The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-12 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-Aut, 11.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Benjamin Hooper Spier, who
was some days ago corninited for trial upon the charge
of having uttered a forged cheque for 3701., with intent
to defraud Messrs. Spooner and A.ttwood, was brought
before Alderman Wilson on the charge of having ut-
tered a forged order for the payment of 581. Bs. 6d. upon
the same establishment. Mr. Muliens, of the firm of
' Mullens, appeared for the prosecution ; Mr.
the defence.
"• clerk to the prosecutors, said—
respondent of Messrs. Val-
"`-. the 6th of April last
directing us
`'on, 581.

Busn

Wontner for
Mr. F. G. Newhoa.,
Our house is the London Co.
lance's bank, of Sittingbourne. taa
the letter produced was received from tn,..
to pay to Mr. Henry Stretton, upon applica..
Bs. 6d. It is our practice in such cases to fill up a to._
of cheque to be signed by the applicant, but if a per.
son applies for the money and brings a cheque properly
signed, we mark it for payment. On the same 6th
of April a person presented to me the cheque I pro-
duce, for 501. Ss. ad., signed Henry Stretton. It
states " money from Sittingbourne." I compared the
cheque with the advice, and marked it for payment.
The prisoner was at that time a clerk in the house.
Mr. Alfred Selman, also clerk to the prosecutors,
said—On the 6th of April, the draft produced was pre-
sented to me for payment, and I paid in a 501. note,
number 69,803, dated 6th October, 1853 ; a 51. note,
number 6!,292 ; and 31. Be. 6d. in money. The 501.
note produced is that I so paid out.
Mr. R. J. Sykes, clerk in the issue department of the
Bank of England, said—On the 6th of April the 501.
note was brought to use for change, and I gave for it ten
51. notes, all dated Ist of February, numbered 96,687 to
96,696, both inclusive. The name and address, "Thomas
Thomson, 14, Edgware-road," was on the note when it
was brought to me.
Mr. N. J. Carman, licensed victualler, of No. 3, Chis-
well-street, said—On the 10th of April I changed the
51. note produced, No. 96,696, dated the Ist of February.
The person for whom I changed it wrote on it Frederick
Jones, 14, Edgware-road. I asked him to write the
name and address on it. I believe that person was the
prisoner. I saw him again in three or four months
afterwards, at Messrs. Spooner and Attwood's. I saw
the prisoner there. He was not pointed out to me.
Cross-examined—lt was two or three months ago
that I went to Messrs. Spooner and Attwood. I went
there with Brett, the detective officer. I went to change
a Si. country bank note. I went in alone to see whe-
ther I could identify the person from whom I received
the bank note. I saw the person write his name on it.
Brett did not tell me what part of the counter to go to.
The prisoner was atanding by the Window talking to two
more gentlemen. I told Brett that I had seen him,
only 1 thought his hair was a little darker. I swear that
I knew the prisoner was the man when. I went to the
bankers, and that I told Brett so.
H. Wright said—ln April last I was in the service of
Mr. Ford, of the Poultry, hosier. On the 7th of April
the prisoner came to the shop, bought a pair of gloves,
and paid me with the 5/. note produced, No. 96,689. At
my request he put the name, "Fredk. Jones," on the
back. I did not see him again till I went, on Tuesday,
Jan. 2, to Nowgate, where I saw him in a yard with 6
or 7 others, and I identified him at once. He was not
pointed out to me in any way. The turnkey of the gaol
was the only person who went with me.
Cross-examined—l know the date by an entry in our
book. I recognise the note by the name on it, which
the prisoner wrote in my presence. There were four or
five persons in the shop who were in the habit of
serving in it. I had never seen the prisoner before, but
it was unusual to change a note for a pair of gloves. I
went to Newgate with men who did not give me any
description of the prisoner, or of his dress, or his age.
Re-examined—l was first applied to iu April to give
some information about changing the note, and I then
gave Brett a description of the person who changed it.
Mr. H. Stretton, of No. 8, the Terrace, Turnham-
green, collector of the Society for Promoting Christian
Knowledge, in Lincoln's-inn-fields, said—ln the early
part of April the letter produced was received, advising
the sum of 581. Bs. 6d. to my credit at Messrs. Spooner
and Attwood's, from Sittingbourne, through the bank
there. I did not receive that money till recently. The
cheque produced was not written or signed by me, or by
my direction or authority.
Brett, the detective officer, said—ln April I went to
No. 12, Edgware-road, but could not find any such per-
son as Thomas Thomson or Frederick Jones.
The prisoner, who said he would reserve his defence
for his trial, was then fully committed. There are, it
appears, several other cases against the prisoner, but
Mr. Mullen; did not think it necessary to proceed' with
any others.