The trial and execution of
William Booth,
Who was Executed at Stafford, on Saturday Aug. 15, 1812.
For Counterfeiting Forged Bank of England Notes
William Booth, the unfortunate malefactor who has this day terminated his exiſtence to the offended laws of his country, was born of reſpectable parents near Henly-in-Arden where his father is ſtill living. He was about 33 years of age, and was brought up to no trade, and his parents indulged him in everything he wanted.
The crime for which he ſo juſtly forfeited his life, was for having in his poſſeſſion without lawful excuſe, a frame, mould, and inſtrument, for the making of paper, with the words "Bank of England" viſible in the ſubſtance of the paper, and with having made or cauſed to be made, divers ſheets of paper in the ſubſtance of which the ſaid words "Bank of England" were viſible, and with having the ſaid paper in his poſſeſſion without lawful excuſe; and with forging divers Bank Notes for 10l. 5l. and 1l. each, and divers blank bank notes, for the like ſums, and alſo for coining divers pieces of coin reſembling ſilver Dollars and Bank Tokens; and for forging the ſtamp or die to denote the duty of four pence; and alſo for forging divers promiſſory notes of Meſſrs. Raikes and Co. Eaſt Riding Bank, Hull, for the payment of one guinea each.
In the Year 1808 he was taken up on ſuſpicion of having murdered his brother, at Awl End, in the pariſh of Wooten Wawen, but the evidence not appearing clear againſt him, he was accordingly acquitted.
It appeared in the trial that J. Linwood conſtable of Birm. in conſequence of ſome information he had received went to the priſoner's houſe on 16 of March, with 10 ſpecial conſtables & 7 Dragoonſ—ſtopt at the Boars Head Perry Bar, about a minute on their way thither—priſoner's reſidence is alſo at Perry Bar apparently an old Farm houſe, and 2 or 300 yards from any other dwelling. He deſcribed the manner in which the houſe was blockaded, there being 3 doors in the paſſage leading to the parlour, all very ſtrong and faſtened with ſolid ſquare oak and iron bars and the windows were lined with wrought iron and alſo barred, ſo that it was almoſt invulnerable to the attacks of any aſſailant. The poſſe being unable to obtain admittance into the lower rooms by reaſon of the doors and windows being ſo ſtrongly barricaded & the windows of the chamber being alſo ſecured by iron bars &c ſo that they could not get in there Chillingſworth one of the Brirm. aſſiſtants to the conſtables, proceeded up a ladder in front of the houſe. On going up the ladder he ſaw the priſoner in the chamber over the parlour—he came up to the window—witneſs aſked him if he would let him in—priſoner ſaid he would juſt now—witneſs then broke the glaſs, and the priſoner went to the middle of the room, and witneſs ſaw him take ſome papers from a rolling preſs that was fixed on a bench in the middle of the room, the papers appeared to be the ſize of bank noteſ—ſaw the priſoner put them on a fire. Witneſs then aſcended the ladder to the garret window, and with much difficulty forced himſelf through it into the garret and others of his party followed. After he had entered the garret he jumped thro' a trap door onto the room where Booth was when he went up the ladder, but Booth at the ſame time went thro' anther trap door onto the parlour below. Witneſs remained in the chamber, and found burnt paper in the fire place. 3 other perſons came to him, & he broke the wall over the fireplace, and took burnt papers out of the chimney—one was but very little burnt. The note was produced in Court and ſworn to.
John Ingley had been in the priſoner's employ ſince Chriſtmas laſt. The priſoner occupied 200 acres of land. Since he came to priſoner the windows of the parlour & a chamber had been ſtrengthened. Witneſs was taken to work in the houſe about ten days before priſoner was apprehended. Before that time worked in the barn. Recollects Dorothy Ingley coming in the houſe on the 16th and that Eliz. Chidlow went and rapped at the parlour door in conſequence of Dorothy Ingley ſpeaking to her—Booth came out, and ſaid, "God woman, what bother have you brought here!" Chidlow ſaid the runners were coming Booth ſaid it was a d----d lie—they darſt not come there. Walked back into the parlour & called witneſs after him—gave him a small trunk (which was produced)—told him the things that were done, and he muſt go and plant it on the far ſide the ground—the trunk was locked—he dug a hole in a field and buried it; he had been directed by the Priſoner to hide two copper-Plates on the Tueſday before he was apprehended; he wrapt them in a cloth and buried them in a ditch; ſame day he was ordered to hide a ſingle plate which he hid in the ſame manner. Mrs. Booth who gave him Plates when Priſoner was abed, which he hid in the thatch of a wheat rick. Booth was then in bed he had tumbled down a trap door that morning & hurt himſelf—witneſs was taken up on the Friday after the priſoner. When he gave information, & diſcovered where the articles were conceiled.
Joſeph Chirm, head borough of Birm. proved the finding of the of the trunk and plates.—They were Notes of different value, and in a large amount. There were beſides 13 blanks, with the Bank of England water mark.
Wm. Bridges & Wm. Brewer, Paper and Paper-mould makers to the Bank of England proved that part of the Bills found in the trunk were made from the mould which had been produced. The priſoner's Council took ſeveral legal objections, which were over-ruled. The jury with very little heſitation pronounced a Verdict of Guilty. The Judge then paſſed ſentence on Booth in the following words:——
William Booth, you ſtand here to receive the judgement of the Court for two capital offences, of which a Jury have found you Guilty: it is not neceſſary for me to ſpeak of the other indictments againſt you, under ſuch circumſtances with which you have been indicted, you can have little reaſon to expect that the mercy of the law will be extended to you: I can hold out no hope of that expectation, but I hope you will now do that which I groſſly fear hitherto neglected—that is that you will, by humble and devout prayer and contrition to prepare yourſelf for that great and dreadful day, when before a judgement far more awful than any earthly Tribunal, you will be called upon to give an account of your actions in this world; the ſhort interval that can be allowed to you between this time and that of putting into execution the ſentence which the law directs me to pronounce upon you, I truſt you will employ in that preparation: it now only remains with me to paſs that ſentence, which iſ—that you William Booth be taken from hence to the place from whence you came, and from there to the place of Execution, there to be hanged by the neck until you are dead, and the Lord have mercy on your ſoul!
The priſoner heard his ſentence without diſmay & at the concluſion bowed reſpectfully to the Court.
Between 11 and 12 o'clock the Priſoner was taken to the uſual place of Execution, where after ſome time ſpent in prayer he was ſuddenly launched into eternity.
