Thomas Carter: The Examination of Thomas Carter Prisoner in Newgate 31 January 1698/9
The Examination of Thomas Carter Prisoner in Newgate 31 January 169
He saith that about the midle of last summer William Chaloner now prisoner in Newgate being in his Lodgings at the Golden Lyon in Great Wild street in Covent Garden did bring out of his Clossett 2 pieces of white earth like Tobacco pipe Clay of the consistence of Dough or past moulded togeather with a shilling between them and putting them assunder he took out the shilling and laid the pieces of earth to dry by a fire and as they dryed he laid them closer and closer to the fire and at last upon the fire to dry and bake them thoroughly and after they were could they rung like burnt earthen Ware and then taking three shillings of the Deponent he melted them down <55v> with some pewter and spelter in an Iron Ladle and cast about a score shillings in the earthen mould made as is above metioned he cast but one at a time and as often as he cast a bad one he threw it back into the Iron Ladle and so continued to cast till he had cast about 10 which he liked then he offered them to the Deponent to get some body to put them off but the Deponent declined to receive them being affraid to have them about him but about a week after sent Mary Ball to him for them and the said Mary Ball brought half a dozen of them to the Deponent and told the Deponent that the said Chaloner upon delivering them bid her tell the Deponent that if he did not like them he would do some better
The Deponent saith also that the last summer when the said Chaloner was graving a playe for Malt Tickets he the said Chaloner told the Deponent that he the said Chaloner and one Abbot had the day before been making Spanish pistoles and Dutch money for a Captain of a ship and that the Deponent saw the said Abbott and Chaloner sometime before the making of the shillings as above said work 5 or 6 hours togeather in trying to find out a mixture of pewter zinc Tutenag and other Metals which would look and ring like silver
The Examinant saith also that the said Chaloner since his comeing to Newgate hath much sollicited the Deponent to joyn with him representing that if they joyned they should save themselves and fun em all of this there are sufficient witnesses
Hee saith also that the said Chaloner told him that Price who was executed for Counterfeiting an Exchequer bill had of him the said Chaloner the Receipt of the water for wiping out the writing in any bill
Tho Carter
Source
MINT 15/17/118, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK31 Jan 1698/9, c. 472 words.