The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

249. (M.)   Arthur Hambleton was indicted for stealing one worked linen handkerchief, called Dresden, three linen gowns, one-linen bib, one linen apron, two other gowns, one sattin gown, three linen petticoats, one other petticoat, one linen shift, one pair of ruffles, one linen tablecloth, one pair of plated shoe-buckles, one cloak, three breadths of a damask gown, one pair of linen sheets, two linen table-cloths, twelve napkins, twenty-three linen clouts, two womens waistcoats, one child's coral, two salt spoons, six china cups, and six china saucers, one linen gown, one white silk lining to a gown, one silver snuff-box , one silver picture-case, one silver tea-spoon, eighteen mocoa buttons, one clock without a case, one linen waistcoat, two laced handkerchiefs, one linen handkerchief, two linen worked handkerchiefs, five linen shifts; four linen caps, two ells of linen; one muslin handkerchief with a border, six napkins, eight other napkins, four table-cloths, three pair of sheets, two pair of thread stockings, three pewter dishes, seven pewter plates, two water-plates, one black waistcoat, one scarlet ditto , the goods of   William Ing , March 30 +

  Mary Ing . My husband is now in the king's-bench prison, on the other side of the water; I am with him at present; I had a lodging in Faulcon-court there, and another on this side the water at   Mr. Rumley 's, a taylor, in  Clare Court . I lost the goods mentioned in the indictment; out of that last mentioned lodging.

Q. When were they taken?

Ing. They were begun to be taken in January last, and ended in the month of March, I believe. The prisoner lodged and boarded with us

about three years; but I never had a shilling for his lodging and board.

Q. Where did you live when he lodged with you?

Ing. Then I lived in Craven-buildings in the Strand.

Q. What have you to say against him now?

Ing. He came and asked it as a peculiar favour, that my husband would indulge him, two or three nights in January last, to let him lie at our lodgings in Clare-Court.

Q. Where was your husband then?

Ing. He was then in the King's-Bench prison; there we let him lodge, and there were all these goods mentioned; but he took the liberty of staying longer, for he was there three months.

Q. Had you beds in your lodgings ?

Ing. I had several; he came over to me, and desired me to be careful about my lodgings. I had no good opinion of him. I went over the 21st or 22d of May, in order to look over my goods; I unlocked a cabinet, and found the bolts had been forced, and it had been opened without unlocking; out of that I missed a Dresden waistcoat, a silver snuff box, one Holland shirt, one worked apron, and I believe a handkerchief or two.

Q. When had you seen these things you mention before?

Ing. I saw them the last time I had looked in it, which was about two months before?

Q. Did any body lie in that lodging besides the prisoner ?

Ing. Yes, my son lay there on nights, but was not there on days all the time the prisoner did; he used to come to me at about eight o'clock most mornings, and to go there by ten at night. I missed a quantity of pewter, a tea-kettle, some china cups and saucers, and a clock without a case, out of the kitchen.

Prisoner. I acknowledge I took many things and pawned for their use.

Cross examination.

Q. How is your husband supported in prison?

Ing. By his own fortune: he has got an estate in the city of pretty near 200 l. per year.

Q. What does he lay in prison for?

Ing. There are only two actions against him, one for 27 l. the other for 12 l.

Q. Do you know   John Williams ?

Ing. I do; he is my son; it is he that lay in the lodgings on nights.

Q. Do you know   William Bentley ?

Ing. I do.

Q. Did he never lay in lodgings ?

Ing. He did; he was taken there by the prisoner, and my son admitted him?

Q. Had not the prisoner frequently used to come over to you and your husband?

Ing. Yes.

Q. Was he not employed by your husband to look out for a coffee-house for him ?

Ing. He was.

Q. Did you never employ him to pawn some of your things ?

Ing. No, never.

Q. Did you never employ your son to pawn things for you?

Ing. No.

Q. Did you never receive money of either of them for things that were pawned?

Ing. No, never.

Q. Do you know of your son sending the prisoner to pawn things ?

Ing. My son has told me he has given him some trifling things to carry out.

Q. Who do you imagine had the money?

Ing. I imagine the prisoner has had part, and my son a part.

Q. From January to March, had you not been over at their lodgings ?

Ing. I have two or three times; but did not open a drawer.

Q. Did your son tell you these things were going, before they were all gone?

Ing. I cannot say he told me of it till afterwards.

Q. Did not you arrest the prisoner for a debt?

Ing. I did, it was a debt of 6 l.

Q. Was he carried to prison?

Ing. He went to the Marshalsea for it; but we dropped that.

John Williams. I lay at the lodgings every night, but was frequently out every day.

Q. Was you there all the time the prisoner was in the house ?

Williams. I was; I was in some distress, and he persuaded me to send a few of the things; I sent him with seven small pictures, my own

cloaths, and a gold mourning ring, the whole were pawned for about 30 s. he took the other things I have mentioned, but Bentley took my cloaths out. He desired me to write a letter to Bentley, about two months ago, in which he was to send him a blue book, in which were all the accounts; which I find was to lay it to me, as if I knew of the whole of the things he had taken away.

Q. Did you write it as he desired?

Williams. I did in these words for the book wherein were the account of all the things.

Q. Whether you know of any goods being pawned by the prisoner at the bar, except what you have mentioned of pictures, your own cloaths, a ring, and trifling things to the amount of 30 s.

Williams. I do not. Here is a letter of his hand-writing, that he sent to my father-in-law in prison. I know it to be his hand-writing: I desire it may be read.

It is read to this purport.

Directed to   William Ing .

'' Sir,

'' I am very sorry you have proceeded so '' far; and if you will be so kind as to defer '' putting in execution, what I hear you have '' got against me, I will do any thing you shall '' require. As to my being cleared here to day, I '' cannot, until Friday next, therefore beg for '' God's sake, you will let me stay here. I will '' drop the cause and give you all the security '' you shall demand for your debt; I will get '' some gentlemen in the city to write to my '' friends, and make no doubt that they will remit '' me money to restore all your things, '' and pay all I am indebted to you. In compliance '' with this request, I shall be thankful, '' &c.

''   ARTHUR HAMBLETON .

'' P. S. I will drop the cause this day; and if '' you will please to let me know what you require '' of me, I will immediately comply with '' with it.''

Q. What business are you in?

Williams. I was some time with Mr. Wilcox, a bookseller.

Q. How are you supported?

Williams. My father-in-law supports me.

Q. Did you ever give your father and mother any account of Bentley's pawning your cloaths, and the prisoner some other things?

Williams. No, I did not.

Court. Look at this letter.

Williams. This is my own hand-writing.

Prisoner's council. I desire that may be read.

It is read to this purport.

To Mr.   William Bentley , on board the Phoenix, April 7, 1758.

'' Dear Sir,

'' I am very sorry to hear of your misfortune; '' at present am so ill, am confined to my '' room. I beg you will send me word where all '' my cloaths are, you were so kind as to leave '' for me; for I must make affidavit that they '' were my property. You have likewise a list of '' some things Mr. Hambleton took from me, '' which beg you will send by bearer, and if you '' cannot get pen, ink, and paper, beg you will '' send a verbal message.

'' Yours, &c.   JOHN WILLIAMS .

'' P. S. Mr. Hambleton says there is an account '' of all the above things in a blue book, which '' beg you will send.''

Q. Was there a blue book in Mr. Bentley's hands?

Williams. There was; it had blue leaves.

Q. Did not you know of the china and tea-kettle being taken away?

Williams. No, I never missed them; being frequently over the water.

Q. Was you at Mr. Fielding's on Mr. Hambleton's examination?

Williams. I was at his last examination.

Q. What did he say to you there?

Williams. He told me he had delivered things to him to pawn, and I had received the money for our use.

Q. from prisoner. Whether you did not come over in the morning, and say your mother wanted some money, and delivered the pictures to me to pawn for money for your mother?

Williams. It was not for my mother, neither did I say so. I wanted the money to pay for some things that were in Piccadilly.

Q. What things ?

Williams. They were some spoons that were left there at an inn. There was some money to have been paid; it was three or four shillings short.

Q. from prisoner. Whether he did not send Bentley out with some spoons to pawn for him ?

Williams. There were some salt spoons I believe I did send him with, but am not sure.

Q. Was there no other thing that you can recollect, that you sent the prisoner and Bentley to pawn?

Williams. No.

Q. from prisoner. Did you desire Bentley to break open a desk?

Williams. That was a desk of my own.

Q. from prisoner. Do you know   Robert Mills ?

Williams. Yes.

Q. from prisoner. Whether you did not desire him to come over and pawn some things for you?

Williams. That was in regard to a stone-buckle of my own.

Q. Who receives your father's rents?

Williams. He receives them himself; sometimes my mother, sometimes I do for him.

Q. How long has he been in prison?

Williams. He has been in prison three quarters of a year.

Q. What are the names of his tenants ?

Williams. Mr. Taaff in Threadneedle-street, Mr. Brown, a peruke-maker, and another gentleman that is clerk to Mr. Alexander.

Q. Was not your father protected some time before he went to prison?

Williams. I believe he was some little time.

Q. from prisoner. Was it with your consent that Bentley should be at your lodgings?

Williams. It was; and my father and mother did agree to it.

  Nancy Wilkinson . I was housekeeper to Mr. Innes, an attorney, in Gravel-lane, Southwark. The prisoner's wife came to me when I lived there, and said Nanny here is poor Hambleton: I said I thought he had been at sea. I went out after her, and heard her say to him, my dear, I want a pair of shoes; he said, my dear, what can I do? if I take any thing more out of the drawers, they will be missed. I went to Mrs. Ing, and told her what I had heard.

Q. Was Mrs. Ing and you acquainted before?

Wilkinson. No. She was quite a stranger to me.

Q. How did you know where to find her?

Wilkinson. I went to her lodgings in Faulcon-court. I had never seen her but once before.

Cross examination.

Q. When was this?

Williams. This was about three months ago.

Q. What month?

Williams. I believe it was the beginning of March.

Q. Did the prisoner and his wife come together?

Wilkinson. They did; but he was at the door.

Q. Where do you live now?

Wilkinson. I live now with Mrs. Ing.

Q. Who supports you?

Wilkinson. Mrs. Ing does.

Q. Did you ever pawn any of your master's things to support Mr. Ing?

Wilkinson. No, I never did.

Q. Nor did you ever pawn any of Mr. Ing's things?

Wilkinson. No; I took a gown of my own, and pawned it to buy snuff, and what I wanted.

  Francis Patrick . I live in Drury-lane, and am a pawnbroker; the prisoner at the bar brought several things and pledged at my house, at several times, from the 11th of February, to the 25th of March; five gowns, a sack, four petticoats, a shift, a pair of ruffles, and a pair of plated buckles. The whole were pawned for about 39 s. 6 d. I questioned him very closely; he said they were all his own wife's wearing apparel. Mrs. Ing saw them before the justice, and there swore to them.

Q. What name did he pawn them in?

Patrick. He pawned them in the name of   Thomas Lawrence .

Q. Are you sure it was the prisoner that brought them?

Patrick. I believe him to be the man.

Q. Who took them in?

Patrick. I know I saw the prisoner two or three times, but I do not know whether I or some of my people took them in.

Cross examination.

Q. Is it not a usual thing for people to pawn in feigned names?

Patrick. It is very common.

Q. Did you know the prisoner's name?

Patrick. No, I did not.

  Gilbert Murdey . I am a pawnbroker; the prisoner pledged several things at our house about January last; and on to April the 5th.

Q. How many parcels did he bring in all?

Murdey. He brought three parcels; divers things in a parcel; they were all pawned for about 3 l. pewter; a coral; and two salt shovels; they were brought last in the name of   William Ing , for 6 s. he said he lived at a taylor's in Clare-court; we went and enquired, and found Ing was in the King's-bench, and the prisoner lodged there.

A. Boythort. I live at Mr. Stone's, Princes-street; the prisoner brought some things to our house. I remember there was a girdle-buckle which Mr. Williams said he sent him with; (some sheets produced.) I cannot take upon me to say, I saw who brought them, for I did not see them taken in.

  Walter Rochfort . On the 23d of January, the prisoner pawned with me a worked handkerchief for 4 s. and before the justice I heard him own he brought and pledged it.

The prisoner said nothing in his defence; but called the following witnesses to his character.

  Sarah Roak . I have known him above a year; he lodged at my house once.

Q. What is his general character?

Roak. He has a very honest character.

Q. What was his way of living ?

Roak. He was clerk to two different people; I do not know in what way.

Q. Do you know   Nancy Wilkinson ?

Roak. I do; she told me if I came here to be evidence for him, it would be the worse for him.

Q. Did she say she came from any body with this message ?

Roak. No, she did not, but she said she told me as a friend.

Jonton Hiland Bidgar. I have known him extremly well for twenty-seven years.

Q. What has been his general character?

Bidgar. He has been very wild in spending his fortune; I never heard him charged with any thing else; he is son to a very eminent merchant in Liverpool. I do believe him to be a very honest man; he may have been guilty of some imprudencies.

  John Coverly . The prisoner lived with me about six weeks, or two months, about a year and a half ago: he behaved well then, but I know nothing of him since.

  George Ferne . I have known the prisoner ever since November 1756: I never heard any thing amiss of him till this affair.

Q. What is his general character?

Ferne. It is that of a wild young fellow; but I never heard of any felony laid to his charge.

Guilty 39 s .

[Transportation. See summary.]