[list-cumbria] Carlisle Patriot, 28 Aug 1824 - Cumberland Summer Assizes (17)

[petra.mitchinson at doctors.org.uk]

Saturday 28 Aug 1824   (p. 2, col. 3 - p. 4, col. 5)
 
CUMBERLAND SUMMER ASSIZES, 1824. 
 
CROWN BAR: MR. JUSTICE BAYLEY. 
 
FORGERY. 
 
[continued] 
 
Charles HOLLIS.-I am a copper-plate engraver residing at Birmingham. I know
the prisoner CRAMPTON; I saw him at Birmingham at my house on the 24th of
May last. He was brought by a friend of mine, who said he was in want of a
job; I said I should be happy to serve him; he invited me to take a glass of
ale. He asked me the price of a bill-head; I told him it depended upon the
work. He went to my shop, looked at some specimens, and expressed his
approbation, and retired without ordering any thing. When we got to the
bottom of the shop ladder he said he wanted a guinea bill engraved. I told
him it was an awkward business to undertake, and knew not what to say to it.
He produced the bill while speaking; it it [sic] was a Whitehaven note of
one guinea: it had green at each end and in the centre; the words "one
guinea" were green, also the term, "King-street." I recollect the name of
JOHNSTON on it, but can't speak of the others. I told him I would give him
an answer in the evening, before which I saw my late master, Mr. TIGHE, and
stated the case to him: and from what he said, I agreed to make the plate,
meeting the prisoner again at the public house an hour hence; and I saw
CRAMPTON on the subject every day during the week. The prisoner introduced
GRISDALE to me as his friend, and he came several times with him to the
public-house; but I said nothing about the note in his presence. I did not
make the plate. There was a coloured stamp on the back of the note; and I
asked CRAMPTON how he intended that to be done; he said it did not matter
about that, as there were some out without that mark. I was to have finished
the plate on the following Saturday. He came on that day, and seemed much
disappointed that I had not done it, and said I ought to have told him so.
He asked for his note; and I said Mr. DEWSBURY had it (the person, we
believe, who introduced CRAMPTON to HOLLIS), and that I knew not what he had
done with it. GRISDALE was with him on that day, but not present when I
spoke to CRAMPTON. At half past nine in the evening I saw him go away on the
Manchester coach. I was to have been paid seven guineas for the plate-but I
first asked ten. 
 
Cross-examined by Mr. JONES.-My mother heard the agreement, and is here. I
have followed the business of an engraves 14 months in 73 Bath-street,
Birmingham, and previously worked 10 months at Cheltenham. I was never under
any charge myself-I don't know a Mrs. Ann LANCASTER-was never charged with
robbing her. I went to Whitehaven, having been fetched by Mr. HEYWOOD-not in
custody, but was told that I must go. My mother was not present at any
interview between me and the prisoner. They kept me at Whitehaven only a day
and a night. The reason why I did not write to Whitehaven was that I had
stated the case to Mr. TIGHE; and I understood that some one had written,
though he did not say that he had written himself. 
 
Re-examined.-There was no warrant against me when I went to Whitehaven. 
 
Jane HOLLIS, the mother of the last witness.-In May last, I saw the prisoner
at Birmingham, and GRISDALE likewise. On the 27th of May I saw them in our
warehouse; on the 28th Mr. CRAMPTON came by himself; and on the 29h, the
other came alone. On that day I saw GRISDALE going up to my son's shop. I
called him down, and asked him what he wanted with my son. CRAMPTON was at
the top of the entry, at the time, seemingly waiting for the other. I asked
GRISDALE what he came for, and he said he wanted a plate, seeming very much
confused. He got none. I wanted to know what plate he wanted. He said it did
not matter. I said, "You rascal, it does." And I told him if he did not
dismiss the town I would set the officers after him.-What did you understand
by the word plate? 
 
Mr. Justice BAYLEY objected-this was not evidence. 
 
Witness continued.-My son makes all kinds of plates, except that which they
wanted. 
 
John CHRISTOPHERSON.-I am a painter residing at Keswick. I know CRAMPTON; he
is a bookbinder and printer. He came to my shop the week before Whitsuntide
last, and asked if I sold indigo? I told him, no. He went away, and returned
with a small quantity of indigo, which he mixed upon my slab, and put among
his black printing ink. He said he mixed it to improve the shade of his ink;
he once said it was to print some bill-heads belonging to Joseph BANKS. In
the week following he came and asked if I sold any emerald green? I told
him, no. He bought 2d worth of mineral green, but did not mix it.
Afterwards, perhaps the same day, he came again and complained of the
badness of the colour of the green, and I gave him a small piece of another
kind of green, and he bought a halfpenny worth of raw linseed oil at the
time, having previously purchased a pot of burnt oil, which he said was too
glutinous for working, and the raw oil would improve it. I never knew
mineral green used for colouring book leaves. 
 
Cross-examined by Mr. JONES.-I can't tell whether oil is used or not in
marbling a book; they do use colours in edging the leaves of books. I don't
think he came to me a dozen times altogether. 
 
Mr. HEYWOOD.-I acted as clerk to the Magistrates on the 19th June last; the
prisoner's examination was not taken in writing. CRAMPTON said he left
Keswick on the 13th May, on some business of his own, and travelled with
GRISDALE nine miles beyond Kendal, where they separated, and that he did not
see him till he returned to Keswick. He mentioned being at Manchester; also
in Yorkshire; but never south of Lancashire during his absence. The note now
produced I received from Mr. DAWSON; it has been in my possession ever
since-I have here other notes of the Whitehaven bank, which I received from
Mr. DAWSON, and Mr. Thos. GRISDALE, clerk in the Bank. 
 
Cross-examined by Mr. JONES.-What CRAMPTON stated, was a continuous account
given by himself, and not extracted question by question: that is to say,
the answers were produced by questions, but not many. We asked the questions
with a view to some evidence as to his having been to Birmingham. He was
personally under examination only about two minutes. I dont think I asked
him directly whether he was at Birmingham or not. 
 
Re-examined.-I told him, when questioned, that he need not say any thing but
what he chose. 
 
Thomas GRISDALE.-I am Clerk to the Whitehaven Bankers. In the month of May,
the firm consisted of Edward JOHNSTON, Anthony ADAMSON, John HOPE. Mr. RANEY
ceased to be a partner on the 24th of April. (the note shown him) This is a
forged note. I can speak positively: the green colour is much the same as
that of the original note. 
 
Cross-examined by Mr. JONES.-This note might have imposed upon an ignorant
person in the town of Keswick. The engraving is badly done altogether. I
dont know it by any particular mark. I have no doubt of its being a forgery.
Notes are continually coming back to us in a dirty greasy state. 
 
 
[to be continued] 
 
 
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