The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-15 00:00:00

Extraordinai y Charge.

Yesterday David Johnson, otherwise Williamson,
a respectably-dressed young man of 21, who had
been arrested on a warrant, was charged before the
Lord Mayor at the Justice-room of the Mansion-
house with being concerned in forging notes of the
Union Bank of Scotland.
W. Murray., instructed by Mr. Mullens, solicitor
to the London Bankers' Protection Association, was
counsel for the prosecution ; Mr. Buchanan, solici-
tor, of Basinghall-street, defended the prisoner.
On the evening of Saturday week the prisoner,
who had been for some weeks, without his knowledge,
under the observation of three of the City detective
police—namely, Sergeant Moss, Inspector Foulger,
and Constable Green—was apprehended at a public
house in Middle-row, Holborn, and charged with
being implicated in the forgery in question. He re-
plied in a jocose manner th a some things had been
left with him for half an hour by a min named
Smith, who hal promised to return to him. At the
'Same time lie took a parcel from his pocket, which, on
being opened, was found to contain two copper plates,
ou one of which was engraved the back part, and on
the other the front of a £5 note of the Union
Bank of Scotland. On being asked if he
ha I seen these implements before he replied in the
affirmative, but that he knew nothing more about
them than that they had been left with him by the
man Smith. He also took from his pocket a proof
impression of a £5-note of the same bank, and a
piece of tracing paper. On being searched 20 keys,
one of which fitted a padlock produced in court,
were found upon him among other things, and in
a portmanteau at his lodgings, the address of which
he gave, a £2O bank note and £3O in Scotch notes
were found, as also a ticket, dated the 21st of June,
for luggage left at the North-Western Railway-
station in Euston-square. The luggage was in
three packets, and contained a cash-box, 61 cameos,
a dressing case and fittings, many costly articles of
jewelry and wearing apparel, a check book of Cun -
life and Co.'s bank, Manchester, a breech-loading
double-barelled gun, with fittings complete in case,
another double-barrelled gun, double action, in a
leathern case, and a five-chambered rev
-aver, with
fittings complete.
Inspector Foulger, of the City police, deposed
that on the 20th of June two men, named Smith
and Zellman, called upon him and made a state-
ment, upon which witness gave them instructions
to act. He saw Smith again next day, and both
of them on the 26th of June. From that time to
the apprehension of the prisoner he repeatedly saw
them, and communicated the result of his inter-
views from time to time to Mr. Mullens, the so-
licitor to the prosecution. The padlock !pro-
duced, and which a key found on the prisoner fitted
was attached to a front kitchen in the basement of a
house in the Gray's-inn-road, and was locked
when witness nd
a Sergeant Moss went there. There
they found a lithographic printing press and a
copper plate printing press with all the necessary
appliances, and with some damped paper and char-
coal. On one piece of the paper there were wavy
lines, and an attempt had been made to colour some
of it. He had frequently seen the prisoner go into
his lodgings in Shaftesbury-street,New North-road,
but never into the basement referred to in Gray's-
inn-road.
The principal witness yesterday was Richard
Smith, a die-sinker and engraver at 4, Upper North-
street, Northampton-square. He said,—On the
evening of the 17th of June the prisoner called upon
me at my house, accompanied by a man named
Zellman. I had never seen the prisoner before, but
I had known Zellman previously for five or six
years by meeting him at places of amusement.
Zellman said Jackson (the prisoner) was a friend
of his, and he introduced him to me to do some
business. After some desultory conversation I left
the house with them, and Jackson asked me if I
could engrave a plate. I replied that would de-
pend upon what the plate was for. Zellman told
the prisoner to give me a note. The prisoner
took a paper from his pocket and agave it to
me. It was a £5-note of the Union Bank of Scot-
land. I handed it back to him, having pre-
viously examined it minutely, and said to him and
Zellman it was a very serious busineis. They were
then in a public-house in Charles-street, City-road.
I also said there was great risk. The prisoner
replied, " There was no risk, and no chance of
detection, as there were only four persons engaged
in the affair—viz., Zellman, himself, a banker from
Australia, and myself." Zellman said I was to
receive £2O for engraving the plate, and £3OO when
it was finished. I said the plates could not be cut
in less than six weeks. The prisoner replied that
would be too long. We were then standing at the
bar of the publichouse, but a little aside from other
persons who were there. I asked the prisoner and Zell-
man what amount of notes they required. The prisoner
said from £20,000 to £30,000 worth. I said I could
not give a decided answer then whether I would
engrave the plate, but I appointed to meet Zellman
at my house next day. The prisoner took the note
away. They were in the public-house together
about half an hour. Next evening Zellma,n called
at my house with two friends, one of whom I be-
lieve was named Corvan, and
ide thande other
Zellman came
I did not
see. The friends waited outs,
into my room. He staid there about twenty
minutes, and then left. The prisoner was ot
there on that occasion. On the following evenn-
ing Zellman, who was alone, called at
was
my
house, and the subject of the plates
again talked about. That was Wednesday, the
19th. I went with Zellman to the City-road to
keep an appointment he had made with the pri-
soner. We found the prisoner waiting there, and
all three went to a public-house in Sheperdess-
walk. There the prisoner asked me if it was
all settled. I replied in the affirmative. Zellman
asked me how much money I should want. I said
I should want £5 before I began the plates. Zell-
man said I must try and make it £3. I refused.
The prisoner then gave me £5 in gold, and the
Scotch note previously shown to me, saying as he did
so, " That is business." He asked how long it would
, take to complete the two plates for the note, back
and front. I replied six weeks at least. The pri-
soner said that was much too long, and that has
e
wanted them done in three' weeks. said that w
impossible,
efbtutthle wpuoublidichtroyustion,dadnod tohnetnstiidne atiTeonptrhi_.
e
take
should
ata
sshotoiewrinagsklende ma eshifeeltcooufldthgeertecithiipsiatpeesrizfo3.r thieionoatlesos,
when the plates were finished. s
inquired if I could arrange for printinglaid thel could
s
and do the best I could.
give no decided answer the It
but would wsoauglgdestteryd
by the prisoner that I s
iu the evening
from my residence
plates. I parted with Tavern,Tavern, City-road, and
in which to workpluacpeonaptahret
£5 I had received. I had then
• h the:
I saw Zellman in the Eagle
gave him half the
the note with
together to t
to whom I disclosed the facts I
it-1010.1300w niti•uhee 2poOtihie.slthantaionn and
au Id wentsaw
Inspector Foulger,
• The inspector directed
and I have since.acted
and I went to Hughes
I acthinacvehonNovwtorel at related
then e (I:3lleitou ceaer
on his instructions.
Zand Kim
ht e rt-hl
ea nceo,
pc oppe
rpe rp- pl
al
taet e
pmraone.tut feaecd-.
tuners,and r
biuoufg
baler in the day I met the prisoner at a house in
he's
Herbert-stree, New North-road, where Zellman
iliocdhgoae
eds,a;nd showed him the plate. We went to a pub-
there I played a game at billiards with 'Leh-
man. I then went home with the plate and the
note. I next saw the prisoner and Zellman on
Monday, the 21th, at my house, whore they came
together about 8 o'clock in the evening. I showed
them the copperplate for the back of the note, a
part of which I had then engraved. The prisoner
looked at it and said he should like to have seen
more done, but that he was satisfied with the work
so far as it had been done. I asked him for £lO. He
said he had not got £lO upon, him, but would pro-
cure it by the evening. He showed me a £1 Scotch
note of the Union Bank,. stating that the signature
of the cashier was more distinct than on the £5
note he had previously given me. Ikept the note
for the purpose of copying the signature, which
was intended to be engraved on the plate. It was
a written signature. Zellman and the prisoner then
left, and I saw them together later in the evening
iu the London Assurance publichouse, City-road,