The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-20 00:00:00

SOVTII LANCASHIRE SUMMER ASSIZES

CROWN COURT.—TUESDAY.
(Before Lord Chief Justice DENMAN.)
The business commenced at nine o'clock with the mint
cases.

KNOWINGLY UTTERING.
John Dickinson, 38, and Mary Brice, 38, were charged
with having, on the 29th July last, at Manchester, feloniously
uttered to Mary Bailey a counterfeit half-crown, and with
having had in their possession eight other counterfeit half-
crowns.
The Attorney-General for the county and Mr. Pollock
appeared for the prosecution. On the 29th July last, the
two prisoners went into the Bird-in-hand public-house, kept
by Isaac Bailey, Great Ancoats-street, Manchester,-and pur-
chased three-penny-worth of liquor. They gave the landlady
a half-sovereign, and she returned them two half-crowns,
four shillings, a sixpence, and threepence. Shortly after-
wards the female prisoner called the landlady iside, and re-
quested her to return the half-sovereign, and she would re-
turn her the silver which she had received, and make it up
ten shillings, as if she retained the change her husband would
spend it. She put the•change into Mrs. Bailey's hand, and
Mrs. Bailey immediately discovered a bad half-crown amongst
it. She, of course, taxed the prisoners with having substi-
tuted a bad half-crown for a good one. They denied it, and
the male prisoner seized Mrs. Bailey's hand, and, after a
struggle, he took from her the bad half-crown, which she had
marked with her teeth. He immediately produced another,
and protested that it was a good one, which was the fact. A
police-officer was called in, who took the prisoners into cus-
tody. Two good half-crowns were found upon the man.
The woman, on being searched, threw away a bag, containing
nine half-crowns, all cast from the same mould. Amongst
them was the half-crown which the man had taken from Mrs.
Bailey, which she had marked with her teeth.
The jury, after a long consultation, found both prisoners
guilty.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, the male prisoner had
been four times convicted, the female prisoner once. They
were indicted only for a misdemeanour.
They were sentenced to two years imprisonment and hard
labour.

MAKING BASE SHILLINGS.
John Fisher, aged 43, and George Barker, 25, were charged
with having, at Little Bolton, on the 31st May, feloniously
made and counterfeited twenty-eight pieces of coin, intended
to resemble and pass for certain of the Queen's current coin
called shillings.
Sergeant Atcherly and Mr. Pollock for the prosecution,
and Mr. Wilkins for the defence.
The police constables of Bolton having received informa-
tion that•the prisoners were coiners, went, on the 31st May,
to the residence of Barker, where they found the two prison-
ers, one of whom endeavoured to make his escape. Another
man did make his escape. Several materials and implements
used in coining were found on the premises. In a basin of
water, near the fire-place, were twenty-eight base shillings,
which appeared to have been newly cast. They had probably
been put into the basin to cool, as both the shillings and the
water were warm. On each of the prisoners a bad sixpence
was found, and twelve counterfeit groats were found in another
part of the premises.
The jury found the prisoners guilty. Two witnesses were
called, who gave Barker a good character. His lordship
sentenced him to transportation for life, postponing the sen-
tence on Fisher, for the purpose of giving him an opportunity
of producing any evidence as to his formir course of life.
His lordship deemed that there was some distinction in the
case of the last-named prisoner, as he did not reside on the
premises, and might have been unwittingly led into the
offence.

COINING_
Tames Crossley, 30, and Margaret Crossley, 28, were
charged with having made eighty counterfeit sixpences, at
Whalley.
The Attorney-General and Mr. Pollock appeared for the
prosecution, and the prisoners were undefended.
Part of the proof, in this case, rested on the testimony of a
man named Abraham Mitchell, who had made acquaintance
with the prisoners, and who had informed the police of their
proceedings, and upon the evidence of a woman who had her-
self been accused of coining. These two testified to the fact
of the prisoners having been seen employed in the act of
making sixpences. The male prisoner averred that Michael
himself took the moulds and other materials to his house,
and cast a number of sixpences, melting down bad shillings
for the purpose. The police officers went to the house, and
found moulds and other materials usually found in casting
counterfeits, with several base sixpences and shillings.
His LORDSHIP expressed a strong opinion that the em•
ployment of individuals for the purpose of bringing crimes tc
light by espionage was extremely reprehensible, and fre.
quently productive of great evil.
The jury inquired if Mitchell were to receive anything or
the conviction of the prisoners. It appeared that he had re.
ceived regular wages, and that nothing tut ned on this con•
viction.
The jury found the prisoners guilty, but recommender
them to mercy under the opinion that they had been the
dupes of others.
Sergeant ATCHERLEY said that the male prisoner had but
just been released, after having served two years in Lancaster
Castle.
HIS LORDSHIP deferred passing sentence.
FORGERY.
Charles Thompson, aged 36, a very respectable looking
man, was charged with having feloniously passed a receipt
for money, with intent to defraud the Sheffield and Man-
chester Railway Company.
Mr. Brandt and Mr. Hulton appeared for the prosecution:
Mr. Shaw for the defence.
The prisoner was secretary to the Sheffield and Manches.
ter Railway Company. An account of £447 was due to
Messrs. Mawdsley of this town for advertising. The pri-
soner drew that amount from the directors, but remitted
only £347. An acknowledgment was transmitted, and
Thompson, it was alleged, had altered the word " three
into " four."
John Dalton one of the directors of the Sheffield and
Manchester Railway Company, stated that in September
1839, the prisoner was in the employ of the company a
secretary. They had an account with Gore and Son of this
town, for advertising. On September 25th, a meeting o
the directors was held at Glossop, and Gore and Son's ac.
count was brought forward by Mr. Thompson, and ordered
to be paid. A cheque was drawn for the amount on the
► District. Bank of Manchester and Liverpool. The cheque
was handed over to Mr. Thomson. Witness and Mr. Sykes
signed the cheque, and the body of it was in the handwriting
. of the prisoner. It was handed to him, and his duty was to
send it to the party in whose favour it was drawn. The re-
ceipts of parties were usually pasted in the voucher-book.
(The receipt from Messrs. Gore was produced.) The letter
r in the word four the witness thought was like the writing

of Mr. Thompson. The word altogether was like the general
character of his hand.
Mr. Cunningham cashier to the District Bank, stated that
on the 26th September, 1839, the prisoner presented the
cheque for payment. It was paid ; £lOO being given it
cash, and a letter of credit for £317, payable to Messr
Gore and Son, of this town.
Thomas Kerrison, clerk to Messrs. Mawdsley, (Gore

Son), proved that in September, 1839, the Rail,Way.Company
owed them £447, and that they, in that month, received a
remittance of £317, which was acknowledged. The letter of
acknowledgment was handed in. Mr. Kerrison showed that
the word " three" had been altered to "four." A letter
from Mr. Thomson, which accompanied the letter of credit,
was read. It set forth the total sum remitted, namely, £347,
and that some of the accounts for advertising in other papers
having come in, the balance was retained till another audit
of the board, he would call and see Messrs. Mawdsley (Gore
and Son), respecting the accounts. Mr. Kerrison stated
that he never had any conversation with Mr. Thompson on
the subject of the letter.
Mr. James Mawdsley stated, that he was a partner in the
firm of Gore and Son ; there were more than two partners.
Mr. Thomson called a month or two after the letter alluded
to arrived.
Cross-examined.—Did not arrange that Mr Thompson was
to pay the deficient £lOO by an acceptance. Mr. Thompson
proposed that mode, but it was not acceded to. He (Mr.
Thomson) then proposed to pay by instalments. He (Mr.
Mawdsley) agreed to that.
By Mr. BR ANDT.-Mr. Thomson stated that the directors
were displeased that he had given such extensive orders for
advertisements, and he would therefore pay the residue out
of his own pocket. That was the reason why he (Mr.
Mawdsley) acceded to the proposal to pay by instalments.
Mr. SHAW took several slight objections to the form of the
indictment, none of which was entertained. He then ad-
dressed the jury at some length in favour of the prisoner.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
HORSE-STEALING.

Thomas Wright, alias Tommy Boots, aged 26, was charged
with having stolen a horse, the property of Wm. Baker.
Mr. Hutton conducted the prosecution.
Mr. Baker, it appeared, had a flat in the canal from
Northwich, and the prisoner, who possessed a horse, was
made captain of this flat, his horse drawing it. Baker,
having made some disbursements on account of the prisoner,
agreed to purchase the horse for seven guineas, and a balance
was struck between them, and the horse was delivered to
Mr. Baker. The prisoner continued in Mr. Baker's service,
and shortly afterwards sold the horse again in Manchester,
to James Thomas, a publican, for £2 10s.
The jury found the prisoner guilty. A good character was
given to the prisoner, and he was sentenced to six months'
imprisonment, the first and last week in solitary confinement.
William Randall, aged 19, a respectable-looking but evi-
dently exceedingly impudent young man, was charged with
having, at Salford, stolen a horse, gig, and harness, the pro-
perty of Mr. John Sharpies.
Mr. Wilkins and Mr. Monteith conducted the prosecution.
On the 10th of May last the prisoner called at the livery
stables kept by Mr. Sharpies, in Manchester, and calling for
the stable keeper, asked for a saddle-horse, saying that lie
had left his own mare at a stable, to the owner of which he
referred the other. There was not a saddle-horse in all Mr.
Sharpies's stables, and the prisoner asked if they had no
horse in. He was told that there was a harness-horse in.
He said that would do, as he had to go to Altrincham. The
horse was put in harness in a gig, and while the ticket was
being made out, the prisoner drove off. It was proved that
he drove to the house of Mrs. Scholefield, near Oldham,
about nine miles from Manchester, and there borrowed a
saddle and bridle. He told Mrs. Scholefield that he was
one of the firm of Houldsworth and Co., wine-merchants, of
Manchester, and son to Mr. Houldsworth. He then rode
away to the Brown Cow, at Leeds, where he inquired for a
purchaser for his horse, saying, that he must sell it suddenly,
as he wished to remit some money to his mother. He
sought for a purchaser, at first asking £l5 for it, and after-
wards coming. down to £6. The prisoner cross-examined
the witnesses in the most impudent manner, and astonished
a sturdy Yorkshireman, who had told a very plain story
against him, by averring that he had never seen him in his
life before.
The prisoner addressed the jury, representing himself as a
person of high family connexions. He denied any intention
of selling the horse, and said that he hired it for the purpose
of going to Leeds, to look after some property.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, stating that it was un-
necessary for his lordship to snm up.
His LORDSHIP said he was sorry for the young man, but
he was a very proper example. He was sentenced to 15
years' transportation.
THE POULTON, GOSTON, AND BICKERSHAWE-HALL
BURGLARIES.
On the application of Mr. Wilkins, his lordship fixed the
trial in this case to come on first thing to come on to-morrow
morning (Wednesday.)
The court adjourned at a quarter-past six o'clock.

NISI PRIUS COURT.—TUESDAY.
(Before Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN.)
The learned judge took his seat a few minutes after nine
o'clock. -