Carlisle Patriot, 13 Aug 1825 - Cumberland Summer Assizes (4)

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Saturday 13 Aug 1825   (p. 2, col. 3 - p. 3, col. 5)

 

CUMBERLAND SUMMER ASSIZES.

 

CROWN BAR: MR. JUSTICE BAYLEY.

  

[continued]

 

RICHARD PURDOM, aged 49, was charged with having uttered five forged and counterfeit notes, purporting to be of the British Linen Company, and four other forged and counterfeit notes purporting to be of the Dundee Bank, knowing the same to have been forged.

 

Mr. COLTMAN, for the prosecution, stated the case to the jury. The charge against the prisoner was that of uttering certain notes purporting to belong to the British Linen Company, and the Dundee Bank. This man, like others of a similar kind, presented three points for the consideration of the jury: first, that of knowing the notes to have been forged; secondly, whether they were forged; and thirdly, whether at the time he passed them, the prisoner knew them to be forged. On the first of these points there was seldom any doubt; and if his instructions were right, he should soon be able to convince them as to the others. On the 7th of May, it appeared, the prisoner made a bargain in the Carlisle pig market for nine pigs, for which he paid the money. He told TOPPING, the person of whom he bought them, that he was going to take them on the Longtown road. He also stated that he had a brother living at Westlinton, and he drove the pigs in that direction, exchanging one of them on the road. The pigs for which the prisoner had just paid nine pounds, he next sells for 14s. each, thereby sustaining a considerable loss—a loss amounting to nearly £3. We could not see into men's minds, nor know, at all times, exactly what their motives might be, but such conduct as this was entirely not that of a man who was honestly dealing. The prisoner gave TOPPING a false account of himself—a false name, and a false place of residence. He afterwards told a person named BAXTER, to whom he sold his pigs, that he wanted some money from a person in the country, and could not get it; but was obliged to take pigs for it. TOPPING soon found out that all the notes were forged, went after the prisoner, and found him at Newcastle.

 

John TOPPING, examined by Mr. INGHAM. I am a farmer at Ivegill, and was at Carlisle market on the 7th of May, with nine pigs; I sold them to Rich. PURDOM for 20s. each, but was to return him 2s. 6d. He paid me with five guineas of the British Linen Company, and £4 of the Dundee Bank notes. I asked him where he came from, and he said he came from within a mile and a half of Dumfries. He called himself Wm. REA. I sent him over the Bridges to Stanwix bank with the cart, and set down the pigs there. Two of them were spotted, and there was one black one, and another very high on the back. I put the notes into my pocket-book with some others, but did not mix them. The other notes I have mentioned, were 18 Whitehaven notes and one Scotch note, and another (East Lothian, I believe), both pound notes. I took the notes out of my pocket-book on a Tuesday, at Penrith, at Mr. WILSON's, flour dealer. I offered Mr. WILSON one of the Dundee notes. He took it out of the shop and came back and said that he would not take it; the Banker said it was a forged one. I found eight of the pigs at Mr. BAXTER's near Longtown, on the 13th of May. I saw the prisoner at Newcastle on the Monday night or Tuesday morning. I delivered the notes to a person named FORSYTH, who had the prisoner in custody, having previously marked them. I had by this time found out the prisoner's name.

 

Judge.—Prisoner, do you wish to ask the witness any questions.

 

Prisoner.—I object to what the witness has stated. Witness and me agreed for the pigs, and I asked him for the loan of the cart to take them through the throng of the town. I went in the mean time to buy some pigs that I had been looking at before, and desired the witness to stop with the cart. I objected to a lame pig, and wanted my money again; but witness refused it. I never denied my name; I merely said I was going the Longtown road.

 

Witness.—He never offered me all the pigs, my Lord; he only objected to the black one. He threatened to take me before a magistrate; and I told him I would go, if he would come back into the town.

 

James BAXTER, farmer, sworn.—I saw the prisoner near Westlinton, on the Saturday, with nine pigs. I proposed to buy them; and he said he would sell them for 18s. each. I bade him 14s. each for eight of them—one was not so good as the others. He then offered me all the nine for 16s. each; but we could not make a bargain at that time. We went to a public-house, and I agreed with him to take all nine for 14s. each. I paid him six guineas. I asked the prisoner where he was going with the pigs, and he said he was going to sell them. I then asked him how he got them; he replied that he wanted some money of a man in the country, but he could get nothing but pigs, and so he took them. I never saw TOPPING; I was not at home. I have the pigs at this time. James BIRRELL was with me when we met the prisoner; but not when I bargained for the pigs. I know the prisoner is the man who sold them to me. He said he belonged to Westlinton; but did not say he had a brother there.

 

Thomas FORSYTH.—I am a police-officer at Newcastle, and went on the night of Monday the 16th of May after the prisoner. I found him at Chipley Mills, near Newcastle. I saw him coming from his bed in his shirt, when I entered the house. I asked him if his name was Richard PURDOM, and he said it was. I told him the charge I had against him—that of having uttered forged notes in Carlisle market on Saturday last. I here corrected myself, and said, on Saturday last week. He was going to reply to me, but I told him not to speak, as I would search the house. When I was searching the drawers, he said I should find two in there; and he also told me that his boy had found 15 or 16 of them on the Town-Moor. I found five notes—three of them appeared to be guinea notes of the British Linen Company; one of them appeared to be a forged note of the British Linen Company; and the other was a Dundee note. I gave them to Mr. HODGSON when I came to Carlisle with the prisoner; I had previously marked them; and TOPPING marked the other notes, and gave them to me. I have those supposed to be good in my possession, and also two half-crowns.

 

 

[to be continued]