Star.
London, England, 1818-12-12 00:00:00

OLD RAILXT sfisiftvs.

Yesterday Josepft Martin was indicted for having
put off, on the 25d of November, twenty counterfeit
;pieces resembling good shillings of the coin of the
realm, to Edwin Nicholls.
Edwin Nicholls stated that he was a fishmonger,
living in Collier-row, Rumford. He became ac-
quainted with two persons of the names of Richard
Hamshed and James Clark. A conversation he had
with these men he communicated to Wood, the Over-
seer of the Parish, and Mr. Steri?, Tinder Sheriff: In
company with llamshed and Clark, witness, at the
suggestion of the Overseer and Mr. Sterry, went to
London, on a Sunday night, and arrived at the
Green Man and Bell, in Darkhouse-lane. at half past
five in the morning. He then went to Billingsgate
to buy his fish. This was as soon as the market was
open, and after having bought the fish, witness and
the two men returned to the Green Man and Bell.—
Having packed up his fish, witness went with the
two men to Petticoat-lane, at the suggestion of Clark
and Hamshed. Witness saw the prisoner Martin
standing outside a public house there, and be said to
Ilarnshed—" Have you sold all your blackberries r
Hamshed said " Yes." Martin then put his finger
across his nose, and Hamshed put his across his
mouth. Martin and Hamshed then crossed over the
way, and continued for some time in close conversa-
tion. Afterwards witness and Hamshed, marl the
two men, went to a place called the Gai, where the
Jews gamble, and there Martin asked witness " flow
much do you want ?" witness said L'2 worth. Clark
said he would have half a score, and Hamshed said
he would have a score. Hamshed said to witness,
that he had agreed with Martin lor him to give ss.
for twenty bad shillings. Martin then went away,
and returned with a great quantity of shillings. Wit-
ness received five score, and gave a £1 bank note for
them. Witness said Ise wanted some half-crowns and
sixpences, but Martin said he had none then, and in-
sisted upon having ss. more than the LI note. Wit-
nass then returned to Martin a score of shillings, and
kept 80 himself: Clark received a score of shillings,
for which ss. were paid. Hamshed had also a score,
and for these Martin was also paid ss. Martin then
_went away, crossed the road, and beckoned to wit-
ness. He followed into a little court, where he'was
desired to stop. The prisoner went away, and re-
turned with some sixpences, and said he could not
let witness have any half-crowns. Afterwards wit-
nes?, Clark, and Hamshed, went to Daskhouse-lane,
Aid subsequently to Rumford by the Harwich coach.
They all three went to the Sun, at Rumford ;—they
went into the tap-room, and called for a pot of egg-
hot; it• was brand*, and witness paid for it. 2s, an
bad money. The.night berme, he had told Wood,
the officer, to be at the Sun. Another pot of egg-
hot was :ailed far ; at this moment, a woman tap-
ped at tits, wiqdow, and Hamshed and Clark, sus-
pecting something wrong, endeavoured. to escape.—
Witness, however, prevented it; and soon after the
officer came up, and the prisoners. were searched,—
The bad money in witness's possession was given to
Wood, the officer.
Cross-examined.—His father is a writing-master,
and witness was brought up to the farming line. He
had since been a cow-keeper, and having failed in
that, he became, about three years ago, a fishmonger.
Before the.present transaction, he had known cart
and Hamthed,for about a fortnight to speak to them.
He became acquainted with these two men by meet-
ing them in the London-road with mushrooms. He
had not the slightest expectation to be paid for this
information by any body.
William Wood was by business a shoemaker, at
Rumford, and was Overseer of that town. The last
witness made a communication to him on a nesdat,
in November, respecting a canonisation tie'll4d hid
with Hamshed. In consequence, of the comraimiea-
titm, witness and Nicholls went to Mr. Story, the
Under-Sheriff; and it was arranged that • Nicholls
should gp with Clark and Hamshed to town, and let
witness know when he came baCk. iii consequence
of a prior intimation, witness went to the Sun public-
house at a little after nine, on the•moniing of Thurs-
day. Witness and the two men had not then arrived;
but about eleven o'clock• witness was sent for by Mr.
Marshall, landlord of the Sun public-house. When
he got there, he found Nicholls standing over Clark.
and Hamshed insisting that they should not leave the
house. The prisoners were seized and searched. He
produced the shillings given to him by Nicholls.
Joseph Ford, landlord of' the public-house in Dark-
house-lane, proved, that, about a fortnight ago, Ni-
cholls, Clark, and another man, were in his house,
about half-past five in the morning, and had some
coffee together.
-George Marshall, landlord of the Sun public-house,
confirmed the previous testimony.
Mr. Powell, of the Mint, proved the shillings pro-
duced in Court to be counterfeits.

piisoner protested his innocence, and left his
case in the hands of the Court and Jury.
The Jury, without, hesitation, found a verdict of
Guilty.
There were several other indictments against the
prisoner for a similar offence, which were dropped.
Richard tkonshed was then put to the bar, charged,
with having purchased certain counterfeit shillings.
• Edwin Nicholls was again examined, and recapi-
telated his former statement. He added, that when
Hamshed first spoke to witness about this matter, he
said—" You are carrying on a poor trade here. If
you like, I will introduce you to a good thing--I
know a man who will get you up." Before witness
was introduced to Martin, he received a lesson from
Banished how to act. Witness was to pass for his
brother. Witness was to say that he had just come
out of Maidstone Jail, and was upon she queer.
The other witnesses examined on the former trial
delivered their testimony.
The Jury found a verdict—Guilty.
James Clark was convicted of having received
fiom Joseph Martin twenty pieces of counterfeit coin.
It appeared by the testimony of Nicholls, that the
and time he spoke to Clark, in company with
unshed, Clark said to witness—" What, you want
• some blackberries, do you?" Witness did not com-
prehend; and then Clark said, " 0! you are agorger r
ka blab), and immediately after, laughingly said, "1
now all is right—you and Ha;usheil are both upon
the queer." - • •
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moat Sitt.r:A:te, froth deltas incilviiluals who have
pleaded Eh:silty to the minor offence in this erime,,
praying permission to retract that plea, and to be put
on their trials for the capital charge ; and yesterday
morning the Court sent them notice that their re
quest was acceded to, and that they would be put on
their trials on Monday, at twelve o'eloult.
Yesterday Mr. PULLEY, the Under-Sherif, having
heard that Driscoll, Weller, and Ca,knurn, who are
ordered for execution on Toesday next (fur passing
forged Bank-notes),• entertained an idea that theii
lives would be spared, in consequence of the decision
of the Jury on Santrday last, he visited them in their
cells, having previously had a conversation with the
RECORDER, who was of opinion that the circumstance
would have no effect upon the Pkince RECENT, in
commuting their punishment. Mr. P. therefore, en-
deavoured to impress upon them the futility of such
hopes ; and when he quitted them, they thanked him
for his attention, and seemed resolved to make up
their minds to the awful fate that awaits them.