Old Bailey Proceedings:
Old Bailey Proceedings: Accounts of Criminal Trials

3rd June 1778

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LL ref: t17780603-67




504. ALEXANDER SCOTT proceedingsdefend This name instance is in set 1530. was indicted for that he, on the 23d of April last, unlawfully, wickedly, and maliciously, did publish false news, whereby discord, or occasion of discord, might grow between our Lord the King and his people, or the great men of the realm, by publishing a certain printed paper containing such false news , and which said printed paper is of the tenor following:

"In pursuance of his Majesty's order in

"Council to me directed, These are to give

"public notice, that war against France will

"be proclaimed on Friday next, the 24th

"instant, at the Palace Royal, St. James's,

"at one of the clock, of which all Heralds

"and Pursuivants at Arms are to take

"notice, and give their attendance accordingly.

"Given under my hand this 22d of

"April, 1778.

"EFFINGHAM, D. M."

RICHARD WILLIS < no role > sworn.

Do you know Alexander Scott < no role > ? - No, only by seeing him on the 23d of April last stick up a bill at the Royal Exchange, the purport of which was, that war was to be proclaimed on the 24th of April.

THOMAS WARD < no role > sworn.

I am 'Change-keeper at the Royal Exchange.

Did you on the 23d of April take down that bill that was put up? - I cannot say particularly the day; there were two bills on each side of the 'Change, and some about the quarters, about eight or ten of them; I pulled them down between eleven and twelve o'clock by the Lord Mayor's order. I cannot safely say, but I believe these are the bills.

Court to Willis. Where did you see the prisoner stick them up? - On both sides of the 'Change, at the gates.

[One of the bills was produced and read, which corresponded with the description of it in the indictment.]

JOHN KIRBY < no role > sworn.

I am the Keeper of Wood-street Compter. The prisoner was brought to me by a constable; I had a good deal of conversation with him, and I was at his examination at the Mansion-house; he said he did stick up the bills; that they were brought to him by a person at eleven o'clock at night, wrapped up in a great coat; that he asked him (Scott) calling him by his name, if he could stick up those bills; that he said, certainly it was his business; and that he stuck up eight at the 'Change in the morning, and one at Woodstreet.

The Right Hon. the Earl of EFFINGHAM sworn.

I am Deputy-Marshal of England.

You have an appointment from the Duke of Norfolk? - Yes; (his Lordship produced it.)

Was this paper printed or published by your direction or privity? - No; I heard nothing of it till after it was stuck up. I gave no authority to any person to print or publish such a paper.

Your Lordship sits and votes in the house of Peers as an Earl? - Yes.

JOHN DENCH < no role > sworn.

I am a broker.

Do you know whether an alarm was spread in consequence of this paper in London? - I heard of it; I bought stock one per cent. cheaper that day than it was the day before.

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

On Wednesday night, the 22d of April, at about half after ten o'clock, a man came to me, and said, Scott, I am come from the King's printer, Mr. Strahan, and want you to stick up some bills to-morrow morning; you stick up bills for him? - I said, yes; he said I must stick some round the 'Change, and one at Wood-street, where war was to be proclaimed, and asked what he must give me; I said, how many was there? he said, only a dozen; I said I would not charge Mr. Strahan any thing for that; he said, he desired I should be paid, and asked if five shilling, would do; I said it was too much; he said no, and gave it me; he said it was not a thing that happened every day. I stuck one up at Wood-street, nine about the 'Change, and put one in my pocket. At eight in the morning I went afterwards to Justice Girdler to make affidavit of a fire that had happened, and told Justice Girdler what I had done; I gave him one, and he kept it, and has it now, I believe. I went into the Golden Cross, opposite, and Joseph Gates < no role > came in, and said I must go with him before the Lord Mayor; I went with him to the Lord Mayor; he said I had been guilty of high treason; I said, I hope not, I have a family of children; I read it; I did not know but it was true. The man that came had a great coat on up to his nose, and his hat flapped before; I have never seen the man since; he had got my name very distinct.

For the prisoner.

GEORGE PATTISON < no role > sworn.

The prisoner stuck up bills for Mr. Strahan when I worked there.

They were Royal instruments? - Yes.

How were they carried to him? - By any of the servants; but we never print any declarations or proclamations like that; we print them in a different manner and style; there is a very Large King's arms on the top, in the first place.

Was the difference so great, that he having been accustomed to Mr. Strahan's must have known it? - I cannot say that; I believe a person that reads it must know it to be forged.

Do you think he knew it to be forged? - No; I don't think he knew it.

What marks of forgery are there in it? - I don't know any in proclamations. Effingham, deputy-marshal, is generally at length; this is D. M. for deputy-marshal.

JOSIAH ROE < no role > sworn.

I keep a public-house. On the 22d of April, about half after ten in the evening, Scott came to me and pulled out one of these bills, and said, what do you think of war now; I have bills to stick up; it is to be proclaimed on Friday. I said, sure nobody has deceived you; he said no; they came from Mr. Strahan's; the next morning he put one up in my house. I don't think he knew his employer.

WILLIAM HOUSE < no role > sworn.

I was at Justice Girdler's when Scott gave him one of the bills. He said he had been sticking up bills about war.

Lord Effingham. The prisoner's witness has said that it is a mark of forgery, the paper not having deputy-marshal at full length, as they say it generally is in true proclamations. I mention it for the prisoner; they mistake it, for that is not the way of signing them neither.

NOT GUILTY .

Tried by the London Jury before Mr. RECORDER.




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