40. Joshua Dean proceedingsdefend , Callico Print-Cutter , was indicted for making on one Sheet of Blank Paper, three counterfeit Impressions in imitation of three true Sixpenny Stamps, thereby designing to diminish the Revenue and defraud his Majesty proceedingsvictim of the Duties of six Pence, six Pence, and six Pence granted by certain Statutes , May 30 . In the Parish of St. Mary le Bow in London.

Elihu Bridoak < no role > . In July 1734. the Prisoner told me that he could counterfeit the Stamps on Paper so exactly, as not to be distinguished from the true Stamps; and if I would be concerned with him I should have half the Profits. He sent me to the Stamp Office for two treble six Penny Stamps, which I fetched to him. By these he made counterfeit Stamps, and thinking his House in St. George's Fields not convenient, I took an empty House by his Order in New-street, to which place we carried the Press and Fly and Crucibles and Metals and other Materials for coining Guineas and stamping Paper. We stamped several Reams of Paper which I distributed, some to Robert Whitworth < no role > of Manchester for twenty five Shillings a Quire the treble six penny, and seventeen Shillings the double; I sent him thirty Quire at one time; some to Mr Wheatly (or Heatly) at Chester; some to Mr. Parsons at New Castle, and some to others. I was present and saw the Prisoner put the Stamps on these five blank Sheets in March last, but these were not done in New-Street, but at Mrs. Petty's in Paul's Alley in Aldersgate Street, where we hired a Garret, about the end of February last: Nothing of the old Press was moved thither from New Street except the Fly, but we had a new Press made by one Boddington. When Benjamin Bowtell < no role > the Stationer was apprehended for selling counterfeit Stamp Paper, the Prisoner removed all the things from Paul's Alley to his House in St. George's Fields, except this Fly of the old Press, which was afterwards found in Paul's Alley by Mr. Lunnies. The new Press was first put together at Bowtell's, and the Prisoner sent me to bring it from thence to Paul's Alley: I went, and Bowtell pulled it from under the Bed, and said there is your Tackle. The Paper we stampt for Whitworth, Heatly, and Parsons, was doue with the old Press. Hearing that Bowtell was taken, I went to his House and found things in confusion: On Saturday the twenty ninth or thirtieth of May, his Wife told me that her Husband was arrested for Debt, and asked me where the Prisoner was, for her Husband wanted to speak with him; I went to the Prisoner over the Water and he told me that Bowtell was taken for selling Stamps though but few had been found at his House, but if search was made they might find more, for he had sent to Bowtell two Quire of two Shilling and three Penny Stamps, and six Quire of double Penny but the Day before. I told him Bowtell wanted to speak to him; the Prisoner answered, As he is in Custody, the Key may be turned upon me, and that may be as much as my Life is worth; but do you go to him and desire him for God's sake to hold his Tongue, for my Life depends upon his Taciturnity.

Several Witnesses deposed, that in searching the House in St. George's Fields, they found two Presses, several Stamps, Dies and Punches, and other Materials for Coining and Stamping.

Mr. Rollos, the King's Engraver, deposed that those Punches were proper for repairing Stamps after they were cast; and that the Stamp Paper produced in Court was counterfeit.

John Withers < no role > . After the House in St. George's Fields had been searched, the Door was left open and my Hen run in; I run after her, and clapt my Hand upon this Brass Six Penny Stamp, marked Y. This Place was hired by one Watts, an elderly Man, and I have seen him and the Prisoner go in there two or three times in the Day time, but I never saw the Prisoner go in alone. This was two or three Weeks before the search - This Paper was found up two pair of Stairs.

- Wagstaff. I have seen the Prisoner write several times, and I take this Writing to be his Hand.

Then the Paper was read; and part of it was as follows:

March. 6 qr of triple

3 qr of double

6 qr of prints

Ball. due from New Cas. 17. 16. 0

Mar. 27. 28

24 Indentures

12 Bonds performance

1 qr of triple

12 bonds

April 7

4 qr triple

1 double 13. 10. 0

Mr. Lunnies. I found this Pocket-book up two pair of Stairs.

- Wagstaff. This part is like his Hand - but this derogates - I cannot be positive to this.

John Boddington < no role > . This great Press I made by the Prisoner's Direction, and he paid me for it.

Prisoner. Did I alone employ you?

Boddington. Bridoak was with you - I made the Box and Screw of that other Press for Bridoak and after it was made, he and Bridoak came to look at it, and they said they liked it.

Prisoner. Was I present when it was taken away and paid for?

Boddington. Bridoak fetched it from my Shop in Islington Road, and to the best of my rememberance the Prisoner was with him.

Prisoner, Bridoak swore that I sent him to fetch that Press from Bowtell's House.

Mr. Lunnies. I went with a Warrant to take the Prisoner at his little House at Lambeth Marsh. The Constable and Mr. Wigley found him in the Garden, but he got away.

Mr. Rollos. I found him in an empty House. He had clambered up on the outside into a Cock Lost, where he lay on his Back. I called him and he came down - I found a Gun and a Pistol at his House - In a Room up one pair of Stairs among some Bricks and Shavings, in the House in St. George's Fields, there was as much Stamp Paper as came to forty or fifty Pound.

Mrs. Petty. Bridoak a Month before Lady Day, hired my Garret in Paul's Alley, and the Prisoner used to come there and lye with him for about two Months, but Bridoak staid longer - I once heard a thumping.

Mr. Page. On January 29, 1733, I let an empty House in New-street to Bridoak for a Year. I met him afterwards by chance, and he said he was going to France - On Lady Day last he brought me the Key - I do not know whether he had any Furniture in the House or not. It is a White House.

Sarah Fell < no role > . I live in New-street. The Prisoner and Bridoak have often been at our House, which is an Ale-house. I have seen them go together to the White House.

Prisoner. It has been represented, as if there was no Furniture in that House. Did not Bridoak lodge there?

S. Fell. I think he did, but am not sure. I have carried Drink to the House, but I never went but just within the Door - I have seen a Bedstead there.

Prisoner. Bridoak owns himself to be an Accomplice. He owns he was concerned in the whole Affair, and he has made himself rich by that means. But I was so poor that I was not able to carry on a little Law Suit. He pretended to be a Sollicitor. I employed him to recover a Debt, and so our Acquaintance begun. He brought me some little printed Marks to copy for him, and among them there was one for Daffy's Elixir, and as I had not Money, I was satisfying him this way for managing my Law Suit; but when I observed that most of these Marks had Crowns upon them, I suspected they might be put to an ill use, and therefore I would meddle with none but Daffy. In short I was forced to sell my Wig to carry on this Suit, and yet when he had got the Money, he put it in his own Pocket. If I had been concerned in a Practice by which he has got so much, it is reasonable to think that I might have got something too. His own Terror has brought him to a Confession: He knew that I was acquainted with some of his Secrets, and for fear I should discover them; he charges me with what he himself is guilty of, and would take away my Life to save his own. Has he not been tryed in this Place, * and convicted at Kingston? - I had taken a House at Liverpool, and put all my Tools and Cloaths on board the Ship Suttle on the ninth of May, to send thither. And when I was taken, I directed Mr. Lunnies at what House he might find them; I have since been informed that he has been there, and if he had found any thing that related to Coining or Stamping, I should have heard of it before now.

* In April 1732. Ebenezer Harvey < no role > alias Bodicoat, was tryed for stealing the Goods of Susan Calf < no role > , in the House of Ann Collier < no role > This name instance is in set 3826. , but was acquitted.

Mr. Lunnies. I searched that House, and found only his Callicoe Prints, three Suits of Clothes, and other odd things, but nothing relating to the Stamp Office.

Prisoner. If the other things that were found in St George's Fields had been mine, is it not likely that I should have sent them away too - As to the piece of Writing that is supposed to be my Hand, it might as well be the Evidence's Writing, for he counterfeited my Hand in a Receipt, as I could prove by Giles Bradshaw < no role > , who proved last Sessions that Bridoak was concerned for me in a Law Suit, which was the Reason of my being often with him; but that Witness is not now in Court - Here is George Boddington < no role > Brother to John Boddington < no role > to prove that the Press was made for Bridoak

G. Boddington. I made part of the Press for Bridoak about a Year ago - I never saw the Prisoner at my Shop.

Prisoner. The House in St. George's Fields where the things were found, did not belong to me.

John Edby < no role > . That House is mine; I let it to old Watts, who said he intended to do something in Chymestry there - As for the Prisoner, I do not know that I ever saw him before now.

George Watts < no role > . I am no kin to old Watts. I am a Leather Gilder, my Master had a Ground next to the Prisoner's Ground at Lambeth Marsh; a small Ditch parts them, but there is a Plank lies over it, so that we frequently went into one anothers Ground: I have been often in, and all through his House, both when he has been at and from Home, and I never saw any thing like a Secret there: and from our Ground we can look through every Window of his House.

Prisoner. Bridoak gave old Wats notice to get out of the way, when I was taken.

Edward Harbert < no role > . Three Days after the Prisoner was taken, Bridoak came to the House where I lodged, and asked me if Watts lodged there. I said yes, he said he wanted to leave a Line for him, and so he took a piece of Paper and wrote upon it thus: Mr Dean does not want to see you, till he returns out of the Country. I delivered that Paper into Court last Sessions: I understood this as Caution for old Watts to keep out of the way - I have seen the Prisoner and Watts together, I think twice.

Then several Witnesses appeared to the Prisoner's Character. They deposed that they took him for an honest industrious inoffensive Man.

The Jury found the Prisoner Guilty . Death .