The National Register.
London, England, 1812-01-19 00:00:00

3 SAN. 19.

OLDI3.4ILEV.

Wednesday these Sessions. commenced at the Old Braley, before,
Baron Mao:we/ten, Justices CHAMBP. E and Lc BLANC, &c.
Ge.)r,ge Skene was indicted for forgery. The prisoner was chief clerk
of the Queen-square Police Office, and. it was his duty to pass the ac-
counts of the office. On the 21st of November last be rendered his
:.ccount of the expences of the month of October, among which were
receipts for coals, stationery, printing, and rent. It was. afterwards
discovered that those receipts were forgeries, and that such sums were
not paid. The signatures to such receipts were proved to be in the
hand-writirg of the prisoner.—Being called on for his defence, he de-
clared to God and his conscience he had no intention to commit any
kind of fraud, but his accounts were in error, he having been 500
miles in the country on professional business. The Marquis of Hunt-
ley appeared to the character of the prisoner, and stated that he had
known him several years, and had always considered him a man of
strict integrity and incapable of injustice. The other witnesses to cha-
racter were Messrs. Nares, Fielding, Stoney, Garden, Carrick, Rhode,
Birnie, &c. Magistrates, who spoke of him a.s a man of strict integrity ;
Captain Duff, of the Navy, also spoke highly of him ; he considered
him as a man careless of his own concerns, but strictly honest. He
• was found Guilty—Death, but was recommended to mercy.
Thomas Collicott, a vender of quack medicines, was capeelly con-
victed of uttering forged medicine stamps, subject, however, to a
point of law, reserved for the opinion of the ludees.
Thursday, ~(ertn Clayton and William Jeniins, were tried for a
burglary in the house of Mrs. Martin, in Bnry-street, St. Jemes's.—
*This is the case in which the prisoners had obtain,el admission into the
house by intriguing with the servant maid, and were secured by the
Bow-street (hikers at the moment when they
.hzel nearly completed
their work.—( Ile particulars we gave in a former piper.)—The facts
being clearly substantiated, the prisoners were found Gai'iy—Deolh.

SATURDAY, JAN. 18.
TRIAL OF ,MR. WALSH.

Benjamin Wafeh stood indicted for feloniously stealing €2,2 Bank notes
eif WM. each, and one Bank note for 2001. the property of Sir Thomas
Plomer, Knt. with intent to defraud him of the said sum of money.—
In other counts of the indictment the offence was variously charged, to
which the prisoner pleaded Not Guilty.
Mr. Asset yr opened the pleadings on the part of the prosecution.
Mr. GARROW, in stating the case on the part of the prosecution, oh•
served, that if it had been possible for the prosecutor in this action to
have extended indulgence or commisseration towards the unfortunate
oner at the Bar, the honourable and humane feelings and character
of the prosecutor would have most willingly abstained from the present
prosecution ; but from the nature of the case he was called upon to dis-
charge an important public duty, which was indispencible. He desired
the Jury would discharge their minds from any impression which
might he made by what they might have seen in the public prints,
and be wholly directed by the evidence which should be adduced
before them. -The prosecutor was his Majesty's Solicitor-Gene-
ral, and had long been acquainted with the Gentleman whom he '
had now the painful duty to prosecute. His father had been
a Director of the Bank of England, and from this the prosecutor was
induced to entrust the prisoner as a Stock-broker. lie then proceeded
to state the case, as it appeared in evidence, and whirls we prefer giving
in the detail, from which he concluded, that the time of tee prisoner's
getting the means into his power, it was his intention to perpetrate the
felony. As to the question of law, he took it from the oldest authori-
ties, that the crime of larceny was imputable to the prisoner. The
crime of simple larceny was sufficiently known and well defined, it was
feloniously raking the personal chattels against the will and %without the
knowledge of the owner, with intent to convert them to his own use,
and upon the evidence it would appear that the p: ironer at the bar bad
taken this money with no other intent.
Sir Thomas Plainer being sworn, stated, that he had for many years
employed she prisoner as a Stock-broker, and in the mouth of :melee
last, apprised him that he had tmtfle a contract for purchase sf an
estate, for which he was to pay at Michaelmas, and it would be neces-
sary for him to sell out stock to a considerable amount eat: prisoner
advised at that time to postpone selling out, as he expected a
consider-
able rise in stock, and the longer he postpoeed it the better; bur, in
November, the prisoner urged him strongly to sell out, as stock would
fall considerably, saying, he had consulted the most intelligent persons
upon the subject, and, in consequence of this he gave bins authority to
seU out stock to the amount of 13,4001. three per cents. and 18,6001. re-
dUced consols. On -tee following day he called at the prisoner's office
in the city, who told him he had made the contract fot the sale, and it
was agreed to he transferred on the 'Wednesday or 'Newsday following,
which accordingly took place; and he then consulted the prisoner on
the best way of disposing of the money until he should want it, and he
advised the purchase of Exchequer Billy, but it was then, he said. too late
in the day for that purpose. 'the neXt day the prisoner called at
his
chambers at Lincoln's lon, ard lie
,gave him a check on
,Messrs. Gos-
ling, his bankers, for ei,2001. for the purpose of purchases these Ex-
chequer Bills, and.he promised to return with :km that day at four
o'clock; thio Was Ilurulay, ith D:ceitaber. lie retorted about half