The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

256.   JOHN SULLIVAN (23) . Unlawfully uttering counterfeit coin.

MR. WILKINSON Prosecuted.

  EMMA TAYLOR . I keep a general shop at 4, Warwick Place, Pimlico—on February 17th, about 6.45 p.m., I served the prisoner with 1 1/2 d, of bread and cheese—he laid a half crown on the counter—I looked at it, thought it looked funny, but gave him 2s. 4 1/2 d. change, and put it on the side of the till by itself—he went away—a day or two afterwards a constable came and spoke to me, and I gave him the coin—he marked it—I had kept it separate—I put it on the mantelpiece—I identified the prisoner at the Rochester Row Police Station as the man who gave me the coin.

Cross-examined by the prisoner. I am quite sure you are the man—I did not say, "I think that is the man"—I said, "The second man."

  CHARLOTTE JONES . I am the last witness's daughter—I was in her shop on February 19th about 9.20 p.m., when Ellen Sullivan (See next case) purchased a loaf for 2 1/2 d.—she placed this half crown on the counter—I looked at it, took it into the adjoining room and further examined it, and finding it was bad I went back, into the shop and said to the woman, "This is a bad coin. and I shall keep it"—she said, "I would rather you keep it than I should get into any other trouble over it"—she made no purchase—I handed the coin to Chatfield—he made a mark on it—I fallowed the woman to the door—I saw the prisoner standing on the opposite side of the road—there are lights in the shop and an electric light outside—the prisoner immediately ran fast and round the corner—I des described him to the police, and afterwards identified him from six or eight men as the man I had seen on the 19th—I have no doubt about him.

Cross-examined. After I had given my evidence against Ellen Sullivan you spoke to me in the Court, and in the street my mother picked you out.

  WILLIAM CHATFIELD (426 B.) Mrs. Taylor handed me this coin on February 19th, and Mrs. Jones this one.

  GEORGE SMITH (Detective Sergeant B.) On the afternoon of February 21st I saw the prisoner in Great Peter Street, Westminster—I told him I should arrest him, and that he answered the description of a man wanted for being concerned with Ellen Sullivan in knowingly uttering a counterfeit half crown on Friday night, February 19th, and also as a man who had uttered a counterfeit half crown on Wednesday, 17th—he said, "I absolutely know nothing about it"—I took him to the station—on the way he said he knew a woman named Ellen Sullivan, to whom he was in the habit of giving a few shillings occasionally; that he saw her on the Friday night and gave her a half crown; that he afterwards heard that a woman named Ellen Sullivan had been arrested for uttering a worthless half crown and went to Gerald Road Police Station to see her, but was not allowed to do so—I told him I was looking for him the day previously—he said he heard I was looking for him in a public house in Great Peter Street several times the previous day—I took him to the police station—when formally charged with uttering on 17th he said he knew absolutely nothing about it, and as to the uttering on the 19th that he did not know it was counterfeit—I searched him, but found nothing on him—he gave his address as 57, Great Peter Street—I found that he did not live there.

  WILLIAM JOHN WEBSTER . I am Inspector of coin to His Majesty's Mint—these are two counterfeit half crowns from different moulds.

Prisoner's defence: I knew nothing of the uttering on February 17th, and with regard to that of the—19th I did not know it was bad when I gave it to the woman till I heard that she had been taken into custody.

GUILTY .** Twelve months' hard labour.