The Sun.
London, England, 1832-08-15 00:00:00

SUMMER ASSIZES.

MIDLAND CIRCUIT, WARWICK, AUG. 13.
John Dodsworth and William Hunter wire in-
dicted under the 37th of George 111.,f0r having. on
the 7th inst., made, forged, and counterfeited a
quantity of base coin, intended to resemble certain
gold coin, current in the kingdom of the Nether-
lands, with intent to utter the same as genuine.
A witness of the name of cutler, a button-maker
at Birmingham, stated that about six months ago,
the prisoner Dodsworth came to him, and asked him
to make some counterfeit coin to resemble Dutch
ten guilder pieces, one of which he produced to him
at the same time as a pattern. Witness asked them
what quantity they would want. They said they
would require altogether from 80,000 to 100,000
pieces ; but they wanted 600 pieces immediately.
Witness asked them how they meant to dispose of
it'? They said that they meant to go over to Am-
sterdam or Rotterdam, and ene of them would go up
the country for 400 or .5(10 miles, and purchase a
quantity of eggs, butter, cheese, oil, hemp, D esden
china, and such other articles of traffic as the country
produced, which they would order to be forwarded
to Rotterdam, leaving as a deposit ten or a dozen
genuine gold pieces ; and then, when the goods were
shipped on board in the canal, they would pay for
them in counterfeit coin, and consign them to a
friend in this country to dispose of. Besides the
counterfeit 10 guilder gold pieces, they said they
would also want a quantity of counterfeit 25 cent
silver pieces. They had two or three inter-
views with witness, in the course of which
they gave him 241. in cash, and their joint
promissory note for 251. more, to enable him to
procure tools, metal, and gold for gilding. The priso-
ners themselves furnished dies, and the witness was
to find a press. They also agreed to ►work the press
themselves; and the 7th of August was fixed on as
the day for commencing the execution of their pro-
ject. In the mean time the witness consulted Mr.
Parkes, the attorney, who communicated with Go-
vernment on the subject. This gentleman, together
with some of the Birmingham officers, assisted in
procuring a press 'for witness, together with pre-
mises to work it in; and formed other arrangements
with witness for the detection of the prisoners. On
the 7th of August, every thing being prepared, the
prisoners met witness on the premises, and all three
went to work. As soon as they had struck about
two dozen pieces, the witness gave a signal, on
which Mr. Parkes and the officers entered, and took
the prisoners, who had their coats off, into custody.
When asked what they were doing, they answered,
" Making medals."
A witness of the name of Moses Van Nunez Da
Costa, a native of Amsterdam, and attached to the
Dutch Embassy in this country, stated that the
counterfeit pieces were sufficiently like the genuine
to impose on many of his countrymen, if nothing
occurred to create suspicion.
The Jury found both prisoners Guilty.
Mr. Baron VAUGHAN said the judgment of the
Court was, that the prisoners be severally transported
for the term of seven years.
George Harris, aged 30, Joseph Morgan, aged '
25, and John Mitford, a well-looking, intelligent,
powerfully-made young man, aged 23, who was put
to the bar in irons, were indicted for breaking and
entering the dwelling-house of William Ashbrook,
at Birmingham, on the 16th of May last, and steal-
ing therein a coffee-mill, some glass, a quantity of
flour, confectionery, and other property.
The Jury found Harris and Mitford Guilty, and
acquitted Morgan.

Mr. Baron VAUGUAN—Gentlemen, now that you
have returned your verdict, I may tell you that this
Morgan has been before transported for felony.
Harris has also been transported ; and to complete
the history of these three worthies, Mitford is at
this moment under sentence of death for another
felony committed in Berkshire, but succeeded in
breaking out of Reading gaol some time ago. He
has since then very nearly succeeded in breaking out
of Warwick gaol.
The prisoner Mitford here besought the Judge,
in a mild tone, to have mercy on him.
The Learned JUDGE ordered sentence of death
to be recorded against both prisoners, and advised
Mitford to take care how he attempted to break out
from prison again.
On retiring from the bar, Mitford threw an ex-
pressive smile to some friend in the gallery.

HOME CIRCUIT, GUILDFORD, AuG. 11..

John Hannon, George Walker,
labourers, all young men, and Elizabeth Parker, a
girl of the town, aged 17, were indicted for feloni-
ously assaulting George Clark, and stealing from his
person a watch, two half-sovereigns, and other
monies, his property, on the Bth day of July last, in
the parish of Lambeth.
The prosecutor Clark is a perfect country bump-
kin. On the evening of the day mentioned in the
indictment, he had arrived in London, and was With

dering about the neighbourhood of the New-cut,
near the Muth gate. In the course of his rambles
he explored Oakley-street and tha adjacent places
in one of them he met the female prisoner, Parker,
and being struck with her personal appearance, re-
solved to form a closer intimacy with her. He pro-
posed treating her with cherries, to which she con-
sented, and they came into the New-cut for the
purpose of buying some. They there met Pimm,
who was a seller of cherries, and purchased a pound
of him. They then retired, and the lady consented
to yield to the persuasions of her admirer, and ad-
mit him to her lodgings, on consideration of his ad-
vancing 3s. 6d. for hrr immediate necessities. This
he agreed to do, and having paid the money, accom-
panied her to the dormitory she occupied, and which
was in a court near Oakley-street. They had not
been long in the lodgings of the lady when both
complained of drought, and it was proposed to sally
forth into the street and procure some gin, ale, or
rum. This second expedition led to the unfor-
tunate events which brought the prisoners to their
present dangerous situation. It was now nearly
midnight, and in their search fur a public-house, they
met Pimm, Hannon, and Walker, and of er purchas-
ing of the farmer some more cherries, they com-
tnence(l, in company with another man who has not
yet been apprehended, a complete circuit of the public-
houses and gin-shops in the neighbourhood. In the
course of their perambulation the prosecutor changed&
sovereign, although he had silver in his pocket, and
paid for the gin, &c., which was consumed. About
3 o'clock in the morning, the prosecutor wished
ag iin to retire with his female acquaintance, and it
wa: agreed that the whole party should lead him to
her lodgings. Instead of doing so, he was conducted
down a narrow passage, leading to a place called
Granby-gardens, on one side of which was a paling
about five feet high, covered at the top with tenter-
hooks. The male prisoners and the man who has
absconded seized upon the prosecutor, and forced
his arms over the top of the paling; he being a
short man, was by this means in a state of suspen-
sion, his roes being off the ground. They then pro-
ceeded to strip him of his property, and according
to his own evidence, he was threatened with fearfull
oaths by Pima), to be murdered, if he moved or cried
out. Pimm then with a knife cut his fob from his
trousers, and secured his watch. The others got his
money, and the girl, after a violent effort, dispos'
sessed him of his neckcloth. The whole party then
fled, and left the prosecutor hanging on the tenter-
hooks, from which unpleasant situation he was
almost immediately rescued by two police conste
bles, Redfern and Gelding, who had met the pri• •
soners coming from the place. A pursuit was made
and the prisoners were secured.

The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty against all
the prisoners, and sentence of death was recorded
against them, the Judge observing he should defer
declaring what would be the commutation of punish-
ment.

George Greenfield, labourer, aged 28, was in•
dieted for an attempt to commit a rape upon Julia
Maria Jerry, a child under 12 years of age, on the
4th of June last, at Mickleham. He was found
Guilty, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment
aed hard labour.