The Sun.
London, England, 1817-08-27 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF THE MINT.

LAMBETH-STREET —Io consequence .f several
bars of silver being stolen frOm time, to time out
of the ICoyai Mint, to which no person' bad ac-
cess but those immedia;ely concerned, and situat-
ed in places of trust, great alarm vas excited,
there being no clue to lead to a discovery of the
perpetrators.—Yesterday John Levy, a Jew, was
brought up, at►d examined before Sir DANIEL
WHAAAsts, charged with being concerned in ,the
above-mew ioued robbery. Several Gentlemen of
►he Mint were-present.. About 'a fortnight. ,►,go
John King,
,a,dealer •in gold and silver, residing
at 108, Upper Eas,t Smithfield, went to the shop'of
Messrs. Thornton and fienriad, gold and silver
refiners, Threadneedle-street, where he offered
part of a bai for sale, saying it was but a'sample of

a larger quantity'whieh lie received from a Spa-
"niard, who• had'Ooutt.2llis. weight of such to dis-
pose ot, for the disposar of which he (King)
was to receive five shil:ings for his trouble.. 'Mr.
Thornton having his suspicions that it was not
honestly come by, expressed a wish to have it first
melted.hetore he purchased any of it, but King
declined. Mr. Thornton at length, after putting
several questions to King, purchased 17 ounces
from hiM; for which be paid him 3t. 10s. and

King promised to'eall.again next day, to know if

Mr. ThOrtston had made-up his have .any
more, but he did not call. In consequence of
King' not calling, Alessrs. Thornton and kleuriaes
. .
suspicions were strengthened, and they went to
different refiners to make inquiry if any 'such bars
were there offered for -sale, or whether they had
lost-any such, -hut finding ittrieir .infinity fruitless
in that quarter, they ''ntadL the stone inquiry at
the Mint; where they produced the piece of bar
they bad pit-chased. This led to the discovery of
-the robbery, the bar was Nied and proved to he
one those &tolats out of the Allot. In conse-
quence of thiS 'discovery, Mr. Merschet, the
prineipal Nicker at the. &lint, and in Avhose im-
mediate care the silver so stolen was,• proceeded
to 'the house ofJohn King, to ascertain from hint
how lie came possessed of this silver. King stated
that he had the Silver front the prisoner John
Levy, a Jew porter, in consequence of which
'Griffith the Officer took the prisoner into custody.
John King, a Jeiv-, sworn and examineti, said

he resided ar 108, Upper East Smithfield, he is a
dealer in gold and silver, andlikewise keeps an
old clOthes shop, the prisoner Levy was in the ha-
bit of passing his shop, and knowing witness to.
be *a dealer in silver, he brought the silver then
produced and offered it for sale.* Witness thought
it was lead, and. refused to buy it ; but in order
to convince himself, be took the bars to Messrs.
Thornton's to try it they would purchase them,
for which the prisoner was to allow him five shil-
flogs for his trouble, if he sold them ; witness sold

to the amount of 3/. 10s. to Mr. Thornton, out of
which he gave the prisoner 2/. in two separate
payments.
gIAGIiTRATE—Then instead of receiving ss. for your trou-
ble, as-the' prisoner promised you, you very honestly kept
11.-10 s. out of the 31. you received; that was very honest.
in you, was it not, Mr. King? In my opinion you have acted
like a. very great rogue.—KlNG—l intended to have given him
the remainder on a futurellity, your Worship.
!.I suppose so, I suppose so.—KixG—ln
a few days after the pi is:iner brought and the parcel of silver,
marked No. 2

MAGISTWE—Stop, Mr. King, ; you being so very honest
a man, did you ask the prisoner hoW he came possessed of this
silver ?-4--Kuvo—Yes, your Worship.
MAorsTRATE—And pray what was his account?--KING--
Ile told me he got them from a Spaniard, in the London
Docks; who came from Spain, and he said he had twelve
pounds more of it; I too's it to Mr. Thornton's, where I.sold
part of it, and -promised to call next day, but did not, as I did
not live far off.
MAGISTRATE—Did you never melt any of this silver, Sir?
—KING—MeIt it, Sir !A

MAGisTRATE,,Am Sir, on the oath .you have taken, did
you ever melt any of that silver in your house?--.KING—No,
not at mine or any other house. • •
MAGISTRATE—Did you. not go, Sir, to the, New Prison,
where the prisoner was confined, and there tell bins to stick
to what lie had already said, on his apprehension, that if he
dicthe need not fear any thing-; and likewise .gave the pri-
soner, half a-crown ?—Kiso—l went with a Mr. King, whO
keeps the Blue Anchor publicihouse, who wanted to see a-
person who was confined there; in the mean time I went to
see the prisoner.- who telling me he wanted some paper to
write on, I gave, him half-a crown to purchase some.
MAGISTKATE.--jr bat was enough for paper, certainly; but
I suppose it was out of humanity. Prisoner, what have you
to say for yourself?-:—Prisoner—l was walking along the
street, and a man came up to me and gave me trie_silver; he
did .not tell me his name, or what ship he belonged to; he was
a Mulatto.
MAGlSTRATE—Astonishing ! there must•be,somethiog, Mr.
Levy, surprisingly striking in your appearance, that a strange
man whom you never saw before should come up to you in the
street and give you so much silver for nothing.—Prisoner—
Aye, hut, your Worship, he stopped outside the door while
I went into Mr. King's shop, and when I came out I gave him
the money, and, to my sorrow, he did not give toe a farthing,
and I have not seen him since. •
MAGISTRATE.—What sort of a man was he, and how was he
dressed ?—Prisoner—He was a shokt thick set map, dressed in
a blue jacket and a pair•of nankeen trowsers.
MAGTSTRA TE.-I suppose, Mr. LeVy, he had on a hat and a
pair of shoes ; do you-know what colour they weie?—Priso--
ner•:—Why., no your Worship, but I suppose be bad them on;
but I don't know..
MAGI STRATE.---Priruner, your story is very itreredibleuot

a word of truth in it; it serves only to confute yourself. I
find it my duty to commit you.
The prisoner was committed, and the parties
bound over toprosecute. •
The Magistrate and the Gentlemen of the Mint
would have proceeded against King, as a receiver,
but there being no proof against him but the pri-
soner, and he being the principal, he, could not
be admitted, therefore King was received as evis
deuce.