137. (L.) William Whight , otherwise James Dixon proceedingsdefend . was indicted for filing and diminishing one thirty-six shilling piece of Portugal money, to the great deceit of his majesty's subjects , October 1 . ++

Edward Lambley < no role > . I have known Whight 8 or 9 years. He applied to me to accept indorsed bills, drawn by Collins, otherwise Wood, that was tried here last December Sessions (See No. 47.) and I did accept bills of my own brother, drawn upon me, and payable to Collins. Sometimes they were made payable to Collins, and sometimes to his friends in the country. Collins at that time lived at Birmingham, and a great many were drawn with fictitious names. There was not that lived means to get bills on accepted bills to the value of I at the time that Collins Whight < no role > told me that they, meaning Collins and himself, had got a new trade, about two years and a half ago.

Q. Did he tell you what trade it was ?

Lambley. He said it was clipping 36 s. pieces and moidores. I have been present and seen them both clipping of each. I can't be positive how many time. I have seen them, it may be half a dozen, or half a score times.

Q. Are you certain you have seen Whight clip such?

Lambley. I have. He clip'd them first where they stood a little out, with a pair of taylors shears, then he smooth'd them with a small file; then he made a punch, as he told me, whereby he made a sort of a milling afterwards. I have seen the punch in Token-house-yard, where he lived, and also at Collins's lodgings in Spittle-fields, and I believe I saw it at the garden at Hoxton. There was a smaller house, where were two closets joining to the fire place, and a bench in each closet, for them to work at that sort of work; no doubt but that conveniency was built on purpose for that use. I saw Whight clip some 36 s. pieces there.

Q. Do you know the hand-writing of the prisoner?

Lambley. I do. I know he was Collins's agent. [He is shew'd six letters. He said five of them were Collins's hand-writing, with Whight's writing on the back of each, and the sixth was the hand-writing of Whight. Most of them were directed to James Dixon < no role > .]

Q. Who was this James Dixon < no role > ?

Lambley. That was their contrivance. Collins directed his letters to Whight so, and Whight took them in, and open'd them. He took them in as for one James Dixon < no role > , but they were for himself, and he answer'd them. The bills drawn upon James Dixon < no role > were paid by Whight.

Q. Look at this pocket book (he takes it in his hand. )

Lambley. I believe this is Whight's writing. Here are tools in order to carry on that trade, vices, shears, a pot, &c.

Mr. Freewell. I am a teller at the bank, I know the prisoner's face very well, I have seen him at the bank, and have paid him money for bank notes, but can't recollect the particular species. I had a suspicion of him. The first was Mrs. Wilcox, the second was Wood, otherwise Collins, and the third the prisoner. My suspicion was founded upon a mistake made by Mrs. Wilcox, in the receipt of some ports at the bank. One of my brother tellers had paid her 100 l. instead of 90 l. on inquiring where to find her, he went to the Castle at Moorgate, and was inform'd one Whight would satisfy him about the 10 l. and I think Whight did; and after we had been at Wood's house and garden at Hoxton, I expressed my desire (to Mr. Chamberlayne, solicitor of the Mint) to go in pursuit of Whight. Mr. Kemp, I, and one of Mr. Fielding's men went and took him, at the Castle at Moorgate, on the 6th of October. I ask'd him if he lodged there, he said no, he lodged in Silver-street. We went there with him, and searched, and Mr. Kemp took out of a drawer in his bed chamber a pair of shears, and a file with gold in the teeth of it. I left Mr. Kemp with him, and went down in order to found his landlady. I got from her, that the man and his wife at the Castle at Moorgate were at Whight's lodgings the night before. I desired Mr. Kemp to go and search there, and I took the prisoner to Mr. Fielding in a coach. He was searched, and out of his pocket we took a pocket book, in which was a memorandum, fresh scratched out, it was then not dry, which I suppose he did while I was talking to his landlady. There were nine keys in his pocket (producing them) here is one of them open'd the outward door of the garden at Hoxton, another the outward door of the summer-house, another that open'd both the cupboard doors withinside, and one that open'd the very drawer under the bench upon which they work'd within that closet in a cupboard. I open'd these doors with them, and found in the last mention'd drawer scales and weights, and an iron box, wherein was a small ingot of gold and silings; there was a vice with a bit of leather in it, tinged with gold, in which I believe had been pieces of money, in order to file them. At justice Fielding's we took out of the prisoner's pocket three moidores (producing them) two of them appear to me, and I am certain of it, to be fresh clip'd, and I believe never had been in other hands. I think he is too well acquainted with money to let these pass thro' his hand, any body would see they were fresh filed, and would refuse them; there is not an edge put upon one of them, another of them has an edge put upon it, the other has been fresh filed and edg'd, and I believe will pass very well I observed to Mr. Whight the of them, and he desired me not to be too nice.

M. Kemp. I am porter to his majesty's mint in the Tower. I was at the taking the prisoner up on the 6th of October, at the Castle near Moorgate. I found a three corner'd file with gold on it, two other files, and a pair of shears, stained with gold, a chest of drawers among his cloaths. When he saw me taking them up, he desired me to take no notice of them. We found upon him two moidores, which we found to be weight, they were lying then on the table; he turned to them, and said, if I would accept of that I should be welcome to it, if I would not take notice of the tools; this was in Silver-street. When he was gone to the justice's, I went back to the Castle at Moorgate, and in a de in his room I found some cupings and hg of gold, the clippings seemed to be from 30 s. pieces and guineas, but they were taken away in court after the trial of Wood, and we never heard of them since. I found also a pair of shears, and in a drawer some more tools.

John Spinler. I am apprentice to Mr. Samuel Spinler < no role > , a refiner. The prisoner sold me gold run into ingots [He reads in a book] Jan. 10, 1757, two ounces, seventeen penny weight, brought by Whight. - April 18, ten ounces, one penny weight, by Whight. - June 22, gold brought, but whether by Mr. Wood or the prisoner, I can't say. - Aug. 5, fourteen ounces, fifteen penny weight, twelve grains, by Whight. - October 4, fourteen ounces, thirteen penny weight, by Whight. I have seen him bring gold in ingots several times.

Mr. Pacor. I have carried a great many bills to Whight for payment, he paid me very light money in general. I don't know that ever I received any of him but that I was obliged to weigh them. I have rejected both Portugal money and guineas. He would say he had them of a banker, and as he received them he must pass them. I have noted him for paying bad money; his money used to be so exceeding light, I really suspected him in this way.

The book taken from him read, call'd a book of charges of money laid out in trade. For two vices 16 s. for files 1 s. for shears 20 d. for a nest of pots 4 s. for the aslay 6 d. for files 6 d. for time and making tools, &c. &c. &c.

The prisoner had nothing to say in his defence, but call'd Mr. Spurier, who had known him about three years; Mr. Norman, between three and four; Mr. Ashton, six or seven; Mr. Leyfort, six or seven; Mr. Caruthas, eight; Mr. Luallin. between two and three; Samuel Guest < no role > , about eleven; and Mrs. Neves, five weeks; who all gave him a good character.

Guilty .

[No punishment. See summary.]