| Reference Number | t18020428-51 |
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| Verdict | Guilty |
| Sentence | Death |
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| Actions | Cite this text Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 02 December 2023), April 1802, trial of EDWARD HARTWRIGHT (t18020428-51). | Print-friendly version | Report an error |
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316. EDWARD HARTWRIGHT was indicted for feloniously forging, on the 11th of February , a certain promissory note for the payment of money , to the tenor and effect following:
"No. 564. Woodbridge Bank. No. 564.
"I promise to pay the bearer, on demand, the sum of five pounds, here, or at Messrs. Downe, Thornton, and Free, bankers, in London, value received. 29th January, 1802.
"For Philip Richie , Cornelius Collett, and Co.
"Entered, George Allbone ." With intent to defraud Messrs. Downe , Thornton , Free , and Co.
Second Count. With uttering and publishing the same knowing it to be forged, with intent to defraud the same persons.
Third and Fourth Counts. Charging it to be with intent to defraud John Rogers . And the
Fifth and Sixth Counts. With intent to defraud Philip Richie , and Cornelius Collett .(The case was opened by Mr. Knowlys.)
JOSEPH METCALF sworn. - Examined by Mr. Gleed. Q. Where did you live on the 11th of February? - A. With Mr. Rogers, No. 20, High-street, St. Giles's.
Q. What is he? - A. He is a silversmith, and dealer in paintings .
Q. Do you know the person of the prisoner? - A.I do.
Q. What time did the prisoner come to your shop? - A. About half past eight o'clock in the evening, or thereabouts.
Q. Did he inquire for any thing? - A. He said, that some time ago he sold Mr. Rogers three pictures; he said one was a fruit-piece, and he wanted it back again; he purchased the fruit-piece, and a gold seal, for which he was to pay three guineas, and offered me a five pound Woodbridge Bank note; as soon as I perceived it to be a country note, I asked where it was payable; he said he believed somewhere in Lombard-street; I then asked him to put his name and address on the back of the note.
Q. What address did he put? - A. I believe it was Thomas Wilson, Norton-street, Penton-Chapel; this is the note. (The note produced.)
Q. Did you give the change? - A. I did.
Q. What did you do with it? - A. The next morning we sent it to the bankers.
Q. Did you get it paid? - A. No.
Q. It was objected to? - A. Yes.
Q. How long was it before you saw the prisoner again? - A. Not till I saw him at the Mansion-house.
Q. How long was that? - A. About a fortnight, or three weeks.
Q.Shall you know the picture when you see it again? - A. Yes.
Court. Q. When you saw him at the Mansion-house, did you know whether it was the same man or not? - A. Yes, I did; I am sure he is the man.
Q. Did you ever see the picture again? - A. I did, at the Mansion-house.
Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. You are shopman to Mr. Rogers? - A. Yes.
Q.In whose shop you see a great number of persons every day? - A. Yes.
Q. Had you ever seen the prisoner before the 11th of February? - A. No.
Q. Do you speak positively to him, or only to belief? - A. I am positive he is the person, because
I conversed with him a quarter of an hour; I am certain he is the man.Q. Did you carry the note to the bankers yourself? - A. No.
Q. You delivered it to Mr. Rogers? - A. Yes.
Q. Did you put your name upon it? - A. I did, at the Mansion-house.
Q. You know it by the name of Thomas Wilson being written on the back of it? - A. That is all; I saw him write it.
Q.Suppose I was to present you with another Woodbridge note, with the same name, written in the same hand-writing, could you tell the difference? - A. I cannot say; but I have no doubt it is the note.
Mr. Gleed. Q. That is the same man who came to the shop? - A. Yes.
- RICHIE sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. You live at Woodbridge? - A. Yes.
Q.Are you a proprietor of the Bank? - A. No, my father is; I have no interest in it.
Q. Is that the engraving used by the Woodbridge Bank at the time it bears date? - (Shewing the note.) A. No.
Q.Is that the writing of any signing clerk of the Woodbridge Bank? - A. No, it is not.
Q. Is it the signature of the entering clerk? -- A. No.
Q. Is it a forgery? - A.It is.
Court. Q.Has your father clerks of the same names? - A. No.
Q. What is the firm of the company? - A.Philip Richie, and Cornelius Collett , and no others.
Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. Do you know whether your father has or not such clerks, except from your father's information.? - A. I am sure there never was, I live at the house.
- INMAN sworn. - Examined by Mr. Gleed.
Q. You are clerk to Messrs. Downe, Thornton, and Co.? - A. Yes.
Q. The Woodbridge Bank-notes are payable at your house? - A. They are.
Q. Do you recollect that note being presented for payment? - A. Yes.
Q.Is it a good, or a forged note? - A. A forged note; it was presented on the 12th of February, by a man from Mr. Rogers.
JAMES CHETHAM sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. How long have you lived at Pentonville? - A. Two years.
Q. Do you know the neighbourhood of Pentonville Chapel? - A. Yes.
Q.Is there such a place as Norton-street? - A.There is not.
HENRY CHURCH sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. You are a constable? - A. Yes.
Q. Did you apprehend the prisoner? - A. Yes.
Q. When? - A. On the 24th of February.
Q.Where? - A. At his own appartments at a house in Aldersgate-street, and found laying before him this pocket-book. (Producing it.)
Q. Did it contain any Woodbridge Bank-notes? - A. Yes, three.
Q. What else? - A. In the same pocket-book there are two promissory notes, and six duplicates, and a one pound Bank of England note.
Q. Did you find any blank engravings? - A. Yes; in another part of the same room, in this shavingcase, forty prints of Woodbridge Bank-notes unfilled up, and this picture and frame were hanging up at the time.
Q.(To Metcalf.) Is that the same picture he bought at your house when he tendered the five pound note? - A. Yes.
Q. You said your master's name was John Rogers ? - A. Yes.
Mr. Gurney. Q. Has he any partners? - A. No.(The note read.)
Mr. Knowlys. (To Richie,) Q. Are those from the same plate as the note first shewn you? - A. Yes.
Q. Have you entering clerks of those names? - A. No; this is off our old plate.
BENJAMIN SLOCOT sworn. - Examined by Mr. Gleed. Q. Where do you live? - A. In Aldersgate-street: The prisoner lodged at my house from the middle of December, 1801, till the officer took him.
Q. What name did he go by? - A. By Edward Hartwright ; while he lived in my house he ordered some goods for himself, in his own name.
Prisoner's defence. My Lord, I was out on business in the early part of February, at Mr. Alcock's, in Aldersgate-street, and on my return, one day, I found the notes, partly folded up, two hundred of them; I went home immediately with them in the same state, and accordingly I passed them, thinking them real notes, not knowing they were any other than real notes; I might find them, or any other gentleman in this Court might find them.
GUILTY , Death , aged 22.
First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Common Serjeant.