The National Register.
London, England, 1822-09-30 00:00:00

POLICE.

-
BOW STREET.

On Thursday sight Sir Richard Smile was engaged until
♦ery late hour, in all investigation of as extraordinary a nature,
perhaps, as ever came before a magistrate. A very respectable
looking middle-aged man, named Samuel Beillow Sweetuian,
was broil. lit to the aim: in the custody of Bishop, one of the
principal Akers, on a charge of stealing a bill of exchange for
3,5001., the property of Richard Thornhill.
Mr F. Pollock attended for the prosimution, cud Mr. Platt
appeared on behalf of the accused.
tien the defendant was placed at the table in front of the
bench, he was asked by Sir Richard Birnie if he was aware of
the nature of tile charge 'pima him, mud he said he believed
be was.
Sir It. Birnie.—What is your name ?

Defendant.—Samuel Bedlow Sweetman.
Sir It. Birnie.—You are charged in the warrnnt now before
me, and upon which you are brought here, with feloniously
stealing, tali ig, and carrying away • bill of exchange fur
3,5Ud1. the property of Richard 'Thornhill. The djeudant
bowed.
Richard Thornhill, a man of respectable exterior, whose ac-
cent bespoke him to be of the sister country, was called and
eimmined by Mr. Pollock. Ile stated I elf to be au officer
in the army. The bill of exchange in question was his property,
be having given a valuable consideration for it. It was drawn
by Thomas Claughton upon Thomas Legh, and accepted by the
latter fur 2,5001. dated Nov.s, 1821, and would be due on the
Bth of May next, being 18 months. Ile received the bill from
Messrs. /night and Eyson, solicitors, for a valuable consider-
ation. It was no. endorsed by them. He took it without an
endorsement, giving them an undertaking for it. (The nnder
taking was produced.) lie had no personal interest in the bill
except what arose from this undertaking. Last Tuesday,
shout half-past one o'clock, witness delivered the bill to Capt.
Barford, iu Bedford-street, Strand. Captain Buford was to
present it at Coutta's banking-house in the presence of the de-
fendant to satisfy him that it was a good acceptance ; and if he
was satisfied that it was the genuine acceptance of Mr. Leagh,
witness wan to receive the sum of 2,0001. immediately. The
defendant told witness he had discounted several bills for both
Cloughton and Lcgh ; that the former was not worth a farthing;
but Legb he knew to be a man of 40,0001. a year, and he would
certainly discount the bill if it was his (Legit) acceptance, The
defendant represented I elf to be a merchant in the city, and
ssid.he was in the habit of discounting bills to a great amount.
lie bad, lie said, often discounted bills at Coutts's. 'Time de-
fendant was introduced to witness by Mr. Walker, who said
be was a man of properly—a monied man—and witness thought
him a man of great fortune. Ile did not know that the &fen
dant was clerk to Mr. Walker the attorney. He had heard so
since, bat did nut know the fact.
Mr. Walker, who was instructing Mr. Platt for the defence,
said the del...Out was not his clerk.
Captain Edmund Barford, residing at No. 19, Carlisle-place,
Lambeth, sworn.-1 received the bill in question from Mr.
Thonmill about half-past one o'clock on Tuesday last in the
Strand. I was to go with the defendant to Coutts's to prove the
baud writing of Mr. Legit, in order to the discounting the bill
by the defendant. I inquired for Mr. Antrobus, the chief clerk,
and was directed into a back office, where I saw him. I held
oat the bill to him, and naked him if that was the acceptance of
Mr. Legh. The defendant was thm standing beside me. Mr.
Antrobus had a letter in his hand which he banded to the de-
fendant saying, " I believe this is for you, Sir." The defen-
dant at this moment, and before Mr. Antrobus could look at the
endorsement, said, " I believe there are some endorsements
upon that bill, will you allow me to look at it." Th.: bill was
given to him Gy Mr. Antrobus, and he immediately squeezed it
ap in his hand, and proceeded to rend the letter which Mr. An
pubus had given him. I asked hits for the bill, saying, "It is
a. well is my pw,session un tours,' but he replied when Le had
rem. t .e leach, twat he would not give the bill up to me or any
one else. I said, " 11 you don't give it up I shall take you to
Bow streeet," and without replying he walked out of the holm.
I follow.Al him to the door, waere Mr. Thornhill was waiting.—
Before the presentation of the bill, the d,fendsnt said that Mr.
Thornhill had offered him very handsomely ; he was to have
501. and be certainly would discount the hill.
Cross-examined by Mr. Platt.—The defendant said lie would
go to f:ow-street or anywhere else we chose. He said he had
received a letter from Mr. Cloughton le stop the hill, and he
therefore should keep it. lie wan positively to get it discounted
that afteruoou or the next morning. Ile said before lie west to
" I don't want the hill at all ; only convince me that it
is the acceptance of Mt. Legh, and I will get the money."
Mr. Antrobus, clerk to sLasrs. Coutta, sworn. The letter
was addressed to S. B. Sweetnian, sod Itrt with me to give to
Lim when he came. He would nut take the letter when I licit
offered it to him, mid looked an,ry, I thought, when I asked if
it was for him. The letter was produced and read—
" Toll. B. 3Vrect.tiall.

"St n,—lf a bill of e;.cbangel.Or3,3ool. drawn by me should
be presented to you, I hereby aathoriae you to take and detain
it, nu consideration hut ing been Kit en fur it, and notice bating
been served litany months ago upon the bidder to restore it.
am, sir, your obedient servant, T. CLAIGII ION."
The hand-writing was proved to be genuine.
Witness isoutinued.—We should nut have discounted a bill
for the defendant. It is riot true he ever chscounted bills at
out house. I saw no other endorsement upon the bill than Mr.
Claughton's, I Lad no oppot trinity.
Mr. Charles Knight, solicitor, of Corahill, examined.-1 re-
ceived this bill as the solicitor of Sir Peter Pole and Company,
bankers, from a Mr. Pullen, the agent of Mr. Efurth, proprie-
tor of a gun manufactory, as a security for 1,0001. to b, ad-
vanced by Messrs. Pole to Mr. Efurtli. I gave the bill subse-
quently to ColoaulThornbil, upoo his giving me an under taking
for the i,ooai. which bad been advanced upon it. I know, tits
defendant to be clerk to Mr. Bruuouell, a solicitor.
Mr. Platt now proceeded to cross examine Mr. Thornhill,
when a dialogue took place, of which the fullo..ing is a por-
tion :

Mr. Platt, you have been in the army ? I bate.
What nre you now ?-1 am like a great usany more, unfor-
tunately—l fun on half pay.
You were on adjutant at Huth, I believe ?—I was.
Pray, did you pass your accounts to Governinmt there ?
Mr. 'Thornhill—What's that to you t How dare you ask me
such a qnestion
Mr. Plutt.—l shall let you know presently how I dare ask
you. Did you pass your accounts, l say
Mr. Thornhill.- —You are d--d impertinent fellow for ask-
ing such a question, and I shall not auawer it, because you
Lave no business to put it.
Mr. Platt.-1 ant ptrfectly content with your refusing to
aaswet and] a question.
Mr. Thornhill.—What do you mean by that, Sir ? what do
you wean by that? Ask Lord Palmer:Atm if I passed my
oloosatt.