The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-08-08 00:00:00

TRIAL OF THE COINERS.

On Thursday looming Sir IVILLIAIIII OwEN, the
Counrel to the M sit, made a motion on Court, 11141
the rerogniz niers in this case should be &whorl:ed.

and the Prismiels liberated ; and stated, that the
Mint considered at us out ar.tliciently strung to con-
vict them ; lout
Mr. HINCHLIFFE, the attorney for the prosecu-
tion, opposed the motion, on the ground that the
prosecutor and a ittiertes were their prepared to pre-
fer a bill of indictment, owl be coneeiveil the cure
so strong, that the ends of public justice would wit
be sisswerecl, unless the prosecution was carried un ;
awl Mr. Pogh, the Clerk of Assize, having stated
that lie cosoi,lereil the prosecutor would nut be dis-
cluirgii g his duty or commuting to the recogniAiroces
bring discharged,
The Learned .11.11nE wou'ol riot grant the motion
fur The Almt ; nod the bill of milictinetit was arc=
cordit.glv pr. lentil.
The Oir;:titl Jury (..f which Lord Viscount Clive
was Forenoon) thosight it a very proper prosecution,
and ware riot at all sat with the conduct of the
Mint is. &timing it. and were much pleased with
the energy with which Mr. Ilinehlifte had canted
it out; and stated, Si. it be was trtitilletl to the tlialiks
of the enmity for the rummer iu winch lie had 011.•
ducted it.

Tile Mint having ileclintql to pay the expense of
a prosecution against the Prisroiers, the Jud.:4e di-
rected, that if tier rvisurds allayed by Act. of lisi lis-
(strut 'tare not solficiesit to fi sovictryr *lse 101111 r, the
prosecutor should hate a liberal ulluisance iw aid
l'rota the county rate.
lu the Calendar Josrph Smith 1:.t0r41 41), • tos
tiler of flutes (Men, It'tilium Phillips the elder
,:aged 50), • steel-toy maker, of Blrisitii2ll.in, and
William Phi/lips tier yuting. r (aged ,20), a ',liar—
lasktr. of Birmingham, blood charged on suspieiti
of high Ila hiltillg COlSllterrellrli the cut rent
vain of this mains. Smith was, however, admittetl
Kiogis evidence, :nal the two IlliMirs's sere indict-
ed for having in tlit is possession, without lawful
rciase, a die, Mack of iron or steel, bearing the nil-
iirtssion of the current cum a the realm
called ahtl-
hugs, at Houghintor, io the polish or Hales Owen,
itzo. Tins important trial came MI MOM after eaglet
o'..lock on Saturday murtiittg lust. The first wit
tic,* twikti

Jo.cpb Sntitb. who rlepoved that he wile a farturr,
duo I.ted at a very retired ;dace. culled Hough! 1111 l es
In the loom!, of Holes Offro ; los Nem +u+ Isom Alli
to Itcu acres, moil lit rented it of Lard Lyttultoo.
He loud !tern brotticht tip tiith his f.stlie. to the
(annuli( Immures, but. when t out.* 1.4.1, wit!. Ills
lothcra workcd as s itatlot h..d fie

had never been a dealer in fowl, except when he
waisted to buy some for hie own funily, us some-
times his own were piste's. Mr. Graingir hail come
to hie house to search for nine hens and a ci.ek.
shielo he had hou;„Tht for the use of his family. Ile
said that about two years last Christmas, two per-
sons, named Bradley r..d Newtdoors (the hither
lived at Brierley Hill, SiAtloidsliirs), had rented
from hiin a large cellar, used us, ',peer room, at .5..
per week. In the cellar they had a large iron parse
(this was the coining machine). Ile knew what
they did there. They made 3s. pieces. Thev told
I • that it did not matter to him what they Jul its
that part of the house they ocettpird.—pierr the.
Learned •Ildage forcibly observed upon the conduct
and guilt of the witness, in knowingly permitting
such operations to be carried on its hie house with-
out I'. • - information isiensodiately.)—Bradley and
carried atsa {heir` work there foe twelve
He, ssor nee of his family to his know-
ledge, never arivisted them. Newell:on died :ileum
Micluielinas, I 8 16, and at Christmas, 18 16, Bruit-
ley enine to his house and treik all their things away,
except the press; slice then lie had wit seen Brad-
ley. In September last the elder Pisilli;is (the Pi is
genre) came to his house; he was at work in the
field, arid Was Callen in him. Phillips asked him
if he knew him ? he said he did not; Phillips then
told him Isis twine, mid that lie lived in Monies:.
ham, and said he utillerstend 11.- 11441 st webs in his
I‘'itaitei was et first .ifrniil of him, rod dill
not answer him readily. Ile told lninl that there
was a !terse, but it Isetoegrd to Bradley serf Newn-
ham. Prisoner said he knew Bradley, and told wit-
ness that Bradley WAS trillatpOrttlf ; wittiest:iliac! be-
fore heard a rumour to Bast ct. Prime's.: said
he wanted some thing% doer at the press; wet if he
would let I • have the cellar, he would give huu
more fur it th Bradley and Newidtain did—he
silinsildlrot want the room. Wilma': 41141 144.1
der Bradley's taking to lie et am tied then ; Lot told
Prisoner lie should have it if lie could agree with
the families of Bradley and Nevoiliam for the press.
Prisoner then said he *mild enure to work when lie
hail got his riling% ready. March lie hrA knew
th it Prisoaer had agreed for it. lie dot not are
Prisoner twain till March, when lie told him the
press wed his property. Ile first saw the two Pri-
soners together in the brgioning of April ; they had
been at his house twice before, hut lie was out each
time. The Prisoners immediately went down into
the cellar to worn, where lie followed them Soots
after, to ask them for money in pert of rent ; saw
theist at work. ; went as near as he could fur the fly
of the prem., which' was Mute feet long ; asked the
elder Phillips for the money, who, without quitting
hie work, told him if he weeks come to Isis house its
Sally-street. B.riaire.rliAm. lie would give hies some ;
if hr could ant th.d lies house, lie was to unwire cot
the %Vitae Tower, and there he would Icarus where
to find lino. He stopped in the cellar perhaps trot
nineties after lie received this answer. will raw their
thrice's. The elder Phillips sat down, and put roiled
plain pieces its under the press ; hr saw them after
they came out ; they appeared then to have impres-
riutis on theirs like the head and reverse of a new
Mitt shilling, and of this size ; he could not swear
positively that they were initiations of is shilling; he
thought they were from whesice he stood. When the
pieces were put in by the old none the young one
tutu-al the press roof 1, and thews they were etricken
out by tonartlitog which the cold Item had in his fiend
—they fell nut um the black of the press; the ripe-
r:llion was very quick. It was in the day-time, .111
moriiiiig, whet* lie saw them at work; they works,'
by the ligiit of two or three casette.; the cellar was
shirk; there wits a window in it, bet it nos bricked
up to the top; there might be one, two, or these
!slicks out at ilie top, and the bele thus inside inig'd
occasionally be stopped with straw ; if open, a Ilfe sun
looking through from the outside might see the lice
of a person cot work. Ile left ihe Poi.datrrat at work,
and could not say how lose; they might have stopped,
es lie went about his work. lie saiul, neither I ttttt self,
nor his family to his kiioe ledge, ever woiked at the
press by theoiselves. Ile was requestsd by the
younger Poisoner to assist loin. l'he 'hies' was
broke at the latter rod of April last ; witness said,
I was then present, and emitting the v ger Pri-
soner ; it could out hr used when thus broke; I
aft:item 's went to Biriiiiiigliain, to the elder Phil-
lips, and asked for soave suo:wy toward* the rent;
he gave Inc u pound iii silver; I told Iwo about the
breaking of the press, and that I hued directions
from Ins soli to assist him at the time. Witness
said lie never ea* ail of the dies so as to examine
them, nor tbil slut know what the Prisoners did
with the pieces they had nettle, Ile had seen the
machine at work by Newnhato and Bradley ; it was
large, and required greet force to turn it. Ile
first gave information to Mr. Woodcock, the Ma.
georate at Hales Owen, on the oth of May last ;
I voluntarily confessed to hit., ; I had betas Appre-
hended that day ; I do net know upain my honour
—[at this expressiou of witness there was an
luistary laugh io the Court)—upon my word, upon
ms} oath, that there is a reward for convicting the
Piisoliere; I do not know that I WWI be free from
pliiiishuisait by ern g evidence to convict the Pra-
ms:Hos ; but I have been told I shall by the elder
Piis ttttt 1, end brfore that I have tiepin, such is thing
in my own cotintry. I told the EVlagisttale 1 would
cosh., beture I knew that I should be free fur sit
donee,
Elizabeth Smith is thr wife or the last witness.
Remembers both primmer* come:lg to April ;
ItaJ seen tie elder Veils:leer Isefose shit wire ; when
lie cern, in April lase, hr light. d a candle, Niel both
Preemies oral into the cellar; the cella, hail betas
luck( d at that time; the • lder Psioveer must have
brought the k. y with bout, ur sloe lie most sieve
aslird Vie for it ; they haul both hers, slier« het'ore.
tide went trs the battnna of tile cella, steps, amid sa
thrni it wink ; she 'lest:obed the rllunllnu of Ilse
se liar, c. liar window, press, using cenillteeistal
of is u: k. singe as the 111.4 witness. She cntild see
thrre nos an inters•l4lll MN& by the processors the
Monk losers that 4411 a 4181111944 as they appeared
to lice. P.m/errs contieutd at %se. k too or

threw hours ; she sate the elder Pt Wilier put die
pieces, which were of a while colour, between what
shy thought dies; she saw the lived °isnot die when
they were at work ; the head die was fixed lows.t ;
it was like that of 11 Mint OtilitilLt ; -a.r
some of the pieces lifter they writ' impreAett ; the
elder Phillips broiled them up to her iii the
ro WA at iii the ; the heart reseinkled the titan
rrltv saw gm the die in the cellar; he looked ut theta
in his hand, and tad lie thought dory would ri.);
they looked like shillingq, and titre rtrraird rar.ot
sent ein hi. hand; the l'i.i.nuers *eut away then;
they called inch other father and son. rscol-
leeterl the elder Phillip* having gi /no what lie cal:eil
dies to her 1.011 Joseph to bury. tiefole April. She
saner ac'ually saw the die,. la the (11:1 itful!ipa'a
jaasat-ssion. Site had seen dies in the possession of
the young Phillips, *lnch she thought were the
same as she saw the Prisoners use in the cello.
Had seen the young_r Prisoner have rialti at
Salrailueist Lairs, with impressimis of iti:d
tail oil sepuriee pieces, the tail piece was the surillest
piece of metal ; the impressions ots thetn seemed of
the same size, cud like a Alia shilling. He-mem-
bers the breaking of the press—the broken hart
was taken by young Phillips and her soil John to
thriningliarn to be lilt's tied ; biter thot, ynneg
Phillips came agaiii, ai.d asked why we had not
fetched the broken part front where it %relit to be
wended. Young Phillip. c:ttne again on the Nth of
May, and asked my all,. Joseph for the tiles 111 Illy
prtStllet ; the younger Plisoner told Joseph where
they were buried in the field up to the house; he
went and brohglit them ; there seemed to be 'ving
thing sticking in them; he gave them to vourag
Cleatteri diem with a tua, put the
smallest in his pro-set„ and ths larger in his pocket
handkerchief. He brosil:lit a tues.lige lion his
fisher to guy 1118.11.1m1, who was 01st w the home;
he said he Leanl throe war a screw Lose!
that sontetlii..g respecting their orllllliJel led
transpired), :mil .11,t he thought hit father would
the Arts. Lu Ehierley ; lent if my :111111i
Iou:111 would crone to his father, he 11011111 1141 Will
whist lie meant. Slit knew a prism Harnett Aim
W-Iker. The press had been in the how,e two
years last Christmas; she knew mid Newii-
liain, mid b.ul heard, but never step them at trio k.

JiratO Silkith 14 a sun of the two 'acceding wit-
nesses. Itemeinbera the two pri.noserr coining to his
father's house one morning early in Api ; lie did
not go to work early that morning, not till towards
eleven o'clock. Being cruse-examined as to his not
going to work earlier to that morning. he replied--
'• We are not ahwa3s at work in our country !" That
was the Mat time ire lard seen thent collie; he had
swen diem come sauce. Ile had seen the old
In3ll have whist lie called dies in his pow.-
Atoct fool or five weeks before his Tt-
ther was apprehended, they were together at
his father's bourse; about four o'clock that day
young Phillips gave I what lie (young Phil-
lip,) called dies to lorry in the field up to the imase ;
lie iiiisu ; he lied buried the dies twice ; he ieerived
Varna mace front the skier and once from the younger
Pots:Hier ; impreseions on them were Imili el the
SJIIIC size; Ute Mrs were not. IVitriess said, on the
7th of May I buried the fly of the picas by my
farlieeir direction; that had not been broken. On
the tali of May, young Plidlipa came to iny
he told me to leteli tile dies that were burred in
the livid neat the house; hr toad iii, where they
wen! ; they were nut whirr I bad pia them; lie
had buried them iii ee; I br..uglit them; they
were duty, and covered wills latch (it ulalieaied
they were alwa)a tilled rip or covered with pitch he-
lots they were buried) ; lie win pied the pitch in the
tire, and wiped it off; when they weir deal', I
looked at them ; the one had. get the head, the
other the tail, similar to the new Mint shilling; the
tail die was the smallest piece of metal. On the
evelikg risy father was apprehended, I went to Bir-
mingham to the elder Pristmer's house; they were
both present ; I told the elder what had happened ;
he told the nut to 'Meld, and to tail illy father they
could not hurt him, for when he himself lived to
the country, lie had a press in the cellar, float winch
he used to strike hulls but they chord nut take it.
He gave me some refreshment. I told hem I had
buried the fly ; he said I might throw it into a coal
pit if I hiked. I afterwards told my brother Jahn
to throw it in a coal-pit. He never saw the Pri-
suirei a at wink iu the cellar.

Aim Walker lives about 100 yards from Smith's
wills her lather and mother; she it nu relation of the
Sonde*. About four or five weeks before Smith
was iipprelicioded she went to Smith's about <demi
o'clock in the morning to borrow bread, which she
obi tined. Ito coining away she beard a noise in the
cellar ; knelt down at the cellar window ; the cellar
window had been bricked up; but then there were
four or fire bricks out ; saw the Prisonros in the
cellar ; was sure it was them; had seem them by-
bore ; the old one near, wool the )oulog one at
Smith's liquor i the elder Prisoner sat down in the
cellar, mod was putting round white things (whirls
ambeared to her rather bigger than shillings, bolt
nut much) under and ithio a port of the press ; die
younger Prisoner ton lied rtml.cl a big thing. pint of
the press, Ind the White things jumped out one at
time on the block. The elder Plisiober picked one
up, loooktd at it, and then gar. It to his POll, who
LaUllAllt It to the windrow where she was locking ;
she could see %lust it WAS; it a:IS like a ;
but !sot edged (milled) round ; it had im it a heed
and tail Ike s nest Mont shilling; she only saw this
one at the a lonlow ; where she WIN war above the
head of the younger Prisoner; she does not think
they saw her; she sturpeel there her or ten minutes,
and cow seiset id put in and Fall out of the press by
the pante process. Site dirt not say mull• thing about
what she had seen to her hither and 'wailer, its she
was afraid of kr,reoling a irlirturbancr. After thir
die saw the elLier rummer about a quarter of a guile
fi,ion Srnith'i-, mil she mitt/ the yotiogt t at Smith's
about eight o'clock in the morniiig tire 4th of
May. After that she saw
.yostitog Phillips and Julio
Sinitl 0 tirivitiLr a horst along the lane tonarols ii! f.
tainglium. On the hurts there weir tontine (wicker

John Smith lives with his father and Mother at
Illoisg'anon. ; maw bath the Prisoners at his father's
house about tkree or font week.' before they were
atoprehelicled. They wrist down into the t'ellet.
He followed them to the botto.ni of the cellar steps:
saw them at work. He described the process.the
same as the others load, the use of candle-a to the
day time, the were. of metal, &e, When ate *sty
them at work, the old man had diie•ctschu on lie
sae him look at a shilling they hid invade; and Alen
Nay to the younger Prisoner, " I tltit.k it Will du."
Ile saw the Primmer. tvhert they tame to work that
morning; tl.e 'elder had candle,- in his pocket; they
lighted a candle and went to work. Ile never 144%1
them at work before. He had seen theiu trt Ilia
father'. before; the first time lie se* them, they
came about seven -to the morning; his (ether was
theta at bottle ; it was a day or two before Old
Lady-day ; his father was afterwards at work hint
km on the forth all that day. Witness said, lie
had *eels the younger Prisoner at his father's since
he saw them at stork ; he Caine on lase 4th of May,
and told site I snug tike part of the press to Bir-
iningliant with hint ; mty father anti he brotitthe it
out of 11w cellar ; it was plat into u big ; after we
put it on the haul.... wr put hay on it ; we then tra-
velled in company, though sometimes the pout:ger
Paisioner was berme me and sssss *obi). s after me.
%Viten we arrived at the Eagle Foutsdrv, in Bit•
tionghain, lie tool me to follow him down the
torret, what' he should tuns up a vaid, where /
should find ti Shop ; I did so ; the shop *ON at tilt
bottom of Clam leo-Atteet ; Iwo wen mite out of the
511011. and title helped sue ; 1 do not know his
mine ; Phillips was iii the shop ; lie told we to take
the horse into the passage, and theta slot,. On the
morning after nay Either was oppreh.otteil, 1 took
the fly from tile place where it was boned 10 my
Nitta's. garden, and, by ttes:r« of my brother.
Joseph, threw it tutu au old coal-pit Ilouglemore
wood. He knew Brantley mod Newnhana.
Joins Seale was next exalt 1111 l rth—John Smith was
told to look at Seale, when Stunt) said lie was tht
limn its the shop where hr too' the part of the press
tn. Stale said he was its the empty of tlr. Anthony
Robinson, blarkomith, of f3iriutughatn be tete!.
lected John Smith bringing a pt,•ce of the press
to be mended. On the Frotly brine it came,
the elder Phillips carne to • tier shop, Nod bald—
" My lads, I have gut a web.; broke, and if 3ou'll
repair it I'll give )012 some drink." lie gave theta
a shilling. and pr •sed them more when it sus
door. Witness said non tt Oss die Monday. John
Smith brought two pietier in a bag ; ottother person
was with hint ; but, bring oror-stghted, nod Nord
tat work it the time, I cannot bear to him."

Anthony Robinson—ls a jabbing smith; hit
shop it is Lionel-street; Great Charles-street comes
into that street. Recollects the elder Phillip* coin-
M.: to ail: hint to mend a prow for him ; he told
him he would; lie promised it olioa:id be done by u
certain time, but it was not done to that lime, and
when Phillips came for it they were about it he
put a new pert of a screw (about 21 Mehra diame-
ter) to it; hr had the old piece, which Caine to him
es a ',sutras, isow—[tlsia he produced in Court],
The work he hail dune lie had seen in Court. --[The
whole of *hat was found at Smith's, Mid the other
parts of the press that cattail be FccoVeird, were ea...
hibited in the outer Court], and he believed it was
imended to metal' the pasta, found at Smith's.
The press Wilb certainly a huge !mess, but there
were totally larger of the kind: Phillips strati came
to his shop again, and the part of the press wits
taken front thew e by Mr. Grainger, wha paid his
bill, somewhere about 2,1. In answer to questions
from the Judge, witness stated, that one m ast taught
wank at the press found at Susitleo, boat, in ostler
to make riddance of work, there most be two em-
ployed at it.
Joseph Grainger—ls high constablr of the Hales
Owen division comitquence of sione information
lie hail leceived, he wrist on the 9th of May to
Smith's house, to search for some fowls Smith had
bought. On entering he tasked Smith's wife for
candle—she said there was none in the houre—she
gave I some fire, but be sent to another house for
coddles. Ott searching the cellar he fumid the
press, which was in the outer Court ; it was fixed
un a block, and the block sunk in the earth level
with the Hour. By the smile of the block lie found
blank white piece of metal, about the rise of
sl►ilbul;.—[ Phis was produced.]-1u a bola of the
black, under the press, he found a piece impresstdi
resembliog a shilling, it wait somewhat betit._j on.
also was produced.]—Fourteen other blank piecei
of white metal, about the size of iltillangs, lie alias
found shout where the preii stood; he (Mood *lad
one blank, about the rise of i stipeuse, mid tier jme.
prenkeil tallow. of 3•. Bunk luketis, and .sl.e fur
Is. 14l.es4Theee were all produced.]--Other
(blanks as well as imitations) were Wood by those
lir had assistilig lout. Otte midatiosi sinluug wee
lomatl the follow/tog day by his servant, 11 diett•.—
flits was produced.]—He did not hod oust oia-cu
of good money in the cellar, nor did any id hits sis-
sistalati. He found several pieces of celialle; them
were molly droppings of tallow al11011,?, and the press
seemed to have bre!' recently whir. Part of toe
cellar window was stuff.-. 4 with tur.iiire Ile 'took
Smith into custody that day ; rod to L'Olist ques.ca
of father onlormation he wrist, on the litil of May,
to Sally'-strut, lisrmisigliam, to Hyprehrtiti the en.
sinters. at the b r. He found them at lareall•ast
he ::eked the young wan if his :lame tics Williong
Ile oft:whited for some time, at last ha
r old it was. Witness said, you me the person f
Witness then asked the elder if lint Itaroi
vr.e, and If he was the fallicr of the y omit