The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

584.   WILLIAM BARTLETT was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 14th day of June last, a wainscott table, value 2 s. 6 d. the property of   Ann Main , widow .

  ANN MAIN sworn.

I am a widow woman; I take in lodgers; I lost a table on the 7th of June; I saw it on the 8th of June in the morning about nine, there was a fire behind the house; I was obliged to leave the house with every thing in it; I saw it at the watch-house; I am sure it is the same table; I know it by a mark in the place where it turns over; I have had it four years.

  WILLIAM OVERSMITH sworn.

I am watch-house keeper of St. Ann's watch-house, there was a table brought in, on the 7th of June, there was fire the back part of Falconbridge-court.

  WILLIAM MARSH sworn.

I am a watchman; I brought the prisoner, and another brought the table; the prisoner had the table on his shoulders; there was two men with him; it has been in my possession ever since.

(Produced and deposed to.)

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

A man employed me to carry it at past eleven at night; I never saw the man before; the watchman called, says he, where are you going with that table, the man that employed me said to Westminster; the watchman came up and stopped me, says I, stop the owner of the table, he is just a head of you, no, says he, I want you

Court to watchman. Did the prisoner at the bar tell you that the man who ran off was the owner of the table? - He did not.

Are you sure of that? - Yes.

Prisoner. He told the Justice that I said so; I gave him charge of the man three or four times.

GUILTY .

To be publicly whipped .

Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice HEATH.