The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

245.   THOMAS UNDERWOOD , and   JOSEH WOOD were indicted for feloniously assaulting on the King's highway,   William Beadle , on the 17th of May , putting him in fear and danger of his life, and feloniously taking from his person and against his will, one canvas jacket, value 6 d. one linen waistcoat, value 6 d. a shirt, value 12 d. one pair of trowsers, value 12 d. and ten halfpence, his property .

  WILLIAM BEADLE .

Court to Beadle. What age are you? - Fifteen.

Are you acquainted with the nature of an oath; supposing you do not speak what is true now, in the testimony you are going to give against the prisoners at the bar, what will become of you? - I shall go to hell, my Lord.

  WILLIAM BEADLE sworn.

On the 17th of May, did you see the prisoners at the bar, or either of them? - Yes, I saw them both; I was on the other side of London-bridge; I never was in

London before, I was asking for a lodging, and they brought me over to  Saltpetre-bank , it was past six in the evening; then they knocked me down, took my money out of my pocket, and took my clothes which I had in a bundle; I lost five-pence: the clothes consisted of a jacket, a waistcoat, a shirt, and a pair of trowsers; I am very sure of the prisoners, I never saw them before, I never was in London before; my clothes were found on   Joseph Wood , he was in a shop selling them in Rosemary-lane; a gentleman went and caught him, I was in the shop, and saw them there myself.

  JOSEPH WEST sworn.

I am an officer, I produce the clothes; at ten at night Underwood was brought to me by the prosecutor and the other witness, and I went in search of Wood on his information, and found him in a shop selling the clothes; I took the clothes from him in the shop, and took him into custody; the clothes have been in my custody ever since.

(Deposed to.)

  MATTHIAS TURTLE sworn.

As I was coming home from work, I came up Saltpetre-bank, I heard murder cried three times; the boy said he was a stranger, had been robbed, and was paid off; I was going to my lodgings in Rosemary-lane, I saw Wood with the property, and Underwood with him; I took Underwood to West the officer, Wood ran away with the property, and West and me went to look for him, and found him in a barber's shop, just by the deal-yard in Rosemary-lane, selling the property.

GERRARD PROUDFOOT sworn.

I never saw the prisoners before the night of the robbery, to my knowledge; I was coming down Rosemary-lane, between nine and ten; and at the corner of Mr. Maddox's timber-yard, I saw a number of people assembled; I asked what was the matter; the prosecutor told me: I said, any man is an officer to take a felon: I immediately took him in charge, it was about ten, and at eleven the same evening, we saw the prisoner Wood at a clothes shop, near to the place where I took the first man, disposing of the things for sale; I was in company with West, I cannot rightly say the name of the people that kept the shop, they were Jews; I am quite sure it was Wood, when I went into the shop.

PRISONER UNDERWOOD's DEFENCE.

I know nothing of the lad, I never saw him before.

PRISONER WOOD's DEFENCE.

I was along with the lad, he asked me to go along with him; I went very near as far as Deptford, and he said he would be very glad to go back to the lodgings; at Saltpetre-bank three lads stopped him, some of the lads run past me, and shoved the bundle away, and I picked it up.

Prosecutor. It was the two prisoners, and Underwood put his hand in my pocket, and stopped my mouth, that I assure you.

THO. UNDERWOOD,   JOSEPH WOOD ,

GUILTY , Death .

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