Edward Smith: The Information of Edward Smith of Islington in the county of Middlesex Gardener 11 January 1698/9

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The Information of Edwd Smith of Islington in the County of Middlesex Gardiner 11 Ianry 169$\frac{\mathrm{8}}{\mathrm{9}}$

He saith that about 9 or 10 weeks ago he went to mr Sadlers house at Strettam in the Isle of Ely in Cambridgeshire pretending to come to the said Sadler from Wm. Thornton and Henry Holder who had lodged at that said Sadlers house for severall months and were gone from thence about 3 or 4 dayes or a week before the Deponent came thither and that the said Sadler carryed the Deponent up one pair of Staires into Two Rooms on a floor and in one of the Roomes shewed the Deponent a stove or Furnace and told the Deponent that there they melted their metall for making false money and that they made Spanish Pistolls by casting worth about 12s. a piece that they made also $\frac{\mathrm{1}}{\mathrm{2}}$ Guineas by casting and cast them very fine and that they made shillings of a mixt metall worth almost 4s. an ounce + run it into barrs and flatted them in a Flatting Mill and then cut them into round pieces with a Tool they called a Pin and afterwards stampd with Dyes and a sledge Hammer and going down staires he fetched an Edger or Edging Tolle with which they edged their money + shewed the Deponent how they edged by running a shilling through the Mill and pulling out of his pocket a parcell of about 20 or 30s told the Deponent that here Thornton + Holder above mentioned made that money + that Thornton was the Head workmen + that Holder could also work well + was Confederate with one House a Norwich Factor who had great quantitys of their counterfeit money to put off and when the said Sadler shewed the Deponent the said Edger + pin the Deponent asked the said Sadler how if any body should search his house + find those things + the said Sadler answered that he defyed all the Sharpers in England to find them there were hid so safe

the mark of
Edd Smith

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