The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-09 00:00:00

18.18 9
30.17.6

FEE LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 9, 1865:

Great Forgery of Russian Bank Notes•

EXAMINATION OF THE ALLEGED FABRICA-
, TORS.-(THIS DAY).

This morning another of those great forgery cases,
which of late have been of frequent occurrence, was en-
tered into by Mr. Knox, at the Marlborough-street, Police-
court. Two Frenchmen, named Augustin Francois
Berral Ancenay, of 127, Gray's-inn-road, and Adrien
Nicholas, of 4, Berwick-street, Soho, were brought before
his worship, in custody of the detective police, charged
with being concerned, with others not in custody, in the
engraving and making certain plates for the fabrication of
forged notes of the Bank of Russia, and also with having
in their possession twenty-five divers plates of the same
kind.

Mr. Sleigh prosecuted on the part of the Russian Govern-
ment, and Mr. Edward Lewis appeared for Nicholas.
Ancenay was undefended.
Mr. Sleigh, in opening the case, referred at length to the
particulars connected with the forgeries, and then pro-
ceeded to call the following witnesses : •
Inspector Thompson, of the Detective Police Force, Scot-
land-yard, said—Yesterday I proceeded to Southleigh
Lodge, Datchet, near Windsor, and found the house empty,
and, with the sanction of the landlord, I searched it. In
the back room up stairs I found two portions of a printing
press. The room smelt strongly of acids, and there were
stains on the floor. In a room down stairs I found two
wooden cases. On opening one I found it to contain about
12 pieces of litho stone, amongst which I found the one I
now produce with traces of drawing upon it. The other
contained about eight pieces, and these stones have
also traces of drawing upon them. I next opened a hamper,
which I found filled with acids of various kinds. Some of
them were wrapped in paper similar to that produced—a proof
of bank note plate. I opened another case, a smaller one,
and found different kinds of printing ink, of various
colours. There was also in the box a quantity of pumice
stone and sponges. I next opened a large case in the
garden, and found it to contain a complete printing-press,
of which I took possession. From inquiry I ascertained
that a man named Ancenay had lived there, but had left.
I then came to town, and last night I arrested Ancenay in
Gray's-inn-road. I asked him if his name was Anconay?
He said "Yes," and spelt it to me. I told him I was
an inspector of police, that I had been to Datchet,
and that I had searched Southloigh Lodge and opened
sundry cases, and brought with me to London two plates
such as are used in fabricating Russian notes. He replied,
" I don't quite understand all this ; please tell me in French,
and I did so." He then said, " I'll tell you all I know
about it." I cautioned him with regard to making a state-
ment. He then made a communication to me to the fol-
lowing effect :—" I am one of the oldest lithographers in
France. Several years ago two men came to me and en-
gaged me to make notes for the Government of Hungary.
I came to London, and worked for a Mr. Day,
and we fabricated notes to the amount of
290,000,000. We were then stopped by the
Government, and I went to Paris. About two
and a half years ago the same two gentlemen came to me
and desired me to again make notes for them. J have been
engaged with them in the business from that time to the
present. On the Ist of June 1 wont to Southleigh
Datchet. There I saw a gentleman who gave the name of
Mascaras. By his direction I engraved plates. He said
they were not good enough, and that he intended to try
photography. I accordingly photographed several notes.
The man left about a month ago, and as he had not paid
him the prisoner left Southleigh Lodge and returned to
London, having previously packed up the plates and
material. I intended in a day or two to go to the Russian
Ambassador and give myself up, as I knew we
were all doing wrong." I asked him if he had any plates
with him in London. He said, " I'm living with a woman,
and she has some in her room." I went with the prisoner
to No. 127, Gray's-inn-road. We went up stairs to the
second floor back room, when he took from under the bed
the wooden case produced, and gave it to me. It contained
13 negatives of a note of the Imperial Bank of Russia for
50 roubles. I then asked him if he knew where any of the
other plates were. He said, " Yes ; there's ono of my
friends in whose hands I have left two cases." I asked
him where he lived, and he said, "No. 4, Berwick. street,
Soho." I accordingly went there with him.
Mr. Sleigh—Did he mention any name ?
Witness—No, he did not. I went into the first floor
front room, where I saw the prisoner Nicholas and his wife
and children. The prisoner Ancenay said, "I have come
for the boxes as it is important to send them to Paris to-
night." Nicholas said, "you are going to give them up
then."
Mr. Knox—In French or English.
Witness—ln French. The prisoner Ancenay then took
a box from under the bed, in which Nicholas assisted him.
Nicholas then took the case now on the table of the court
from the shelf. It contained photograph plates of the
back of the notes, and on that box was attached with a
piece of string the steel plate produced, on which also the
prominent parts of the note were deeply engraved. It was
packed in brown paper. I took possession of the property
and told Nicholas that I was an officer of police, and that
I should take him into custody for having the things in his
possession. He replid, " I don't know what is in them." I
said "I believe they contained forged bank notes." He said
I've no knowledge of what they consist of ; I only took
charge of them for my comrade, Ancenay." I told him it
would be for the magistrate to decide that question.
He was taken into custody.
Mr. Sleigh—Does Nicholas ostensibly carry on any busi-
ness at his place of residence ?
Witness—He told me he was a printer, and showed me
some prints in his room. I saw pointed tools, suitable for
engraving, on the table, but no printing press.
Mr. Knox—What sort of box was it under the bed?
Witness—A large one. it contained a great number of
lithographic stones. I produce some more of the stones.
Some were quite ready for printing.
Mr. E. Lewis—The box was packed up ready for trans-
mission. It had also a seal on it. Ancenay said Nicholas
knew nothing about what was in the box, but that he was
perfectly innocent in the matter. Ancenay also told me
he was in the employ of Messrs. Concannin and Co., the
lithographers.
A Russian gentleman, residing at 33, Victoria-road,
Kensington, said—l am conversant with Russian money,
and I have looked at the engravings and plates, and found
them to represent Russian bank notes for 50 roubles. I
know nothing of the prisoner Ancenay.
Mr. R. Dunn, of Datchet, said—The prisoner Ancenay
occupied a house of mine called South Leigh College. Ho
lived there from last May till last Monday week. I knew he
was going to leave the house for a time, but that he should
return in a day or two. He never came back. A fortnight
before he left a female, whom he called his neice, came
there. I went into the house to see all was right, as I did
not let the house to him, but to a person who gave me a
very excellent reference. The house has been greatly
damaged by some trade in which acids aro used being
carried on there.
Sergeant Druscovitch said-1 was present when both
prisoners were taken into custody. I had a conversation
with Nicholas. He made a long statement to me, the
effect of which was that he knew Ancenay, but that he did
not know the contents 'of the boxes.
Mr. Sleigh—That is all the length which 1 propose to-
day, and I have to ask that you will remand for a week, as
I said in my opening statement, Nicholas seemed to be
entirely ignorant of the matter, yet the circumstances under
which he was taken into custody compels me to ask that
he bo detained in custody until the next examination.
Mr. Lewis—lt is quite open for my friend Mr. Sleigh
to make such a request, but I have to ask that Nicholas
be either at once discharged or admitted to bail.
Mr. Sleigh —I only want him detained in custody until
certain inquiries are made. If it should turn out that there
is nothing against him, I shall, of course, withdraw the
charge at the next examination.
Mr. Knox—l will only consent to take heavy bail to-day,
two in £250 or one in £5OO. If the charge is true ho
might run away 'from two £5OO sureties. Nicholas is
either innocent, or ho is as thick in it as any of the other
persons.
Mr.Seigh—The man Mascaras is at present in the hands
of the police in Paris. There are four or five persons in
that country already tit custody iu connection with this
matter.

watch.

Mr. Lewis—Such large bail as you require is tantamount

to a refusal.
Mr. Knox—That may be, but what would be said of me
if I were to let these prisoners slip through my fingers.
Mr. Sleigh—And what would be said of me as counsel
for the prosecution.
Mr. Knox—l will have serious and large bail. Further
than that I wont go to-day.
A gentleman from the firm of Concannin and Co. here
came forward, and offered himself as bail for £5OO for
Nicholas.
Mr. Knox—l will order inquiry to be made respecting
the firm, and then I will decide what I will do.
The other prisoner was then remanded for a week.

POLICE ,INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET,

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF ROBBERY.—STRANGE CON-
DUCT OF A PROSECUTOR.—Margaret Jones, a young woman.
was charged before Mr. Knox with stealing from the per-
son of Lieut. Robert B. Baldwin, of the 89th Regiment, a
gold watch of the value of £2O.
The prosecutor, who said he resided at Dover, deposed
that as he was returning home that morning, having left
Evans's about one o'clock, he stood by the Haymarket, and
three girls, the prisoner being one of them, came up and
spoke to him. After a short time one of them said they
must be off, and directly after they left him he found his
watch chain hanging down in front of him and his watch
gone. lie was confident his watch was safe two minutes
before. It was of the value of £2O. All the girls ran away
as fast as they could ; but, as ho was positivs the prisoner
was ono of them, ho went after her, and gave her into
custody.

The prisoner denied all knowledge of the prosecutor's

Sergeant Lees, 9 C, said that about 2 o'clock that morn-
ing ho saw the prosecutor run from the Haymarket to-
wards Great Windmill-street andknock down some females.

fie went across, thinking it was some one assaulting them,
and the prosecutor, who was intoxicated, told him that one
of the females had stolen his watch, and he gave the pri-
soner into custody. The prosecutor behaved in a violent
manner while at the station, and said that he had lost his
watch between Evans's and the Haymarket.

Mr. Knox inquired if the girls seemed to be running
away, and the sergeant said they did not, and that the pro-
secutor knocked them down and behaved like a madman.

Inspector Draper said that while at the station the pro-
secutor shouted loud enough to alarm the neighbourhood,
and all that he could get from him was that he had his
watch at " Evans's," and took it near Windmill-street. On
asking the prosecutor some other questions, ho said it was
no business of his (the inspector's), and that he would tell
the magistrate all about it.
Mr. Knox said it was impossible to detain the prisoner
on such a charge. He would not only discharge her, but
stated that if the prisoner applied to a solicitor the prose-
cutor would find himself in a very awkward position.

LAW INTELLIGENCE—This Day,

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Registrar Murray.)

IN RE J. JOHNSTONE.

This bankrupt (prisoner for debt) was described as a gen-
tleman of Upper Stamford, and to-day was appointed for
the first meeting and proof of debts.
Bankrupt states that ho owes £ll,OOO, but £9,000 is
secured by an estate in Ireland, ho having made himself
responsible for his father's debts to that extent.
IN RE SOPHIA MOOR.
This bankrupt, also a prisoner for debt, was described as
a widow, and she was detained by a tradesman for the
costs of an action which she had brought against him for
false imprisonment, and in which she_was unsuccessful.
The debts are but trifling, and an assignee was chosen.

Serious Fire in Chiswell-street—(Tbis day).

Shortly before 5 o'clock a fire broke out on the premise,;
of Mr. T. Hayward, confectioner, No. 55, Chiswell• street,
St. Luke's, which nearly resulted in the loss of three
lives. The policeman on duty, in going his rounds, dis-
covered the fire, and at once raised the alarm. The en-
gines from Whitecross-street, under the direction of Mr.
Engineer Flynn, were promptly on the spot, as were also
the fire escapes from Bunhill-row. The smoke at this mo-
ment was pouring out of the window, and nearly suffo-
cated the inmates. The conductor of the fire escape raised
his machine, and rescued Mr. J. T. Gibbons, Mrs. Gib-
bons, and their son, front the second floor, amidst
the cheers of all present, otherwise they must have
been suffocated. Mr. Sheppard, of the New River Com-
pany, having procured a good ;supply of water from their
mains, the steam fire-engines of Messrs. Shand, Mason,
and Company got to work in first-rate style. The flames
after a time were got under, but not before considerable
damage was done. The cause is at present unknown. The
l)ss will fall on the Phoenix Fire Office.
The second fire broke out on the premises of Mr. Hawten
Myddleton-street, Clerkenwell, which also did very con-
siderable damage, and the inmates narrowly escaped with
their lives. The cause is unknown.

MARKETS—This Day.

MARK-LANE.

Fresh up to our market to-day the arrivals of home-
grown wheat were very moderate. The weather having
become settled, and the progress of harvest work being
satisfactory, the trade was decidedly less firm as compared
with Monday. Factors, however, held both red and
white qualities at that day's advance in prices ; but millers
being unwilling to purchase except at some concession,
say of 1s per quarter, the bulk remained unsold at the
close of business.
With foreign wheat the market was moderately sup-
plied. The demand for all quotations ruled quiet, and
Monday's prices were with difficulty supported.
Floating cargoes of wheat met a slow sale at barely late
rates. Spring corn, however, was firm in price.
Very little barley was on offer. The trade was firm, at
fully late prices.
Malt changed hands at the late advance in the quotations.
There was a good supply of oats on offer. Most descrip•
tions were in steady request at full currencies.
The trade for beans and peas was firm at fully late rates.
About an average business Was transacted in flour, and
Monday's currency was fairly supported.
ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
English and Scotch. 220 10 940 280 520
Irish .................. 200
Foreign ............... 5,870 3140 21,190

sks.
brls.

COMPARATIVE QUANTITIES AND PRICES OF GRAIN.
For the week ending Aug. For the corresponding week
5, 1865. last year.
Qrs. Aver. Qrs. Aver.
Wheat 54,864-42s Gd Wheat 75,578-44s Od
Barley 862-275 sd, Barley 790-27s 7d
Oats

BOROUGH HOP.
The business doing in hops is very moderate. Prices,
however, aro without material change from Monday.