147, 148. THOMAS PICKERING proceedingsdefend and THOMAS CORN proceedingsdefend were indicted for that they one piece of copper money called a half-penny unlawfully and feloniously did make, coin, and counterfeit , against the statute, &c. February 1st .

CHARLES JEALOUS < no role > sworn.

I belong to Sir John Fielding's Office. On the 1st of February an information was given us about some coining business being carried on at Holford's court, Fenchurch-street , at a large house, the door of which was painted brown. I took a hackney-coach at seven in the morning of the 1st of February. I secreted myself therein to observe who went into this house. Between the hours of seven and eight I saw the prisoner Corn go into that house. I staid there till near nine o'clock. I did not see Corn come out again, nor no one go in after that time. Then I went to the office. I returned there again about the hour of eleven, with a city constable and some more of Sir John Fielding < no role > 's people. We went to that house; I lifted up the window, and Prothero jumped in immediately. That room is I believe called the kitchen. We saw none but a woman sitting there; we ran up stairs immediately, but saw no one there. There were no goods nor furniture. We left somebody below to take care of the woman.

Do you mean there was no furniture or goods in any part of the house? - Yes; there was, but not up stairs. We then went down into the cellar; there we found a large press fixed with two dies in it, and a cutting out press near it.

What was the large press for? - Making half-pence. There was one half-penny between the dies. The other was for cutting out of blanks. I then came up stairs and asked the young woman below who the house belonged to; she said she was nothing but a servant and did not know. We found a vast quantity of blanks; and I think there are fourteen pair of dies besides the pair out of the fly. We also found a vast quantity of copper which is here. I was searching round the place, upon the shelf lay a letter, which I believe Mr. Vernon has got; it was directed to Thomas Pickering < no role > , at the Crown in Lad-lane.

Is that the letter? - It is. I shewed it to Mr. Prothero; he desired I would go immediately with the city constable to theCrown in Lad-lane. I went there, and found Pickering and Corn both sitting together. We took them to the house where the tools were found. I asked Corn if that was his lodging; he said it was not.

Did you say any thing to Pickering? - I did not; Mr. Phillips was with him. I searched Corn, but found nothing upon him. I did not search the other.

Have these dies been in your custody ever since? - They have been in Prothero's custody.

DAVID PROTHERO sworn.

You are another of Sir John Fielding < no role > 's officers? - I am. I went with Jealous to Holford-court. When I got in at the window, I saw a woman sitting in the room; I opened the passage door to let the rest of the officers in; then I ran up stairs. The information was, that they coined silver as well as half-pence, and generally coined the silver up stairs, that caused me to run up stairs first. I found all the rooms up stairs empty; there was not any furniture in them. Then I ran down stairs again and went into the cellar, there I found a great press with a large fly.

Is thathere? - It is in a cart in the yard, it is too heavy to be brought into court. There were two dies in it. These cuttings lay near the press.

These are what they call secil? - They are. Here are a vast quantity of blanks which lay by the press; there are a great many more in the box. These were put in a sieve. There is a hole made in the ground to sit down to feed the die with them. There was a cutting out press. These two dies (producing them) I took out of the press; and I have some half-pence, which I believe were struck with these (producing a large box full) there are some for farthings and some for half-pence.

All the implements were there that are necessary to complete this process of coining? - Yes, sawdust and oily sacks. They put them into sacks with dust, and oil them, and then they shake them backwards and forwards to clean them.

The other press is bigger than this, is it not? - It is ten times as big as this. Jealous told me he had found a letter which was addressed to Pickering and Corn at an alehouse in Lad-lane. I bid him take Phillips, a city constable, and go there, and secure them, and bring them to the house. They went and found them there. They found two half-pence amongst some others upon Pickering, which half-pence tally with these dies.

MOSES MORANT < no role > sworn.

You likewise attended this search? - Yes. There was a letter found in the house, we went according to the direction of that letter, to the Crown in Lad-lane; there we found Pickering and Corn. I searched Pickering, when we brought them back to the house, and found some half-pence upon him. I selected these two (producing them) from the others.

Have you examined them with the other half-pence found in the house? - Yes, and with that die too.

Do they correspond? - Yes, they do with the die that was in the press.

Cross Examination.

Are you clear that these halfpence fit those dies exactly? - I am very clear.

There are a vast number of halfpence I suppose about town which will fit those dies? - I do not know that any will fit those dies so exact as these do.

WILLIAM HUGHES < no role > sworn.

The house wherein the press was found, belonged to me. I let it to Pickering at Christmas last. While it was empty there was a bill stuck up at the end of the court signifying that there was a house to let; he offered himself to me as a tenant. I asked him his trade; he said he was a fancy weaver. I asked him who he was known to; he said to a neighbour of mine, Mr. Spratlin, a haberdasher. I went to Mr. Spratlin, who said he had purchased goods of Pickering in his business. In consequence of that I received him as a tenant. He continued my tenant till the time he was taken up.

- LUTWYCHE sworn.

I live in Fenchurch-street, at the corner of Holford-court.

Who were the persons who occupied that house? - I cannot tell.

Who used to go in and out of that house?- I have seen Corn go in and out frequently.

Who else? - Nobody else, particularly to swear to.

Then you never saw the other prisoner go in and out? - I cannot recollect that ever I did.

Mr. GREGORY sworn.

You are a monier of the Mint? - I am.

Look at these dies and these halfpence; were either of those halfpence made at the Tower? - They were not; they are counterfeit; they appear to me as if they had been struck from these dies.

Court. The old halfpence are those that were found in Pickering's pocket? - Yes; the letters upon this die, and those upon the halfpence correspond together.

Counsel for the prisoner. Can you, upon your oath say, that these two old ones were made from these dies? - I will not say that.

Counsel for the crown. When a number of halfpence are struck from a die, that must wear the die of course? - It certainly does.

PICKERING's DEFENCE.

I left the house before Christmas; I left it to one John Dawker < no role > ; I had let the lodgings, but I had left some things in them.

Prothero. There was a pair of buckskin breeches upon the bed; I asked Pickering if they were his? He said no; but when he was at Sir John Fielding < no role > 's he said they were his breeches. I said, are they your's, and do you make a demand of them? He said yes.

CORN's DEFENCE.

I know nothing of the house. I am a journeyman hatter , and work for Messrs. Jackson and Son in Coleman-street.

For Corn.

JOHN HOLTON < no role > sworn.

I have known Corn these ten years, he is a hat maker, he works for Messrs. George Jackson < no role > and Son, in Coleman-street. I have a letter here from his master.

Was he in his employment in January and February last? - For these four years past, to my certain knowledge.

Have you often seen him in his business? - He is as hard a working man as can be.

Are you of the same trade? - Yes.

And also work for Mr. Jackson? - Yes.

And Corn was constant in his business? - Yes, he was.

BOTH NOT GUILTY .

Tried by the London Jury before Mr. RECORDER.