The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

530.   HYMAN PHILLIPS was indicted for feloniously assaulting   Edward Douglas , in the King's highway, on the 7th of May , for putting him in fear, and taking from his person and against his will, part of a gold watch chain, a gold seal, and key, value 30s. his property .

  EDWARD DOUGLAS . I was in Bishopsgate-street, about ten o'clock, on the night of the 7th of May; I was by old Bethlehem; a woman accosted me, and took me up  Alderman's Walk , which is not a thoroughfare; I remained there for the space of three or four minutes. She had just left me, when I received a blow, which knocked me down; I don't know who struck me. While I was down, there was a violent pulling at my chain; it was a gold chain; it broke, and was separated from my watch; there was a gold seal and key affixed to it. I then got up, and saw one person; who was about a yard from me; I only saw one person; I am not sure he was the person who had been pulling at my watch chain. I was running after him, and he ran; he took the left hand, and I followed him; I did not overtake him until the watchman got him. I am not positive that he was not out of my sight before he was stopped. The man who ran away from me, was stopped by the watchman; I saw the watchman lay hold of that man; the watchman laid hold of the man who ran from Alderman's-walk. I think the same man who was running from me, was stopped; but I can't swear. The prisoner at the bar was the man whom the watchman took; we went to Bishopsgate watchhouse. I lost my property entirely.

  BENJAMIN DOGGET . I am a watchman. I heard the cry of stop thief; I met the prosecutor running with his hat in his hand, calling stop thief; I saw the prisoner come running out of Alderman's-walk just before; he ran until he passed the hatter's shop at the corner, and then walked slowly on, along the pavement. I pursued him until I came up to him, and instantly collared him, and took him to the watchhouse; two other watchmen were with me.

Examined by the COURT. I saw the prisoner ran out of Alderman's-walk; the prosecutor was following him; nobody else was running whatever. I suppose the prosecutor was about five yards behind him. The prisoner was running, and the prosecutor was pursuing him.

  SAMUEL SHEPHERD . I am a constable of the Ward of Bishopsgate. When I was in my watch-house on the 7th of May last, I heard a cry of murder and stop thief; I should suppose it is forty yards from Alderman's-walk to the watchhouse; the sound proceeded from Alderman's-walk. I ran towards the sound; when I passed Alderman's-walk, I saw the prisoner was in custody in the hands of the last witness. The prosecutor was bleeding at the nose and mouth; he had not got a hat on; he was crying out at that time. The prisoner was taken to the watch-house. When he got there, he prefered a charge against the prisoner; he said, he had been knocked down, and robbed of his watch chain and seal. I told him to took at the prisoner; but he said, he did not know his face, for he could not see his features. The prisoner gave an account of himself; he said, he did not come through there nor past Alderman's-walk, but he came up Fore-street, and down the Churchyard. I asked the prosecutor if he was sure of the man; and he said, he never lost sight of him; he did not state it, for he was not above three or four yards from him.

MR.   FRANCIS HOBLER . I am clerk to the Lord Mayor. The prisoner was brought before his Lordship on Wednesday, the 8th of May. I took the examination; what the prisoner said, was taken down in writing. Neither threat nor promise were made to him. I asked him what he had to say; and what he said, I made a minute of. I am sure I have his words here substantially. (Witness reads.)"Was coming out of Bishopsgate Church-yard, heard a cry of stop thief; had been to Fore-street, come along Moorfields, through Church-yard, and was going home to Catherine Wheel-alley; had been to Mrs. Page, sells fish, keeps a stand, stopped a quarter of an hour, asked her to bring me six pounds of prawns for my mother, to save my going to market. I went from my mother's to go to Mrs. Page,

went about a quarter to ten." That is the account he gave of himself, to shew he had not been there.

  ELEANOR PAGE . I live in Fore-street, and keep a stand there; it is a place where the Lord Mayor was good enough to put us. I sell fish, and other things in their seasons. I don't know the prisoner at the bar, any farther than seeing him at market. He had not been to me on the night of the 7th of May; he had not asked me to bring six pounds weight of prawns for his mother; I did not see him that night at all. I moved out of the market at about ten o'clock. There is no other person of the name of Page in the market that I know of; I have been thirty-two years a fishmonger. I knew the prisoner, by seeing him, as another person; I don't know whether I must have remembered it if he had come to me; it is possible that he might have come to my stall and asked me to get six pounds of prawns.

Prisoner's Defence. I am totally innocent.

GUILTY - DEATH , aged 19.

London Jury, before Mr. Common Serjeant.