The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

393.   PETER TUFF was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 1st of February , four sheets, value 1 l. and two table cloths, value 10 s. the property of   James Francis Hobler .

  JAMES FRANCIS HOBLER . On the 1st of February about a quarter past six, I went home.

Q. Where is your home - A.  Queen's Row, Pentonville ; in a very short time there was an alarm that the clothes had been taken from the garden, that were hanging out to dry. On looking next morning I found the parties had got over the fence at the bottom of the field, there was one or two foot marks, one larger than the other, the clothes were afterwards found by the officer.

  WILLIAM READ , JUNIOR. I went in company with my father and Limbrick with a search warrant to the prisoners house in Field Lane. On the 2nd of February, a warrant was taken out to search for other things; in searching, we found these sheets wet, we found two of them; the prisoner was in the same room where I found these two sheets up stairs. Limbrick can produce the other sheets. I produce one sheet marked and the other not marked. I told the prisoner I apprehended him on suspicion of stealing these sheets; he said he bought them; I saw two footsteps at Mr. Hobler's Garden, they appeared to have got in the back way.

COURT. How high were the rails.

MR. HOBLER. Nine feet high; with a ladder it is very easy to get over on the garden side, there are some shelves for green house plants; when they get to the inside, there is a ladder on purpose for them.

  WILLIAM READ SENIOR. I was along with my son, I asked the prisoner how the sheets came to be wet; he said he had just moved them from the other house.

  JOHN LIMBRICK . I found two table cloths and one sheet, with the mark cut out of the middle, I found them in the kitchen; I went up into the two pair of stairs, there I found another sheet wet on the

line, with the window open to dry it.

  ELIZABETH REYNOLDS . I am servant to Mr. Hobler, they are Mr. Hobler's sheets and table linin.

Prisoner's Defence. I have been very bad with a bad leg; I had not been outside of the door for a fortnight.

GUILTY , aged 53.

Confined two years , and fined 1 s.

Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Recorder.