Page:The Trial, at Large, of William Booth and his Associates.pdf/36

 a person might be more criminal who was in the situation of master, yet a servant ought to resist temptation, and not commit a breach of the law. In one instance only did the law allow the plea of supposed coercion—that was in the case of a wife, whom the law supposed to be under the controulcontrol [sic] of her husband, but the law did not admit such a plea on the part of servants.

The Jury found both the prisoners Guilty.

N.B. The punishment directed by the Act for this offence is 14 years' transportation.

WILLIAM BOOTH and GEORGE SCOT were again tried; the charge now against them was for coining dollars, against the statute 44th Geo. III.—The indictment charged the prisoners with coining a piece of coin called a dollar, having an impression on the obverse side of his Majesty's head, and the words "Georgius—III. Dei Gratia Rex," and on the reverse, a figure of Britannia, and the words "Five Shillings. Dollar. Bank of England, 1804."

The press for cutting out the pieces of plated metal, of the sizes of dollars, 3s, and 1s. 6d, pieces, stood on the table—the press for making the impressions thereon, was too large to be brought into the inner court, and stood in the outer one.

Mr. stated what was the offence charged against the prisoners, which the statute had made punishable with seven years' transportation: that every implement and material necessary for making dollars was found in the garret of Booth's house, except the dies which had been given by Booth to John Ingeley to plant, as was his constant custom with every article which would immediately shew what was the nature of his employment; the engines could not be readily removed and replaced, those engines might be employed in lawful business, but the dies, and the other articles which he was in the habit of having buried, could not be used lawfully.

Mr. Linwood was in the garret on the 16th March, and found there a large press, that now in the outer hall, it was large and powerful enough to raise the impression of any current coin of this kingdom; the witness is a plater, and uses in his business engines of a similar nature, and