29. HOLLAND PALMER, otherwise FARMER proceedingsdefend was indicted for that he, on the 10th of October last, unlawfully, fraudulently, and feloniously did utter and expose to sale, one Hannah Gabriel proceedingsvictim , wife of Francis Gabriel < no role > , one thousand pieces of paper, with a counterfeit stamp thereon, knowing the same to be counterfeit, with intent to defraud the King proceedingsvictim .

A Second Count for uttering, vending, and selling the same, with the said counterfeit impression, with the like intention.

A third Count for exposing to sale one thousand other pieces of paper with a counterfeit impression thereon, resembling the impression of a certain other stamp, knowing the same to be counterfeit, with intent to defraud the King.

A Fourth Count for uttering, vending, and selling same, knowing them to be counterfeited, with the like intention.

The Indictment was opened by Mr. Silverster, and the Case by Mr. Sollicitor General, as follows.

Gentlemen of the Jury. I must upon this occasion bespeak your most serious attention, inasmuch as this case is of infinite importance to the public, being the first of the kind, and having very extensive consequences; but when I call your attention to the importance of the case, I do it simply for the purpose of fixing that attention, and in no degree to raise your resentment; far be it from me to do so, for I need not tell you, what you already know; that there cannot be any thing of equal importance to the life of a subject; yet as the public good is so materially interested in this case, I am to request a degree of your attention, and perhaps a little more than is necessary in many ordinary cases: you Gentlemen very well know, that the legislature has thought it necessary to impose a duty on receipts for all sums exceeding forty shillings, and not exceeding twenty pounds. The charge against the prisoner is, that he exposed to sale, or sold, a number of counterfeit receipts amounting to three or four thousand, importing the payment of a twopenny duty according to act of parliament.

Gentlemen, it is very plain that if such a fraud as this is not vigilantly checked in its commencement, the security of people's affairs will be very bad indeed, because if their receipts are not legally and properly stamped, they can be no evidence against a second demand; you easily see therefore, how very extensive the mischief must be, and now if a well proved instance should be laid before you, you will give it the attention it deserves, because in the present hour there hardly has been any inducement to counterfeit stamps whatever; stamps are things not very often used by a man in the course of his lifetime, therefore no extraordinary sale was expected, but now that every one for his own security must have a great number by him, consequently very large parcels might be forged, and may be sold: in the next place, the price for which they were sold is infinitely below the value for such a number of such stamps; for you will find, that these amounting to between three and four thousand were sold for fourteen guineas, not half the value; you see the temptation to persons to purchase them at half price, and afterwards to sell them to others: such is the nature of the crime with which this prisoner is charged, such is the mischief, and consequently such the necessity of the board to lay before a Court and Jury, the first clear instance in which it has been detected; when I say clear instance Gentlemen, you will naturally suppose I speak from my instructions; it is for you to decide; but according to the evidence in my hand, if it turns out according to my expectations, I think not much doubt will remain on your minds of the guilt of the prisoner. The short state of the fact is this, that the prisoner on Tuesday morning, and one Michael < no role > an Irishman, called up one Hannah Gabriel < no role > , she is the wife of Francis Gabriel < no role > , who keeps an old clothes shop in Chick-lane, this was about the beginning of last October; this Mrs. Gabriel had been acquainted with this Michael for some years before at a publick-house, and after some little conversation, he asked her if she would buy some receipt stamps; she answered that if they were good she would, he then gave her two twopenny receipt stamps on a small piece of paper to look at, and told her at the same time, that he had sent a man for more; after this on the Thursday following between nine and ten, the prisoner came to Mr. Gabriel's house, and he produced four twopenny stamped receipts for her to purchase; she said she would give him an answer in the afternoon, her husband afterwards shewed them to some persons, and were told they were good, and about two the same afternoon, the prisoner came to her house again, but she could not give him an answer then, accordingly he called about four, and she told him she would buy them, he went away purposing to bring a large quantity on the Saturday following, and about seven on that day the prisoner came to Mrs. Gabriel's, and he brought twelve hundred two-penny stamps, divided into six parcels of two hundred each; she found they did contain that quantity, she was told by him at the same time, that the five parcels contained the same quantity, and that he had in all three thousand and some odd hundreds besides, and would bring more on the Sunday following; he desired Mrs. Gabriel to let him have a couple of guineas, she did so, and he went away; the Sunday morning, which was the morning following, the prisoner came again, and brought with him two hundred and twenty of these stamps, at the same time he produced a letter which he said came out of the country, and that he had orders to purchase four pair of stockings, two handkerchiefs, and a round hat, (which you will particularly attend to) and a waistcoat to send into the country, the amount of these goods was 1 l. 3 s. 6 d. these goods he took away about twelve on the same day; the prisoner returned again, and he brought with him one thousand more of the stamps, and desired to have a guinea more, his expression being

"a guinea to go on." Mrs. Gabriel did not very well understand the meaning of that expression; she asked him what he meant, his answer was, that the stamps came from Dunstable, and he must send the guinea and the things that he had purchased there; this occasioned in her mind, a considerable degree of doubt about these stamps; she asked him if they were good, he told her they were: between seven and eight he came again the same day, and brought the remainder of the stamps, making together three thousand and some hundred; when they began to talk about price, he insisted on twenty pounds, she refused, but she paid him nine guineas and a half and some silver; this with the sum paid before, amounted in the whole to fourteen guineas; he told her he was going to the country, but might be heard of at the Bull Inn in Holborn; Mrs. Gabriel afterwards finding that these stamps were all bad, on Sunday evening she delivered them to her servant Hannah Abrahams < no role > , and told her to leave them at the Bull Inn for the prisoner, according to his direction; this girl was coming out of a place called Field-lane, and Lucas and Mecham by name, two constables, observing she had a bundle under her cloak, and being accustomed to suspect bundles when they came from that part of the town, they took hold of this girl, and they found therein pretty near four thousand counterfeit stamps; this maid was detained, and examined the next day, and Mrs. Gabriel was sent for, and she told the Justice if he would let the maid be a witness, she would get the man; the parties were all ordered to attend my Lord Mayor at Guildhall, this Mrs. Gabriel's husband was very much alarmed at the whole of this transaction, and he went in pursuit of the prisoner, and saw him by mere accident in Jewin-Street, and followed him into Hounsditch, and David Levy < no role > the constable took him into custody; he asked for what, and Levy told him, and he then desired to go to the publick-house.

Prisoner. Gentlemen, have I a right to contradict this gentleman, for there is not three true words in the whole, as I hope to be saved.

Mr. Solicitor General to the Prisoner. Give me leave to tell you, that the Jury are not to believe what I say, unless it is proved. Gentlemen, he said he had these stamps out of the country, Levy searched him, and found a two-penny receipt in his waistcoat pocket; he refused to tell where he lived, upon this Mr. Major, the Engraver to the Stamp office was examined, and he found that these stamps were forged with a good deal of address and art: the prisoner said he had been employed at Dunstable for five months, and had these stamps from Michael and Jones in Clerkenwell, and had sold a large quantity to Mrs. Gabriel, and had paid the money to the person at the Horseshoe, Clerkenwell, and that person he believed was Thomas Jones < no role > ; it was afterwards found that this man was connected with a woman of the name of Jones, who had lodged in a house belonging to James Slang < no role > , and upon examining the house of this James Slang < no role > , and enquiring who lived in it, and frequented that house, it was found that the prisoner at the bar had taken that lodging, and that he was frequently and repeatedly there: in that lodging was found a fly screw, a model, and a considerable number of forged receipts hid in a leather bed, and there was likewise found in this house, the hat that was purchased of Mr. Gabriel, as making up a part of the fourteen guineas, which is an important thing for your observation. Gentlemen, it will be necessary for me, having stated this shortly to you, to call the witnesses; this case must be introduced, by proving to you the commission under which the officers of the stamps act, next their order to make such stamps, and then that that stamp was used for such purposes, and that these stamps are not the genuine stamps struck by this instrument, so made from proper authority, that authority too bottomed on an act of parliament. Gentlemen this is a short state of the case, and if it is proved to your satisfaction, you will then be under the disagreeable necessity of finding the prisoner guilty; on the other hand, he will undoubtedly receive from the Court that protection, which every man on his trial has a right to, and I have no sort of doubt but you will do that duty to the public on the one hand, and to the individual on the other, which is necessary for the administration of public justice, and peculiarly necessary in a case carried on by public prosecution.

- BRETTELL, Esq; sworn.

Examined by Mr. Wilson.

I am Secretary to the Stamp Office, this is the commission by which the commissioners are appointed there names, are J. Bindley, William Waller < no role > , William Bailey < no role > , Richard Tickell < no role > , and Michael Falknere < no role > .

Did any, and which of them make any order for a stamp for two penny receipts? - I beg leave to refer to the order, this order is dated the 21st of June, 1783, signed, J. Bindley, R. < no role > Tickell, William Bailey < no role > , these are three of the Commissioners, I know their hand writing, these are their signatures.

(The Order read.)

THOMAS MAJOR < no role > sworn.

I am engraver to the Stamp Office.

Did you in consequence of that order from the Commissioners make any twopenny die for the stamps? - I did.

Are they here? - I have brought the book of the entry of that very die.

GEORGE HARRIS < no role > sworn.

Was the stamp used, that was provided by the Commissioners? - Here is a book where the impression of the letter G is.

Has it been used since? - We use it constantly.

Have you used the others? - All of them at times.

(The Stamp shewn to the Jury)

HANNAH GABRIEL < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Solicitor General.

Have you ever seen the prisoner? - Yes.

When did you first see him? - The beginning of October last.

Where did you see him? - At our house in Chick-lane.

What passed between him and you upon his coming to your house in Chick-lane? - First of all one Michael, an Irishman came.

What did the Prisoner say to you? - He said he was recommended by this Michael, and asked if we would buy any stamps, I told him yes, then he left two till about three o'clock.

What passed then? - I told him I could not buy them till Saturday night, this was on Friday, on Saturday night he brought one thousand two hundred.

Prisoner. I hope they may all be examined separate.

(All the other witnesses ordered to go out of Court.)

Prisoner. My Lord, I have one question to ask, is it reasonable that that gentleman should put days and words into that woman's mouth? - I told the prisoner to come again on Saturday night.

What day of the week was this first coming? - It was on Friday.

Then this was the next day? - Yes, he then brought one thousand two hundred, and asked me for the money, and I gave him two guineas as part of the money.

Of what money was that two guineas a part? - He said he had three thousand and odd hundreds, he asked me twenty guineas, for the three thousand, and odd hundred.

What did you agree with him for? - For fourteen guineas.

Court. How many hundred was there over the three thousand? - I cannot rightly tell.

Mr. Solicitor General. when was the one thousand two hundred brought? - On the Saturday night, I gave him two guineas as part of the money, he came again on Sunday morning, he then brought two hundred and twenty, and he said he was to buy two pair of stockings, some handkerchiefs, a round hat, and a waistcoat.

Did the prisoner pay for those goods? - No he did not, he left this two hundred and twenty, till he brought the others, and took away these stocking and things.

How were these goods to be paid for? - To be taken out of the money that I was t o give him.

How much did these goods amount to? - Twenty three shillings and six-pence.

When was the next time that you saw the prisoner? - He came again at twelve on the same day, he brought one thousand more, and he asked for the money, I said he should bring the whole, and I would pay him when he brought the second thousand, he said he wanted a guinea to go on with; I asked him how he meant to go on with, he said he was to send a guinea into the country along with the things he had bought.

Did you give him that guinea? - I did, I asked him then three or four times if they were good, and he said they were very good.

When did you next see the prisoner? - He came between day and night the same evening, and before I paid him the money, I asked him if they were good, and he said he would hang as high as Haman if they were not, I paid him the whole money, fourteen guineas.

Did you afterwards discover any thing particular about these stamps? - I enquired several times, and shewed them to several people, and they said they were good.

What did you discover about them afterwards? - I shewed them to a gentleman, who had a receipt book with stamps in his pocket, and then the gentleman found it out for me.

What did you then do with these stamps? - The prisoner said every Sunday he might be found at the Bull Inn, in Holborn; I sent our maid Hannah Abrahams < no role > , with these stamps to the Bull, to see if he was there.

Court. Did he tell you he came from the country? - He said he came from the country, and was going there again directly, but was to be found at the Bull Inn in Holborn, on the Sunday following, or any Sunday, I told the maid to go to the Bull, and ask for Holland Farmer, that was the Sunday following.

When did you first learn that these stamps were bad? - About Thursday.

What did you do with the stamps? - She took them with her.

Who put up these stamps for her, who packed them up at the time you gave them to the maid? - I did, I took them from the prisoner's handkerchief, and put them into my own handkerchief, I saw the prisoner no more till he was taken.

When was that? - I do not know rightly the day of the month when he was taken, it was just a week after I sent my maid with these stamps to the Bull.

Court. This man was a stranger to you, only saying he came recommended? - Yes.

What do you deal in? - In old clothes.

What occasion had you for such a number as three thousand stamps? - For to sell them again.

You bought them as two-penny stamps? - Yes, I did.

Did you know how much three thousand two-penny stamps were worth? - I did not reckon it up.

You know that two-pence must have been paid for each of these stamps, if they were genuine? - Yes.

He asked you at first I think twenty guineas, there was three thousand some odd hundred? - About seven or eight hundred.

Then how could you suppose if these stamps were good, that the man could sell them for less than they must cost himself? - That I do not know, I bought them to get something by them.

Yes, but how came you to suppose that this man would take less for these stamps than he himself had paid for them? - I do not know what he had paid for them.

The Rmainder of this Trial in the next Part, which will be published in a few Days.

THE WHOLE PROCEEDINGS ON THE KING's Commission of the Peace, Oyer and Terminer, and Gaol Delivery for the CITY of LONDON; AND ALSO The Gaol Delivery for the County of Middlesex; HELD AT JUSTICE HALL in the OLD BAILEY, On Wednesday the 8th of DECEMBER, 1784, and the following Days;

Being the FIRST SESSION in the Mayoralty of The Right Hon. RICHARD CLARK < no role > , LORD MAYOR < no role > OF THE CITY OF LONDON.

TAKEN IN SHORT-HAND BY E. HODGSON, PROFESSOR OF SHORT-HAND; And Published by Authority.

NUMBER I. PART VI.

LONDON:

Printed for E. HODGSON (the Proprietor) And Sold by J. WALMSLAY, No. 35, Chancery Lane, and S. BLADON, No. 13, Pater-noster Row.

MDCCLXXXIV.

THE WHOLE PROCEEDINGS UPON THE

KING's Commission of the Peace, Oyer and Terminer, and Gaol Delivery for the CITY of LONDON, &c.

Continuation of the Trial of Holland Palmer.

You understand my question, but you do not like to answer it; how could you suppose that this man would come to sell stamps to you for less than he paid for them himself? - I do not know, I am sure.

You supposed them to be good when you bought them, did not you? - Yes, I did.

And you knew if they were good, he could not have got them for less than two-pence apiece? - He said he had them from the country.

But you knew they would come to twenty-five pounds; then unless you supposed these stamps were either forged, or stolen, how could you suppose that he would take fourteen guineas, which was not a great deal more than a penny apiece? - I do not know, he said he got them of a friend in the country.

But that friend could not have come by them honestly? - I do not know.

You did not trouble your head how he came by them, or whether they were forged or stolen, for he could not himself have got them for less than twenty-five pounds.

Prisoner. My head is so very bad, I have had a blow by some of the prisoners, I told her husband my name was Farmer, and that this man sent me to sell them for him, I never was at the Bull Inn, in Holborn, in my life.

HANNAH ABRAHAMS < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Wilson.

Did you ever see the prisoner before? - Not before I saw him at our house; I cannot tell what time it was.

What day of the week was it? - I believe it was on a Saturday.

When you first saw him there, did you hear him say any thing? - He brought some stamped papers.

Can you tell what number? - It was a great many, he wanted to sell them to my mistress, Mrs. Gabriel, and she bought them.

What passed between your mistress and him, when you first saw him there? - She bought the stamps.

What was she to give for them? - When she gave him the last money, she said that makes fourteen guineas.

Prisoner. Remember you are upon your oath, you have swore falsly already.

Mr. Wilson. Do you know how many there were? - No, there were a great number.

Did you hear him say any thing about the number? - No, I did not, I saw him backwards three or four times, he came three or four times in one day once, but I cannot rightly tell what day it was; he was once there, and she gave him two or three guineas, I do not know which, he bought some clothes at our house, he bought a hat, and handkerchief, and stockings, and a waistcoat.

You do not remember particularly any conversation, otherwise than that your mistress bought these things? - No.

Had you ever these things? - My mistress found they were good for nothing, and she sent me to bring them to the Bull Inn, in Holborn, that was the Sunday about seven o'clock.

Did you go with them? - Yes, I went with them, and at the bottom of Chick-lane I was stopped.

Who stopped you? - Lucas.

Did he afterwards let you go to the Bull Inn? - No, he took me to prison.

Did you see the prisoner at the bar after? - I saw him at Guildhall, no where else.

Court. What did your mistress desire you to do with them at the Bull in Holborn? - I was to ask for Holland Farmer, and to leave them there.

Prisoner. She tells the same story as her mistress. Did you hear me mention any thing of the Bull in Holborn? - Yes, he said at our house, you may always find me at the Bull, in Holborn, of a Sunday night.

EDWARD LUCAS < no role > sworn.

I am constable of the parish of St. Giles's in the Fields.

What day was it that you stopped Hannah Abrahams < no role > ? - On Sunday evening, the 17th of October, about half past seven.

Where did you stop her? - At the bottom of Chick-lane.

How came you to stop her? - Seeing her have a bundle under her arm; I stopped her as a suspicious person, and asked her what she had got there, she said she had not got any thing; I said she had, and took the bundle from under her arm; I then went into the publick house to see what she had got, I went into a back room, and opened this small bag, it contained a quantity of stamps, lapped up in a handkerchief, there was nearly four thousand. (Two little bundles given into the Court, and opened.) In consequence of finding these stamps upon her, I asked her where she got them, and she would not give any answer where she lived, therefore I took her up to St. Giles's watch-house, suspecting there had been a robbery or forgery, and the next day I took her before the Magistrate, in Hyde-street, Bloomsbury, she then would not tell the Magistrate where she lived; the next morning her mistress, Mrs. Gabriel, heard she was taken into custody, and before the Magistrate, and she came; this was on the Tuesday morning following.

How came Mrs. Gabriel there, do you know? - I really cannot tell, except it was from hearing that I had been down Chick-lane, and hearing from the publick house.

What morning did she come? - On the Tuesday following, Mrs. Gabriel then told the Magistrates, Justice Walker and Justice Brittle, that if they would admit Abrahams an evidence for the Crown, she would tell who the man was that she had got the stamps from; accordingly, Abrahams was sworn an evidence, and then Mrs. Gabriel said, that the man was in custody in the city, before my Lord Mayor.

What passed there? - The prisoner confessed before my Lord Mayor, the selling the stamps to Mrs. Gabriel, I heard him, he said so once or twice before my Lord Mayor, in my Lord Mayor's presence, he said he did not deny selling the stamps to Mrs. Gabriel, but he believed them to be good stamps.

Court. What did he say, you say he confessed selling the stamps? - He said very little, he wished for a little more time, and that he would tell us where the stamps was.

Prisoner. No, Mr. Lucas, not where the stamps was.

Lucas. I am not positive to what he said, farther than in saying that he was concerned with one Jones.

Court. You told me just now, he confessed before the Lord Mayor, selling the stamps to Mrs. Gabriel, that, shortly stated, goes all the length against the prisoner; now you say, you cannot tell what he said. - No further than his being connected with one Jones.

In what words? - He said, he sold some stamps to Mrs. Gabriel, which he believed to be good, and that he had about eight pounds in cash, and the remainder in clothes; he said that in the presence of my Lord Mayor and several people; when I went with him to the counter, he said he would tell us the person concerned in these stamps, which was one Jones, of Dunstable, and a man named Mich. that lived somewhere about Old-street, or Clerkenwell, and if we would come, he would tell us the particulars of it, that they were concerned in the stamps, and that they had given them to him to be disposed of: these are the same stamps that I took from Abrahams.

Prisoner. Had that woman any thing else with her at the time of the stamps? - Yes, she had a piece of melted silver.

Prisoner. I said I had sold some stamps, but I could not tell that they were them.

(The stamps shewn to Mr. Major.)

Mr. Major. They are forged, I am sure of it.

Court to Lucas. Did he say for what money he sold the stamps? - He said it was part in cash, and the remainder in clothes, at the same time.

Did he specify what the clothes were to come to? - No.

Prisoner. Whether I did not say at the time I was taken, that there was a person present at the time I had these stamps delivered to me? - I really do not remember that.

Court to Prisoner. The charge against you, is for selling these stamps, knowing them to be counterfeit; now observe, though it may be true that you received them to sell for somebody else, yet if it appears that at the time you sold them you knew them to be counterfeited, that will not avail you in your defence.

GEORGE MECHAM < no role > sworn.

I was with Lucas when he apprehended Hannah Abrahams < no role > , on Sunday the 17th of October, about the hour of seven or eight, we thought her a suspicious person, and she was very loth to part with the bag from under her arm, Mr. Lucas took her to the publick house, the corner of Field-lane; then he said, why, these are stamps, either the Stamp Office is broke open, or it is a forgery; he took her into custody: I was not at the taking the prisoner; the prisoner said he had them from one Jones and Mich. to sell, and that he carried them to Mrs. Gabriel's, near Chick-lane, and he carried the money and the clothes back to the Horse-shoe again to this man; he said he had about eight pounds in money, and some clothes, but the whole sum I cannot recollect.

Court. When he gave this account before the Lord Mayor, of where he had these things, did he say that he knew them to be stamps? - He was ordered to go back to the prison, and he said he would make a full discovery of the people; he said if we would go to Dunstable, to the Swan, there we should find a full confession of the whole.

Court to Brettell. Was you present when the prisoner was examined at Guildhall? - I was, he was asked how he came by them, he said he had made an acquaintance with two men, who informed him they should have occasion to employ him on some occasion, and that some time after that, he met a man of the name of Mich. somewhere about Clerkenwell, and he gave him these stamps.

Recollect his expression? - That he had given him these stamps that he had sold or delivered to Mrs. Gabriel.

Did he say what the bundle contained? - I am sure he said the stamps; he was asked how he came to know these two people, he said he was a watchmaker, and took a house at Dunstable, that Jones came pretty frequently to Dunstable, and he did not know where he lived, but if he was at liberty, he was sure he could find them both: he wished much to have his liberty, he said he left Dunstable after he found he could not live as a watchmaker, and that he met Mich. about Clerkenwell, that Mich. gave him these stamps, and recommended him to sell them to Mr. Gabriel in particular, and that he received for them about eight pounds ten shillings, he recollected the different sums, and cast them up in his mind, and the waistcoat that was then on his back.

Court. Did he say any thing in your hearing, expressing his own knowledge what these stamps were, as to their value? - No, he did not, he neither said he did or did not know.

Did he ever say what price Mich. had desired him to ask for them? - No, he did not, he said the money he had received for them he delivered to them, and had had nothing for his pains but that waistcoat.

DAVID LEVY < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Wilson.

I know the prisoner very well, I am a constable, I took him into custody on the 19th of October, on a Tuesday.

What was he taken up for? - Mr. Gabriel came to my house, and told me to come with him; I went with him to Houndsditch, and the prisoner was coming along, and I laid hold of him, says I, I have a charge against you for making some stamps, and for selling them; says he, cannot we go to a public house, I told him it was not in my power to take him to the public house, I must take him to my Lord; says he, Mr. Gabriel gave me such a small quantity of money for the property, it will be the means of bringing us both into a hobble, unless he makes it up.

Prisoner. O, my God! thou wicked villain! as they laid hold of me, says I, what is it for, and he said he could not tell.

Levy. And he told me I should go to the other side of Moorfields, and I should meet a man, one Mich. an Irishman, a lusty man, at the house of one Fitzpatrick; Catchpole went along with me, but we did not find him.

Prisoner. My Lord, I hope you will understand this Jew, and that he is a constable that receives money by this, as I understand.

Court. Is there any reward? - No.

Levy. I asked the prisoner how he came by them, he said they were brought out of the country, and brought to him to sell.

JANE SLANN < no role > sworn.

I live in Pump-court, White Horse Alley, Cow-lane; you know that you took the lower room.

Prisoner. O yes, yes, I did, I did.

Did he occupy any other room in the house? - He took the room, I believe it was of a Friday, to enter on the Tuesday, and the Thursday following, in the morning, the goods they brought, were taken away for rent from whence they came from, then his wife moved into another room that was cheaper, and laid upon some straw.

Prisoner. I never came to the room.

Slann. About an hour after, that day, he came and asked if his wife, or his old woman was at home.

Where did his wife take a room after this? - Next door, it is all belonging to us, we rent all the whole court, and he has not been seen for a fortnight, he came in a fortnight after, he used to come now and then, sometimes he came pretty often, sometimes we did not see him of a while, in particular, for six weeks he was there every day.

Was you there when the officers came and searched? - Yes.

What room did they search? - The lower room, she moved out of the garret into the lower room again.

Was it that room that the officers searched? - Yes, I saw what was taken out, these things were taken out.

Court. Was he ever in the lower room? - He took it, but he never was in it; he took a room at Ratcliffe-cross, they had some goods elsewhere, and some they moved into the lower room, and I never knew where he was.

Mr. Solicitor General. My Lord, I confess that does not bring it home to him with respect to the room.

Court to Prisoner. Now this is the time for you to make your defence.

Prisoner. My Lord, I hope the witnesses will be ordered out, I wish to speak without contradiction.

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

As to the room, I know nothing of it.

Court. That is not brought home to you?

Prisoner. Then what else is there?

Court. I will state the evidence, it amounts to this, that you sold those things to Mrs. Gabriel, as you have acknowledged to the constables.

Prisoner. The Gentlemen of the Jury may think I should certainly have gone elsewhere, and not have remained in London if I knew any thing of their being bad, I received them of Mich. and as soon as I had sold them, I returned him the money; there were two parcels, the first parcel I had two guineas for, but my memory is really treacherous with disorder, the whole that I was to sell them for, was ten guineas; if I did not get ten guineas for them, I must not sell them; I came back and told him what money they were willing to give him, which was eight pounds ten shillings, the clothes and all inclusive; I knew not the value, I never had any thing to do with receipts in my life; I have plenty of gentlemen here, I have a witn ess that was present when I received them, when I was taken I had no money, I had not sixpence.

Court to Levy. You say, when you took up this man, it was upon the information of Gabriel, where did you find the prisoner? Gabriel took me into Houndsditch, and going along I met the prisoner.

Where were you going to look for him? - He came to my house, and told me there was a person coming along Houndsditch, and I should take him into custody.

MARY HOWELL < no role > sworn.

Do you know any thing about this matter with which the prisoner is charged? - No further than I went for a watch that he had cleaned, of my son's in Cow-cross, I saw a man bring two bundles, but what they contained I do not know, I did not know who it was; he said, carry these bundles for me, and he took the pen and ink and wrote, I did not see what he wrote, I do not know his name, his name was not mentioned; I have only known the prisoner within five months, at the public house.

Prisoner. Did you see any thing that was in the bundle? - It was bits of paper, but what they were I cannot tell.

GUILTY Of uttering them, knowing them to be forged, Death .

Tried by the second London Jury before Mr. RECORDER.