Star.
London, England, 1803-09-17 00:00:00

ASLETT OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND.

Yeller-day the Grand Jury, at the Old Bailey,
found three Bills of Indiilment againft Robert Af-
ktt for embezzling property of the Bank, purporting
to be Exchequer Bills. The Deputy Governor, Mr.
BISII, Mr. GOLDSMID, and twelve other witneffes,
were examined. In confequence of which Mr. Aflett
was this day, about eleven o'clock, put upon his
trial at the Old Bailey.
No Ids than fifteen jnrors were challenged by
Mr. Metes Counfel, and ordered to be withdrawn
in confequence ; eleven Jurors were abfent, and
ordered to be fined, and one who had been fummoned
died yetterday morning.
After a fhort opening by Mr. OILS!,
Mr. Gaeitow began by Rating, that he thought it '
a juflice which he owed to the unhappy Gentleman'
a the Bar, to mention, as early as pogible, that he
had been 25 years in molt refpeaable fituations in the
Bank of England ; that he had advanced, by re-
gular gradations, in confequence of his merit, from
the Ration of under clerk to the very refpeaable one
of Cafhier to that great and highly refpeaable
company ; during the whole of which time, up to
the period of the tranfaftion which had brought him
to the bar, he had concluded himfelf with the utmoß
fidelity and refpedability, in confequence of which
a confidence alma unbounded was repofed in him.
The Learned Gentleman adverted to the circum-
fiance of the former trial : he then entered into an
elaborate and very minute defcription of the manner
in which the bands of the Bank was concluded,
which we are prevented from following by the con-
fined limits of our Paper, at the very late hour we
give this account to the public, The former india-
ment, he Paid, was not confidered fufficient to bring
the cafe before the Jury, as it fisted the Articles em-
bezzled or fecreted by Mr.Afiett &Final), and fpeci
fically as Exchequer Bills. The prefent indiament,
he thought it neceffary to remind the Court, Rated
the articles, with which it charged the prifoner,
as purpertil to be Exchequer Bills. 'That was a
material difference, and the Court would find
that it Rated them as fecurities in one Count, and
as effeas in another. This he confidered as in-
dubitable, and had no doubt that be would be able
to induce the Jury to be of the fame opinion.—
The magnitude of the concern which the Company
of the Bank of England embraced, had induced the
Legillature to pars a law, fPecifically for the protation
of that Company, by which it was enafted, that any
officer or fervant of the Company, who fhould be
guilty of ferreting or embezzling any of the d'ed: of
the Bank, fhould be deemed guilty of felony, aad be
punifhed accordingly. It was an important duty
which they owed to the public, that nothing fhould
be wanting nn their part that might tend to bring Co
great a delinquent to juftice.
Mr. Easears then rote on the part of the prifoner.
He contended with the utmott ability and ingenuity,
that the papers mentioned in the indictment were
nothing but Waite paper, and that no money could
legally be recovered on them. tie then read a claufe
of the Aft which was pall 'aft Seflion, in confequence
of the former trial, at the conclulion of which was a
provifo exprefsly pointing to the prefent cafe, by fay-
mg that it (hall be in force for civil purpofes only ;
and not affed any trial for an offence committed be-
fore the pat Eng of that Aft.
Mr. Serjeant Ls &awe obfetved, that he'perceived
that it was the intention of the prifoner's Counfel,
that the cafe fhould be argued firti as to the propriety
of going into evidence. To this be had no objection,
though it appeared to him that the moil advifeable
way was to leave it to the decifion of the Judges.
Mr. Serjeant Bssr, on the fame fide, argued that
in the Bank All, the affociation of the words bul.
lion, money, and other feth," meant obvioutly
other effeds ejufdest genera. Therefore to be confi-
dered the Cffeas within the meaning of thit Aft,
the articles mull be intrinfically valuable in them-
felves, without looking fo any fuppofed value,
as being fceuritier, when they did not give the holder
any legal claim over the giver.
Mr. Serjeant Li BLANC, however, Rated that he
law no reafonable oblation to their then proceeding
to evidence. The points to which the Learned
Counfel had directed their cbfervations, might more
properly be referred as a cafe for the opinion of the
Judges.
Mr. Robert Deft, a principal Clerk in the sank,
Rated the different times, and regular gradatio'ns by
which Mr. Aflett had advanced : he attelhd :b: in-
tegrity of Mr. Mat, as had been mentioned by the
Counfel for the profecution.
Vr. Abraham Newland, Principal Cafhier of the
Bank, depofed nearly to the fame effect, and added,
that no perfon but he or Mr. Aflett figned the
receipt of there Bills, or gave them into the parlour
of the Dircaors. After they had once gene over
there, they could not pollibly get again into the
market. unlcfs by fraud. On the 26th of February,
the day on which thefe Bills were fuppofed
to be given in, Mr. Aflett was the perfon who gave
them in. _

The trial was going on when this piper went
to prefs. We shall prelent our readers with at more
ample Raiment on Monday next. —The Court was
uncommonly crouded. The whole of the trial en-
gaged the particular attention of every perfon
prefent..
Mr. Atlett feemed to filflain his tittle:ion in the
moll becoming manner—he was firm, yct

A fine range of barracks, at Nfa'den, capable of
holding twelve hundred men, is nearly fin:hed; but
much difficulty is experienczel in presenting water,
the workmen having dug •Go feet without effect.—
That town has all its frelb water from a diflance of
two miles. Barracks are alfu to be crated at Dan•-
bury.

Offers of volunteer ferrite from the following
places in the Weft Riding of Yell:111;re have been ac-
cepted by his Isf 1% s rv, viz. I Mira% ( t c.to) ; Deal-
bury, Ripon, Lovtry, Krim efivironoth, IVaketicld,
Roibcrliarna, Thorne, Wapentake of Sttincrolo, Hud
dertfield, Sclhy, ( taco Infantry,
and 74 CAVAT
.); Bradford, y, Sheffield, Pcn
te.i-aa, and alfo of the Wharf-dale Volunteers (6.7.0 ;
Craven Infantry and Cavalry, I ord Hat swoon's
troop of Coo-thy, and the N,!rt14.:..n aal E:,ll;berri
reginnr.: A Yeomanry Cavalry.