The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

180. (M.)   Joseph Walley , was indicted for that he, on the king's highway, on   David Supino feloniously did make an assault, putting him in corporal fear and danger of his life, and taking from his person one gold watch, value 7 l. one gold watch chain, value 21 s. one gold seal, value 10 s. and ten guineas in gold, the property of the said David, and against his will , December 24 . ++

  David Supino . I was going to Stanmore in a post-chaise; a little beyond Hampstead, between  Hampstead and  Hendon , between the hours of six and eight, on Christmas evening, a person stopped the chaise, it was very dark, and small rain, I cannot tell who that person was, I saw but one man.

Q. Was you alone?

Supino. There was Mr.   Jacob Henriques de Souza with me in the same chaise, the man said, gentleman your watches and money; upon which, we gave him our watches, and both gave him some money. I gave him about 15 l. in money, but it is not said so much in the indictment. The person was very civil to us, and said, I wish you a good night, I heard nothing more of him then. After that, Mr. Fielding wrote me a card on the 29th of April, desiring my attendance there as soon as I could after the receipt of it; upon which I went to him, and he

told me there was information given him, of a gold watch and chain which had been stolen, and he believed it to be mine, that I had been robbed of. He said, he had not seen it himself, but it was at Mr. Townsend's, a silver-smith in the Borough. I went there, and found the watch to be mine, but no chain; I knew the watch, by the name and number. Mr. Fielding desired to see the watch, it was carried to him.

Q. When did you see the prisoner?

Supino. I never saw the prisoner before I saw him this night. I cannot say who it was robbed me.

Q. Are you a Jew?

Supino. I am.

Jacob Henriques de Souza. I was in the post-chaise along with Mr.   David Supino , we were going to Stanmore; a little beyond Hampstead we were attacked by a man on horseback, I do not know who he was, we delivered our watches and money to him.

Q. Have you heard Mr. Supino describe how it was?

Henriques de Souza. I have, it was done in the same manner.

Q. What did you lose?

Henriques de Souza. A metal watch, and about 7 l. in money.

Q. Do you know how many men attacked you?

Henriques de Souza. I believe only one.

Q. Did he make use of any threatnings?

Henriques de Souza. I do not remember he did, he only desired our money and watches, and used us with good manners; it was so dark we could not distinguish his person at all. Justice Fielding sent me a card to appear, but I never saw the prisoner before now.

Q. to Prosecutor. Did not the justice appoint a particular time for you to come when the prisoner would be before him.

Prosecutor. No, he did not appoint any particular time at all.

Henriques de Souza. The first time we went was on a Wednesday; the second time he appointed us to come, was on the Friday. He said, he could not shew us the person, because he was not well.

Prisoner. I was very very ill then.

Henriques de Souza. I saw my watch at Mr. Fielding's, in the hands of one Stockdale a pawnbroker, it was the same that I was robbed of that night.

  Ann Limpsey . All I know is, the gentleman ( meaning the prisoner) said to me, he was distressed for money.

Q. How came you acquainted with him?

A. Limpsey. He is a stranger to me, only he lodged in the house that I did; then he desired me to sell a watch for him. [A gold watch produced, she looked at it.] Really I cannot take my oath whether it be or be not the same; by the weight of it, I should think it may be the watch; I sold it to this gentlewoman for nine guineas, ( pointing to Mrs. Townsend.) There was a great deal of it then, there was a gold chain, and some seals to it.

Q. to Prosecutor. Look at that watch, do you know it?

Prosecutor. This is the very watch that I was robbed of that night.

Mrs. Townsend. I live in the Borough of Southwark.

Q. Have you a husband?

Townsend. I have; about the fourth of March, the last witness brought me a watch to sell; I bought it of her for nine guineas.

Q. Do you know that watch again when you see it?

Townsend. I believe that is it that is here produced; the gentleman, the prosecutor, came and owned it.

Q. Do you know the prisoner.

Townsend. I never saw him in my life before now, the woman that brought it said, it was a seafaring gentleman that owned it, and he was distressed for want of money, and I understood her, he was in the King's-bench.

Q. Was there a chain to it when you bought it?

Townsend. There was; that was taken from the watch the day it was bought; we put by that as old gold, it not being good enough to do up again.

Mr. Stockdale. [Produced another watch.] This watch I took in of the prisoner at the bar.

Henriques de Souza. This is my property, the same I lost that night.

Prisoner's Defence.

I was going to my masters, French and Bowman, for them to set me to work. I met in the Haymarket, one   Daniel Carr , he said, Joseph, I should take it as a favour, if you will come and drink a pint of beer along with me. We went in at the black-horse in Coventry-street, and had a pint of beer; he said, I am in a little distress, if you will oblige me in disposing

of a couple of watches for me. I said, I did not chuse to be concerned with watches, for my character was never stained before; he said, he would give me a crown. I took the watches of him, and told him I would if possible, but I could not dispose of them myself, but would get one to dispose of them for me, which was a woman that lived in the same place where I did the woman that is here. Accordingly, I gave her that watch, not the same day, but three, four, five or six days after. Then he said, he wished I would get a couple of guineas on the other; I said, I do not doubt but I can. Then I went away to the pawnbroker's, and got a couple of guineas upon it. After that, he said to me, have you disposed of the other watch? I said no; I do not know how to go about it. Then I gave it to this woman, and she disposed of it for nine guineas, and gave me the money, and I gave it to Carr. When I was examined before Justice Fielding, I told him the same, to the best of my knowledge; but Carr being apprehensive of my being taken, I imagine he is gone out of the way, and I do not know the place of his residence, so he has left me in the lurch, which is a cruel thing, I will not tell a lie, I have no witnesses.

Guilty Death .