The Express. — 1846-10-12 (London, England)

GUILDHALL.—FELONIOUS " WATER-MA RICS."—Mr J Freeman, inspector of forged notes at the Bank of England, was summoned before Mr. Alderman Gibbs, for detaining a sheet of paper belonging to Mr. A. M. Job, a stationer, in Bread-street.—Mr. C. Fmhfleld, one of the solicitors to the bank, appeared on behalf of the defendant.—Mr. Job complained of the detention of a sheet of paper manufactured by him, and bearing the name of Dupont and Co. in the water-mark. Mr. Freeman took it from him a mouth ago at the Bank of England. He called on complainant and inquired about some paper he had made for Mr. Thornton, the same gentleman that committed suicide in a stationhouse a short time since. Witness told him he thought he had preserved one sheet of it fur his register of specimens, but of course be could not part with that. He found the sheet and took it to the bank to show Mr. Freeman, who seemed to want to keep it. Witness tel him he could not part with it, but he delivered it to him to show to the governor. After keeping him waiting for a longtime he returned, and said he intended to detain it. Witness was obliged to take this course upon principle, to show that even the bank could not be suffered to treat people in an arbitrary manner.--Mr. Freshfleld said that after Thornton had destroyed himself a short time since while in custody, charged with having possession of a forged note, at his lodging were found a plate and implements fur preparing forged notes, and it was discovered that Mr. Job had manufactured the paper for him. The paper had the curved or waving bar in the water-mark precisely like the Bank of England notes. and by one of the acts for preventing forgery it was enacted that no person should manufacture paper with a curved or waving bar water-mark, on pain of transportation for 14 years. The way in which Mr. Job met the inquiry induced the Bank to believe he had offended inadvertently, and no proceeding was taken against him, though the mischief he had enabled Thornton to commit was enormous. Mr. Job had manufactured for him paper for 10,000 notes, which might have been filled up as 1001. or 1,0001. notes, and circulated in India and Europe. The paper had fortunately been seized at Alexandria, on its way to Cairo, where Thornton had an establishment. If Mr. Job flattered himself that he might lawfully have possession of paper on which he could fabricate false notes, he was mistaken. It was declared to be a felonious act to make such a water-mark, or to have a sheet of such paper in possession. He warned Mr. Job that he would be treated ea a felon if he were found offending again.--Mr. Job said the act Mr. Freshfleld referred to only related to the making of paper to be used in England, but he had a perfect right to make paper in any fashion for exportation, to be used by banks in foreign countries. Mr. Alderman Gibbs inquired for the section of the act to which Mr. Freshfield had referred.—Mr. Freshfleld handed to him the 11th Geo. IV., cap. 66, sec. 13, 14.—Mr. Alderman Gibbs read it, and said Mr. Job was certainly mistaken. There were no words of limitation in favour of paper made to be used abroad. It was unlawful, under any circumstances, for any one but the bank of England to make paper like theirs in respect to curved or waving watermark lines. Mr. Alderman Gibbs recommended Mr. Job to withdraw his cornplaint.—Tke bank retained the sheet of paper in issue. It was produced in court. It was larger then a bank-note, and had a border of watermark all round, the words " Dupont and Co." appearing at the top and bottom, and " Egypt" on each side; but a distinct water-line showed where this border might be cut off, leaving a centre-piece exactly the size of a bank-note, and leaving a watermark of curved or waving lines exactly resembling the bank-note.