| Mr Jervis,
the leading counsel for the prosecution, said that
the charge against the prisoners was High Treason.
The principal evidence he should call was an
accomplice of the name of Bolton, whose testimony it
would, therefore, be the duty of the Jury most
minutely and carefully to watch, and not to believe
it unless fully supported by other and unimpeached
evidence.
Bolton told the
story of the conspiracy and was subjected to
considerable cross-examination. In addition to
narrating in great detail the various meetings, and
the mechanics of the coining, he stated that he got
the dies from Mrs. Bissaker. There were one head and
two tail dies. He delivered one of each to Wilkes,
and the other, one of the first having been broken,
to Wilkes' house some time after. Bolton stated that
he had been in the trade 6 or 7 months altogether;
but had left it off some time until he met with Duffield. He proposed the business to Duffield;
delivered the blanks to Wilkes, received them back
when stamped, put them into circulation, and then
informed against his accomplices; he could not deny
that it was so.
In addition to
the evidence of the Constables and Green, servants
at the various taverns where the conspirators had
met deposed that they had seen the defendants
together on the dates stated. Mr. George Atkinson, a
moneyer at the Royal Mint also gave evidence. He
stated that the shilling produced, found in
Duffield’s house, and that taken from Wilkes’s
saddle-bags, were both counterfeits and struck from
the same die. The others produced from the various
parcels were also counterfeits, and from the same
die.
The Judge, Mr.
Justice Richardson, then recapitulated the evidence
to the Jury. He said the testimony of Bolton,
inasmuch as he was an accomplice, ought, as stated
by the learned counsel in his opening, to be most
scrupulously examined, and if they entertained any
doubt upon it, to be altogether discarded. But,
however, it was to be regretted that he who was not
only an accomplice, but also the prime mover, could
not be put in the bar. If it appeared to them that
his evidence was supported by such substantial and
un-impeached testimony as would not leave a doubt
upon their minds, it was then entitled to its full
weight, and they would give a verdict according to
their consciences.
The Jury
conferred together for a short time, and then
pronounced a verdict of Guilty against all
the prisoners. The prisoners were afterwards brought
up to receive the judgment of the Court, when Mr.
Justice Richardson sentenced them to be drawn on a
hurdle to the place of execution and there to be
hanged by the neck. The prisoners begged loudly for
mercy; and the learned Judge was much affected.
|
