The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-01-26 00:00:00

DETAINING A FORGED ONE POUND NOTE.

RY.T.

.... -
A case of much public interest occupied the attention of
the Magistrate, no a summons by the Bank of England
against Mr. Ranson, an milord engraver, for refusiug to
deliver up a forged note under peculiar circumstances, of
which the &nos, i;ig arc the particulars
'floe forged It. mite wan detained at the Bank, and it
burred out that Mr. Ransoms had paid it to Mr. Milo:hence,
Hule.in.the-Wall, Fleet-street; and on Mitchener summoning
Mr. R. to the Court of Requests, fur the recovery of the
amount of the note, Mr. Fish, one of the investigators of
the Bank, produced it to the Chairman (Mr. Rogers) who
handed it to the Defendant for his iospection, and he put
it into bis pocket, and refused to deliver it up. Mr. Fish
applied to the Chairman for the note to be restored to him,
boot the Court declined ma►ing any order. Mr. Fish then
demanded the mate of Mr. R. who asked him with much
earntstoess if he had a family, ■nd he was replied to in the
affirmative. The Defendant then walked out of the Court,
with the forged note, and declared that be would shout any
one who attempted to molest him.
Mr. Mitchener proved that Mr. Ranson bad a pistol in
lois band, and he saw him stoop down when in Court, as if
to cock it, and be kept his eye close upon the Defendant's
hands to prevent mischief. This testimony was in part
corroborated by Holland, one of the Officers of the Court.
This was the case stalest the Defendant, and Mr. West-
wood stated that lie had no further desire than that he
should give top the note.
Mr. Ranson—" Under what Act of Parliament du you
claim possession of the note'"
llagiatrste—* The gbth of Geo. 111. chap. 89, which
states it in he felony, to hold possession of a forged mate
without lawful excuse, which you now persist in, to the
prejudice of the Bank"
Defenslaut—" I live by my profession, and I cannot
leave it to go from Omit to Court without ruin to my-
self, and nay object in keeping this note is by way of •
beacon to me, to discover • forged note by comparison
with good mica."
Mr. Westwood—'t If all notes were made alike, but it is
necessary to make alterations to frustrate the plans of
fabricators." _ _

Mr. RasiWD here shored Mr. Fish three one pound notes
which were declared good. " Then," replied the Defendant,
" it is by comparing the bad notes with these that I can
point wit wbe.e the forgery exists, which be did to Mr.
Fish. Mr. R. cautioned, " I have written a letter to the
I:overtures of the Bona on the subject, and I ant determined
to pioelniin to the wood how the forgery is committed, and
in g so, my head and heart dictates to me that I am in
a right cause in causing a revolution in the Bank, and in-
forming the politic how to detect forgeries of Bank notes.
Mr. tf••esiwl,«t—" The Batik will thank you or any other
person fur any suggestion that would tend to prevent the
circulation of forged notes, but if the public wc.e apprised
of time means of &Archon it would tend to benefit the fabri-
cators of these nutcs, who would immediately change their
pilaus."
The Wend:lnt refused to part with the note to any man
in the world, and he carrel 111,1 in Whist iii the attempt to do
good. Pr roasting in this sefusal, the three Mimes! s ates Ihtid
that lie had repossessed himself of the note with a piOul in
his hand, and tic held it is it!:!isit lawful esteuct.—llemanileil
tur the felony

IKON SA7IIRDAY MGM'S GAZETTE