Henry Ravenscroft

Level 347

Maureen Withey on 14th August 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 14 August 2023), June 1809, trial of CHARLES HENRY RAVENSCROFT (t18090626-46). CHARLES HENRY RAVENSCROFT, Deception > forgery, 26th June 1809. 570. CHARLES HENRY RAVENSCROFT was indicted for that he on the 24th of April , feloniously did falsely make, forge, and counterfeit, and caused and procured to be made, and willingly acted and assisted in feloniously forging and counterfeiting a certain order for the payment of 15 l. with intention to defraud Richard Wilson . SECOND COUNT, for uttering and publishing as true a certain order for the payment of 15 l. with like intention; - and TEN OTHER COUNTS for like offence, only varying the manner of charging them. The case was stated by Mr. Knapp. WILLIAM MC'INERKERRY . I am a navy agent; I am in partnership with Francis Wilson ; I reside in James-street, in the Adelphia. Q. Your bankers are Messrs. Masterman and co - A. Yes; White Hart-court, Lombard-street. Q. Do you remember seeing the prisoner at the bar - A. Yes; I have seen him; I first saw him, I think, in the month of December last, at our accompting house; he represented himself as an assistant surgeon in the navy, and said he wanted an agent; I told him that we never took any gentleman unless he was recommended - unless we were recommended to him. I asked him if he knew any surgeon in the navy; I asked him if he knew Mr. Duncan, a surgeon in the navy; he said he knew him perfectly well. On the 7th of March he called again, I was not in the office when he came in, I came in afterwards, when Mr. Wilson, my partner, shewed me a letter which wasbrought by him. Q. Was the prisoner present at the time the letter was given to you by Mr. Wilson - A. Yes. Q. Have you got that letter - A. Yes; I have. Q. What past upon that - A. Mr. Wilson went out, and this person represented himself to me as an assistant surgeon in the navy; he said he required an advance of twenty pounds, and that he had pay due for the Wrangler, gun-brig, from the 17th of November last; he said there were no blank bills on board; he could not draw for his pay. Q. These bills are usually printed bills - A. They are government bills. I then filled up a power of attorney; and filled up a bill for three months pay; he took the power of attorney with him, and the bill, having first signed it, before I gave him the draft on Messrs. Masterman and co. for twenty pounds. Q. Look at that draft, and tell me whether that is the draft - A. Yes; this is the draft. Q. Is it usual for you to draw drafts on paper, to write on it with red ink, payable at Messrs. Master-man and co - A. Yes, it is an universal practice. He represented himself to be of respectable connections, that he was the son of colonel Wells; he introduced himself by the name of Thomas Wells , said there were two assistant surgeons in the navy of the name of Thomas Wells , but he was the first Thomas Wells ; he described himself as Thomas Wells , the first, - the first on the list. I believe that was near the whole of the conversation that passed, and then he went away. COURT. You have a paper in your hand - A. Yes. Q. Who is it signed by - A. By Thomas Wells , the prisoner at the bar. Our clerk drew the bill and gave it to him to sign; he signed it in the name of Thomas Wells . We drew the bill upon ourselves and gave it to him to sign in that way. I did not see him afterwards till I saw him at Bow-street. Q. After you had written that in red ink you gave him the bill - A. Yes. Mr. Knapp. With respect to that letter, it was produced to you by Mr. Wilson - A. Yes. Q. When it was in the prisoner's presence was any thing said about that letter - A. No; Mr. Wilson referred it over to me. He only referred it over to me whether we would take him as a client. Q. Was it in the hearing of the prisoner that Mr. Wilson asked you whether you should take him as a client - A. He said here is the letter, shall we take this person as a client upon this letter. We were very busy at the time. Q. You say the prisoner signed this bill and you wrote the red ink upon it - A. I did. Mr. Knapp. I now propose it to be read. "London, March 7th, 1809. Gentlemen, pay the bearer the sum of twenty pounds, and place to account of your humble servant Thomas Wells ; Messrs. Wilson and Mc'Inerkerry, 1, James-street, Adelphia." And above it in red ink. "Payable at Messrs. Masterman and co. W. Mc'Inerkerry, 7th March, 1809." COURT. Now point out that part of writing which you directed your clerk to write before he wrote his name - A. I told him to draw a bill for our bankers for twenty pounds, after that was done, and the prisoner signed his name I wrote that which made it payable at the bankers. Mr. Alley. This is not the bill upon which the indictment is drawn - A. No. Q. This is in your own name singular - A. Yes. Q. Pray have you a private account in that bank - A. No. I believe the account is kept at the banking-house in the name of Francis Wilson and co. either of us draws. JOHN LENT . Q. Are you clerk to Messrs. Mc'Inerkerry and Wilson - A. Yes. Q. Look at that draft and tell me whether you wrote the body of it - A. Yes, I did, by the direction of my master. COURT. What do you call the body of it - A. That which is black ink, except the name at the bottom, and what is written in red ink, I wrote. RICHARD WILSON . Q. You are a publican, and keep the Swan, public house, in Portland-street - A. Yes, I do. Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar - A. Yes perfectly well. I suppose the first time I saw him, as near as I can say is about four or five months ago, three months before the bill was drawn; he was introduced to me by the name of sir Henry Ravenscroft , by his friend, who brought him to my house, who had frequented my house before. Q. How long was he at your house - A. I suppose about five months; perhaps three months before this bill was drawn. Q. You say he frequented your house near four or five months - A. Yes. Q. Did he ever go by any other name - A. No; except when he was told his name was not sir Henry Ravenscroft ; he said his name was Charles Henry Ravenscroft . That was at the last part of his frequenting my house. COURT. Did he say Charles Henry Ravenscroft was his real name - A. I never asked him at all his name; he went by that name with his acquaintances currently; I never knew him by any other name. Mr. Knapp. Did he make any application to you on the 24th of April - A. On the 24th of April he spent the evening at my house; he wanted the loan of seven shillings, he said at first; he then consulted himself, he said that was not sufficient; he applied for more, he asked me if I would give him the discount of a fifteen pound note, drawn upon Messrs. Masterman and co. He had spent his evening down stairs, it was past eleven o'clock at night. Then he produced that bill, he asked me to give him the money for it; I should be sure of getting the money for it; they were his bankers. COURT. Did he say on whom - A. Messrs Masterman, Peters, and co. I went to my almanack, the Commercial almanack, I there proved there was such a bankers. He gave me the draft; this is the draft. I held the ink stand in my left hand when he signed it. Q. You saw him sign it - A. Yes, he wrote his name on the back of it in my presence; I should never take a bill of this description without seeing a person write his name on it in that manner. Mr. Knapp. You have no doubt at all that this is the bill that he presented to you - A. I have no doubt of it in the least; I told him that I had paid away my money that day, as I do on a Monday; I said if he was a mind to have two pound he might have it, and therest if he would call the next day. Indeed I had no doubt of the goodness of it. I let him have two pounds; on my keeping the bill he seemed satisfied; I told him if he would come on the next day he should have the remainder, as he was in the habit of coming mostly every day. Q. You let him have two pounds - A. I did, and he went away. I sent the bill to Messrs. Masterman's by a person of the name of Fisher; I told him to go to Masterman's, and tell them to give the money for that bill; he went and brought me a fifteen pound bank of England note. Q. Did the prisoner tell you, or did you understand from him that he was to call the next day - A. I left it to his option to call when he liked, when I had the money there it was for him. He did not call the next day; I sent after him frequently, and had heard of him; he did not come for near a month. Q. When did he come - A. That I cannot be positive. He came on a Wednesday, about one o'clock, I must not be positive whether it was in May or June, I think it was in the latter end of May; thinking every thing was just I did not notice it. When he came in again I asked him why he had not called for the money of the bill; he with an oath said he did not know that he gave me the bill, having many of them in circulation about, perhaps I dreamed of it, or he had drank too much that night, and did not recollect it. Very little passed more than that; I said I had sent to him by various people; he said they had told him of it, they came to him the night before, and he had then come for the money. Q. You say upon a former occasion you advanced him two pounds - A. Yes, and on the Wednesday I paid him the remainder thirteen pounds in bank notes - in two bank notes. ANTHONY FISHER . Q. Do you remember receiving a bill of Mr. Wilson - A. Yes; I was employed by Mr. Wilson. Q. Was that the bill that you took to Messrs. Masterman's - A. I do not know; I only took one; I did not look at the bill. Q. Did you receive at Messrs. Masterman's a fifteen pound bank of England note - A. Yes. Q. Did you go immediately from your master to the banker's, and from the banker's to your master - A. Yes. Q. And you are quite sure that you never received but one of your master - A. I am sure I never received but one. Q. to Lent. Look at this bill - do you know Mr. Mc'Inerkerry's hand writing - A. Yes; and Mr. Wilson's. Q. Have you seen them write often - A. Yes. Q. Is that Mr. Mc'Inerkery's hand writing - A. No. Mr. Alley. Do you form your opinion from any thing you have heard expressed since the bill has been paid - A. I form my opinion from the bill itself. Q. If you had met that bill without ever having heard that forgery was imputed to the prisoner, could you have ventured to have said that - A. Yes; instantly. (The bill read.) "London, April 24, 1809. Gentlemen, please to pay the bearer on demand fifteen pounds, and accompt it to your humble servant C. H. Ravenscroft. Payable at Messrs. Masterman's and co. White Hart-court, W. Mc'Inerkerry." The letters, "Payable at Messrs. Masterman's and co." appear to be in red ink. LEWIS MILLER . Q. I believe you are clerk to Messrs. Masterman and co. - A. I am. Q. You can tell us the names of the partners in that house - A. William Masterman , Henry Peters , Thomas Walker , Daniel Mildred Gerard Scorrer , and James Maud ; they are the only partners; they are bankers in White Hart-court, Lombard-street. Q. Do you remember that check being presented to you for payment - A. Yes, very well, on the 25th of April. Q. Do you recollect the person that presented it - A. The person that was last called, Fisher, he was not so clean dressed as now, I think I recollect his eyes; I took notice of him before he got out of the house, on account of my suspicion; we were particularly busy at that time, and I dare say the man will recollect that I looked particularly at him when he went out of the door. Q. to Fisher. Do you recollect that person looking at you - A. Yes, very well. Miller. I paid the check in a fifteen pounds bank of England note, 7637. Mr. Bolland. I see this note is not directed to your house - A. It is made payable at our house. Mr. Knapp. Though it is not directed to your house. Is that your usual mode - A. We are accustomed to pay such pieces of paper as these; the seamen bring such as they can get, when they are directed in red ink we always pay them, knowing it to be Mr. Mc'Inerkerry's hand writing. When I looked at if the second time I had suspicion of it immediately. I have had hundreds of Mr. Mc'Inerkerry's drafts. WILLIAM BLACKMAN . I am an officer of Bow-street. Limbrick and I apprehended the prisoner on Friday the 16th of June in Belton-street, Long Acre. We told him that we had got a warrant against him. When we got to the watchhouse we told him it was for a forgery; he made a little reply. I searched him and I found this piece of paper in his right hand waistcoat pocket. On Saturday, the next morning, as we were going up the coal yard, in our way to the office; he requested me not to produce the paper, he said it would hang him; he said no more; I made no answer to it. (The paper read.) "Payable at Masterman's and co. W. Mc'Inerkerry. Payable at Masterman's and co. W. Mc'Inerkerry. Payable at Masterman's and co. W. Mc'Inerkerry. Payable at Masterman's and co. W. Mc'Inerkerry. Please to pay the bearer on demand for your humble servant. Please to pay the bearer on demand, you will oblige your humble servant. London, June 14th, 1809. Gentlemen, please to pay the bearer one hundred pounds on demand, you will oblige your humble servant. Payable at Masterman's and co. W. Mc'Inerkerry. Payable at Masterman's and co. W. Mc'Inerkerry. Payable at Masterman's and co. W. Mc'Inerkerry. Payable at Masterman's and co. W. Mc'Inerkerry." Prisoner's Defence. I am perfectly aware of the situation I now stand in; I am of a respectable family and connections, I have had a liberal education given me. With respect to the witnesses, they have taken an oath to speak the truth, and nothing but the truth. I shall make a few observations with regard to Mr.Wilson; I do not know what Mr. Wilson means to insinuate, that I forgot to call, or did not call upon him for a month after I tendered him the bill; I mean to say when that bill was given to him; it was given to him for him to keep it till the two pounds was paid, not to after it upon his peril. He said I have been every day at his house, I have not; he keeps an Odd-fellow's lodge; as he kept an Odd-fellow's lodge, I went there on the Monday. I am well aware of his inviduous temper; if I shall lose my life, I shall not merit it at his hands, though I shall not be the first life that he has lost. My lord, I beg pardon, I hope that you will not think that my disagreeable situation makes me have any antipathy against him as a man; no, but as a man, he ought to have said nothing more than the truth. What could he mean by saying I had more in circulation, but that it might prejudice the jury against me. I did not intend to make another observation; Mr. Mc'Inerkery made an observation, to say that I called on him in December, I beg his pardon. I was cast away with captain Bartan, in the Crescent, on the 14th of September. On the 8th of January, I was appointed gunner of the Wrangler, gun brig; I could not be there in December. With regard to Blackman, the laws of the country requires that witnesses should speak the truth; why not he speak the truth, as well as any other man. He said when he took the paper from me, I said I was afraid I should be hanged; why should I be afraid I should be hanged; when I am tried by a liberal and impartial jury. I have been ten years in the navy, and three years in the light dragoons. I have always conducted myself as a gentleman. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 23. Of uttering it, knowing it to be forged. [ The prisoner was recommended to his Majesty's mercy by the jury, on account of his youth .] Second Middlesex jury, before Mr. justice Le Blanc. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Colonial Secretary Index. RAVENSCROFT, Henry. Per "Earl Spencer", 1813; surgeon 1813 Oct 14 On list of convicts disembarked from "Earl Spencer" and forwarded to Revd Samuel Marsden at Parramatta for distribution (Reel 6002; 4/3491 p.561) 1814 Jun 7 On list of prisoners to be sent to Newcastle per "Lady Nelson" (Reel 6004; 4/3493 p.183) 1815 Jul 8 Re remission of sentence and return to Sydney (Reel 6004; 4/3494 p.115) 1815 Jul 24 Sent to Sydney from Newcastle per "Lady Nelson" (Reel 6066; 4/1805 p.191) 1815 Jul 24 Re appointment of as surgeon at Castle Hill Asylum (Reel 6004; 4/3494 p.152) 1815 Nov 4 Paid from the Police Fund as donation for services performed (Reel 6038; SZ759 p.153) 1816 Aug 7 On list of prisoners to be sent to Newcastle per "Lady Nelson" (Reel 6005; 4/3495 p.89) 1817 Mar 29 Prisoner at Newcastle acting in place of the sick surgeon; declined to do so any longer (Reel 6066; 4/1806 p.69) 1817 May 13 Deposition re spearing of Private Connachton by natives (Reel 6066; 4/1806 p.76) 1817 Jul 5 Sentence expired and to be returned to Sydney (Reel 6005; 4/3496 p.231) 1817 Jul 8 Wishing to remain in Newcastle until the next boat (Reel 6066; 4/1806 p.80)