The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-05 00:00:00

THE GREAT CITY FORGERIES.

MANSION-HOUSE.-JAN. 3.

[The following appeared in part of our impression of
Saturday :—]
THE 6AIVAED FORGERY GANG.—This afternoon, the
further examination of Saward and Anderson, remanded
for forgery and uttering a 1,0001. bill of exchange, was
resumed at the Mansion-house, before the Lord Mayor ;
and created intense interest, in consequence of Seward's
connection with Agar, the gold robbery, and the alarm-
ing extent to which Agar and others belonging to the
same gang have victimised the bankers of Lon-
don. Several of the principals of the large banking
firms were present, and had the satisfaction of making
the personal acquaintance, for the first time, of
men who for a lengthened period have drawn on them
without the usual and necessary introduction, and who,
up to this time, have baffled all attempts at detection.
At the last October sessions two men (one an elderly
man, a returned convict), named Hard wicks and Atwell,
were convicted of forgery and uttering checks to a
heavy amount, which they got cashed, and in conse-
quence were transported for life. From the dis-
closures they made after their conviction, it ap-
pears that they were in connection with the two
prisoners Anderson and Saward, and it was their
disclosures that led to the latter's apprehension.
The prisoners were described on the police sheet
as follows :—James Anderson, of Freehold-street,
Durham-road, Heston, servant, for forging and utter-
ing on the 14th of June, 1856, a bill of exchange for
1,0001., with intent to defraud Messrs. Heywood,
Kennard, and Co., bankers, 4, Lombard-street, and
James Townshend Saward, of Villa-house, Walworth-
common, barrister at-law, on suspicion of being con-
cerned with the above James Anderson in forging
and uttering the above bill of exchange. Anderson
was apprehended on last Friday fortnight, and was
privately examined on the following day, and the infor-
mation then given led to the apprehension of Saward
by Huggett, a City detective. He went to a back room in
John-street, Oxford-street, and inquired for Mr. Hop-
kins, the name by which he had heard Saward was
living there, and he was informed he was gone to a
public-house in Oxford-market. He went to Oxford-
market, leaving Moss, another detective, behind, and
en his return he found Seward in I'd ets's custody.
Seward denied all knowledge of Hard wioke, Atwell, and
Anderson, and Feld he was not the person of whom the
officers were in quest. Huggett, however, rcfneed to
listen to his statement, being certain he was the man
he wanted, and he accordingly took charge of him and
conveyed him to the police-station, and his first exami-
nation took place on last riday week, when
suffio;ent evidence only was given to justify
his remand till to-day. Anderson on last Saturday was
examined before the Lord Mayor in referenoe to other
forgeries, it being deemed prudent that the examination
in reference to the 1,0001. bill of exchange should not
be gone into until both prisoners were present. The
evidence on that occasion adduced against Anderson
was that on Saturday the 16th of August last he uttered
successfully two forged checks on Messrs. Hankey and
Co.—one for 1001. and the other for 50/ , and the plan
he adopted was this : he went to the White Hart in
Bishopgate-street, entered the coffee-house, and desired
the hoots to be seat to him, on which he gave
him a check to get cashed. He then went to the ,
Four Swans, in Bishopsgate-street, and repeated his con-
duct with reference to the other check. He then re-
turned to the White Hart, received the money of the
boots, and then immediately went to the Four Swans
and received that also and decamped. Another charge
was entered into against him on the above day, that of
giving a man named lI iberts, residing in St. John's-
wood, a check to get changed, but in that case the
bankers refused to pay it. The plan adopted by Ander-
son was the same as that followed by Agar, that of get-
ting a stranger to present the checks, which allowed
them to make off if any difficulty was experienced in
cashing the documents.
Thu prisoners were placed at the bar at 2 o'clock, when
their examination was proceeded with.
Mr. Mullins appeared for the committee of bankers
to prosecute.
Mr. Goodman, chief clerk, asked Anderson if he had
legal assistance
Anderson—No.
Mr. Goodman (to Seward) —Have you any one to
appear for you ?
Saward—No, Sir ; I will take care of my own case
for the present.
Mr. Mullins then stated the course be should pursue—
namely, that of confining himself to the number of for-
geries committed in 1856, with which he intended to
connect the prisoners ; two in January, for 142/4 one
in February, for 901.; three in March, for 2001.; one in
April, for 3801.; two in June, for 1,4101.; and tree in
August, for 2501.
At Saward'e request, the evidence on his former exa-
mination was read over, and he denied that he made use
of the observation in the cab to Huggett, that "it was
no use denying it, I'm Jim Seward." It was not likely
he should do so, for he had no desire to court criminal
notoriety. He said to him, "As you have taken me for
James Seward, I admit that I am the person."
Tee evidence taken on Saturday last was read over
as against both the prisoners.
His lordship asked Seward if he wished to put any
questions to the witnesses ?
Saward—No, my lord. I am not mixed up with those
transactions.
Mr. Mullins—But I propose to show that you are.
Saward--I decline putting any questions to them.
The first witness examined was Henry Atwell, now
ander sentence of transportation for life for forgery and
uttering. He was brought up in custody of Mr. Wea-
therhead, Governor of Newgate. His appearance is
much altered for the worse since his conviction. He
deposed—l am a convict under sentence of transporta-
tion for life. I know both the prisoners at the bar. I
knew Seward first, about 12 months since ; at that time
I had some blink checks and paid checks on
Messrs. Barclay and Co. in my possession, the
produce of a burglary committed on the premises
of Mr. Doe. I showed them to a person named Saun-
ders, residing in the Old Street-road, and inconsequence
of what passed between us I went a second time to his
house and he introduced me to Seward. I showed
Saward two cheques that had been crossed off paid, and
returned, and also the blank cheques. I left Saunders
with him, and he wished to know where Mr. Doe's place
was, and I went with him to Brick-lane, Spitalfields,
and showed him. He said, after he had seen it, that it
was not a very large firm, and he did not expect to get
much money from it. He left me, and promised to see
me again. In Saunders's house Saward said he could get
some money with the cheques by filling up the blanks
and sending them when so filed up to the bank. He
had a person, whom he called "the sender," that he

would. introduce to me, who would send them to the

bank when filled up and get them cashed. After Sa-
ward had seen Mr. Doe's premises I left the cheques in
i
his possession. About a week after I saw him n company
of Anderson and two other persons, in New-street,
Spitalfields, near the church. It was the day on, which
two checks were presented at Messrs. Barclays. At
that meeting Saward returned to me the three filled up
checks I had previously given him, and two that had
been blank which ware filled up, and to the best of my
belief those now produced are the same. One is dated
9th Jan., 1856, for 46/. 153. 6d., purporting to be
drawn by J. T. Doe, jun., on Barclay and Co. The
other is dated Jan. 10, for 55/. 17s. 6d , purporting to
be drawn by the same gentleman, and on the same
I bank. Saward carried those two
checks in the cuff
of his coat, and when he took them out and showed
them to me he compared them with the other three.
The cancelled checks were then tarn up in the street.
I, Saward, and Anderson then went to Leman-street,
and I was shown a private room that Anderson had
taken as a place from which the check could be sent.
Anderson went into the house whilst .1 and Saward re-
mained outside near the house. It was previously arranged
that we should remain outside the house until the man
who was sent came back with the money. I was to
watch him and see if the money was paid. Shortly
after we commenced our watching, and Anderson had
gone in, he came out, and I followed him to Messrs.
Barclays- He went with the check for 461. ss. 6d. I
saw the m
money paid, and the man went straight back
with the money to Leman-street. There was another
man in communication with us, and he went to Ander-
son at a public-house, where he was waiting, and in-
formed him the money had been paid. I think the
check was paid in three or two 10/, notes, and the rest

had been transported. When we met first it was merely
an introduction. We went to a public-house and had
something, and then parted. Afterwards we met at
the " beef house," a public-house known as such by
them, near Cox's vinegar yard, Southwark-road. Be-
tween that time and when a 1,000/. bill was presented,
we four met at this house several times for the purpose
of discussing this " business." On one of these occasions
Hard wicke produced the 1,0101. bill now produced, a❑d
some printed forms. At the first meeting Hardwicke
produced a 2001. genuine bill drawn by Messrs. Gross-
man and Co., of Hobart Town, upon Mr. Austen Ken-
nard of Austen Friars. The bill was endorsed to Hard•
wicke, and accepted by Mr. Kennard, and made payable
at Hey wood's. Hard wicks also produced some old bills
filled up and some blank bills, all of which he gave to
Saward, who took them away. On the day the 1,0001.
bill was presented I saw it for the first time at a public-
house in Kingsland-road, but I knew it had been
prepared, because Saward appointed the meeting
relative to its presentation. One day I was in a
hatter's shop in Cheapside with Anderson and
Hardwicke, when a young man now present, named
Clements, came in. He asked some questions
and left, and he was followed by Hardwicke, and I
went to Kingsland, where Anderson had hired a room
in the name of Riley. It was after this that Saward
arranged for us to meet at a publichouse in the Kings-
land-road. On a Saturday in June this " business" of
the 1,0001. bill came off. On that morning I first saw
Saward, Anderson, and Hardwicke at Child's public-
house, in Old-street-road, and there Anderson "dressed
up" at usual. We then all went to the Englefield-road,
Kingsland, about 9 o'clock, and to a publichouse—a
large house with a small garden in front, with stable
and coach houses attached to it. I can't recollect the
name of it. Anderson went from the publichouse
to the loci;.;ings, and before he did so Hardwicke pro-
duced a 201. note, and Saward asked for pen and ink.
It was brought in by a female. The room was not in a
fit state to receive visitors, and the female apologised for it.
When the pen and ink was brought in a name and
address was written on the bank note by Saward. The
note was given to Anderson, it having been arranged
that Anderson should send a young man with it to the
Bank of England for change. Anderson returned, and
we understood the young man had been sent to the
bank. Whilst waiting for his return the 1,0001. bill
was produced. A date was put to it. [The acc-Otance
was blank, the date having been subsequently written in.]
When the young man returned, Anderson went to the
lodging, and returned with two foreign-bill stamps,
which he said the young man had brought from the City.