The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-21 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT—LzrRRPOOL, Aua, 19.
John Matthews, a coarse strong-featured man, but
whose countenance and mode of conducting his case
indicated considerable shrewdness and intelligence, was
indicted, under somewhat singular circumstances, for
having in his possession, without lawful excuse, a mould
for coining shillings.
It appeared that some five weeks before the occur-
rence took place that forms the subject of the present
indictment, the prisoner met one of the police officers
of Manchester in the streets of that town. He en-
tered into conversation with him on the subject of the
great quantity of counterfeit money in circulation.
stated that he knew one person who was a very exten-
sive manufacturer, and mentioned his name to be Ken-
nedy, a tinker,: residing within a few doors of the pri-
soner. The officer thought it his duty to attend to this
information, and inquired of the prisoner whether he
could not purchase from Kennedy some counterfeit
money. He said he thought he could, and received
some money for that purpose. He accordingly some time
after left with the officer a number of counterfeit sixpences
which he said he had purchased from Kennedy at the
rate of 2d. a-piece. He brought one or two other parcels
in the same way, and also, at the request of the officer,
a number of counterfeit shillings. On one occasion he
came and gave information that on that night Kennedy
would be at work making bad money. The officers
had, however, become suspicious of the bona fides of
their informant. They kept a watch upon the cellar
in which Kennedy resided, but seeing nothing suspicious
they did not go in. The cellar was, it appeared, ori-
ginally double, but the back part had been separated
from the front, and let as a bakehouse. The door of
communication, however, still remained, though closed.
The officers, at the suggestion of the prisoner, pro-
cured the key of this back cellar, and made a hole
through the door, by which they could see what was
doing in Kennedy's residence. At this hole they fre-
quently reconnoitred, but without seeing anything'to ex-
cite their suspicions. In the beginning of June, after
the officers had inquired of the prisoner whether it
would not be possible to detect Kennedy in the act
of coining, he informed them he thought they
might, but that at all events they would find
a mould concealed on a ledge a little way up
the chimney in his house. Some days after
the officers, whose suspicions of the prisoner had
continued to increase, arranged that he should meet
them at the Canteen, which is near Kennedy's resi-
dence, and go to make another purchase of counterfeit
coin. He did so, and received two marked shillings.
An officer had previously been stationed in such a posi
tion that he could command a view both of Kennedy's
cellar and that of the prisoner. He saw the prisoner
go, in the first instance, into his own cellar. He came
out with something in his hand, with which he proceeded
to Kennedy's. It was a small parcal in white paper, so
small as to be almost concealed in his hand ; but before
he went down Kennedy's steps be lookedlat it, and the
officer could then see it was a' small square or round
parcel, loosely wrapped in paper. He went into Ken-
nedy's, remained there a few minutes, came out, walked
along the street towards his own cellar, looked back, and
seemed very much agitated. He then went for a little
while into the cellar, and afterwards rejoined the officers
at the Canteen. He then trembled excessively. They
took him into custody and searched him. They found
on his person but one good sixpence and some half.
pence. Two of the officers then went to Kennedy's.
They found him and his son with two persons, a man
and his wife, to whom he was selling some little article
of his furniture. None of the parties showed any alarm
on their entrance. The officers asked if the prisoner
had been there. Kennedy said he had about five mi-
nutes before lit his pipe and gone away. The house
and all the parties present were then searched. In the
spot indicated by the prisoner was found a mould for a
shilling, but there was nothing else whatever in the
house tending to show that the manufacture of bad
money had been carried en. In the prisoner's cellar
was found concealed some plaster of Paris, a material
used in making counterfeits, a ladle, which had been
used to melt metal, and, concealed in the earth in
a flowerpot, a number of pieces of lead. This metal
would, it appeared, enter into the composition of a very
inferior, kind of counterfeit coin, such as many of those
which the prisoner had brought to the officers, and
which, in the opinion of the inspector of the Mint,
had been cast from the mould found in the cnimney at
Kennedy's. Kennedy himself, and the other parties who
were present when the officers came in, were called, and
stated that the prisoner had come to the cellar a few
minutes before. That he did not say anything, but
seeing them engaged in making a bargain respecting
the furniture, crossed to the fire-place, lit his pipe, lin-
gered a little while, and then went out. Kcnnedv de-
nied that he had ever sold the prisoner any counterfeit
coin.

The prisoner examined all the witnesses at some
length, to show that on several occasions he had given
the officers information, which, if acted on at the time,
would have enabled them to take Kennedy in the act.
From other testimony it appeared that the prisoner
and Kennedy about two years ago had a quarrel and
fight, on occasion of an assault by the former on a per-
son of the name of O'Neil. That the prisoner on that
occasion was imprisoned for some months, and had re-
peatedly since that time expressed his determination to
be revenged on Kennedy, and to have him transported.
The prisoner addressed the Jury in his defence, and
called several witnesses to show that Kennedy was in
the habit of making bad money. Verdict—Guilty.
His LORDSHIP, saying that the circumstances of this
case called for the severest punishment which the law
awarded for this offence, sentenced the prisoner to be
transported for life.

OXFORD CIRCUI7', GLOUCESTER, Aua. 19.
NISI PRIUS COURT.
ABEL U. PRICE.

It appeared that the plaintiff was a horsedealer, of
XVinstone, in this county, and that the defendant was a
farmer, of Withington, in the adjoining parish. It ap-
peared also that the plaintiff had been indicted by the
present defendant at the general Quarter Sessions for
the County on a charge of stealing some hay, the charge
having been previously investigated before the Magis-
trates when the now plaintiff was put upon his defence
and compelled to give evidence of an alibi. Upon the
indictment, however, being preferred before the Grand
Jury at the Sessions the bill was ignored, and this action
was now brought by the present plaintiff on the ground
that the charge of felony preferred against hitn had
been malicious and without probable cause. The
constable who had taken the plaintiff into custody proved
that the defendant applied to the Magistrates for a war-
rant against the plaintiff, and produced the warrant which
had been granted on that occasion. Mr. Baron
Parke said that if the plantiff's case could not be car-
ried further, the remedy should have been in trespass
and not case. For the plaintiff the information taken
before the Magistrates was put in. The records of two
indictments preferred by the defendant against the
plaintiff for stealing hay, and which had been ignored,
were then put in.
Mr. Baron PARKE, however, held that there was no
sufficient proof of want of probable cause to sustain the
actions, and directed a nonsuit.—Nonsuit accordingly.