James Forster

110

Ron Garbutt on 22nd September 2022

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 22 September 2022), October 1810, trial of JAMES FORSTER (t18101031-21). JAMES FORSTER, Deception > forgery, 31st October 1810. 793. JAMES FORSTER was indicted for feloniously forging, on the 9th of October , an order for the payment of 103 l. 12 s. with intention to defraud Westgurth Snaith , William Sikes , John Watson , and Henry Sikes . SECOND COUNT, for feloniously uttering and publishing as true, a like orders, with the like intention. And TWO OTHER COUNTS for like offence, only varying the manner of charging them. WILLIAM COLTON . At the time this happened I was a porter at the White Horse Inn. Q. Do you remember seeing the prisoner at the bar there and when - A. Yes, on the 8th and 9th of October last, he came there I believe on the 8th; I am not positive to the day. Q. Do you remember his giving you any directions on the 9th of October - A. On the 9th of October, between three and four in the afternoon, he gave me directions to take the check in question to the bankers for payment, he said to Sikes's and company in Mansion-house-street. Q. What was the amount of the check - A. One hundred and three pounds twelve shillings, and if I received large notes, I was then to go to the Bank and endorse them in my own name, or the name of Leech, and to get small notes, one's or two's. I accordingly went to the banker s, taking the check with me. On my presenting it at Sike's and company I was asked who I brought it from. I said from a gentleman at the White Horse. Q. Did you get payment of it - A. No, I did not. I was then desired to wait till one of the gentlemen came out. On the gentleman's return he desired me to tell the person that gave me the check to come for the money himself. I then went home, leaving the check there. Before I had gone home Mr. Nalder the city marshal came up to me and asked are some questions about the prisoner; I went back to the White Horse, Mr. Nalder promised tomeet me there; I happened to be there first; I then went up stairs to the prisoner and informed him of the message I had received from Messrs. Sikes's, which was, that he was to come to receive the money himself, upon which he answered, then I know what to do: I then came down stairs, leaving the prisoner up stairs; I found Mr. Nalder waiting down stairs, I conducted Mr. Nalder to the prisoner, and he immediately apprehended him. Then I accompanied Mr. Nalder and the prisoner to the Compter. In our way to the Compter the prisoner appeared to be quite ignorant of his situation, he seemed to be quite stupefied, he appeared to be insensible of the situation he was in. Mr. Alley. He said that he knew what to do, did not be add that he received the check with some others of a traveller in the country - A. No, I did not hear him say that. HENRY SIKES . Q. You are one of the partners in the banking house - A. Yes. Q. State the firm of your house - A. Westgarth Snaith, William Sikes , John Watson , and Henry Sikes , myself. That is the firm of our house. Q. Does Messrs. Stokes and Hodgson keep cash at your house - A. They do, they are stock-brokers. Q. Is there no other firm of that name that you carry on any account there - A. No, none. I have no authority to pay to any body else under that name. Q. Were you present when the draft was presented by the last witness - A. I was. I immediately perceived the check that was presented was not the handwriting of Stokes and Hodgson, it was presented to me personally; I then shewed it to Mr. Wilkinson, one of the clerks in our house, I handed it over to him. THOMAS WILKINSON . Q. You are a clerk to Messrs. Snaith and co - A. I am. Q. You have got a check - A. I have, I received it of Mr. Henry Sike 's. Q. Were you present at the time it was presented by Colton - A. I was. Q. Are you sure that is the same check that you received from Mr. Sikes - A. I am, my initials are on it; I put it at the time. This is the same note. Q. Messrs. Stokes and Hodgson keep cash with you Do you know their hand-writing - A. I do. Q. Is that the hand-writing of Mr. Stokes or Hodgson - A. Certainly not. Q. Were there any other check of that amount paid on that day by Messrs. Stokes and Co - A. There were not. Q. What are the christian names of Messrs. Stokes and Hodgson - A. Charles Stokes and John Hodgson . Mr. Alley. You knew immediately it was their handwriting - A. Yes, immediately. (The note read.) "October 9th, 1810. Messrs. Sikes, Snaith, and Co. pay Messrs. Hargreaves and Aspdon or bearer on demand one hundred and three pounds twelve shillings. Signed Stokes and Hodgson." 103 12 s. FRANCIS NALDER . Q. You are the city marshal - A. Yes. Q. You were applied to go with Colton, the witness just examined, to the White Horse, Fetter-lane - A. I was; I found the prisoner there, I met him coming out of the room he slept in, No. 28, up two pair of stairs; I immediately took hold of him, and told him he must go with me; he asked me who I was, I immediately told him my name and the situation I held in the city; he then asked me what I wanted with him, I told him he must go to Mansion-house street with me; he almost immediately shammed to be extremely drunk. COURT. Did he appear to be so when you first saw him - A. He did not. I desired Colton to take hold of his arm; we took him down stairs, and from thence put him into a coach, and conveyed him to the banking house. Colton went with me in the coach. Upon getting into the banking-house, I took him into a back room of Mr. Snaith's banking house and searched him; I found upon him three drafts, purporting to be drafts drawn upon Snaith and Co. all of them signed, Stokes and Hodgson, payable to different people, one for the sum of eighty-three pound twelve shillings, another seventy-eight pound twelve shillings and sixpence, another twenty-sixpound twelve shillings, and another draft not quite complete, in as much as the figures are not complete in the body of the draft. It is directed to Sikes and Co. purporting to be signed by Stokes and Hodgson. Q. Are they checks or plain paper - A. They are plain paper, and on the same paper is part of another draft not finished by the figures neither by Mr. Hodgson's name. EDWARD MORTIMER . Q. Do you know Mr. Charles Stokes and Mr. John Hodgson - A. I do. Q. Are you acquainted with their hand-writing - A. Perfectly, I have seen them write. Q. Look at the note in question - A. I believe this not to be neither of their hand-writing, nor any part of the note. Q. Look at the other notes - A. They do not appear to be Stokes nor Hodgson's hand-writing, nor any part of them. WILLIAM RICHARD STOKES . Q. Are you in partnership with the other Mr. Stokes - A. No. Q. Are you acquainted with the hand-writing of Charles Stokes and John Hodgson - A. I am, I have seen them write. Q. Take the draft in your hand, and tell me whether it is their writing - A. I think it is not. Q. Look at the others, do you believe them to be either the hand-writing of Charles Stokes or John Hodgson - A. I do not. COURT, to Colton. He told you the note that you took to the banking-house to put your own name or the name of Leech, did he assign any reason for it - A. No. Q. to Mr. Nalder. I suppose you know the bounds of the city - A. I do. Q. Where is the White Horse - A. It is in the city of London; it is no part of the county of Middlesex; the Liberty of the Rolls is lower down. Q. to Colton. You left the check behind you when you went to the bankers - A. Yes. It was the same check that I received of the prisoner. The prisoner left his defence to his counsel. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 21. Of uttering it, knowing it to be forged. [ The prisoner was recommended to His Majesty's mercy by the jury, on account of his family .] London jury, before Mr. Baron Thompson. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/print.jsp?div=t18101031-21