The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

628.   PETER DAVIS (28) , Burglary in the dwelling-house of   John Davis, with intent to steal.

MR. DALY. conducted the Prosecution.

  ELIZABLETH DAVIS . I am the wife of John Davis, of 28, Arundel Street. Bethnal Green—on Saturday night, 5th June, about 12 o'clock. I saw the prisoner in my house; he was at the end of the passage, with the back door in his hand, which had been taken off the hinges, and a piece of candle alight—I hallowed out "Oh!—he knocked me down—I saw another man—I followed the prisoner into the garden—he knocked me down twice in the garden, and tried to make his escape through the next door, No. 30—Mr. Draper caught him—when I saw him in custody he said to me, "You are the woman, I don't mind doing six months for you ";—I missed nothing from inside the house; but two brass taps and some lead pipe were missed from the yard, by the back door—I had fastened up the house myself about 8.30 or 9 o'clock—he had got in by opening the kitchen window—I found that broken so that he could undo the fastening.

  THOMAS DRAPER . I live at 30, Anundel Street—on the night of 5th June, a few minutes after 12, I saw the prisoner in the Royal Standard, next door but one—there were two men with Hun; one stood in the road, and I watched them—I saw the other two go up the street—the prisoner turned

the corner, and went into the back yard, and then I saw him coming very quickly through the passage—I asked what he had done there—he said he had made a mistake—I went out and went up stairs to get a light, and then I came down again—I saw him coming from our workshop, and go to the closet—I called out, "Who is there?"—he said it was only a friend—I fetched Thomas Pratt, and we struggled with him, and got him through the passage—he got away, but ran into a policeman's arms—I found a hat on the Sunday morning on the tiles of the Standard public-house, just at the side wall of the prosecutor's house—I don't know whether the hat was tried on the prisoner.

Prisoner. Q. Did not you knock me down when I came out of the closet? A. Certainly I did; you wanted to get away.

  FREDERICK MARTIN . (Policeman H 135). I took the prisoner into custody in Charles Street—he was running very fast—I searched him at the station, and found on him two knives, a piece of wood, which was broken off the door, a tobacco box, some lucifer matches, and two pieces of candle—I saw that the prosecutor's door had been broken off the hinges—it was a very temporary door—the houses are very old.

Prisoner. Q. Did not I tell you that a young man named George had allowed me to go to this closet? A. Yes; but he denied it—George has gone into the country—he was no doubt concerned in this affair—his name is George Bolton—he lodged at No. 30.

Prisoner's Defence. I was in the Standard public-house, and was taken very ill. I spoke to this man called George, and he showed me to this closet, and when I came out that person struck me and ill-used me.

GUILTY .— Eighteen Months' Imprisonment.