The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

677.   WILLIAM BUGDEN was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 6th day of August , one cloth great coat, value 5 s. the property of   Josiah Holford , Esq . and one cloth waistcoat, value 5 s. the property of   Thomas Newby , privily in the stable of the said Josiah .

  THOMAS NEWBY sworn.

I am Mr.   Josiah Holford 's servant ; he lives at  Hampstead ; he lost the boy's great coat, on the 6th of August, out of the stable; I lost my own cloth waistcoat from the same stable; I had not pulled the waistcoat off a quarter of an hour.

Did you see the coat in the stable? - No, not till after it was missing; it was about half after eleven in the forenoon; on the Thursday following the prisoner came into the yard twice; the footman called me down and the prisoner was in the stable, he said, he wanted to see the coachman; I was called, and the prisoner said, he wanted to find his brother   Thomas Dover , whom he described a black swarthy complexioned man, with a blue coat and a red cape; I told him he should ring at the bell and not come into a gentleman's yard without; I bid him go out and he did so, and went away hanging down his head; he was taken on the Sunday following which was the 6th; I was in the kitchen and they sent for me directly, he was going to try on my waistcoat; he said was his own property; I told him it was not, and he began to cry; they wanted to duck him and let him go, but I said, he should go before the Justice; and he was taken before the Justice and committed; the waistcoat is here; he had the great coat and waistcoat together; I know it to be the boy's great coat; the prisoner said, the great coat was his working jacket.

Court. Is this boy here? - No; the boy is Mr. Holford's post-boy; I never saw the prisoner before he came in that Thursday; the stable door was open, and the gate into the yard was on the latch.

  JOSEPH PENNY sworn.

I was coming along and saw the prisoner coming under 'squire Keen's gateway with a bundle under each arm, and a pair of boots in his right hand; I have the property here; I never saw the prisoner before; be passed on about an hundred yards, and a servant came out of Mr. Clay's gateway and cried out stop thief; when he got about a hundred yards I ran after him and caught him, and he dropped the boots, and I made him take them up and carry them; I took possession of the two bundles; and I left them with Mr. Justice Montague till Monday, but they are the same coat and waistcoat that were in the bundle.

(The waistcoat deposed to.)

What is the value of that waistcoat? - I should not wish to give more than half a crown for it; I am sure this is the coat belonging to Mr. Holford's boy by the lining and the plain buttons, and seeing it on the boy's back.

What do you value the coat at? - Five shillings.

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

I saw the coat and waistcoat at the door.

What business had you to take it? - It was laying in the street; I have neither father nor mother; I am twenty-two; I come out of Wiltshire.

GUILTY, 10 d.

Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice GOULD.