Star.
London, England, 1825-11-03 00:00:00

CONSPIRACY•

Thomas Hughes, Charlotte Wails, Samuel flay, Sarah
Hay, &chair! Brewer, and John Collier, were indicted
with others who did not appear, for conspiring to-1
gether, with intent to defrand Messrs. Gillman, Lucas,
and Co. Nh ltsale haberdashers, in Newgate-street,
of sundry,frods and merchandize.
Mr. Atiocrous said this conspiracy was concocted
within the walls of Whitecross-street Prison, by an at-
torney, in the person of the Mend= Brewer, who was
at the time a ptisoner. In the month of November,
1824, Hughes opened a shop in Speldhurst-street, under
the firm of I 'Jeff,' Hughes and Company, and the Com-
pany was Mrs. Watts, wl o passed as the wife of the
prisoner Hughes. The other defendants were con-
nected either by fictitious bill system, or by guarantee-
lag payments, and on being referred to, giving a good
character. The Learned Counsel went through the
whole history .of the various transactions of the defend-
ants, and described them to be as infamous as any that
had ever disgraced this country. While their frauds
were going on in London, a parallel line of operations
was cattied on at Brighton, by Bullen (a defendant
who did itot appeal), in the chee.emongery and tallow-
cliandkry line. All the goods obtained were removed
away from Speldhurst-stieet in coaches, and were
pawned and disposed of by auction, so that there was
nothing left for the suff ring creditors.
Ambrose Pat ish, an officer of the King's Bench Prison,
proved that Hughes was a prisoner there, and was dis-
charged on the 22d of February,lB23, under the Insol-
ent Act ; that Hay is now in custody ; that Collier was
committed there in February last, and that he was also
a pr.stanei there from November 8, 1819. to the Bth of
June, 1820; that Hughes was also committed in
J .nuary last, on an attttchment ; and is now in custody.
Mr. James Spencer, the keeper of Whitecroas street Prison,
proved that the attendants Hughes, Brewer, and Bullen, were
in his.custutly in the year 18:13. Bullen and Hughes were in the
same MOW. _

1131114. t Cooper, wife of William Cooper, a milkman in the
Harrow-road, proved that [lay and his wife had lived at her
sou:, and that then they were in distressed circumstances.
klay Nat ail his goodi when he became a bankrupt, and slept upon
shavings for some days.
• Wtilliam Moody.—ln November I became a porter
to the defendant Hughes; he called himself an auc-
tioneer and appraiser ; I believe he was arrested ; I saw
him in Whitecross-street Prison; Hay was there; I
know Bullen and his wife. Hughes and Bullen told
me that their firm was good, and they cnuld have any
goods they sent for. These was a house taken called
Bsuce's Cottage, at Highgate; the rent was paid by
goods from the shop in Speldhurst-street ; Charlotte
`Vans lived with Hughes as his wife ; Hughes went to
live in Speldlsurst.street in December; Bullen and his
wife were there first ;. Collier and his wife came soon_
after the house was set. right; these was no furniture
except a teva•chairsv * dealt and two psess bed-
steads. tie said, if he .could only m lice a run of about
six months he should m .ke a good thing of it, as he
hid a good backer in Mr. Hay, and he hoped I would
be true to him, and not go to any of his creditors and
expose him. I took god to the pawnbrokers' and sale
shops ;.i took goods to Bulk ck's, in Holborn, several
titres; he said he wanted money to keep an appoint-
ment with a Gentleman in the City, and 1 was to get
money advanced from B.illock ; I brought back a
cheque for .101. He abused me for bringing a cheque,
a.:ei said, "If I take this into the City 1 rhall be
Spoilt;" die rants of Bullock being on the cheque.—
Ilersaid,thei.nreana, to got all. that. be could, and then
tura bankrupt ; he never would take the benefit of the
laselyeste Att again; he said Uri Hit j' *bold. str:ke a
docket, that they would wos,k the, commission, and"then'
the Devil.---r(Witthets,hprb described a
great *variety pf goofls th4t.be ba.l.pawoectfor.vari us
stony born one pound to five pounds.) There was a
quantity of flannels sent to Bnllockis to are *O4 )l.nt-
teneled ;the sale,,caud,.put dolt what that WOO.—
ittighes. said, ,44; Vi4i. 444 he ezplaiut_gf thnt4e
soutd.get mute goods isoatidit was beater than sending
them' to pawnbrokers.-- 41frisoBullen looked oat goods,
tobk Clem to pattobrok#4, told him tehieti:were
the best. shops; the De t tholp yannlslington ; Metes
said, thit M:s. Bullets keen, better than I dad; in
January•l saw Hughes at ilartes•lock-up house: ,Mrs.
NV:dub told are to tike down a piece-ofitiperfiiseironllen
cloth to raise.seese rouney upon- it,. and take it to the
lock-up,ht,ube to Ifoghcs. Mrs. Watts attended the
shop as Mts. Hughes ; she began to remove goodilreni
04.41 m); 1. saw- Hay at..the lock-up imams; he Said; it
was .a:bad job,.anti well, new salad, push it on

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