The Police Courts: … Forgery by a Boy: … At the Devonport Guildhall, on Saturday, a boy named William Lucas, an errand boy in the employ of Mr. Boolds, upholsterer; etc. was committed for trial, under the following circumstances: Having forged the name of “John Elliott,” grocer, of Devonport, to a bill drawn by Messrs. Stilwell and Col, navy agents, in favour of Daniel W. Stephens, Esq., surgeon of her Majesty’s ship Basilisk, one of the Baltic fleet, he cashed the bill at the shop of Messrs. Pinsent and Co. Mr. Pinsent, of the firm, stated that on Monday last the prisoner came to the shop and asked Mr. Philp, one of the assistants, if he could cash a bank post bill for Mr. Elliott. He referred him to Mr. Blake, the cashier, and he was further referred to Mr. Pinsent, who, after examining the bill, asked if it was for Mr. Elliott, Fore Street. The boy replied that it was, and Mr. Pinsent said if he would endorse it on the back, he would cash, as the endorsement was necessary. In a short time, the boy returned with the bill endorsed, and Mr. Pinsent gave him £40. … (continues) … The boy was then sought for and was found by Mr. Blake and Philp, of Mr. Pinsent’s establishment, in the trench shooting. He was afterwards taken to Mr. Pinsent’s and then handed over to the police. … (continues) … About this time two gentlemen came and asked the prisoner his name. He said “Truscott.” They asked him to go with them for a few minutes to Mr. Pinsent. He said he could not, as he was going to work. He, however, went with them, and I have not seen him until today. He added that on coming from the trench Lucas passed a bag of money over to him, which he took to his mother, who went with it to Mr. Pinsent. Mr. Pinsent added that the money he had received from the woman amounted to £33, so that he was now £7 minus. The bank post bill was in the hands of the bench. It was dated “London, 14th March 1855 … (continues) … The prisoner, on being told that the magistrates would remand him until Saturday on a charge of forgery, stated that he found the note just below the shop of Mr. Cox, optician, Fore Street, about 10 O’clock on Monday morning. He then took it to Messrs. Pinsent and Co.’s to get it changed without being told to do so by anyone. Mr. Pinsent applied to have the bill delivered late in his custody and complained of the unceremonious manner in which it had been obtained possession of by the police. Mr. Glencross remarked that the bill was not worth a penny without the endorsement of the person to whom it was made payable … (continues) … It transpired that the same day in the previous week a man dressed like a sailor asked Mr. Sloggett, draper, Tavistock Street, to cash a bank post for £40, adding as an excuse for coming to him, that it was past bank hours, and he wanted to get the money. Mr. Sloggett said he had not have sufficient change in the house, and the man asked where he might be able to change it. Mr. Sloggett replied that, perhaps, he might get it at Messrs. Pinsents’. This might have been the same bill, and the knowledge of the circumstance might give some clue to the manner in which the bill came into the boy’s hands, and how he came to apply to Messrs. Pinsent and Co., to get it cashed.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0741 Devonport: Richard Steele Pinsent: 1820 – 1864