The Sun.
London, England, 1828-11-04 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY ADJOURNED SESSIONS

OLD COURT.:--(THIS DAY:)
Before Mr. Justice Pane and Mr. Barfin OAKILOW,

SECOND TEAL OF MINTON.

This being the day to which these' Sessions were ad-
jourme4l, fur the special purpose of trying 'Minton on the
other indictments against him for Forgery; long before
the.titne appointed by the Learned. Judges, 10. o'clock, the
Court was crowded to excess,, with persons apparently of
the greatest respectability. The public interest seems much
greater than on the former trial. Exactly at 10 o'clock
Mr. Justice PARK and Mr. Baton Ciannow took their
seats in Court, and the prisoner was immediately placed
at the bar. lig walked up to the dock with a trembling
step, and appeared much dijectel.
The Clerk of the Arraigns read the indictment against
the prisoner, it charged him with. forging and uttering as
true a Bill of Exchange fur 941. ISs., purporting to be
the acceptance of Robert Luck, with intent to defraud Sir
. Win. Curtis, Bart., and others.

The Hon. CHAS. Law (with whom was Mr. CLARK-
SON) stated the case for the prosecution. Ile begged of
the Jury to forget that the prisoner had on a former occa-
sion been found gtjilty on a similes charge, but calmly and
deliberately to weigh well the evidence that would this day
be laid before them, and from that alone judge of his guilt
or innocence. The Learned Counsel was much affected
during his address to the Jury; and, in conclusion, said
he was sure he need not again ask for their most serious
attention, the awfid consequences of this inquiry to the pri-
soner would be well considered by them.
The prisoner was not assisted by Counsel.
Robarts, Esq. examined .by Mr. CLARXSON—a
am one of the partners in the banking-house of Sir W►n.
Curtis and Co. ; the prisoner was in partnership' with a
• gentleman named Dixon ; they carried on business in Iron-
monger-lane, and kept an account at our house ; the bill
now produced was brought by the prisoner on the let Sept.,
amongst a great many others, for discount, which, after
making inquiries respecting then), and being informed by
the prisoner that they were all regular commercial bills,
and on responsible houses, I gave him cash for them. I
was afterwards applied to by the prisoner to diScount other
bills, but I declined so to do. A few days afterwards I
receieed a letter from the prisoner, dated Deal, Sept. 2'7,
stating, that on account of not being able to get his bills
discounted he had looked into his affairs, and found theme
very much embarrassed, lie bad therefore determined upon
keeping out of the way for a short tiine.—LThe remainder
of this evidence was the same is that given on the former
trial.• .
' Mr. Justice PARK-Prisoner, do you wish to ask Mr.
Roberts any question ?

Prisoner---No, I have nothing to ask. •
To questions by the Learned JUDGE, the witness stated
he did not know any such person as Robert Luck, whose
acceptance the bill purported to be. The body of the bill
was in the hand-writing of the prisoner.
norms Bracket and Alexander Chuney, clerks in the
house of Sir William Curtis and Co., gave similar evi-
dence respecting the manner in which the bills were en-
tered iu the discounting books, as on the former trial.
A gentleman in the gallery here addressed the Court,
and asked permission to make seine observations on the
ease.
Air. Justice PA RIC —ff you have any thing to column-
onto against the prisoner, you must make it known to the
Counsel for' the prosecution; or, on the other hand, any
thing to say in his favour, you must come down and de,
poue to it on oath. The Court cannot attend to any ob.
servations of an indifferent pecan.
• Mr. John Dixon examined by Mr. LAW.—The body of
the bill now produced is in the hand-writing of the pri-
soner. Wu have a gentleumn that does business with us of
the name of Robert Luck. Ido not know his hand-
writing: be is indrbted to us, but not in so large a sum
as the bill is iirawn for. The prisoner kept the cash au-
count, and drew all bills.
Robert Luck examineil..-4 am a grocer and draper
at East Peckham; have lived there several years; I
do not knew any other person of the same name in that
parish. • About two mile§ frog where I five titers is s

ME

person in the general line, of the name of Luck; I am in-
debted to Pie firm of Dixon and Co., but not to the amount
of this bill, neither is the acceptance in my hand-writing,
or by my snthoritp."
Richard Wells examine:l—i live at East Peckham, and
am well aorsinted ith lcin-l-writin:.;• of Robert Luck.
The acc,ptanoe, IA the bill 110 W ',reduced is not in his
hand-writing.
Joseph Warren examined—l live at Bury St. Edmund'e,
and have known the prisoner fer many years. •I believe the
whole of the hill to be in his hand-writing. t. A„,,cptc,l
R. Lurk, payable at the Spur Inn, Borough," I am con-
fident is in the pritsoner's writing.
Henry Mountain examined—l lived with the prisoner
for several years, as an apprentice; the acceptance to this
bill, I believe to be in his hand-writiug.
• Edward Hunt examined—l am a police•officer, at
Portsmouth, and assisted in apprehending- the prisoner ;
at the time he was taken into custody, be was on board the
New York steam-packet. He had taken his passage
America, but the vessel was wind•bound, off St. Helens.
The prisoner was writing at the time, and the papers now
produced are the same that were lying before hint.
The bill was here put in and read, likewise the letters
addressed by the prisoner to the Editor of the Times, (the
particulars of which were reported in she Sun on the day
of his former trial.)
The prisoner here wished to look at the letters, when,
after hastily glancing his eye over them, he returned them
without making any observation.
This was the case for the preeeention.
Mr. Justice PAnc—Prisoner, the ease against you being
closed, now is the time to say anything you may wish in
vour defence. _ _ .

Prisoner—lf it is not inoonsisteat with the rules of the
Court, I should wish to ask Mr. Roberta a few questions.
Mr. Justice Paex—Certainly; and desired Mr. Ro-
berts to go into the witness-box.
Prisoner—Frey, Mr. Robarts, when you discounted the
bills, was it done on the knowledge and opinion that Curtis
and Co. had of the acceptors, or of the knowledge and
opinion you had of our house?
Mr. Robarts.—They were not discounted on any know-
edge ef the acceptors, but on your assurance that they
secs bona fide commercial transactions.
Prisoner.---Do you not held an useignment of lease-
hold property, as a security for soy bilk that you might
discount?
Mr. Robarts.—Ws certainly have a dried, purporting to
be a collateral security for any bills or cash that we might
advance to the Louse of John Dixon and Co.
Prisoner.—l have no other questions to ask.
Mr. Justice Peas.—Have you any witnessed.
Prisoner.—No, but I will arldre.se a few words to the
Jury. He then read from a written paper to the following
purport
" You no doubt are aware that on a former occasion I
applied for a postponement of my trial, 'and like-
wise- of the r,ult of that application ;—it is there-
fore unnecteeary for me now to say any thing on
that subject, butt I wish to express to the Learned
Judge who presided when I was before tried, my acknow-
ledgments for the very impartial and humane manner iu
which he charges! the Jury. Sineybat time I have, it is
true, been offered an inspection of my hooka and papers,
.but that offer was made too late to be of any service' ; had
I had this privilege before I had been eonvieted, I could
have male them available to my defence; but I am con-
victed; they therefore are, alas, of no use. To dept ive
me of them whilst unconvicted, and now offering them to
me, is like putting a man into a strait-waistcoat, and
then offering him the free use of his arms. My hank-
reptcy has deprived me of all means of supply, although
is true I have many friends who offered me the means o
obtaining legal assistance ; hut I would not consent to a
wasteful expenditure, and determined to throw. myself,
unprotected, on the mercy of the Court and Jury, who
I trust will, in considering my case, remember my dis-
tressed wife and ten innocent children.
Mr. Justice Fakir summed up very minutely, and the
Jury after a short consultation said, we find hint Not
Guilty, on account of its not being his intention to defraud,
haiing lodged security in the hands of Curtis and Co.
Mr. Justice Palm-L.-Do yen believe the acceptance
forged', and that the prisoner uttered it ?_—Jury, yea.
Mr. Justice PA MlC—Thva lodging security is no exte-
nuation of the offence, I canoe take your verdict iu that
form, you must either say Guilty or not Guilty.
The Jury again consulter!, and returned a verdict of
Guilty ; but strongly recenumeaded him to mercy.
Die prisoner appeared to recover his self-possession a,
the trial proceeded.
The lion. air. Law, as C,,un,l for the prosecution in-
-ortiord the Court,ahat it was not thought necessary fir
he ends of justice to try the prisoner on the other indict-
ments against hitn, he was accordingly reinoved-from the
bar, and the Court adjourned for a short titne -
At half-past two o'clocledie RECOADFIC took his seat on
the &neli, and immediately proceeded to pass sentence of
Death on the following 25 prisoners, who had been rupi.
tally convicted during the Sessions.
Jueeph Minton, aged 58 ; Wiliiarn Willis, aged 28
and Edward Cooper, alias Holinilike, aged 48, for
forgery. James Abbott, aged 28, and George Edwards,
for cutting and maiming, with intent- to murder.—
John Smith, George Resuolds, Jamey Mabony, John
Morris, William Lewis Johnson, Richard Jenkins,
Thomas MoorC, .John Crisp, Richard Mansfield, Ed
ward Cooper, Thomas Harris, Rich. Chigger, Thomas
Lupton, George Thompsou, John James, Charles
Ryan, Charlea Lynch, and William Watts, for burglary ;
Robert Archer, William Lewis Johnson, George Rey-
nolds,-and Williarn Ford, for stealing in-a dwelling-house;
and Joint Johnson, alias Wrightson, for returning from
t•ansportation.--The Sessions then adjourned.