Charlotte Newman and Mary Ann James - hanged for forgery.

At 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday the 17th of February 1818, to the incessant tolling of the bell of St Sepulchres’ church, two women and two men emerged from the Debtor’s Door at Newgate and ascended the 10 steps up to the platform of the gallows. They were 20 year old Mary Ann James, 33 year old Charlotte Newman, William Hatchman and John Attel. The two women and Hatchman were to be hanged for forgery, Attel for burglary. Both women had to be assisted up the steps. Newspapers reported that the “ two women were respectability dressed in black, with white caps and frills”. It was also reported that Charlotte was tearful and although she confessed her guilt she blamed others for her downfall.

It is thought that the female condemned cells were on the top floor of Newgate, above the Press Yard, with the men housed on the floor below. All four prisoners would have been taken to the Press Room sometime around 7.30 a.m. where the men’s fetters (leg irons) if worn, would have been knocked off by the blacksmith and then their wrists pinioned in front with a cord and a further cord passed around their arms immediately above the elbows and then around their waist. The nooses would have been placed around their necks and white nightcaps on their heads. It was reported that Charlotte fainted somewhat at the sight of her noose and had to be supported until she recovered.

They were attended by the Rev. Dr. Horace Cotton, the Ordinary of Newgate and were to be hanged by James “Jemmy” Botting. Once on the gallows Botting would have thrown each rope up over the beam and tied back to itself to ensure a very short drop. When the Ordinary had finished praying with the prisoners and listening to their final statements, Botting would have pulled the nightcaps down to cover the faces and then waited for the City Marshall to give the signal.

Cotton intoned “In the midst of life we are in death” at the end of which Botting drew the pin releasing the trap and the four dropped a few inches. Both women struggled somewhat and Hatchman was “greatly convulsed” to use the terminology of the day.

This broadside was sold among the large crowd watching the proceedings.

Forgery and “uttering” i.e. passing forged notes, were considered to be very serious crimes at this time, as they de-stabilised the currency and in 1817 there was an epidemic of forged one pound notes. 22 of the 96 executions in England and Wales during 1818 were for forgery or uttering forgery. The Bank Restriction Act of 1793 allowed the Bank of England to no longer have to back paper notes with gold, which was in short supply due to the expected war between Britain and France and over printing of notes. This led to people trying to convert their paper money into gold and to runs on several banks. However the new notes were easy to copy and thus a gift to forgers. The Act remained in force until 1821 when the Bank of England had built up sufficient reserves of gold to cover the notes in circulation by a factor of four. By 1822, the number of executions for forgery and uttering had fallen to six, nationwide.

Charlotte Newman was tried at the Old Bailey before Mr. Baron Garrow at the 3rd of December 1817 Sessions. She offered a plea bargain to plead guilty to the non capital crime of possession of forged money, but this was rejected. It appears that Charlotte’s motive for the crime was to be caught and sentenced to be transported to Botany Bay where she could be reunited with her criminal husband. A search of her home revealed a further 28 forged bank notes.

She was indicted as follows “that on the 29th of October , at the parish of St. James, Clerkenwell, feloniously did forge and counterfeit a certain bank note (setting it forth, No. 27, 810, dated 8th of February, 1817), with intent to defraud the Governor and Company of the Bank of England”.

Second Count, “for feloniously disposing of and putting away a like forged note, with the like intent, knowing it to be forged”. She used a forged one pound note to buy 11p worth of liquor and another to buy a pair of boots.

As set out below forgery of documents for pecuniary gain was also a capital crime.

Mary Ann James (also given as Jones) was indicted at the same Sessions before Mr. Justice Bayley as follows : “that she, on the 10th of April, in the parish of St. Mary-le-Bow, feloniously did falsely make, forge, and counterfeit, and cause and procure to be falsely made, forged, and counterfeited, and willingly act and assist in the falsely making, forging, and counterfeiting a certain deed (setting it forth, being the usual form of a power of attorney), with intent to defraud the Governor and Company of the Bank of England”.

Second Count. For feloniously uttering and publishing as true, a like forged deed, with the like intention, she knowing it to be forged. This was the count on which she was convicted, see below.

Third Count. For feloniously disposing of and putting away a like forged deed, with the like intent, she knowing it to be forged.

Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Counts, “the same, only stating the prisoner's intent to be to defraud Elizabeth Thomas”. She was convicted of defrauding Elizabeth Thomas from Hendrea, near Bodmin, in Cornwall of £155 worth of Navy Five Per Cents bonds using a fraudulent power of attorney.

In Newgate both women received the attention of Elisabeth Fry, who campaigned for better prison conditions and an end to the death penalty, particularly for minor offences.

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