Report of John William Rose, Recorder of London, on 2 collective petitions (17 people,...

Report of John William Rose, Recorder of London, on 2 collective petitions (17 people, from the St Dunstan, Smithfields and the City of London; and 2 people, city aldermen on the bench at his trial) on behalf of Edward James Marshal and David Hughes, employees of Downs & Lewis Licensed Lottery Office, (Marshal as a hall clerk and Hughes as a porter) convicted at the 'City of London Sessions', for vagrancy and offences against the Lottery Act. Evidences supplied by Gabriel Franks and Moses Solomons, jews. They swore in court that Hughes had set down an illegal insurance and that Marshal had taken money for it. The prisoners state that the prosecutors had sworn falsely against them. The prisoners explain that just before the prisoners were arrested a man had come into the offices saying he had a warrant for illegal practices and enquired if the masters of the business were on the premises. When he was told they were not, the man offered to prevent the warrants execution in return for payment. This was refused and the man said the parties would swear to illegal practices anyway. This appears to have happened and the Franks and Solomons swore to the evidences given against the prisoners for illegal practices. The prisoners have knowledge that the man's name was Phillips and he is connected with the Franks and Solomons, and Phillips 'was the Companion of the late notorious Convict Lawrence Jones'. There is an affidavit from Abraham Nathan and his wife Ann Nathan, of St Botolph, Aldgate, to the effect that Franks had told them of 'a Business by which some money might be got'. A man called Levy had obtained 30 guineas from a Lottery Office Keeper by examining a lottery number and then going back and saying an illegal insurance had been made on the examined number and saying a warrant would be obtained illegal practices but stopped the warrant in exchange for money. Franks said to Nathan that this scenario 'would come better from a Woman,' and asked Nathan 'to let his wife go with said Franks', to which Nathan and his wife agreed. Ann Nathan was given a piece of paper with a high number on it so that the clerk would have to check to see if it was drawn (it was the custom of the clerks to remember the first hundred or so and they would not have to leave to check these. After Franks left the woman told her husband that they 'would not have anything to do with the business'. Franks called again and told the husband and wife that he had sent Moses and Solomons, instead of Ann Nathan, and the parties had refused to give money so the parties would 'go down' [be imprisoned]. Grounds for clemency: previous good character, Hughes could not have written any thing down, as he could not read or write, [he signed the petition with a cross mark], both prisoners were innocent and the prosecutors had sworn falsely against them. Initial sentence: 3 months further imprisonment in the Bridewell, after a previous confinement. Recommendation: remission of the remainder of sentence; annotated 'Let a remission be made out. Folios 275-284.