The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

801.   WILLIAM COPPERTHWAITE was indicted for that he, on the 9th of August , without being authorised and appointed for that purpose by the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, unlawfully did utter and publish a certain promissory note, purporting to be a promissory note for the payment of Five Pence, expressing the word Five in white letters on a black ground .

  JOSEPH CARPENTER . Q. I live at Shepherds-Bush. On the 9th of August, I saw the prisoner in  Smithfield ; I had brought a horse to Smithfield to sell. He came up to me and asked me the price of the horse, I told him five pounds; he said, what is the lowest that you mean to take for it; I said, I did not know; he said, if you give me three shillings out of the five pounds I will buy it; I said, agreed; he asked me if I had any silver in my pocket; I said, yes; he said, what shall I do for an halter, the bridle was an old one; I said, take the bridle; he then said, bring him up to the post; I immediately went to the post; I said, we will go over to the book office, which is the proper place to get change. I had but one shilling; he said never mind, give me that; he said I shall not go into that house so long as I live; he wanted me to go to Snow Hill; I said I shall not go there; he tried to snatch the note out of my hand; I said no, my friend, you shall not have the note any more you may depend upon it; Mr. Williams stood at the door; I asked him to look at the note; Mr. Williams said it was a bad one; the moment I asked Mr. Williams to look at it the prisoner started away; I pursued him and caught him by the corner of the Bluecoat school; charged the prisoner with a constable, and he was taken to Guildhall; he first said, he did not know where he got the note, and afterwards he said Long Jack gave him the note to go, and buy that horse as cheap as he could. This is the note that I received of the prisoner, it has my hand-writing upon it. (The Note read.)

COURT. What was the horse really worth - A. I sold the horse afterwards for four pound ten shillings.

Prisoner's Defence. I was going up Smithfield-market, the man said Bill, go and buy this horse as cheap as you can, here is a five pound note. I went and cheapened the horse, he asked five pound, I said that is too much, if you will give me three shillings out of it I will have it; I gave him the note; I told him to tie the horse to the post, and we went down to the cooking house, I said I will not go in here, we had a few words the other day when I bought a horse and cart; I said I will go in here, he would not, and we returned in the market; he shewed the note, and the gentleman said it was a bad one, I knew who I took it of, I ran after the man that gave it me, and my prosecutor ran after me, and took me.

GUILTY ,

Confined Six Months in Newgate.

London jury, before Mr. Recorder.