| Reference Number | t17831210-18 |
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| Verdict | Not Guilty |
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| Actions | Cite this text Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 07 June 2023), December 1783, trial of JOHN BARNETT (t17831210-18). | Print-friendly version | Report an error |
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18. JOHN BARNETT was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 13th day of May last one man's saddle, value 10 s. one woollen girth, value 6 d. and one leather surcingle, value 6 d. the property of William Haley .
The witnesses examined apart at the request of the prisoner.
Court. What are you? - A haggler by trade.
What do you sell? - I have a green cart, I buy greens at Covent Garden, I lost the things mentioned in the indictment, but I cannot tell the day, it was sometime in May, I was riding on the saddle on horseback, and I called at one Mr. Matthews's, a publican in St. Giles's ; I alighted from my horse and had a pint of porter: When I came out I missed the saddle, it was valued at fifteen shillings; I found it four months afterwards, I offered half-a-guinea reward for it: The prisoner was in the house at the time I lost it, but he was not in company with me; I was sober; on the Monday morning I took up the landlord and another suspicion: And about three months after I heard from the prisoner, that he knew the person that had my saddle, he said he was something indebted to Matthews, and if he would not trouble his head with him, he would not trouble his head with Matthews; I found the saddle afterwards in a cellar belonging to Matthews, next door to his dwelling-house, and I took Matthews up again.
Court. What have you to charge the prisoner with? - Only what Mary Daly said.
What is she? - She lives along with Mr. Matthews, he calls her a housekeeper.
You live with Mr. Matthews? - Yes.
What are you, his wife? - No.
His house-keeper? - Yes.
Do you remember this saddle being found in your master's cellar? - I know nothing at all about it, any further than the prisoner came to me in the kitchen, and asked me for a knife to cut some stirrups.
Did you ever say Barnett was the man that stole this saddle? - No.
Court to Prosecutor. What do you call this woman for? - She swore before the justice that the prisoner was the man that stole the saddle.
Daly. I never swore any such thing in my life, I know nothing of it.
I was constable at that time, I found a saddle in a cellar belonging to Mr. Matthews in Bambridge-street, St. Giles's.
Do you know any thing against the prisoner? - No. I was at the Justice's when Mrs. Daly swore he took the saddle off the horse's back.
Court to Mrs. Daly. How is this?
Mrs. Daly. I never sworn such a thing in my life.
NOT GUILTY .
Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice WILLES.