Star.
London, England, 1818-04-08 00:00:00

FROM THE BIRMINGHAM GAZETTE.

" FORGED BANE NOTES.—We are glad to i,tiserve
that the public attention has been drawn to the sub-
ject of the Engraving of the Notes of the Bank of
England, and to the great want of precaution in
guarding against the possibility of forgery. It is well
known that the very slight manner in which the plates
for these Notes are executed, is the chief cause of
their being so perpetually imitated. At different pe-
riods proposals have been made to the Bank Direc-
tors, by some of the principal Engravers, to execute
the plate in such a manner as should effectually pre-
vent forgery ; and within a recent period specimens
of a peculiar style of Engraving have been presented,
with recommendations from Artists of high reputa-
tion. We regret to find that these proposals have
been rejected, and the public, in consequence, re-
main exposed to the loss and trouble arising from the
circulation of forged Bank Notes. But what is
more serious moment, the waste of human life con-
tinues, by the cogviction and execution of numerous
persons, who are tempted to violate the laws of their
countryfr en: the want of due care on the part those
who prosecute. The sum annually expended in these.
convictions is of great amount, and if a portion of
it was expended in obtaining plates executed in the'
best style of Engraving, the trading part of the com-
munity would be protected, and the heavy calendar
of prisoners abridged. We are informed it is inten-
ded, to call a Town Meeting, to petition for legisla-
tive interference upon a subject, too important and too
much neglected, to be longer entrusted to the kuNdnit.,y
or discretion of kink Directors."

" WARWICK LENT ASSIZES, APRIL 1.

" Mr. 'BAI.in GARROW having taken his seat at the
Crown Bar, the Bank PrOsecut:ons imnicdi tteiy corn-
inenced.

" The first prisoner brought up was John Brad fray,
charged with uttering aforged Rarr4 of England One
Pond Note, to which indictment he pleaded Guilty.
The Judge humanely advised him to put himself
upon his trial, and gave him time to reconsider his
plea, but upon his persisting in the determination to
plead guilty, that plea was recorded, and SENTENCE
MATH imMediately passed upon him.
" Mary Bradney (wife to the last-mentioned priso-
ner) Rebecca Bamford, Elizabeth Bamford, Amelia
Hirons, and Betarnin Hirons, were also capitally in-
dicted for uttering forged Bank of England Notes.
They all pleaded guilty, and his Lordship immedi-
ately paned sentence of DEATH upon them.
" William Gray, indicted for a similar offence, was
likewise found Guilty. The principal witnesses against
this prisoner were John Platt, an assistant Constable
to the Police of Manchester, who had been directed
by the Solicitor of the Bank of Englaad to visit this
town, in order to detect persons engaged in uttering
Forged Notes; and William Marriot, employed for
a similar purpose. These persons, the one disguised
as a broker, and the other as a boatman, contrived
to introduce themselves to the prisoner as dealers in
*hates and sAreencs, (cant terms for base coin and forged
notes) and having gained his confidence, purchased
of him two parcels, each containing thirty, at 6s. Gd.
or 7s. a piece.—Martiot, on his cross-examination,
stated, that he goi his living principally by being em-
ployed in this way of detecting utterers of Forged
Notes. The notes were produced in Court, and all
declared by Mr. CHRISTMAS, one of the Bank Inspec-
tors, to be forgeries, and apparently from the same
Plate.

" Richard Hancos, John Poultney, and John Jones,
were severally allowed to plead guilty to the minor
charge of having forged Bank of England notes in
their possession, and the Court immediately sen-
tenced them to Fourteen years transportation.
" Ann Bamford was next tried and convicted of ut-
tering forged notes.
" Andrews, charged with a similar offence,
*as acp)itted, in consequence of the suspected testi-
tr.ony and had character of one of the witnesses on
the Dart of the prosecution.
' "John Williams, Frances Hitchins William Stewart,
and Ann Thckens, were next capitally indicted and
convicted of uttering forged notes.
4. In the cases of-Wiltram Sandiland and Benjamin
Bamford, charged with uttering forged notes, Mr.
Serjeant VA jC:-SAN declined offering any evidence,
the prisoners were consequently acquitted.
Mr. Baron GARROW, in passing sentence of
death upon Ifllliont Gray, Ann Banil'orti
Stewart, and Ann Dickens, observed, that their crimes
Were of such a nature as to place them beyond the
reach of mercy on this side the grave. The of-
fence of forgery, particularly as it regards Bank of
England Notes, had increased to a most alarming
degree in this part of the country. The pernicious-
ness of the crime was almost inconceivable; for not
only was it calculated to impose on the lower classes
of society, but to interrupt and injure the trade and
commerce of the country, which at the present mo-
, anent mainly existed upon the Notes of the Bank of
England as a circulating medium. To you (said the
Learned Judge) the guilty dealers iii* this horrid sys.
item no mercy can be eateadnd."