The Sun.
London, England, 1822-10-29 00:00:00

RICHARDSON V. WOOLF-R.

This was an action to recover the amount of 100/. Bank of
England note had and received by the defendant to the plain-
tiff's use.
Mr. SCARLETT and Mr. D. F. JONES were for the plaintiff,
and the COMMON SERJE ANT and Mr. TALFOURD for the
defendant.
The plaintiff was a woollen-draper on Ludgate-hill, and the
defendant, Benjamin Woolfe, was stated to be an old clothes-
man in St. Catherine's-lane, Tower-hill. In March last the
plaintiff had a bill of exchange for 640/. drawn upon a house in
BI asingliall-street, and sent his shopman, George Biggs, to
present it for payment. The shopman received the money in
bank-notes, and amongst was one for one hundred pounds.
On his return to the plaintiff, he pretended that he had
been robbed of the 1001: note ; but the prosecutor not be-
lieving the Story, caused him and his brother Richard to be
apprehended for felony. They were tried at the Old Bailey,
convicted, and sentenced to be transported. In a few weeks
after the conviction, a young -woman named Jane Somerfield,
with whom Richard Biggs had cohabited, called upon the pro-
secutor, and gave information that whilst her paramour was in
custody, he had sent her with a 1001. note to the defendant's
house on the 6th of March to get it changed ; that she was ac-
companied by a young man named Watts, with whom the de-
fendant appeared to be acquainted; that the defendant and
Watts whispered privately, when the former told her, that as it
was only a bank-bill, he could give•her no more than 50/. for it;
and that if she would not take that she should have nothing at
all, and he would keep the note ; that she consented to take
what lie offered, and that she accordingly received fifty so-
vereigns, with which she returned to Richard Biggs.—
The girl now told the same story, and in consequence
of the information she gave, the defendant was summon-
ed to appear before the Lord ''Mayor. When the Of-
ficer served him with the summons, and told him he
must appear before the Lord Mayor, he immediately said,
" I suppose it is about that one hundred pound note." The
officer replied in the affirmative, and the defendant added, " I
know nothing at all about it." A goldsmith, named Smith,
residing on Cornhill, proved, that on the 6th of April the de-
fendant bought 120 Napoleons at his shop, and paid for them
with the identical note in question. By mistake the witness
gave the defendant 41. 10s. too much in the exchange, but the
latter had not returned the money until he was brought before
the Lord Mayor. The present action was now founded, on the
ground that the defendant had received the 100/. note, know-
ing it to have been stolen. _
'"fhe COMMON SERJEANT endeavoured to shew that the
young woman, who had cohabited with Biggs, and who was
the principal witness,was entitled to no credit whatever.
The defendant offered no proof to show how he came pos-
sessed of the note.
The .Jury, under the Learned Judge's directions, found their
verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 100/.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT.
Yesterday Philip 11PGowan was opposed by Mr. HEATH,
on behalf of several creditors.
The Insolvent, as soon as his case was called on, addressed
the Court, and asked leave to relate all the circumstances of
his case, as far as related to the ship Lord Nelson, and to
his marriage with the widow Roberts, or, as she was call-
ed in the ? ewpapers, the bi.ixom widow Roberts. The In-
solvent, without waiting for any reply from the Court,
proceeded to relate his story with a volubility that rendered
him scarcely intelligible. lie said he married the widow
Roberts in Saint Andrew, in New Brunswick i • soon after
which he came to this country with his wife. He purchased
the Lord Nelson partly with his wife's money, and partly with
his own, and having entered into a charter party to go to Ma-
deira, his wife gave out that he was going to run away with
the cargo, in consequence of which he was arrested, and was
obliged to let a ship broker put a master in the vessel, who
went the voyage ' • and although she made 1,3001. freight, the
master brought her in debt 400/. The insolvent proceeded to
state, that the ship was illegally detained in the River Thames,
that her register was illegally "detained by the ship broker, and
that his creditors and his wife had entered into a conspiracy to
ruin him. He was proceeding with great fluency, when the
Chief Commissioner told him, that when he had exhausted his
abuse of his wife and creditors, lie must answer the questions
put to him by Counsel.
The Insolvent, on receiving this check, declared himself ready
to answer; and in reply to the questions put to him by Mr.
Heath, stated, that he was committed to Whitecross-street Pri-
son on the Utli of December, 1820, and was removed by Habeas
Corpus to the King's Bench on the 4th of May, 1821. On re-
ference to the affidavit filed in the Court, on which the insolvent
obtained leave to petition, it appeared that it stated, that the in.
solvent had been first committed to prison on the 4th of May,
1821, and had not petitioned within fourteen days from that
date, in the expectation that he would be able to pay all his
creditors by the sale of his ship, the Lord Nelson.
Mr. HEATH submitted, that the Insolvent's Petition could

not be allowed to stand. It stated the time of the insolvent's
arrest five months later than it was in reality ; and, in conse-
quence, it did not account for his not petitioning within 14 days
after he was arrested; but for not petitioning during 14 days
that did not arrive for several months after his arrest.
The COURT said, the objection taken by the Learned Coun-
sel was fatal to the Petition, which must be dismissed.

OLD BAILEY.
FORGERY OF THE GOLDSMITHS' HALL MARS.

Yesterday Henry Day, a man of respectable appearance, was
placed at the bar, on an indictment charging hem with feloni-
ously selling to James George Stephens, four silver table spoons
and one silver fish knife, with forged and counterfeit Hall
marks, well knowing the same to be forged and counterfeited.
Mr. WAL F ORD opened the pleadings.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL stated the case to the Jury.—
He said, that the Commissioners of Stamps had thought pro-
per to bring forward the present prosecution against the pri-
soner, to endeavour to put an end to a system of molt serious
frauds that had been for some time practised upon the revenue,
to the injury of the fair trader.
The first witness called was Mr. John Jones. He stated—
lam a silversmith, residing at 238, Strand. I know the pri-
soner at the bar; he is a working silversmith; he resides in
Wilderness-row, Goswell-street. In the year 1821, I gave
-prisoner a general order for goods, which he brought in at four
different times. I have a bill of parcels of the goods delivered
by prisoner to me; it is in the hand-writing of the prisoner,
and is dated March 2, 1822.

[This bill of parcels was read by the officer of the Court—it
contained the articles mentioned in the indictment.]
Witness continued.—The prisoner found the silver to make
the articles. One item in the bill is for gray', spoons. I had
no gravy spoons in my possession, until I received these spoons
from the prisoner. [This witness produced the gravy spoons.]
These spoons I am sure are the same I received from the pri-
soner, which are charged for by him in the invoice produced.
I delivered them to the Inspector of Goldsmiths' Hall. In
February, 1821, the prisoner supplied him with some goods—
[the invoice was put into his hands]—one item is for six
French dessert spoons, the duty is charged at the bottom of the
invoice--[witness produced the spoons]—l had no such spoons
in my possession until I received them from the prisoner.
David Jones sworn—l reside in Broad.street, St. Giles's ; 1
am a silversmith, and have frequently bought goods of the pri-
soner. I ordered some silver spoons and other things from him,
and received them.

Cross-examined by Mr. ANDREivs—I do no great deal of
business • the prisoner does business in an extensive way ; he
delivered articles in the indictment ; I received them from
his hands ; it is eighteen months ago since this transaction; I
employed another silversmith besides the prisoner ; when I re-
ceive goods I weigh them,. and put the private mark of the
weight upon them ; there is a punch mark upon goods when
delivered of the maker's initials. [Mr. Andrews put the in-
voice, containing the goods mentioned in the indictment, into
the hands of the witness.l Witness continued—The invoice is
in my belief the hand-wnting of the prisoner. I have books
in which I enter articles I purchase, but I did not enter the
articles sold by the prisoner to me, because I paid him ready
money. _ _ _

Re-examined-by Mr. BOLLAND.—The spoons have my pri-
vate mark upon them, and must be the same I received from
the prisoner. The prisoner has charged for duty 12s. 6d. (wit-
ness produced another invoice, in which the prisoner charged
for silver spoons.) The duty is charged upon this article, its
weight is ten pennyweights, and the duty is charged 9d.
Cross-examined by Mr. C. PHILLIPS.—The articles were
purchased about two years ago. Ido not know who delivered
them at my shop. I knew the prisoner, was in partnership
with his father; the prisoner's brother worked for them. I
think I received the articles myself, because I sent work back.
I had two apprentices in my employ at the time I received the
goods from the prisoner ; I never lent any of the spoons sup-
plied by the prisoner to me; every large silversmith has spoons
of the same pattern as those sold by the prisoner to me.
Re-examined by Mr. W.tx.Fonp.—The spobns have private
marks, which were put on by Ime, and the marks correspond
with the items in the invoice.- The prisoner himself received
the money for the articles from me. There was a workman in
my shop that was chargedwith dishonest conduct ; it was an
offence connected with my.business.
J. W. Denny, shopman to Mr. 'W. Kirkham, pawnbroker,
in Blackfriars-road, sworn.—Produced two silver skewers out
of Mr. Kirkham's stock.

Mr. W. Kirkham, pawnbroker, Blackfriars-road, sworn.—
I succeeded a Mr. Phillips in my business, and purchased his
stock. I had three skewers in the stock so purchased, one I
have sold ; the skewers now produced are two of the three that
I so purchased.
Re-examined by Mr. Anotruvs, junior._l merely found
the skewers in the stock that I purchased.
Mr. Phillips, late a pawnbroker, sworn.—l sold my stock to
the last witness, in which there were three skewers ; I em-
ployed the prisoner when I was in business to make silver ar-
ticles for me; he made me three silver skewers; but I cannot
sweat positively that the skewers now produced are the same,
I believe they are, from the initials upon them (which I ob-
served when they were delivered to me), and also from their
shape and fashion.
Cross-examined by Mr. ANDREWS".—It is impossible dint I
can swear positively to the skewers, the time is so long since I
purchased them, and I put no private mark upon them.
Re-examined by Mr. BOLLAND.—I had a conversation at
the time I purchased the skewers from him, about the faintness
of his initials upon them. He replied, that there was some-
thing wrong in the stamping.
[The Judge and Jury viewed the skewers, and the initials
upon them were found to be very illegible.]
Henry George Stephens sworn—l am a pawnbroker and sil-
versmith, residing at No. 83, Shoreditch. In the early part of
December last, I ordered four pair of butter-ladles of the pri-
soner. They were delivered about the middle of the same
month.—(Witness produced the invoice of the articles.)—ln
this invoice the duty is charged, which I paid. Two pair of
the spoons I have sold, and two pair I now produce. I never
had any ladles of the same description from any body else. At
the time the ladles were brought by the prisoner, I also bought
a fish-knife from him, which is charged on the back of the in-
voice of the ladles.

George Miles, Inspector of Plate at Goldsmiths' Hall, sworn.
—When plate is brought to Goldsmiths' Hall to be assayed, it
had the i'narks or initials of the manufacturer struck upon it
with a punch ; and if it is found correct, that is, good silver, it
is impressed with the Goldsmiths' mark, the Lion and Leo-
pard's head, and with the King's head, which denote that the
duty has been paid. The Hall mark is never impressed on
plate, unless the initials of the maker are clearly. marked
thereon. The skewers now given to me are so lightly impressed
with letters, that I am sure if they had been sent to be assayed,
they would have been rejected. I was present in the month
of September on the prisoner's premises? when they were
searched, and found a punch with the initials " 11. D."
thereon.__( Witness was shown the four gravy spoons, men-
tioned in the indictment).—The initials upon them are
so indistinct, that had they been sent to Goldsmiths' Hall,
in order to be stamped, they would certainly have been
rejected. On comparing the punch, which I produce,
with the initials upon the gravy spoons, I find that they
correspond, except that the letters are stamped on them in an
inverse order. rh e marks upon the spoons produced are all
forged. The initials of the prisoner, "H. D." on them are so
very indistinct, that they would not have passed the Hall. By
theinitials being struck in an inverse order it is more difficult
to discover the real initial ; I have observed the Hall letter, on
the ladles now produced, and find that all are marked with the
letter " D." This letter is changed by the Hall every year on
the 28th of May : had the spoons been brought to be assayed
with the letter D." upon them in September last, they would
not have passed the Hall, as that year the letter " E." was the
Hall mark.

Cross-exammed by Mr. ANDREWS.—I have never known
any error in the stamping at the Hall. There was a charge
against one person of incorrectness, who was a servant at
the Hall, but it turtle.' out to be unfounded. After silver
goods are assayed at the Hall, they are finished and po-
lished ; which, if clone with propriety, will not obliterate the
Hall mark. I never saw articles on which the Hall marks
were so obliterated by undergoing the operation of finishing.--
The goods, besides being impressed with the Hall-mark, are
also marked at the Hall with the punch on which are manu-
facturer's initials, which punch is returned to the manufac-
turer after the goods are impressed.

Reexamined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL.—No manu-
facturer has goods marked at the Hall but whose name is re-
gistered at the
Mr. John Smith, Inspecter of Stamps, in the Stamp-office,
and at Goldsmiths' Hall, proved that the marks upon the
spoons and other articles sold by 'the prisoner to the different
witnesses, were all forged.
The brother of the prisoner proved that the prisoner was
very dangerously ill in 1020 and 1821, and his business was
transacted by other persons.
A great'number of very respectable persons were called to
character.
Mr. Cartelage sworn—l am a silver spoon-maker. In my
transactions with Goldsmiths' Hall, they have committed mis.
takes. Last August twelvemonth was one occasion. I was
apprehended on a warrant for forging the Hall marks, on sil-
ver spoons—l was taken to the Mansion-House, and there Mr.
Miles, who was the Inspector, discovered his mistake, and the
marks were to be found genuine. I was set at liberty, and
have never heard of the transaction since.
A Juror observed, that when the goods were sent by the
prisoner to the Hall to be marked, it vas possible that Ms mes-

...
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!tenger might have exchaged diem, and put a forged
those which he substituted.
The Judge summed up, and the Jury returned a verdict gi
Guilty, but recommended him to mercy. . ich gr.
There was another indictment against Min, on 16
Alley said it was not intended to proceed.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.
weEndaruesrosed7Yanesdteorfdgayoolloabeprpteafra'intcchee7wy,asaivnediryetyedoufnorsof;
pretending to Mr. Peter Otto Boyce that he was the neP josh
Mr. John, Ebers, bookseller, in Bond-street, who k 5)
with the banking house of Glyn and Co., and obiaina'
such false pretences, a quantity of books. t.the
The prosecutor, Mr. Boyce, proved that on the 17th seted in
defendant came to his shop and stated the facts as demeri bboc
the indictment. At the same time he showed Witness %Id et
check on the house of Glyn and Co., which he said he vro to)
signed by his uncle. On previous-occasions the defendeli
come to the shop with a similar story, and it WAS so p. t 0
told, that witness believed his statement. On, the daY
tion witness let him have the books, but could never 0/311/4'
payment for them. the de'
Mr. John Ebers proved that he was no relation of did not
fendant, nor did he know any thing of him. Witnesxsro.'.
0
keep cash with the banking-house of Messrs. Glyn and uscl
No witnesses were called for the defence, and the Jury
a verdict of Guilty. tssl34
The Court, understanding that the defendant's Pent pd
relations were respectable, would pass no judgment- to sr
only required that he should enter into a recognizance.. Vie.
pear and. receive the judgment of the Court at any fotn''

LONDON MARKETS.
PRICE OF BREAD. ricga
The price of the 41b. Loaf is stated at 71d• by the fa.l-61J,
bakers. There are others of the trade .who sell at 601
and 7d.