The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

24.   Samuel Gregory , was indicted first for breaking and entring the House of   Joseph Lawrence , the Elder, at  Edgware , and stealing a Silver Cup, four Silver Spoons, four Gold Rings, a Pair of Sheets, twelve Napkins, a Table Cloth, six Towels, six Pillowbiers, six Handkerchiefs, a Dimity Waste Coat, fifteen Guineas, three Moidores and thirty Shillings Feb. 4 , about the Hour of nine in the Night .

2d. For assaulting the said   Joseph Lawrence in his House, putting him in fear, and taking from him the Goods and Money mentioned in the first Indictment .

3d. For Assaulting, Ravishing, and against her Will, carnally knowing   Dorothy Street , Spinster , Feb. 4 .

4th. For stealing a Bay Gelding, value 20 l. the Property of   Thomas Humphries , in the Parish of  St. George, in Middlesex .

5th. For breaking and entring the House of   William Francis , in the Parish of  St. Mary la Bonne , and stealing a large quantity of Goods, and Money, Feb. 7 . about the Hour of nine in the Night .

6th. For Assaulting the said   William Francis , putting him in fear, and taking from him the said Goods and Money , Feb. 7 .

First, Second, and Third Indictments.

  Joseph Lawrence , the Elder. On the

fourth of February last, about nine at Night, my House at Edgware was broke open. Somebody came to the Door and call'd me by my Name. My Servant,   John Peats , unbolted the Door, and presently five Men rush'd in with ten Pistols, each of the Men having one in each Hand, I cannot say positively that the Prisoner was one of them, but there was a Man among them pretty much like him. They swore they'd kill me, if I did not give 'em my Money. They took out of my Pocket a Guinea, a six-and-thirty. Shilling Piece, and between ten and twenty Shillings in Silver. They broke the two Buttons off my Breeches and let them down. They took me up Stairs, and said they wanted more Money. They broke open a Door there, and took out two Guineas, ten Shillings, a Silver Cup with two Handles, four Gold Rings, and three Silver Spoons - they had taken another Silver Spoon below Stairs - still they wanted more, and swore they would kill me if I did not tell them where the rest of my Money was. My Breeches being down, they set my bare backside on the Fire. I was not burnt indeed, but sorely scalded. They took a Case Knife, and threatned to rip me up, and brought a Bill to chop my Legs off to make me confess. They carried me into a Back Room where the Maid was beating up Butter, they took the Kettle off the Fire with two Pails of Water in it, and throwing me down, they threw the Water all over me, but it happened not to be quite scalding hot. My Son had in the House between twenty and thirty Pounds which was all lost - They took my Sheets, Table Cloths, Napkins, and all the best Linnen I had - They broke my Head with their Pistols, so that the blood run down and matted my Hair, and swore that I should not live till Morning if I did not discover where my Money was - One of them had a Linnen Cloth over his Face, and they had pull'd up the Capes of their Coats - At their first coming in, they broke a Fowling Piece which they found in my Room, and before they went, they said they'd go and serve my son Joseph just as they had served me, and bid my Boy shew them the way to his House; but I having another Son who was not come home, they were afraid to venture after they had staid three Quarters of an Hour for his coming. They then tyed my Hands and Legs, and the Hands and Legs of my Man and Maid and Boy, and so leaving us lying upon our Backs, they lock'd the Door and went away - They took from my House in Money and Goods to the value of about sixty Pounds.

  John Wheeler . The Prisoner and I, and   Joseph Rose and   John Fielder , and   Richard Turpin went on the fourth of February to   John Rowlets at the Black Horse Inn in the Broad Way, Westminster, where my Horse and Gregory's stood. The Prisoner told us he had worked at Edgware, and had shod this Farmer (the Prosecutor's) Horses, and that he was worth a good deal of Money, and it was by his Advice that we went thither. The Prisoner and I, and Rose went out first; Turpin and Fielder follow'd, and overtook us on the Road; we drank two or three Pots at the Bowl and Skettle on the Hill on this side Edgware. Thence we went to the Queen's Head at Stanmore, where we drank Beer, and eat Bacon and Eggs for Supper. We set out again between six and seven. I believe it wanted but a small matter of seven, and so rode into the Farmer (Lawrence's) Grounds, as I suppose they were, and tyed up our Horses within a Quarter of a Mile of his House. Hearing the Boy calling up the Sheep, we staid a little and then went forward, and Fielder jumpt over a sort of a half Door and seiz'd the Sheep-boy, and tyed his Hands, and bid him go to his Master's Door and knock, and answer to any Body that asked who was there. He knock'd, a servant Man open'd the Door; I and Rose and the Prisoner had two Pistols each, but I think that Turpin and Fielder had but one a-piece. We all rush'd in; we bound the Boy again (for we had unbound him) and then we bonnd the Man and the Maid. I stood over them, while the others carried up the Old Man to make him shew them the House. All the Money that I saw was three Guineas, two Half Crowns and eighteen Pence. The Prisoner

came down to the Maid, and said, Damn Ye, shew me where your Master's Money is. She made him a Curtesy, and said, she did not know. But he made her go up Stairs with him: And when she came down, she cryed; I asked her if any body had beat her; she answered, No, But one of your Men has lain with me.

Court. Did she say by force?

Wheeler. I did not hear her say so. We put the Linnen in Sacks - the Plate I believe they put in their Pockets - and carried all to our Horses. We came home about eleven, and next Day we divided our Booty. Rose gave us fifteen Shillings for all the Linnen, and he likewise bought of us the two handled Silver Cup, three Gold Rings, three Silver Spoons. but I can't say now for how much; and Mrs. Rose made them off for him. The Prisoner, as we were going home, told us, I believe twenty times, that he had lain with the Maid in the Garret.

Court. Did he say by force?

Wheeler. He said, he bolted the Garret Door, and laid a Pistol on the Bed while he lay with her.

Prisoner. I don't deny that I was with them at the Prosecutor's House, but I had nothing that came from thence, for they were taken that Day sennight.

Wheeler. He was with us when we divided the Money, and had his part, and perhaps more than I, for they cheated me in every respect; so that out of sixty Pounds, I had but four.

Prisoner. I ought to have had my share of whatever was taken - though I cannot say that any thing was taken, for I went no farther than just within the Door where I stood to watch.

Court. But when they went away, Did you see no Sacks carried out?

Prisoner. Not to my knowledge.

  Dorothy Street . I was in the Back House. when the Rogues came in; there was five in all, and I am sure the Prisoner was one of them. They Rankshatteld (Ransacked) the House. I did not see them take the Goods, for I and the Man and the Boy were tyed in the Parlor. But then the Prisoner came and said, I should go up Stairs with them. Wheeler went formost, and the Prisoner took me up after him into my Master's Room, and they said, they'd Rankshattle in that Room. Wheeler went to the Foot of the Garret Stairs and would go no farther; but the Prisoner swore that he would go up, and he forced me up with him into the Garret, and there he swore he would lie with me. I told him I was a young Girl, and knew nothing of the matter; but he bolted the Garret Door, and swore if I would not yield, he would kill me; and so he threw me on the Bed, and laid one Pistol upon the Bed, and another on a Chest just by, and forced me.

Court. How did he force you? Were you drest or undrest?

D. Street. I was drest. He pull'd up my Coats and took out what he - and - into me. And he push'd as hard as ever he could for the Life and Soul of him.

Court. Did you perceive -?

D. Street. Yes; And then he asked me if ever I was lain with before? and I said, No. And then he let me go down; and I cry'd, and one of them said, What's the Matter? and I said, one of your Men has lain with me.

  Richard Wood . I keep the Nine Pin and Bowl on this side Edgware. On the fourth of February last, the Prisoner and Wheeler and three more came to my House and drank together. They staid about three Quarters of an Hour, and went away a Quarter before five; but did not say whither they were going.

  Joseph Ironmonger . I keep the Queen's Head at Stanmore. On the fourth of February five Men came to my House; Wheeler was one of them, and I believe the Prisoner was another. They staid a little above an Hour, and went away at four or five Minutes past seven. They turned towards London, which is the way to Farmer Lawrence's House.

  Thomas Lawrence . I was not at home when my Father's House was robbed. But about three or four Years ago, the Prisoner work'd for   Richard Taylor , a Smith at Edgware and shod my Father's Horses - I went to see

him in Newgate on the fourteenth of this Month, and he own'd to me, That he shew'd the others the way to our House, for he thought we had got a great deal of Money. Why did you think so, says I. Because you paid every body very well, says he, and therefore I thought you must be very rich. He told me too that he lay with the Maid, and that he had twenty five Shillings of the Money that was taken.

  Richard Taylor . He lived with me six Months at Edgware, and he shod Farmer Lawrence's Horses at both Houses.

Archelaus Pullen. The Day after the Prisoner came to Town, I went to see him in Newgate. He told me he lay with the Girl; but that she was either as willing as he, or else she was afraid; for he said he had two Pistols and laid them down by her. He confest likewise that he was concern'd in the Robbery.

Prisoner. I have no Witnesses, nor one Friend in the World, and so I must leave it to the Court.

Then the Witnesses against the Prisoner for breaking and entring the House of William Francis, and stealing the Goods and Money, and for assaulting and robbing the said William Francis, were called and appeared. +

+ See the Trial of Fielder, Rose, Walker, and Bush, for the same Burglary and Robbery, in March last. Sessions Paper Number 3. Page 56.

Prisoner. I'l give the Court and the Jury no farther trouble. I own I was at that House, and took the Money and Goods, and had two Guineas for my Share.

Court. What do you say as to stealing the Horse?

Prisoner. I am guilty of that too - My Lord, there are two Gold Watches in the Custody of Sir   Simeon Stewart , a Justice of the Peace in Ham Shire, ought they not to be brought into Court?

Court. Are they part of the Goods for which you are indicted?

Prisoner. No; One was Sir   John Osbaston 's Watch; it had a Gold Case. The other was a little Watch with a Shagreen Case.

Court. Then they are not before this Court, and we can make no Order about them.

Prisoner. Besides, they took my Silver Buckles (which cost me 18 s.) out of my Shoes, and took away all my Linnen, in Winchester Goal.

The Jury found the Prisoner guilty of all the six Indictments . Death .