The Sun.
London, England, 1833-03-25 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MA S I_o -A' HOUSE,

On Saturday R•churd Coster and Edmund Smith.
who were ixamine I on Wednesday, upon a charge of
forgery upon the Bank of England, were brought up for a
second examination. The cases excited the most intense
interest. Mr. Freshfield attended for the Bank, and Mr.
1-I,,bler, jun., and Mr. Wooler for Coster. An Attorney's
clerk attended for Smith.

Mr. Hobler, jun., hand( d a letter f mil Coster to the
Lord Mayor, requesting that hi- Lordship would no• pre-
side upon the occasion, as his Li rdsh p's prejudices were
so strong as to render him quite incompetent to act with

j ustice.
aLtoaßnny
011.El:ter
i‘ith7giOstb, Mr. Coster,rateshouldpres yide7 w•)(a)isl:lerr•
_a
I'd rather that any man en earth should sit in that chair
than you.
The LORD MAYOR-Then, I can tell y m that no other
man shall sit here on this occasion. 11Iy object is to serve
ti e public, and I shall proceed in this case. Cos+er—l
ran upon you, then, by the oath which you have taken a,.
a Magistrate, to act impartially. I call upon you, although
I know it is in vain, to do me justice.

The LORD MAYOR—You alai have justice ; and I
consider it a very high compliment, that you prefer any
other magiorate to me.

Mr. Fresh&ld then produced witnesses in proof of th-
e Ise of Mr. Clarke, of Honiton, anti read the correspon-
dence between that gentlem in and William Jackson, which
Id to the apprehension of Coster and Smith, near the
Four Swans Inn, in ilishopsgate•street.
Mr. Theoolohis Clarke deposed to the receipt of the
letter signed Williatn Jackson, directing him to send
goods to No. 84, Bishopsgate-street ; and to the receip•
of a second letter from the same person, enclosing ten flit
pound notes, which proved to be forgeries. He sent to
Air. Freslifield and the Lord Mayor intimations of th.
transaction, and sent up the parcels, by means of which
the prisoners were detected.
Coster—Pray, have you any proof here that you are
yourself the person you tql you are?
Witness—Yes ; there are two or three present.

G•ter-0,1! very well. I hope, my Lord, you have
no objection to V e question ?
The LORD MAYOR—Not the least. It grati6es me
to see !hit you know how to conduct your own case.—
( L tughter. )
Co,ter—Your Lordship is most particularly kind and
obliging.—(Great laughter.) Pray, Mr. Clarke, have
you ever had any transactions with me ?
Mr. Clarke--I never saw you b-fore, to the beet of my

John Cldford, bookkeeper at the Four Swans depsed,
that on Tuesday morning two parcels and two letters
arrived, din cred to William Jackson, No. 84, Bishi.ps.
gate-street. At two o'clock Smith called for the parcel.,
and paid 7s. 4d. for them. _ -

Mr. Pearce, the pri.prietor of the Four Swans Inn,
having been put in possession of the transaciun, made the
necessary arrangements with Mr. Cope for the detection
of the guilty persons. When Smith called at the bar of
the inn, from which he was directed to go to the book'ne-
office, witness was sent for into the house. Witness wen
ti, the Bate, and saw Coster on the opposite side of the
street, looking up the gateway. Witness walked down
the street to avoid being noticed, and upon going to the
opposite side saw his brother-in•law, and stopped to speak
to him. Cost,r then passed him, and looked under the
hackney-coaches towards the gateway.
Coster—This is all au egregious lie. Swear this man.
—(Laughter.)
Witness was sworn, and would take all the cense-
quences. Cos er stooped, and looked under the hackney-
coaehes a second tam , and then he suddenly turned and
ran off, and one of the police, who was watching him,
followed. Witness followed too.

enter—Hear this ; you must have seen me, by your
own evidence, right through the hackney-coaches.—
(Laughter.)
Witness then caught Coster near St. Helen's-gate, and
told him that somebody wanted him ; Coster said that he
was going to the coach-office.
Coster—Yes, but not to your office.
Witnes persisted in detaining Coster, and finally placed
him in the custody of the officers. Smith was, he ob-
served, at the same time in custody.
Daniel Meeley policeman No. 36, confitrned the state-
ment of Mr. Pearce.

Roe, the officer, had, upon the instructions of Mr.
Cop-, watched the premises of the Four Swans Inn at
the time it was expected the parcels would arrive. Ha
siw Smith come out of the inn with the parcels, and fed
lowed him. At the opposite•side of Bishopsgate-street he
saw Coster, who steadily eyed Smith, and walked along
in the same direction. Smith cast his eye over his
shoulder, as he went along, at Coster. Witness then
believed that Coster saw him (witness), and Coster
turned and ran. 'Witness caught Smith, and called out
to Meeley to follow Coster.
Coster here asked several questions relative to the exact
distance between him and Smith when he was appre-
hended ; and on being asked by the Lord Mayor whether
he had any more questions to put, said that he would
leave it to Mr. Hob!er, jun.
The LORD MA-volt—Upon my word, you require no
as isrance.

The son of Mr. Pearce was next called—He stated that
Coster came, on Tuesday last, to the bar of the inn, a
short time before Smith called for the parcels, and asked
about the arrival of the Ipswich coach. He had a glass
of beer and a biscuit, and seeing a letter, directed to a Air.
Fama, on the mantel piece, said he knew a man of that
name, who had taken in a person of the name of Jackson.
Coster continued to speak to witness, who, however, not
heing aware of what had occurred, took no notice of his
observations. The prisoner Smith had called on Satur-
day, and handed him a paper, stating, at the same time,
that he expected parcels, which he had desired, by mis-
take, should be directed to No. 84. He added, that he
would pay any expense of porterage. The paper con-
tained the words " Mr. W. Jackson, 84, Bishopsgate-
street ; and Mr. T. Clarke, and Mr. T. Cox, Heniton,
Devon.''

Smith—Did I write it down? Witness—No ; you
merely gave it to me.
Coster—l never mentioned the name of Jackson ;it
was quite a different name.
The LORD MAYOR—What was the name, then ?
Co,ter—The name ! Why, perhaps, we may as well leave
the name out.—(Laughter.)
The LORD MAYOR—Perhaps we may; I'll leave it to
your judgment.
Mr. Freeman, of the Bank, deposed that all the notes
produced were forgeries.

Air. Freshfield stated that this was his first case.

Mr. Hobler, jun., observed that there was no evidence
against his client. The most that could be said was, that
the case was one of suspicion.
Mr. Freshfitid then went into the second case, which
was one in which the plan of robbery succeeded. Custer
took notes during the examination.
Mrs. Elizabeth Spears, the wife of Mr. John Spears,
lace-manufacturer of Nottingham, deposed to the following
effrct:—On the 15th of February her husband received
the following letter :---
" 1, Chamomile-street, Bishopsgate-street, London,
Feb. 14, 1833.

" Sir,-1 want to purchase, at first hand, a large quantity
51 ladies' black veils, rich in quality, and at the lowest possible
prices, which I want to ship ow on Monday next at latest, or
I shall lose the order. I write you this to know what sorts you

have on hand, and the prices ; and if I remit you the money
by Saturday night's post, can I depend on the veils being sent
to me in a parcel, carefully packed, per mail, that I may get
them early on Monday morning ? Observe, they must be
charged the lowest possible price for money remitted you be.
forehand; and as the veils are wanted for a smuggling purpose,
I will only deal direct with yourself, relying on your tumour ;
and if you use me well, I can lay out from 2001. to 3001. per
week with you, ready money. I want no credit, tier do I give
any. I am, Sir, yours, obediently, " JOHN SMITH.
" To Mr. John Spears, lace-manufacturer, Nottingham."

An account of the prices was accordingly sent up to
Mr. Smith, and the following note was received by re
turn of poit:—

" 1, Chamomile.strret, City, London.

n answero f the yoursol4th iinst.,
s oft, r
etihyei
.Igstohn
mineren"ceSirtcYlin
honour,ref e
and secrecy (being for smuggling), that you will not fail to
ustr.'v,aonrdd,
send me, as at foot, to be here on Monday morning per mail
coach, enclosed you have 30!. Bank of England notes. Unless
you can insure the parcel on Monday morning, I beg you will be
pleased to return my money per post, as the courier who smug-
gles the goods for me leaves on Monday evening.
" I am, Sir, yours obediently,
" J. SMITH.
" 30/. worth nett of 5-4 black veils, assorted from 6s. to 245.,
per return of mail coach, directed to me.
" Mr. John Spears, lace-manufacturer, Nottingham."
(" Immediate.")

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accordingnt n e d To Bo I: adrr, sce en
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It trrh ea
sa
nmootuanste eor
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3ta3,lln.VedwitlierEil eight days afterwards that the notes were
forgeries. Two of them were now in circulation, and
one had been returned.
John Forrester, the officer, went, accompanied by Roe,
to Costei's house, in East-road, Hoxton, and saw Mrs.
Coster. They searched the honse, and found a black
lace veil in a box in her bed room.

Mrs. Spears believtd the veil produced to be one o
those which her husband bad sent to Mr. Smith, of Cba.
momile.street.

Mr. Hobler, jun., questioned the witness se to th•