The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

851.   JOSEPH SIMMONS WINTER ,   BENJAMIN ALLEN and   WILLIAM TAYLOR were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 8th of July , 10 wrappers, value 20 s. 1600 lb. weight of silk, value 2500 l. one trunk, value 10 s. a case, value 5 s and 200 lb, weight of ostrich feathers, value 200 l. the property of   Robert Hotchen , in a certain hoy in the navigable river Thames .

SECOND COUNT, for same offence, the property of   William Biley .

THIRD COUNT, for like offence, the property of   Joseph Milner and   Valentine Chapman , and the trunk, case, and the feathers, the property of   Solomon Israel , and that he   JOHN IVEY , on the 8th of July , feloniously did procure, direct, cause, counsel command and abet the said Joseph Simmons Winter, Benjamin Allen, and William Taylor, the said felony to do and commit, and   JOSEPH KNOX for like offence, on the 4th of July , and   ROBERT COOPER for feloniously receiving the aforesaid goods, he knowing them to be stolen ; and   GEORGE HARRIS , for having received 190 lb weight of silk, value 280 lb. being part and parcel of the aforementioned silk .

  JOSEPH MILNER . - Q. You are a merchant living in the city? - A. I am. My partner's name is Valentine Chapman

Q. Had your house any agent at Gibraltar? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you at any time, Mr. Milner, receive a consignment of these goods from Gibraltar? - A. I did, in

the early part of June I received these bills of lading and invoice.

MR. BOLLAND. The invoice is 10 bales of silk, shipped on board the ship the Velocity,   William Biley , commander, consigned to Messrs. Milner and Chapman, Gibraltar, 15th of May, 1812, the marks on the bales are the letters M. H. and the bales are numbered from 1 to 10 inclusive, to be 900 l. The bill of lading contains the same description.

  SOLOMON ISRAEL . Q. I believe you are a merchant in Cornhill? - A. I am.

Q. Did you at any time receive a consignment of feathers? - A. I did, about the month of June, consigning them to me in the month of July.

Mr. Bolland. This is the bill of lading:

="Feathers shipped by the grace of God, in and upon the good ship Velocity, now riding at anchor in the bay of Gibraltar; No. 2, one case of ostrich feathers, marked S. I. No. 3, one trunk of ostrich feathers, consigned to Solomon Israel, dated 17th of May, 1812, signed William Biley, commander .="

Q. To   Solomon Israel . Did you ever receive these feathers? - A. No, never.

  CHARLES SAUNDERS . Q. You are superintendant of the quarantine at Standgate Creek - A I am.

Q. Do you remember the brig Velocity performing quarantine there - A. I do, she arrived in the creek on the 13th of June.

Q. Was her papers regularly forwarded to London - A. They were.

Q. Did you receive any orders respecting the feathers - A. I did.

Q. What was that order - A. It was an order from the board of customs, it directed the feathers, cloth and silk should be taken out by an order of council; also, that the feathers and silk should perform quarantine. There were 10 bales of silk.

Q. Did you see the bales of silk - A. No, I did not.

Q. Do you know anything about their performing quarantine - A. I do; the ship only was to perform quarantine until the goods were delivered. I afterwards received an order from Mr. Bly. I saw him sign his name. I received that order from Mr. Bly to deliver to Mr. Hotchens, lighterman, the goods left on board the Lazaretto, or Velocity,   William Bly , dated the 12th of June, 1812. I immediately wrote an order to the master of the Lazaretto, to deliver all the goods in the Lazaretto and Velocity, to the  Sisters hoy , and they were delivered to Bampton; that is Bampton's receipt, signed, the Creek, received from on board the Lazaretto, 10 bales of silk, a case and a trunk of ostrich feathers.

Q. Were these goods delivered on board Bampton's hoy - A. I should suppose so, by the receipt.

Mr. Alley. Did you ever see the bales of silk, or the packages of ostrich feathers opened - A. No.

Q. Then all you can tell me is, that, according to the order you received from the Custom house, you delivered to a other person goods that you supposed were ostrich feathers and silk, by whether they contained crow feathers or wool, you know not.

  JOHN MILES . Q. You are master of the Belle Isle Lazaretto - A. Yes, laying at Standgate Creek.

Q. Do you remember the Velocity coming to perform quarantine - A. Yes, Captain Biley was her commander.

Q. Did you take out any of her goods, and state what goods - A. I received an order of council to receive 10 bales of silk. I received 10 bales of silk and a case and trunk of ostrich feathers.

Q. How long had you been in the situation, that you came in there - A. Two years last July.

Q. Are you acquainted with packages of goods coming from the Mediterranean - A. Yes, during the time that I have been there.

Q. Did you at all, for the purpose of airing them, open the bales of silk - A. Yes, and the feathers. The silk and feathers performed quarantine 15 days, they were under my immediate inspection.

Q. Have you any book in which you make entry of the goods which you receive - A. Yes, this is my own entry, it is the account of all the silk, and ostrich feathers in the Belle Isle, from the ship Velocity, Captain Bly, master, June 17th, 1812; the mark is M. H. on the goods; the bales were numbered from 1 to 10 inclusive, the gross weights of each, and the observation upon them is in good condition.

Q. Did you examine the silk before you made that report - A. I did not see the silk, I only examined the packages, they were in good condition, there then goes on E. K. Y. H. one trunk of ostrich feathers, and one case, No. 2 and 3, marked S. and I. a case and a trunk of ostrich feathers; the feathers were opened to be aired. I had an opportunity of seeing that they were ostrich feathers, they were of different colours, some mottled and some black, those that I saw, I and two persons that were put there with me took the weights of the silk.

Q. You say that you did not see the silk yourself - A. I did not, but on my looking at the packages, I had not the least doubt it was silk, the packages were such as generally inclose silk, and the weight of the packages were the weight of that bulk that packages of silk are. On the 4th of July, I delivered these goods into the Sisters hoy, John Bampton was the master.

Q. Who was the mate of the hoy - A. There was no mate to her, as I know of. I do not know Knox, the prisoner.

Q. Was a trunk shewn you at the Thames Police - A. Yes.

Q. Can you say whether that trunk was one delivered from the Belle Isle to the Sister hoy - A. It corresponded with my mark. I have not the least doubt of it in the world.

Mr. Alley. You swear to what you have seen and to what you have not seen; you swear to feathers that you saw - A. Yes.

Q. And you swear to silk that you have not seen - A. No, I received it for silk.

Q. I take it for granted that the person that gave it you said that it was silk, and you delivered it for silk; are you acquainted with the Mediterranean trade; does no cotton come from there - A. Yes, there does.

Q. It might have been cotton for aught you know - A. I have not sworn to it. I cannot swear to any thing. I never saw.

Q. Therefore you do not mean to swear that it was silk - A. No.

Q. You do not know what it was - A. No.

MR. ANDREWS. Did you see these goods delivered yourself into the hoy - A. Yes, I was present in quarantine at the time.

Mr. Bolland. Are any two things so much unlike as a bale of cotton and a bale of silk - A. They are very unlike, Sir.

  JOHN SOLESBY . I am a tide waiter belonging to the port of Rochester. Formerly I was a fisherman. I was placed on board the Sisters hoy; my partner's name was Read; there I and Read went on board at Standgate Creek; we were placed there on the part of the Customs.

Q. Who was the master of the hoy - A.   James Bampton , and I believe   Joseph Knox was the mate . I saw Bampton some time back at the Thames Police office.

Q. How far did you and Read come up with the vessel - A. To the Custom-house quay, and there we were relieved by two other Custom-house officers. I do not know their names.

Q. What day did you go on board the hoy at Standgate Creek - A. On Friday, the 3d of July. On the 4th of July we left Standgate Creek, we arrived at the Custom-house on Saturday, the 4th of July, at 11 at night. The hoy was made fast then to the Custom-house change. Read and I continued there until half past 8 the next morning.

Q. In your way up the river, did any of your crew board any other vessel - A. Yes, one, Bampton's mate as they called him. Knox boarded a sailing barge. Knox the mate boarded her at the lower Hope.

Q. Did she continue to sail with you, or did you lose sight of her - A. I lost sight of her, and where she sailed I do not know.

Q. Did you see whether Knox took any thing with him when he went on board - A. Yes, an empty bottle.

Q. How did he go on board - A. In the boat belonging to the hoy. He was not gone above ten minutes; he returned with the empty bottle.

Mr. Alley Why, my good fellow, I do not understand you; you said you did not know the man any further, than the person calling himself Bampton's mate was Knox; you do not mean to say the prisoner Knox, is the man - A. I am sure Knox is the man, I do not know whether he is the mate or not. I am sure he is the man.

Mr. Adolphus. The lower Hope is between Essex and Kent, is it not - A. Yes.

COURT. It is a good deal below Gravesend.

  JOHN READ . I am a Custom house tide waiter at the port of Rochester. I went on board the hoy with Solesby, on July the 3d, at Standgate Creek,   James Bampton was the master Knox looks like the man that sailed with Bampton, but I cannot be positive. On the 4th of July, in the morning, the hoy took in 10 bales of silk from the Lazaretto, and 4 cases of ostrich feathers. We counted them as cases. We sailed from Standgate Creek on the Saturday. I looked at my watch, it was a quarter past nine.

Q. On what day - A. On the 4th of July, and we arrived at 11 at night right opposite of the Custom-house quay. Solesby and I remained on board until the next morning, and then we were relieved by two other officers. I do not know their names, although I have seen them to day. When we left the hoy nothing had been disturbed.

Q. As you were coming up the river, did any of your crew go out of the Sisters hoy into any other vessel - A. Yes, the man that sailed with Bampton, he took an empty glass bottle, and went on board a sailing barge as we were bringing up near to the Hope point. Knox looks very much like that man, but I cannot rightly say I saw him return with the empty bottle. Bampton's wife was on board, and two children.

  ROBERT HOTCHENT . I am a lighterman, residing in St. Catherine's-square.

Q. Did you, at any time in June, receive any order about fetching some goods from Standgate Creek - A. Yes, from Messrs. Taylor and Spry, brokers. I was to fetch 10 bales of silk, a case and a trunk of feathers, 6 bales of returned cloth, and 3 bales of mats.

Q. What vessel did you understand they were coming by - A. The Velocity. I sent the Sisters hoy for them, of which Bampton is the master. Joseph Knox was the mate. I knew nothing more of it until the return of the vessel. Bampton came to me on Sunday morning, the 5th of July, he told me the vessel was arrived in the Galley quay road.

Q. That is the same spot they call the Custom-house change; did you see Knox - A. I did not. Bampton gave me the vessel's certificate, and the weighable report I have.

Mr. Bolland. It is a copy of the officer's books. It appears that the bales are numbered and marked in the same way, and the feathers in the same way. Did you go down to see the vessel - A. I did, about 11 o'clock in the day. He was then on shore. According to my order, the hoy was then moored alongside of the Custom-house quay, according to my order. On Monday I went into her to examine her, I saw the 10 bales stood forward and the trunks of ostrich feathers, and all safe; and I believe I saw the vessel in the afternoon laying alongside of the Custom-house quay. On the Wednesday morning, Knox came to my house, between 8 and 9 in the morning, and told me that the vessel had been taken away from the quay, and robbed of the 10 bales of silk, and the case and trunk of ostrich feathers; I then went down to Hermitage-street, to Mr. Gotty, the police officer. I then went on board the vessel, there I found one of the locks gone, the lock of the fore-hatch bar off, and one or two of the hatches laying down in the hold.

Q. When you left her on the Monday, you say she was moored off Galley quay - A. Yes.

Q. Is that in the city of London - A. Yes. When I found her on the Wednesday, she was athwart of the ships in the doubling teer, that is on the north side, the London side, she was not moored there; then I came on shore, and from that went to Bow-street.

Q. Did you afterwards go to a stable in Woolpack-yard, Gravel-lane - A. Yes, from information, I did, on the Monday following.

Q. You of course know Baker's dock - A. Yes, this stable in Woolpack-yard is between two and three hundred yards from Baker's dock.

Q. Who went with you to examine the stable - A. Gotty, Friedd and Clark, officers. I found some silk

and ostrich feathers there; some inside wrappers, a table-cloth, and a black bag with same ostrich feathers in it. The ostrich feathers were put in the manger, part in the bin, part loose, and part in the black bag, and a trunk marked S. I.

COURT. Where was that all - A. In the stable.

Mr. Bolland. You say the trunk was marked S. I. Was there a number on it - A. Yes. When I went to this stable I found it locked. One of the officers forced it open. I took up Knox and Bampton before I went to Woolpack-yard; and the same evening, on the 9th, the prisoner Winter, and Brown. were taken up. The other prisoners were taken up after that.

Q. Were you present at the examination of the prisoners - A. Part of the time. I was of Knox, Bampton, the prisoner Winter, and Brown.

Q. Was there any body else taken up - A. Yes;   William Allen . These men were all examined and and discharged, and Spriggs, the carman, was taken up.

Q. I believe you afterwards received some information that induced you to take these men up again - A. Yes.

Q. How long was it afterwards - A. I went to Bruton, in Somersetshire, to a Mr. Percival, a silk throwster. He has silk works there. I there found a parcel of silk; and some of the skeins were cut.

Q. How much was it - A. By his books, six hundred and thirty-three pounds weight. I saw some of it unthrown. There might be fifty or sixty pounds.

Q. You are not at all acquainted with silk, to speak to one silk from another - A. No, I am not. I returned to London, and I and the officer (Smith) met Brown and the prisoner, Winter, in Houndsditch, in the street. I secured Brown; Smith went to secure the prisoner, Winter. He did not succeed. Brown made resistance. Smith came to me, and helped to secure Brown. Winter got away while Smith was assisting me to secure Brown. Brown, Bampton, and Spriggs were all apprehended in the first instance, and were all discharged. Brown is now here, to be a witness to-day.

Q. Did Brown ever say a word about this until he had been apprehended a second time, and that with a great deal of resistance - A. Not to my knowledge.

  WILLIAM UXTABLE . Q. I believe you are deal - A. Yes. I am an extra tide-waiter at the Port of London. I and   Charles O'Neale went on board the Sisters hoy, on Sunday the 5th of July, about eight o'clock. The hoy was then laying at Galley quay.

Q. Did you know tho other officers that you were to relieve - A. No, I did not.

Q. When you went on board did you examine the cargo of the hoy - A. No. I was not the bookkeeper.

Q. What do you mean by book-keeper - A. The first man that is called always keeps the books of the cargo. The second man only goes by his direction.

Q. Did not you and Neale go together - A. Yes.

Q. How were the hatches - A. They were fasttened.

Q. Do you know Mr. Hotchon, the owner of the barge - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember Mr. Hotchon coming on board on the Monday - A. No. I was on shore by; leave of our tide-surveyor. I returned to my duty a quarter before four on the Monday.

Q. Was any part of the cargo unloaded while you were on board - A. They came on board on Tuesday afternoon to unload the cargo, about half past three. Fifty-six hides were taken out, one trunk, and one case.

Q. What was left on board - A. There was some hides left, and some bales of goods.

Q. What sort of bales - A. I did not go down in the hold to see.

Q. Did any thing happen to you on Tuesday night - A. Between three and four o'clock, while the vessel was delivering her cargo two men came to see Knox. They all three went into the cabin to drink. They remained in the cabin until five o'clock on the Tuesday night. They went over the lighter, seemingly to me to go to Tower-stairs. Knox went with them, and me and my partner were left on board. My partner, O'Neale, had the first watch until twelve o'clock. He called me at twelve o'clock. I took the watch at twelve o'clock, and he went to sleep.

Q. Did any thing happen during your watch - A. About five minutes past one I heard a noise upon deck, like a parcel of ropes going along the deck. I was then sitting upon the locker below. Upon hearing it I was going directly upon deck. A man met me upon the top of the cabin ladder. I asked him, who it was. He said, Jem.

Q. Who did you take that to be - A. I took it to be the captain of the lighter. The night was very dark just at that time. I asked him, what he was going to do with the vessel. He said, he was going off to the buoy with her. He put his hand into his pocket. He said, he had got a note from the owner; he was to go to the London Docks with her. There was another man on deck, forward: I asked him, who that man was. He said, it was Joe.

Q. Who did you suppose Joe to be - A. Knox. I remained upon the ladder.

Q. Did you remain long enough upon the ladder to see what they did with the vessel - A. No. The man that I supposed to be the captain, said, if the owner came there in the morning, that they would be there time enough to take the lighter into the dock. He said, they would see the hoy made fast; they would take care of the hoy, and I might go below. I went below, and they shut down the scuttle. I fell asleep. I awoke between three and four in the morning. I went to go upon deck. I found the scuttle fast. I tried the sky-light: that was fast too. We broke the sky-light open. I got upon deck, and we found the two middle hatches broken open.

Q. Did you examine for the cargo - A. No. I would not go below until I went to our surveyor, on shore, and left O'Neale on board. I returned about six o'clock. I did not go down in the hold at all.

Q. When you got through the sky-light in the morning, were was the hoy laying - A. Athwart a tier of ships that is moored opposite of the Custom-house quay.

Q. When you went down to rest on the night of the robbery, were all the hatches safe - A. Yes.

I felt all the locks before I went down, and all were safe.

Mr. Alley. You had a conversation with somebody you have been telling us, when you were on board the hoy: do you mean to say that either of the prisoners were the person that you conversed with - A. I never saw any of them but Knox.

Q. Have not you said, before the magistrate, that neither of the men were the prisoners - A. I thought it was at first, but it was so dark I did not see his face.

  CHARLES O'NEALE . Q. Were you sent, on the 5th of July, on board the Sisters, hoy, in company with the last witness - A. Yes. I went on board in the morning about eight o'clock.

Q. You, we understand, was the first man, the book-keeper - A. Yes.

Q. What is your duty - A. To see that the cargo is safe that I was sent to protect. I took no account until it was delivered. I found the hatches were safe, on Sunday, when I went. On Sunday morning I went on board the hoy. I got leave of the surveyor to go on shore. I left my partner behind, and returned at four o'clock.

Q. Do you know Mr. Hotchon, the owner of that hoy - A. Yes; he came on board on the Monday with another gentleman, and looked at the cargo.

Q. Did you go with them - A. No. I saw two batches were open. I saw nothing of the cargo, but the hides, and two bales, which they said was cloth, and three bales of matting. That is all I saw when I looked down.

Q. Was not a delivery made from the hoy on the Tuesday - A. Yes; two cases and fifty-six hides. She began unloading at three o'clock, and closed at four. They began to open the hatches at three o'clock, and shut them at four.

Q. What part of the crew was on board while the delivery was making - A. The man they called Joe, not the captain. By Joe, I mean the prisoner Knox.

Q. Did you see any other persons come on board - A. Two men came to him on Tuesday, while they were at work. They drank a pot of beer together. They staid from half past three till five o'clock. They went away over the lighter, and Knox went with them.

Q. What did you and your partner do - A. We walked on the deck. On Tuesday night I went to sleep. At twelve o'clock my partner took the watch. When I left the dock I left the hatches all safe. I heard nothing in the night. I slept sound. My partner called me between two and three o'clock. God knows the hour. I cannot tell the hour. I was coming out of my bed-place. I dressed myself. The scuttles were fastened. We forced the skylight up, and got through. When I got upon deck I found the two hatches forward half up, and the tarpaulin laid just to cover the edge. The hatches were broken open.

Q. Where was the vessel laying - A. Athwart the tier of ships, laying at the Custom-house.

Q. Upon finding these hatches broken open what did Uxtable do - A. When Uxtable found them open he called a sculler, and went a-shore. I remained on board, and I was on board when Mr. Hotchon came on board on Wednesday morning. When Mr. Hotchon came on board, the vessel was laying in the same situation.

  JAMES BAMPTON . Q. In the month of June and July last were you master of the Sisters, hoy, belonging to Mr. Hotchon - A. I was.

Q. Was Knox your mate - A. He was.

Q. Do you know the prisoner, Joseph Simmons Winter - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know the prisoner, Benjamin Allen - A. I do not. I have seen him.

Q. Do you know   William Taylor - A. I think I have seen him, but I do not know any thing of him.

Q. Do you know a man of the name of Ingram, who is not here - A. I do not to my knowledge.

Q. Do you know the prisoner, Cooper - A. I have never seen him.

Q. Do you a man of the name of Brown, and Fenwick - A. I do.

Q. Do you know a man of the name of   William Allen - A. Yes; that is not the prisoner.

Q. Do you know a man of the name of Winter, the brother of the prisoner - A. Yes,   William Henry Winter.

Q. Do you know a man of the name of Armstrong, who is not here - A. Yes, I do.

Q. In the month of June last did you fetch a a cargo of bags from Standgate-creek - A. Yes, I did.

Q. In the course of that voyage did you see any of those persons I have mentioned to you - A. Yes. I saw the prisoner Winter, and   William Henry Winter , and I saw Armstrong. It was in the month of June I saw Armstrong,   William Henry Winter , and   Joseph Simmons Winter , and a man of the name of Brown, and Fenwick also.

Q. Did you also see, in the course of that voyage,   William Allen - A. I did.

Q. I believe nothing was done that voyage until you came to London - A. No, sir.

Q. You came to London, however, from that voyage - A. Yes.

Q. After your return to London, did you meet with either of these persons,   Joseph Simmons Winter , and   William Armstrong - A. Yes. The hoy was moored at Porter's quay, near the Custom-house.   William Armstrong called me on shore: he told me he wanted to speak to me. I went on shore, and there was   Joseph Simmons Winter in company with Armstrong. He asked me if I knew what goods were in Standgate-creek, in the brig meaning the Velocity. I told him, I did not know, but I believed there were some silk and some feathers. He asked me, if I knew who they belonged to. I told him, no. He asked me, whether they belonged to Mr. Hotchon or Mr. Mason. That is, who was to bring them up; Mr. Hotchon's hoy or Mr. Mason's hoy. I told him, I did not know. Armstrong said, would I let him knew. Winter was in company with him at this time. I told him, I would.

Q. Was it settled between you how you should let them know - A. Winter or Armstrong, one or other of them said, if I did not meet with either of them, I was to let Brown know. Brown is one of the party

that I before named. They gave me a direction. They could not remember the name of the court. I was to go to the next court to Chapel-court.

Q. How soon after this did you learn that you were to fetch these goods - A. I believe it might be four or five days. I think it was on the last Thursday in June.

Q. That was the 25th of June. Upon your learning that did you go to Brown's, to give him information - A. Yes. I came from Blackwall, and went to Brown. I found him according to the direction. On the Saturday after that I saw   William Allen . I told him the same thing. The same evening I saw Armstrong and   Joseph Simmons Winter . On the Saturday evening I saw them at the Sugar Loaf public-house, Dock-head. I had been home: my wife was not at home. I live in London-street, Dock-head: and going along the street, from my house, Winter tapped me on the shoulder. He asked me, if I was going down to Standgate-creek. I told him, I was. He said, Armstrong was in the public-house. I went with him into the Sugar Loaf public-house. Armstrong was there.

Q. When you all three were together did they tell you any thing about your having called upon Brown - A. I do not think they did. Armstrong asked me, when we were going down with the vessel. I told him, to-morrow morning; which was the Sunday. He asked, how many bales of silk I was going for. I told him, ten bales of silk, and four boxes of ostrich feathers. Winter commanded a a sailing barge. Winter said, he thought it would be the best way not to come down to Sheerness. in his barge. He thought it would be the best way to stop the barge at the Lower Hope, and walk over land, and see with a spy-glass when I came down to Standgate-creek. He said, he should see Brown and arrange with him what would be the best for to do. Armstrong asked me when the goods would be out: meaning when they would be out of quarantine. I told him, I expected they would be out on Tuesday evening. I think I left them then.

Q. Before you left them he said, he would meet with Brown, and settle what was to be settled - A. That was in regard of plundering the vessel.

Q. Where was it understood between you that the vessel was to be plundered - A. I did not, at that time, understand.

Q. Was it to be in the voyage up - A. Yes, it was.

Q. Had any thing passed before this, between you and Knox, what was to be done - A. I told Knox all that passed between me, Winter, and Brown. Knox consented to every thing. I saw Winter and Brown on the Thursday, and I communicated it to Knox on the Friday, what I had said to Brown on the Thursday.

COURT. What had you said to Brown on the Thursday - A. I told Brown that I was going down for ten bales of silk, and four boxes of ostrich feathers, and Knox consented to be one of the parties to do this. Knox consented to be of the party, the same as I was to be also.

Mr. Gurney. Was it agreed upon by you how they were to come on board and do it - A. Yes, it was. I told Knox, that I had been to Brown's house, and I had arranged with Brown, that Brown and the party were to come down along with Winter, in Winter's barge. The party were to be Brown, Fenwick,   Joseph Simmons Winter , and Armstrong. I do not recollect hearing Brown mention   William Henry Winter on the Friday. I told Knox and they were to come down in Winter's barge. They were to anchor in the river. It was not arranged where, but they were to come on board my vessel, and fasten us down, if we were below, and if we were not below they were to put us down below. They were to break the hatches open, and take the silk and feathers out of them.

Q. And where were they to take them to - A. I did not know at that time. That was settled afterwards.

Q. Did Knox agree to all this - A. Knox agreed that it should be so. Knox and I talked this over on board our vessel. Knox and I walked from London to Blackwall on the Friday morning, and I communicated the business to him as I went along. My vessel was at Blackwall. Then it was that I informed him of all this.

Q. Was that on the Saturday, as you have told us before, that you met Armstrong and Winter, was all this plan talked of then - A. Not all then. I told Winter and Armstrong that I had seen Brown. They said, they knew it.

Q. Were any body else on board the hoy besides you and Knox - A. Yes, my wife, and two children were on board.

Q. When you got to Standgate-creek were the goods ready for you or not - A. They were not ready. I understood they would not be ready till Friday.

Mr. Bolland. That is the 3d of July. Did you, while you were waiting there, see Winter's barge - A. I did; she was then laying on the Lappell, just above Sheerness. Knox and I went on board Winter's barge, I think, on the Wednesday.

Q. Who did you find on board of Winter's barge - A.   William Armstrong ,   Joseph Simmons Winter ,   Ralph Fenwick , and   William Allen . They were all in company together. Knox, as well as myself, was in their company. They asked me, whether I was coming out. I cannot say which of them spoke. We were altogether. I told them, the goods would not be ready till Friday night, seven o'clock, and that I should not take the goods in before Saturday morning. They said, that was a d - d bad job, as they had appointed people to be at Dagenham with conveyance.

Q. Did they say who they had appointed to be at Dagenham - A. They said, they had appointed people to be at Dagenham on Tuesday and Wedne-sday.

Q. This was Wednesday that you went on board - A. Yes. They said, they had appointed them to be there, because of my giving them intelligence that I expected the goods would be out on the Tuesday, and then it was arranged between the parties. They were all present but William Henry Winter; he was down below in the cabin. It was arranged, that   Ralph Fenwick should go up in the Sheerness passage-boat to Chatham, and from there to Gravesend,

and from there to get the best conveyance he could, and go to Dagenham, to tell the parties that they had been disappointed of the goods, and for them to make it a little later. A little time after that William Allen put Ralph Fenwick on board a Chatham boat.   William Allen then returned. I saw him return. I had left the barge then, and was on shore at Sheerness. Allen went on board the barge again. They asked me, how I would act in case I had a fair wind. I told them, I should make the best of my way up. They said, that would not do. If I made the best of my way up they should not be able to complete their design.

Q. Was any request made to you to do any thing - A. If I had a fair wind I was to put the vessel on shore.

Q. Who said that - A. We were all in company. I cannot say who said that.

Q. What do you mean by putting the vessel on shore - A. Run her a-ground. I agreed to it, and said, I would run her a-shore.

Q. At any particular spot - A. I did once hear it mentioned, that it was easy to put her upon the Fly. No place was finally determined upon. They asked one, how I would act in regard to the officers. They said, if the officers were all down below, I must keep them down below. I told them, I would.

Q. Was any time proposed, at which you were to run her a-ground - A. No time. They were to come on board as soon as it was dusk.

Q. Was any thing settled as to the sailing of Winter's barge - A. Winter's barge was to get the head of us.

Q. When did you sail - A. On Saturday morning, the 4th of July, the morning that I loaded.

Q. Now, Bampton, that is the wayable list that Mr. Hotehon said you gave to him; there is your own acknowledgement of the goods being on board, and there is an order from Captain Bly, directed to you; now you hold in you hand a letter directed to you from Captain Bly - A. Yes; he is captain of the Velocity; and in consequence of this letter from Captain Bly, I received the goods. They were delivered on board my hoy. I received eight hundred and eighty-one hides, ten bales of silk, six bales of cloth, three bales of mats, two cases, and two trunks of ostrich feathers. I saw these things put on board.

Q. What officers were put on board - A. Solesby and Read. They were put on board at Standgate-creek. I believe Solesby had been a fisherman.

Q. You sailed on the Saturday morning. Did you run her a-shore on the Fly, as you said you would - A. No. I made the best of my way to London. Winter's barge sailed after me.

Q. Do you know who was in Winter's barge - A. Not at that time I did not. Winter's barge was a stern of us all the way up the sea-reach.

Q. Did your hoy sail better than the barge - A. She would sail better than the barge, but the barge was light, and the hoy loaded.

Q. Did you run the hoy on shore - A. I did not. I conceived the business that I was upon was very dangerous, and for that reason I agreed with Knox that it should not be done. This agreement between Knox and me was after we had left the barge, when I had boarded her in the Lappell, when the conversation was.

Q. While you were at Sheerness do you mean - A. Yes; I thought it dangerous to do it at all.

Q. Did you inform Winter, or any of his party, your determination - A. I did not.

Q. Did you send any body then - A. I sent Knox on board the barge on Saturday afternoon. Our hoy was then at the Lower Hope. I told Knox to tell him that I could not put the vessel on shore; that I had got a man on board who was an officer, that knew the way up the river as well as I did. I told Knox to tell them, if they liked to do it, they might do it in the Custom-house-road, for there I should stop that night.

Q. When Knox was sent from your hoy to Winter's barge, did he take any thing with him - A. He took an empty bottle, by way way of excuse, because the officers should not know any thing of it. I told the officer, that Knox was going on board his uncle's barge, or his brother's, to get something to drink. Knox returned, bringing back the empty bottle with him. He said, they said I might stop the vessel at Blackwall. I did not attend to that. I arrived at the Custom-house at eleven o'clock. I was making her fast at the Custom-house road. I made her fast to a buoy that there is in the river on purpose.

Q. Did you remain on board her that night - A. I did.

Q. On the Sunday did you see either of the prisoners - A. I did. I saw   Joseph Simmons Winter . Knox remained on board at that time: and I saw Armstrong on the Sunday morning, but I saw Winter. I never spoke to Winter. He passed me first. I saw Armstrong as I going home to dinner in the Folly, Dock head. Armstrong asked me how I came to deceive him in running the vessel up. I told Armstrong I conceived it dangerous. He said, he thought I was not agreeable it should be done; and to the best of my recollection I saw Joseph Simmons Winter on the Sunday afternoon. He came to me. Winter asked me also how I came to deceive them by running the vessel up. I told Winter, I conceived it to be a very dangerous job. He said, I had not only deceived him, but I had deceived the parties that were to have the property. I told Winter, that it was not my fault. I alledged it all to the officer that came up with us.

Q. You mean by that. his knowledge of the river that you did not stop - A. Yes. He asked me whether I did not think it possible that the hoy could not be taken away from where she was.

Q. Had you told him where she was - A. I believe Winter knew where she was. I told him, I conceived she could not be taken away from where she was, by reason there was a great many craft laying close to her. He asked me, whether I did not think it possible that he could run a rope from his barge, and make it fast to my hoy, and hawl the hoy off. I told him, I did not think it possible: there were two officers on board. He asked me how the hoy was made fast. I believe I told him every rope that was made fast, I told him it was a very dangerous thing, on account of it being moon-light nights.

Q. Was it a moon-light night - A. I will not exactly say it was moon-light. It was light nights. He did not say that he should do it, or should not.

Q. Was your wife present at this conversation - A. She was not.

Q. Did your wife see Winter - A. She did.

Q. Did you return to your hoy again - A. I did.

Q. Did you see Winter's barge - A. I did not in the course of the day. Oh, yes, I did. On the Monday she was laying off the Custom-house-road. My vessel was almost under the quay, and his almost in the middle of the river. When I saw the barge on the Monday I saw Winter and Armstrong on board. I was at that time rowing up in my own boat. I went alongside of Winter's barge. Winter asked me when the hoy was going to work. I told him I did not know. Armstrong asked me if I had not brought up a wrong bill of lading. I told him, yes, I had brought up a wrong bill of lading. The bill of lading that I bought from Standgate-creek, it was five instead of eight hundred and eighty-one hides. Winter asked me if the vessel was going to work down the road. I told him, I did not think I should be able to get her off to the road. Then I left the barge. I was in a boat, rowing.

Q. Did you see Winter or Armstrong on the Tuesday - A. I saw Armstrong on board a barge off the road. I cannot say whether it was Winter's barge or no. I asked him whether he was going to Newington. He belonged to a benefit club of mine at that time. He said, he did not know; his money was not paid; he should not be there. I told him, it was feast day.

Q. Did you yourself go - A. I did. Armstrong was not there.

Mr. Alley. Where do you live - A. In London-street, Dock-head, my wife does. For the last three months I have lived in the House of Correction. I gave information of some of the parties that actually did the robbery. They were in custody, and I was in custody. We were discharged, and were taken up a second time.

Q. You gave no information of Knox until after you were taken up a second time - A. I believe I did. Knox was discharged.

Q. Knox had neither act or part in what was done - A. Knox knew what was done, the same as I did, and I stated the same then as I have now.

Q. Then, after they were discharged they were again taken up - A. They were.

Q. You call yourself the captain of the vessel - A. I am, and Knox was the mate.

Q. How long has your master had the blessing of your service - A. More than three years.

Q. Has not he had any other charge of felony against you - A. Not to my knowledge.

Q. You must know whether you have committed any other robberies or not - A. I believe not. I do not mean to swear it.

Q. You agreed upon committing this robbery upon him - A. Yes, I did. It was me and Brown that first talked of this robbery.

Q. Brown is one of the witnesses, is not he - A. I believe he is.

Q. Knox was not present at that contract - A. Knox was on board the vessel at the time the conversation went forward.

  JAMES HARMER . Q. You are the attorney concerned in the prosecution - A. Yes.

Q. Did you attend the several examinations before the magistrate against the persons now at the bar, and others - A. Against some that are now at the bar, and against others. On the 22d of August all the persons who had then been apprehended were discharged: Bampton, Knox, Joseph Simmons Winter, his brother,   William Henry Winter ,   William Allen , and Spriggs, the carman, who had been employed.

Q. At that time had you any evidence against persons as principals.

Mr. Adolphus objected to the question.

Q. They had been examined before the magistrate - A. They had.

Mr. Gurney. Had you then got the witnesses that you now have - A. Certainly not.

Mr. Adolphus. It was the 15th of August they were discharged - A. They had been in custody about a month. The magistrate thought it not right to detain them more than a month. They were discharged on the 22d of August.

COURT. They were all discharged then, were not they - A. They were.

Mr. Alley. Winter was in custody - A. He was. The only evidence that we had then was Bampton.

  EDWARD HART MASON . I am a barge owner. I am the owner of the barge called the Brothers. I live at Greenhithe; that is four miles this side of Gravesend.

Q. Has the prisoner,   Joseph Simmons Winter , been the sailing-master of your barge, the Brothers - A. Yes, for twelve years past. He has half the profit arising. I find wear and tear. What we call sailing with shares. He devotes his service, and his apprentice, and frequently he finds freightage.

Q. Do you remember his going downwards from Greenhithe towards the end of June - A. I well know it. It was either the middle of the week, or the beginning, before the robbery. He said, he was bound to Sheerness for a freight.

Q. Did you afterwards see your barge go up towards London - A. I did. When the barge arrived at Greenhithe first, which might be twelve days previous to the robbery, I saw three men on board the barge. That is, when he arrived first from London to Greenhithe. I asked Winter, who the young man was; I expected him and his apprentice only. He replied, it was a young man of bad health; he was going to the Nore for his health: it was the same pale looking man that returned with him,   William Henry Winter. On the Saturday following I saw the barge come up the river, on the North side, opposite of me. She appeared quite light. The wind was North; a favourable wind to London.

  SARAH BAMPTON . Q. Do you know a man of the name of Armstrong - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know   Joseph Simmons Winter - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember your husband going down to Standgate-creek to bring up silk and feathers - A.

Yes; the last voyage he made before the vessel was robbed.

Q. Do you remember Armstrong and   Joseph Simmons Winter calling at your house - A. Winter called on the Friday, as my husband went on the Sunday, and he called again on the Saturday, my husband was not at home. I did not see Armstrong at all. I went on board the hoy on Saturday night; and sailed on Sunday morning. I went to Standgate-creek, and staid there till the Saturday afterwards? I staid on board my husband's hoy all the time.

Q. Do you remember your husband and Knox leaving the vessel while you were there. Was Knox the mate of the hoy that voyage - A. He was. At Standgate-creek my husband and Knox left the hoy. They went out in a boat. They said, they were going a fishing. Where they went I know not.

Q. Do you remember, as you were coming up, Knox quitting the hoy any where - A. Yes. I do not know where he went to. He went in the boat belonging to the vessel. He returned back again after some time.

Q. Did you go to your own house that Saturday night - A. Yes, and on the Sunday Winter called upon my husband. He staid with my husband about half an hour. I was not with them all the time. I went to my mother's. My children were there. I came back as they were going. I knew how long I had been gone.

  GEORGE BROWN . I am a lighterman.

Q. Do you know a man of the name of Armstrong - A. Yes, a lighterman.

Q. In the month of June last did you and he agree to do any thing on the river - A. Yes, we agreed to go down to Standgate-creek, to go with Winter in his barge, to take some silk out of the craft.

Q. I believe you went down and that plan did not succeed - A. No.

Q. In the course of the voyage you met with Bampton, and concerted another operation - A. Yes.

Q. Was it agreed that Bampton should let you know when he should go to Standgate-creek again - A. Yes, it was. On Thursday, the 25th of June. Bampton came to my house. He told me that he was going down to Standgate-creek to load fine goods: ten bales of silk, and four cases of feathers. He asked me, what persons were going down to take it out of his vessel. I told him, myself, Winter, Fenwick, Armstrong, and   William Allen . He said, that would do very well. He told me, that he had spoken to Armstrong and Winter; he had told them that he was to come to me, to let me know when he was going down, which would be on the Saturday. He was going to Standgate-creek on the Saturday.

Q. Now, you say that these were the persons who engaged to pluder the vessel; how was the thing to be done - A. In the voyage up, Bampton was to put the shuttle ready. Then we parted. This was on the Thursday. On the next day I met Armstrong, Fenwick, and   William Allen , in the Borough.

Q. Did you go to any public-house - A. Not altogether, I believe.

Q. What public-house did you go to - A. The White Horse: the house is kept by a man of the name of Morgan.   Joseph Simmons Winter said his barge was at Greenhithe; and him, and Armstrong, me, and Fenwick, and   William Allen , were to go down to Gravesend. They were to be taken in by Winter.

Q. Was any thing settled for Fenwick to do before you went to Gravesend - A. Yes; Fenwick was to go to Dugenham, to let Ingram and his men know at what time they should be up with the goods.

Q. Before you went to Gravesend did Ingram come to your house - A. Yes; Fenwick brought him to me.

Q. Was any thing agreed between you what to do - A. Yes.

COURT. Who was present - A. Fenwick, me, and Ingram. It was settled that Ingram should be at Dagenham to receive the goods when we brought them on the Wednesday or the Thursday next.

Q. I believe you left London on Saturday. You and   William Allen left town for Gravesend - A. Yes, we did.

Q. Did you call on Fenwick in your way to Greenwich - A. We did. We slept at Gravesend that night. The next morning we found the barge was not at Gravesend; we walked to Greenhithe.

Q. Whose barge - A. Winter's barge was not at Gravesend; we walked to Greenhithe.

Q. Did you see Winter - A. Yes, and Armstrong, at Greenhithe.

Q. What kind of a man was Armstrong - A. He was a sickly looking young man, tall, and thin. I saw Armstrong and Winter on the wharf. Armstrong came below the town to us, away from the vessel. We all three walked from Greenhithe to Gravesend. Armstrong said, they were all ready to come at high water, and take us in at Northfleet. That is about two miles from Greenhithe. The reason was, because the people should not have any suspicion that we were going to do any thing wrong.

Q. Did they come down at Highwater, and take you all three on board at Northfleet - A. Yes, and we sailed down to Sheerness. We got there on Sunday night: the same night.

Q. Did you go towards the mill - A. Yes.

Q. That is in the river Medway - A. Yes, towards Sheerness. We staid there, I think, till Tuesday morning. I think it was Tuesday that Bampton and Knox came on board.

COURT. Are you certain as to the day - A. I am partly sure it was Tuesday. They told us, the goods would not be out of quarantine before to-morrow. Towards Friday, Fenwick was to let Ingram and his party know that the goods would not be ready, that they might not be waiting without knowing what was the cause of that delay, and Fenwick was to let them know that we should be up by the Friday or the Saturday morning.

Q. Did Fenwick leave you for this purpose - A. He did, and he returned to us on the Saturday morning.

Q. Now, before Fenwick came on board, did Bampton's boy come out of the creek - A. Yes, and past our barge.

Q. There is something that we passed by. You told me the mode the boy was to be plundered was settled another time - A. That was settled between

Armstrong and Bampton, before I agreed with them, as I understood.

Q. Did any thing pass when Bampton and Knox came on board - A. She was laying off there.

Q. What was settled should be done when you came up the river - A. If the wind was easterly, Bampton should stick her on shore on the Fly.

Q. That is a fair wind - A. Yes. If the wind her down the river we should follow him until he got to an anchor, and Bampton was to lay the scuttle and the iron bars. so as to be ready to put on the iron bars, and we were to put the scuttle on over the cabin, where people go down: and when we came to an anchor we were to fasten him in, and Knox, and the officers.

Q. You were to go on board and fasten them all down below - A. Yes, when they came to an anchor, and then to break open the hatches, and take the silk and feathers out, and we were to take them to Dagenham bridge-house, to take them in Winter's barge to Ingram and Cooper.

Q. Now we come back to Saturday morning, when Bampton's hoy came out of the creek, and you followed down the river - A. Yes.

Q. Then, after Bampton's hoy had passed your barge you sailed up the Thames afterwards - A. Yes, we did.

Q. As you were coming up the river did any person come from Bampton's hoy - A. Yes. Knox came to us. We were then a little above Woolwich, above the Hope. When he came to us, he said, Bampton sent him to tell us it could not be done, as one of the officers was an old fisherman; if he lost tide in getting up to London, the old officer would have suspicion that there was something going on wrong, but it might be done at the Custom-house-road, where he should stop that night. Fenwick and   William Allen declined it, and said, it was not safe, on account of the Police boats. We told Knox, if Bampton stopped any where below the Pool, that we would do it. Knox made no answer.

Q. That is, if he stopped short of the Pool you would plunder the vessel - A. Yes. Then Knox left us, and said, he would tell Bampton. I think Knox had a bottle in his boat. After this we continued to follow the hoy up. Bampton's hoy went right up to the Custom-house.

Q. When you got to Greenwich did you follow him all the way - A. No; we stopped in East-lane, about half a mile short. We put Fenwick and his wife on shore there, and at Rotherithe we put William Allen and Armstrong on shore. I, and the two Winter's remained on board.

Q. Where was the barge then - A. Near the passage of the London Dock. On the next morning (Sunday), Joseph Simmons Winter and I went on shore, and went home to get some clean things, and after that we went to the quay, to look for Bampton.

Q. Did you find him - A. No. The hoy was next the wharf; and as we were going through the Borough we met Fenwick and Ingram. We went and drank together, at the sign of the Black Horse. Ingram spoke about the voyage; how they had been deceived. We told him, we did not know but he might have it still.

Q. On the next morning did any persons come to your mother's house. You live with your mother-in-law, do not you - A. Yes. On Monday morning Armstrong and Winter came to me. Armstrong said to me and Winter, that he had seen a man of the name of Ivey, who could sell the silk if we got it, as we knew the tide would not suit to take the silk to Dagenham. I agreed to go with him to Ivey's house, at No. 1, Artillery-lane, Bishopsgate-street.

Q. What business is he - A. A toy-maker. I went with Armstrong and Joseph Simmons Winter. I saw Ivey. Ivey was an acquaintance of Armstrong's. The conversation was between them. Ivey told Armstrong that he could sell the silk if he had it, and the feathers. He asked, who was to be concerned in getting them. Whe told him, myself,   Joseph Simmons Winter, and Benjamin Allen, the prisoners now at the bar. He said, if we wanted more help he could help us to two men,   Benjamin Caddock , and a man called Uncle Dick.

Q. Did you ever learn who Uncle Dick was - A. No. I afterwards saw such a man. I do not know who he was. We agreed, when we parted, to meet at the Three Tuns, Upper Thames-street, in the afternoon.

Q. Did they come in the afternoon according to their appointment - A. At dusk in the evening they did.

Q. Who came - A. Armstrong,   Joseph Simmons Winter ,   Benjamin Allen , and   William Taylor . These were at the Three Tuns.

Q. Did they tell you any thing - A. No. We agreed to go out after we had one pot of beer, and to talk in the street. We then saw Ivey and Caddock.

Q. How do you know it was Caddock - A. I heard Ivey mention his name. I know him to be Caddock since. When we got into the street we stated the business to them that was not told of it before. We were altogether; Caddock, myself, Armstrong, Joseph Simmons Winter, Taylor; and   Benjamin Allen . These men were all in the Three Tuns except Caddock and Ivey. They remained outside, in the street. We were altogether. We stated, that the Sisters, hoy, laid, at the Galley quay, and that she might be taken away from there, Armstrong said he had seen Bampton; he had told him he was going to his club on Tuesday night, and that the job might be easy done, what was proposed before. Armstrong said, Bampton said there would be no suspicion upon him.

Q. Did you agree to this proposal of theirs - A. Yes. They went on board the vessel from that on Tuesday night.

Q. Who went on boards the vessel - A. I went on board the vessel for one. This was Tuesday night; the night that the robbery was committed.

Q. Before you left the street to go on the vessel was any particular plan laid how the thing was to be done - A. Yes, three of us were to go on board. Myself, Taylor, and Caddock were to go on board.

Q. What was Ivey, Winter, Armstrong, and Allen to do - A. Ivey had left us.

Q. Had Ivey left you before you made the plan of business. Attend to the question. I ask you, whether, before you left the street, whether you had arranged among yourselves how the thing was to be done - A. Yes. Caddock, Taylor, and me, were to go on board.

Q. What was Ivey, Allen, and Armstrong to do - A. Ivey went away. I do not know when I missed him.

Q. Do you know whether you missed him before it was settled that you, Taylor, and Caddock, should go on board the vessel - A. I cannot be certain of that.

Q. What was Armstrong, Winter, and   Benjamin Allen to do - A. To go round with a boat and meet us.

Q. What do you mean by us - A. Caddock, Taylor, and myself, with the vessel.

Q. What was to be done with the vessel by you - A. After we had cast a rope off to run the vessel off.

Q. You were to cast off the fastenings, a rope was to be run, and you were to hawl the vessel off - A. Yes. After Taylor, Caddock, and myself, had cast the ropes off, the other vessel was to run out a rope, and take a rope off the hoy, and hawl her off to Winter's barge.

Q. They were to lay hold of one end of the rope, the other end was to be tied to the hoy, and they were to run her off to the barge - A. Yes, that is the meaning of it.

Q. Did you each part to go about you respective employment - A. Yes, we did.

Q. Was any thing settled about what you, Caddock, and Taylor, were to do in case the Custom-house officers should be awake - A. Yes; Caddock was to speak to them in the name of Bampton; Taylor and me were to cast the ropes off.

Q. Now, you say it was agreed that you were to meet these men in the vessel, and they were to come in a boat - A. Yes, and to sheer her alongside of Winter's barge, and then to break open the hatches, and take the silk out, and the feathers, and to put them in Winter's barge, and Winter's barge was then to proceed to London bridge, and from there to the nearest place that we thought proper to land them. Caddock went with us. He was to go, and fetch carts. He went with us on board. He was to go with us to rob the hoy, and the plunder was to be put on board Winter's barge, and Caddock was to go with us in the barge, and to go and fetch the carts to take it out. Caddock said, two carts would be ready, and it was then to be housed by Caddock, and Ivey was to have the selling of it; but Ivey would have nothing to do with it when we got it up there.

Q. You say the party divided before you proceeded to business - A. Yes.

Q. Tell me their names - A. Myself, Taylor, and Caddock, went on board the vessel. We went down Sam's-passage, and we went on board the vessel.

Q. Which way did Winter, Armstrong, and Allen go - A. They went towards the Tower-stairs.

COURT. Did all three go on board the hoy - A. Yes.

Q. When got got down to the quay how did you get on board the hoy - A. We walked down a ladder, into a lighter; we stepped into two or three lug boats, and then we went into the hoy. She was laying very near the shore. When we got on board we began to cast the ropes out, and shoved her off. We were not long about it. Winter came on board to assist us. When we had cast off we shoved the hoy off to the teer, to Winter's barge.

Q. Did Winter remain on board, or did he leave you when you cast her off - A. He went in a boat. We chucked a line to him; that was the line that sheered the hoy alongside of Winter's barge.

Q. While you were sheering her off was there any people roused or awaked - A. One of the officers looked up the cabin hatchway. He came up about half way of the skuttle, and asked where we were going with the vessel. He said, where are you going with the vessel. Caddock told him to go below, and turn in. He was going into the road, and from there to the London Docks. The officer asked, if that was Jem. Caddock said, yes. The officer went below then. Caddock and I put the skuttle over, and made it fast by a short rope. It was not secured; it might be opened. The hoy was then sheered along side of Winter's barge.

Q. Where was Winter's barge laying - A. Athwart the Custom-house-road.

Q. When was the barge brought up there - A. The day before.

Q. What did you then proceed to do with the hoy - A. We took off the hatches. Armstrong and Winter went into the hold. Allen, Taylor, and Caddock were upon the hoy's deck, taking the bales and the cases from Winter and Armstrong. I was upon Winter's barge's deck, taking the bales and cases from Taylor and Caddock, and putting them in the barge's hold.

Q. What goods were landed out of the hoy into the barge - A. Ten bales, and two cases. The bales seemed to be the same sort of package as silk generally come in, and the cases the same as feathers come in. We then left the hoy, and shoved the barge away.

Q. Did all the men that you stated to be on board the hoy, come on board the barge - A. Yes, and then we shoved the barge away.

Q. You were the only man on board the barge while they were doing it - A Yes.

COURT. All those that were in the barge went on board the hoy. Armstrong, Winter, and Caddock were they on board the hoy - A. Yes; Allen and Taylor went into the hold of the hoy, and handed the goods up. They all returned on board Winter's barge and went away with her.

Q. What time of night was it when you had finished it - A. Near one o'clock We then proceeded to Baker's dock, on the Surry side of Blackfriars bridge. We there shoved the barge close on shore. Caddock went to fetch another

man, and a cart. He returned with the other man and the cart.

Q. How was Caddock landed - A. We put him ashore in the Cargo's boat. I do not exactly recollect who put him on shore.

Q. Was there any stoppage to his going on shore - A. Yes, a fisherman's boat was close to the shore; we shoved her of one side. Winter spoke to the fisherman from the barge, and ordered him to move.

Q. Did you see any man there who said any thing to you - A. There was a person on the coal craft who spoke to Winter.

Q. How many were they there - A. I believe there were more than one. One man sung out, shove the barge a stern, or else she'll be aground. Caddock was then gone for the cart. We got the goods up and put them in the boat. while Caddock was gone for the cart; some of them we put on shore.

Q. How many trips did you make to carry the goods on shore - A. Two, sir; when we put the second load on shore, the first load was carted and gone away. Caddock was on shore; I helped a hand and put them on shore upon the top of the stairs, and went with the skiff for the second load. I saw a cart back down; Caddock and Norman came with the cart. Two men came with the cart, whom I since knew to be Caddock and Norman; I did not know his person in the dark. Caddock was the person I spoke to at the Three Tuns. It got day light before I went away, and the other man was Norman.

Q. Now, look round close to you at Norman - A. I believe him to be the man.

Q. Now, attend to me, you told me, at the meeting at the Three Tuns, there was a man in the street with Ivey, who was that man - A. Caddock.

Q. Is that the Caddock that was on board the hoy, handing the goods up - A. Yes, that is the same Caddock that returned with Norman, and took the goods away; and there was a man of the name of Jones, who was raking the shore; he looked after the property after it was put on shore.

Q. That Jones is a watchman - A. I believe so.

Q. While you were going up the river to Baker's dock, was any thing done to the packages of the silk bales - A. They were all cut off the ten bales.

Q. What were done with the wrappers - A Some were put into coal barges stern-sheets, and the others were chucked over board.

Q. Now, you say a man of the name of the Jones was raking the shore, and he took charge of the property, was he so situated as to see at that was passing - A. Yes.

Q. Has Winter ever said any thing to you about that watchman - A. Once or twice be mentioned about giving him some money, merely to hold his tongue I gave him three three shilling pieces, at the Thames police-office. It never saw Winter give any; that was after I was apprehended.

Q. Was any thing settled, before you separated, about your meeting again - A. I was to meet Armstrong and Winter the next day, at   Fanny Cisson 's, my mother-in-law's, where I lodge. Armstrong came. I do not recollect seeing Winter. We were to meet the others of the party, at the Royal Oak public-house, at four o'clock in the afternoon; I went there. I found there, Winter,   Benjamin Allen , Fenwick, and Armstrong. I went into the Royal Oak tap-house I was down stairs when I first went in; the other parties were up stairs. I had a pot of porter. I then went up stairs, and there I found these men I have mentioned; they had had dinner there. They told me that nothing was done with the goods, they were all safe We agreed to meet the next day, at the tap of the Leaping-bar.

Q. How long did you remain at the Royal Oak, Vauxhall - A. I was not there above an hour. On the next morning I went to the Leaping-bar tap. I there saw Caddock and Norman. Two more came, others of the party; one they call Uncle Dick, and another person, I do not know his name, and Ivey was there. Caddock said the goods were all safe. Fenwick came in afterwards. I asked him to take a sample of the silk to Cooper; I think Norman fetched a skein and gave it him. Ivey said, he would have nothing to do with the silk. Before Fenwick came in, he said it was a dangerous concern; but he might be able to sell it, after the stench was blown over. Then Caddock said, he could get a man to have it, and named Cooper; he said Cooper would pay them for it when he took it away. Upon Fenwick coming in, I knew that he had been to Cooper, to speak to him about it. Caddock was acquainted with Cooper, as well as Fenwick. Ivey said, he should expect to be paid for his trouble. Caddock said he would pay him.

Q. For the purpose of disposing of the silk, was any of the party sent away with a sample - A. Yes, Norman was sent for a skein of silk, and Fenwick was asked to take it to Cooper. Fenwick took it to the prisoner; Cooper. Cooper was not to be seen at that time. We waited for Fenwick's return; Fenwick returned and Ingram with him. They said Cooper would come soon afterwards; and when Cooper came, Ingram and Fenwick were gone to look for him. When Cooper came, Caddock, Norman, Ivey, and myself, Uncle Dick, and another man were there. Caddock told Cooper what quantity of silk and feathers there were. Cooper agreed to take it. I think Caddock said there were ten or eleven hundred weight. Cooper said, he did not care how much there was, he would pay for it as soon as he took it away, at twenty shillings a pound. Cooper asked me if we wanted any money; I told him we did. I and Winter wanted some; Winter wanted some for the hire of his master's barge. I told Cooper so. Cooper then gave me 3 l. then I left them. I made an appointment to meet Caddock, Norman, and Cooper, at an old iron shop in Golden-lane. I was to enquire for Caddock by the name of Jackson. Ivey came away with me. Ivey and I went to the Black Horse, in the Borough, and Winter and Armstrong came to us there. Before I went to the Black Horse, I called at my mother-in-law's, her name is Fanny Cisson, and Winter, I believe, heard I was there by my mother-in-law, and when they came in we told them what had taken place at the Leaping-bar. After we told them that, me and Winter walked home, and going along we were met by Goff the officer, and Mr. Thompson. They apprehended us both, and Winter

and me were taken to Cold Bath-fields prison, first, and afterwards to New Prison, Clerkenwell.

Q. While you were in prison did   George Harris come to you - A. Yes; I was in Clerkenwell prison then. The first that I saw was   Samuel Harris , and then afterwards George Harris, his clerk.

Q. Had   Samuel Harris been sent for by you or Winter - A. Neither. I and Winter were put in a separate place when we got to Clerkenwell prison Winter told me that   Samuel Harris had been to him, but he did not know who sent him. After that it was that I saw   Samuel Harris first; he called me out of the back yard in Clerkenwell prison, to between the gates. He told us, that he had orders from Mr. Cooper to assist us with money; we thanked him. I told Mr. Harris that Winter and me were in want of money; he said he would send some by his brother. The next day   George Harris came and brought 20 l. He saw both me and Winter; he told us we should not want for any thing while we were there.

Q. Did he say who the money came from - A. His brother; he did not say who gave it his brother, he only told us to keep our own counsel, and no harm could come to us. We sent to him, I think in about four or five days. Winter and me asked Taylor to call there;   Benjamin Allen was with him, they came together; we told them what we had received of   George Harris . We asked Taylor to call at Mr. Harris's, and to tell him that we wanted some more money.   George Harris came again and brought us 14 l. he said, he had brought it from his brother, his brother sent it to us. I gave it to Winter to take care of:   George Harris came to see us again; he brought 8 l. then.

Q. During this time you were examined several times at the police office - A. Yes, I was.

Q. And at last you were discharged - A. Yes.

Q. You had not told them what you have told now, I take it for granted - A. No; at the time I was discharged at the office,   Samuel Harris gave me 2 l. Winter was discharged at the same time with me. Shortly after we were discharged I saw Winter; we appointed to go to Cooper's house in two or three days afterwards. We went to Cooper's house, he lives in Ratcliffe-highway; he keeps a liquor shop.

Q. Did you find Cooper at home - A. He was denied at first. I went down stairs, saw him and spoke to him. We told him we wanted some more money. He told us he had paid a good deal away for the silk that he had received. He said he had paid 47 l. to Fenwick, that made 50 l with the 3 l. I had; and near 200 l. he paid to Caddock and Norman; and he paid seventy odd pounds to Armstrong. Cooper agreed to meet me and Winter at the William of Walworth, that is a public-house at Walworth, in the road to Camberwell.

Q. For what purpose were you to meet there - A. To settle the whole of the business. Winter and I went to this William of Walworth, according to appointment. I think it was the second day of Camberwell fair, it was a crowded day, and the houses were all full. We found a man there, one of Caddock's party; I do not recollect his name. Cooper and Ingram came. We went into the skittle-ground for the purpose of conversing; Cooper told us he had paid near 600 l.

Q. Did he tell you how much he was to pay altogether. - A. Nine hundred pound. Winter and I said it was not half enough. He said he would not give any more than 16 s. a pound for the silk, which amounted to 900 l. altogether. He said they were black feathers, and he had not received more than 20 l. for the feathers. He said he would give us 50 l. if Winter would go with him on that night, and he would settle the balance of 900 l on the Monday next.

Q. Was any accompt entered into, how the 600 l. was paid - A. No - yes it was mentioned at the William of Walworth, that he had paid near 200 l. to Caddock, and seventy odd pounds to Armstrong and myself, and Winter 100 l. and odd; but I do not recollect any payment but what I have stated. I received 20 l. 14 l. and 8 l. of   George Harris , and 2 l. of   Samuel Harris , and 3 l. I had received of Cooper, at the Leaping-bar.

Q. Were these reckoned as parts of the sum that you had received - A. Yes.

Q. When Cooper said that he had paid to you and  Winter an hundred and odd pounds, was that stated? how did you reckon them - A. I never reckoned them at all, it was never made out; we were to settle the balance on the following Monday.

Q. Was any mention made of any other persons to whom Cooper had paid money - A. Cooper said he had paid Fenwick 47 l. Winter was to call that night at Cooper's house for 50 l. or near by.

Q. Did you go that night with Winter to Cooper's - A. No; a night or two afterwards I went to Cooper, and Winter came afterwards. I saw Cooper; he told me to go to the second public-house from where he lived, and wait there till he came. I went there, and Winter came in soon after.

Q. Did Cooper come to you - A. No; Ingram came, and said that Cooper was apprehended by Gotty and another officer.

COURT Had Cooper been taken up before - A. No. Ingram told us he would get us some money; he went out for that purpose - he brought back 20 l. he said, that was all Mrs. Cooper could spare. I divided that 20 l. with   William Taylor ,   Benjamin Taylor , and the prisoner, Winter. I and the prisoner, after that, went to   Samuel Harris 's house, in Houndsditch; Mr. Harris said, he would speak to Mrs. Cooper for us, and we were to call the next day at four o'clock for it.

Q. The next day did you and Winter set out to go to his house - A. Yes, we did; in our way there, about four o'clock, we met Smith, the officer, as we were going through the Minories to Harris's house.

Q. Had you stopped at any public-house in your way there - A. We did; I do not recollect the sign.

Q. Had you, at that public-house met with a man of the name of Beckett - A. Yes, I had drank with him in Moorfields.

Q. Now, who was with you, when you met at that public-house - A. Winter, Taylor, and myself. As we were going along the Minories, to Harris, we were

by Mr. Hotchon and Smith the officer; they apprehended me.

Q. What became of the other - A. They went away.

Q. Were you taken quietly, or did you make some resistance - A. Mr. Hotchon took me by the collar; I told him not to collar me, I would go quietly. Mr. Hotchon took hold of me first, and then Smith came; the others were not taken, I was. I was taken to the Thames police-office, and from there to the House of Correction. I found Cooper was in the same prison. A few days after I was there, Cooper spoke to me.

Q. Where were you when he spoke to you - A. Down in a yard, and Cooper was in another.

Q. What divided you - A. A brick wall and a gate. He spoke to me, the gate was left open. Cooper told me, that next Thursday, when we went up for examination, we should be alarmed at his evidence, but not to be frightened, for we should all be committed upon his evidence, and then afterwards he, Cooper, should get bail, and in eight and forty hours he should be out of the country. He gave me half a bottle of wine before that; a soldier handed it over the wall. Cooper said, he understood I intended to turn nose.

Q. That is, to be an informer against your friends - A. Yes; I told him I did not; I heard that he did. I then sent to Winter, Allen, and Taylor; they were in another part of the prison, telling them that Cooper meant to hang us all, and if either of them liked to give evidence the magistrate would accept them.

Q. Do you remember, on the Sunday before the hoy was robbed, being at the public-house called the Harp, in Harp-lane, on the 5th of July, after you came up the river - A. Yes, I do; Harp-lane is in Lower Thames-street.

Q. Who were you in company with, at the Harp in Harp-lane - A. In company with Winter, and a lighterman of the name of   George Sears .

Q. Did any conversation pass between Sears and you and Winter, about the business you had been about at Sheerness - A. Yes, we mentioned that we had been down to Sheerness; I and Winter mentioned it, that we had been down after this silk; we told Sears so, that we had been after some silk in the Sisters hoy. We asked him to go on board the Sisters hoy, and see if Bamptom was in it; she was near us.

Q. Did Sears go on board for you - A. No; Winter went out to see if he could see Bampton; he said he had seen Bampton, but he could not speak to him. Winter, Sears, and me left the Harp together, we walked towards the Borough; Sears left us at the end of Tooley-street

Q. Then I believe you were admitted an evidence before the magistrate, and you come now from the House of Correction - A. Yes.

Jury. You stated, that coming up the river Knox came to you in the barge, from Bampton's hoy; that Knox said it could not be done, one of the officers was a fisherman, if they lost the tide the old officer would have suspicion there was something going on wrong; we wish to know, whether what Knox said was delivered as a message only, from Bampton, or from himself - A. I understand that Knox came with a message from Bampton.

Mr. Knapp. You know   Samuel Harris to be a solictor - A I know no more than what I am told.

Q. He was to have been employed as your solictor in this business - A. So I understood from Winter.

Q. Did you know   George Harris , the person who came to you, before that - A. No, I understood he was his brother's clerk .

Q. In all the conversation betwixt you and   George Harris , did you suppose him acting by himself, or under the direction of his brother Samuel - A. Under the direction of his brother.

Mr. Alley. Now, Mr. Brown, do me the favour to attend to me, you have said, that on the 5th of July, Winter talked to you about the silk out of the Sisters hoy, at the time that Sears was with you, we are not to understand that was the first interview - A. No.

Q. Why, Mr. Brown, were not you the person sent on the 25th of June, to Bampton, to enquire what he was going into the country about - A. No, Bampton came to my house to tell me that he was going to Standy-creek, for fine goods.

Q. You know that he was captain of a hoy, or a lighter - A. I did, and I knew the master he worked for.

Q. It was not till after you were taken in custody the second time, that you told the story that you have today - A. Yes.

Q. Is this the first time that you have made your appearance in this court - A. No; I have stood at that bar for an offence that Mr. Harmer knows. I am not guilty of; it was only for the lending of a boat, and that was proved.

Q. Have you never been concerned in any thing with Fenwick, that led you into any trouble - A. No.

Q. Now, who had the honour of planning and designing the robbery of these cargos of fine goods - A. I understood it was settled all between Armstrong and Bampton; I never planned it.

  GEORGE SEARS . I am a lighterman in the employ of Mr. Lucas.

Q. Do you remember the Sisters hoy being robbed of a quantity of goods, off the Custom-house - A. I heard of it the next morning.

Q. On the Sunday before that Wednesday were you in company with Winter and Brown, at the Harp, in Harp-lane - A. I was, on Sunday the 5th of July, in company with Winter and Brown.

Q. Did any conversation pass, either from Winter or Brown, as to where they had been the week preceding - A. Yes; on my going into the Harp, in Harp-lane, I saw Brown, whom I had known for many years, and not seeing him for a length of time, I asked him what he had been up to, meaning, what he had been about. Winter was in company with him; they were sitting close together in a box. Brown said, George, I hardly know; I have been down the river for this fortnight, I and this young fellow, with a barge, meaning Winter. There was no other person in the room; Winter heard him Brown then said, George, I can put you up to a good thing, I asked him what

it was; he told me, that Hotchin's hoy, the sisters, was loaded with silk, at Brewer's quay, that is close to the Custom-house. He told me, that she had a parcel of bales of silk, and cases of ostrich feathers. Brown said, George, you may as well have a hundred pound or two as not; he stated that it was better than all the chandler shop work,

Q. That is, better than little things - A. I imagine he meant so. I told him it was a hazardous concern, and that I would have nothing at all to do with it. Brown then told Winter that he would get George, meaning me, to go down to Brewer's quay, and tell Jem, meaning Bampton, that there was somebody here that wanted to see him. I told Brown that I would not go; that I would not be seen in any thing of the kind. With that, Winter got up, and said I will go Winter went out with an intent to go, whether he went I know not. Winter returned in about five minutes, and brought word that the officer told him that Jem, meaning Bampton, was gone to dinner. We all got up with an intent to go; we settled for the beer we had, which was two pots; we walked over London Bridge together into the Borough. When we came out of the house, Winter made use of a vulgar expression, saying, that he would think no more harm of shooting Bampton, than shooting a sparrow.

Q. What reason did he give for that - A. For deceiving him; for he had been down below a fortnight with his barge, and had spent all his money; Winter further stated, that if Bampton had not been a mind to bring up at the Old Haven, he might have ran the vessel on shore on the Fly.

COURT - Where is Old Haven - A. In sea reach. It is two miles of this side, out of the reach of Sheerness harbour.

Q. That is the Fly sands - A. Yes, and that there they should not have been above ten minutes about it, and that there would have been no suspicion upon Bampton whatever; he would have been fastened down, as well as the officers; and what was worse than all that, he took out the foggin, that is a thing that goes into the hasp to make the scuttle fast. Winter stated, that he sailed his barge by shares, that means, dividing the profit with the owner; and what account he said could he give to his employer for spending his time for the last fortnight. Winter further stated, that they could do it that night, meaning the Sunday night, if Bampton would shove along side of the quay, and put into the Custom-house road. We went into a liquor shop in the Borough. I had a glass of gin, and then we parted. On the Wednesday, I went to the Custom-house quay. I went to take away my barge, and then I heard of the robbery. After I heard of the robbery, I saw the hoy laying athwart of the doubling teer.

Q. You know Bampton very well, I suppose - A. I know him perfectly well.

Q. How soon after did you give information of what you had heard - A. On the following day. I told Mr. Lucas's foreman, I thought I knew the persons that had been guilty of the robbery. On the next day, I went to the West India Docks; I was ordered down to the office by Mr. Hotchins, I believe the owner of the barge. While I was talking to Mr. Lucas, Mr. Hotchins came in.

Mr. Adolphus. Q. You accosted your friend Brown, what had he been up to; you do not ask your honest friends that question, do you - A. That is the general phrase upon the water among lightermen.

Q. You objected, not because it was dishonest, but because it was hazardous - A. I thought it was unsafe. I persuaded Brown and Winter likewise not to have any thing to do with it. I should imagine that no person has a right to be concerned in a robbery without he likes.

Q. Winter and Brown communicated to you about a robbery, that they had been waiting about a fortnight and had not accomplished it, they could not go on with the robbery without they laid a new plan.

COURT. The witness has said nothing about a new plan.

SEARS. It might be the old plan new revived.

  MATTHIAS PRIME LUCAS . Q. You are, we pretty well know, a lighterman - A. Yes. George Sears, was a lighterman in my employ. I was not on business that day the robbery was committed; on coming to town on Thursday morning,   William Pope , my foreman informed me that   George Sears could give some information who the parties were. Upon receiving that information, I dispatched a servant to the West-India docks to do Sear's work, and another servant to Mr. Hotchins, desiring them both to come to my accompting house. Sears came and stated what he had heard, and in consequence of what he stated, I desired them to attend at the office.

  RALPH FENWICK . Q. I believe you are a ship chandler, residing at Greenwich - A. I am.

Q. Do you know   George Brown - A. Yes.

Q. In the month of June last, did Brown propose to you to go down the river to become any party - A. He proposed to me to go down the river to get some silk.

Q. Did you agree to be one of the party - A. I did; and after Brown proposed it to me Winter called upon me. I immediately went in the barge with Winter to Gravesend.

Q. You did not succeed, that voyage did not answer - A. No.

Q. When was it that Brown applied to you a second time - A. I think it was the 29th of June.

Q. Was it then understood that you were to go for silk - A. Yes. I understood it so from Bown to go again. I told Brown when he wanted me, he knew where to find me.

Q. How long was this before you went to Sheerness by land - A. I suppose eight or ten days. When Brown came to me, he said in about a fortnight's time he was to go down for some silk; he asked me if I knew a person that would buy it. I told him I thought I did, and I went down to Chadwell in Essex, to a man of the name of Ingram I enquired for Ingram, he was not at home. I found him at Chadwell the next morning. I saw him there the next morning, at a public-house. I told him there was some silk to be had. I asked him if he could take it, he said he would, but he would talk to me the next day about it, when he brought his friend with him. I made an appointment to meet him the next day.

Q. When he came, what past - A. The prisoner, Cooper came with him; I told them both that there was some silk to be had.

Q. How did he introduce Cooper to you - A. It

was some time before I would say any thing to him. Ingram told me I might say what I had to say before him. I told them the plan that was to be pursued.

Q. What was that plan that you told them - A. I told them that there was a vessel going to take in a quantity of silk at Standgate Creek, and that a person of the name of Brown and others, were agoing to take it away from the said hoy. Cooper said, he did not care where it came from, he would find money for as much as there might be. I told Cooper and Ingram to come along with me into the Borough to see Brown and his party. Cooper said, he would rather deal with me, he did not like so many to know his business. I told them that one must go with me, I would not take the risk on myself. Cooper declined going.

Q. Did either of them go with you - A. Ingram did. I took him to Brown, in the Borough, to his mother-in-law's,   Fanny Cisson .

Q. Was any arrangement made between Ingram, Brown and you - A. Not with me. Ingram and Brown. Ingram went apart from me to talk it together, and then I went away with Ingram.

Q. After they had done the conversation, did you learn from Ingram after he had parted from Brown, what the conversation was - A. I did. Ingram told me that Brown was to give him the earliest notice when to be at Dagenham to receive the silk; nothing more passed then. And as soon as Brown ascertained the time, he told me. I went to Ingram as soon as Brown ascertained the time when he was to fetch the silk. I went to Chadwell, to Ingram, I found him at the Coach and Horses, in my way to Chadwell. I told Ingram to be at Dagenham on the next Thursday or Friday, but to make sure, he had better be there both days. He told me, he would be sure to be there; then I came back.

Q. How soon after that did you go down by land to Gravesend - A. About a week. Brown and William Allen called on me, on Monday, the 29th of June, at my house at Greenwich, and I went by land to Gravesend the next morning. I walked over to Greenhithe; myself, Allen and Brown, Brown and myself stopped in 'Squire Wedlock's Park, it joins Greenhithe. Allen went to Greenhithe to see where Winter's barge was. Allen came back and told us that we must go to Gravesend; and we went back to Gravesend, where we stopped near a ship-builder's yard, at the upper part of Gravesend, until the barge came down.

Q. And when was it that the barge was to come - A. That night at high-water; at high-water, the barge came and took us all in.

Q. Now, when you and Brown, and   William Allen went on board, who did you find - A.   William Armstrong ,   Joseph Simmons Winter and his brother, the apprentice.

Q. Where did you sail to - A. Sheerness Sir, we laid at Sheerness, I believe, for three days and a half.

Q. While you were laying at Sheerness, did Bampton come on board Winter's barge - A. He did, with another man. Knox the prisoner, I believe to the other man, he looks like him, but I cannot swear it.

Q. Now when Bampton came, and Knox with him, what information did he give you - A. Bampton said, he was not going to take the goods out till Friday afternoon, four o'clock, as they were not out of quarantine till then. Brown and the rest on board the barge, thought I had better go to London, and acquaint Cooper of the delay of the goods.

Q. Why - A. Because they were not taken out so early as they expected. I came to London, and went to Chadwell. I did not know where Cooper lived.

Q. When you went to Chadwell, did you find Ingram at home - A. No, he was at Fairlop fair.

Q. That is a fair at Epping Forest, I believe - A. Yes. I went to Fairlop fair, and found him. I told him that he had no call to go down on the Friday night, that the goods would not be there; he told me very well, that Cooper and himself had been down at Dagenham waiting, expecting that we should come on the Thursday. This was on the Friday, I told him to be there on the Saturday night, he said he would; he told me, I might have saved that trouble. He told me where Cooper lived. I do not recollect where. I told him to be there on the Saturday. I came back to London, and went down to Chatham in the Chatham coach, from the Cross-keys Inn, Gracechurch-street. From Chatham, I went to Sheerness, in the Sheerness boat, and got on board of Winter's barge again on the Saturday. They were under weigh at the time. Bampton's hoy was not in sight. I learned from Winter and the others, that she was gone up towards London. Winter's barge made sail after her; while I got my breakfast, we came in sight of her, and caught her about the Old Haven. We got close to her within musket shot.

Q. While you were there, was there any man come on board your barge from the hoy - A. There was a man.

Q. Was that the man at the bar - A. I cannot swear, I have a doubt.

Q. Was that the person that came to you as you were sailing up the river, the same that came with Bampton at Sheerness - A. I believe it to be the man, I cannot swear. I had but a slight sight of him.

Q. Did you hear what the man said that come - A. I heard their account of it. They said it was a d - d bad job.

COURT, Did you hear the man say any thing that came on board - A. No, they talked forward, I was aft. I heard the men say, that the men said, if it could be done, they would shew a signal of some kind; one of them said, that one of the officers was an old fisherman, that he knew the ground as well, if not better than themselves; and that they could not stick her ashore according to their agreement; and that nothing could be done until they got to London, to the Custom-house road.

Mr. Gurney. Q. The party were very much displeased at this - A. Yes, they called Bampton a deceitful kind of a man, for deceiving of them as he had. We followed the hoy up the river, until we came to Greenwich notwithstanding. I came on shore, and the barge went on. This was Saturday, the 4th of July; the next day, Sunday, the 5th, I came to town, and as I came by St. George's Church, I saw Cooper and Ingram, they were coming into town, they hailed me, and got off the coach and came to me; they found themselves very much disappointed that I had not come to

Dagenham they said, as I had appointed; they told me that they had been down at Dagenham, Thursday and Saturday all night, and seemed to think that we were trifling with them. We were walking up the Borough, we met Brown and   Joseph Simmons Winter. We went down an inn yard and had a pot of porter or ale, I do not know which, Brown, Ingram and Cooper talked together. I left them in the course of five minutes. I told them I had declined having any more to do with the business, and I was coming to Cooper to tell him so.

Q. You did not know where Cooper lived - A. Yes, I did, Sir.

Q. You saw no more of the parties until after the silk was stolen - A. I did not. On the Wednesday morning after, I was going over the quay, by the Custom-house, I saw a number of persons standing about the quays, I asked what was the matter. I heard that the hoy had been robbed. I saw the hoy there. Upon hearing that the hoy had been robbed, I went to the Borough to find Brown. I did not find him. I then went towards Lambeth to look after the prisoner Winter, he lives at Lambeth. I saw him at his door. I asked him whether he could tell me where Brown was.

Q. Did any thing pass about the silk - A. No, he told me, I should find Brown at the Royal Oak, Vauxhall, that afternoon. I went to the Royal Oak that afternoon with Winter.   William Armstrong came in soon after, and   Benjamin Allen ; and in the course of the afternoon, Brown came in after. Brown and Winter went out into the passage together, they came back into the room to me; they bid one another good day, and went. I went away with Brown. I went with Brown to Ivey's house, No. 1, Artillery-lane, Bishopsgate-street.

Q. Did you find Ivey at home - A. I did not, Brown was told by his wife, if we came the next morning by ten o'clock, we should find him at home. Brown and I went there the next morning, we found Ivey at home. Brown asked me to go with him for company, and Ivey went with us to the sign of the Leaping-bar, Blackfriars road, this was Thursday.

Q. At the Leaping-bar, who did you meet - A. Caddock and Norman.

Q. Is that the man they call Norman - A. Yes, it is I believe. Brown asked me if I would carry a sample of the silk to Cooper. I took a sample of the silk to the prisoner Cooper.

Q. Do you remember who brought that sample there - A. No, I cannot say who brought it; it was either Norman or Caddock that gave it me. I took the sample to Cooper's house. I saw Mrs. Cooper there. I gave her the sample, and she put it in the loop of a winter curtain.

Q. In the fold of a window curtain - A. Yes. I staid there until Cooper came in. Ingram came in with Cooper, they told me as soon as they heard of the robbery, they went to Dagenham, expecting the silk would come there; not finding the silk there, they had crossed at Greenwich, and gone to my house. I told Cooper that I had brought a sample of silk from Brown and some others; and that he was to go to the sign of the Leaping-bar, Blackfriars-road, to agree with the party for the silk; he told me that he would go, and asked me to dine with him.

Q. While you were with him, was the sample taken out of the window curtain - A Yes, he told me and Ingram to go on before him. Directly he came in, the sample was taken down, it was fetched from up stairs.

Q. How do you know? did you go up stairs to see it placed in the curtain - A. I was told, when I came in, to go up stairs, least an officer should see me.

Q. Did Cooper look at the sample - A. Yes; he said it was very good, and then, after dinner, he desired me and Ingram to walk on to Blackfriar's bridge.

COURT. You did dine there - A. Yes I did, and we were to wait at the bottom of the bridge for him. Ingram and I went to Blackfriar's bridge, and waited there some time; he did not come to us, and after waiting some time, we went to the Leaping-bar.

Mr. Gurney. When you got to the Leaping-bar, did you find he was there - A. No. I then went to his house to look after him, and remained there until he came back. Ingram was with me.

Q. When you got to his house he was not at home, there you staid until he came - A. I did, Sir, and Ingram waited with me.

Q. When he came home did he tell you where he had been - A. He did; he told me that he had been and seen Brown, Caddock, and Norman, at the Leaping-bar; he told me that he had settled the business with them about the silk.

Q. Did he tell you upon what terms - A. No, sir, he told me that he was going to meet them the next morning, at a house in Golden-lane, by ten o'clock, to arrange about taking the silk away. The next morning I met Cooper,   Ingram Caddock , and Norman, at a public-house in Golden-lane; we were then going about moving the silk. I had not left the house above two minutes, when   George Brown 's brother came and told me, that his brother and Winter had been taken in custody on the Thursday night, that was the night before; this was Friday. I then left them and saw no more of them. This was said to me privately. I went that afternoon to Cooper's house, and waited until he came home. I told him that Winter and Brown were taken in custody, and that I had heard, from my cousin, Evans the officer had been making enquiry after me. I asked him what I had better do? he said, I had better go down in the country along with Ingram, out of the way; if I was taken it would make the business look blacker. I told him I wanted money; he told me I should have what money I wanted. Caddock came in, in the meantime, and requested for 50 l. of Cooper; Cooper then gave him 50 l. first.

Q. Did he give you 50 l. - A. Yes, he did; he then told me he had given Brown 3 l. if I would give him 3 l. back, that would make an even 50 l. that is, 47 l. to me, and the 3 l. that he gave Brown, would make up an even 50 l. I gave him 3 l. back. Caddock then declined having any.

Q. Did you go with Ingram down to Chadwell - A. I did, and I staid there a fortnight or three weeks.

Q. At whose house did you stay chiefly - A. Thompson's sometimes.

Q. Where did you sleep generally - A. At the Greyhound public-house. Ingram was with me there frequently.

Q. He lived at Chadwell - A. Yes, he did.

Q. Did your wife come down to Chadwell to you - A. Yes, she did; she staid with me part of the time. After staying there a fortnight or three weeks, I came to London to see Cooper.

Q. Who did you find in his company - A. Caddock and Norman, and a stout man they call Uncle Dick. Upon my going into the room they seemed confused at my going in.

Q. You were thought to be in the country - A. Yes. They stopped their conversation, and Cooper and Caddock went out into the passage.

Q. After they came back did you speak to Cooper - A, No, Cooper and I, soon after, left the house together. This was at a public-house that belongs to Cooper, in Piccadilly. I asked Cooper, how long I was to stay in the country. He told me, in a few days time I might come home, and he should have the remainder part of the silk in his possession; but he had had a great deal of trouble with Caddock and Norman, as they were two bad characters. Then I went back to the country.

Q. How soon after did you return home to Greenwich - A. About a week, and after I got home some time, I was taken in custody. I was admitted an evidence by the magistrate, and have been kept in the House of Correction ever since.

Mr. Adolphus. You will not swear that the man at the bar is the man that you mean, Knox - A. No, I will not. I understand since that his name is Knox.

Q. If you had met him in the street, should you have gone up to him and called him Knox - A. No, I do not think I should.

COURT. The thing is, whether he is the man that came on board the vessel, supposing nothing had past, should you have gone up to him and spoke to him - A. It is as likely I should have past him as spoke to him, I had such a slight knowledge of him. All that I heard him say was, that he would make a signal on board his hoy, if the job could be done.

Mr. Adolphus. And if he did not make that signal, the job was not to be done.

COURT. How is that - A. I do not know that ever I heard the man say any more, than that he was to make a signal. That is all I heard the man say, if that is the man.

Mr. Knapp. I do not know, whether in your original examination you mentioned your business - A. A ship-chandler; I carry it on now.

Q. You come here in custody now, and you know, by giving your evidence here to-day, you save yourself from being tried - A. I suppose so, Sir.

Q I want to know whether your object, when you declined to have any thing more to do in the business, was fair on your part, in that it could not be done - A. Neither the one or the other, it was because I considered that Bampton would deceive us; I considered he was a villain.

Q. You considered that he was a villain, and that there was no honour among thieves - A. Yes, sir.

Q. After the robbery had been committed you were ready enough to join in the plunder - A. I wanted to know who it was that had done it.

Q. You gave it up, Bampton having deceived you, and when the robbery was committed, you took it up to partake of the plunder - A. No.

Q. Did you expect 50 l. - A. No, it was not the first 50 l. that ever I had; I took it on the part of the prisoners. I told you at first that they asked me to take the management of the business. Brown and Winter was the whole that ever I knew of them. I told Cooper so, at the time he paid me the 50 l.

Q. So that we are to understand you, you were angry when the robbery was not done, and when it was done, you were glad to partake of the plunder - A. I was glad when the robbery was not committed.

Q. When did that fit take you, supposing Bampton had not decived you, you would not have been sorry then - A. I am informed, that Cooper had formed a second connection, with Brown and others, to commit the robbery, after I had given it up, and it was Cooper's wish that it should be done.

Q. When did you, for the first time, give the first account of this transaction, upon your oath, would you have told any body if you had not been taken up - A. Upon my oath I would not.

  RICHARD BROWN . Q. Are you the brother of   George Brown - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember the circumstance of the hoy being robbed off the Custom-house - A. I remember hearing of it soon after it was done.

Q. Do you remember, after the robbery, being sent by your brother to Golden-lane - A. Yes; to inquire for a man of the name of Jackson. I went to Golden-lane. I saw Fenwick there; he was in company with other persons. I asked him if he knew Jackson. I saw him in the street. I told Fenwick that my brother had been taken in custody.

  REBECCA FENWICK . Q. Are you the wife of   Ralph Fenwick - A. Yes, sir.

Q. Do you remember, in the month of June last, your husband going from home to go down the river - A. Yes.

Q. Did he go twice - A. I do not recollect.

Q. About the time of his going, do you remember   George Brown calling upon him - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember Cooper calling - A. Yes.

Q. Look at the bar, do you mean one of the prisoners - A. Yes, the middle one; he came on a Sunday. Ingram came with him; my husband was not at home.

Q. Did either Ingram or Cooper write any direction when they called - A. Ingram did; he wrote Cooper's direction. I gave the paper to my husband. Ingram said, it was merely a direction for my husband to call upon him; the said that in Cooper's presence.

Q. After that, did Brown and any other person call upon your husband to go any where - A. No. Brown and   William Allen had called upon my husband before that. I think it was on the Thursday before, and my husband went out with Brown and Allen.

Q. Do you remember what day of the week your husband came back.

Q. A little time after that, did your husband go out of the way - A. Yes, he went to Chadwell, in Essex,

and I went down to Chadwell to him. I staid there two or three days.

Q. At whose house did you stay there - A. At a man's house, of the name of Thompson; and while I was there, I saw Ingram several times.

  THOMAS JONES . Q. Are you a watchman employed on the premises near Baker's dock - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember hearing in July of a hoy being robbed off the Custom-house - A. Yes, I heard of such a thing in the course of the night the hoy was robbed.

Q. Did you see a cart come to Baker's dock - A. I saw a cart come in the morning, somewhere about 3 o'clock.

Q. Where did the cart come to - A. I saw the first cart by the dock. A one horse cart backed down from the bottom of Holland-street.

Q. That is near Baker's dock - A. Yes.

Q. Did you go down to the shore - A. I saw nothing in the cart more than a man. I then went down to the shore at Baker's dock, and at the shore, I saw three or four men with a boat, they took some things out of the boat, and put it on shore against some pig iron; one man went away, and the other three men rowed in the boat.

Q. Did you see any barge laying off the dock - A. There were two or three barges laying off the wharf.

Q. Was one of them a sailing barge - A. They were pretty nearly all sailing barges.

Q. Did you see the prisoner, Winter, on board the barge, look round - A. That is the man, or very much like him; he was out towards the middle of the river at a great way.

Q. Now where did you see that man who is much like Winter - A. Out in the middle of the river, in a barge.

COURT. The barge was a great way off you - A. Yes, it was a great way off.

Mr. Gurney. After this, did you see any cart come down the dock, down the passage to the dock - A. A cart came down the passage.

Q. What was done with the goods landed in the boat - A. They came and took it out.

Q. Who were the persons that came and took the goods in the cart - A. Two men.

Q. Did you see any more take place about it - A. No, I did not.

Q. Some time after this, you were examined at the Police office about this business - A. Yes, I was.

Q. While you were there did   George Brown give you any thing - A. Yes. I sat on a chest, he came to me, and sat down by me.

Q. Did he put any thing into your hand - A. He put his hand behind me, and shoved three three shilling pieces into my hand, after Brown and Winter were discharged the first time.

Q. Do you remember meeting him at the Orange Tree - A. Yes.

Q. That is a public-house by Baker's dock - A. Yes, I saw him there.

Q. Is that house kept by Mrs. Conn - A. Yes.

Q. Did any thing pass between him and you - A. No.

Q. The next day did Mrs. Conn give you any thing - A. She gave me 15 shillings.

  ELIZABETH CONN . Q. Do you keep the Orange Tree near Baker's dock - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know the witness, Jones - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember, in the month of July or August last, giving Jones any money - A. I first gave him fifteen shillings, and afterwards sixpence.

Q. From whom did you receive that - A. From Mr. Winter who stands at the bar.

Q. Did you give any other money to any other witnesses that were examined at the Police-office. - A. Fifteen shillings to Chandler and fifteen shillings to Swan.

COURT. These were all examined, were they - A. Yes.

Mr. Gurney. Had they all been examined before you received this two pound five shillings and sixpence of Winter - A. Yes, I believe they had.

Q. Did Winter give it to you to give it to these three men - A. Yes, he mentioned Jones, Swan and Chandler.

Q. How long was this after Winter had been discharged - A. On the Monday following.

  HERCULES BULL . Q. Are you a lighterman in the employ of Horn and Devey, Bank-side - A. I am.

Q. That is close to Baker's dock, I believe - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember being off Baker's dock on the night between the 7th and 8th of July - A. I was at our own wharf with a barge. A sailing barge came up and made fast to our craft between twelve and one. We wanted to shift our craft, and my fellow-servant,   Nathaniel Young , hailed the barge to cast off, or else we should let them go a drift. They did so; and hauled into Baker's dock.

Q. I suppose at this time it was dark - A. Very dark.

Q. Therefore you cannot say whose craft it was - A. No.

Q. Do you know  Winter the prisoner - A. Perfectly well. I knew him an apprentice; and was a fellow-servant along with him.

Q. Did you know the barge he sailed in at that time - A. I knew the barge he sailed in before. On the next morning, I saw his barge, the Brothers, off the road the next morning, not knowing he was in her.

Q. Was there any other sailing barge off the road except that - A. No one.

Mr. Adolphus. You saw no one in the barge did you - A. No one.

  NATHANIEL YOUNG . Q. Are you in the employ of Horn and Davey - A. Yes.

Q. On the night of the 7th of July last, were you with the last witness on board your master's craft - A. Yes.

Q. Did any sailing barge come up the river to that place - A. Yes, the sailing barge made fast to one of our craft; and after that they went up to Baker's dock: as they were going into Baker's dock, I hailed them, barge, oh hoy, whence come you? some man made answer, and said, from Gravesend. There were some men on board, how many I could not say. As they

were going to Baker's dock, I said to them, young fellow, you are going too far a head. I told them, they would get on a heap of dirt, where they were making a new wharf, if they hawled her far a head.

Q. Do you know Winter, and the barge he commanded, the Brothers - A. Yes; I know the barge. She was laying off our road. The next morning our foreman hurried her off. She was laying near.

Mr. Adolphus. There were many other sailing-barges in that road, were there not - A. No, I did not see them.

  FANNY CISSON . Q. Are you the mother-in-law of   George Brown - A, Yes.

Q. Do you remember Brown being taken in custody; in July last - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember Armstrong, Winter, and Fenwick, calling for Brown at your house - A. Yes.

Q. Now, to the best of your recollection, how long was that before your son-in-law was taken up - A. About a week or ten days, to the best of my memory.

  THOMAS MORGAN . Q. Do you keep the White Horse, in the Borough, High-street - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know George Brown - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember of hearing of Brown being taking up - A. I heard of it afterwards, and I saw it in the newspaper, of the hoy being robbed off the Custom-house.

Q. Do you remember, about that time, Brown being in your house, in company with any men - A. I cannot say exactly what time. He might be there three weeks or a month before that.

Q. Do you remember his being in company with that man, Fenwick - A. Yes, I have seen him in company with Fenwick.

Q. Now, look at the bar, and tell me whether you see any other person who was at your house in company with Brown - A. I think I have seen Winter there with Fenwick and Brown.

Mr. Alley. This is a house of great resort: a great many people come there - A. Yes. I can recollect that I have seen Fenwick and Brown there.

Q. As to Winter, you do not know anything about him - A. I cannot say I do.

  THOMAS BAYLISS . Q. Do you keep the Royal Oak tap, Vauxhall - A. Yes.

Q. In the month of July did you see Fenwick at your house - A. I rather think he was there, but I cannot swear it.

Q. Was there a man of the name of Winter there. Look at the bar. Did you see him there - A. Yes. There were three or four more in their company.

  MARY BAILLY . Q. In the month of July last, did you live at the Leaping Bar, Blackfriars-road - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember, about that time, seeing   George Brown at your house - A. Yes.

Q. Did you see any man of the name of Ivey with him - A. Yes, and a man of the name of Norman with him; and there were other men in company with him, but they are not here.

Mr. Andrews.   Mary Bailey , had you ever seen these men before.

Q. How many times have you seen Ivey - A. A great many times. Ivey came to our house several times about July. I am quite sure Ivey is the man.

  WILLIAM JOHN BANNISTER . Q. Do you live in Woolpack-yard, Gravel-lane - A. I do.

Q. Does Gravel-lane lay between Blackfriars-road and the Borough - A. Yes, it does. I suppose it is about three hundred yards from Baker's dock. On the 9th of July I saw a cart backed down to the bottom of the yard, to where I was at work.

Q. Did you see any thing put into that cart - A. I did; four black bags.

Q. How many persons, beside the carman were assisting in this - A. I think there were two, besides the carman.

Q. After the bags were loaded did the cart go away - A. Yes. This was Thursday, the 9th of July.

Q. On Saturday you saw a cart come again - A. I did. It was backed down to the same place.

Q. Were the bags full or empty - A. They appeared full; and the cart was taken away; and on Monday the cart came again. On Monday I came out of the yard; the cart was empty; and on my return I saw the cart go out of the yard, with the bags full, standing up.

Q. What did you see in the cart - A. Apparently potatoe or corn sacks full. The name on the cart was   James Spriggs , Red Lion-court, Saffron-hill. On the Monday I told a friend of Mr. Hotchon's what I had observed.

Q. Do you know a man of the name of Norman - A. Yes, to the best of my belief he is the man that I saw put the sacks in the cart.

COURT. On which day did you see Norman putting these things in the cart - A. On each day, on Thursday and Saturday I saw him assisting and putting them in, and on the Monday I saw him go out with the cart.

Mr. Gurney. Did he occupy a stable at the bottom of the yard - A. Not as I know. There was a stable at the bottom of the yard belonged to a man of the name of Whitworth.

Q. Was the cart backed down to a convenient part for that stable - A. Yes.

  EDWARD TOWNSEND WHITWORTH . Q. Are you a carrier - A. Yes. I live in Woolpack-yard, Gravel-lane.

Q. Do you know a man of the name of Norman - A. Yes. On the 4th of July he hired a stable of me.

Q. Did he continue to occupy that stable until the officers came and searched it - A. Yes.

  THOMAS FRIEND . I am a constable.

Q. Did you search a stable in Woolpack-yard, Gravel-lane - A. I did. I found there a trunk, and a number of wrappers, a quantity of silk, and a large quantity of ostrich feathers in a corn bin. This is the bag of silk.

Q. How much weight is there - A. Above one hundred and twenty pounds. Here is a bag of ostrich feathers. This is the trunk; it is marked, S. I.

Mr. Gurney. It is S. I. in Solomon Israel's bill, and S. I. in the bill of lading, and in the officers bill.

Friend. The feathers that I found in the corn bin I put in the trunk. This trunk is full of black ostrich feathers. One bundle is white, and some are mixed. The bag of ostrich feathers were found in the hay-loft, over the stable. These are all black, of a larger description than the others.

Q. to Mr. Mills. Does that appear to be one of the trunks that were sent up on board Bampton's hoy - A. Yes, it does.

  ROBERT THOMPSON . I am a lighterman.

Q. Were you at any time in company with Goff, the officer, when either of the prisoners were apprehended - A. Yes, I was, not expecting I should be called upon as a witness. I cannot speak to dates.

Q. Do you remember when you first heard of the robbery - A. Yes, I remember the time; I cannot say the date.

Q. How long after the robbery was it that you were in company with Goff - A. Two or three days. I was coming along the Borough, in company with Goff; we fell in with Winter, and George Brown; we apprehended them.

  JAMES BUDGELL . Q. You live, I believe, with the keeper of the House of Correction - A. Yes.

Q. Were Winter, Brown, and Knox, in your custody - A. Yes, in custody of the governor. Winter, Brown, Knox, and   William Allen , were in custody of the governor.

Q. Did you, at any time, see any other of the prisoners there, visiting them - A. Yes,   Benjamin Allen and Taylor.

Q. How many times did you see them there - A. It was very seldom they missed above every other day.

  JOSEPH BECKETT . Q. I believe you are employed in the House of Correction - A. I am.

Q. Do you know the persons of the prisoners - A. Yes; I know the whole of them, by having them in custody.

Q. Did you know any of them before you had them in custody - A. Yes; I knew Winter, and Brown,   Benjamin Allen , and Taylor.

Q. Did you see them in company any where - A. I did. Before they were apprehended the second time I met Brown in Moorfields, and then Winter and Taylor came up. I was speaking to Brown when they came up. We went to the nearest public-house we could find, and drank together.

Q. How long did you continue with them - A. Not five minutes.

Q. Were either of them apprehended that day - A. Yes, Brown, a quarter of an hour afterwards; it could not be more. Brown was brought to the House of Correction that night.

Q. I believe you and Cook apprehended the others - A. Me and   William Cook apprehended the others on Sunday night. Cook and me apprehended   Joe Winter ,   William Taylor , and Benjamin Allen, at Allen's house, up one pair of stairs, in the bed-room, about a quarter to ten at night.

  JAMES SPRIGGS . I am a carman. I live in Red Lion-court, Saffron Hill.

Q. About the 9th of July were you hired in Smithfield, and taken over Blackfriars bridge - A. On the 10th of July I was, between eleven and twelve in the forenoon.

Q. Who was it that hired you - A. A stranger. He took me to opposite of the Cross Keys, between the bridge, and Christ's church. The person asked me if I had any cords. I told him, no. He told me to go and buy some, and bring two-penny ones. I went away to buy the cords, and when I returned I saw my cart loaded with four or five sacks. When I left the cart the horse's head stood towards the Obelisk, and when I returned I found the cart loaded, and the horse's head towards the bridge.

Q. Did the man that hired you give you any directions - A. Yes. He said, I have done without your cords; you have stopped so long; follow that gentleman; pointing to a man that stood at some yards distance. I followed that person, to whom he pointed, with my cart. That person led me over the bridge, up Ludgate-hill, round St. Paul's churchyard; and the reason why, there was a stoppage in the Old Bailey. He kept walking forward, and looked with a side glance, to see that I was following.

Q. To what street did he finally lead you - A. To a street near the Curtain-road, Shoreditch. I saw him knock at a door, and go into a house in the street, near the Curtain-road. I backed my cart to that door.

Q. Did that man help you to unload - A. He did.

Q. Did he pay you - A. Yes, seven shillings: a dollar, a shilling, and a sixpence.

Q. Now, is that man that paid you the same person who guided you all the way from Blackfriars-road - A. Yes.

Q. In the course of your journey through the city were you stopped once or twice - A. Yes, by obstructions in the road, and when I stopped the man stopped just a head of me.

Q. Did he stop to wait for you - A. Yes. He went on first when he saw I could move.

Q. So that he kept an eye upon you - A. Yes.

Q. Now look at the prisoners at the bar, and tell me whether is any one there that is like the man - A. He was a lusty man. Cooper is like the man, by his bulk. His face I never saw. He is the same sort of person in bulk and height.

Q. You say, the face you did not see. The man paid you the money - A. Just so.

Q. He did not turn his back when he paid you - A. I was at the tail-board of my cart when he paid me. He came out of the door with a very swift walk, towards me, put his hand to me, gave me the money, and walked away.

Q. Do you remember being hired on the Monday afterwards to go over Blackfriars-bridge - A. Yes.

Q. Were you sent to buy cord A. No; I was ordered to get a pint of beer, when I got over the bridge.

Q. Was it the same person that hired you before - A. No; a man six foot high, nearly; a very tall man.

Q. When you got over the bridge the man told you to get a pint of beer - A. Yes.

Q. Where were you hired - A. From my own

yard, Saffron-hill. My name and residence is on my cart.

Q. A man told you to go into a public-house and get some beer - A. Yes.

Q. While you were in the public-house what was done with your cart - A. Taken away, as I suppose.

Q. When you came out of the public-house did you see the cart on the same spot - A. I found it not exactly in the same place. The cart was turned round, and loaded then with three or four sacks.

Q. Where did you take these sacks to - A. The man that hired me went with me. I went to near Water-lane, Fleet-street, then the man that engaged me took them out of my cart, and put them into another cart, and the man that hired me, paid me. This was on Monday, the 13th.

  ALEXANDER GIBBS . Q. You are a silk manufacturer - A. Yes. I reside at 21, Compton-street. My manufactory is near the Curtain-road, Shoreditch.

Q. Do you know Mr. Cooper - A. I do. The first interview that I had with Mr. Cooper was about the middle of May.

Q. Did you see him any time in July - A. I did. On the 9th of July he called at my residence, and left a sample of silk. I was not at home.

Q. Somebody called, and left a sample of silk. Do not tell me what you do not personally know. Did Cooper call the next day - A. Yes; he called between six and seven o'clock. I produced the sample that had been left. Cooper asked me twenty-six shillings a pound. When I produced it, it was acknowledged to be left either by him, or his order. I do not remember exactly the words. Mr. Cooper then said, that he had about two hundred pounds weight, and asked me six-and-twenty shillings a pound for it. I told him, that I would consider of it, and let him know between that and ten o'clock.

Q. Did you see him again that morning - A. I did, at his house in Ratcliffe Highway.

Q. What house is that - A. A liquor shop, opposite of Old Gravel-lane. I offered him three-and-twenty shillings a pound for it. He said, it was too low a price for it. He said, there was a gentleman concerned with him; he would step down and ask his opinion. Accordingly Cooper withdrew, and returned in about two minutes, with a gentleman with him. He agreed to take the three-and-twenty shillings.

Q. When were you to have the silk away - A. The same day I went away, and the silk came, as I expected, on that day, between one and two o'clock. It was brought in one large, and three small bags, in a cart; a small open cart; not a heavy town-cart. I have seen the cart since at Hatton Garden office. Spriggs was the carman. I have seen him twice since, at the office.

Q. to Spriggs. Come forward.

Mr. Gibbs. Spriggs is the man.

Q. Was there any name on the cart - A. I cannot say. I was from home at the time that the cart arrived. As I came to the end of the street, the cart was with the tail at the door of my warehouse. I saw it turn round, and Spriggs jumped on the fore part of it; and when I got up to my door, Cooper was in the act of coming out of it. The prisoner, Cooper, said to me, it is all right. Spriggs was gone away then. Cooper returned with me into my house.

Q. When you went in did you find any silk - A. I saw these three bags, and one larger. We went then into the parlour. Cooper then informed me, that these bags contained, instead of two hundred, three hundred.

Q. Did you open the bags - A. Not at that time. I told him, I could not pay him then, but I would let him have part of the money in the evening, and Cooper went away.

Q. Did you keep your promise with him in the evening - A. I did; I took him an hundred and fifty pounds; and on the Monday or Tuesday following, Cooper called at my house. I paid him the remainder of the money: one hundred and ninety-five pounds.

Q. Did any thing then pass between you and Cooper, about any more silk - A. On that day, Mr. Cooper told me he had as much more, if I choosed to take it at the same price. I agreed to have it at the same price, and on the next day I received three hundred and twenty pounds more. Cooper called that morning and said, it was coming. That silk was brought in bags by a woman, and I called with the money at Cooper's house, and paid him three hundred and sixty-five pounds for it. Cooper was not at home. I saw Mrs. Cooper a bed. That was Thursday, I think, the 16th of July.

Q. Had you then ascertained what was the weight of the first parcel that you received - A. Yes. I weighed it. It was three hundred and six pounds. The second parcel weighed three hundred and twenty-three pounds. In the second parcel I found that there were two or three hanks cut.

Q. Did you claim any deduction on account of the cut hanks - A. I did intend to make the deduction, but not finding Cooper at home, I left three hundred and sixty pounds, intending to make the deduction for the two cut hanks, of Cooper, when I saw him. I do not think that I saw Cooper again until Mr. Grant called upon me; on the latter end of August that was. He called at my warehouse. He brought a sample. I saw it was silk. I declined having it. I think he asked me, if I knew any one that would buy it. I told him, no.

Q. What did you do with the six hundred pounds weight of silk - A. I sold the whole of it to a silk manufacturer of the name of Green, No. 1, Worship-square; in the neighbourhood.

Q. What did you get for it - A. Six-and-twenty and sixpence.

  THOMAS GREEN . I am a ribbon manufacturer. I live in Worship-square, near Mr. Gibbs.

Q. On the 10th of July last, did you purchase any quantity of silk of him - A. Mr. Gibbs shewed me a sample on the next day. I agreed to buy it at twenty-six shillings and sixpence. I received it on the 11th.

Q. How much was there of it - A. Three hundred and six pounds, I believe, I afterwards purchased three hundred and twenty-six pounds of him at the same price.

Q. What did you do with these two parcels of silk - A. I sent them to be thrown, at Mr. Percival's, a silk throwster, at Bruton, in Somersetshire.

Q. to Friend. Produce one of the bags, and hand up one or two of the hanks. Mr. Green, was it that sort of silk - A. It was nearly the same as that. I never purchased any raw silk in my life before.

MR. BOOSFIELD. Q. I believe you are a silk-broker - A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember, about the 10th of July, Mr. Green shewing you a skein of silk - A. Yes; a skein of Valencia raw silk. It is impossible to swear to silk out of the packages. It was the same description of silk, as is produced by Friend. Mr. Green asked me the value of this silk. I told him referring to the East India Company's silk, in August, there were three thousand seven hundred bales, and a further prospect of two thousand more in November following, I did not think that he ought to have ventured more than twenty-eight shillings and six pence. That is ten months credit. That is the common credit.

MR. PERCIVAL. Q. We understand you are a proprietor of silk mills, at Bruton, in Somersetshire. Did you, any time in July last, receive any silk from London, for the purpose of throwing - A. I did. I received a letter from Mr. Thomas Green. The letter was dated the 14th; and on the 20th, I received sixty pound weight of silk by the coach. On the 27th I received two hundred and forty-six pounds by the waggon. On the 31st, I received three hundred and twenty-six pounds more; making, in all, six hundred and thirty-two pounds, from Mr. Thomas Green. I throwed three hundred and fourteen pounds, and returned it to him in August, 14th.

Q. What had you done with the rest of the silk - A. The rest of silk was on the mill, in work, except forty-two pounds.

Q. Did Mr. Hotchon come down to Bruton to you - A. He came down on Tuesday, the 18th. I produced to him the remaining part of the silk that had not been thrown.

Q. Did you, upon examining the silk, find that it had been damaged - A. We found several skeins cut, as if by a razor.

Q. Could that damage in the silk have arisen from carriage at all - A. No. The silk is here. Gotty, the officer, has it.

Q. What did you do with the silk - A. I had an order from Mr. Harriett of the Thames police. I returned it to him.

Q. How did you send it up - A. Four packages by the Taunton coach, and two packages by the Taunton waggon. I put my seal upon the packages before I sent them away. This is the silk.

Q. Look at a hank out of Norman's stable - A. I have looked at that, and as far as I am a judge, I should perceive it to be the same, from the length of the reel. To the best of my knowledge they are alike as silk can be. I have been acquainted with silk seventeen years.

Q. Had you any other raw Valencia - A. I had not.

  JOHN GOTTY . Q. You are a surveyor of the Thames police - A. I am.

Q. You have produced the silk that came up from Bruton, from Mr. Percival - A. I have.

Q. Did you apprehend any persons engaged in this transaction - A. I did, Cooper, at the White Swan, Ratcliffe Highway.

Q. Is that his own house - A. It is his residence, but the licence is in another name. That was his residence. I apprehended him on Thursday, the 20th of August.

Q. When did you apprehend Ivey - A. I think on the 31st of August.

Q. Cooper was confined in the House of Correction, Cold bath-fields - A. He was.

Q. Did you receive directions from Cooper, while he was in the House of Correction, to go to Chadwell - A. When Cooper was at the office he gave directions for me to go to Horndon-on-the-Hill, in Essex.

Q. What, near to Chadwell - A. No. Cooper gave me directions to go to Horndon.

Q. To go for what - A. A quantity of silk.

Q. Who did he send with you - A. Mrs. Cooper, his wife, went with me.

Q. Did you go to the place where he directed you to Horndon-on-the-Hill, the village, did you receive any silk there - A. There I took possession of five hundred pounds weight of silk. His wife went and pointed out the place to me.

Q. At whose house was it - A. It was delivered to me in a cart, on the road. We went together to Horndon. She came to me with a cart, and the silk in it.

Q. Have you the silk here - A. I have.

Q. Produce a part of it - A. This is a hank of it.

Q. to Mr. Percival. Look at that. Is that raw Valencia silk - A. To the best of my knowledge, it is. It corresponds with the silk I had.

  LOUISA EWER . Q. I believe you are a feather-maker, residing in Cannon-street, St. George's in the East - A. I am.

Q. Do you know the prisoner, Cooper - A. Yes.

Q. How far is your house from the prisoner, Cooper's house - A. It is about ten minutes walk.

Q. Did you at any time, and when, receive a message to go to Cooper's house - A. To be positive I cannot say.

Q. How long was it before you were examined at the office - A. I said then, I believe, about two months. In consequence of that message I went to Mr. Cooper's, and he shewed me white ostrich feathers. He offered them to me at forty shillings a pound. There were about three pounds of them; and if I liked them perhaps there might be more, he said.

Q. Did you purchase them - A. I did not reckon myself a sufficient judge. I told him, if it would not be inconvenient to him to stop half an hour, I would return again. I went, and brought a Mrs. Bloomfield, a partner of mine. Upon my getting to Mr. Cooper, he was alone. This was on the Monday I went to him again. Mr. Cooper was then sitting in his bar. We both of us went in, me and Mrs. Bloomfield, into the back room, I think, the kitchen.

We looked at the feathers ourselves; Mr. Cooper was not present. He told us to go in. We then came out, and offered him 4 l: for them; he would not take it. He said they did not belong to him, he could not take the money. He then said he would take 5 l. for them.

COURT. Do you mean to be positive - A. Not to be positive; I do not.

COURT. Then you had better say nothing at all.

Q. to Friend. Produce the ostrich feathers you found in Norman's stable - A. These are them

Q. to Mrs. Ewer. These feathers are in an unmanufactured state, as they come from abroad - A. Yes.

Q. In what state were the feathers that were shewn to you by Ceoper - A. They were also in an unmanufactured state.

Mr. Knapp. The feathers you were talking about were white feathers - A. Yes.

Q. These that I observe, that are now produced, are not white, but brown and black - A. Yes.

Q. Still the conversation was about white feathers. Did Cooper, in the conversation to you, give you to understand that he was not selling them for himself, but for another person - A. Yes, for another person.

  JAMES GEORGE . Q. Are you employed by Mr. Gibbs, the silk manufacturer - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know Mr. Green - A. Yes, I know where he lives.

Q. Did Mr. Gibbs, in July last, employ you to carry any silk to Mr. Green - A. Yes.

Q. Did you deliver the silk that you received from Mr. Gibbs, to Mr. Green, in the same state - A. Yes.

Q. to Mr. Gibbs. Is that man, George, the person by whom you sent that silk - A. It is.

Q. to Mr. Green. Is that the man that brought you that silk - A. It is.

  ROBERT GRANT . Q. You are a partner in the house of Read, Bell, and Co. - A. I am.

Q. First look at that paper, and tell me whether your house paid the duties for that silk mentioned there - A. Yes, we did.

COURT. What are your employment - A. General merchants.

Mr. Bolland. Was the consignment of that silk put into your hands to go to London - A. It was.

Q. Did you send the money from your house to pay the duties, by   Thomas Arnett - A. Yes, I did.

Q. In consequence of information of this robbery, did you cause either of the prisoners to be apprehended - A. I caused Cooper to be apprehended.

Q. Were you present at the Thames police-office, at the examination - A. I was.

Q. Was Mr. Gibbs examined - A. He was.

Q. Was what Mr. Gibbs said committed to writing - A. That I cannot recollect.

Mr. Bolland. I am now proposing to give the declaration of the prisoner, Cooper, which the magistrate is not bound to take down, and which he seldom does take.

  EDWARD WILLIAM SIMMONS . Q. You are the head clerk of the Thames Police - A. I am.

Q. Take that book in your hands and turn to the 20th of August, and see whether Cooper was brought and examined at the office - A. He was; I do not find any thing taken down that he said.

Q. to Mr. Grant. You told me you were present at the Thames Police, on the 20th of August - A. I was.

Q. Was Mr. Gibbs examined that day - A. He was.

Q. Before Cooper was examined at all, did you hear Cooper say any thing about this silk - A. I heard Mr. Cooper declare, that he never sold the silk to Mr. Gibbs; Mr. Gibbs was present when Cooper made that declaration.

Q. Do you know what raw Valencia silk was worth, in July last; you have seen this silk before - A. I have seen it in various places. It was worth, in July last, thirty-four shillings a pound, if it came to our hands, we expected to get thirty-five shillings a pound for it.

Mr. Andrews Have you not had the opportunity of knowing, that a good deal of this silk is smuggled into this country - A. That I do not know. I think it is sometimes.

  THOMAS ARNETT . I am a clerk in the house of Read, Bell, and Co.

Q. Were you sent by Mr. Grant, on the 6th of June last, to pay the duty - A. I was; four hundred and fifty pound was the whole of the duty, - I paid a deposit of the duty.

  THOMAS FARROW . I am a silk-broker. I live at No. 36, Cornhill.

Q. In the month of July last, did you show any sample of silk to Mr. Prater - A. I did.

Q. What specie of silk - A. Valencia raw silk.

Q. How long before you delivered it to Mr. Prater, had you received it -  A. George Harris , the prisoner, called on me on the 10th of July.

Q. How long before that had the sample been left at your house - A. I cannot answer; but on the 10th it was on my sample-board, with others. I cannot say when it was left. On the 10th,   George Harris called; he said that he had left me a sample of silk, some days before. It was about ten in the morning, on the 10th, when he called on me. He first told me that he had got one hundred-weight, and afterwards he told me that he had another hundred-weight, in all, about two hundred weight.

Q. What price did he ask for it - A. Twenty-six shillings a pound, ready money, for it. He told me that he had refused twenty-five shillings of Mr. Ballard, of Little Love-lane.

Q. Had you seen the sample on the day before - A. To the best of my recollection, I never knew of it until the 10th of July.

Q. How are you able to recollect it was the 10th of July - A. I was then preparing two checks on my banker, for two lots of silk I had bought at the India-house. I have my book of checks here. I wrote upon the check, and that enables me to say it was the 10th of July.

Q. How soon after did you show that sample to Mr. Prater - A. I think, on the 14th of July I showed the sample to Mr. Prater.

Q. Did you tell Mr. Prater the price that Harris had put upon it - A. I did; twenty-six shillings a pound.

Q. To whom did you refer him as the owner - A. I mentioned George Harris.

Q. Had you before this time, known   George Harris - A. I had known him about a year and a half, by reason of his brother working a commission where I was a creditor; I mean his brother Samuel, an attorney. I had known him as clerk to his brother.

Q. After you had delivered a sample of the silk to Mr. Prater, did you see   George Harris - A. I did, at his brother's office; his brother was present. I told   George Harris that Mr. Prater was to have it at twenty-six shillings.   George Harris agreed to it. He said he could not deliver it for two days. It was delivered to Mr. Prater, on the 17th. I attended the delivery on the 17th;   George Harris was present.

Q. Where was it delivered - A. At Mr. Prater's, in Noble-street.

Q. How was it brought to Mr. Prater's - A. In corn sacks, by a woman. The woman brought it at twice; the delivery took about an hour.

Q. Was the silk weighed - A. It was, while Harris was there. Mr. Prater was not at home; his clerk, Mr. Cottes, received it for him. The sack had  I. I. Gaunt upon it.

Q. to Gotty. Is that name upon the sacks, that you had from Cooper - A. It is.

Q. to Mr. Farrow. Did you, the next morning, see Mr. Prater - A. I did, that was the 18th. He desired me to inform George Harris, that he would have nothing to do with the silk. Upon this I went to   George Harris ; I saw him at his brother's. I told him the message I had from Mr. Prater. When I saw the sacks at Mr. Prater's, I said I would have nothing to do with it, it resembled the silk that I had seen at Union-hall. I told   George Harris it was like the silk that had been produced at Union-hall, said to be stolen, and I would have nothing to do with it.

Q. I take it for granted, Mr. Farrow, that this robbery had made a great sensation in the silk trade - A. It had.

Q. Now, sir, after this were you applied to by Mr. Grant, to know who was your principal in this transaction of the silk - A. I was, and upon being so applied to I went to   George Harris to know his commission. I told him, that Mr. Grant had applied to me to give up the name of the principal. George Harris said, he hoped there would be no necessity, as the silk belonged to very honourable people. Mr. Grant applied to me again and again. I applied to   George Harris three time, at last   George Harris consented to give up his name.

Q. For months before that period, had any raw Valencia silk been in the market - A. Not for five or six months.

Q. to Gotty. Produce some of the silk found at Mr. Perceval's a hank or two of it - A. Gotty produced it.

Q. to Mr. Farrow. Was it exactly like that as possible - A. Surely

Q. to Friend. Produce some silk found at Norman's stable, which was produced at Union-hall - A. Friend produced it.

Q. to Mr. Farrow. Was it such silk as that - A. This is similar to what I saw at Union-hall, and it resembles that I saw at Mr. Prater's, they appear to be alike; and this hank of Mr. Perceval's silk, this is a cut skein, it is the same specie of silk.

  WILLIAM COTTY . Q. I believe you are clerk to Mr. Prater, a silk manufacturer in Noble-street, is that in the city of London - A. It is.

Q. On the 14th of July, did Mr. Farrow call upon Mr. Prater - A. He did, and he came on the 17th.

Q. On that day was any silk delivered - A. There were two parcels in sacks. It was Valencia raw silk. A woman brought it, who had the appearance of being a porter at market; she brought it in a basket. The silk was contained in a sack, like a sack of peas. It was such a sack as Gotty produced. There was I. and I. Gaunt on the sack.

Q. Who attended the delivery of them sacks - A. Mr. Farrow first came, and in a few minutes George Harris, the prisoner, came. One sack had been delivered before Mr. Farrow came. Mr. Farrow and   George Harris were present when the woman brought the second sack. The silk was weighed in the presence of   George Harris and Mr. Farrow; it weighed 190 lb. both parcels.   George Harris came there as the principal, to see the silk weighed, as I supposed. Mr. Farrow was the broker, he took the weight.

Q. Did you then know that   George Harris was an attorney's clerk - A. I did, I knew that before. The silk came in about eleven in the forenoon; the sacks were left in our warehouse. When Mr. Prater came in, I shewed him the silk, and informed him the manner they came. After that, there was some communication made to Mr. Farrow.   George Harris came again to our warehouse. On the 18th, between ten and eleven o'clock in the morning   George Harris said the silk was to go back, and he said it was requisite he should leave his signature with me; that if a person brought a note to correspond with that signature, I was to deliver the silk to them. This is the signature he wrote; then he left me. Shortly after, the same woman who had delivered it the day before, came; she brought with her the order for delivery. This is the order she gave me. It is directed,

'To Mr. Prater, Esq. Noble-street, Cheapside, Sir, please to deliver the goods to the bearer, signed,   George Harris .' I delivered all the goods to the woman, and she took the two sacks away with her. I knew   George Harris before, to be an attorney's clerk. I certainly considered the silk was not in right hands.

  WILLIAM PRATER . I am a silk manufacturer in Noble-street. On the 14th of July, Mr. Farrow brought me a sample of raw Valencia silk; he asked twenty-six shillings a pound for it. I desired to see the bulk; it was sent in on the 17th of July. I was not present when it came in; I saw it there when I came home. I expected to see the bulk in the seller's warehouse, but when I got home I saw it in my warehouse. I desired my clerk to see Mr. Farrow, that he might send for it back again. The packages and mode of delivery were suspicious. I saw it was raw Valencia silk; I believed it to be part of the silk stolen out of the hoy.

COURT, to Mr. Farrow. The silk was delivered to

Mr. Prater on the 17th, did you on that day, receive any intimation that the silk was to be taken away - A. I believe it was the 18th Mr. Cotty brought the message, and desired it to be taken back.

Q. to Mr. Cotty. What day was it Mr. Prater said any thing to you on the silk - A. On the 18th I knew Mr. Farrow was out of town, and I took the message to him on the 11th.

  WILLIAM BALLARD Q. Do you know the prisoner, George Harris - A. Yes, I have seen him; he is brother to Mr. Harris, the attorney.

Q. Before the 10th of July, had he offered you any sample of raw Valencia silk - A. No.

Q. Then I need not ask you whether you had offered him twenty-five shillings a pound for it - A. I never could, no such circumstance ever took place. I once had a transaction with him, in 1810. He shewed me a sample of silk; he had another person with him. He asked forty-six shillings for it; money, he said, -

  Edward William Simmon . Q. You have told us you were chief clerk of the Thames Police - A. I am.

Q. Can you give me the day on which the persons charged with the robbery, were first examined - A. I can; on the 19th of July, the first day. James Bampton and   Joseph Knox , were first apprehended, as well as   William Allen , who is not now here. On the 10th, the prisoner, Winter, and   George Brown were apprehended, and on the 11th,   William Henry Winter , who is not here.

Q. The last examination that took place, on this subject, did   Samuel Harris and   George Harris appear as attorneys for the persons charged - A. The second examination took place on the 17th of July, and on that day   Samuel Harris attended professionally, for the prisoners, but whether the prisoner,   George Harris , was there on that day, I cannot recollect.

Q. After Mr. Cooper was apprehended, and Mr. Farrow had been examined, do you remember   George Harris being asked any question respecting the silk that went to Mr. Prater's - A. There was no regular charge made against him. The magistrate told him, if he was willing to clear his character, he had an opportunity. I would explain to the Court, I cannot speak positive, but from what is taken down.

Mr. Harmer. Q. Were you present at the time Mr.   George Harris was questioned upon this subject - A. I was Mr. Harriott, the magistrate, advised the prisoner, Harris of his situation. Mr. Farrow, Mr. Prater, and Mr. Cotty had been examined. The magistrate then said to George Harris, there was a quantity of silk, which appears to have been brought to your possession, do you chuse to offer any explanation? if you do I am ready to hear it.   George Harris then consulted with his brother and Mr. Bellas, and after some little time, perhaps five or ten minutes, elapsed, he said he, he had made up his mind to inform the magistrate. Mr. Bellas said, the only hesitation that   George Harris had, arose from professional educant.

Q. What reply was made to that - A. He was left to do as he pleased, not the least threat or promise was made to him; it was entirely a voluntary act of his own. He then began his narrative, sitting by the side of Mr. Simmons, the clerk, who took down what he said from his own mouth. I heard it, and Mr. Simmons frequently repeated the words that he had written, to see if he was correct.

Mr. Simmons. I took from his mouth what he said. About the latter end of last June, I received a sample of silk of the prisoner Cooper, which I was to sell at two-and-a-half commission; that sample I left at Mr. Farrow's. I saw him some few days afterwards, and asked him if he had a customer for it. He asked me how much it was. I told him twenty-six shillings. I saw him again a few days after, when he gave me the direction of Mr. Prater; he told me that Mr. Prater would purchase the silk, and that it was to be delivered to him the next day. I saw Mr. Cooper in consequence, and gave him Mr. Prater's direction. I understood it was not delivered on the next day, and called on Mr. Cooper again. Mr. Cooper then said it was some miles in the country, that it was smuggled silk, and he was obliged to bring it as privately as he could for fear it should be seized. I am most certain, that I intimated to Mr. Farrow of the silk being a few miles in the country; and being smuggled was the cause of it not being sent in. A few mornings afterwards, the prisoner, Cooper called at my brother's office, and told me the silk had been sent in. I went to Mr. Farrow, and told him, the person had sent the silk in; he said, go on, meaning to Mr. Prater's, and I will follow you. I went to Mr. Prater's, some of the silk had been delivered, and while I was there, an Irishwoman came in with the bag of silk. Mr. Farrow called on me, I think, the same afternoon, and said Mr. Prater did not approve of the silk, and therefore desired me to tell the person to fetch it back again. I immediately went to Mr. Prater, saw Mr. Cotty, and wrote my name, saying, that I thought it was proper to sign my name on paper; that if any person came with a note of mine appearing like that, the silk might be re-delivered. The note was then produced to him, and he says that is the note; and which I delivered to Cooper. I did not see any of the silk except the sample before or after I saw the bag sent to Prater.

Q. to Friend. Was the silk that Mr. Farrow saw at Union Hall, the silk found in Norman's stable - A. Yes, and the silk I produce here.

Q. to Mr. Saunders. Do you know any shoal or sand called the Lappell, in the river Medway - A. Yes, very well, that is, in the county of Kent.

  RICHARD DE BEUFRE . - I am a silk-broker.

Q. Are you acquainted with Valencia silk - A. Perfectly. It is a silk much sought for, by being of a good texture. In the month of May, was the last consignment. I purchased it, and sold it for thirty-nine shillings a pound, ten months credit. In July last, it was worth thirty-three shillings a pound. I should have been very glad to have given thirty-four shillings a pound for it. I have seen the silk produced by Gotty and Friend, it is Valencia raw silk.

Winter's Defence. My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Jery. I stand in this unpleasant situation, charged with a robbery. I find myself incompetent to address this numerous assembly; I solemnly avow that I am innocent, and the witness, Brown, by screening himself, would wish to deprive me of my existence.

Allen's Defence. My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Jury. I most solemnly assert my innocence; I am innocent

of the robbery. I humbly trust, that you will weigh the evidence of the witness Brown, who, to screen himself, wishes to launch me and my wife and family into misery.

Taylor's Defence. My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Jury. I solemnly assert that I am innocent; and that I had not the least concern in the robbery; the witness, Brown, is the most abandoned character; he would not scruple to swear black is white; having stated this, I beg for mercy.

Knox's Defence. I am innocent of the charge laid against me. So help me God

Irey's Defence. I am innocent of the charge, and humbly pray that you will weigh the evidence of Brown, whose character will not bear the slightest investigation; who, to screen himself, would deprive me of life, and plunge my wife and family into misery. I beg for mercy.

Cooper's Defence. My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Jury. It is true, I bought 100 lb. weight of silk. I bought it for smuggled. It is true, I sold to Mr. Gibbs 706 lbs. I sold it to him for smuggled. I knew no otherwise. When I was taken up, I denied giving up the parties whom I had bought it of, for fear they should be exchequered. I was taken to Coldbath-fields; there Mr. Grant, the supposed owner of the silk came to me. He asked me if I had any more silk than what I sold to Mr. Stevens and Gibbs. I told him I had. He asked me if I would resign it up. I told him, my Lord, as I came down to the office, I would let him know. When I came to the office, sooner than have my name brought in question of a felonious transaction, I gave the officer an information where the remainder of the silk was, that I had in my possession. My wife went with Mr. Gotty, the officer, by my order, and brought the silk to the Thames Police. My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Jury, can you imagine a man placed in the same situation as I am, possessed of two houses, one in Ratcliffe higway, in which I was turning ten thousand pounds annually; and another in Piccadilly, which I was turning seven thousand pounds a year. Do you, my Lord, and Gentlemen, believe, that a man situated as I am, would have been guilty of any felonious transaction of buying this silk, knowing it to have been stolen. I have a wife and five small children, under the age of seven; I have another family to support, that is destitute to the world, with thirteen children; and, under these circumstances, I shall leave it to you. My Lord, and Gentlemen, I am not able to speak any more.

Harris's Defence. May it please your Lordship and Gentlemen of the Jury. I stand before you charged with feloniously receiving 109 lbs. of silk, being part and parcel of the 10 bales stolen from the Sisters, hoy. I therefore implore your attention to two or three circumstances; first, at the time I received the sample of silk, whether at that time I knew it to be a sample of the silk stolen, or whether I did not receive it under a false representation of it being smuggled silk. Gentlemen, at that time, I did not know that it was stolen. I am sure your Lordship and Gentlemen of the Jury will say, that is a small part of ten bales, is 190 lbs. and that I have been an innocent victim; and that at the time I shewed the sample, I thought it was smuggled. I was ignorant of the silk being stolen at the time; and I trust the Gentlemen of the Jury will say so.

Winter called six witnesses, who gave him a good character.

Taylor called six witnesses, who gave him a good character.

Allen called six witnesses, who gave him a good character.

Knox called six witnesses, who gave him a good character.

Cooper called two witnesses to his character.

Harris called six witnesses, who gave him a good character.

WINTER, GUILTY , DEATH , aged 30.

ALLEN, GUILTY , DEATH , aged 42.

TAYLOR, GUILTY , DEATH , aged 22.

IVEY GUILTY , aged 26,

Confined One Year in Newgate , and fined 1 s.

KNOX, NOT GUILTY .

COOPER, GUILTY , aged 36.

Transported for Fourteen Years .

HARRIS, NOT GUILTY .

Names of the Jury that tried this cause:

  Thomas Terry .

  Barnard Evans .

  Robert Swansborough .

  John Lewis .

  Matthew Kemp .

  John Powell .

  Francis Bassett .

  Thomas Stanton .

  Thomas Freeman .

  Thomas Fountaine .

  William Burton .

  Joseph Gunn .

London Jury, before Mr. Baron Thompson.