776, 777, 778. JOHN WHILE, otherwise WILD proceedingsdefend , ELIZABETH WHILE, otherwise WILD proceedingsdefend , and JOSEPH WHILE, otherwise WILD proceedingsdefend , were indicted for traiterously making a piece of false, feigned, and counterfeit money, to the likeness and similitude of the current legal money and silver coin of this realm called a shilling , September 5th .

2d Count. For coining a sixpence.

[The witnesses were examined apart at the request of the prisoner.]

JOHN DIXON < no role > sworn.

I went to search the house of John Wild < no role > in Brooks-street Ratcliff , in company with Farrell, Paggett, Wynne, and Elby; I think it was on the 5th of September, about eight in the morning: we could not get in at the fore door; Farrell and I went round into a rope ground and got in at the back door; we met a woman in the passage; she asked what we wanted; I ran immediately to the fore door and let Wynne and Pagget in; finding nobody below, we went up to the one pair of stairs room, there I found John Wild < no role > and Mrs. Wild in bed.

How many rooms are there on a floor? - Two, I believe; it was in the fore room: I did not stop there long, but ran up into the two pair of stairs room, and found Joseph Wild < no role > in bed; I knew him immediately; I said nothing to him, but went down stairs and told who was there; we began to search in the one pair of stairs room; on the woman's side of the bed we found these pockets (producing four linen pockets); Mrs. Wild immediately jumped out of bed and endeavoured to secure the pockets, Farrell snatched them away and delivered them to me, and I found a quantity of bad shillings in them; they are now in the pockets sealed up in the same state they were; they are tied up in separate parcels; we secured the people and went down into a back kitchen, there we found a pair of flasks, a quantity of sand, crucibles, a bottle of aqua fortis, files, weights scales, and facing, in short every thing used in coining.

What were the scales for? - For weighing the quantity of metal, I believe; there was a large quantity of charcoal, a stove and furnace fixed, with two melting pots in it, a quantity of copper, a pair of sheers, this pot (producing it) was on the fire with the pickle in it, but the fire was out; here is another piece of metal found in some part of the room, I cannot justly say what part; a sieve, scissars, a cork, and every thing that can be used in that way (the several articles were produced in court).

What do you call that metal? - It is to melt down to make counterfeit shillings, they call it cicil; I believe there has been some pieces cut out of it.

GEORGE WYNNE < no role > sworn.

I went to search this house in Brooks-street: Dixon and Farrell got in the back way and opened the street door; then I went in with Pagett and Elby; we went up stairs and found John Wild < no role > and his wife in bed, and Joseph Wild < no role > in bed in the two pair of stairs room; I desired Mrs. Wild to open a chest in the one pair of stairs room, which she did, and I found in it a quantity of bad shillings and sixpences; it stood at the foot of the bed in the lower bed-room; I believe Dixon and Pagget broke open the door, and there was all the tools, which are produced; Dixon, I, and Farrell searched Bond's house at Mile-end the same day, where I found a parcel of bad money, which he said he had from the prisoner (producing it).

WILLIAM BELL < no role > sworn.

The prisoner and Mr. Bond took a house of me in Brooks-street, Ratcliff-cross; Bond said it was for Mrs. Wild and her husband; she was present when he made the agreement; it is between four and five months ago.

Do you know whether Mr. and Mrs. Wild entered the house? - I know Mrs. Wild did; for a few days before this was discovered, she came to me to have a new lock put on the door; I never saw him there; I am not certain whether I was ever in the house after it was let; - I believe I was once.

Cross Examination.

Bond took the house for Wild and his Wife, which of the Wilds did you understand it was? - I don't know; I had never seen Wild.

Then Mrs. Wild took it for herself and her husband? - I think Mrs. Wild signed the agreement for herself and her husband.

Did you sign any agreement? - Yes; I believe I signed for the other party.

Did you sign any agreement to Joseph Wild < no role > ? - I don't know which of the Wilds it was.

Have you the agreement? - I left it at Mr. Sherwood's by his desire.

JOHN BOND sworn.

I know all the prisoners; I have known them four or five years, as far as neighbours; they came to live in Brooks-street about Midsummer; I believe they took the house of one Mr. Bell.

Tell what you know of the offence with which they are charged, being committed in that house? - I had some knowledge of it before they came there, in Whitechapel; I have been in the house in Brooks-street several times; I have had three or four guineas worth of silver at a time of John Wild < no role > , at twenty-eight, shillings to the guinea; I have seen them rubbing something resembling money with paper; I have seen John scouring something, and Joseph treading some sand, I imagine to cast in; it was a kind of a box of sand; I never saw the woman do any thing.

Should you know the box again? - I don't know that I should.

How long was it before they were apprehended that you saw this? - About two months; it might be less or more; I don't know that I ever saw it but once.

Who did you buy silver of? - John first of all; I bought twenty guineas worth of John's wife in Whitechapel, at twenty-eight shillings the guinea.

What was the last money you purchased of them? - I believe three or four guineas.

How long was that before they were apprehended? - Within a week, I think.

Was your house searched at the time they were apprehended? - Yes.

Some money was found there? - Yes.

How much? - I don't know.

Who had the money that was found in your house? - Some of them; I believe there was none but what I received of Wild, except a shilling or two I might take and throw in.

How much might be the quantity? - There might be two or three guineas; I recommended them as tenants to Mr. Bell; I knew them before.

Your business was only to vend the bad money? - I had nothing to do in the making of it.

You was not permitted to see them make it? - I was in the room once; I saw Mr. Wild rubbing some metal with sand; I saw John Wild < no role > pour some hot metal into a square iron thing, and I saw Josph Wild damp some sand.

What sort of a thing was it? - (Looks at the flask) It was something like that.

'On his Cross Examination he said, he surrendered

'himself and was not taken up, and

'that he expected to be let off on giving his

'evidence.'

JOHN CLARKE < no role > sworn.

Are these instruments produced proper for the coining of silver? - Certainly so; here is the flasks into which the metal is poured.

Is aqua fortis used in coining? - Yes; it is used to colour the metal after it is coined.

What is that in the crucibles? - There has been metal melted in this crucible; (looks at another) that has not been used.

What is that in it? - It is what they call get; it is laid in the sand when they cast, it feeds the impression; there is a piece of lead laid on the side of that and then impressions are made.

Cross Examination.

Whether these crucibles and instruments may not be used to other purposes besides the purpose of coining? - Certainly, where melting business is carried on.

JAMES COLLARD < no role > sworn.

I am one of the moniers of the Mint (picks out fourteen, or sixteen shillings and sixpences); these are bad; there is not one of the others I would swear to be good; but there are some of them doubtful.

COURT. What quantity is there of them in all?

Counsel. About seven pound.

JOHN WILD < no role > 's DEFENCE.

I am innocent; my brother will give you an account of the things.

ELIZABETH WILD < no role > 's DEFENCE.

I had the money that was in my pockets of my brother, he was going out and desired me to take care of it; he did not like to carry such money about with him; that is all I know of it.

JOSEPH WILD < no role > 's DEFENCE.

About a twelvemonth ago one Yardley, who was under sentence of death, sent to me and said, he had so and so, which was the things produced in Court; that if I would go I might have them, they were packed up in a box in Golden-lane, they were of no use to him; I went to the house in Golden-lane, and got the box; I brought it to this house, there were these things in it; when I saw what it was, I thought to run all this money into gun metal, and when the witnesses came in, I was treading the sand to do it; I am a gunsmith .

FOR JOSEPH WILD < no role > .

JOHN CURRON < no role > sworn.

I did keep the Black-raven, in Golden-lane, some time ago.

Do you know of a box left there? - I know nothing of Yardley; there was a box left at the bar; a man came and enquired for it, and said it was marked J. Y.; I looked, and it was so marked; I delivered it.

Cross Examination.

You kept a public house in Golden-lane? - Yes.

This box was left in your custody? - It was left there, I don't know by who; I never saw the man that left it; it was left in the care of my wife.

COURT. How did you know who to deliver it to? - He told me the mark of it.

Did you ever see Yardley? - No.

COURT. So a box is left in the bar you don't know by who; it stands in the bar where any body might see it; and you deliver it to any body that mentions the mark of it? - There is nobody admitted into the bar but my wife and myself.

Where do you live now? - I keep the Crown ale-house in Cock-lane, Spital-fields.

Was you ever taken up for this? - No; I never was in custody in my life for any thing.

Mr. COLLARD. I have looked the money over; and selected about thirty pieces that are bad.

'The prisoners called four other witnesses,

'who gave them a good character.'

JOHN and JOSEPH WILD < no role > , both GUILTY . Death .

ELIZABETH WILD NOT GUILTY .

Tried by the First Middlesex Jury before Mr. Baron EYRE.