The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

724, 725. (2d. M.)   RICHARD BRADLEY and   THOMAS CARTER were indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling house of   William Keep , on the 18th of September , about the hour of ten in the night, and stealing six silver table spoons, value 3 l. two silver salts, value 20 s. two silver salt spoons, value 2 s. one silver pepper box, value 10 s. one pair of silver tea tongs, value 5 s. fourteen silver tea spoons, value 28 s. a silver milk pot, value 15 s. three silver punch ladles, value 20 s. a silver pap spoon, value 5 s. a child's coral set in silver, value 8 s. four pair of silver shoe buckles, value 30 s. two silver stock buckles, value 5 s. a sattin gown, value 5 s. two stuff petticoats, value 10 s. a linen counterpane, value 3 s. a printed bound book called the Holy Bible, value 1 s. two linen curtains, value 2 s. three linen towels, value 6 d. thirty guineas, and 20 l. 10 s. in monies numbered, the property of the said William, in his dwelling house . *

  William Keep . I live in  Fleet-market ; on the 18th of September, about five in the afternoon, my wife was gone out, before I went from my house, to go to Fleet-market; I left my house safe, particularly my fore door; I had been out at the back door just before; I went out and put it to after me; I know it had been latched; there is a wall behind my house; getting over that wall persons can get round at my back door. At nine at night I sent my wife from the market to get supper; she was absent twenty minutes: then she came back and said my house had been robbed; I saw all these things there when I went out at five in the afternoon; there were forty guineas in a cupboard locked up in the same room; I saw that money there on Saturday morning; when I went out in the afternoon I left nobody at home; on my wife's giving me this information I hurried home. My wife had locked the street door; it had been opened and locked again by my wife.

  Elizabeth Keep . My husband sent me home, but when I came to unlock the door I found it bolted on the inside that I could not open it; somebody within unbolted it whilst I was at the door. I found the back door standing wide open, and when I went up stairs I missed the plate and the money. Upon opening the house, the back door I had left latched (for I took particular notice it was latched when I pulled it to) that I found open; it is a latch that might be opened on the outside of the house. When I went up stairs this cupboard door where the plate was kept was open; the room was in disorder, and all the plate gone, and the money gone out of the closet in the room, and a great deal of wearing apparel taken away; I alarmed my neighbours; there was a girl gave some information; upon which I went to Sir   John Fielding 's; Mr. Dinmore made an enquiry of the little girl, and from some description the girl gave Dinmore, he went and found out Bradley; before we took Bradley, the prisoner Carter came to me at the Crown, and said he would be glad to speak to me; he said Mrs. Keep I can shew you where Bradley is, for we have been together the best part of the day; I said we were in search of Bradley; Carter said he was over the water; Dinmore went with me over the water; at last we met Bradley; Dinmore seized him and he was sent to Bridewell: Carter was a next door

but one neighbour; I had no suspicion at this time of him; but upon information of Barnsby an accomplice in the affair, Carter was about a week after taken up; Barnsby had been taken up just before, and gave information of Carter.

  William Bumford . On Sunday morning the 19th of September, I went into a public house in Cold Bath-fields; I saw Bradley drinking; he had a great quantity of gold; he did not use to have much; he had seven guineas he wanted to have weighed.

  John Dinmore . I am a constable of Clerkenwell: having heard at the watch-house Bradley had been weighing gold, I gave information about Bradley. I was at the taking of him on the Tuesday following in Southwark; I searched him; nothing was found on him; I charged him with the fact; he denied it. After Bradley had been at Sir   John Fielding 's I had some conversation with him, and then he did acknowledge Crofts and Barnsby were concerned with him in the robbery at Mr. Keep's. He gave me directions next day where I might go in Gravel-lane to search for goods, but I found none of them.

  John Cadlow . I took Barnsby.

  George Barnsby . Bradley, Crofts, and I, were at the Sun in Green Arbour-court one afternoon drinking; Carter came in, and called Bradley out; he staid with him about ten minutes and then came in again; then Bradley called me out and said now is the time to go and rob Keep's house, they are both out at market. Accordingly I, Crofts, Bradley and Carter went out together; Carter went first; at last Bradley stopped and said this is the place; accordingly I got over the wall and Crofts followed me over; Bradley and Carter staid on the outside of the wall; I went and opened the latch of the back door; it being dark I went back to the wall after I had opened the door; there I found Bradley and Carter; I told them I wanted a light; Carter wanted to go away; presently he fetched me a tinder box and candle, which I gave him; he took the tinder box and candle and went back into the house with Crofts; there he struck a light; presently after this Bradley came over the wall and came to me; we all three went into the house together; we went up stairs and plundered the drawers; then we went to the corner cupboard; we took away the plate; I do not know the particulars; there were table spoons and salts among them. After that we went to the closet in the same room; Crofts broke it open; I saw money lying in two boxes when they broke them open; there was gold in one box and silver in the other; Bradley and Crofts took the money while I was searching and packing up the linen I found there; Bradley ran down stairs, I and Crofts went after him; Carter had the handkerchief that had the linen; we went over the wall; Carter was gone; he was there when I came back for the light, but was gone after we had robbed the house; Bradley then went, as I believe, to Carter, to the Sun ale-house, and Crofts helped me up with the linen, and then Crofts and I went to one Muling's, in Blue-court, Saffron-hill; I left the linen there all night; Crofts and I then went to the Sun, and found Bradley and Carter together; we paid the reckoning there; then we all four came out of the Sun together; as we went along Carter wanted some money, and Crofts gave him a guinea. Carter had refused at first to go and be concerned in breaking open the house; he said he would be satisfied with a guinea, and would desire nothing more of us; then Carter left us. Then Crofts, Bradley, and I, went to Saffron Hill; there we shared the money; my share of the money came to twelve pounds. Though Carter at first said he would be contented with a guinea, and would not accept of any other share in the money, yet a day or two after I met him, and he insisted he should have a share of the money, and if we did not give him a share of it, he would give information against Bradley. On Monday afternoon we sold the plate for six guineas and a half; that was shared with myself, Crofts, and Bradley. I had no share of the linen, Crofts and Bradley made a hand of that.

  Elizabeth Keep . I left the outer door of my house locked; I found it locked when I returned; when I unlocked it, it would not open, because it was bolted; at last I heard somebody inside unbolt it.

Barnsby. Whether Bradley unbolted the door or not I cannot tell, I thought we had left it bolted when we all came away; we did not hear a woman at the door at all when we came away from the house.

For Carter.

  Thomas Marsh . I am a whitesmith on Great Saffron-hills I have known Carter seven years; he worked with me near three years; he behaved as well as man possibly could do; he was

generally in early and staid late at night; he behaved soberly and lost no time; I think him to be an honest man. I have twelve or fourteen journeymen.

  BRADLEY Guilty . Death .

  CARTER Acquitted .