The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-12-08 00:00:00

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rig to be f-ATed and cc,unt:rfeit.rd. a certain order
in writins„ for the payment of 201. 1 Os. put porting to
be the draft of Booth, Robinson, and Keymere, ware-
housemen, in Friday“tregt, Cheapside, upon Messrs.
Vere, Lucadou, And Co. bAnkers, No. 77, Lomb ire!.
street, in favour of Mr. Gethatt or Bearer, on de-
mand, dated Nov. 28, 1804.
The prosecution was opened by Mr. K •P e, and
the case stated by MA CoNsr ; Messrs. MALY and
Gtottrav were Counsel for the Prisoner.

-
The circumstances of the case, as they appeared
in evidence, were as follow :
On the 29th November, the Prisoner employed a
little boy, named William Hayward Haynes whom
he met opposite the Banking-house, No. 77, Lora-
bard-street, about three in the afternoon, to go into
the Bank, and demand pavment for a piece nt paper
which he gaveibts him, which the boy did ; and on
his presenting it to the clerk, he was desired to send
in the person who gave him the paper ; the boy went,
and was immediately followed by two of the clerks,
who seeing the prisoner speak to him, immediately
followed the Prisoner, who ran off, but was over-
taken in Pope's-head-alley, and brought back to the
Batik, where he was charged with uttering the
' forgery, and interrogated by 'lr. Luckadau, one of
the partners, to whose question, how he came by the
draft, he at first gave no answer ; but, afterwards,
when just going off to the Corapter, in custody of a
con.table. lie said he had himself written the draft,
but did it only in a joke.
These were the circumsta-ces proved by the boy,
• Haynes Mr. Hawkins, a clerk in the bank, and
Mr. Luckadoa.
Titus Key mere, the partner of the house in Friday.
street. whose signature was alleged to be forged
to the draft, said, the Prisoner had been some
time employed as clerk in the house ; that they
kept money fer years Olt the bank of Luckadou
and Co. and that he had drawn no draft on their
house within the morel; of November, or long
before, and that the signature in his name to the
draft was not his hand writing.
Mr. Hawkins, the second witness, also disproved
the hand writing.
The Prisoner, in his defence, alleged, he had
found the Draft, and only sent in tne boy to try
whether it was a good one.
Mr. Thomas Morgan, a warehouseman. in Lau-
rence-lane, in whose employment the Prisoner lived
for the last sin reeks, said. he could not be in want
of money, as he was a per :on of great industry and
sn-derate habits, and might have had of himself
any money he required. He g rye him a most excel-
lent charader, as did five either respedable witnesses,
with one of whom he lived eighteen months clerk ;
but all agreed that the Prisoner was a person of
weak understanding.
The Recount': summed up the evidence, and
rive a most solemn and impressive charge to the
Jnry, who, after retiring about three quarters of an
h Aar, returned their Verdin Nel Griltu, apparently
vs the surprise and joyful exulution of • Court,
respedably crowded with anxious Aud•tors.
The unfortunate youth, who, during the whole
of his trial, hung down his head in shame and de.
jedion, on the announcement of a verdifl he was far
from expeding, burst into tears, and retired scarcely
able to support himself tinder the sudden and joyful
contrast, to the awful and agitated feelings of the
preceding two !souls.