he added, 44 Look here (+hewing him • piece of
paper with twelve different informations nu it),
tend they will be • proved," and lie supposed
he would not like to go before the Magistrate on
• them ; he said he would not, but what was he to
do ? on which *Michael said, you must do as others
in the trade have done; lie asked him what that
was ; he answered to come down sad settle it, it
Might be done for three sovereigns. The witness
• demurred to paying any thing, feeling conscious
. that he hid never made any over charge of interest,
and remarked, that if he was to give 3/. to the Pri-
mate *Michael, what security he could have
against the two other informers, Coombe, and the
Prisoner. Betts. He answered, that the 3/. would
satisfy the three, and if he doubted him, lie would
send the other two to him, as they were waiting at
a public house in the neighbourhood. *Michsel
accordingly sent the Prisoner Betts to him. . The
moment the witness saw him, he asked him, was not
he the man who had been so angry • few days back in
his shop because he would not advance 6r. on an at-
bele, although he was offered 3a. or 7a. Ile admitted
that he was ; the reason he (the witness) wouldnot let
him have the 6+. wsiohat in the interest of that sum
there was always a fractiohal pink of a farthings which
the shopmen were in the habit. of taking. The
Prisoner Betts said if the 31. was paid to *Michael
it would satisfy him and Compiles. A abort time
after Betts left the shop, MiMiChael returned and
pressed to have the 3!.; the witness said• he would
take time to consider of it 'before-he paid. it:
*Michael said he would calt tio the following day;
be kept his word, and the witness desired his shop.
man to give him three sovereigns, which he did.
The shopman of the last witness deposed to hav-
ing paid the Prisoner *Michael the three sove-
reigns.

The CHAIRMAN summed up the evidence, and
the Jury found both the Prisoners Catifiy.
The COURT sentenced them to twelve months
imprisonment in the House of Correction.
Thomas Coombe' and Thomas Ma■ce, who were
convicted en • former cloy of a similar offence, were
brought up, and sentenced to three months impri-
sonment in the Hon*" of Correction.