Source: Printed
Title:  The Cardiff Times, liv df
Date: 19 November 1910
Place: Bethnal Green

Spurious Coins Raid

ALLEGED PUBLIC HOUSE DEPOT

Startling Evidence

At Old-street on Tuesday¹ Charles Alfred Creasey (36), licensee of the Pitt’s Head public-house, Port-street, Bethnal Green; John Miller (23), James Brown or Pluckrose (20), George Harris, Robert Smith, and Sydney Cook or Clayton (17), were charged on remand before Mr Biron with being found in possession of spurious money with intent to utter the same. The accused were arrested in a bagatelle room at the Pitt’s Head public-house on the afternoon of November 5th, when a number of spurious florins were found in the bagatelle room fireplace and others in the cellar.

Mr Lewis, who now represented the Public Prosecutor, stated that some interesting details concerning counterfeit coins had been furnished in a confession made by Brown, and the case was unique inasmuch as the public-house had been used as a depot where spurious coin might be purchased in large quantities with the knowledge of the licensee. It appeared from Brown’s confession that persons uttering counterfeit coins bought what would be worth a sovereign, if genuine, for 6s 6d. and passed them on to the public, their profit working out at 107 per cent. on the money laid out. The middleman bought a sovereign’s worth of coin from the makers for 5s, and sold to the utterers for 6s 6d, this profit of 1s 6d working out at 30 per cent. on the money laid out.

Mr Lewis added that Brown would be further charged with feloniously selling 105 counterfeit florins to the other five men. Miller, Harris, and Cook would he further charged with uttering spurious florins. No fewer than 125 counterfeit florins were found by the police.

Detective Wright, who took part in the raid, said that when searched in the bagatelle room Brown had one counterfeit crown and 30 florins in various pockets. Brown said, “I am done. These fellows buy them off me. We do not make them. I bring them here. I had 18 quids worth altogether. I know what it means for me. I do not get much out of it. I pay 5s for a pound’s worth, and sell them for 6s 6d.” The accused were
remanded for a week in custody.

¹  15 November 1919

This is probably PL1371 in Tree 1006.