Star.
London, England, 1805-12-07 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSION'S.

Taefday Meredith Sweated and Gene Robertion, the
former of No. 8, Foller-lane, C.heaplide, woollen-
draper, and the latter of the parilh of St. Ann's,
Soho, were feverally iadiaed for having felonioully
uttered counterfeit coin, purporting to be the lawful
money of this realm, well knowing the fame to be
falfe and counterfett.
George Robertfim, by the advice of his Counfel,
pleaded guilty to the crime alledged again(' him, and
in conictinence fubmitted without trial to the punit•
ment awarded by the flatutes for fuch a mifdemea-

Hour.
Counfellor KNAPP Rated the circumftances of the
cafe ac they had occurred. The profecutor. Mr. Ri-
chard Tanner, of Newtown, Montgomery Mire, is a
rcfpeflable Welch ti innel mannfaeurer, and from the
oature of his buftnefs had confiderable dealings with
the partner, Meredith Swancott, who had been in
the habit of purchafing from him the article he ma-
• pottflored, mot in confeqnence became indebted to
Lim in the fum of 541. for v hich fum he palled his
bill to the profecutor, but on its becoming due it was
not honoured, and was returned to the profecutor at
Newtown. In the month of May lag the profecutor
'catne to town, and waited on the prifoner, and re-
ouetted payment of the bill ; he confeffed his inabi-
lity to pay him in cafb, but offered him another note
L.t Nee months date, which the profecutor refuted,
conceiving it would be diffinnottred as before, and
infifled on being paid in Bank notes or cant. The
prifoner then defired him to call on the following
mornine, promiling in the mean time to endeavour
to comply with his willies, and at the time appointed
the profecutor attended, when the prifoner informed
hinithat he had been difappointed in the receipt of
fome money he had expelled, but fail be had a
friend who had a confiderable quantity of fdrer by
him, which, if the profecutbr would take as a patter
his debt, be could procure for him ; to which the Fa-
fecutor replied, that he had no objection to take 4. or
51. worth, but that more would he attended with too
much in:onvenience in carrying it into Montgomery.
Aire. and the next morning was appointed to wait
on the gentleman alluded to. The profecutor accom-
panied the prifoner to the houfe of Mr. Robertfon,
an the vicinity of Sohn.fquare, and was introduced
into his kitchen, and, after tome converfation on the
fubjelt, the prifoner, Robertfon, took a (mall deal
box, from which he and the prifoner, Swancott,
counted 251. in (billings, and tendered them to the
profecutor as part of the payment of the debt due;
the profecutor remonftrated, and Rated the great in-
convenience the conveyance of fuch a fum in River
would be to him, info long a journey, and expreffed
his wifh that he might be paid in bank notes ; but the
tanner, Swancott, told him, if he did not chufe to
take them he might go without, and preferring laver
to nothing, he took the 251. and a bill on a Tepees-
ble tradefman for the remainder. The prifoners af-
Aired him the money was all good, and wrapped it
up in a paper ; and he being in a hurry, to get to the
coach, in which he had befpoke a place,put itin his
pocket and went away. On his arrival at Newto.wd
he examined the fhillings, and found them ever one
had; he was very much alarmed, and immediately
locked them up in his defk, and wrote to the prifoner
in town, and an anfwer was returned, informing him
that he need not weft any other; being unable then
to return to town, he waited till the asd of July,
when he again came to Loudon, and applied to the
prifoner, requefting to take back his bad money, and
pay him with fuch as lie could make rife of, which
the prifoner promifed, but deferred performing his
promife for three months, under a variety of frivo-
lous pretences. The profecutor, being at length cont•
pletely tired nut by the delay, applied to an Attorneys
who advifed him to go to the Solicitor of the Mint,
and prefer his complaint, which he did, taking part of
the Ihillings with him ; the rca he had thrown away,
fearing the confequences that might accrue from ha-
ving
filch a quantity of had money in his poffeffion,
ihould it be difcovered. The Solicitor of the Mint im-
mediately gave direftions for the apprehenfion of the
prifoners, and they were accordinlly conveyed before
a Magiftrate ; wd on thefe circumftances the prole- ,
cution was grounded. But the prifoner Robertfon
having pleaded Guilty, it was ufelefs to enter into
any examination on his part. The Learned Counfel,
therefore, confined himfelf folely to prove the crime
on the part of Swancott. He then called
Richard Tanner, who gave his teftimony in the
true, hone& blunt, and charafteriftic ftyle of an an-
cient Briton, completely confirming the circumftances
as already Rated by the Learned Counfel.
John Clark, one of the Marffialmen of the city of
London, was then called. He Rated, that he had
apprehended the prifoner, Swancott, at his houfe in
Porter-lane, and on (arching his perfon found in his
waißcoat pocket two counterfeit Ihillings, and all.
found in his defk twenty-four Mining, and two fix-
pences, all bad, wrapped in a piece of brown paper,
which the prifoner faid he bad taken in the comic of
trade.
John Parks, another officer, confirmed the evidence
given by the la witnefs.
Mr. Parker, Solicitor of the Mint, was then called
and defired to examine the different parcels of bale
coin then produced, one hundred of which were
brought by the profecutor, twenty-four fhillings and
two fixpences found in the priioner's deck, and two
found in his pocket, all of which he declared to he
bale, and all apparel:fly of the lane coinage, except
a few
,in the latter 24. found in the prifone: s defk, of
a Ramp commonly known by the denomination of
Irifh fhillings, a confiderable number of which he
Rated to have been in circulation during the Inth re-
bellion.
Mr. Gnaw iv, at confiderable length, and with
much ingenuity, endeavoured to clear the cha-
rafter of the prifoner, Mr. 6wancott, from any
imputation of guilt. He laid he did not at all
difpute the vilidity of the evidence given by Mr.
Tanner refpeeing the two firit parcels produced,
but the utterer, Robertfon, was alone answerable
for the confecoences, and he had, by confefing.his
guilt, fubjefted himfelf to the punifhment his crime 1
deferred; but with refpee to the latter 265. found in
the prifoner Swaneotes poffeffion, he argued it was
ii no proof of gull!, as every matt was liable to take bad
fi money in a miEtr manner. and more efpecially a
man, in fo extenfive a line of bufinefs as that of Mr.
Swancott. He could himfelf produce tenor twelve
Shillings, be would venture to fey, of the very fame