The Case of John Blacklin

With the updated law of 1804, the commissioners of His Majesty’s Revenue were perhaps reinvigorated in their zeal to pursue potential felons as defined by the act, particularly as revenue from stamp duty on playing cards appeared to be falling off.

A considerable falling off of the revenue, April, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000362/18050323/016/0002 Carlisle Journal - Saturday 23 March 1805

Police. —The Commissioners of the Stamp having discovered for a considerable time past a great falling off of the revenue, arising trom the taxation of the Ace of Spades, directed Mr Estcourt, their Solicitor, to endeavour to discover the cause, and he employed a number of men for that purpose; and it has been discovered that forged Aces of Spades, in Packs of Cards, have been circulated to an incredible number, particularly in the country. A number of their circulaters have been detected and apprehended, and have undergone several private examinations at the Public Office, Bow-street, before Mr Robinson. The particulars that transpired are, that they sold them under various pretences, and different prices, from 14s. to 24s. the dozen packs, and the venders of them by retail had found the sale of them to answer their purposes so well, that one in the country had given the forgers an order for an hundred dozen groce of packs. Yesterday several of them were fully committed for trial. It is a capital offence.

And so it was, that early in 1805, a certain Mr John Blacklin, along with two others, were arrested for selling packs of playing cards that included a forged Ace of Spades, thereby defrauding the King.

Three months later, at the end of April, 1805, they separately stood trial at the Old Bailey.

Blacklin was found guilty, but his legal representatives argued that the charge was mis-stated:

Feloniously vending playing cards, May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002193/18050502/015/0003 Saint James’s Chronicle - Thursday 02 May 1805

_ OLD BAILEY—Monday, April 29.

John Blacklin was indicted for feloniously vending playing cards, having a forged Ace of Spades. It appears that he sold the cards in packs of 51 each; and in another pack he delivered as many forged Aces of Spades. The duty on a pack of cards is 2s. 6d. but the prisoner sold his cards at 14s. per dozen packs. It was argued, that the cards thus disposed of could not be deemed complete packs; but this objection was over-ruled, and the prisoner was found guilty, but was recommended to mercy.

Tuesday, April 30.
Maydewall and Knype were indicted for uttering forged stamps on the Ace of Spades, knowing them to be so. The fact of uttering was completely proved ; but the prisoners in their defence declared their ignorance of the forgery, which the Jury gave credit to by a verdict of acquittal.

Capital conviction, May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000071/18050504/006/0004 Ipswich Journal - Saturday 04 May 1805

Monday, at the Old Bailey, John Blacklin, of Queen-street, Cheapside was capitally convicted for vendings cards with a forged stamp (as an Ace of Spades.) The trial lasted 5 hours and a half. Two boys indicted with him were acquitted, having acted under his control. Blacklin is supposed to have gained 8000£ a year by this practice.

The two boys implicated in the case, Maydwell and Knype, were tried the following day. Another case tried that day, of a certain J. Harding (presumably no relation to a Mr. Harding we will meet later), a “dashing swindler”, sounds like a classic hustle…

Simply smuggling?, May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000361/18050506/005/0002 Salisbury and Winchester Journal - Monday 06 May 1805 Old Bailey. [Yesterday]… J. Harding, a dashing swindler, who has sometimes called himself Lord Hawke, was tried on a capital indictment for stealing gold watch from a shop in Bond-street; but appearing that the shopkeeper’s apprentice had entrusted him with the watch, which he said he wished to shew to his brother, his depositing a fictitious bill for double the value, the capital part of the charge was done away, and was found guilty of simple felony.—J. Maydwell and J. Knype were tried for selling cards with a forged stamp of the ace of spades, in connection with Blacklin, capitally convicted on Monday: they declared their defence, that they thought the cards had been of French manufacture, and that they were engaged in a smuggling transaction only : the Jury gave them credit for this assertion, and they were accordingly acquitted.

ISAAC HARDING. Theft; grand larceny, 24th April, 1805

A quick check of the Old Bailey Online records suggest that J. Harding is actually I. Harding: I for Isaac, and is presumably no relation to the R. Harding that we shall meet later.

https://oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18050424-71

ISAAC HARDING. Theft; grand larceny, 24th April 1805.

Imported from France?, May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002408/18050501/021/0004

Morning Herald (London) - Wednesday 01 May 1805

OLD BAILEY.

Tuesday

John Maydwell, youth of 19, was indicted for selling and uttering cards with counterfeit stamps, knowing the same to be forged, with intent to defraud the Revenue. The Aces of Spades sold by, or found in the possession of the prisoner, were proved to be counterfeit by the same evidence yesterday adduced in the case of Blacklin.— The prisoner, in his defence, said, that he always understood the cards to have been imported from France, except the Aces of Spades, which, he believed, were procured from waste paper, purchased by the Neckinger Mill Company from the Stamp Office.— The Jury retired for a short time, and a returned a verdict of Not Guilty.

The Trials of Maydwell and Knipe

Before we look at the case of John Blacklin, let’s see how the court heard the case be developed against the two young men, Maydwell and Knipe, who were accused of selling the cards that Blacklin had been found to have forged.

From the transcripts, it appears as if Maydwell had been selling incomplete packs of playing cards, and providing the Aces of Spades separately, working with Knipe in both the supply and delivery of the cards to a buyer working under the instructions of an officer from the Stamp Office.

After a purchase of a single pack for 2s, rather than the full, fair price, with duty, of 4s per pack. A further dozen packs, and then two dozen, with increasing discounts, were then purchased from Maydwell. The cards were passed off as French (i.e. smuggled) cards despite there being a maker’s stamp on them in the name of Hart, a card-manufacturer who had actually ceased trading several years previously, in November, 1794.

In the course of the evidence against Maydwell, two card makers, Edward Wright and Joseph Reynolds, admitted worked for a certain Mr Lee, who provided them with false stamps as well as procuring separate Aces from a source other then the Stamp Office.

The Trial of Isaac Maydwell, 24 April 1805

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18050424-134

ISAAC MAYDWELL. Royal Offences; tax offences. 24th April 1805

354. ISAAC MAYDWELL was indicted for that he, on the 11th of February , feloniously did utter certain playing cards, liable to a stamp-duty, with counterfeit marks thereon, counterfeiting and resembling the impression of certain marks directed to be used by a certain Act of Parliament passed in the 29th year of his present Majesty, and several former Acts of Parliament denoting the duties granted to his Majesty for every pack of playing cards made fit for sale, he knowing them to be counterfeited .

And various other Counts for like offence.

(The indictment was read by Mr. Knapp, and the case was stated by Mr. Garrow.)

FRANCIS THEW sworn. - Examined by Mr. Fielding. I live at No. 4, Duke’s-court, Drury lane.

Q. When were you first acquainted with the prisoner? - A. On the 8th of January last, I went to him at No. 6, Lovell’s-court, Paternoster-row; I told him that I was informed by a person that he dealt in cards; he said he did, but he had but one pack; he let me have them; they were put up in white paper, I gave him two shillings for them; there were fifty-two in the pack, and the ace of spades I think was with them; I saw him afterwards on the 11th at the same place, and I told him I wanted a dozen packs; he took me to a house in Butcherhall-lane, where he knocked at the door; a girl answered the door, and she asked him if his name was Isaac; he said, yes; he asked for a parcel that was left for him, and she gave him the parcel without any more questions.

Court. Q. Did you know what it contained? - A. Yes, a dozen packs of cards; he then delivered them to me, and I paid him twenty-three shillings for them; I told him I was going out of town at that time, and requested his directions, which he gave me, and it is now on the directions of one of the parcels.

Mr. Fielding. Q. Look into that parcel, and see whether it is now as it was when it was delivered to you, and whether the aces of spades are not in a separate parcel to that? - A. Yes, it is; they correspond in number to them, but they are in separate parcels; I think I saw him again on the 17th in Lovell’s-court; I applied to him then for two packs; I then went with him again to Butcherhall-lane; he asked for Mr. Knipe; they said he was not there; then he said he must go to the office; he took me with him to the Bull and Mouth inn; he desired me to wait in the street; he went into the inn, and brought the two packs to me, all but the aces of spades; he said he must go and get the aces of spades; then I went with him to the house of Mr. Read, in Hosier-lane, a cloth-presser; after he had been in a little time, he called to me, while I was waiting in the street; I went in and paid him there two shillings a pack for them, and there I received the aces. On the 29th I saw him again in Lovell’s-court; he took me again to Butcherhall-lane, and there I saw Mr. Knipe; he asked for two packs of cards, and Mr. Knipe handed him out two parcels of cards, which he gave me. I saw him again on the 6th of February in Lovell’s-court; I applied for two dozen then; these are them.

Q. Are the aces of spades made up in a separate parcel, and correspond in number to the two dozen packs - open them? - A. Yes, they are; I paid him forty-five shillings for them; I saw they were in separate parcels after I got home; I had before observed the name of Hart being on the aces; I mentioned it to him; the reason of my observation to him was, because he had told me they were French cards; he told me that was an illusion, they were French cards.

Q. What may be the price of a pack of cards now, or at the time you bought these? - A. Four shillings a pack.

Court. Q. You mean the fair price with the duty? - A. Yes.

Mr. Fielding. Q. In consequence of information, you went on purpose to purchase these cards? - A. Yes; I saw him again on the 16th of February, I went for two dozen; I went to the Bull and Mouth inn with him; I saw Knipe there; Maydwell said then he would get three dozen, and leave them with Mr. Knipe for me, as he was going out of town.

Q. He made an appointment with you on the 3d of March? - A. He was to meet me at the house of Mr. Pocock, No. 43, Eagle-street; I had told him that was my lodgings.

Cross-examined by Mr. Alley. Q. You had not been acquainted with him prior to the month of January - it was only then that you were taken into this awkward service? - A. No.

Q. You depend upon the bounty of the Stamp-office? - A. No bounty at all; I expect to be paid for my time and trouble.

EDWARD WRIGHT sworn. - Examined by Mr. Dampier. Q. Are you a playing-card maker? - A. Yes, I worked for Lee, No. 42, Fetter-lane.

Q. How many gross of cards did Mr. Lee make a month? - A. From fifteen to sixteen gross a month.

Q. Were all these cards made with aces got from the Stamp-office? - A. No, he might make perhaps a gross a month with aces from the Stamp-office; he used aces of spades that he got elsewhere, that were forged.

JOSEPH REYNOLDS sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I am a card-maker; I worked for Thomas Lee , in Fetter-lane.

Q. What stamps did you use? - A. Stamps that Mr. Lee procured in general; now and then stamps from the Stamp-office.

Mr. Alley. Q. Do you know the difference between a forged stamp and a good one? - A. Yes.

Q. And you were so wicked as to do it? - A. I was only a servant.

Q. Do not you know that a servant is not forced to commit a felony if his master does - were not you taken into custody? - A. I surrendered.

THOMAS ROW sworn. - On the 6th of March I went to Pocock’s, No. 43, Eagle-street, and I took the prisoner into custody with these seven parcels of cards; they appear to be fifty-one; in one parcel the aces are separate; I saw him knock at the door, and I seized him directly.

CHARLES EDWARD BERRESFORD sworn. - Examined by Mr. Garrow. Q. You are Secretary to the Stamp-office? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know from the documents of the Stamp-office when Hart ceased to be a card-maker? - A. I do not know; I have searched the books, and I find his highest number was 80, (looking at the ace of spades found at Thew’s, sold by Maydwell,) they are all forged; they have an imitation of the real ones from the Stamp-office, and these numbers are from 112 to 116.

WILLIAM PRITCHARD sworn. - Examined by Mr. Garrow. I am the officer that delivers the legal aces of spades to the different card-makers; the name of the card-maker is inserted on each duty ace; I never deliver the name of one card-maker to another.

Q. Are they constantly delivered in this form, twenty in a sheet? - A. Yes, never in any other way; I knew Hart very well, he ceased card-making on the 13th of November, 1797; he failed, and I was in possession of all his duty aces that were at his manufactory, and I brought them to the Office.

Mr. Alley. Q. You know that a great number had been sold to the Neckinger Mill Company? - A. I do not know that, I have heard so.

Mr. Garrow. Q. Whatever might have been transacted between the Neckinger Mill Company and the Stamp-office, could the Neckinger Mill Company have received forged aces from the Stamp-office? - A. I apprehend not.

Court. Q. Every card-maker has the aces stamped on his paper; his name is likewise inserted on every ace? - A. Yes.

Q. And Lee cannot have Hart’s stamps, and Hart cannot have Lee’s? - A. Certainly not.

Prisoner’s defence. I have always considered them as French cards; I have always bought and sold them as such.

The prisoner called two witnesses, who gave him a good character.

NOT GUILTY .

London Jury, before Mr. Recorder.

In the case against Knipe, Francis Pugh (later referred to as Thew, as in Maydwell’s case) testifies that he took part in the deceit against Maydwell and Knipe in an attempt to being the card-maker Thomas Lee to justice.

The Trial of James Knipe, 24 April 1805

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18050424-135?text=knipe

JAMES KNIPE. Royal Offences; tax offences. 24th April 1805.

355. JAMES KNIPE was indicted for that he, on the 16th of February , feloniously did utter certain playing cards liable to a stamp-duty, with counterfeit marks thereon, counterfeiting and resembling the impression of certain marks and stamps directed to be used by a certain Act of Parliament made in the 29th year of our Lord the King, and several other former Acts relative to certain duties granted to his Majesty for certain cards made fit for use and sale in Great-Britain, he knowing the same to be forged and counterfeited, against the form of the statute, and against the King’s peace .

And several other Counts of like offence.

(The indictment was read by Mr. Knapp. and the case stated by Mr. Garrow.)

FRANCIS PUGH sworn. - Examined by Mr. Fielding. Q. You either did live or do live now with a card-maker? - A. Yes.

Q. In consequence of any direction that you received from Mr. Estcourt, or any officer of the Stamp-office, did you see the prisoner at the bar? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you see him on the 16th of February any where? - A. Yes, I think at No. 7, Butcherhall-lane.

Q. What passed between you that day? - A. I wanted two packs of cards of him.

Q. Had you any and what conversation with him, before you asked him for these packs of cards? - A. No conversation with him; I had seen him with Maydwell sometimes, and knew him on that account.

Q. What cards did you ask him for then? - A. Part of the cards which Maydwell had left for me; he gave me two dozen, which I wanted at that time.

Q. What made you apply to him and not to Maydwell, when Maydwell was to have given them to you? - A. Maydwell was gone out of town.

Q. Had there been at any time any conversation with the prisoner; had he given you to understand that you should make application to him -

Mr. Gurney. Q Had you any conversation with the prisoner about this? - A. The last time that I saw Maydwell, before he went out of town.

Q. How long was that before the sixteenth of February? - A. I think that was on the last parcel that I got from Maydwell.

Mr. Fielding. Q. That was on the sixteenth of February? - A. It was. Maydwell told Knipe to let me have the three dozen at different times; when he wanted he said he would if he could; he parted from us and I saw no more of him at that time.

Q. Did you see him again on the 21st of February? - A. Yes.

Q. Where was it that you saw him? - A. At the Bull and Mouth I saw Knipe.

Q. What passed with you and him on the 21st? - A. I went for the purpose of purchasing two dozen packs, one of these dozens was part of them which Maydwell had left for me; he said he had not so many.

Court. Q. Who said so? - A. Knipe, he said he had only ten packs which he would get me, and he went up stairs and fetched them.

Q Where was he then? - A. At the Bull and Mouth; he went from the Bull and Mouth to Butcherhall-lane to get them.

Mr. Fielding Q.Where did he deliver them to you? - A. At Butcherhall-lane, I went with him from the Bull and Mouth.

Q. What did you pay for them? - A. Twenty shillings.

Q. Was that the money that he asked for them? - A. I agreed that I would make up for that when I had two dozen more; I was to make it up in the next purchase.

Q. What were you to pay him by the dozen? - A. Twenty-two shillings and sixpence.

Court. Q. For what? - A. A dozen packs; I got them, and parted then with him.

Mr. Fielding Q. On the first of March had you any other transaction with him? - A. I went for the purpose of getting two dozen and two packs.

Q. Where did you go? - A. I went to Butcherhall-lane, to his house.

Q. Did he live there? - A. He had a lodging there.

Q. Did you see him that day? - A. Yes, I told him I wanted two dozen, and two packs to make up the other dozen.

Q. Did you receive them of him? - A. Yes, I gave him two pounds seven shillings and sixpence, at the rate of two and twenty and sixpence per dozen.

Q. Upon these different parcels, in what manner were the aces of spades made up? - A. The aces of spades were made up as far as corresponded with the proper number of cards, but made up by themselves.

Q. When was it that you had the conversation with him respecting the cheapness of the cards; was that between the 16th of February and the 1st of March? - A. Yes, it was; we were conversing upon that and other things; upon which he asked me about the cards, whether I knew that they were forged, or whether I thought that they were forged, I cannot say which, it is a very hard thing to swear upon; I answered, no; I think he said, well, but they are; I was very much flurried at the time he mentioned that they were forged; I think that was the word.

Q. You then looked at the ace of spades, you saw the manner it was stamped upon the cards, you observed the name of the card-maker; what stated you to him about the name of Hart? - A. I never mentioned that to him.

Q. When you received your directions from the gentlemen of the Stamp-Office, directing you to purchase cards, did you know any thing of the forgery? - A. I did not know any thing of the forgery, but I suspected it.

Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. I think you told us that you were at Mr. Wheeler’s, a card-maker, are you in his employ? - A. Yes, as clerk, from the beginning of January.

Q. You have had a great deal of knowledge in cards from the beginning of January - Does he deal in a large way? - A. Not very large, equal with others.

Q. You undertook this on purpose of serving Mr. Wheeler, and now you hope, or you are expecting, to serve yourself, how old are you? - A. Nineteen.

Q. A promising youth, the prisoner must have been an old acquaintance of your’s? - A. No.

Q. Not acquainted with him, when Maydwell introduced you to him he was a man that put his life into your hands; there was something so inviting in your face, and you would have us believe, though you went to him twice, and purchased cards of him, that is the story you come here with, and you not being acquainted with him, you had been buying of him, and buying of Maydwell, and you did not know they were forged? - A. I did not know they were forged.

Q. You had bought of him the aces of spades separate from the other cards; you likewise knew what the duty was upon a pack of cards; that it was half a crown a pack; you being conversant with card-making, you knew that the sheets came from the Stamp-office not in this way; that the duty was half a crown a pack, and this came from the Stamp-office in this manner, and was so used by card makers, and put up together, and you did not know that they were forged? - A. I did not know that they were forged.

Q. Did you believe then that the stamp upon the aces of spades that you bought, came from the Stamp-office? - A. I did not believe it; I suspected it to be wrong, I did not positively know that they were forged, I suspected they were wrong.

Q. You suspected there was some fraud, and therefore you could not believe them to come from the Stamp-office? - A. No.

Q. Then I want to know if you did not believe them to be forged, and not to come from the Stamp-office, what third place there was? - A. I could not tell, I suspected them to be forged.

Q. Did you or did you not believe them to be forged? - A. I could not tell, I suspected them to be forged.

Q. Did not you believe them to be forged? - A. I believed (if believing is the same as thinking) them to be forged.

Q. Then if any question was asked you, who was conversant with cards, by this young man, who is rather younger than yourself, did you give him any information on the subject - If he ever asked you how people could afford to sell them so cheap, did you ever give him any information on the subject? - A. No.

Q. Did you ever ask him how they could make these cards in France, and afford to sell them so cheap? - A. I have not the least recollection.

Q. Will you swear that? - A. I never did.

Court. Q. You do not recollect that you ever did? - A. No.

Mr. Gurney. Q. You have been telling my friends at my left hand that he took you to Butcherhall-lane - Upon your oath, was not that Maydwell’s lodging, and not the prisoner’s - Will you swear it was his lodging? - A. To the best of my knowledge it was his lodging; the prisoner told me that he kept cards there, and that he had a room for the purpose of keeping them.

Q. Pray was that the same house that you went to with Maydwell? - A. There were two houses, one No. 15, and Mr. Knipe and the people of that house removed to No. 7.

Q. The place that you have described, was that the place where Maydwell lodged? - A. No, Maydwell lodged at No. 6, Lovell’s court, Paternoster-row; Maydwell went and got them from Knipe.

Q. Do you mean to repeat the same thing, that you do not expect any sort of reward for all this? - A. I never expected it from the first; I expect to be paid for my time.

Q. That you heard from my friends speech, I wish I had put you out of Court at the time; then you would have us to believe, that you went for the purpose of bringing Lee to justice; that was what you bought the cards for, not expecting any sort of reward for yourself? - A. Upon my oath, I did not,

Mr. Fielding Q. The first object which you set out with, was to bring Lee to justice? - A. It was.

EDWARD CARTWRIGHT sworn. - Examined by Mr. Dampier. Q. You are an officer? - A. Yes, I apprehended the prisoner on the sixth of March, at the Bull and Mouth, Bull and Mouth street.

Q. Did you search him? - A. Yes, I did. Q. Did you find any cards in his pocket? - A. None in his pocket; in his box, in his apartment, I found one pack.

Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. What part was it? - A. In a room, in the Bull and Mouth inn; I gave those cards to Mr. Chetham, he was also with me, and I searched in Butcherhall-lane, No. 7; I found some cards there; I produce them; they are in the same state as I found them.

Court. Q. What quantity of cards are there? - A. Nine packs.

Q. Who told you it was his lodgings? - A. When I took the prisoner he took me to his lodgings with Mr. Chetham.

Mr. Dampier. Q. Were there any duty aces with these cards? - A. None in these nine.

JAMES CHETHAM sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp.

Q. Did you go with the last witness to the prisoner’s lodging? - A. Yes, I did, and to his lodging-room at the Bull and Mouth inn.

Q. The prisoner was the book-keeper at the Bull and Mouth inn? - A. He was one of the book-keepers in the coach-office.

Q. Did the last witness give you any thing when you were there? - A. I was present when the box was opened; I asked him whether that was his box; he said it was; I then desired the officer to search it; Cartwright searched it, and found one pack of cards, and he delivered them to me; these are the cards, I have had them ever since in my possession; I marked the ace of spades with my initials.

Q. (To Mr. Beresford.) This impression was made at your office, from a plate prepared by the authority of the Commissioners, for Hart, the card-maker, and look at the other aces produced by Thew, what is the number upon that? - A. No. 116.

Q. Have you searched the documents of your office? - A. Yes, and I find no one higher than 80.

Q.(To Mr. Merchant) Will you look at the first parcel which Thew produced? - A The numbers are all higher than 80; they are from 112 to 116.

Q. Do they appear to be a general imitation, and to have a general resemblance of the genuine one; you are the engraver at the Stamp-office? - A. Yes, they are in imitation.

Q Look at that Mr. Chetham found? - A. They are all forgeries.

Q. What numbers do you find upon these? - A. They are all higher than 80; they are from 112 to 116.

• PRITCHARD sworn. - Examined by Mr. Fielding. Q. You are the overseer, you deliver out these things to the card-makers? - A. I am.

Q. Did you know a card-maker of the name of Hart? - A. Very well.

Q. For a considerable while have you delivered out any in his name? - A. None since the year 1797.

Q. I do not know whether you know of your own knowledge how high his number went? - A. No.

Q. Is that from the Stamp-office? - A. I have no hesitation to say it is forged.

Q. The plates are delivered to the makers whose name they bear? - A. Always.

Q. So that the plates of Lee would not be delivered to Hart, nor the plates of Hart to Lee? - A. No, they have been delivered by me for a great number of years, and I never delivered one to the name of another card-maker.

Prisoner’s defence. Thew was introduced to me as a mere stranger by Maydwell; I should have been very imprudent to have told a person I had never seen before that the cards I sold were forged; I never acknowledged to any person that they were forged, because I never knew it.

The prisoner called one witness, who gave him a good character.

NOT GUILTY .

London Jury, before Mr. Recorder.

The Trial of John Blacklin

The court, it seems, had accepted that the young men tried for selling the cards, and whose case had been heard after Blacklin’s, had naively believed they were selling smuggled French cards.

So what had transpired in that previous case, as presented to the court the day before?

The indictment was primarily for feloniously uttering playing cards with conterfeited stamp duty marks. The case opened with a Mr Thomas Boddington, in whose apartments many packs of playing cards, and separate aces, had been found by John Rivett. Boddington explained how he had bought 36 dozen packs of cards, stamped with the name of Hart but omitting a separate duty stamp, for a little over a shilling each, receiving the aces separately, sometimes delivered by a ten year-old boy named Matthew Foy. Boddington then resold the packs, still with separate aces, to others, including a Mr. Buggin and a Mr. Spyers, the latter having introduced him to Blacklin. Buggin in turn had sold some of the cards on to Isaac Maydwell. The low cost was allegedly a result of using coarse paper mixed with “the clippings or clickings of the best”. Omn the same day, Rivett and John Read, an officer of the City, searched Blacklin’s house, where more packs of cards were found, again lacking aces. Foy, and another lad, 14 year old Thomas Connelly, were both errand-boys in Blacklin’s house and ran packages from Blacklin to Boddington. When Foy was questioned, he was asked if he knew his catechism, asked if he knew what an oath was, asked if he knew where he would go after he died if he told a lie: “Yes, to hell”. In terms of manufacture, Edward Wright and Joseph Reynolds were cardmakers who worked for a Mr Lee, who had absconded, who supplied cards to Blacklin. Cards were delivered from Lee to Blacklin in packs with a simple white unstamped wrapper, not including aces, the aces being supplied separately. Wright had worked cards up with sheets of aces legally obtained from the Stamp Office at 20 to a sheet and the name of the card maker on them. But they produced other sheets for Lee, with only 10 aces per sheet, with the name of Hart on them, a card-maker who had stopped working 7 years previously. Seventy-two year old Nathaniel Merchant, an Inspector at the Stamp Office with four years standing, identified the aces marked as Hart were forged based on inconsistent plate numbers. Charles-Edward Berresfoprd, secretary to the Stamp-Office, had checked the order books to see if plate numbers corresponding the numbers on Blacklin’s aces were assigned to Hart, but he had not checked the original warrants awarded to the original engraver. Blacklin’s defence was that he believed the aces had been brought from abroad, and was then informed they had been purchased as waste paper by the Neckinger Mill Company from Somerset-House. Mr. Searjeant Best, for the defence, then asked for certain of the counts against Blacklin to be read out, then claiming they did not apply in the present case, because Blackling had not vended fradulently stamped cards and wrappers: his were unstamped. Mr Gleed then argued that the epithet playing cards refers to full packs of cards; but as Blacklin didn’t sell full packs, he wasn’t vending forged playing cards, just parcels of 51 cards. The prosecution denined the latter by saying the bargain had been struck for packs of cards, not separae purchases of parcels of 51 cards, and separatley packaged aces.

The Trial of John Blacklin, 24 April 1805

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18050424-108

JOHN BLACKLIN. Royal Offences; tax offences. 24th April 1805.

328. JOHN BLACKLIN was indicted for that he, on the 26th of February , feloniously did utter certain playing cards, liable to a stamp duty, with counterfeited marks thereon, counterfeiting and resembling the impression of certain marks directed to be used by virtue of a certain Act of Parliament made in the 29th year of our Sovereign Lord the King, and several former Acts of Parliament, purposely denoting the duties granted to his Majesty by the said Acts of Parliament for every pack of playing cards, made fit for use and sale, in Great Britain, he knowing the said marks to be counterfeited, with intent to defraud our Sovereign Lord the King .

And several other Counts, only varying the manner of charging the offence.

(The indictment was read by Mr. Knapp, and the case was stated by Mr. Solicitor General)

THOMAS BODDINGTON sworn. - Examined by Mr. Garrow. Q. What are you by business, Mr. Boddington? - A. A linen draper.

Q. Where do you live? - A. At Mrs. Spalding’s, Coventry-street.

Q. When did you become first acquainted with the prisoner at the bar? - A. Sometime in the latter end of December last.

Q. Had you any dealings with him for any commodity? - A. In cards.

Q. What quantity of cards did you purchase of him? - A. Thirty-six dozen.

Q. What was the price that you paid him for them? - A. Fourteen shillings per dozen; I was to pay him fourteen shillings a dozen.

Q. Did you pay him for any that you received? - A. I paid him on account two or three times, two or three drafts; I gave him two bills and a check on account.

Q. You had not paid him for all you had received? - A. Nearly, I believe, but not quite.

Q. Where were the cards delivered which you purchased of the prisoner? - A. In Coventry-street, at Mrs. Spalding’s, part of them, and part I fetched myself.

Q. Were those that you fetched yourself delivered to you by the prisoner himself? - A. They were.

Q. Where? - A. At his house.

Q. Where is that situated? - A. In Queen-street, Cheapside , in the City of London.

Q. How many different times, and what quantity did you receive at the prisoner’s house? - A. Six dozen I received at one time of the prisoner at his own house.

Q. When was that? - A. I think it was since the 20th of February last, I cannot be certain to the time.

Q. Did any transaction take place on the 29th which induced you to mention that as a date? - A. Upon the 20th of February he sent me six dozen.

Q. That is to say, you desired him to send in six dozen, and as such you found six dozen at your house? - A. Yes.

Q. You were not there when they came? - A. No.

Q. In the first place, with respect to that parcel that you supposed came on the 20th from the prisoner, what number did you find? - A. Six dozen.

Q. Were they perfect cards, or did they want any thing? - A. They each wanted an ace of spades.

Q. At what part of the house did you find them? - A. In the passage.

Q. In the private passage of the house? - A. Yes, there I found the six dozen, wanting the ace of spades.

Q. Were they on a shelf, or on a bench? - A. A bench, they stood under that bench.

Q. Is the private passage separated from the shop by a partition? - A. Yes.

Q. The shop was not open probably, being Fast-day? - A. No.

Q. And you found them there? - A. Yes.

Q. How long before had you ordered them of the prisoner? - A. A little time, about a week, I cannot be certain.

Q. As these packs wanted the aces, did he at any time, and when did he produce the aces? - A. I got the aces from Mr. Blacklin.

Q. How long afterwards? - A. I think it was about a week afterwards; I had them at two separate times.

Q. Did you apply for them, or did he bring them to you? - A. I fetched them from his own house.

Q. In your other dealings with the prisoner for cards, were the aces delivered in the packs, or were they delivered to you in separate parcels? - A. Always delivered in separate parcels.

Q. Did you upon any occasion give orders for cards, and not have them so soon as you expected or wished? - A. Yes.

Q. Had you ever any conversation with the prisoner upon that subject, as it sometimes so happened that you did not get the cards so soon as you expected? - A. Yes, he said there was a great demand upon him for them.

Q. Did he assign any other reason at any other time when you applied after the 20th of February for aces to make good your packs - did he give you any reason for his not sending the whole packs? - A. He said he had not them by him.

Q. Did you get any the first time you applied for aces for the packs you had received on the 20th? - A. I think I had some on the same day.

Q. To those that were delivered to you on the 20th? - A. I had a few.

Q. After you had found packs without the aces, in the course of that day you applied to the prisoner? - A. I was gone out at the time they were delivered to me.

Q. And you think you got a few on that day they were delivered to you? - A. I think I had a few.

Q. Did the prisoner assign to you any reason for not furnishing you with all the aces of these packs? - A. He said he had not them by him.

Q. You said you were gone to his house at the time they were sent, the packs without the aces, you were gone to his house while the messenger was going with them - before the cards had arrived to Coventry-street, you had gone to Cheapside to enquire about them? - A. I was gone there.

Court. Q. Was that on the 20th? - A. Yes.

Mr. Garrow. Q. When you came to the prisoner’s house, what did he say? - A. He said he had sent six dozen.

Q. You saw him at his house in Queen-street, Cheapside, then? - A. Yes; I told him I had come to order them.

Q. And the prisoner said he had sent six dozen - what passed between you and him? - A. I do not recollect, he delivered me some aces then.

Q. Can you tell what quantity? - A. I cannot; he told me he had not the rest by him.

Q. How soon afterwards did he make up the aces for that quantity? - A. Very soon afterwards; he gave me the whole aces to make up for the whole thirty-six dozen at his own house.

Q. Had you ever any conversation with the prisoner with respect to the price of these cards and those sold at the shops? - A. I asked him the reason that they were so cheap.

Q. What answer did he give? - A. They were made of a coarse paper, and the clippings or clickings of the best.

Q. Do you remember, at any time, either before or after this, receiving any cards of a person of the name of Foy? - A. Yes. Q. Was it before or after the 20th of February? - A. Before that.

Q. Who was Foy? - A. A boy who carried out goods for Blacklin, the prisoner.

Q. What quantity of cards did Foy deliver to you? - A. I do not recollect what quantity that was; I think three or four, or six dozen.

Q. Were they made up with the aces, the packs, or in what manner did Foy deliver the aces? - A. I remember he delivered the aces in a separate parcel, separate by themselves.

Q. How did he bring the packs? - A. They were made up in dozens, each dozen was enclosed in one paper parcel.

Q. The cards were in one paper without the aces? - A. Yes, I think I recollect him bringing the aces once, and never else.

Q. You told me before, that in no instance you ever received the aces in the packs, but always by themselves? - A. Never in the packs.

Q. The cards themselves were in one large parcel, and the aces by themselves - the dozens were made up in this manner? (shewing them to witness) - A. Yes.

Q. The apartments of Mrs. Spalding were searched by the officers? - A. My apartments were searched.

Court. Q. That is in Coventry-street? - A. Yes.

Mr. Garrow. Q. Were you present at the search? - A. Yes.

Q. Were any cards found there by the officers? - A. Yes.

Q. From whom did you receive these cards that were found by the officers? - A. From Blacklin.

Q. Were any aces found by the officers, as well as packs without the aces? - A. Yes.

Q. Were these aces of spades, found by the officer at your apartment, received by you from the prisoner in the manner as you have described? - A. Yes.

Jury. Q. Did you open any of the parcels? - A. I always counted them.

Mr. Garrow. Q. Did you count your aces of spades to see that they corresponded with your packs to make them compleat? - A. Yes.

Q. How were the aces found by the officers; had you distributed them in, or were they in separate parcels? - A. They were in two or three separate parcels, as I had received them.

Q. Do you know a person of the name of Buggin? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you at any time sell any cards to Buggin? - A. At several different times.

Q. From whom did you receive the cards that you sold to Buggin? - A. From Mr. Blacklin.

Q. Did you receive the aces of spades that you sold to Mr. Buggin in the same manner you have described? - A. Yes, I always received them so.

Q. And you sold to some other persons besides? - A. Yes, to a person of the name of Spyers.

Q. When you sold to Buggin, did you deliver them with the aces of spades? - A. I always delivered them as I received them, with the ace of spades separate.

Q. Who introduced you to the prisoner? - A. Mr. Spyers.

Q. Have you ever had any other business with the prisoner, except purchasing of cards? - A. Yes, I have bought a few silk handkerchiefs of him.

Q. Do you recollect the name of the maker, which was printed upon the ace of spades that you received from Blacklin? - A. Hart.

Q. Do you know the price of the cards which are sold at the shop, when they are regularly made? - A. I do not.

Q. Had you any conversation with the prisoner concerning the name of the supposed maker, Hart? - A. I do not recollect that I had; I asked him why these aces were not stamped like what I had seen before.

Q. Those you bought were of the same impression, were they not? - A. Yes.

Q. What difference do you observe in those you bought of the prisoner from others that you bought at other places? - A. There was an additional duty stamped upon what I had seen before.

Q. You had observed an additional duty upon others? - A. Yes.

Q. The aces that you had from him were different from the aces you had seen before; they had the additional duty at the bottom? - A. Yes; I think it was wanting at the bottom of his; he said, they were made before the duty was put on.

Q. Did you at any time state the account as it was between you and the prisoner in payment? - A. I did; as I had wrote it myself I delivered it to the prisoner.

Court. Q. You mean respecting the cards you had purchased of him? - A. Yes.

Mr. Garrow. Q. Is that the one you delivered to him? - A.(Looks at it.) This is the one I delivered to him.

Court. Q. Respecting cards and other dealings? - A. Yes.

Q. You delivered it to him? - A. Yes.

Mr. Garrow. Q. I observe it is in red ink, 36 dozen W. P. 14 shillings - what is the meaning of W. P.? - A. Waste paper.

Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Best. Q. This is your hand-writing? - A. It is.

Court. I take it every duty on cards the first sixpence, and then another sixpence, and so on; they were all additional duties till the present Act of Parliament put them all into one, which is now half-a-crown.

JOHN RIVETT sworn. - Examined by Mr. Garrow. Q. Did you search the apartment of the last witness, Boddington? - A. I did.

Q. At Mrs. Spalding’s, in Coventry-street? - A. Yes.

Q. What did you find there? - A. I found a great quantity of cards in paper, and aces.

Q. They appear to be sealed up - have they been in the same state ever since you found them? - A. Yes, they have.

Q. Open them - they are all marked? - A. Yes, they are.

Q. State to my Lord and the Jury what they are? - A. Here is one parcel contains fifty-nine aces of spades, another parcel contains seventy-two aces of spades, another parcel contains seventy-two more, another parcel contains sixty-six, and another parcel contains fifty-four.

Q. Did you find any packs of cards besides these aces? - A. A great many; they are here.

Q. Do you know how many dozens there were? - A. No.

Q. They were made up in dozens? - A. Yes.

Q. You afterwards searched the house of the prisoner, Blacklin, in Queen-street, Cheapside? - A. I did; on the 6th of March, I searched Boddington’s apartment, and I searched the prisoner’s house on the same day.

Q. These cards you now produce were found at Boddington’s house? - A. They were; this parcel contains just a dozen packs, found at Boddington’s house.

Q. Give me one pack; this pack appears to contain fifty-one cards, and no ace of spades; this is one of the packs that you found at Boddington’s; you found, you say, a great many; you do not know how many there are, but they are apparently put up in dozens, which you now produce? - A. Yes.

Q. On the same day you went to the house of the prisoner Blacklin? - A. I did.

Q. Was the prisoner at home? - A. He was.

Q. Did you know from him that that house in Queen-street was his residence? - A. We understood so from himself.

Q. Was he present when you searched the house? - A. Yes.

Q. State to my Lord and the Jury what you found in his house? - A. In the one pair of stairs room, on the left-hand side, apparently used for the kitchen, the prisoner was, and in that room were three boxes which contained cards; in another box there was a few loose packs of cards.

Q. What do you mean by containing cards, as distinct from loose cards? - A. The boxes that contained cards were quite full, and in the other box was a few loose packs of cards; there were three boxes regularly packed and nailed down.

Q. I do not know whether you know the quantity of dozens contained in each of the boxes? - A. I do not.

Q. Have you these cards here? - A. Yes; this is one of the boxes, and these are the others; they are sealed up.

Q. Take off the cover of one of them to see how they have been packed? - A. This has been opened.

Q. That box is made to contain that quantity apparently for the purpose? - A. Yes.

Q. Have you examined any of them to see whether they are perfect packs, or no? - A. Yes, I have examined some of them which are loose in the box; I found them to be packs of cards without any aces of spades.

Q. Did you look through the whole, or only some of them? - A. Through a great many of them; I do not know whether I did the whole, or no.

Q. And the observations that you made, it applied to all of them - did you find any aces of spades at Blacklin’s? - A. I did not.

Q. Did you take into your possession any book of the prisoner? - A. Spirkes, my brother officer, did.

Q. Was that found in the presence of the prisoner? - A. I cannot say that, it was found in his house.

Q. Did you open it? - A. No.

Q. Have you got the books? - A. I produce them.

Q. The ledger first, that was found in the prisoner’s house? - A. Yes.

Q. Have you got a pocket-book there? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you see the pocket-book found likewise? - A. I did not.

JOHN READ sworn. - Examined by Mr. Garrow. I am an officer of the City.

Q. Did you assist Rivett in making a search in Blacklin’s house? - A. I did, on the 6th of March.

Q. Did you find the pocket-book which you have now in your hand? - A. Yes.

Q. Where did you find it? - A. In Mr. Blacklin’s pocket, in the cloaths that he had on.

Q. See if there are any cards in that pocketbook? - A. Yes.

Q. What is it? - A. The ace of spades.

Q. There is that card in it, and it is the same that you found in the prisoner’s pocket-book in his pocket? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you see the other things found which have been produced? - A. Yes, all of them, and these books among the rest.

THOMAS CONNELLY sworn. - Examined by Mr. Dampier. Q. How old are you? - A. I am going of fourteen.

Q. Look at the prisoner at the bar, do you know him? - A. Yes. Q. How long have you known him? - A. About eight weeks before I was in custody.

Q. You had lived with him? - A. Yes.

Q. In what capacity? - A. As an errand-boy.

Q. Whereabouts? - A. No. 36, Queen-street, Cheapside.

Q. How many servants were there in the house? - A. Two, Foy and me.

Q. Do you know Mr. Boddington? - A. Yes.

Q. What is he? - A. He lives at Mrs. Spalding’s in Coventry-street.

Q. Had you seen Mr. Boddington at your master’s house, in company with him? - A. Yes, frequently; I have seen him at my master’s house very often, but not very frequently in my master’s company.

Q. Had you ever received any direction from your master to carry any thing to Mr. Boddington’s? - A. Yes.

Q. What things were these that you were to carry, or did carry? - A. They were square parcels, which I believed to contain cards.

Q. How often do you think you have done that before last Fast day - On last Fast-day did you carry any parcel from your master to Mr. Boddington? - A. Yes; I am not certain whether it was Fast-day, or whether it was Sunday.

Q. What parcel was it? - A. A square parcel.

Q. What directions had you received from your master at the time with that parcel, that you delivered either on Fast-day, or on Sunday? - A. To ask for Mr. Boddington at Mrs. Spalding’s, and to leave it there.

Q. Your master’s directions were to carry it to Boddington, at Mrs. Spalding’s, and if he was not at home to leave it there? - A. Yes.

Q. What parcel was that? - A. A square parcel, we call it a half-gross parcel.

Q. When you came to Mrs. Spalding’s, who did you see there? - A. The maid-servant.

Q. Have you learned what the name of the maid-servant was? - A. No.

Q. You saw there a female servant? - A. Yes; I asked for one Mr. Boddington, if he was at home.

Q. And you understood he was not at home? - A. Yes.

Q. In what part of the house was it that you saw this servant? - A. At the private door, in Coventry-street.

Q. At a private door, and when you got in that door there was a passage, not the shop? - A. Yes.

Q. In the private passage of that door you saw the maid-servant? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you deliver the parcel to her? - A. Yes.

Q. By the direction of your master? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know what she did with the parcel? - A. No, I am not certain what she did with it.

Q. Then you came away? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember the time when your master was apprehended? - A. Yes, I remember the night.

Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Best. Q. How old are you? - A. I am turned of fourteen.

Q. You are sure you are turned of fourteen - did you not say before the Magistrate you were only eleven? - A. No.

Q. You were directed to leave this parcel to any body you might find there? - A. I was to leave it if Mr. Boddington was not at home.

Q. You were to leave it, and you did leave it? - A. Yes.

RUTH JAGGERS sworn. - Examined by Mr. Dampier. Q. When did you live with Mrs. Spalding - did you live there in February last? - A. Yes, when the lad brought the parcel, I lived there; I lived there since the beginning of this year.

Q. Do you remember any boy coming with a parcel to your house? - A. Yes, there was a parcel come, brought by a boy.

Q. Did you take it in at the shop, or the private door? - A. At the private door.

Q. Who was it brought for? - A. It was brought for Mr. Boddington.

Q. Did Mr. Boddington live at your house? - A. Yes.

Q. Can you recollect what day it was? - A. No.

Q. Was it a day when the shop was open? - A. No.

Q. What did you do with the parcel? - A. I laid it under the bench in the passage.

Q.(To Connelly.) Do you recollect the countenance of that person; do you think it is the woman you gave it to? - A. I think it is.

MATTHEW FOY sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. Q. How ald are you? - A. Ten years.

Q. Have you learned your catechism? - A. Yes, at school.

Q. Do you understand the nature of an oath? - A. No.

Q. Do you know whether it is a right thing to tell a lie? - A. It is a bad thing.

Q. Do you know where you will go to if you tell lies after you are dead? - A. Yes, to hell.

Q. You were an errand boy in the service of the prisoner? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know Mr. Boddington the witness that has been examined? - A. Yes.

Q. Have you been employed by your master to take parcels to Mr. Boddington? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember taking a square parcel? - A. Yes.

Q. Who did you take it to? - A. To Mr. Boddington.

Q. Do you know what it contained? - A. Yes.

Q.What did it contain? - A. Cards.

Q. Did you give the parcel containing cards to Mr. Boddington? - A. Yes, sometimes to Mr. Boddington, and sometimes I left it.

Q. Did you give the square parcel that you have been speaking of to Mr. Boddington? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you take any thing else, besides the packs of cards, from your master to Mr. Boddington? - A. Yes, another parcel, about the size of a pack of cards.

Q. Do you know what the other parcel contained? - A. Yes, the aces of spades.

Q. Do you know how many packs of cards the first parcel contained? - A. Yes, half a dozen; half a gross.

Q. Do you know how many aces of spades there were? - A. No.

Q. Were there several? - A. Yes, I cannot tell how many.

Cross-examined by Mr. Const. Q. Did you see the inside of the packages? - A. No.

Q. When you talk about cards being in parcels, it is only what you supposed? - A. I know they were cards.

Q. How do you know they were cards if you did not see them? - A. I saw them put up, I sorted the cards myself.

Q. You did it openly, you made no secret of it? - A. No, it was done in the parlour.

Mr. Knapp. Q. Was any body with you at the time you were sorting of them? - A. Mr. and Mrs. Blacklin, that was all.

SAMUEL BUGGIN sworn. - Examined by Mr. Solicitor General. Q. Do you know Mr. Boddington, the first witness called? - A. I do.

Q. How long have you known him? - A. About four years.

Q. Have you ever purchased any cards of him? - A. I have.

Q. What price had you usually given him for these cards? - A. Eighteen shillings a dozen.

Q. Were they delivered to you in perfect packs, or were the aces of spades delivered separate? - A. The aces of spades were delivered separate.

Q. Was there a correspondent ace of spades to each park delivered? - A. Exactly.

Q. There were as many aces of spades as packs? - A. Yes.

Q. But the aces of spades were delivered by themselves? - A. Yes.

Q. In what number were they delivered at a time, the packs? - A. Sometimes two dozen and sometimes one.

Q. Have you ever disposed of some of these cards, to persons of the name of Maydwell and Knipe? - A. To Isaac Maydwell I have.

Q. Were the cards which you sold to Maydwell those which you purchased of Boddington? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you at any time see the prisoner at the bar, Mr. Blacklin? - A. Yes, I saw him once.

Q. Was it while you were in the course of dealing for those cards at Boddington’s? - A. Yes.

Q. Had you at that time ordered any cards of Boddington, that you were in expectation of receiving them? - A. I had.

Q. Did the prisoner come to you, or you go to him? - A. He came to me.

Q. What did he say to you? - A. He asked for me, I told him my name was Buggin.

Q. I believe you live with Mr. Oliver, a linen-draper, in Skinner-street, Holborn? - A. Yes; he said he came to inform me that I could not have the articles of Mr. Boddington for the present.

Q. You told him that the articles that you had ordered were cards? - A. Yes.

Q. He told you immediately that you could not have the articles that you had ordered - what were the articles? - A. Cards.

Q. What did you say to him? - A. I asked him when I could; he said he could not exactly tell when, the demand was so great.

Q. What farther did he say? - A. He said he could sell me an article at a much lower price, which he thought would do as well.

Q. I believe your apartments were searched were they not? - A. They were.

Q. Were you present when they were searched? - A. I was not.

Q. There were no cards at your apartment at that time? - A. Not one.

EDWARD WRIGHT sworn. - Examined by Mr. Garrow. Q. Are you a card-maker by business? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you ever work for a person of the name of Lee? - A. Yes.

Q. Where did Lee carry on his business? - A. No. 43, Fetter-lane.

Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar, Mr. Blacklin? - A. Yes.

Q. Was he a customer of Lee’s? - A. Yes.

Q. What he used to purchase of Lee were cards? - A. Yes.

Q. What sort of cards, and in what packages? - A. Playing cards, sometimes six dozen and sometimes a gross; from a gross to two gross, from two gross to a dozen.

Q. What wrappers were these cards put up in? - A. White.

Q. Were they similar to this? (A plain sheet of paper.) - A. Yes.

Q. Were any of them put up in stamped wrappers? - A. No.

Q. Not in the way the trade is legally carried on? - A. No.

Q. Were any of the aces put in these quantities?- A. There were none of them that had aces to them.

Q. The aces of spades were wanting - A. Yes.

Q. The entire pack, all but the aces of spades? - A. Yes.

Q. Was the prisoner furnished with the aces of spades to make up the packs of cards fifty-two? - A. Yes.

Q. What aces of spades were furnished him? - A. The aces of spades my master sold him - he furnished it himself.

Q. Were the aces of spades procured from the Stamp-Office? - A. No.

Q. Were they delivered complete in packs, or delivered separate from the other fifty-one? - A. They were delivered by me and my partner, so many aces as he wanted in the pack, separate.

Q. So, if there was a gross of packs he had a gross of aces of spades, according to the quantity? - A. Yes.

Q. Have you been engaged in making cards - Were the aces of spades legally obtained from the Stamp-Office? - A. Yes.

Q. Is this the manner in which you receive the duty aces, as they are called - Is that the manner in which you receive the duty aces from the Stamp-Office? (Shewing the legal stamps.) - A. Yes.

Q. How many on each sheet? - A. Twenty on each sheet.

Q. Look at this, and tell me whether that is the sort of sheet for the cards that were delivered to Blacklin? - A. Yes, that is one that I had from the shop.

Q. It appears marked Edward Wright .

Court. Q. What is that?

Mr. Garrow. It is one of the sheets of duty aces stamps which he used to work up at Lee’s. These that were worked up at Lee’s contained only ten on each sheet, and the other, the legal sheet of duty aces stamps, contained twenty.

Q. These aces were delivered to the prisoner in number to correspond with the packs of cards? - A. Yes.

Q. You worked from the sheets resembling these which are now produced? - A. Yes.

Court. Q. These two sheets came from Lee’s, there is the name of Edward Wright upon these two sheets? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know that these two sheets were taken from Lee’s shop? - A. They were.

Q. And the aces delivered to the prisoner were made from the sheets corresponding with these? - A. Yes.

Mr. Garrow. Q. Lee, I believe, has absconded? - A. Yes.

Q. Did the prisoner apply occasionally for cards that he had ordered? - A. Yes.

Q. Did it sometimes happen that you could not execute his orders so early as he wished? - A. Yes, at times.

Q. Was that occasioned by the want of cards generally or the want of duty aces? - A. Sometimes the demand was so large that we had not got the cards generally, and sometimes, when we had got the rest of the cards, the aces were wanting.

Q. Had you ever any conversation with the prisoner on that subject? - A. Yes, I have.

Q. What passed then between him and you? - A. I have told him that the aces were out, we had got none in the house.

Q. Was there ever an occasion happened when you stood still till the plate was engraved? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know whether at that time the prisoner’s orders were unexecuted for want of the aces? - A. He told me so; that he wanted aces of spades, and he could not execute the orders because he had not the aces to put to them; and the orders he had delivered they would not give him the money for them till he had furnished the aces of spades; I told him not to blame my master for it, as the man who had the doing of it had disappointed him.

Q. Give us your very expression as you used in your conversation with him at that time, or any other time about a plate? - A. I do not recollect that I told him any thing about a plate; no more than what I have observed to the man that had the doing of it.

Q. The aces that are furnished when the duties are regularly paid are obtained at the Stamp-Office, are they not? - A. Yes.

Q. So that no man, except the person employed by the Stamp-Office, have any thing to do with them till they are delivered to the card-maker? - A. No.

Q. Are these regularly and immediately furnished upon application at the Office? - A. Yes.

Q. The duty aces which are delivered from the Stamp-Office, do not they always contain the card-maker’s name? - A. Always.

Q. Therefore any that had been issued from the Stamp-Office, your master would have had his name upon them? - A. Yes.

Q. I observe that these you have produced, as manufactured at Lee’s, have the name of Hart upon them - Was there any maker at the time you were employed by Lee, of the name of Hart, that you were acquainted with? - A. No, none at all.

Q. Are you pretty well acquainted with the makers in town? - A. Yes, I know them.

Q. And I suppose you have worked for many of them - Did you know Hart when he was in the trade? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know how long ago it is since he left off? - A. I believe about seven years.

Q. So that if he had been in the trade, it is probable you should have known it? - A. I certainly should.

Q. When the prisoner visited Lee’s house occasionally, did he come where you passed? - A. We pasted backwards, he very seldom came there, he was sometimes there.

Q. He came sometimes there, while you were actually pasting these plates, which are half the size of the legal plates? - A. I do not recollect seeing him there while we were in the act of doing it.

Q. What price did he pay Lee for the cards he had bought of him? - A. I do not rightly know.

Q. Had you ever any conversation with Blacklin about it? - A. I have heard Blacklin say that my master charged him too much.

Q. Do you happen to know from Blacklin himself what his selling price was, when he was stating to you that your master charged him too much for them - Do you know what he sold them at himself? - A. No.

JOSEPH REYNOLDS sworn. - Examined by Mr. Garrow. Q. Are you a card-maker? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you work for Lee? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know the prisoner Blacklin? - A. Yes.

Q. Was he a customer of Lee’s? - A. Yes.

Q. Did he deal to a large amount? - A. Yes, he used to be one of Mr. Lee’s principal customers.

Q. How many gross a month did Lee make? - A. I suppose about thirteen or fourteen gross per month.

Q. I do not know whether you happen to know what the duty would be, if they were bought at the Stamp-Office? - A. Half a crown a pack.

Q. And he would make about thirteen gross per month. -

Mr. Gibbs. Three thousand two hundred and forty-two pounds a year, and more than that.

Mr. Garrow. Q. Did Mr. Lee use some legal stamps? - A. He did.

Q. Did he use some that were not legal stamps? - A. Yes.

Q. What proportion did one bear to another? - A. He very seldom used more than one hundred and forty packs per month.

Q. And the prisoner was his principal customer? - A. Latterly he was.

Q. Were they upon the footing of intimacy? - A. Yes.

Q. Upon some occasion you supped together with him? - A. I did, in Christmas week.

Q. You and Lee supped at Blacklin’s house with him? - A. Yes.

Q. Were those sheets in the name of Hart, the sheets that you used to work up for the greatest part of your trade? - A. Yes, they were.

Q. This is from the same impression? - A. Yes.

Q. Were all sold to the prisoner at the bar, Mr. Blacklin, made with these aces? - A. Yes.

Q. What we call, at the present, forged aces? - A. Yes.

Q. From your own knowledge of aces do you know whether these are legal or forged? - A. They are not legal, they are forged.

Q. And all that Lee sold to Blacklin were of that manufactory? - A. Yes.

Q. Are not the cards, with the card denoting the stamp-duty of the card-maker, generally issued in this form, with the paper stamp on the wrapper? - A. Yes.

Q. He is bound to do it under a penalty, and indeed a man buying them, without that, subjects himself to a penalty - Were any of these cards that were sold by Lee to Blacklin issued in this form? - A. I never saw any.

Q. Look at these - Is that the form in which they were always delivered? - A. Yes, in a white wrapper.

Q. Were the aces of spades delivered in that wrapper, or in separate parcels? - A. Always in separate parcels by themselves.

Q. Did you hear the prisoner complain at any time, either in, or not in, Lee’s presence, that his orders were not executed speedy enough? - A. Never before me.

Q. Had you ever any conversation before you on that subject? - A. Never.

NATHANIEL MERCHANT sworn. - Examined by Mr. Fielding. Q. You are the Inspector of the Stamp-Office? - A. Yes.

Q. How old are you, sir? - A. Seventy-two.

Q. Just look at that thirty-six dozen and the corresponding aces (Lee’s aces) that were found at Boddington’s? - A. There are seventy-two, and each corresponds to the thirty-six dozen.

Q. For what number of years have you been an Inspector? - A. About four years.

Q. From inspecting these aces, are you able to say whether they are from any instrument issued at the Stamp-Office? - A. They certainly did not come from the Stamp-Office.

Court. Q. What aces are they? - A.(Mr. Fielding.) Part of the parcel marked B. containing seventy-two aces, being part of what was found at Boddington’s.

Mr. Fielding. Q. Look them all over, Mr. Merchant; are you enabled to say what they are? - A. They are all of them forged, Mr. Hart has not gone beyond the number 80; I mean, there has been, I believe, no aces issued from the Stamp-Office, in the name of Hart, beyond the number of 80; these are 112, 113, 114, 115, and 116.

Mr. Solicitor General. Q. Genuine ones, in the name of Hart, never exceeded the number 80.

Q. What are the other seven aces found at Boddington’s? - A. They are all a forgery, and they are from the same plate, and the same numbers, from 112 to 116.

Q. The paper 8, containing 59 aces of spades, what are they? - A. These are the same, and appear from the same impression, and contain the same number; the paper marked B contains six aces, they are forged; and the plate E is a forgery, containing fifty-four aces: they appear to be from the same plate.

Q. The one that was in the pocket-book of the prisoner, the ace of spades which the officer took out of the pocket-book, which was in his pocket and on his person, look at that, and tell me whether that is a forgery; it is in the name of Hart? - A. It is the same, and marked 112, a higher number than Hart ever had.

Mr. Garrow. Q. We now shew him the two papers marked Edward Wright , which Wright said he brought from Mr. Lee’s manufactory - Do these appear to you to be a forgery, and to resemble those you have already looked at in these cards? - A. Yes.

Q. Are they imitations, and do they bear resemblance to those which were issued by the Stamp-Office? - A. Certainly they are an imitation of those which were issued by the Stamp-Office while Hart was in the trade, but the numbers do not agree.

Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Best. Q. Were you engraver at the Stamp-Office at that time? - A. No, I have examined the books, I find none higher than 80, and I have heard from my predecessor.

Q. You do not know that of your own knowledge; your only reason for believing these are forgeries is there are higher numbers, which somebody has told you are higher than Hart ever had? - A. Certainly these numbers do not correspond with the numbers belonging to Hart at the Stamp-Office.

Q. You do not know, you not being engraver at the Stamp-Office at that time; there may be other plates besides those which you have seen. -

Mr. Garrow. Q. I now shew him a genuine plate, a sheet containing twenty impressions, with the name of Hart on them; look at that and look at the ten; and look whether those of the ten, found at Lee’s with the name of Hart - Do they appear to be made with a view to imitate them? - A. They are done to imitate.

Q. From your inspection of the legal one of twenty, and the other of ten impressions on Lee’s paper, do they appear to be done with imitation of the genuine plates issued by the Stamp-Office? - A. Yes.

CHARLES-EDWARD BERRESFORD sworn. - Examined by Mr. Garrow. Q. You are Secretary to the Stamp-Office, you have been so sometime? - A. From the year 1801.

Q. Before that time you were Deputy Secretary? - A. Yes, and I was First Clerk for a great many years.

Q. And you are conversant with the business I take it for granted? - A. Yes; the aces are issued from the plates in sheets.

Q. How many in a sheet? - A. There are twenty in a sheet.

Q. Do you remember the time when Hart was card-maker? - A. Yes.

Q. Look at this sheet, and tell me whether this sheet is from the plate engraved for Hart? - A. It is the same as was used by Hart.

Q. Have you searched the office books, to see how high Hart’s numbers went? - A. I have, I do not find that they went higher than 80.

Q. If they had gone higher than 80, must not you have found it in your search? - A. From the search I do not find any above 80, and I have searched with all the diligence I can.

Q. Is the person who was engraver at the time Hart was a maker living or dead? - A. Dead.

Q. Mr. Merchant succeeded him? - A. Mr. Merchant was his assistant for some time, and afterwards succeeded him.

Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Best. Q. You say probably there may be numbers above 80? - A. I cannot say whether there are or not.

Court. Q. You have said you searched? - A. Yes, I cannot find any above 80; I cannot say any thing respecting the cards.

Q. Have you searched the Stamp-Office with your best diligence, to find whether there are any above 80? - A. I find none beyond 80, there is no record beyond 80.

Q. Have you searched any of the warrants? - A. I have only searched the books.

Mr. Solicitor General. Q. They are regularly entered in the book? - A. They are.

Q. You find no entry beyond 80? - A. I have not.

Q. If there had been must not you have found them in your searching? - A. I think so; I have gone from 1765 up to 1800; I have searched all that period, and there are none higher than 80.

Q. You do not believe there are any higher than 80? - A. No.

Q. Have you any reason to believe or suspect there are any beyond 80? - A. No.

Mr. Serjeant Best. Q. You said you had not got the warrants of the Commissioners of the Office, to see if there were any plates ordered beyond 80; you have not been furnished with these warrants? - A. No.

Mr. Garrow. Q. Would not those warrants have enabled you to make a better search; what do you mean by not having the warrants? - A. I have only examined the entry of the order-book.

Q. The entry in the order-book is a transcript of the warrants? - A. Yes.

Mr. Serjeant Best. Q. What book have you examined? - A. Only the order-book.

Q. Will you take upon you to swear that there are no higher numbers? - A. To the best of my belief there are no higher numbers than 80.

Mr. Solicitor General. Q. The person to whom the warrants were delivered was the engraver you know? - A. Yes.

Q. Whenever there is a warrant of that sort made, there is an entry made of the order, and a specimen of the stamp afterwards taken; you have seen no entry beyond 80? - A. No.

Court. Q. The person to whom this warrant is given is the engraver, and the order of that engraving is entered in the book, and you have searched that book? - A. Yes.

Q. And when the engraving is made there is an impression taken from it and kept? - A. Yes.

Q. And you find no order of the engraving, nor any impression? - A. There is no order of engraving, nor any impression in that book.

JAMES CHETHAM sworn. - Examined by Mr. Garrow. Q. Where did you find that account? - A. In the prisoner’s accompt book.

Q. This is Boddington’s account, called waste paper; this you found at the prisoner’s house? - A. I did. After his books were brought to Bow-street I examined them in the presence of the Magistrate, and in the presence of the defendant.

Court. Q. Whose book is this? - A. (Mr. Garrow.) The prisoner’s, which Rivett has spoken of.

Mr. Chetham. I found this accompt in the green book, in the ledger.

Mr. Garrow. This is the accompt which Boddington said he wrote, stating the transaction between him and the prisoner, and found in the ledger.

(Read in Court.) Dtr. Mr. Blacklin with T. Boddington. - On the debtor side is cash, 5 l. - 26 draft, 24 l. 16 s. - 8 pans - 17 draft, Mr. Seck, 21 l. On creditor side, Jan. 16, ban, one cants. of Co. - February 3d, 10 compts, 4 yellows, 28 l. 13 s. one pans, 2 l. 2 s. - 36 dozen, W. P. in red ink - 14 with a stroke, 25 l. 4 s. - and two books, 5 s. The whole of that 36 dozen is in red ink, except the sum, the 14 with a stroke is with red ink, and all this carried out with a stroke in common ink.

Mr. Garrow. I will just shew one of the forged cards; you will see the forged card has not the additional duty at the bottom; at the bottom of the forged card there is nothing but the word Hart; on the legal one there is the word additional duty.

Prisoner’s defence. At the time that I received these cards, I did not know that there were any aces of spades that were forged, I understood that they were foreign cards brought from abroad; I shortly after was informed that a large quantity of waste paper had been sold to the Neckinger Mill Company about two years ago, and which I have always since understood; the Neckinger Mill Company purchased at Somerset-house these aces amongst the quantities of waste paper which they purchased at Somerset-house.

Mr. Serjeant Best. Q.(To Mr. Shelton.) Will you have the goodness to read the 1st and 7th Counts. - (Read in Court.)

The Jurors upon their oath present, that John Blacklin , on the 26th of February, in the 45th year of his present Majesty’s reign, with force and arms, feloniously did utter certain playing cards, liable to a stamp duty, with counterfeit marks thereon, counterfeiting and resembling the impression of certain marks directed to be used by virtue of a certain Act of Parliament, made in the 29th year of our Sovereign Lord the King, and several former Acts of Parliament, purposely denoting the duties granted to his Majesty on cards, made fit for sale, and used in Great Britain; that he, the said John Blacklin , on the 26th of February as aforesaid, feloniously did utter playing cards with such counterfeited marks thereon, he knowing the said counterfeited marks to be forged.

The said Jurors present, that the said John Blacklin , on the 26th of February, in the 45th year aforesaid, did feloniously vend and sell divers playing cards, liable to a stamp duty, with counterfeited marks on the spotted side of the said cards, counterfeiting an impression of certain marks directed to be used by a certain Act of Parliament, made at Westminster, in the 29th year of his Majesty’s reign, entitled an Act for granting to his Majesty several additional stamp duties on cards and dice, and several former Acts of Parliament, relating to cards made fit for sale in Great Britain.

Mr. Serjeant Best. I take this to be the most convenient time to state my objections, and to make an arrest of judgment, if the case should require it, as it does not appear to me that this offence is particularly described by either of these Counts.

The evidence that we have heard does not prove any offence within this Act of Parliament upon which this indictment is framed, the 29th of George the Third; the words are, that if any person shall counterfeit, or forge, or procure to be forged or counterfeited, or vend and sell any stamp or mark to be used relating to cards, dice, or newspapers, or shall counterfeit or resemble the same, with such counterfeit marks thereon, knowing the same to be counterfeited, shall be guilty of felony.

Your Lordship will see that they are, by another Act of Parliament, directed to apply this stamp not upon any of the cards, but upon the wrapper; the statute I allude to is the 9th of Ann, chap. 28, sect. 41, there the Commissioners are directed to put this stamp on the wrapper of these cards. I submit to your Lordship, it may be said that subsequent Acts of Parliament have added additional duties, still if the original statute of Ann is not repealed, whatever number of duties may be added, the stamp must be in the same place, and in the same manner, as it is pointed out by the said Act of Parliament; and any stamp put in any other manner, is a stamp which the Commissioners are not authorized to put on. I submit to your Lordship, as it appears to me, this man did not vend any of these stamps upon wrappers, nor any stamp upon cards, and if the Commissioners are authorized, by any subsequent Act of Parliament, to put the stamp upon a particular card, then this indictment has not made out the case, because this indictment is not for the offence of putting the stamp upon a particular card. I desired these two Counts to be read, and your Lordship will find that it is both uttering and vending stamps, not upon a particular card, but stamps upon playing cards.

Mr. Gleed. If I understand the meaning of the word cards right, it must be a perfect pack of cards; the uttering of any one card would not be a felony within the meaning of this Act of Parliament, but by making use of the word playing cards. We must likewise see what the Legislature thought proper to impose upon selling such cards. The duty has been imposed upon a pack of playing cards, it is so stated upon the face of this indictment to be playing cards, and the evidence has been, in this case, of uttering cards without the aces of spades. The cards, without the aces of spades, cannot be considered as playing cards, nor can the ace of spades sold by itself at any time be said to be playing cards. In all cases of forgery, it is necessary that the forged instrument should be in all parts the similitude of the true; in this case there arises an objection, namely, it does not appear to be a pack of cards within the meaning of the words in this Act of Parliament, nor is it that which upon the face of the indictment it charges the prisoner with. It charges the prisoner with uttering, vending, and selling playing cards, when, in point of fact, the only evidence that has been introduced on the part of the prosecution have only supported the sale of a parcel of fifty-one cards, and not a pack of cards.

Mr. Solicitor General. It has been stated to your Lordship, that we cannot possibly support this indictment that charges the prisoner with having sold cards with counterfeit stamps, which must mean a counterfeit stamp on the wrapper; for the learned Serjeant says there is no Act justifies any stamp upon these cards. The 9th of Ann, which directs stamps to be put on the wrapper, which is true, but my answer is a positive denial on the fact, from subsequent Acts of Parliament on the case, which he had either forgotten or omitted. The 10th of Ann, chap. 19, sect. 162, it is enacted, that on one card in each pack shall be marked on the spotted side thereof. Your Lordship will go to the 5th of George the Third, chap. 46, sect. 9, which I do not find to be repealed, it there directs the Commissioners to provide a new stamp for the wrapper. No, for the ace of spades, and to make distinction between those meant for home consumption and those for exportation, and then it directs that which has always been observed by the Stamp Office, and which they have been studiously attentive to, that one of the sixpenny duties shall be denoted on the wrapper, and another also is directed to be put on the wrapper, and one of these sixpenny duties is also directed to be denoted on the ace of spades. I am not sure that any former Act mentions the ace of spades, but the 10th of Ann having directed it to be on the spotted side of one of the cards, and practice has continued it on the ace of spades. The next argument that fell from a learned friend of mine was, that the Act which prohibits the selling of playing cards with counterfeit stamps, must mean to prohibit vending packs of cards with counterfeit stamps, and that there is no evidence in this case of the vending a pack of cards, only a parcel of fifty-one, and that therefore this case is not within the Act. Certainly, without deviating from the indulgence which is permitted to the Counsel of a prisoner, I might have interrupted him when he was addressing your Lordship, though in fact he was addressing the Jury, when he was stating that there was not sufficient evidence to go to a Jury. Your Lordship will see there is not only evidence, but decisive evidence, and the fact is most certain, that the packs are sold in this way: - If I was to sell a dozen, containing each fifty-one in one parcel, and I sell another parcel containing twelve aces of spades, which two parcels together make twelve packs, if it was necessary to prove his selling these cards, and delivering them in this way, there is no doubt from the evidence. In the first place, do they bargain for cards containing each fifty-one? No; they bargain for a gross, or packs of cards; what or how much a dozen, for what is a dozen parcels of cards without the aces of spades? No, they include the aces of spades, there is no additional price for the aces of spades that these people were to pay, I will prove it by Boddington, who bought thirty-six dozen, and the evidence has said they would not pay for the cards, they would not pay the man till he had sent out the aces of spades. It is beyond all possibility of a doubt that the prisoner not only sold, but actually delivered packs of cards, and that it is proved beyond all possibility of a doubt or hesitation, that there were all these packs of cards not only sold, but a specific price to be given for each pack.

Court. I consider it as an offence undoubtedly upon which the Revenue has been defrauded in the strictest sense of the words of the Act of Parliament, that is on record, because there are fifty-one in one parcel, and one in another, which made up the pack of cards.

Jury. Q.(To the Secretary of the Stamp Office.) Whether you know of any cards being sold to the Neckinger Mill Company? - A. There were some sold, but I do not know to whom.

Court. Q.(To Mr. Solicitor of the Stamp Office.) Do you know of any being sold to the Neckinger Mill Company? - A. A society of gentlemen proposed to convert old paper into new, they applied to Government for authority to purchase the waste paper at the Stamp Office, and Government conceiving it was for the benefit of the public, the Commissioners were directed to sell their waste paper for the purpose of being converted into new paper, consequently the Commissioners did dispose of a great quantity of waste paper, amongst which there were cancelled aces of spades, which were brought from the card-makers, with the corners cut off; the Company, at the same time, giving this most positive assurance, that the paper would be immediately plunged into the caldron, and at once destroyed; this Company and manufactory failed, they did not perform their engagement by destroying this waste paper, they afterwards advertised their stock to be sold, and amongst the other things the aces of spades were sold cancelled, and with the corners cut off.

Court. Q. Do you know, of your own knowledge, that all the aces of spades that they sold the corners were cut off? - A. Mr. Lee applied with a feigned name, they were not sold in sheets, I cannot speak to that.

Prisoner. Mr. Robey, the auctioneer, sold these goods for the Neckinger Mill Company; I gave my attorney yesterday evening some aces of spades which Mr. Lee had purchased of the Neckinger Mill Company, he purchased vast quantities, and my attorney has some of the aces without the corners being cut off; I have been informed that they sold a vast quantity which originally came from Somerset-house.

Court. Gentlemen, you are to understand that they waited for the aces of spades while they were engraving the plate, therefore this could not be from that.

The prisoner called four witnesses, who gave him a good character.

GUILTY , Death , aged 28.

First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron Thompson .

Blacklin’s case challenged

A few days following Blacklin’s hearing, an attempt was made at appealing the court’s decision:

Judgement respited, May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002430/18050503/014/0004 Oracle and the Daily Advertiser - Friday 03 May 1805

OLD BAILEY. Yesterday, Blacklin, who was convicted of uttering a forged stamp on the ace of spades, was again placed in the Dock; Mr. SERGEANT BEST having, at his trial, suggested that, should he be convicted, he would submit to the Court an Arrest of Judgment on the informality of the indictment. Mr. GLEED, yesterday, supported the plea in favour of the Prisoner; and his arguments were replied to by Messrs. FIELDING, DAMPIER, and KNAPP, Counsel for the Crown. The RECORDER, however, did not deem it proper to decide on a point which involved the death of an individual, and the matter was consequently reserved for the opinion of the Twelve Judges. The judgment will of course be respited.

An objection is stated, May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002408/18050501/021/0004

Morning Herald (London) - Wednesday 01 May 1805

OLD BAILEY. Monday.

John Blacklin was indicted for feloniouly uttering and vending certain cards, with a forged or counterfeit stamp.—It was proved that the prisoner purchased considerable quantities of cards from a person named Lee, a Card-maker in Fetter-lane, - and resold them. The cards were made up in packs, without the Ace of Spades, on which the stamp is placed, that card being always delivered separately. The forged stamp had the name Hart on it, and it appeared from the evidence, that no stamps had been issued from the Stamp-Office to that maker, bearing numbers higher than 80; whereas the numbers on the counterfeit stamps found in the possession of the prisoner, or sold by him, were 112, 113, 114; 115, and 116.

Mr. Sergeant Best stated an objection, founded on the Act of the 9th of Queen Ann, which requires the duties to be expressed on the wrapper; and contended that the subsequent Acts which mentioned the Ace of Spades, were only intended to distinguish between cards for exportation and those for home consumption.— Mr. CONST and Mr. GLEAD followed on the same side. The latter Gentleman maintained, that as there were only 51 cards in each pack, the article charged by the indictment to be forged was imperfect, and therefore did not come within the meaning of the Act.— These objections were replied to by the SOLICITOR-GENERAL and Mr. GARROW, and , finally, over ruled by the Court.

Mr. Baron THOMPSON charged the Jury, who returned a verdict of Guilty, but recommended him to mercy, on account of his previous good character.

An arrest of judgment, May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000361/18050506/008/0003 Salisbury and Winchester Journal - Monday 06 May 1805

John Blacklin, who was convictcd in the former part of the Session, for uttering forged stamps cards, was yesterday placed at the bar, an arrest of judgment having been suggested on his trial by Mr. Sergeant Best, in an objection to the form of the indictment. Mr. Gleed supported the plea in favour of the prisoner, and his arguments were replied to by Messrs. Fielding, Dampier, and Knapp, Counsel for the Crown. The Recorder, however, not feeling it his duty to decide the point, arrested judgment until the matter should be decided by the Twelve Judges.

A point of law, May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000186/18050518/005/0003 York Herald - Saturday 18 May 1805

A point of law having arisen in the wording of the indictment against John Blacklin, late of Hull, convicted at the Old Bailey sessions for uttering playing cards with forged stamps, the case has been referred to the twelve Judges for their opinions.

The judges rose at an early hour, May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002593/18050514/008/0002 General Evening Post - Tuesday 14 May 1805

COURT OF KING’S BENCH, WESTMINSTER, MAY 14

The judges rose at an early hour, and proceeded to the Exchequer-chamber, to hear the argument on the reserved case of the man convicted of forging the Ace of Spades.

Blacklin’s appeal is heard, 18th May, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001254/18050520/014/0003 Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser - Monday 20 May 1805

COURT OF EXCHEQUER. SATURDAY, May 18. Three persons were brought up for judgment under several convictions at country Assizes, for obstructing and assaulting the Revenue Officers in the execution of their duty, and were sentenced, on motion of the Solicitor-General, to several periods of imprisonmet.

At eleven o’clock, the Judges retired into the Inner Chamber, where they heard Mr. Sergeant Best and Mr. Glead in behalf of the arrest of judgment in the case of Blacklin, convicted for forging the Ace of Spades.

Blacklin it seems, got off lightly. I found no record of his execution, and we might assume he received a lesser sentence on account of his previous good character, or had the verdict quashed based on the appeals of Best and Gleed.

As well as the fraudsters, it seems that the smaller fry of people reselling forged cards may also have been getting caught up by the policing operations elsewhere:

Turning King’s Evidence, June, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000073/18050608/010/0004 Oxford Journal - Saturday 08 June 1805

Also in Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser - Monday 03 June 1805 .

On Saturday, …. The same day, V. Rumley, a Calico Glazier, and ——— Irvine, a Baker, were examined at Union Hall, for selling packs of cards with forged Aces of Spades, when the former turned King’s evidence, and the latter was fully committed.

But there were also bigger fish to catch. Such as Richard Harding. And he would not to be as lucky as Blacklin.

Capitally convicted, September, 1805

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000052/18050926/003/0002 Derby Mercury - Thursday 26 September 1805 Old Bailey. Saturday, Richard Harding, card-maker, for forging the Ace of Spades; … w[as] capitally convicted.