The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

722.   GEORGE HENRY (42),   JOHN GRIFFITHS (52), and   DAVID HYHAM (38) , Breaking and entering the shop of   Henry Hart, and stealing 30 dozen knives, five clocks, and other articles, his property.

MESSRS. POLAND and MONTAGU WILLIAMS Prosecuted;

MR. FRITH appeared for Henry and Griffiths, and MR. COLE for By ham.

  MARY ANN CARPENTER . 1 am single—I am known also by the name of Williams—I have known Hyham about 18 months, and have lived with him since the end of March last as his wife at 29, Webber Row—I know Griffiths in the name of Beasley—he came to stay at our place on Easter Monday—we only had one room, and we made him a bed on the floor—I have seen a person who he calls his wife, and some children—I don't think he has had any other place but ours since Easter Monday lots of things and keys of all kinds were found in our place by the police in my presence—I don't know how long they had been there, because I had been away from home for a fortnight—I had seen them there from time to time—Henry and Griffiths sometimes stayed out all night, and took some of the things with them—some of the keys were kept under the head of the bed in parcels, some in the washhand-stand drawer, and some in a cupboard. (A jemmy in two pieces which screwed together was here produced)—May 2nd was my birthday, and the prisoners were at home part of the day—I went out part of the evening and came back again—Griffiths was at home all the time I was at home—he did not go to bed;

he said that he eat up in a chair to prevent overlaying himself, because they were going out early in the morning, and Henry and I slept together—Henry got up about 5 o'clock, and he and Griffiths went out and returned at a little after 6 o'clock with a sack full of things and a mason's basket—they took a quantity of knives out of the sack, and five clocks out of the basket—one was like this alabaster one, and two of the others were alike—they put them on the mantelpiece—they went out in the course of the day, and Henry said that they were going to get somebody to buy the goods—the next two days nobody called, and Griffiths slept there all the time—on the Saturday morning, May 6th, we bad no money, because they were disappointed in selling the goods, and Henry suggested that I should go and pledge some of the knives—I took six black-handled table knives and forks to Mr. Folkard, a pawnbroker in Blackfriars Road, and offered them in pledge—the pawnbroker closed the door behind me, sent for a policeman, and I was taken to the station—I was remanded on my own bail for a week, to appear on the following Saturday—I went to a friend's house in the City Road, and about 12 p.m. went back to 28, Webber Row, and found the prisoners in bed and asleep—I awoke them and told them what had occurred—they did not believe I had been locked up at all, but said that I had pledged the knives and spent the money with my friends—I missed the four clocks from the mantelpiece, and Henry said in the morning that he had sold them—I said "You sold my clock then, because you were annoyed "—he said "No, your clock is in the cupboard, but the others are sold, with some knives "—he had given me the small clock—this alabaster clock was also in the cupboard—at dinner time they both went out, and Henry said that if anybody called they were going to the public-house at the corner of the London Road—they returned at a little after 3 o'clock, and asked if anybody had been—I said "No"—they went out again after 6 and came in at 8—they believed my story then, and Henry said I was very fortunate to get out—I was going to light the lamp, and Henry said "I will light it; you had better get down, as there is somebody coming up to look at the goods "—as I went out of the room, H) ham, who I did not know, and a friend of his who I knew as Bobby Kane, came in—Griffiths came up afterwards with a pot of beer, and they were all in the room together—I went downstairs and sat with Mrs. Gordon, the landlady—they remained for an hour, and then Henry called "Folly," and gave mo 6s—he said that he had sold the things, and they would be settled for in the morning—I had no money at that time, and had borrowed 2s. of the landlady; I went out and returned to supper, and next morning about 9.30, Henry and Griffiths packed the things in a basket and bag, and took them away—they came back grumbling horribly about the price; Henry said, "If you call this thieving, I call it thieving from other people, and I think I shall turn the game up "—I asked who he had sold the things to—he said, "The old Jew "—I said, "Did you sell them to Kane?"—he said no, to his pal, that lives opposite, the old Jew—Henry said that he did not think it necessary for me to appear at the Court on the Saturday, and I took no further notice—on the following Tuesday or Wednesday, the 16th or 17th, I came home and found the prisoners out—I cannot exactly say at what time in the morning they returned, as I had no clock, Henry had pledged it—on Saturday, 27th May, I was taken in custody

on a warrant, and on the Monday, Bank Holiday, I was remanded till Thursday in custody, and after I came up on the Thursday I gave information.

Cross-examined. My real name is Mary Ann Carpenter—I have gone by the name of Williams about four years—I do so when I am with my mother, but when I stay with my friends I go by the name of Carpenter—I knew a man named Ferneux, I lived with him about four years—that is his real name I believe, but he went by the name of Williams he was convicted at this Court of housebreaking on the 18th of last October 12 months, and sentenced to five years' penal servitude, at the time I was living with him—I do not know a man named Fielding to my knowledge—I know Finsbury, but do not know Bowerbank's distillery; it may be that I know a man who was employed there—I know a clerk named Glover in Bowerbank's distillery—I may have told a lie when I said that I did not know Bowerbank's distillery at all—I never lived with Glover, I knew him about three months; he assisted to keep me—we did not occupy the same room; he has his own private residence—I do not say that he has not stayed with me all night—I believe he was prosecuted for embezzlement by his own father and tried here five or six years ago, and got five years' there are several beershops in Prevost Street, City Road—I have never heard of my being charged with stealing a watch from The Hope beershop, the property of Mr. Turner—I knew a man named Shovel by sight, about two years; I did not often speak to him, only for the last three or four months—it is over four months since I have seen him—I have not lived with him or been kept by him, nor lived under his protection—I have slept with him; I only know him as a friend of the prisoners, they call him their friend-—I do not know that he has been in prison for three months—I was discharged by the Magistrate on the charge of pawning this property—before I was discharged I saw Inspector Fox—when I took the knives to the pawnbroker's I did not not know that they were part of the proceeds of a burglary—I did not see any dentist's instruments, they were knives and forks; I knew they were stolen—I called my brother and a friend before the Magistrate to prove that I had these knives and forks six months before—I did not know they were coming to commit perjury; my brother knew nothing of it till 2 p.m., when I saw him at the House of Detention, he only went by what I told him—Mrs. Cummings was my other witness; she is not here; she swore she had seen a parcel similar to this about Christmas, but my brother never swore—he stood bail for me, and as I went out of Court I saw Inspector Fox, but had no conversation with him—I told my brother the truth—I do not expect to get anything by giving this evidence, I think it is my duty to do so—I arrived at that conclusion just lately—when I saw that two innocent men were going to suffer, I thought it was time to speak—it was for the love of justice, but it was after I had been charged myself—I was discharged at Southwark Police court, but I do not know how the case will end, I only know I am speaking the truth and I intend to do so—Griffiths was not a tenant, he was a friend of Henry's—I did not trouble about these jemmies, I knew they had no business there; they did not belong to Henry, they belonged to Griffiths—I knew they were burglars' tools—I had not seen similar tools in Ferneaux's possession, he never kept anything at home; what he did out I don't know—I did not betray him or give evidence against

him, but I do so now for the sake of two men who I never saw till last Tuesday—they were charged at Westminster before I was charged; I did not then make a statement, because I was living with Henry—my love of justice commenced after I was charged.

Cross-examined by MR. COLE. The man who was convicted of house breaking went by the name of James and by the name of Williams; you asked me at the police-court whether I ever lived with any other persons who were convicted of felony, and I said I did not; I do not know whether the man was innocent, he was found guilty.

Re-examined. When I took these things to pledge they had been taken out of brown paper; we were wanting money, and there was nothing else to pledge; they were taken loose in this cloth—Henry said "If you are asked anything, say that they are your own property"—I did not think there was any harm in it, or I would not have done it—I sent a message to my brother, and he and Mrs. Cummings were called as witnesses for me on 1st June, and Mr. Abrahams, the solicitor, appeared for me and called them—Mrs. Cummings had been to see me in the House of Detention, and I asked her to take a message to my brother—I did not ask her to give false evidence—a warder was present—I got out a fortnight last Thursday—my brother advised me to make a statement and tell the truth, and Inspector Fox told me to go to the Treasury, which I did, and made a statement, after which Mr. Poland called me as a witness, and I have been in the way ever since—I do not know the name of Turner—no charge has been made against me in reference to these knives and forks—as to two innocent men being in custody, I only knew what Henry told me—he read the evening paper to me and said that two men were in custody and had been remanded from Westminster Police-court for the jewellery in Pimlico—he told me the place where he and Griffiths had been to, and that they had a job to get away—I said "What can be done for them?" he said "They will have to put up with it, as we should if we were caught"—they were actually remanded—I have seen them here every day this week—I know that on 16th May the prisoners went out and lost a lot of their tools.

  MARY ANN GORMAN . My husband is a labourer, of 29, Webber Row, Waterloo Road—I know Henry as Mr. Williams—he came with the last witness on a Monday at the end of March, and I let them a front room, first floor, at 4s. 6d. a week—they remained there till Henry was taken in custody—he told me that he was a salesman and broker's man, and should be often away, and then his mistress would be over the water with her friends—I saw Griffiths in the house—I remember the day Mrs. Williams borrowed 2s. of me to get her Sunday's dinner—I saw her the same evening in my room for some time, talking—I was only in their room once while they were there.

Cross-examined by MR. FRITH. I did not see Griffiths very often—I cannot say whether he ever slept there—there was only one bed in the room—he did not sleep in any other room.

  MATTHEW FOX (Police Inspector M). On 3rd May I received information of this robbery, and sent notices round to the pawnbrokers that any person pawning the things might be detained—I received notice that Mrs. Williams was detained by Mr. Folkard—she was taken before a Magistrate on Saturday, 6th May—I was there—the knives and forks were produced; she was charged with stealing them, and was allowed to go on her

own recognisances to appear on the 13th—she did not appear—a warrant was obtained and she was arrested on the 27th. taken before a Magistrate on the 29th, and remanded to Thursday, June 1, when a solicitor appeared for her and called witnesses, and she was remanded to Thursday, the 8th, when she was allowed to go on her brother's recognisance, and I saw her join Henry, who was waiting in the neighbourhood, and they went away together—on the same day at 5 o'clock I saw Henry and another man come from Webber Bow and go up Blackfriars Road, and said, "I arrest you for a robbery at Newington Causeway;" he said, "You hare made a mistake this time"—I handed him over to Cox, and went with Inspector Phillips to 29, Webber Bow—we got there about 6 o'clock and found Griffiths sitting on the bed with his hat and coat off, which were hanging behind the door; he was having some beer—I said "I shall arrest you;" he said, "What for?"—I said, "I will tell you when you got to the station "—we searched the room, and found in a washhand stand drawer, a black bag with three large skeleton keys in it, a small jemmy, and two broken files, this nutmeg grater, and some dried liver partly grated, and in a cupboard two chisels, some wedges, this long jemmy, two bits and braces, 28 other skeleton keys, making 44, and this small dark lanthorn—I saw Phillips find this composite jemmy between the bed and the mattress done up nicely in paper—I also found a white handled knife and fork, a steel, and this pawn-ticket, dated May 15, 1882, from Mr. Davison, 145, Waterloo Road, for a timepiece for 2s. 6d., in the name of Henry Johnson—I went to Mr. Davison's, and found that it related to the small clock—some of the skeleton keys opened both the lock and the latch on Mr. Hart's door—I found this rent-book in the room; it is in the name of Beasley, and is for payment of rent at some other house up to 15th April—I directed Hyham's arrest, and was at the station when he was brought there and charged with stealing all this property—he said, "This night month exactly I bought this clock outside Francis's sale-rooms. "

Cross-examined by MR. COLE. Hyham was taken on Saturday, 10th June I have been stationed there 12 or 14 years—I have known Francis's Auction Booms several years, and have seen them open in the evening—I have not inquired whether they were open on that night—I did not communicate personally with Mr. Maule, the Public Prosecutor; I communicated with the Treasury—I did not go to Hyham's house; Cox did—I saw Williams's brother in the street, and had half an hour's conversation with him—I was at the police-court on 15th June before Mr. Bridge but made no communication to his clerk—after Williams was discharged on June 8 I saw her at Webber Bow—her brother was there—1 was there probably half an hour.

Re-examined. The brother and Mrs. Cummings were called on Thursday, June 1st—she was remanded on 8th June and went out on bail and joined the prisoner Henry—while she was out on bail. I met her at the solicitors office for her statement to be taken—she was afterwards discharged and called as a witness.

  HENRY PHILLIPS (Police Inspector). I went with Inspector Fox to 29, Webber Street—I found this jemmy in two pieces, and two black bags with skeleton keys, all tied up in a brown paper parcel and laid on the bed rails under the mattress.

  FEEDBRICK WILD . I am assistant to Mr. Davis, a pawnbroker, of 145,

Waterloo Road—I produce an American timepiece pawned on 15th May in the name of Henry Johnson for 2s. 6d., to the best of my belief by the prisoner Henry—I hare seen his face—I have the corresponding duplicate.

  ARTHUR COX (Detective M). On 10th June, about 12.30, I went to Hyham's house, 1, College Place, Draper Street, Newington Butts, with a search warrant—I found this alabaster clock on the mantelpiece in the front room downstairs—I afterwards saw Hyham in a cart in St. George's Road—I stopped it and said "Hyham, I have got a warrant for your apprehension for receiving a clock and other property stolen from 65, Newington Crescent on 3rd May"—he said "Three weeks ago this evening 1 was standing outside Francis's Auction Booms, and bought the clock of a man for 11s.; a policeman saw me there smoking a long pipe, which they would not allow me to smoke inside"—I took him to the station.

Cross-examined by MR. COLE. The parlour faces the court; there are no railings before the window—I might have seen the clock by looking in at the window, and anybody could see it if the door was open—I searched the house thoroughly—I have known these auction rooms several years, but did not know the name—they have sales there two or three evenings in a week—I never saw any sales going on in the day—the clerk informed me that Hyham had dealt there many years.

  HENRY HART . I am a china dealer, of 65, Newington Causeway—on 2nd May I locked up my premises at 10 p.m., and next morning at 8 o'clock I found them broken open—I missed 30 dozen knives, eight dozen forks, eight knives, and five clocks, value 30l., and 7s. 6d. from the till—the knives and forks were done up in parcels; these produced are some of them—I identify this alabaster clock by a dent on it, and this other also, and this steel knife and fork—my house was not broken into; the door was opened by skeleton keys.

HENEY and GRIFFITHS— GUILTY . They then

PLEADED GUILTY to previous convictions at this Court, Henry in February, 1881, and Griffith in September, 1873.— Five Years' Penal Servitude each. HYHAM— NOT GUILTY .

Before Mr. Common Serjeant.