The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

690.   JAMES CHESUNT was indicted for stealing, on the 29th of March , twenty-four panes of glass, value 4l. 10s. , the goods of   George Priest .

  GEORGE PRIEST . I am a plumber . On the 29th of March, I had twenty-four panes of glass cut out of two sashes, at a building, in  Lower Islington -the frames were unhung.

  HENRY DODD . I am a brick-maker. On the 29th of March, about seven o'clock in the morning, I was going home, and saw the prisoner by an archway, in a ditch, in Hoxton-fields - He was pulling several turfs of grass up, and putting them under the archway - He saw me, and I

hid myself - He came out, looked about, and went back, and took a basket - He then came out, and went away - I went under the archway, and found twelve panes of glass, in an apron, under the turf - I shewed them to Etteridge - We went after the prisoner, and secured him, in Moorfields - He had the basket with him, and glass in it - He fell down on purpose, and broke it - I asked him what he did that for - He said, what would not a man do to save himself, and wanted us to let him go - He pleaded distress - I am positive he is the man.

  THOMAS ETTERIDGE . I pursued the prisoner, accompanied by Dodd - We followed him quite close, till he got to Moorfields - He sat down there, and had the basket between his legs - I said you have left part of your load behind - He said, no - I told him it was like the glass that was under the turf - I secured him at the corner of Brokers'-row - He threw the basket down, and broke the glass - He said, if I would let him go, he would say where he got it - He said, it was taken out, and given to him - He tell down on purpose, and trod on the glass - He said, it was of no use to him, and should be to no one else, and it was his own basket, and he would do as he liked with it - I tried the squares with the sashes - They exactly fitted.

(Property produced and sworn to.)

GUILTY . Aged 52.

Transported for Seven Years .

Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Recorder.