APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 333 



and pleaded guilty. During my 

 experience in Bank prosecutions, 

 for many years, the course pur- 

 sued has been precisely that 

 which I have described, namely, 

 that two indictments were pre- 

 ferred — the one for the capital 

 offence, and the other for the 

 offencewhich subjects the offender 

 to transportation ; and in cases 

 where it has appeared on full 

 consideration, and the Court 

 shall think fit and be of opinion 

 that public justice might be 

 satisfied by a prosecution for the 

 lesser offence, the persons con- 

 ducting the prosecutions for the 

 Bank have invariably adopted 

 the more humane course ; and 

 upon application from the pri- 

 soners themselves, to be allowed 

 to plead guilty to the lesser 

 offence, that application has been 

 granted, and the Bank have been 

 permitted to withdraw from a 

 prosecution for the greater 

 offence. It is also requisite I 

 should observe, that this applica- 

 tion from the prisoners has at 

 all times been voluntary, and has 

 not arisen out of any intimation 

 given, or inducement held out on 

 the part of their prosecutors. 

 My Lord, in the present occasion, 

 I find that the prisoner had 

 before applied for permission, 

 and has pleaded to the lesser 

 offence; and certainly, on the 

 part of the Bank I have no wish, 

 on the contrary, I earnestly wish 

 not to proceed to the trial of the 

 capital indictment. Having once 

 accepted the prisoner's plea to 

 the lesser offence, we cannot 

 think of going on to charge him 

 with the greater ; and my humble 

 application to the Court is, that 

 I may be permitted to withdraw 



the capital indictment, upon 

 which 1 shall offer no evidence. 

 This mode of proceeding is quite 

 in course. 



Mr. Baron Wood. — H^ve not 

 some others petitioned to withdraw 

 their plea ? 



Clerk of the Arraigns Tliis 



is not one of those who have 

 petitioned. 



Mr. Baron Wood. — Prisoner, 

 you have already pleaded guilty 

 to the lesser offence, of having 

 bank-notes in your possession ; 

 are you now desirous that that 

 plea should be withdrawn, and to 

 take your trial for the capital 

 offence ? 



Prisoner. — I don't know what 

 they mean about the trial for a 

 capital offence; I was quite igno- 

 rant. A paper was brought to me, 

 I don't know what it was, and I 

 put my name at the bottom of it. 



Mr. Baron Wood. — Do you 

 wish to withdraw your plea of 

 guilty? 



Prisoner.— I will plead again, 

 my Lord. 



Mr. Baron Wood. — I wish to 

 be understood ; attend to me. 

 You have pleaded that you had 

 forged notes in your possession, 

 knowing them to be forged. 

 You have had no trial, because 

 you confessed yourself guilty. 

 Do you now wish to make an 

 application to withdraw that 

 plea? Understand that if you 

 withdraw that plea, the Bank will 

 prosecute you upon which in- 

 dictment it pleases. Judge for 

 yourself. 



Prisoner. — I do not want to 

 withdraw my plea, my Lord. 



Mr. Sergeant Bosanquet. — It 

 is my most earnest wish that 

 nothing should pass but what is 



clearly 



