The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

519.   GEORGE PARTRIDGE and   MARY GREENWOOD were indicted for feloniously assaulting   Adam Mills on the King's-highway, on the 9th of April last, and putting him in corporal fear and danger of his life, and feloniously taking

from his person and against his will, one cotton gown, value 10 s. one pair of cotton stockings, value 1 s. a linen handkerchief value 1 s. the property of the said Adam .

  ADAM MILLS sworn.

On the ninth of April last, at past eleven at night, I was going towards Bishop Bonner's, at Bethnal Green where I live, and by Shoreditch church, I met two women, they asked me to give them something to drink, with persuasion, I said, I would, and I went with them to a private house in  Kingsland-road , I gave them a shilling, one went out to fetch the liquor as I supposed, and returned in about ten minutes, and said, there was somebody at the door, she would see who it was, upon that she went to the door with a candle, and the candle was knocked out, and in came three or four more, I dare say by the found, there was six or seven.

Were they all women that came in, or men? - I am sure I heard three men's voices, they came round me, with their hands on my pocket, and took from me a ten pound bank note, I believe the number on the bank-note was 4,400, and seven guineas in gold, and some silver, about fifteen shillings, but I cannot be sure to the quantity of silver, and a bad sixpence.

Court. What are you? - I am a publican ; I had advertised that very week a premium for any body that had interest to procure a place in the Custom-house, that day I was to lodge half of thirty guineas in   Henry Gill 's, Esq; hands belonging to the long room at the Custom-house, and to deposit the other fifteen guineas, when I was appointed; they came all round me, and took this from me; I run after the people and took one woman, and was taking her to the watch-house, when this man and woman came after me, and said, I was no constable, and I should not take her to the watch-house; I received a violent blow on the side, and on that I let the woman go that I had, I had a bundle under my left arm, which contained a gown, the pattern of this which I produce, a pair of stockings and a linen handkerchief, they took the woman from me, and after about twenty yards this man and two women returned, and said, d - mn your eyes, you bloody b - gg - r! if you do not give us this bundle, we will cut your bloody melt out; I then received a hard blow on my knee, which has been very black, I then let the bundle go, and another woman run away with it, it was a star-light and moonlight night; I had never seen the prisoner Partridge before, as soon as the bundle was gone I held the prisoner Partridge by the collar of his shirt, and some people came round, and they were taken to the watch-house, and the woman came to the door, and the constable stopt her, I went with another, and in an alley in Kingsland-road, called Blunderbuss-court, we found the things.

Court. Did you recover your money? - There was a bad sixpence found on the table under the pan, and I believe it to be the same, but I cannot swear; the bank-note was never found.

Was you sober? - I had only drank three pints of porter since eight o'clock.

Was you perfectly sober? - As much as I am now.

  SAMUEL HARPER sworn.

The two prisoners were brought to me by the prosecutor, who said he had been robbed of eighteen pounds and a bundle; he said, the prisoner Partridge took the bundle from under his arm, I went to the room of another person, and the bundle was in her room, they all live in one court.

What was that girl's name? - Upon my word I forget, her name was Rachel, he positively said, they pulled the bundle from under his arm, and used him very ill besides.

PRISONER PARTRIDGE's DEFENCE.

I was sitting in my room, I went out, and the prosecutor had hold of this woman, I said to the woman, if you are innocent go to the watch-house, I walked after, and

in about five minutes the man gave charge of me.

  ELIZABETH EAST sworn.

I live in Blunderbuss-court, Kingsland-road, I rent a room there, the prisoner Partridge lives in the same place where I live, I have known him a twelvemonth, the other prisoner lives with him, there were two young women that lodged in the room over my head, and this young man came up with them, not the prisoner at the bar, I heard a gentleman slip, and I saw a gentleman with his breeches unbuttoned before, and his shirt hanging out, which made me take the more notice of him, he had no bundle, I was mending my husband's shirt for him to go to work in, I heard the girls go down stairs, the man works with his father at times, but he has been very ill for three months.

Jury to Prosecutor. Did the woman aid and assist the man in taking the bundle from you? - Yes, and made use of worse imprecations than the man did.

BOTH GUILTY , Death .

Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Baron PERRYN.