The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

157.   DANIEL FITZGERALD (57) , Breaking and entering the warehouse of   John Blake and another, and stealing seven barrels of grapes. Second County Receiving.

MR. ALDOUS Prosecuted.

  THOMAS FARNHAM . I have retired from the City Police Force—on 17th December I was in the force—at 11. 30 I was in Upper Thames Street—I saw the prisoner coming from the direction of Messrs. Keeling and Hunt's warehouse, and carrying a barrel On his back—I stopped him and asked him what he had got there—he said, "I don't know"—I asked him where he was going to take it—he said, "Up the lane"—I said, "Where to up the lane?"—he said, "Up the lane, that is good enough for you"—I said, "Where did you bring them from?"—he said, "Thames Street," and pointed to Lower Thames Street, and said, "A man asked me to carry them for him"—I said, "Where is the man?"—failing to see anyone I took him to the station and charged him with unlawful possession—I went back to search, and found that Keeling and Hunt's warehouse was opened—this bar and padlock lay on the floor—the padlock had evidently been forced by the bar—I saw a number of barrels in the warehouse corresponding with the one the prisoner was carrying—I secured the premises and went back to the station, where the prisoner was charged with breaking and entering, and stealing a barrel of grapes.

Cross-examined by the prisoner. You did not say you were engaged from the corner of Fish Street Hill to carry these, as they were a present sent from the Fishmongers' Hall people.

  LEWIS SHERBORNE . I am warehouseman to Keeling and Hunt, warehousemen, of Lower Thames Street—Mr. John Blake and another gentleman constitute the firm—on Saturday, 17th December, I secured the premises about seven p. m.—on Monday morning I found handcuffs on the door, and the lock had been forced off—the officer brought me a piece of paper with the mark of the barrel of grapes on it, and asked me

if I knew the mark—seven barrels were missing on the first tier of grapes—I have seen the barrel in the possession of the police; there is the mark of the same ship on it—I have no doubt it is one of the missing seven—I have known the prisoner as working about there as a porter at different warehouses.

Cross-examined. I have known you working—I know nothing about your honesty.

  HENRY THOMAS ARROWSMITH . I live at 3, Peabody Buildings—I am deputy turncock to the New River Company—this bar belongs to them—on Saturday, 17th December, I had left it against London Bridge in Lower Thames Street, about half-past ten, near Keeling and Hunt's warehouse—when I came back at half-past eleven it was gone, and I next saw it in charge of the police.

The prisoner in his statement before the Magistrate, and in his defence, asserted that a man asked him to carry the barrel.

GUILTY of receiving. He then

PLEADED GUILTY* to a conviction of felony in June, 1891.— Six Months' Hard Labour.