Offence: Theft > grand larceny
Verdict: Guilty
Punishment: Transportation
693. THOMAS ADDISON was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 27th of December , eighty six pair of boot legs, value 15 l. the property of Stephen Curtis and Hannah Thompson , widow .
The case was stated by Mr. Knapp.
STEPHEN CURTIS . - Mr. Knapp. What are you. - A. I am a leather factor , I reside in Well-street, Cripplegate .
Q. Who is your partner. - A. Hannah Thompson , she is a widow. The prisoner at the bar had been in my service about three years; he left my service about June last.
Q. Previous to his leaving your service, had you missed a great deal of your property. - A. We repeatedly missed property, but never could trace it; and it was frequently made up by him from other goods in the house. When we missed property, I have said to him, there is some of the lot lost; he said, perhaps I have laid it some were, else he would look and make it up; and others were never replaced.
Q. You say he left you in June, how soon afterwards did you receive any information respecting your property. - A. On the 23rd of September. On the 24th I got a constable, and took him up; I went to a public house near St. Martin's-le-grand, we found him there drinking; he asked us what our business was, the constable told him he came to take him for stealing his master's property; the constable took him to Giltspur-street Compter; and then he went and searched his lodgings, No. 30, Angel-street, St. Martin's-le-grand; I went with him, Mrs. Roberts took us into a room, she said the prisoner lodged there; on searching a box, we found a number of duplicates in a pocket book, some of the duplicates were for boot legs; I found several papers; I did not attend to them, they were kept by the constable till the next day. In consequence of these duplicates, we went to four different pawnbrokers; we found articles that we had been robbed of at three of the pawnbrokers.
Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Mrs. Thompson is your partner. - A. Yes.
Q. Any other private partner. - A. None whatever.
THOMAS EDGAR . - Mr. Knapp. You are a constable, you apprehended the prisoner. - A. Yes, I asked him if he knew me, he said he knew nobody; he made a bit of resistance; I throwed him on the floor and handcuffed him; I told him for what I took him, he said he knew nothing about it; I took him to Giltspur-street Compter; I afterwards went to Angel-street.
Q. There you saw Mrs. Roberts. - A. Yes, she shewed me a room. I found in that room a pocket book containing duplicates that belonged to Mr. Curtis; and several other papers in the pocket book. I produce the pocket book and the duplicates. This is the list that tallies with the different duplicates that was found in the pocket book. I have had them in my possession ever since.
Q. You attended before the magistrate. - A. Yes, it was one of the aldermen.
Q. Did the prisoner say any thing there. - A. No, he said nothing, but only just turning out of the Compter again, he said that he took them with a view of replacing them again.
ELIZABETH ROBERTS . - Mr. Knapp, Where do you live. - A. At Angel-street, St. Martin's-le Grand, No. 30.
Q. Did the prisoner lodge with you at the time the officer came and found these things. - A. Yes, he lodged in the front room, two pair of stairs. I shewed that room to the officer; I saw the pocket book taken out of the box; that box belongs to me, he had the use of it.
JOHN SMITH . I live with Mr. Cotterel, 25, Aldersgate-street, he is a pawnbroker. This is my duplicate, this one for twelve pair of boot legs, 23d of December, pledged for fifteen shillings; I gave that duplicate to the prisoner at the bar.
WILLIAM CHAPER . This pawnbroker's ticket belongs to me, of one dozen boot legs, pledged by the prisoner at the bar, for one pound; I have two dozen that were pledged; only one dozen that Mr. Curtis produces the duplicates of.
JOHN HENRY WILLIAMSON . I am servant to Mr. Davidson, pawnbroker, Skinner-street.
Q. Any duplicate of yours there. - A. Yes, three; one on the 27th of October 1806, twelve pair of boot legs, one pound four shillings, in the name of Charles Barnes . 17th of August 1807, eighteen pair of boot legs, one pound six shillings. 24th of October 1806, two dozen pair of boot legs, two pound two shillings and sixpence. I am confident of the prisoner at the bar; I took in one parcel with respect to the others that were taken in; the servant is gone from Mr. Davidson.
JOHN ARCHBUT . I am a servant to Mr. Lawther, Fox's-court, Gray's-inn-lane.
Q. Is there any duplicate of yours. - A. One for eight pair of boot legs, 27th of August 1806.
Q. From whom did you receive these articles. - A. It is so long ago, I cannot charge my memory with it.
(The property produced and identified.)
Prisoner's Defence. I never was accused of any thing being missed while I was in his service; had it been missed while I was in his service he would have accused me of it; he never did.
GUILTY , aged 36.
Transported for Seven Years .
London jury, before Mr. Recorder.