The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

860.   JOHN REID (28),   JAMES MILLARD (19), and   WALTER TAYLOR (22) , Stealing a watch-chain and a pair of eye-glasses from the person of   Lucy Ann Turner. Second Count, against Taylor, for receiving the same.

MR. BROMBY Prosecuted.

  LUCY ANN TURNER . I am a widow of 174, Amhurst Road, Hackney—I was going home on the 11th September, about 5. 30, when Millard came along and snatched at and took my chain and eye-glasses—I ran away and screamed, and he ran away—Reid was behind him, and also ran away.

Cross-examined by Reid. I saw you when you ran after Millard—you asked me what I had to say against you, and I said you followed in his steps, and you said, "Oh, you wicked woman, you!"—I did not hear you say I had accused an innocent man—you ran as fast as any of them—there is no mistake about it.

Cross-examined by Millard. There is no mistake about you; I shall never forget you—I might be mistaken in the passage where you were, but I am not in the person—I followed you, and never lost sight of you.

By the COURT. I think he was stopped by a milkman—when I came up they were both together.

By the JURY. I did not have to run twice the length of this Court.

Cross-examined by Taylor. I do not recognise you.

  ALICE MANN . I live at 9, Coleman Street, Hackney Road—I saw Millard leave the lady and run across the road—she called "Stop thief!" and I ran after him, calling "Stop thief!"—I did not see what he did to Mrs. Turner—I saw him run up the side of the Approach going to the station, and some man shut the gate—Reid was in front when I saw them—I saw them stopped and taken.

Cross-examined by Reid. I saw you up the passage—you were not standing at the gate—you came up the Dalston Lane end—you were nearly at the top when Millard joined you, and the gate was shut—you were running together, and were both stopped before I got to the gate—I don't think there were a dozen people there—the prosecutrix came up behind me and the other witnesses.

Cross-examined by Millard. You did not stop yourself—I did not hear a gentleman say that he saw a man run through the passage, but the lady would not listen to him, and that he could not stop because he had to catch a train.

Cross-examined by Taylor. I did not see you there—I know nothing about you.

  MARIAN MOSLEY . I live at 34, Belford Road, London Fields, and am the wife of Thomas Mosley, a writer—I saw Millard go up to the lady and stand in front of her for a second or so, and then run away.

Cross-examined by Millard. I thought you were one of the unemployed, and I was watching you—I saw your face.

  EDWARD DAVIS MORLEY . I am a saddler, of 2, Bridge Street, Homerton—I saw Millard snatch the prosecutrix's guard; he was standing near the kerb—I heard her cry out, "Stop thief!" and I saw Millard cross the road—I saw Taylor standing near the fence on the opposite side near the railway arch about twenty yards across the road—Millard went up the gateway first towards Dalston Lane, and Reid followed up at the back of him.

Cross-examined by Reid. I followed Millard up the gateway, and said to him, "You stop here, I won't give that man an inch," and he complained to me and said, "Have I got it on me?" and I said, "I don't know"—I went to fetch a constable—you were two yards from Millard and about six yards from the gate—you walked up and down at the same distance you are now.

Cross-examined by Millard. I cannot say you took the guard; I saw you do a snatch—I was in the yard doing something, but I was outside when I saw you—I did not say I was inside doing business—I did not see Taylor run.

Cross-examined by Taylor. I did not see you at the gate.

  EDWARD DAVID DAVIS . I keep a dairy at 13, Junction Place, Amhurst Road—I saw Millard running away from the prosecutrix—I did not see anyone else running away—I heard a squealing—I went round the corner at the top end, and saw Taylor running up Dalston Lane, a short cut to the railway—Taylor was before Millard—I did not see him stopped—Taylor got away.

Cross-examined by Millard. You ran on one side of Amhurst Road, from the lady to the Approach, and when you came to the Approach you were out of my sight.

Cross-examined by Taylor. I saw you running up Dalston Lane, about half a minute after the robbery.

  JAMES HARRISON . I am a wheelwright, of 211, Dalston Lane—I heard the lady call out, "Stop thief"—I jumped over the fence, and laid hold of Reid and Millard, who were running as hard as they could go.

Cross-examined by Reid. I was at the railway arch gate—there are four arches in the roadway, and a passage—there is a gate at each side of the passage—I was walking on what they call the Arches.

  WILLIAM ROBERTSON . I am a jeweller, of 100, Aldersgate Street—on the 12th September last, between 11 and 12 a. m., Taylor brought me in this chain to sell (produced)—I asked him how he came by it—he said it belonged to his father, and his father was out of work, and wanted the money—I did not understand whether it was his father or himself out of work—I gave him £2 1s. 6d. for it, the value of old gold—I gave him a ticket for it—it was sold out and out, and that is its value.

  JOHN MURPHY (Detective J). I was present at the Police-court when this case was heard, and Taylor said he wished to call some witnesses,

and the prisoners were remanded—he did not give me their names—I have the statement in writing, which I took down, signed.

Cross-examined by Taylor. At the Dalston Police-court Mr. Bros said he would help you all he could to get witnesses here, and I have helped you—there was a witness called at the Police-court—I have not been able to see her since.

Reid's Defence. I say I am innocent of the charge, and know nothing at all about it.

Millard's Defence. I was returning home, and going up Amhurst Road, when I heard some one running, and I ran through the court after this man, and got a glimpse of him. I ran through the passage thinking to catch him at the top; the gate was closed, and the lady came running up, and hesitated a few minutes, and said, "Yes, that is the man. "I told her I was trying to assist her in running after the man. I am as innocent of the charge as a child unborn. I have not been in trouble before.

Taylor's Defence. On the 11th September, when this robbery was committed, I was nowhere near the Amhurst Road. My wife was taken very ill on that day, and I called a witness in Court, who came up and proved it. She was supposed to appear up here, and there was another here outside till yesterday. As to selling the chain to that man I never see it till he brought it into Court.

  WILLIAM ROBERTSON (Re-examined). I positively swear to the prisoner who brought the chain.

GUILTY .

Reid then PLEADED GUILTY**† to a conviction of felony at this Court in February, 1889, in the name of William Brown. There were two other indictments against Reid for robbery with violence.

REID and TAYLOR— Eighteen Months' Hard Labour. MILLARD— Twelve Months' Hard Labour.