The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-19 00:00:00

THE 4‘ THIMBLE-RIG."

SotutmrroN, SATU:III3TAV.—The sessions for this
town commenced yesterday morning, before Mr. Cock-
burn, Queen's Counsel, the Recorder for the borough.
The business was more than usually heavy, there being
very many prisoners for trial, and among them were four
persons charged with a conspiracy to defraud an indivi-
dual by means of the " thimble rig."
This morning the following persons were placed at the
bar :—Benjamin Parrot, of Sheffield, file-grinder; John
Purcell, of Dudley, glass-cutter ; Francis Verrier, of
Burford, Oxon, cook ; Joseph Kemp, of Stafford, haw-
ker ; and James Curran, of Southampton, labourer.
The prisoners were indicted for conspiring together to
cheat and defraud the subjects of the Queen of their
money by procuring them to play at an unlawful game
called " thimble-rigging," and thereby obtaining divers
large sums of money to the amount of 2001. In one
count the prisoners were charged with defrauding
Thomas Spencer Edwards by the said game.
Mr. C. Saunders conducted- the case for the prosecu-
tion, and Mr. Miller, of the Midland Circuit, came from
London specially to def End the prisoners.
Mr. SAuxnEus having stated the facts of the case pro-
ceeded to call his witnesses.

Thomas Spencer Edwards—l am a planter of the
Island of Antigua, educated at Norwich. I left England
at eighteen years of age, in the year 1804. I returned
on the 3d of July last. I went to Southampton races
both days. On the second day I left my carriage and
walked-on the course. I saw several persons standing
in a ring round a table. Parrott, Purcell, and Verrier
were there. Roem was made for me to get close to
the table. On the table were three thimbles and a pea.
A man asked persons to play, and I saw several so-
vereigns lost and won. I was solicited by a by-
stander to try my luck. After considering a moment
I took out my purse, in which were ono sovereign and
a SC/. note. I put down aesevereign and turned up a
thimble, under which I thought the pea was, but
I found I had lost. The parties around saw the 501.
note. The prisoners were dressed as gentlemen. Other
persons played. Parrott said to me, you had better try
your luck again, Sir. I replied I had nothing but a SC/.
note, which I did not like to change. Many stakes were
laid of IN. 20/., and 3eL, and lost and won. A man be-
hind the player frequently took up the thimble and ex-
posed the pea, crying Now is the time to win, the man at
the table pretending at the instant to look another way.
At length the man at the table laid down 50 sovereigns,
and challenged any man to bet the same sum. I put
down my Sc!. note, and almost instantly lost it. The man
behind had at that moment exposed the pea. I chose
that thimble, but the pea had vanished. I turned away,
disgusted with myself for-being so foolish, with an inten-
tion of joining my family on the course. Parrott came
to me, and said he was truly sorry for my loss ; that I
was very unfortunate, but that I should not have lost if
I hail not been so much agitated. He thrust his arm
into mine, and walked a short distance with me, and
asked me to take a glass of sherry with him, which I
declined. The table suddenly appeared immediately
before us. having been removed from its former position.
Parrott then said, " Let us go and look on, and see if
we can't find out the game; two eyes arc better than
one." We went to the table, round which were Purcell
and Verriers. Several large sums were again lost and
won. Parrott touched me once or twice, and asked me
under which thimble I thought the pea was ? I told him,
and he coincided with me. After that he advised me to
try my luck again. I said I had no money. lie said
that he had none himself, but that his friend Verrier
would lend me some. I replied, I did not like to her-
row money of strangers. These words were scarcely
out of my mouth before a handful of sovereigns
was put into my hand, and drawn upon the table.
They said there were twenty sovereigns. I lost
them. The same loan was repeated, in the same man-
ner, three times, Parrott each time saying-, " Try your
luck again, and you will win back your money." I never
asked any loan, but Verrier salt?, " Take this, Sir, and
try and win back your money." Verrier then told me I
owed him 70/, and asked me for my card. I gave him a
card. He then said, it was usual among gentlemen to
give some security ; and we walked to the back of the
tents, the three accompanying me. Verrier asked a
fourth person if he had his book and pencil, which n-ere
produced, and I wrote in it a promise payable at two
days after date, for 70/. Soon after the fourth man pro-
duced two blank stamps, and said to Verrier, " You had
better let the gentleman give two notes, one for 20/. and
the other for 40L, as the stamps will not cost a large
sum." I said, I would not give two, but I would give
the 70f. on one. Verrier said, very well, and lie would
destroy the one in the book. I wrote the note on the
table, Parrott saying, this fellow will lend his table to
write on. Verrier apparently walked away. The
fourth man produced the ink from his pocket. The play
commenced again, and one man lost ten sovereigns, upon
which he said- he would stake his watch to win back his
money ; he put it on the table. Purcell took it up, and
said he would lend him ten sovereigns upon it ; it was a
silver watch. The man won, and then took up ten sove--
reigns, and Purcell returned the watch to him. They
then again exposed the pea, and Purcell said, " NOW's
your time, Sir ; I will lend you some money," and lie
took out twenty sovereigns from his pocket, and said,
"As it was usual to give security, just give me your
watch." I drew my watch out, and he took it from
me and put it in his fob, sayieg it would be quite safe.
I put the twenty sovereigns on the table, and instantly
lost them. I then thought I saw the man sweep the
pea off the table, and I said, " There is foul Vey."
Parrott said, " No, Sir, I assure you it is quite fair."
I had alwa.) s selected the thimble under which the pea
had been exposed. I had another twenty sovereigns of
Purcell. He asked me if I knew how much I had
had of him, and I said 40/. ; but Parrott said he would
assure me it was
.501, and asked me to go on one side
and give him a " good" for 501. We retired a short
distance, and the same book was produced by Purcell,
and I wrote in it a promissory note for 501. Parrot had
never left me. We then walked again on the course,
Parrot deploring my loss. Purcell and the other man
followed behind. One of them asked me whether they
should call at my residence for payment ? I said no, it
might discomfort my family ; but if they would name
any place, I would attend and pay them. They named
the Nelson, to meet two days afterwards. I lamented
parting with my watch so much, that I said I would
meet them that evening. Parrot told me that Verrier
was a traveller fur an eminent house ; that Purcell was
a man of immense fortune, which he had lately acquired
by the death of an uncle, and could buy half South-
ampton ; that he himself was the principal man in
a banking house. I wished to get away from them,
but they stuck fast to me. Parrott said he would advise
me strongly not to mention the circumstance to a single
person, as I should only be laughed at. I walked away,
and they watched me off the course. I did not keep my
appointment that evening. I took advice the next morn-
ing, and in the evening I went to the Nelson with my
solicitor ; and Parrott, Purcell, and Verrier walked in.
In a short time a police-officer came in and took them
into custody. Purcell had my watch at that time, and
Verrier had one note and Purcell another. They were
taken from them by the policeman. The memorandum
book was taken from Purcell, I think.

Cross•examined—l am now living at Ryde. There
were several similar tables on the course. I did not bet
at any of the races. Before the officer came into the
Nelson, my solicitor asked Purcell to give up my
watch, but he refused to do so unless his demand was
saisfied. There is horse-racing at Antigua, but no
gambling is allowed.

He-examined—•l had never seen or heard of the game
of thimble-rig, and it was curiosity that first led me to
the table.

Other witnesses were called, who proved that they
had seen these parties " waiting upon" Mr. Edwards.
Upon being searched the officers found upon Purcell
Cl. 75. 7 sd., a gold watch and chain, and a pocket-book.
Upon Verrier, two bill-stamps (one of them filled up by
Mr. Edwards for 701), and Is. 7d., and a knife ; and
upon Parrott 13/. 18s. 8-A-d., and a watch. In the pocket-
book was this memorandum--" I am indebted to Francis
Verrier, Esq., 701. J. S. Edwards."—The prisoners
lodged at the Nag's Head tap, in Southampton, and upon
searching their rooms a large quantity of clothes and flash
notes were found. The prisoners Kemp and Curran were
spoken to as having been regular assistants at the tables,
either playing themselves or endeavouring to induce
others to play. One policeman stated that he was on the
course in plain clothes, and observed Parrott with Mr.
Edwards. The other prisoners walked behind them,
and he heard one of theca say, "Leave Ben alone ; he'll
draw him, if any one can." He further stated that a toll
of 3d. was demanded on each table by the steward ap-
pointed at the Court Leet. (The Recorder expressed
himself in strong terms at this latter statement.) A list
of the clothes found at the Nag's Head, and claimed by
the prisoners, was produced, and their wardrobes were
such as perhaps not many gentlemen can boast of.
Mr. MILLER then addressed the Jury on behalf of the
prisoners, contending that this was not a game of chance,
but a game of skill, of quickness, of wit, and understand-
tn ; that the party made a wager that he could tell un-
derunf which thimble the pea was, and that there was no
aimless, except that- Mr. Edwards, having seen that
the table,
the pea I:2,,estaunder a particular thimble, thought to take
fraud, it wasunfair advantage of the party who presided at
part
T hoef the
zeelorinetß
and therefor; if there was any attempt at
heireasiw.apart of Mr. Edwards, and not on the
game the nature a
et uf r
chance
o f
bona fide
:summing up, stated to the Jury
regarded this offence. Was it a
played, or was it the intention
means
of the prisoners, by i a fraudulent practice, to
cheat and defraud the narties with whom they played ?
It was net because a practice contrary to law had been
as to be considered as a dead
lteotlteerrataefih,eothhantythmeahlal w
had
v
the bmoral courage to come for-
fo rward to crave the ruleridi which might be cast upon him
leheep
Jo
o i
rnyg
fhoish
hcdup
all
du t }the prisoners Guilty, and one of
the Jurors then said, that the Juryatcould not abstain
pptricosnsihngadthbeeierndLeiperia•etgedrcitilthth e practicesneighbourhood
of such
eighbourhood
and
morality
vpeudt a n
tfarhedi cs3cstcoel-,:in ; they hoped that on all future occasions the
Magistrates would exercise their authority
end to practices which were alike injuriouys t
as they were a disgrace to the age in which woe
The RECORDER said, he perfectly coincided with the
feeling of the Jury, and they might be assured that the
,]Magistrates were determined to put an end to all such
practices in future.
The Jury trusted they would do so.
The Learned RECORDER then proceeded to pass sen-
tence upon the prisoners. Their offence was one which
appeared to him to derive no circumstance of extenua-
tion from the fact of such practices having been exten-
sively tolerated; that fact only called for a more rigo-
rous application of the penalties of the law, when any
one came forward to demand that the law should be put-
in force. He should not be discharging his duty if he did
not take the opportunity of making an example
of them for the benefit of others. It happened that
poor persons who took only a small amount of property
were compelled to atone for their offence, for o!iences
.which were white indeed as compared with their conduct.
Ito regrettul that it was not in his power to transport

them, for if he had had such power, he most unquestion-
ably would have exercised it. He hoped the punishment
he should ::ow inflict would have the effect of keeping
such persons at all events from coming within this juris-
diction, if it did not altogether put an end to such frau-
dulent practices. There was a distinction in their casea,
and therefore the sentence would be that Parrott, Purcell,
and Verrier, should be imprisoned for two years, and pay
a fine to the Queen of 50/. each, and that Kemp and Cur-
ran should be imprisoned for one year, and pay a fine of
25/. each, and that they should be further imprisoned till
the fines were paid.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
BOW-STREET.

Elizabeth Coke, a young woman, apparently about
three or four-and-twenty, was placed at the bar before
Mr. Hall, charged with stealing'four printed books from
a stall under the Piazza in Covent-garden.
Frances Walker, a woman who is in the habit of selling
play-books under the Piazza, stated that she saw the
prisoner loitering about near to a book-stall in Covent-
garden, and shortly afterwards go up to it, and take
something away. The witness followed her, and asked
her what she had taken, when the prisoner let fall the
books in question, and she was niven into custody.
The prisoner, weeping, said that she was driven to the
commission of the offence by distress and hunger. She
was fully committed for trial.
_ _

The worthy .lagistrate (Mr. Hall) was occupied nearly
the whole of the morning in bearing charges of drunk-
enness against women. There could not have been less
than 30 or 40 cases.

Mary Fan!liner, an interesting young lady of abort 55,
and who said that she was not yet married, but that he-r
profession was "a spinster," was brought up amongst the
rest. The charge (drunk and incapable of taking care
of herself) having been gone through, she was asked
what she had to say for herself, and she told the worthy
Magistrate that which was certainly quite unnecessary,
inasmuch as she had a most " illigant brogue," that she
came from the Sister Isle.

Mr. HALL—But what have you to say to the charge
of being drunk ? Prisoner—Och, sure, yer Honor, but
hadn't I a bit of a pain in my back, and didn't I take a
drap to cure it, faith !

-Alr. HALL—WeII, if you are brought here again, you
will surely be punished.

Prisoner—Cich, faith, and sure you may say that with
parfect good wilcome, yer Honor ; and fail I shouldn't
have been here at all, iv it had not beck for the pain in
the small iv me back, yer Honor.
The innocent young maiden, bowing very politely to
the Magistrate, then left the office, amidst the laughter of
all present.