The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

697.   JAMES EVERARD ,   JOHN VANDEBUS otherwise BOND ,   PETER BOLTON , and   OFFSPRING GREGORY were indicted for burglariously and feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of   Thomas Seabrook , no person being therein; on the first of August , about the hour of ten in the forenoon, and stealing two cotton gowns, value 21 s. a linen gown, value 5 s. a linen apron, value 1 s. a linen shirt, value 1 s. a muslin handkerchief, value 1 s. and a green stuff skirt, value 2 s. the property of the said   Thomas Seabrook , in his dwelling-house .

The Witnesses were examined apart at the request of the Prisoners.

  THOMAS SEABROOK sworn.

I am a day-labourer , I live at  Mill-hill , on the first of August, between eight and nine o'clock, my daughter and I went out much about together, I locked the door with a padlock.

Was there any body in the house? - No.

How were your windows? - They do not open.

How old is your daughter? - About thirteen or fourteen; the things in the indictment are my daughter's wearing-apparel; about half an hour after it was done, I returned home, I found the door open, the bolt was forced out, and the padlock

was wrenched off and laid upon a table in the house.

  SARAH LEPER .

How old are you? - Thirteen last January.

  SARAH LEPER sworn.

On the first of August, between 9 and 10 o'clock in the morning, I saw the prisoner Vandebus come out of Mr. Seabrook's yard with a bundle in a blue apron, and part of a green skirt hanging out; when he came out, Gregory joined him.

Which is he? - That young man with the handkerchief round his head; and the two boys followed at a distance.

Where were they when you saw them first? - Gregory and Everard stood on one side of the house, about five yards distance from each other.

Where was Bolton? - He came from Mr. Bingham's shop, which is about 20 yards beyond Mr. Seabrook's, they went up Mill Hill?

Altogether? - No; Gregory and Bond joined together, and the two boys were at a distance behind.

Did they run? - No, they walked; I informed Mr. Seabrook's daughter of what I had seen, she was at Mr. Franklin's shop, about a quarter of a mile from home, I went home to my mistress, and the girl followed the men.

Look at those four prisoners; are you sure they are the men you saw there? - Yes.

Are you certain of it? - Yes, I am.

How far were they got when   Sarah Seabrook followed them? - They were out of my sight when she followed them.

Prisoner Everard. Was I in company with Gregory? - No, he was at a distance from him.

Who came out of the house with the bundle? - Bond, and the green skirt hanging out.

How do you know it was a skirt? - I am not sure, I imagined it to be so, because I had seen the girl wear a green skirt.

You are sure there was something green? - Yes.

How were they dressed? - Bond had a blue jacket on, Gregory had a great coat on and a green one under it.

Prisoner Gregory. They took that coat from me at Bow-street.

S Leper. Everard was dressed as he is now, and Bolton had a jacket on.

How soon did you see them again after this? - About three hours.

Where were they when you saw them again - At a public-house at Barnet gate.

Did you see the prisoners there? - Yes.

Were they in custody then? - Yes.

Did you know them again at that time? - Yes.

Did you say you knew them then? - Yes.

  SARAH SEABROOK sworn.

How old are you? - Turned of twelve.

Do you know the nature of an oath? - Yes.

What is an oath? - To answer what you ask.

But are you under any obligation to speak the truth? - Yes.

What will become of you if you speak false, don't you know? - A very bad thing.

  SARAH SEABROOK sworn.

I am the daughter of   Thomas Seabrook . On the first of August you and your father left the house together? - No, my father left the house first, he went out a little after eight o'clock, and I left it a little after nine.

Who locked it? - I did.

Where was your father then? - At his work, he had been gone pretty near an hour.

How did you lock it? - With a padlock.

Did any body remain in the house? - No, nobody.

How soon did you hear of the robbery? - About half an hour after.

Where was you? - At a neighbour's just by.

At whose house? - One Mrs. Hayes's.

Whose shop was it? - No shop at all.

Do you know Mrs. Franklin's? - Yes, it is next door to Mrs. Hayes's.

Who told you of it? -   Sarah Leper ; I went home and found the things were gone.

What things? - Every thing I had. (Repeats them.)

How long before had you seen those things? - I saw them just before I went out

Where were they? - Up stairs in my bed-chamber; I ran after them.

Which way did you run? - Up the hill.

How soon did you get sight of them? -

About ten minutes afterwards.

Court. Sight of what? - Of the four men.

Those four men, look at them? - Yes.

Were they walking or running? - Walking gently up the hill.

How far did you follow them? - About half a mile: I got three men to go after them, I told them there were four men gone down there, that had been in our house and robbed it of all my things, and I would be glad if they would go after them and take them.

How soon after that did you see these four men again? - It might be a couple of hours.

Are you sure they are the same four men you had followed? - Yes.

Look at these four men? - These are the same four I am sure.

Jury. Had you seen these men about the house any time before? - No.

Court. When you first saw these four prisoners, how were they? - They were all walking together.

You did not speak to them? - No.

You are very sure it was you that locked up the house, and that your father had been out near an hour before? - Yes.

What became of the key? - I put it in my pocket and took it with me.

You are sure of that? - Yes.

How long after this was it that you saw your father again? - I saw him when I came back from following the men; it might be about two hours.

  HENRY TAYLOR sworn.

I am a day-labourer; I live at Barnet-gate; I was informed that a house had been robbed at Mill-hill by four men; and that they were asleep under a hedge.

Where was this? - Behind the Bell at Barnet-gate; I found the four prisoners lying there, and this gun, (producing it,) lying under the skirts of Gregory's coat.

Was it loaded? - Yes, very heavy loaded, here is the contents, (producing it in a paper,) we secured the men and took them to the Bell; we sent to the people at Mill-hill, and carried the man to Bow-street.

What time of day did you find them? - About eleven o'clock.

  RICHARD LOVELL sworn.

I am a shoe-maker by trade; I live at Mill-hill; on the 1st of August about two o'clock, I found these things (produces them) in a ditch, about three poles from the road, at the bottom of Highwood-hill, which is about three-quarters of a mile from the house that was robbed, they were lying loose, not tied up.

Do you know the Bell at Barnet-gate? - Yes.

Was the place where you found the things in the road from Seabrook's house to Barnet-gate? - Yes, it was.

(Deposed to by   Sarah Seabrook .)

  GEORGE WOOD sworn.

I am a constable; I searched the prisoners; I found upon Everard some tinder and matches, and upon Bond, a pair of nippers; I found nothing upon the other two.

Court to   Sarah Seabrook . Did you ever see the padlock again? - Yes; it laid upon the table under the window.

Court to   Thomas Seabrook . Are you sure you and your daughter went out of the house together? - We went out together partly as I thought; I thought she followed me out directly.

Are you sure it was you that locked the door? - No, she locked the door, I believe.

Now do you remember whether your

daughter went out with you? - I left her there.

Now you are sure you left her there? - Yes.

You was mistaken before when you said that you and your daughter came out together, but now you recollect you left your daughter behind you? - Yes.

Who bought these things that your daughter wears? - My wife.

PRISONER EVERARD's DEFENCE.

I was going down to Hadley; I met Gregory and Bolton, and asked them the nearest way; they said they were going that way, and they would shew me; we walked a great way, and were fatigued, and laid down under the hedge to rest ourselves, and these men came and said we had been doing this robbery, which I know nothing at all about.

PRISONER BOND's DEFENCE.

I was taking a walk from town; I met with Gregory; he had got a gun; he had been shooting birds; he asked the way to Barnet; I walked with him a little way, and we sat down at the side of the ale-house at Barnet-gate, and these people came up and laid hold of us; they would not tell us at first what they took us for.

PRISONER BOLTON's DEFENCE.

I was going into the country; I met with Vandebus, and asked him the way to Barnet; we laid down to rest ourselves, and those men came and took us.

PRISONER BOLTON's DEFENCE.

I met with these men as I was going to work; we sat down, and these men came and laid hold of us.

(The prisoner Bolton called one witness who gave him a good character.

All Four, GUILTY Death .

Edward aged 14, Bolton aged 15, Gregory aged 17, and Bond aged 19.

Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr.   Baron THOMSON .

Everard and Bolton were recommended to his Majesty's mercy by the Jury, on account of their youth .