41. Benjamin Bowtell proceedingsdefend , Stationer , was indicted for vending one Blank Sheet of Paper, having on it three Counterfeit Impressions resembling three Six-penny Stamps, he knowing the same to be Counterfeit , May 30 , in the Parish of St. Mary le Bow in London.

Elihu Bridoak. The Prisoner was very intimate with Dean, they were seldom a Day asunder. I and Dean took part of the Press from the Prisoner's House in Butcher-hall-lane , carried it to Lambeth, where it was fitted up, and afterwards left at the Prisoner's House. When Dean and I removed to Paul's Alley, he sent me to fetch this Press thither. I went and asked the Prisoner for the Press that was left by Mr. Dean. The Prisoner drew it from under the Bed, and said, There is your Tackle. I carried it to Paul's Alley, and there we stamped this Paper - One Evening, Dean, Bacon, the Prisoner, and my self were drinking together, when the Prisoner said to Mr. Bacon, If you or your Friends can take off Stamps, I will use you well, and give you two or three Months Credit. The Prisoner being committed to Wood-Street Compter, I asked Dean to go and see him. Dean said it was not so proper for him to go, for if the Key was turned upon him, it might be as much as his Life was worth, but do you go, says he, and tell him, that his own Safety as well as mine lies on his being secret. So I went, and the Prisoner told me that he had then in the House two Quire of Two and Three-penny Stamps, and six Quire of Double-penny, which he had received from Dean the Day before; but the main Bulk of Stamps was in a Box at a Coffee-house, where he and Dean had lodged, and he was afraid it was seized; but if it was not he would give Orders to remove it. He added that he had confest nothing, and that he would say he had bought the Stamps of one of the same Trade who had newly left off the Business, and was a Holland Trader - Dean dealt with the Prisoner for Paper. The Prisoner once sent some Paper by me to Dean, and told me that Dean knew what to do with it.

Prisoner. Did you ever see Dean deliver a Sheet to me, or see me sell a Sheet?

Bridoak. No, but Dean told me so.

William Rutland < no role > On the twentieth of May, the Prisoner sold these ten printed Stamps and these eleven Blanks to my Master John Willis < no role > in Tower Street for three Shillings in Money, and the rest in Paper. I delivered them to - Jewks, to carry to the Stamp Office.

- Jews. I saw the Prisoner sell these for three Shillings, and a Ream of Paper.

Mr. Rollos. Mr. Lunnies, and Mr. Sydenham deposed that these were Counterfeits.

Peter Barber < no role > , Stationer in St. Paul's Church Yard. Sometime in April last the Prisoner brought me twenty Sheets of Treble Six-penny Stamps.

Mr. Rollos and Mr. Sydenham deposed that these were Counterfeits.

Edward Wrench < no role > . On the ninth of May last, I bought seventeen Sheets of Stamps of the Prisoner. I put them in my Drawer among other Stamps, and when I heard he was taken, I carried them with my Name to them to Mr. Rollos.

Mr. Rollos. I received these from Mr. Wrench, they are Counterfeit, and are marked with the Letter Y, which is the Stamp that was sworn to be counterfeited by Dean.

Mr. Brown, Constable Here are about ten Quires which I found in several Drawers in the Prisoner's Bed Chamber, but none in his Shop.

Joseph Bacon < no role > , Attorney. In April or May last, the Prisoner told me that one Mr. Dean had some Business to do in my way. We all met. This Business was about a Suit to compel one Wigley to specify performance of an Agreement that had been made betwixt him and Dean. I told the Prisoner that the Suit would be very expensive, and he said he would be my Paymaster. Sometime after, he asked me if Stamps would not do as well as Money. I answered, yes, and took Stamps of him to the value of seven or eight Pound; the chief part of which I sold to Mr. Smith, a Stationer.

Mr. Smith. These are the same, I delivered them to the Commissioners.

Mr. Rollos. These are Counterfeit Six-penny, marked O and T.

Mr. Bacon. The Prisoner being committed on Saturday Evening, I went to him on Sunday Morning, and desired him to make me a Bill of what Stamps I had received of him. He begun to write on the Leaf of a Pocket-book; but before he had finished, he tore it, and said, he would have nothing in his own Hand to appear against him; but however he would clear me at all Events, and take the blame on himself.

Prisoner. You own you sold some of them again. Are not you then as guilty as I? You may say you did not know they were Counterfeit, and I can say the same.

James Burnet < no role > . I received Rent of the Prisoner for my Brother. He desired me to take part in Stamps. March twelve, I took one Pound ten Shillings in Treble Six-penny, and ten Pence in Paper. May the twenty eighth Twelve Double Six-penny - six Quire of Double penny, and Six Treble Six-penny Bonds. In all three Pound eighteen Shillings and seven Pence. I had used eight Shillings worth in my Business, but finding them Counterfeit, I threatened to strain, and thereupon his Wife paid me the rest of the Rent except nine Pence.

Mr. Rollos. These are all Counterfeit.

Prisoner. I own I might have sold the Stamps now produced, but I bought them of Bridoak at the full price.

Abel Fern < no role > This name instance is in a workspace. , Book binder, in Bishop's Gate Street. I was at work in the Prisoner's Shop about May last, when I saw Bridoak sell him a Quire of Treble Six Penny Stamps, for which the Prisoner paid three Shillings and six Pence.

Bridoak. I never sold him any, nor ever saw this Man in my life.

Samuel Bell < no role > (the Prisoner's Apprentice.) I saw my Master settle an Accompt with Bridoak for two Pound nine Shillings the beginning of March last. Bridoak gave my Master a Quire and a half of Treble Six Penny Stamps, and my Master gave him five Shillings to ballance. The Account was for Work and Goods.

Bridoak. He binds Books in Vellum, and he bound some Pocket Books for me to send to New Castle, and I paid him twenty five Shillings - It is no usual for Book-binders to have many Stamps, and I never knew that he dealt in them till he was acquainted with Dean. The Jury acquitted him.

Joshua Dran < no role > , was a second time indicted for High Treason in making four Pieces of Counterfeit Money, with Brass, Copper, and other Base Metals in the likeness of Guineas, May 27, in the seventh Year of his Majesty's Reign, in the Parish of St. Brides in London.

Elihu Bridoak. In December, 1733. the Prisoner began to make Dies for counterfeiting the present Coin. He finished them in January. I took Mr. Page's House in New Street, in order to Coin there. We carried thither the Bellows, and other Materials. He built the Furnace himself, and set up the Press, and provided Gold, Silver, and Copper. We made a great many Guineas, of which I distributed some hundreds. There was as much Gold in each as was worth fifteen Shillings We continued Coining till we went to stamping Paper. I know that these two Guineas were of his making, and I can pick them out from a Number of others, by a particular Mark. The Difference is in the Mouth and Lips, tho' it is not easily distinguished by a cursory View.

Mr. North. When Bridoak gave me Information of these Guineas, I asked him if he had got any of them. He said, No, but he knew them by the Lips, and could pick them out from good ones. I desired Mr. Maddoches of the Bank, to procure me three or four. Their Out tellers got four, which were mixt in a Bag with one hundred and ninety six good ones. Bridoak turned them over and picked out four, and I found them to be all Counterfeit. I gave two of them to an Officer of the Tower to make an Assay of their real value.

Thomas Whitaker < no role > . Mr. North gave me two Guineas. I tried them at the Assay Office. I found them to be Counterfeit, and worth about fifteen Shillings a-piece.

Brodoak's picking out the four Guineas from two Hundred was confirmed by Mr. Martin.

Prisoner. Ask Mrs. Fell of New Street, if she knows Watts, or has seen him at her House?

Mrs. Fell. I have seen on old Man named Watts: They said he was a Watchmaker. He mended my Clock, and my Husband's Watch. He lived then in Stone Cutters Street, which is in our Neighbourhood.

Prisoner. All these Materials were his, and they were found in his Possession. He and Bridoak took this House in New Street, and carried on the Design between them.

The Jury acquitted him.