Passing Bad Money Print E-mail

John Fisher, a navvy, was brought before the Keswick magistrates, on
Wednesday week, on a charge of passing bad money, Isabella Fisher, a widow,
who keeps a bread shop at Thornthwaite, stated that on the preceeding
Wednesday night the prisoner bought a loaf of her for 8 d, for which he gave
in payment a half-crown piece, and received the change. On the next morning
she discovered the coin to be false. Two other men were with the prisoner at
the time he bought the loaf, which, on leaving the shop, he placed on the
road, and kicked it along, when one of his companions took it up and placed
it under his arm. On the same day the prisoner purchased some groceries from
Mary Bell, of Thornthwaite, giving her a half-crown in payment. She at once
discovered that it was a counterfeit, and desired him to return the
groceries and change which she had given him. He refused to do so at first,
but on threatening to call for assistance, complied. On the same night the
prisoner went with a young man to the Swan Inn, at Thornthwaite, and ordered
a quart of ale. He offered half a crown in payment, which Mrs. Bowman
declined to take, thinking it had a suspicious look, upon which his comrade
paid for the ale, and she returned the coin to the prisoner. Prisoner said
he had not been in Mrs. Bell's since Thursday week. He asked if the
magistrate could try him there. The chairman said they could not do so, and
committed him to take his trial at Carlisle.
 
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