The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-11 00:00:00

Extensive Forgeries of Federal Notes.

On the 16th u.t, two men named Edwin Hides
and Henry Light, engravers and lithographers,
were brought before the Sheffield magistrates on a
charge of forging and uttering large numbers of
Federal Treasury notes (greenbacks) of 5, 10, and
20 dollars. They were remanded until Saturday
last, when a mass of evidence was adduced to prove
their complicity in the forgery. Mr. Sleigh, bar-
rister, of London, appeared for the prosecution (in-
structed by the American Consular agent in Shef-
fielc.) ; Mr. Fretson defended the prisoners. The
main facts to which the witnesses deposed may be
stated as follows :—The prisoner Hides was an en-
graver in a considerable way of business i❑ George-
street, Sheffield, and the other prisoner was a litho-
grapher in his employ. In the spring of last year
Light went over to Ireland, and in Dublin he met
with an American named Clifford Webster, who
was engaged in prepating a plate from which
to engrave forged American bank notes. Light
agreed to assist him, and the American handed
over to him a partially engraved 10 dollars
plate, and furnished the funds for the purchase
of a lithographic press, and with these Light
returned to Sheffield. He appears to have gone at
once to Hides, and asked him to join in the " good
thing" he had on hand, and Hides agreed to do so.
They sought the assistance of a Sheffield engraver,
named Pigott, to whom Hides showed a genuine
10-dollar note, and asked him if he could make a
copy of the vignette (a figure representing Colum-
bia) as nearly resembling the original as possible.
Pigott refused, and Hides, attributing his refusal to
fear of the consequences, told him he had no occa-
sion to be afraid, as " we did not make laws for the
protection of foreigners in this country." Pigott,
however, persistently refused, and Hides then left
him, but subsequently repeated his request, and told
him he would make a large sum of money if he
would give his assistance, but was again repulsed.
Light then went to a Wakefield engraver, named
Gascoigne, showed him one of the notes, and endea-
voured to procure his assistance in making the plate,
but Gascoigne refused. Light subsequently wrote
and told him that the front part of the plate was
being done in steel, and that if he would assist in
finishing it he should have " as high a figure" as he
chose to ask for. Being unable to obtain assistance,
the two prisoners did the work at the plate them-
selves; and they engaged two men named Southard
and Wood, who printed off 3,000 copies of the 10-
dollar note. The prisoners also completed a plate
for 5 dols. and another for 20 dols., and it is believed
they printed off large numbers from each. Pigott,
the engraver mentioned above, went on one occasion
to Hides's shop, and Hides told him they "had done
£7,000 worth of the notes, and that the American
(Clifford Webster) had been over to Sheffield and
got the notes, and had gone away without giving
them the money for which they had bargained."
He added that the American had been trying
to pass some of the notes in the neigh-
bourhood of Sheffield, and that that had alarmed
him, and he bud sent Light after him, partly
to get the money and partly to put him
on his guard. A letter WAS found in the possession
of Light's wife, in which he said (writing from
Dublin) that be should return home at once, " be-
cause Webster had gone." Information was given
to the American authorities in Liverpool and Leeds,
and Sergeant, Spital, of the city force, has had the
case in his hands for some months. When Hides
was apprehended ho admitted having had a forged
plate in his possession. One of the strongest pieces
of evidence was supplied by one of Hides's appren-
tices, named Fretwell. He said he had been "mysti-
fied" by the great precautions the prisoners took to
evade observation in the workshop, and on one
morning, after they had been working all night, he
went into their room, and found in a drawer a
partly engraved steel plate. He took an impression,
which he produced, and which was evidently from
a plate of a five-dollar note. The lines "American
Bank Note Co., New York,"the date, and the words
"Receivable in payment of all public dues," and the
vignette were very distinct, and evident copies of
portions of a genuine note. One of the approvers,
named Southard, was engaged to complete the 10

dollar plate, and he had a genuine note given h
as a copy. He soon knew, as a matter of coui
that he was engaged in a forgery; but the prison
laughed at his fears. It may be stated here that
engraving on the genuine notes is of a very ca
plicated and expensive character, and so beautify
designed and finished as to be very difficult of it
tation. Some of the notes contain figures represe
ing "Liberty," " America," and portraits of
Lincoln, and the edges and backs are covered w
numerals in sections, the figures denoting the VI
of the instrument. The workmanship is 111
highly finished. The forgeries are not
well finished, but the American Consul said th
wculd deceive any one not well acquainted W,
the money. After the evidences of the It
who printed the notes, Pigott and Gascoigne, 1
apprentices, and others, it was shown that Light 13
purchased the lithographic press, and had bro 4
it to Sheffield, where it had been used in print'
the notes. Mr. 0 verend, the magistrate who bee
the case, at once committed the prisoners 1
assizes at York, and refused to accept bail. I.
case was brought under the Consolidated Act, will
makes the offence with which the prisoners
charged a felony, punishable with 14 years' 1)131
servitude.

Close of the Suit against Professor jowel

The following letter has been sent by the Pr
rooters of this suit to the Vice-Chancellor :--
" Mr. Vice-Chancellor,—We, the promoters of
suit against Professor Jowett, beg leave to in°
you at the earliest possible moment that we 116,
given up the intention of making application t 0 ti
Court of Queen's Bench for a mandamus to WI
your Assessor to hear that cause ; which applicati(
we thought, in the first instance, to be our leg'

remedy.
We have consulted competent lawyers, Wm° si
vise us that a mandamus ought to issue in this °0
But the same lawyers think that, as the Queen
Bench has a discretion to exercise, it might ;Lin,
case relating to academical discipline (and it is aUi
by another legal authority partly on the ground
the long forbearance in instituting this suit), rem
the mandamus, and that this would most prnbri,6o
be the course which the Court would take.
stated that they could not guarantee the anneesso
the application. Without a moral certainty
the mandamus would be issued, we thought it°,bo
becoming to make the application.
a
" We have appended to this statement a forol
opinion given by the Queen's Advocate and I
Coleridge, Esq., Q C.
" We wish to add in explanation that
been aware that (as is intimated in this opin'er
there was any appeal to Courts within the Upia
sity from a mere refusal on the part of the Assv—or
to hear a cause we should not have thought °,08)
selves at liberty (under our obligation to the stall'
to make application to the Queen's Bench. bid
" The time allowed by the statutes for Ira"'
lie
such an appeal having passed long since, whiieo9oo
were taking steps to bring the question to an 1
1,0
in what we understood to be the proper Cs:ol'os
have no longer any legal means for testing or
validity of the Assessor's refusal.—We beg t°
main your obedient servants,

"Christ Church, May 8.

7 C. A. OcaLarg,
`E. B. Pvol• 0
„
C. A. HEtmosl•

" OPINION OF THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE AND j
COLERIDGE, ESQ Q.C. glees°
" We are of opinion that the course taken by the
in this trial was incorrect, and cannot be justified. ,i,„..aof
well be that in former times the Vice-Chancellor,
alone or conjointly with other University authoritie sed
have acted personally in the correction of the doctrinear
manners of the members of the University and Wijtb es LS,
gree of discretion and freedom from legal rules sala OP
suggested in the judgment of the Assessor. But
sclinie to!
authority, whatever it may have been originally, 07„die,
vested in and to be exercised by a court and by a r-bioa
officer such as the Assessor (and this is the case 011 jade
we have to deal), we think that, even if such Court or ase
could have refused leave to issue a citation originally 'oPe
Court could not refuse to entertain a suit properl9o
menced, and over which there existed jurisdictioroulst
such ground as the general inexpediency of the Pint
': or
Jueige having to deal with it. the Assessor's o°llriedbi
pears to us an inconsistent course, and not to boil's°
any legal precedent of which we are aware. 1,40013
"We think, further, that in accordance with well--01
authorities on the subject of visitational jurisdiction's° a"
as the established practice in regard to inferior courts; ty
Court of Queen's Bench might by mandamus c°I3IPPI
Assessor to hear a cause properly commenced before
parties having an interest in the matter, and in reel?'ct
whichß had jurisdiction.
I
"tithe Court of Queen's Bench itself has a d-aerat
in regard to the issuing of the writ of mandatntaifosi!
discretion must. it is true, be regulated, and no dallib,•CoOrs:
be regulated, by legal principles. But in this case dit I.
would certainly be very reluctant to interfere, 811tter
most probable, in our opinion, that, treating the ipspoli,l
one of academical discipline, they would leave tlls
to the suit to their remedy in that course of eI)PuP. poifir-
out by the University statutes.
" ROBERT PHILLIWItIio. 0,
" JOHN DUKE C 01.019
" Westminster, May 4."

COUNTRY MARKETS.
h.,
NOTTINGHAM—SATURDAY. hedol4
This corn market to-day was moderately sults tiero
wheat, and there was a 81,m demand, late F'ooB lee,
barely supported. Barley steady, at late rates.
1,8 rs49o,
scarce. Only a sample or two of beans, at prenso White wheat, from 448 to 548 wheat, idol
Barley—malting, 31s to 418,; grinding, 278 to 4,
old, at 25s to 31s Od ; new, 22s to 28s. Beans to'
to 45s per qr, Flour, 31s to 40s.

lel
YORK— SATURDAY.
gleS .00
The show of wheat was limited to-day, and 0,410,3
inactive, at lather lower prices. Barley scarce, o'od, 71.0
demand, at extreme priees. Oats in healthy derll O'
Beam .
readily made 6d per qr advance on last week. 0-
steady. . 200°0
Wheat, redto
42s to 46e 1 0at5...........
.40:, - ,-
White do .46s:to 50s 1 Beans . sto 0
Barley .29s to 35s 1 Peas ....rico
Malt, 62s to 64s per qr. ; rye, 34s per qr ;
to 35s per sack.

gg
GRANTHAM—SATURDAY.pr St.;
vd" 0
New white wheat, 48s to 51s ; red, 45s to 4sonN;to""
malting barley, 38s to 438 per qr
•, grinding', 4'to 313'
old oats, 23s t 0268; beans, 35s to 38s ; peas; 316
LEICESTER,—SATunDAY• 50; PO
Old white wheat, —s to —5; new, 445 tiov
stone. Old red, 48s to 52s per 36 stone. Bole.° of 8'
new, 348 to 39s per qr.; grinding, 27s to 30s;
2 stop
7s to 30s; new oats, 22s to 288 per 24 sto
new, 35s to 398; old, 42s to 44s per 38 stone.

141 r
NORWICH—SATURDAY. pi/
Lb oP
There was a bettersupply of wheat to-day, wl
fs 60
mand, at rather lower prices than last week. re 00-0,41
of barley is now virtually emhausted, and rates
.410t0,4311
White wheat. 46s to 48. I Red wheat. •• • • ...36't0V
Malting barley ...38s to 40s I Chevalier barleY•'.
Distilling do . 33s to 35s I 0at5..........
Flour, 32s 6d to 33s Od per sack frout
flr
)1 boo

- - _
Full benefit of reduced duty ob ta i ea,/ 41)4d• °
chasing Horniman's pure Tea; very choice at
4s. "High Standard "at 4s. 4d. (formerly 40 in e
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents
town supply it in packets.

Births. <th
ADAMS.—On the sth inst , at Eastbourne, ou"
of George Adams, Esq., of a daughter. kiln 60'
HANROTT.—On the 6th inst.,
Tr at 22, Oxforde, 'of
the wife of Howard Augustus Hanrott, totlf
and heir. ajrlialf Poi •
TJIYNNE.—On the Bth inst., at Penstowe,
Cornwall, the wife of the Rev. Arthur G.
daughter.

Marriages. s g ark I)it'"
COOPER —DRAPER.—On the 9th inst., at ---nt'eorges6-°'
gent's-park, James, eldest son of the late it,
Esq., of Caversham, near Reading, t° P's'clit°..
youngest daughter of the late George DraP t at "to3Cei
WIN TERIN GHAM —W ORSLEY— On the 6°l iv:o.'°°/jst-or
Lincolnshire, Henry Winterin harm ree
youngest daughter of the Rev.g " ""s e
Bratolt.

ADDINGTON.-0a the 6thp
shire, Mr. Addington, for
a gei
inst.,
at. no Dea
~oral;
112°.
DIIND
~ AS,—On the 7th inst at Leamington, ,00
V Ab
Dundas, Esq.,aged 66. "
MITCHELL. —On the 7th ' 'at 26, Carlton' gra
Mitchell. inst.,
_.....r0i1d,.,,ref
Nisn
James
rr. —On the sth 'n t at Finehley lievilisfrocl'
awes Nisbet, lateof 1‘7"8 " treat, Cave/1 eiri'
o•re A
aged 75. , igmore• s
Fl
braond-rfte".
TOLLEMACHE.—On the 7th inst., at •1N'e,..0 0013'
Eaton Soco 00
Surrey, Louisa Maria, eldest daughter of tA
irerr
Tollemaehe, M.P., aged 30. 1,1 f111,.,' bet
STROTHER.—On the 7th ' t Bao.o.- ,65,r,
inst., a - tier,
worth, Northumberland, Anthony Strot
59.

Strand,of No.
--OSP
London : Printed and Published byLie 14°.• Of
in the
111.n2,
tShteranrdr,ecPinrientteorf, athteT,lsi:voSyv....l4 4-7 eooosl
MldEllesex.—Monday. May 11, 1803.