Star.
London, England, 1803-04-25 00:00:00

OLD BiflLEr.

Saturday ten prifoners were tried, four of whom
were capitally conviaed.
Join Mackay, Henry Fofr, and Prier Cowed:
were tried for forging a yl. note of the Btntith
Linen Company, at Edinburgh. Mackay was al.
fo indicted for uttering it, with a knowledge of its
having bcen forged.
John Alder depoled, that he kept the Cock and
Lion public houfe, in Eaft Smithfield. The pri
loner, Mackay, on the 6th of December lag, came
to Ilk hook, and requefted change for a-yl. note
of the Britifk Linen Company. The witnefs him.
Pelf could not do it, but referred Mackay to a Mr.
Newell, who at that time was in the houfe, and he
fuppofed would have no objeCtion to a Scotch note.
Mr. Newell (aid, that on the 6th of December
lag, he gave change to the prifoner at the Cock
and Lion public bottle for a yl. note of the Britilli
Linen Company. The prifor Tr rrent a way imme-
diately upon receiving his change. He bad at firft
no fufpicion about the note, :ill upon a doter in•
fpcaion he obferved the names of the two filbfcribers
to he in the fame hand writing, and the watermark
to be wanting, convinced him that it was forged.
Mr. William Sinclair dcpofcd, that the fubfcrip-
tiont upon the note were forged.
William Reid laid, that be kept the St. Andrew
public houfe, Warping. He remembered that a
perfon very like Mackay came to his hotife along
with a man of the name of Piper, whom he knew.
Piper came to him, and a(ked him to lend hins 41.
upon a yl. note of the Britifh Linen Company. He
refuted at firft to have the notc, but agreed to lend
him 41. Cpan Piper infifting that he (hould take
the note, he looked at it, and found that it wa
forged. He returned it to Piper, and adviled him
not to offer it to any body dfe, but give it to the
perfon from whom he had' it.
James Webfter, Cabin Boy of the Ofnaburgh
packet, of Dundee, laid, that Mackay and Piper
failed with them to Scotland on the 6th of DeCUTI.
ber. Mackay brought three fmall bundles on board.
When theycame near to Dundee, tbey were board-
ed by three officers, who took Piper and Mackay
into cidlody. Mackay took only two of his bun-
dles along with him. The other he found upon
looking into Mackay's bed afterwards, and gave it
to his mailer.
Mr. Hewel, the mater, confirmed the lay's tef
droopy, and faid,that he delivered the parcel which
contained twelve notes, fit of them filled up, and
ready for circulatios, to the off cc of police.

Mr. Lawrie, Clerk to the Bank, went with an;
officer to the houfe of Catapodi, whom they did
not find at home. They proceeded to fearch, and
d ilcovered a plate for impreffions of the notes of the
II; kith Linen Company in one of the drawers of
his bureau. He came home loon after, and, when
told of the circumftance, expreffed no apprehen-
fion, laying, that it was no offence here to have a
plate of a Scotch note. When Fofs was appre-
hended, Catapodi advifed him to give up the teal
for the Ramp, as they were perfeEtly fate. Fofs,
however; retitled, laying that ha did not know
what Catapodi meant.
John Piper Rated, that be was brought from
Scotland by Mackay, in order to perform tome,
fervices, in coufideration of which he was to re-
ceive the loan of one hundred pounds for Tome
months. He lived at the Blue Boar Inn, along I
with Mackay, who correfponded with a perfon of
the name of Syme. The witnefs then Rated, that
feveral meetings took place between the parties,
He was employed by Mackay to pats one of his
notes upon Mr. Reid, of the St. Andrew public
houfe, Wapping, which he, however, refuted, al-1
ledging it to be forged. It was not till then that
Mackay fbewed him a 8 other notes of the fame'
kind, all of which he acknowledged to be forged.
The witnefs then entered into a detail of their ow.
, ration by which it appeared that Catapodi fur-
nifhed the plate from which the impreffions were'
made—Fofs, the feel for the Ramp ; and Mackay
forged the names of the fubfcribers. The witnefs
was obliged, he Paid, to appear to favour their
views, in order that Mackay might pay his paffage
back to Scotland, as he promifed. When they
were arrefled at Dundee, he obferved the prifoner
Mackay drop his pocket book into the water.
Mrs. Barkley faid, that her daughters brought
her a pocket book, which they found upon the fee
lhore at Balmerino, three miles from Dundee.

Mr. Sinclair proved the whole of thefe to be
forged. •
The Court was of opinion that the charge
was not brought home to Fors and Catapodi.—
The Jury, therefore, having retired a few minutes,
returned a verdi& acquitting the prifoners Fofs
and Catapodi, but finding Mackay Guilty.
Robert Smith, alias Aknander Gordon, who has hit
upon a new plan of robbery, viz. of employing a
hackney coach to drive him to tome outlet, and
then r• ,b the coachman in the 6rft lonefome place
he difcovers, was profecuted for the robbery of
Francis Treadwal, a hackney coachman, on the
6th of March laft, in the manner already defcrib-
cc!, near Dayfwater, of il. 2s. 6d.
The profecutor Rated, that on the 6th of March
he was called off the (land, at Charing Crofs, by
the pi-timer, who ordered him to drive to Padding-
ton ; when he had proceeded tome diftance pall
Tyburn Turnpike, the prifoner called out, ', Coach-
man, your door is open ;"—on which the witnefs
got off the box, with intention to Phut it. On his
going to the coach door, the prifoner jumped out,
prcfented a piftol to his head, and demanded his
money—he immediately gave him five fhillings
and fixpence, and a feven fhilling piece. The pri-
toner then demanded his watch, and firuck him a
violent blow on the right arm with a tuck flick, af.
ter which three Millings more, and a feven
peace were given to him. The prifoner immedi-
ately after made off, exclaiming, If you follow
me, I will blow your brains ont. ' The profecu.
for had not the leaft doubt as to the identity of the
prifoner's perfon, as he had known him by fight
for near four years; it was a moonlight night,
and he could not poffibly be miftaken. When he
lira knew him, he belonged to the artillery at
Woolwich. The witnsfs was robbed on Sunday
night, and the next morning he faw the prifoner at
the Police Office. _

David Eatiman a patrole, faid that he met the
prifoner in the King's-road, where he took him in
tr cuilody upon fufpicion ; on fearching him he
found a piftnl in his pocket, loaded with broken
glafs ; and feveral duplicates. He could not give
any account of himfelf, or his motive for carrying
pillol.—Three other patroles who aillfted in
apprehending the prifoner, gave the fame account
as the loft witnefs.

Mr. Jullice Hearn direaed the Jury to give
hcir verdia, ebferving. that the fall of the prifo-
sier's having committed the robberyhad been clear-
ly proved. The Jury without hefitation pronounced
the prifiiner--Guilty
There were no lets than five other indiarnents
againft him for highway robberies, and one for
malicioully (hooting
.with a
7...Caowden was tried for (leafing a black mare,
the property of Charles Emmet. Downend, in
Gloncellerthire. near Brifiol.

The prifoner espreifed a with to put off his
trial, on account of the abfence of a material wit-
nets, to whom be bad written to come up from
Henley. in OafeedOsirs, but the Court would not
confect.

The profecutor (wore, that on the evening of
the 4th of March his mare was in the liable, and
the door was locked; that on the morning follow.
ing he found the door broke open, and that the
mare was gone.
Robert Flenley, who lived about one mile and
a half from the refidence of the profecutor, had
Ceen the prifoner with three borfes on the road be
.ween Wahnley and &iftol on the t fl, and at the
Hop pole, in Walnsley, on the id of March.
A Mr. Knapp Paid. be knew the mare as well
as the owner. He defcribed his going in quell of
the mare, to the fair at Henley, which be quitted
about fix in the evening. He then came on to
Lor-bn, and going towards Blackfriars Bridge,
niet the pritoner riding the mare, and which be
propofeJ to buy of him. The prifoner silted so
guineas for her. They went into Smithfield, and
witnefs there obtained leave to ride the mare a
I tat, to try her; and left bis own bode with the
Prisoner, appointing to come back in a few minutes.
The shads rode direaly to the Ram Inn, which
the prifoner feting, he left the horfe in the care of
a boy, and walked off. After kweral fruidefs en-
quirk., one Smith, an bottler, who was alfo an
slicer belonging to the Marikalfea Court, gave
him Come information; in confequence of which,
he went to the Red Lion, inCloth Fair, and &only
after Smith went out and bronaght in the Firmer'

The prifoner, in his defence, fait!, be had bought
the mare about (even in the evening, at the fair at
Henley, and produced a receipt to that effete, and
alfo his licence to deal in horfes; hui that it was
not in his power now to produce the perfon who
gave him the receipt.
The RECORDER fummed up the evidence, and
obferved, that that receipt, unfupported by other
evidence, was not fufficient.

The Jury retired for about half an hour, and re-
turned with a verdia of Guilty—Death.
Abraham Nicholas, one of the letter carriers to the
PoßOffice, was indiaed fur fecreting and extraa-
ing money from a letter, direaed by Richard
Stephens Taylor, a folicitor in Gray's Inn, to his
client, at Lewes, in Suffer.
James Smith, clerk to Mr. Taylor, depofed, that
on the tad of January laft, he received a check
upon the honfe of Mars. Grilling and Sharp, ban-
kers, for 541. ss. Reding, which he inclofed in a
letter directed as above. One of the notes was a
tot. one, number 5392. The letter was put by
another clerk into the receiving office, kept in Hart
fireet,, Bloom (bury, by a Mrs. We hot, who depufed,
that all the letters which (he received that day
were fent to the General Poll Office.
_ . .

By the evidence of tome Clerks belonging to
the Poll-Office, it appeared, that the prifoner,
though generally employed in the Foreign De-
artment, was on that day engaged in the
Department. He was employed in facing the
letters previous to their being taxed and difpatchcd,
from which he had an opportunity of feet eting the
letter in. quefiion, though it was poffible that it
might have palled thmugh feveral different hands.
Money letters are taxed in a particular way, and
directed under a-particular cover to the Polim r
of the town to which they are tent. Nu fuck
in-
ter as the one in queflion appeared.
Mr. Carter, who keeps a Lottery• Office, Cha-
ring Croft, Gad, that a col. Dank note, numbered
1392, had been negotiated with him for three
(hares of Lottery Tickets. He gave away the
note (von after. In a fhort time be was informed
by Mr. Perkins, folicitor to the Poll-Office, that ,he
note had been liolen. The , i:,,ner called in
him in March 1... t, and teittened him to flop
number 52, which was one of there for which he
had received the 161. note, as he faid that he had
lately 101 l his pocket-book, in which that there had
been kept. The witnefs told him that he was very
glad he had called, as he was in a very unpleafent
predicament refpeding a col. note, which he had
received for the there mentioned. The prifoner
laid, that at the time he bought the (hares he had
received three to'. notes in one week, and requell-
ed time to recoiled from whom he had got it.—
The witnefs faid, that he might take time, but that
Mr. Perkins was the proper perfon to receive any
explanation, infifting that he should go along with
him to that Gentleman. The prifoner readily
complied, but they did not find Mr. Perkins at
home. The prifoner agreed to call upon the wit-
nefs next day at ten o'clock, that they might go
again. He came accordingly, but the witnefs was
fo much engaged, that he could not go along with
him, and, therefore, defired him to call alone.
Mr. Perkins laid, that the prifoner came to him
at the time mentioned, but could not recoiled from
whom he had the note. The prifoner faid he had
bought only one there in Mr. Carter's office. The
witnefs infified that he had bought three (hares.
This the prifoner, when clofely preffed, admitted,
which appearing rather fufpicious, the witnefs had
him before a Magiftrate, by whom he was corn.
mitted. It was obferved, that it was a regulation
of the PaOffice, that none of the letter carriers
should be permitted to buy Lottery Tickets. This
might account for the prifoner's prevari-ation.
Several refpedable witneffes appeared to the
prifoner's charades., all of whom fpoke highly
in his favour, as an upright and honefi man.—
The Jury retired for half an hour, and then re-
turned a verdict, finding the prifoner Guilty; but
recommended him to mercy, on account of his
former good charader,
Four were convicted of felony, viz.
Thontal Cope/and. for Reeling three filk handker-
kerchiefs, the property of Jonathan Watfon ; Mary
Stiff, for Reeling two mahogany chairs, the pro-
perty of John Houfe ; Sir! Formless, for Realing
a handkerchief, the property of Jofeph Bicknell ;
and jobs William, alias Arthrofi, for Reeling a great
coat, the property of John Johnfon.