The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

159.   ALBERT GODDARD, Burglary in the dwelling-house of   Hugh Patterson, and stealing a jacket, a ring, and a brooch, his property, and two overcoats and other goods, the property of   Arthur Francis Thomas Grundy.

MR. BAYLIS Prosecuted.

  ARTHUR FRANCIS THOMAS GRUNDY . I lodge at 119, The Grove, Hammersmith; Hugh Patterson is my landlord—I am a bank clerk—on 14th November, about one a. m., I was in bed in the third floor back room—I heard a noise, got up and dressed myself, went out of my room, and in the children's bedroom I saw two men emptying the drawers, bending over and examining the contents—I asked them what they were doing there, and they ran out of the house—I have not identified either man since—subsequently I examined the premises—I found two overcoats, a pair of boots, and a cap belonging to myself missing from a small back room on the ground floor, which I use as a sitting-room—I have seen none of those goods since—I bolted the front door just before I went to bed, about half an hour before I heard the noise—I know nothing about the window—in the morning I or the policeman found this chisel underneath the table in the front room—I afterwards saw some footmarks on the window-sill—the window was open about a quarter of an inch in the morning—it looked as if it had been opened, and then attempted to be shut again—I should say this was the chisel that was found; I did not notice it very particularly.

  EMMA PATTERSON . I am Hugh Patterson's wife—we live at 119, The Grove, Hammersmith—on the early morning of 14th November Grundy called me—I got up, went downstairs, and found a window had been opened and things taken from Mr. Grundy's room—a coat of my husband's was taken from a wardrobe in another room—before going to bed, about 10. 80, I shut all the windows and looked round the house—there was no fastening on the window that was opened, as the catch was broken—I saw footmarks on the sill next morning—I saw a chisel like this—it does not belong to our house.

  CHARLES BARNARD (687 T). On 14th November, about one a. m., I heard cries of "Police!" and went to 119, The Grove, where I noticed the side bay-window of the front room was open half an inch, and marks on the window-sill—entry had been effected by the window—I saw this chisel lying inside the window—there were no marks on the window from the chisel; there were scratches on the window-sill.

  ALFRED BAILEY . I live at 6, New Cottages, Chiswick, and am errand boy at Mr. Cowle's—the prisoner worked there also—about the beginning of November something was wrong with the drains, and workmen were called in to repair them; and while they were there the prisoner took a chisel from their bench, and said it would do for him and Ginger, one. of his associates, to break into houses with—I had seen a boy called Ginger—this is the chisel (Produced)—the prisoner said Ginger would be pleased to know he had got it; and a little later on he said they broke into a house in The Grove, and got £4, but had to leave the chisel behind in the house because they were pursued by two young men; and they put wire across the stairs and jumped over the wire, and then the two young men tumbled over the wire—I cannot say when it was that he told me that—it was when he was still in Cowle's employment; he was bakehouse boy and I was shop boy—the day the chisel was taken

I and the prisoner were going home together on an omnibus, as we always used to do, and he had the chisel on him—I left him against the Wesleyan Chapel, Hammersmith, and told a constable something, and then went with him and pointed out the prisoner to him, who ran away round a corner—the constable chased him—next morning the prisoner told me that he got round the corner before the constable, and threw the chisel over the wall, and then the constable caught and searched him; and that afterwards he (the prisoner) met Ginger, and they went back and got the chisel—he told me, the night he took the chisel, that if I told anyone he would do for me—he came back to work at the confectioner's after that for about two months, I should say—I did not tell my master about his stealing the chisel and throwing it over the wall—before the prisoner took the chisel I had had a few cross words with him, not exactly a quarrel—I threatened him once, some time before he took the chisel, and he kicked me into the road, and I threw a ginger-beer bottle at him.

  ARTHUR JUDKINS . I am a plumber, living at 63, Compton Street, Notting Hill—about the beginning of November I was at work at Mr. Cowle's and missed this chisel—the prisoner was employed there at the time—I have no doubt that this is my chisel; I can see traces of my own work on it; I had altered the blade of it the night previous.

  EDWARD WILLIAMS (688 T). On 9th November Bailey made a statement to me with reference to the prisoner; and I followed the prisoner, who ran away along King Street and Down Place—I caught him near Heatherington's stables—I did lose sight of him as I followed him—I said, "I believe you have a chisel that is stolen property on you"—he said, "No, I have nothing; I work for Cowle, the confectioner"—he allowed me to search him; I could not find anything on him, and let him go—I subsequently made a communication to the inspector in this case.

By the COURT. On the evening when I chased the prisoner he was in the street with four or five others, one of whom was Barclay, alias Fisher, and Ginger—when the prisoner saw me he ran away through Down Street—I lost sight of him at the bend of the road—there was a place, near the stables where I caught him up, where he could have thrown a chisel away—about 10. 15 the same night I came out of the station in plain clothes, and saw the prisoner again with the same gang near the Swan public-house—I followed them a little way, but lost sight of them.

  EDWIN MOTT (Detective-Sergeant T). On 14th November I received information of this burglary—on 14th December I saw the prisoner outside the West London Police-court—he said tome, "How has Ginger and Redcap got on?"—those two men were charged with assaulting the police—I said, "What is your name?"—he said, "Albert Goddard"—said, "I shall take you into custody for breaking into No. 119, The Grove"—he said, "I have been along with Ginger every night"—he was taken into the station—he made no reply to the charge—he has been at work at Cowle's.

By the COURT. I had seen Redcap, Ginger, and the prisoner together on the night of the burglary, about five minutes' walk from this house, outside the Hop Pole public-house—the prisoner was living at this time at a common lodging-house, Jubilee Chambers, close to the Hop Pole, and about five minutes' walk from where the burglary was committed,

Cross-examined. I followed you there several times, and you gave it as your address.

By the COURT. I have followed him home as late as three in the morning with Ginger and Redcap—several burglaries had been committed, and I and five constables were told off to keep them under observation.

Witnesses for the defence.

  ALBERT GODDARD . I am the prisoner's father—I am gardener to Mrs. James Bird, Phoenix Lodge, Brook Green—on the night of 13th November, you came in about 11. 15; you were living and sleeping at my house then and up to the following Monday, when you left home—I am quite sure you could not get out of the house without my knowing it—you used to sleep in the same room with me.

Cross-examined. The prisoner lived with me up to the Monday following the Sunday evening when this robbery was done; he left home the day after the robbery—he has lived with me all his life, and always slept in the same room with me—he is never out at night—on 13th November I had not gone to bed when he came home about 11.15—I generally go to bed at 11. 30, sometimes a little earlier or later—I have to do my fires at night; I generally make them up and get home by twelve—the garden where I work is three or four minutes' walk from where 1 live; I live on the lady's premises—I am certain the prisoner was at home that Sunday night—the following night he left me—he was never out at night—I do not know Ginger or Redcap; I did not know the prisoner was associating with them—I remember the Sunday night, because the prisoner was a little later; he was generally in before eleven, but he was later this night—I was sitting there—I said he was rather late, and he said he was; he did not say where he had been—I had done up the fires when he came in, and I did not go out again till seven or 7. 30 a. m.—he always slept in the same room with me, and was never out at night—there are two rooms on the landing, but my two grown-up daughters slept in the other room—I remember he slept at home on the night of the 13th through his leaving the next day—I cannot say what time he finished work at the confectioner's-sometimes he came home early and sometimes at eleven or twelve—I never knew him to be out till three—I am certain he could not have got out of my house without my knowing it—when I have done my fires I go to bed—I sleep pretty soundly—I knew the prisoner was charged at the Police-court—I did not go to the Police-court, because we employed a solicitor, and I thought I should not be wanted, knowing nothing about it, except that he was at home—my wife went instead of me.

  RICHARD ANDREWS . I live at 38, Claybrooke Road, Hammersmith, and am gardener to Mr. Simmons, of Sloane Street—I am a friend of your father, at whose house I was on the 13th November—I saw you come in about 11. 15—I left the house about 11. 45, and just before I left you went up to bed—your father was sitting downstairs—I think he went and did his fires afterwards—I visited the house on 27th November; you were still living at home—I did not hear your father's evidence—your mother told me on the 28th that you had run away from home.

Cross-examined. I did not see the prisoner that night after twenty to twelve—I saw him on each Sunday up to the 27th—I saw him on the

21st; he was sleeping in the house then—I should have been informed if he had run away.

  EDWIN MOTT (Re-examined by the COURT). About a week previous to the burglary I first noticed the prisoner out as late as three a. m., and he went into the Jubilee Lodging-house with Ginger; Redcap went into the Anchor Lodging-house—I was about eight weeks after him altogether—the prisoner was bailed after the second remand.

The prisoner, in his defence, asserted that he knew nothing of this robbery; that he had not been out later than twelve o'clock, or been in the lodging before 29th November, and it was through being seen with the others that he was charged.

GUILTY. The sergeant stated that he believed the other men had led him astray. Mr. Wheatley, of the St. Giles' Christian Mission, undertook to see the prisoner before the next Session .— Judgment respited.