The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-07-01 00:00:00

COURT OF jKING'S BExur, JUNZ 30.

BEARD AZID OTHERS V. WARD:
This was an issue out of Chancery to try whether
William Cotton, who died in Noveinher 1319. Was legiti-
mite.

The•plaintiff's twins conducted 1w the SOLICITOR*
GINERAL, Mr. °WINE; Mr. ?RAISON, Mr. N. CLAIIILI,
jun , and Sir. AtlaitnAx; and the defendant's by Mr.
SCARLETT, Sergeant LIOSANQUIT, Mr.
DINMAN and Mr. 8. M. Pletiurs.

This was a secondissus ;upon the same question. the
first having been triad ,Abe Common Pleas, and the
Lord Chancellor having granted a second, the case came
on now for trial. The plaintiff's case alone occupied the
I whole day, and was not closed until seven in the evening.
The question is ef considershle importance to the parties,
the property depending upon the result. which consists of
landed property no Shropshire and other counties, being
estimated at upwards of eOO,OOOl. The question was,
whether William Cotton's father and mother were mar-
ried before his birth, which 'took place la 1740. The
plaintiffs claimed as co-heiresses of the deceased, who was
a latratie. and the defendant claimed as devisees under
the will of the younger brother deceased. An immense
body of eVidence, documentary and parole, was received
for the pnrposs of establishing the legitimacy of Mr.
4;otma's birth.

The documentary evidence consisted of wills, family
settlements, and conveyances, throughout which Mr.
Cotton was treated as the legitimate son of bit father
and mother. The parole evidence consisted of the testi-
mony of old persons who were acqnainted with the
family, and the reputation of the deceased. Fedna their
testimony it appeared that Mr. Cotton had always been
reputed to be a legitimate child, and none of theds had
erer beard any suggestion to the contrary. In addition
to these heads of evidence, it appeared that the defendant,
who had been appointed receiver of the estates, had him-
self, on repeated occasions, in applications to the Court
or Chancery, respecting the lunatic's property, treated
him as a person of legitimate birth, and had dealt with his
property upon that footing.
At seven o'clock the further bearing of the case was ad-
o, j aimed until to-morrow.

OLD BAILEY, MONDAY, Juxa 30.
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CHARGE OP rozcznr.

S. W. Miles, a young man 19 years of age, of a very
respectable appearance, was indicted capit illy for utter-
ing forged :V. 13a, 1 of England notes, well knowing them
to be forgeries, with intent to defraud the Governor and
Company of the Bank of England.
The first svitness called was Richard Davis, a broker,
of Windmill-street. The prisoner called upon him on the
9th of June, at about half-past ten in the evening, and
said ha bail just come from sea, and wanted a era-chest.—
The prisoner said, " You know my father, Miles, of Is-
lington." Witnesshad known the father. The prisoner
afterwards added, that he had just come from the Clyde
Indiamatt, and bad had a very prosperous voyage, and
that in a few days he should receive 1301. The prisoner,
after choosing for some time, fixed upon a chest for 305.,
which was seat home to the prisoner. in payment, a
forged Al. Bank of England note was given.
A porter tben proved the delivery of the chest at the
prisoner's lodgings ; and Captain Driver, of the Clyde
licensed ship, proved that although the prisoner had
been a voyage in the ship, yet that he did not now be-
long to her.
Mr. Wuntner, the keeper of Newgate, proved that the
prisoner was in his custody On the 21st April, and was dis-
charged by proclamation. •
Thomas Rice Steel, whose father Was a stationer in
Cita:leery-lane, proved that the prisoner had purchased
a warrant of attorney, and tendered a forged Al. note in
payment.
Charles Washington, shopman to a law-stationer,
proved the tender of a forged Al. note by the prisoner
on the 4th of Jane. A baisket-maker living in the New-
road, and a watchmaker, residing in Charlton-place,
proved receiving from the poisoner two forged Al. notes;
the latter on the 13th of June.

.1%) r. Lees,lnspecior of Bank notes at the Bank of Eng-
land, proved that the notes in question, and which were
produced, were forgeries in all respects.
A Juryman asked the witness, whether it hatt not oc
cured at the B ink, that a forged note had been paid in
and was not discovered to be a forgery until the genuine
note was produced ? The witness answered in the affirm-
ative.

'/he prisoner was apprehended on the 14th of Jane, in
company with a female..
lirmg called upon for his defence, the prisoner
read as ingeniously written piper, affirming Isis
innocence of • the (Tin* imputed to bim. He
erid ise had lately returned from tne East Indies, and br-
irg oily connected with srilors,- his friends wero
among that elassof men, who were the least likely to 10,
mat with on land, When their assistance was most need-
ful. He milemnly denied all knooledge of the notes be-
ing forgeries, and entreated the Jury to consider the pro-
bability of his havint taken the aStes from some person,
who was aware, fro n'the uatureof his engagements, that
he seas issolopateas to judge of their tenable:me.

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