Christopher Johnson

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C H on 2nd March 2024

Old Bailey Online CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON. Royal Offences; coining offences. 24th November 1834 Text type Trial account Defendants CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON Offences Royal Offences > Coining offences Session Date 24th November 1834 Reference Number t18341124-102 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 102. CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON was indicted , for that he, on the 16th of October, knowingly, and without lawful excuse, feloniously had in his custody and possession, 1 mould, upon-which was impressed the figure and apparent resemblance of the obverse side of the King's current silver coin, called a shilling, against the Statue, &c.—2nd COUNT. Substituting the word reverse for obverse.—3rd COUNT. Stating that he had in his possession a mould impressed with the obverse side of a sixpence.—4th COUNT. Stating it to be the reverse side of a sixpence. MR. GURNEY conducted the Prosecution. ROBERT GOOSE . I am a policeman. On the 16th of October, I went to No. 1, Greystock-place, Tothill-fields, with Bannister and Clifton—I went to the top of the house, the two-pair front room, and found the door closed—I rapped at it—the prisoner and I both opened it at the same time—I told him we were officers; that we had information that he was carrying on coining, and we must search the place—he said we were welcome to do it—he was in his shirt sleeves—there was a strong fire in the room—I took him into custody—I searched the room, and under the fire place, up in one corner, on the right hand side, I found a mould which I produce—there was a lad in the room, and a little girl; and his wife and an infant in bed—I found a spoon, with white metal in it, in a table-drawer; and in a trunk, in the room, I found a file, with white metal in the teeth; and a piece of linen, with a lot of platter of Paris—I did not search the prisoner—he said he knew nothing about the things; and afterwards he said some man had left them there—he did not say who, at that time—asked who was the occupier of the room—he said, he was—I found part of a tobacco-pipe—there was nothing in it, and I broke it. SAMUEL BANNISTER . I was in company with Goose—I have been in Court—I agree with the account he gives, as far as it goes—I went about five o'clock in the evening there, and found the room very dark, and the persons Goose has described in it—I went down stairs to get a candle, and when I returned, I found Goose with the mould in his hand—he said, in the prisoner's presence, that he had found it under the grate—I assisted Goose to search the room, and under the bed, near the fire-place, I found a pipkin, with white metal adhering to the side of it add the bottom: and a piece of white metal on the mantel piece—that was all I found—when the prisoner stated to Goose that a man left them there, I said it was curious he should place the mould under the fire-place, if a man had left them—he replied, that the man who left them desired him to take great care of them—I saw Clifton take from the prisoner's pocket a sixpence; and I saw what dropped from the prisoner, which turned out to be two base sixpences and three shillings—Clifton took them up—I said, "Do you say the money was left by the man, as well as the mould? How came they in your pocket?"—he said, "I agreed to go out with the man in the evening." Cross-examined by MR. DOANE. Q. Were you three policemen together when you first went to the door of his room? A. Yes—Goose knocked at the door, and it was opened by the prisoner or Goose—the prisoner was at the door in an instant—so time could have elapsed between the knocking and the opening for him to hide the things. Q. Was the metal the kind of metal soldiers use to fasten their flints in the gun lock? A. I should say, they use a coarser sort of metal—the prisoner had not said he had put the mould in the fire-place, but it was found there. WILLIAM CLIFTON . On the 16th of October, I accompanied the witnesses, and searched the prisoner—I found in the right hand pocket of his trowsers, two sixpences, and three shillings dropped from his person at the same time on the floor—I afterwards found a tin band in the room, and a piece of carpeting with some white metal on it in different places, and some plaster of Paris on it—the carpet was opposite the fire-place. Cross-examined. Q. Are you quite sure it was plaster of Paris on the carpet? A. It appears to be so. JOHN FIELD . I am inspector of counterfeit coin for His Majesty's Mint. This is a plaster of Paris mould, intended for casting shillings and sixpences—it has the impression of both on each, one part having the obverse and the other the reverse sides—it is a perfect mould, and I have every reason to believe it has been used—there are particles of metal in the channel of the mould, and discoloration from the heat of the metal—here are three shillings all counterfeit, and I have no doubt they were produced from the mould produced—the three sixpences are also counterfeit, and I believe were cast in this mould also—this tin band, I believe, has been used to form the plaster of Paris mould—it has that appearance—it confines the plaster of Paris in a fluid state—this iron spoon has white metal about it, similar to the coin—it appears to have been used to lade the metal into the mould—this file would be used to remove some of the surface of the metal—here are small particles of white metal on the carpet—I have not a doubt the things produced are used to counterfeit coin—she mould itself has been made with good coin. Prisoner's Defence. The metal and things are used to cast leads for flints of my gun—the plaster of Paris was left by a man who was repairing my room previous to this—the file a great many soldiers have to brighten the swivel their sling goes through. (Peter Ridley, sergeant in the Foot Guards, to which the prisoner belonged, deposed to his good character.) GUILTY . Aged 24.— Transported for Seven Years. Before Mr. Baron Bolland.

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C H on 2nd March 2024

Description Born 1810. Place of birth Lincoln. Gender male. Hair dark brown Eyes blue. Distinguishing marks c.j. on left arm below elbow w.t.c.t. on back same wrist. Has tattoo yes. Tattoo subjects names and initials. Tattoo written words initials. Tattoo body locations arm. First recorded 1834