The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-18 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE

BOW-STREET.

Information has recently been obtained by the authori-
ties at the Stamp Office, at Somerset House, that forge-
ries of stamps have been for some time past carried on to a
very considerable extent, especially in the article of playing
cards. In consequence of this information Ellis, Ballard,
and Keys, officers of this establishment, were ordered by
Sir. F. Roe to make inquiries, the result of which was, that
warrants were issued against several suspected persons.
Ellis went with a search warrant to No. 122, John-street,
Smithfield, where he took into custody a card-maker, named
Henry Wheeler, who occupied the attic floor; and found
upon his person thirty-eight pieces of very thin paper, each
containing an impression (forged) of the' stamp upon the
the ace of spades, forming one of a pack of playing cards.
On searching a loft over the attic he found a plate from
which there could be no doubt the forgeries he found upon
the prisoner's person had been struck.
The officer brought the prisoner before Sir F. Roe at
the evening sitting, and the above circumstances having
been briefly stated, the prisoner, who declined saying any-
thing, was remanded, to give time to produce the necessary
formal evidence. _

Mr. Sircum, and two other gentlemen, attended from the
Stamp Office, for the prosecution. The prisoner was once ,
a licensed manufacturer of cards, but in consequence of
some faux pas (it is said) the license was withdrawn, and
he has since been extensively engaged in manufacturing
cards with forged stamps.
A respectably dressed man, about the middle age, named
John Lomas, was next put to the bar by Ballard under the
following circumstances :
Ballard, it appeared, had a search warrant against the
prisoner, on suspicion of being concerned in the transac-
tions with which Wheeler, the former prisoner, stands ac-
cused, and, in consequence of information which he obtained,
he went close to a house in Grove-street, Holloway-road ;
but, wishing to watch to see the prisoner before he pro-
ceeded to search, he waited some time, and saw the pri-
soner come out. He followed him some distance, and ob-
served that he had something of a flat square shape in a
bag under his arm. He at length stopped him, and took
him into a public-house, and asked him his name, which
he said was John Chapman. Ballard asked him where he
lived, and he said, " Before I answer that question I want
to know who and what you are ?" Ballard said he would
satisfy him upon that , subject, but he must first have his
address. The prisoner then wrote upon a piece of paper,
" John Chapman, No. 20, High-street, Highgate." Bal-
lard asked him if he came direct from that place, and he
said he did. He then told him it was not so, and he must
take him back to the place that he had come from. He
refused to go, but the officer told him he must, upon
which he said, " If you are determined to take me back
to the house, I am a ruined man," adding, that what
the officer was in search of was in the back-kitchen, and
he would show him to it himself, but begged he would
not frighten his wife, for she was not well, and would
be greatly alarmed. He stated also that he was " dri-
ven to it by distress." The officer all this time no
doubt was quite satisfied that he had hit the mark,' and
that the matter referred to by the prisoner was that which
was mentioned in his warrant. When, however, he was
conducted to the back kitchen of No. 2, Grove-street, he
found two tubs containing twelve gallons of wash, apparently
ready for use, two casks and three or four bottles of spirits,
altogether about twelve gallons, together with a worm, and
all the usual apparatus of an illicit still. Ballard searched
the house by virtue of his warrant for other things, but found
nothing to implicate the prisoner in the stamp forgeries.
He, however, brought him away upon the new and unex-
pected charge of keeping an illicit still.
The prisoner did not deny the charge, but said he had
two aged parents to support, besides a large family, and beg-
ged Sir F. Roe, to be lenient with him.
Sir FREDERICK said the Act of Parliament was impera-
tive, and he had no discretionary power. He must, there-
fore, convict him in the penalty of 301., and in default of
payment he must stand committed to the House of Correc-
on for three months, there to be kept to hard labour.
The prisoner was taken away in custody.

LAMBETH-STREET.

Yesterday Mr. Hobler had a lengthened private inter-
view
with Mr. HARDWICK, the particulars of which did not
transpire, but it was supposed to relate to some precau-
tionary measures necessary to be adopted for the better se-
curity, both at this office when they are brought up for fur-
ther examination, as well as during the journey from and to
Clerkenwell, of the prisoners at preseut in custody for the
Custom-house robbery. Such precaution is deemed neces-
sary from the desperate characters of the prisoners (at least
two or them, Sullivan and Jourdan), and some suspicion
which is entertained that a large sum of money would be
offered for their/rescue. Persons have been despatched to
different parts of the Continent, where the stolen notes
I have been changed, collecting evidence, and to bring over
with them the necessary witnesses against the prisoners.
Much praise is due to the authorities at the Custom House,
particularly to R. B. Deane, Esq., Chairman of the Com-
missioners ; Mr. Walford, the solicitor ; and Mr. Billing,
the principal warehousekeeper, for the zeal they have ma-
nifested is bringing the guilty parties to justice. It is said
that on yesterday morning a considerable sum of money had
been traced to a bank where it had been deposited by the
prisoner Sullivan, and directions were given that at present
it should be detained, and no part of it delivered on the
check of the prisoner.