Matthew Stephenson

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Maureen Withey on 16th January 2026

SWINDLING EXTRAORDINARY--Of Monday last, a person calling himself Matthew Stephenson, was committed from Bangor, to the county Gaol in Carnarvon, to take his trial at the next Quarter Sessions of the Peace, on the following charge:-He made his debut in Bangor some time last week, representing himself to be a furniture broker in extensive business, having establishments at Liverpool and Chester ; and stated  that his object in visiting this part of the Principality, WWI for the purpose of disposing of his valuable stock lottery, the tickets of which were 2s. 6d. each He distributed through the public, prospectuses of his by which it appeared that furniture valued at 6s was to be disposed of by tickets; and which was then on its way from Liverpool to the Menai Bridge in three vessels, to arrive about the 6th of May. On the faith this promising scheme he managed to dispose of several tickets,  and received the stipulated price. Thursday evening se’nnight when perambulating the public-houses for the purpose of meeting with dupes, he fortunately was recognised in the Travellers' Inn, by the master of a Scotch vessel, as the person who had visited Annan in Dumfriesshire about a year before, on similar expedition; and who having disposed of about £50 worth of tickets had decamped with the proceeds, leaving his victims each in the possession of an undeniable blank, though all lotteries proferred to be all prizes and blanks. Though thus exposed, he was not then taken into custody as ought to have been, but was suffered to leave the house. His evil genius apparently presided at the moment, as he continued to try to dispose of his tickets with as much confidence as if the transaction  as if the transaction bad been honest one. Next morning however the circumstance having become public, Mr. Shepherd of the Royal Oak Inn, who was a holder this …. stock accompanied Evan Jones the parish constable, set out in search of the imposter and took him in custody the Three Salmons, in Llanrafon, at the moment he was engaged in disposing of some tickets. his examination before the magistrates, a book had been produced which had been found upon his person, which, contained such a register of similar transactions, that left no doubt but that he had for several years, been engaged in similar acts of swindling.  Reported in Welshman, 25 April 1834. (and Hereford Times, 26 April 1834)

342

Maureen Withey on 16th January 2026

National Archives. Criminal Petitions. HO 17/84/53 1834 July 11 - 1834 Sept 6 Prisoner name: Matthew Stephenson. Prisoner age: 49 years. Prisoner occupation: Cabinet maker and seller, of Liverpool [Lancashire]. Court and date of trial: Caernarvonshire Quarter Sessions, Caernarvon, July 1834. Crime: Obtaining money by false pretences, namely selling tickets in Bangor [Caernarvonshire] for a lottery of his furniture stock on [11 April 1834]. Initial sentence: Seven years transportation. Gaoler's report: 'Character etc not known'. Annotated (Outcome): 'Nil'. Petitioner(s): Matthew Stephen son (the convict) two applications with the second undersigned by five inhabitants of [Liverpool]. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): First offence; sentence is excessively severe; previous good character; the lottery had not actually been drawn at the time he was apprehended; there were to be no blank tickets; on being informed by the constable that the lottery was illegal he immediately offered to refund the only three tickets sold; he had an excess of stock unsold due to the Great Depression and needed to convert some into cash in order to continue his trade; one of the jury did not speak English and the convict did not speak Welsh; he has a wife and 12 surviving children from 15, three now without support and on parish relief. Additional Information: Held in Caernarvon Jail; ordered to Fortitude [convict hulk].