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

Extensive Forgeries of Federal Notes.

On the 16th ult, 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
Fedtral 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-
fieli,) ; 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 in 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 preparing 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

0-dollar note, and asked him if he conid 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,

he 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 had 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 he 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 foroe, has had the
case in his hands for some months. When Hides
was apprehended he 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 hi
as a copy. He soon knew, as a matter of tours
that he was engaged in a forgery; but the prisons
laughed at his fears. It may be stated here that tl
engraving on the genuine notes is or a very con
plicated and expensive character, and so beautiful,
designed and finished as to be very difficult of im
tation. Some of the notes contain figures represent
ing "Liberty," " America,", and portraits of 14
Lincoln, and the edges and backs are covered wit
numerals in sections, the figures denoting the fait
of the instrument. The workmanship is mo
highly finished. The forgeries are not h
well finished, but the American Consul said the
w( tvd deceive any one not well acquainted wit
the uto!•ey. After t e evidences of the Ile
who printed the notes, Pigott and GdScoigne, th
apprentices, and others, it was shown that Light 116
purchased the lithographic press, and had brough
it to Sheffield, where it had been used in printio,
the notes. Mr. 0 verend, the magistrate who hear,
the case, at once committed the prisoners to th
assizes at York, and refused to accept bail. Ib
case was brought under the Consolidat( d Act, said
makes the offence with which the prisoners ar
charged a felony, punishable with 14 years'
servitude.

Close of the Suit against Professor Jowett'

The following letter has been sent by the Pr.'
moters of this suit to the Vice-Chancellor:—
" Mr-Vice-Chancellor,—We, the promoters of
suit against Professor Jowett, beg leave to
you at the earliest possible moment that we "LI:
given up the intention of making application to to
Court of Queen's Bench for a mandamus to coulei
~
your Assessor to hear that cause ; which apoicatio
we thought, in the first instance, to be our legal

remedy.
We have consulted competent lawyers, who
vise us that a mandamus ought to issue in this cal
But the same lawyers think that, as the Queen',
Bench has a discretion to exercise, it might if
case relating to academical discipline (and it is added 01
by another legal authority partly on the ground
se
the long forbearance in instituting this suit), ref
the mandamus, and that this would most proheb;
be the course which the Court would take. 13801!
stated that they mild not guarantee the success
at
the application. Without a moral certainty °sr
the mandamus would be issued, we thought it 11
becoming to make the application.
„foal
We have appended to this statement a
DI
opinion given by the Queen's Advocate and
Coleridge, Esq., Q.C.
" We wish to add in explanation that had Tle
-
fi
been aware that (as is intimated in this 01);7118r
there was any appeal to Courts within the Vil'lo-e
sity from a mere refusal on the part of the Me,
sor
to hear a cause we should not have thought otao4
selves at liberty (under our obligation to the stall`

to make application to the Queen's Bench. ,;ng
" The time allowed by the statutes for roll''.o,o
such an appeal having passed long since, mobile .e
were taking steps to bring the question to so
in what we understood to be the proper Courtfto
nave no longer any legal means for testing re
validity of the Assessor's refusal.—We beg t°
main your obedient servants,

"Christ Church, May 8.

" C. A. Ocinvio.
" E. B Pussit.
" C. A. liEtraTlAl.

n I Di
(4 OrINION OF THE QUEEN'S ADVOCATE AN- '
COLERIDGE, ESQ Q.C.
" We are of opinion that the course taken by the Age°
It

in this trial was incorrect, and cannot be justified. I:40
well be that in former times the Vice-Chancellor,
alone or conjointly with other University authoritieSt 01-01
have acted personally in the correction of the (learn de'
manners of the members of the University and with ;It it
gree of discretion and freedom from legal rules such -01
suggested in thejudgment of the Assessor. But wilf,olo,
authority, whatever it may have been originally, ea7„-dieio
vested in and to be exercised by a court and by rvilick
officer such as the Assessor (and this is the case with I..adge
we have to deal), we think that, even if such Court or to
could have refused leave to issue a citation originallY'cor
Court could not refuse to entertain a suit prePerli„ Sal
menced, and over which there existed jurisdiction? °7cost
such ground as the general inexpediency of the Psrtla
Juage having to deal with it. The Assessor'S Outrißied by
pears to us an inconsistent course, and not to be Ps
any legal precdent of which we are aware.
"We think,e further, that in accordance with wale.- °fell
authorities on the subject of visitational jurisdiction, as to
as the established practice in regard to inferior courts, ty
Court of Queen's Bench might by mandanitis comb 4
Assessor to hear a cause properly commenced before hoit
parties having an interest in the matter, and in reePec
which he had jurisdiction.
"But the Court of Queen's Bench itself has a '"'" Thi°
in regard to the issuing of the writ of mandamus. 41d
discretion must, it is true, be regulated, and no doubt
COO
be regulated, by legal principles. But in this case the vit
would certainly be very reluctant to interfere, and
ter 0
most probable, in our opinion, that, treating the matow-
,i
one of academical discipline, they would leave the r wed
to the suit to their remedy in that course of appeal Pc
out by the University statut3s.
" ROBERT PIIILLI2IIOO' ,
''JJOHNDUKE COLEIII9aO
" Westminster, May 4."

COUNTRY MARKETS.

b,

NOTTINGIIAM—SATURDAT. yea $
This corn market to-day was moderately eaP.Pceo beilejo
wheat, and there was a slew demand, late Pinata //,
barely supported. Barley steady, at late rates.
.`',o r0,`50,
scarce. Only a sample or two of beans, at Pre; OLO
White wheat, from 44s to 548 ; red wheat, „js,
Barley—malting, 31s
,to 418:; grinding, 278 to ,oui
old, at 25s to 31s Od ; new, 22s to 28s. Beans
to 45s per qr. Flour, 31s to 40s.

YORK— SATURDAY.
.4 Sale° Pli
The show of wheat was limited to-day, an— th 8 olie
inactive, at lather lower prices. Barley scarce, Wrilookdo
demand, at extreme prices. Oats in healthy dew 7.
readily made Gd per qr advance on last week. j 9 24'
steady. 0
Wheat, red 42s to 46s Oats.... ....... .or to „st
White do .46s:to 50s Beans ...........
...„8020,
Barley .29s to 35s Peas ".0,000
Malt, 62s to 64s per qr.; rye, 34s per qr ;
to 35s per sack.

GRANTHAM—SATURDAY. 36°1'!
0'
New white wheat, 48s to 51s; red, 45s to 48°21ft0,.
malting barley, 38s to 43s per qr ; grinding', oV'
old oats, 23s tons; beans, 358 to 38s; peas)
56
LEICESTER—SATunDAY• 600 r,
op
Old white wheat, —s to —s •, new, 44s to 03111, OtisA
stone. Oid red, 48s to 62s per 36 stone. Bar'iel'ots` 009'
new, 34s to 39s per qr.; grinding, 27s to 300;.
27s to 30s ; new oats, 22s to 28s per 24 stony.
new, 35s to 398; old, 42s to 44s per 38 stone.

i Jr
N RW ICH—SATURDAY. ,;11Xt
0P
with
There was a better supply of wheat to-day, - The 0
ad
mand. at rather lower prices than last week. jow;ok,
of barley is now virtually exhausted, and rata; .`""410,1'0F1
White wheat. 46s to 48. I Red wheat.. •• • ' tpP
Malting barley ... 38s to 40s 1 Chevalier harleY•'./4%•lei,
Distilling d 0..... 33s to 35s I Oats.. ..........
Flour, 32s 6d to 33s ed per sack from the
.4. _

hv
Full benefit of reduced duty btained:#o
chasing Horniman's pure Tea; very choice at::), IS:01
4s. " High Standard "at 4s. 4d. (formerly 41' is is
strongest and most delicious imported. Agez-
town supply it in packets.

1/11/
Births. <, the
ADAMS.—On the sth inst., at Eastbourne, ou'go-
_,, mot
of George Adams, Esq., of a daughter. d, PA Eir
HANROTT.—On the 6th inst., H
at 22, Oxford.r°t of -
the wife of Howard Augustus unrott, P6'.' .411,
and heir. aOO9 o8r $
Thyme'
THYNNE.—On the Bth inst,, at Pen towet f
Cornwall, the wife of the Rev. Arthur C.
daughter.

Marriages. vert
COOPER—DRAPER.--On the 9th inst., at S,it• hrgellll
gent's-park, James, eldest son of the late e-ro 10-
Esq., of Caversham, near Reading, t° Laura
Oft'
youngest daughter of the late George DrBPet' at Preto
WIN TERINGHAM—WORSLEY—On the 6tla ilVeoess;r I'l
Lincolnshire, Henry Winterin h am, Bgli ft re°
youngest daughter of the Rev.g W /N°B t 3
in.
Bratoft.

shire, Mr. Addington, ADDINGTON.—On the 6th • Eaton P-1:1'
, Da
geeadt
7h 5.2 . •
gton Inst., at rto Deaf"
s.—On the 7th inst., at Lean) al"
DUNDI Of°
Dundas, Esq , aged 56. $ Ag
Leamington' -'l-h°15.6
MITCHELL.--On the 7th inst., at 26, Car
, gr.
NiMsnit:Th.e--ll'On the sth inst., ey Nog: 11401
rod, are,
James N isbet, late of Wigmoraet• Finchstroal-, "Vella° i ,ree_Ali'
aged 75. . hoovulte's
T oli.,oAaccHhze: —3l O.
en.,tahgee
aged 30.
inst.. a Ric kW.
Surrey, Louisa Maria, eldest daughter of ale
II Olt
~,, lib,' Ag
STROTHER.—On the 7th inst , at Eastfielu Pcl'f
sw9orth, Northumberland, Anthony Strotiler,

Lon
Printed
and
published
byivicLlAo4?.l4s_?;
of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TUE SO V
0-ceopt,
Strand, in the Precinct of the "Savoy, in tl4
hildetleses,—mpuoay, !lay 11, 1803.