The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-06 00:00:00

THE .ROBBERY OF BANK PAPER AND
FORGERY ON THE BANK.

MANSION HOUSE.
RE-EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONERS.
Ap of tfor, of the following appeared in our impression
yesterday evening
Tbis day, in accordance with the remand granted by the
Lord Mayor, George Buncher, Robert Cumming, William
Burnett, Ellen Burnett, James Griffiths, and Richard
Brewer, the latter of whom was formerly in the employ of
Messrs. Portal, were placed at the bar, charged with being
concerned with others in stealing, in August last, from the
mills of Messrs. Portal and Co., of Laverstock, Hampshire,
a quantity of Bank note paper ; and they were also charged
with being concerned with others in forging and uttering
Bank of England notes, with intent to defraud the Gover-
nors and Company of the Bank of England.

Mr. Freshfield, the solicitor to the Bank of England,
attended to conduct the prosecution.

Mr. Freshfield said on the last occasion the prisoner
Burnett said the female Ellen Burnett had not taken a
criminal part in the case ; and as he believed, from repre-
sentations he had received from the police, that was correct,
he should recommend that she should be discharged from
custody.
The Lord Mayor said he had no doubt she had acted
under the influence of the male prisoner, and he saw no
objection to the course proposed.
The prisoner then left the dock.
Mr. Lewis, of Ely-place, who appeared for Brewer, and
Mr. Paton, for Burnett, wished that all the witnesses
might be ordered out of court.
The suggestion was agreed to, and the case proceeded.
Mr. Freshfield said it was not his intention to make a
long opening statement ; on the contrary, he should only
state the nature of the case, and how he intended to apply
the evidence to each of the prisoners. He had on the last
occasion applied for a remand on account of the prisoner
James Griffiths, whet was apprehended at Birmingham, not
being before the Court. Ile wai now before the Court,
and it would have to be borne in mind that he had
been seized while actually engaged in printing forged notes
in his apartment in that town. As soon as he was appre-
hended he admitted his guilt, and said he was ready to
state all he knew about the matter.

The L2rd Mayor asked whether the man was using the
stolen bank-note paper.
Mr. Freshfield said no, but he was using what was
called roupee paper, which had also been stolen from
Messrs. Portal. All he proposed today was to go into the
case as far principally as regarded the prisoner.
The first witness called was,

Henry Webb of the City detective police, who said, I
have been engaged in trying to discover the perpetrators of
the robbery for some months. On the 6th of Oct. I went
to Birmingham and watched the movements of James
Griffiths, who lived near Dudley-road, and was continually
watching his house and the fields he occupied. My residence
had a full view of his. On the 27th October, at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon, I went to the prisoner Griffiths' house, in
company with Manton, another officer. We went in by
the garden, and burst open the kitchen door. Afterwards
we went into the room on the first floor. I went in
first, and then I saw Griffiths coming towards the door
with his sleeves tucked up. His hands were covered
with ink. He said, " Dont strike me, we shant resist." I
then told him I should apprehend him for printing forged
notes of the Bank of England. He said, I'm guilty. I
shall not resist. I'm not going to do as others did—plead
not guilty." In the centre of the room I found a copper-
plate printer's press, on the top of which I found 21
pieces of Taper on which was engraved a portion of the
words of the note of the Bank of England. They were to
represent a note for £lO. There was also one piece of paper
printL d to represent a £5 note. There was a bed in the
room, under which I found 20 finished forged £lO notes
(produced). They were wrapped up in a piece of gutta percha.
At another part of the bed I found twenty more finished £5
'totes. I also found a piece of paper with the water mark
of a 10-rupee note in it. Griffiths told me, with reference
to that paper, that it was a piece of the genuine
paper which had been stolen from the mills, which was
brought to him by a party to see what he could do with
it. I found also a copper plate for a £lO note of the Bank
of England. it was near a stove, and was quite warm,
There was neither date nor number on it. In the same

room I also found a similar plate for £5. I asked Griffiths if
that was all the plates he had, and he replied, " No, there's
some behind the door ;" and there I found three water-
mark plates and a plate with date and signature on it. I asked
if that was all, when he said "No, I have some more buried
in the fields," and if I would go with him he would show
me where. He said he had not printed many notes on the
genuine paper. He said he had only printed 150 £5 notes
and 20 £lO notes for a person named Buncher,
and 25 for another party. He said he had been
engaged printing notes ever since 1846, and he had told his
wife that whenever he was taken he should tell all he knew,
as some one with whom he had been dealing had put a plant

upon him.
The Lord Mayor asked Griffiths if he wished to ask the
witness any question P
Griffiths replied no. The 25 notes that the officer said
had been printed for another party were printed for a Mrs.

Isletiucr.
William Manton, of the Birmingham detective force,
said—l accompanied Webb when he captured Griffiths. I
also found seven ten.pouna notes, and some paper cut to
the size of the plates. I also found a large quantity of

paper.
Mr. Freshfield said it was only the sort of paper upon
which the ordinary forged five-pound notes were pr:nted.
It was not connected with the present inquiry.
The witness then proceeded—l went with the last wit-
ness and Griffiths to a field, and having taken two or three
paces, the prisoner stooped down and pulled up out of the
earth 14 forged note plates. He measured some more
paces, and near the same spot he pulled up six other plates.
They are principally number and signature plates.
George Philip Tandy, of the Birmingham police force,
said. I went with the other constables to Griffiths' house ;
I there found thirteen engraved plates, used in completing
forged notes.
Mr. Murfill, inspector of bank notes, said the note num-
bered 93,786, and dated 23d January, 1862, is the note I
referred to in my last evidence. The note numbered 31,109,
just put into my hand, is a forged note on genuine paper.
It came into the bank two days ago through the Messrs.
Barclay. The £5 note, 83,165, found by Webb at Griffiths'
house is a forgery. The plate from which the impressions
of the other three forged notes is taken by that officer, is
that found by him without either date, number, or signa-
ture, in Griffiths' tom.
By Mr. Lewis, on the part of Brewer—There is nothing
in the bank note to show the date of its manufacture. I
cannot tell when the forged note was manufactured.
Henry Brown—l am the son of a carpenter employed at
Messrs. Portal's mills at Laverstoke. I worked with my
father until about 12 months ago, last Whitchurch fair,
June 10. I know the prisoner Burnett. I became ac •
quainted with hint after Christmas, 1860. He (prisoner)
was then living at the Three Horse Shoes, at Whitchurch.
rs. Burnett first asked me to get some bank paper from
the mills. Burnett was not present, but he spoke to me
about getting the paper a fortnight afterwards. He asked
me to get some paper from the mills, but I refused. Mrs.
Burnett after that asked me to get some. At last I got some
paper. I took it from the mills. That is where the paperc
undergoes the process of drying. I took three sheets whli
would make six notes. It was what was called "pd aolun
paper." I know that all notes above £lOO are
" plain paper." Burnett told me so. After I hparildncgteeo,tatnhde
three sheets of paper I took them to Bunaett;
auprnaett said
gave them to Mrs. Burnett in his presence.
he should soon be able to get some money for the paper.
He said he knew somebody who would print
Burnett afterwards left WhitelLar hGli, n a and pass them.
after nine days
he returned, and said he had found somet one to print the
I told him I should
paper, and that he wanted some
'nor% he had got. Mrs.
not get any more till he had done the
Burnett said I
might as well get a few pieces more and go to London
with him. I afterwards got five sheets of £lO-note paper.
I took them to Burnett, and came up to London with him.
I met him at the Plough at Vinaitc I
had.hurch. He asked me if
I gave it to him,
I had got any paper. I told him
self came up to London.
I and then he and his wife and
IntYout, and told Mrs. Burnett
f to meet him at a a
The next morning Burnett
and mysel hwanhdobousreroiwnedthesoWmeatmerolnooey-r,oaandd.
We did so. He told me be Ha afterwards gave me a
he asked me it I wanted
anYs. t tea in a coffeeshop I asked
sovereign. While we
were
drao with the paper. He said that
was
him
all right, as what he was going d
taken it elsewhere. He said he
could not tell me
where it was. We afterwards went back
wbhe
had
to Whitchurch afterTtwoodeayaso'
rsstaey in London. Afterwards I
Shoes, and I then asked
met Burnett at the hr
wasd done, as he had told me he was go.
He said they had not got enough
whether the pope!
it printe •to
ing
w have
plate. I said I should not get any more,
He for the
what they had got was " tumbled" to he should
He said „ns I then told him I would see if I could get
split upon --lie asked me several times to get some more,
anme d got 10 sheets of 50's from the mill. I got'
them from the machine. After I had got the paper and was
coming out I met Brewer. He asked me what I had got
in ray pocket. I told him I had nothing, but he
said
You've got some paper." I said, " I have not, it's only
wrapper." He said, " You have ; you had better take it
back—don't get yourself into trouble that way. I don't
want to do you harm, or I would tell the g overnor " I
said I would go and put it back when I went to the. ma-
chine-room. Mr. Dusatury was there, and I could not
put it back. I left, and went down into the carpenter's
shop. Brewer came down to me about an hour after this,
and asked me if I had put the paper back. I told him I
had not had the chance to do so yet. He asked me who I
took the paper to, and whether I had got any before. I said I
had given Burnett three sheets of plain and five sheets of
before. He asked me if I knew who Burnett took the
paper to, but I told him I did not know. That night I
took the paper I had got to Burnett, and he went to Lon-
don the next day. I told him that Brewer had seen what
I had done. He said that would be all right. Brewer
would not say anything about it. He would give Brewer
something and he would not split. I saw Burnett on his
return from London, who told me the matter would soon be
done, and gave me 43 to give Brewer. I saw him the next