William Treen, who manufactured silver spoons for Mr. Thomas Cox
Savory, was tried at the Old Bailey, on Saturday, on a charge of forging one of the marks of the Goldsmith's Company, the King's head, upon his spoons. The evidence, however, did not bring home the offence to him ; and he was acquitted. In the course of the trial, Jeremiah Fuller, Deputy Assay Master of the Goldsmith's Com- pany, said, in reference to the marks put upon silver plate by the Com- n pay On the 28th of May in each year, when the Wardens are elected, the "vari- able " letter is chosen ; " S " was the letter for this year ; the letter was always of one size. Last year R was the letter, Q the preceding year, and P the year before that ; the letters go an consecutively ; the S is put on in a shield, which is always the same. Treen was also acquitted on another charge—that of forging the leo- pard's head, as no evidence was offered against him.
Mr. Savory himself was tried on Monday, before Mr. Baron Vaughan, "for exposing for sale six silver spoons, with marks upon them in imitation of the marks of the Goldsmiths' Company, but which
he well knew to be counterfeit." He was attended by a numerous body of respectable Quakers. The counsel for the prosecution were Mr.
Alley and Mr. Phillips ; for Mr. Savory, Sir James Scarlett, Mr. Sergeant Andrews, and Mr. Adolphus. It was clearly proved in the course of the trial, that spoons with counterfeit marks upon them, made by William Treen, lately in Mr. Savory's employ, were sold at Mr. Savory's shop ; but it also appeared that the whole duty had been paid to Treen by Mr.' Savory, who derived no benefit from the fraud. Out of 682 ounces of plate, seized on Mr. Savory's premises, only 30 ounces had the counterfeit marks upon them, the duty on which would not exceed 21. .5.s. ; and although some of the witnesses swore that a
silversmith might detect the real from the false marks, yet this state-
ment was contradicted by other witnesses equally credible. Mr. Savory was at Hastings when the seizure was made. The spoons were sold openly by his shopmen ; who swore to their belief in the genu- ineness of the marks. Numerous witnesses were in attendance to speak to Mr. Savory's character as a tradesman ; though only two were ex- amined. Sir James Scarlett spoke at some length in his defence ; and the Jury instantly pronounced a verdict of acquittal, without turning round:..
Hierom Holmes, who inveigled Miss Elizabeth Slee of Gravesend into a marriage with him, his wife being at that time alive, was tried for bigamy, in the New Court at the Old Bailey, on Saturday. He was found guilty ; but the Judge (Sergeant Arabin), did not then pass sentence upon him, though he said that his punishment would be the most severe which the law allowed.
The business in this Court was concluded on Tuesday. The Re- corder entered about one o'clock, and passed sentence of death upon the following prisoners—Thomas Sinnock, James Bell, John Delaney, Patrick Mahoney, Richard Ryan, James Franklin, William Hedger, Henry James Greaves, James Isaacs, Alfred Green, Francis Mayon,
James Wood, Joseph Woodcock, Samuel Johnson, and Thomas Knight, a returned convict, for robbery from the person. Ten others were sentenced to transportation for life, nine for fourteen years, and forty-three for seven years : among the latter, were two mere children. A number were also sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.
Henry Hincks and William Hickford were tried on Monday, in this Court, for robbing the Viscountess de Tagoahy of gold snuffboxes and jewellery to the value of 3,000/. The charge was proved against Hincks, upon whom the property was found; and he was found guilty. The evidence against Hickford was defective ; he was therefore acquitted.
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