American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-12-31
TRIAL OF THE CoUNrERFEITERs.

On Tuesday last, came on the trial of Hance A.
Hanson aiiaS Anson Smith, Maria e. Brian dLiIs
Catherine M'Guire, James Pardee, Charles Heath
GtttS David Heath and - Lyman, at the court Of
Quarter Sessions then sitting at Newcastle, on an
Indictment for a conspiracy 10 defraud the public by
utering counterfeit bank notes OF the bank Of VIII
mington and Brandywine, the Franklin Bank oil
Baltimore, and the State Park oil New Jersey, al
New brunswick, aud by making and ute ring Spa
nish quarter dollars Of base metal This form OF
prosecution was adopted brcause no evidence exis-
ted OF their having actually pissed any Of their spu
iious notes or coin 10 this state. The prosecution
wa conducted by Messrs Btinckle, Wales and the
Attorney General, and the defence by Mrssrs. Bay
ard Booth and Read. The uial lasted the whole
OF Tuesday and cntil past 2 O'Clock at night when
the jury retired. and after an absence of ten or fiji
teen minutes returned with verdict Of guilty.
Abe facts which apPea ed on The trial were such as
to demonstrate most satisfactorily deliberate and
extensive sche"e OF fraud on the part of all these
pels os In November last jaime, Pardee who re-
slded in this borough and whose house was the rem
dezT'us OF this gang, was observed to leave his
house IN company with Lyman in dearborn wa
gon and proceed up the hennet road. The pro
ceedlllgs OF these people having for some time at
Hdcled the suspicious and notice of the police, a
parry OF peace officers and others followed Pardee
and Lyman, and arrested them lust before they
reached the Pennsylvania line. Returning to VIII
mngton they met woman who had picked up on
the side OF the road bundle of counterfeit five dol
l2r notes Of the Franklin. Bank Of Baltimore which
had been thrown out Of the dearborn, from APP
Pehersion thar they were pursued. On their
rival at Wilmington, the constable. Mr. Mason and
his party proceeded Immediately to the house OF
rardee and forced open the door OF room IN the
secoSd story where they found Smith The leader Of
the gang, with shovel uplfted in his hand and in
aposlure oil attack, and the young woman Maria c
BRIAN thrusting quantity of counterfeit notes in
Vhe IRE Smith was Immediately dlsarrntd and boz b
secured, and the room and house searched. Coun.
%Ilei' notes to the amount O forty or fifty thousand
collars were fouod, besides engraving tools, stamp
Tor coming quarter dollars, materials for making
paper, and various receipts for soltenng and har-
cenng steel, for giving false appearance to base
metals &c. Charles Heath was afterwards appre.
nsoded 'nsthe same room The notes OF the Will
nheio0 and Brandywine Bank were of the letter
a. denomination OF twenty dollars, and admirably
executed; none of these had the signature of the
EFesioeht or Cashier, The notes OF the Franklin
BANK OF baltimore were of the denomination of five
collars letter A. some signed by Phil. Moore, Pre-
sldent, Jas. L. Hawkins, Cashier, others BY Jas
tioward, President, and J. B. Walsh, Cashier, and
appeared TO be well executed The New Brunswick
No'es were OF the denomination of three dollars
signed iardenberg, President, and J. N. Simpson
Cashier.
Oh Saturday last the above named criminal:
were brought to the bar and received the following
se"'emce--to pay fine OF five hundred dollars each
~ suiier one years imprisonment, and to stand il
": pup.ic Iiliory TOR the space of half an hour
riday In each and every month DURING that period
,ani - 10 DC hoped that punishment SO exemplary
Va" nave salutary effect; We think it will at leas
s slnu 10 d'ssipate an impression which prevail:
a %0'o'u we believe, and with which we understand
l 'ese prisoners soaced themselves TO wt:--that the
'I"s ol delaware are more tender towards crime.
'''s ne'aiious description, than those of our sis
49, s.a'es-n VIII also teach Offenders that actually
MSseag counterfeit money is not necessary to con-
,s r;on and punishment; they will find that the in
~n''' 'o' and preparation to commit the fraud ii
SELF per'ous with the preparation Of The act it
III ,f dho thus the tolls and dangers surrounding
'"Ir infamous pursuit are multiplied
''s''Son assas Smith, the rIpsleader Of the gang